Managing solely for profit is like focusing on the scoreboard rather than the game itself.
Beliefs About Learning
During my thesis on “The Making of Managers: Identity and Relationships with Knowledge” (Cristol, 2010), I aimed to understand how managers learn and shape their identities. I found that the core of their learning diverged significantly from traditional educational practices. Alarmingly, what managers learned in school through outdated templates and case studies (generally 5 to 10 years old) often reflected obsolete beliefs or responsibilities that they will seldom enact. In essence, studying old cases and then waiting 5 to 10 years to assume decision-making roles immerses managers, through this outdated pedagogy, in ideas that are up to 20 years behind.
Engaging with a mentor or a managerial guide revealed another path, leading me to discover the concept of learning through modeling, as theorized by psychologist Bandura (1977). However, this social learning, based on role models or counterexamples, has its limitations. It contributes to the reproduction of hierarchical cultural and social traits, fostering a dominant form of heroic management. This individualized approach to management stifles initiatives that do not originate from the leader, a form of unreciprocated dominance that is rejected by younger generations and even by older individuals seeking autonomy and creative freedom.
The research conducted during my thesis indicated that a substantial portion of managerial learning, up to 70%, occurred through informal interactions with teams, customers, and suppliers rather than in formal educational settings. This prompted me to question whether management education was counterproductive in producing effective managers (Cristol, 2009), whether it occurs during initial training or through continuing education in MBA programs or courses adhering to business school norms. This research advocates for innovative learning approaches in management.
Innovative Education in Executive Training
Managers often possess impressive titles and degrees, yet these seldom ensure the essential human qualities necessary for fulfilling their roles as functionaries, leaders, and professionals. Traditional courses inadequately prepare them for the complexities of human behavior and the diverse situations they will encounter.
Nevertheless, to master behavioral skills (soft skills), it is possible to innovate in managerial training and employ shortcuts to achieve results. Below are four original methods that embrace emotions and the power of existence, enabling individuals to envision their roles and reflect deeply on their place within the organization.
These methods underscore the significance of co-design, collective intelligence, experiential learning, and research as pathways to acquiring and enhancing managerial skills. Here’s how each of these experiences can be articulated:
The Coffin Learning Experience serves as a powerful metaphor for the importance of self-centering and deep contemplation of one’s values, motivations, and the essence of leadership. In this experience, each leader is invited to sit and reflect inside a coffin on what truly matters in their life, highlighting that self-awareness is essential to effective management.
A leader with strong self-knowledge is better equipped to understand others, create a positive workplace atmosphere, and make decisions that align with the organization’s core values. This challenges the traditional view that managerial skills can only be taught directly, emphasizing instead the importance of self-reflection and self-awareness. Letting go of outdated beliefs and nurturing the living seeds of potential futures diminishes a leader’s sense of omnipotence and encourages a different use of their power.
Co-design learning focuses on knowledge sharing and collaborative problem-solving to develop new projects. Although leaders have been conditioned to excel individually through difficult academic paths, this often undermines teamwork. They have overly assimilated the idea that personal effort and individual work are paramount.
Relearning the meaning of collaboration can be achieved through co-design learning. This approach fosters immersion in a state of “flow,” where individuals engage fully and perform efficiently. It shows that managerial learning can be dynamic and participatory, contrasting with the static master-student paradigm. Co-design effectively enhances leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills, aligning with real challenges that managers face.
Organizational systemic constellations harness the power of nonverbal communication and embody learning. Messages circulate through the interactions of each representative in the system, utilizing organizational family constellations to reinforce the importance of collective intelligence in management.
This methodology employs group dynamics and spatial representation of relationships within the organization, facilitating an intuitive and bodily comprehension of complex systems. It advocates for integrating multiple perspectives, leading to more holistic and empathetic decision-making in management. This demonstrates that managerial learning can be deeply grounded in shared experiences and intuition rather than solely technical knowledge transmission.
This method is a powerful means to enhance listening skills—something leaders often struggle with as they tend to prioritize decision-making over necessary contemplative listening.
Inquiry-based learning prompts managers to critically examine both the theoretical and practical underpinnings of their field, consistently striving for deeper understanding and significance.
This approach emphasizes the value of intellectual curiosity, innovation, and the re-evaluation of established practices for developing management skills. It suggests that effective management arises not only from emulating a mentor but also from active engagement with contemporary theories, ideas, and challenges.
When a “collective researcher” framework is established, new reflexes emerge rooted in the humility of inquiry. Cultivating patience and a willingness to delve deeper into meaning is crucial for growth and transcending transient trends.
Innovation is Achievable
These four approaches are not mere theoretical ideas; they have been successfully implemented. They illustrate that managerial learning can—and must—extend beyond the conventional teacher-student dynamic or rote memorization of business school doctrines by embracing diverse methods that foster self-reflection, collaboration, collective intelligence, and intellectual exploration.
They stress the need for more holistic and integrated strategies to develop managers capable of navigating the complexities, uncertainties, and unpredictabilities of the modern landscape. Participating in these unique and creative experiences significantly enhances one’s sense of existence, which is invaluable in a world marked by crises.
Each time, they create irreversible experiences of creative collaboration that serve as resources for collective action when faced with indecision. They encourage focusing one’s ego in service of communal efforts. A desirable aim for cultural managers, wouldn’t you agree?
Those who still question the value of innovation might look for the old within the new, echoing Friedrich Nietzsche’s sentiment: “As soon as we are shown something old in an innovation, we are appeased.”
