IMPACT

The program will teach you to build cooperation among departments and provide the leadership, strategy, and decision-making skills that are essential to your success as a manager. Small-group work allows you to analyze your business challenges and benefit from the insight of professional coaches and peers from around the world.

• Gain skills needed to lead effectively across functions.
• Increase understanding of critical functional areas.
• Develop a customized action plan to integrate learning into practice.
• Learn from a specialized team of faculty members, practitioners, and coaches.
• Collaborate with a group of diverse and experienced peers.

Upon completion of this program, you will earn 13 days towards a Certificate with select alumni and tuition benefits. Learn more.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE

Week 1: Cross-Functional Leadership

• The challenge of leading organizations
• Understand the dynamics of an organization
• Learn how general managers can gain perspective on their organizations
• Consensus and conflict-based approaches in decision making
• Explore how conflict can impact the quality of decisions and their implementation
• Experiencing groups and thinking systemically
• Develop a deeper understanding of high-performance leaders
• Discover how to lead people to excel
  

Week 2: Maximizing Performance of Individuals and Departments

• Personal case situations and practicum in group leadership
• Gain insight into behavior patterns that limit personal effectiveness
• Practice putting ideas into action
• See how accounting ratios provide valuable clues to business performance
• Projections and cash management
• Recognize the contrast between equity financing and debt financing
• Gain insight into actualizing global strategy and organization development

Program Focus
Cross-Functional Leadership: 50%
Strategy: 30%
Personal and Professional Development: 20%
 

For an inside look at the General Manager Leadership Program, download the program brochure and agenda.

PARTICIPANT PROFILE & TESTIMONIALS

The General Manager Leadership Program is designed for upper-level to senior-level executives with 10-15 years of experience who seek to advance their ability to lead across functions. This program caters to executives preparing for the role of general manager, those in the process of transitioning to this role, and general managers already serving in this function who seek to expand their skills. Participants come from all continents and represent industries including automotive, healthcare, media, and manufacturing. Their titles range from executive director to senior vice president of operations to deputy governor.

Hear from Past Participants:

General Management and Leadership Program: Ram Chari

Ram Chari

General Manager at Emirates Bank Group

Ram Chari said reflecting on global cultural differences during the program was beneficial. The program reinforced the value of considering cultural differences before making decisions.

General Management and Leadership Program: Andrew Esemezie

Andrew Esemezie

General Manager at MTN Nigeria Communications

Andrew Esemezie said the program helped him think about leading from an organizational level rather than from a functional level.

General Management and Leadership Program: Felix Aepli

Felix Aepli

CEO at Asia Pacific, AFG

Felix Aepli said the program allowed him to share and learn from others' experiences and cultures, which he says is extremely important for achieving higher goals.

General Manager Leadership Program Profile: Kate Cassino

Kate Cassino

Vice president, product development, The McGraw-Hill Companies

Kate Cassino said the program has helped change her mindset to a more broad general management perspective that prepares her better for future leadership roles. She also said the interactions with peers from around the world offered new insights on perspectives, challenges and cultural differences.

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Dr. Christine Zhou

Vice President at Lilly China Oncology Business Unit

"It was an excellent program. It created a great opportunity for participants to strengthen their global views and lead changes in an ever-changing environment. It definitely helped me to better exercise self-leadership, which is critical for effective leaders."

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Todd Walthall

Vice President Channel Management , USAA

"This experience was a great opportunity to interact and collaborate with managers from a broad range of countries, functions, and industries. The collective wisdom of the group, sharing of best practices, and leadership challenges provided exposure to valuable new insights. In today's economy leaders are continually faced with new challenges, so it's critical to tap into the knowledge, abilities, and relationships of the team as a whole. I would recommend this program to other leaders who want to broaden their horizons."

General Management and Leadership Program: Ram Chari

Ram Chari

General Manager at Emirates Bank Group

General Management and Leadership Program: Andrew Esemezie

Andrew Esemezie

General Manager at MTN Nigeria Communications

General Management and Leadership Program: Felix Aepli

Felix Aepli

CEO at Asia Pacific, AFG

General Manager Leadership Program Profile: Kate Cassino

Kate Cassino

"To challenge your mindset, to move out beyond your comfort zone."

Zhou1.png

Dr. Christine Zhou

Vice President at Lilly China Oncology Business Unit

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Todd Walthall

"The collective wisdom of the group...provided exposure to valuable new insights."

FACULTY

William Klepper, Faculty Director
Professor of Management
Faculty Member, Executive Education

William Klepper has served as a consultant to numerous corporations including AT&T, Bausch & Lomb, Bell Canada, Chase Manhattan Bank, Deloitte Touche Tomatsu, DuPont, Ericsson, Finmecannica, General Electric, Hertz, Johnson & Johnson, Nabisco, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, SAP, Sony, and Sun Microsystems. He also has consulted for colleges and universities, school districts and government agencies and served as an advisor to the Wounded Warrior Project. He participates regularly in the New York Stock Exchange Chairman and CEO Forum or the Financial Times / Outstanding Directors Exchange.

Profoundly interested in executive learning, strategic leadership and corporate governance, Klepper is the creator of the Klepper Leadership Model, first published in Key Account Management and Planning (2002). It was then updated as the Integrated Leadership Model in his recent book, The CEO’s Boss: Tough Love in the Boardroom (2010).
 

Along with Professor Klepper, additional Columbia Business School faculty contribute to and teach in the program.