What areas do the Open Programmes cover? T ere are just under 20 diff erent programmes, and we’ve tried to include as many aspects of leadership and executive development as we can. So, we off er things like leadership or SME business growth, marketing and sales, running projects, supply chain management. T e programmes are carefully constructed to provide the skills,
tools, knowledge and behaviour needed. For someone who fi nds themself in a new role, they might need to work on all four. While some may have the skills or tools they need, and instead they just might need to concentrate on their mindset, so they can adjust how they are operating that creates the impact that gets the best out of others. So, bringing out the skills and knowledge they already have, but in ways that raise the performance of their teams. For example, many modern organisations have adopted matrix
team structures, not just top down, so have a lot of teams from diff er- ent areas or expertise, coming together to work collectively in pursuit of a shared aim or goal. T is means people can fi nd themselves lead- ing their peers, or even their seniors, which can be a challenge. T at is the kind of real-world issue we help show how to handle practically.
On a practical level, how are the programmes structured? T ey are either fully face-to-face or a hybrid that has in-person and virtual elements. T e nature of the stretch we want to help people make means it often works best when we can get people together. T ere is also a great degree of learning from each other, which we strongly encourage as it is a valuable part of the experience. For ex- ample, if we have as part of a programme a table group of, say, six people, the members of that group may not know one another and come from diff erent industries. It’s often the discussions within these and other groups as they
work out how to apply what they are learning when they start to not only learn from the facilitator’s practical expertise and experience but also begin to learn from one other. T en following two or three days sitting together, sharing and discussing their own circumstances, ideas and experience, they all typically achieve valuable insights. And what is incredible is that although we give them all the same
information, each person will see a diff erent way to apply it. T ey all apply it, they all improve, but they all do it in a way that meets their own individual needs. And, on some of our multi-modular programmes, when they come back next time, having applied what they have learnt, we talk about what works well, what doesn’t work so well and what they need to do next to take them a step further. Overall, though, what I think the most important thing is that
after each session, those on the programme will have gained prac- tical skills or tools that they can take back and apply to their daily role the very next day.
What happens at the end of the programme? T e programmes are not award based, they’re about development. At Cranfi eld we have our own IP and approaches, and provide good-quality learning material, and if you are given good-quality material, you’re more likely to apply it practically. Practical skills are only one aspect, but it is often the behavioural
changes, developing their own style of leadership and gaining the confi dence to tackle new responsibilities and gain new skills, where we see the biggest change. Cranfi eld programmes have strong cred- ibility, and all those who join one of our programmes become part of our alumni network.
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What do you fi nd most satisfying about delivering the Open Programmes? Demystifying education and learning for people. Being able to tell them if they have a need, we will help them. In the modern work- place there is a lot of reskilling happening. If someone left school at 16 and never went to college or university, we welcome them and show them that they have every right to be here. I also fi nd it very satisfying to give people a confi dence that
makes all the diff erence to them, allowing them to move on and make some form of progress and impact. T en, afterwards, they often choose to come back to us and carry on their learning when they face new challenges because they know we will help them. It is also common for them to recommend others, as they trust we can have an impact on them as well. So, to summarise, for us it doesn’t matter what path you take in
terms of how you learn – as long as you get where you want to be. And the most important thing for me, is being ready to play our part in helping people fi nd their way along that journey.
Scan the QR code to fi nd out more about the Open Programmes from Cranfi eld School of Management or visit
https://www.cranfi
eld.ac.uk
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