Sources
Bandura, A., & Walters, R. H. (1977). Social Learning Theory (Vol. 1). Prentice Hall: Englewood Cliffs.
Cristol, D. (2010). The Making of Managers: Identities and Relationships to Knowledge (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nanterre-Paris X). https://theses.hal.science/tel-00834438/
Cristol, D. (2009). Is the Teaching of Management Sciences Opposed to the Learning of Management? International Review of Psychosociology, 15(3), 307-325. –
Managing Only for Profit: A Lesson in Leadership and Learning
Managing only for profit is like looking at the scoreboard instead of the ball.
Learning Beliefs
During a thesis on “The making of managers: identity and relationships with knowledge (Cristol, 2010),” I sought to understand how managers learn and forge their identity. It became evident that the heart of their learning escaped the confines of traditional educational practices. The curriculum often relied on dated case studies and theories, some over a decade old, which perpetuated beliefs from a bygone era. By the time managers find themselves in decision-making roles, they have been educated with knowledge that is often 5 to 20 years out of sync with current realities.
Observing a mentor manager revealed the limitations of social learning based on modeling, as theorized by psychologist Albert Bandura (1977). This method often reproduced hierarchical cultural traits, resulting in a dominion-driven approach to management. Such a dynamic stifles initiative from below and conflicts with the values of both younger and seasoned generations seeking greater autonomy and creativity in their roles.
The survey conducted during my research uncovered that up to 70% of managerial competence was gleaned through informal exchanges with teams, customers, and suppliers. Consequently, I questioned whether traditional management education, whether through MBA programs or business school methodologies, might be counterproductive in developing effective managers (Cristol, 2009). This research underscores the urgent need for innovative learning approaches in leadership development.
Educational Innovation in Executive Training
While many managers hold impressive qualifications, these credentials seldom translate into essential human qualities vital for navigating the complexities of leadership. Traditional courses inadequately address the intricacies of human behavior and the diversity of workplace situations.
To cultivate essential behavioral skills (often called soft skills), innovative managerial training can take several creative forms. Here are four original methods that leverage emotional intelligence, collective engagement, and self-reflection:
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Refocusing: Learning “In the Coffin”
The Coffin Learning Experience is a provocative metaphor that compels leaders to meditate on their core values and motivations. By inviting each leader to spend time reflecting in a coffin, this experience highlights the significance of self-awareness in leadership. A leader with profound self-understanding is more adept at empathizing with others, cultivating a positive organizational culture, and making principled decisions. This approach challenges conventional perspectives on managerial training, emphasizing self-reflection as a cornerstone of effective leadership.
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Living a Flow: Learning Through Co-Design
Co-design learning prioritizes collaborative problem-solving and knowledge sharing over individual achievement. Traditional educational practices have conditioned managers to prioritize individual accomplishments, often at the expense of teamwork. Through co-design learning, leaders engage in a state of “flow,” enhancing their leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills in realistic contexts. This approach promotes dynamic, participatory learning that reflects the true challenges managers face today.
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Learning Through the Body with Systemic Organizational Constellations
This method harnesses the power of body language and nonverbal communication to explore organizational dynamics. Systemic constellations allow participants to intuitively understand complex systems by spatially representing relationships within the organization. Through this approach, leaders learn to integrate multiple perspectives, fostering empathetic decision-making that transcends traditional educational paradigms. As they engage collectively, leaders gain critical listening and observational skills that enhance their managerial effectiveness.
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Seeking the Highest Level of Meaning Together: Learning Through Inquiry
Inquiry-based learning fosters a culture of critical thinking and intellectual exploration among managers. By actively questioning established norms and practices, this method encourages leaders to develop innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. Establishing a “collective researcher” mindset shifts the focus toward communal investigation, patience, and deeper meaning, moving beyond superficial trends to cultivate informed and thoughtful leaders.
Harnessing Innovation in Management Training
These innovative educational experiences aren’t merely theoretical concepts—they have been successfully implemented in various managerial training contexts. Each method highlights that leadership development should extend far beyond conventional didactic relationships or rote memorization of case studies. Instead, it emphasizes methodologies that cultivate self-awareness, collaboration, collective intelligence, and intellectual curiosity.
The integration of these approaches creates a holistic framework to equip managers with the skills and insights necessary to navigate the complexities, uncertainties, and rapid changes characteristic of the modern workplace. Engaging in these unique and creative learning experiences cultivates resilience and a strong sense of identity that proves invaluable in navigating today’s turbulent environment.
Additionally, these cooperative experiences engender a commitment to collective goals, guiding managers to prioritize the organization’s broader mission over individual ego. Such a cultural shift is desirable for effective and forward-thinking leadership.
For those who remain skeptical about the value of such innovations, Friedrich Nietzsche’s observation reflects an essential truth: “As soon as we are shown something old in an innovation, we are appeased.” Recognizing the profound values embedded within new approaches can lead to transformative shifts in management practices.
Benefits of Innovative Management Training Approaches
| Benefits | Description |
|---|---|
| Enhanced Self-awareness | Leaders gain an understanding of their values and motivations, leading to better decision-making. |
| Improved Collaboration | Methods like co-design foster teamwork, which is critical for organizational success. |
| Deeper Understanding of Dynamics | Systemic constellations facilitate insights into team interaction and organizational structure. |
| Critical Thinking Skills | Inquiry-based learning encourages leaders to question assumptions and seek innovative solutions. |
Integrating these innovative practices into executive training provides a pathway to transform management into a collaborative and reflective practice, where profit motives coexist with deeper ethical considerations, fostering sustainable organizational growth.
