Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Identify your goals before contacting a business management training provider

Decide what you want to achieve by offering business management education to your employees and choose a course or program that will meet your company's needs. Be specific in what level of manager you want to train because courses for management development differ. Basic business management has different information from executive training courses, and topics usually center on a base level of understanding and experience.

I recommend: The Free Management Library has a great table where you can fill in the blanks to fit your business and goals. If you want a broad-based management course, see Impact Factory for their management course tailored to the beginner and the pro.

Decide how much time you want to devote to business management education

When you know how much time you want to allow for business management classes, it helps narrow the choices. Know that training listed as a course is typically shorter than a program, so the amount of information presented is different. Some topics require a short time to teach and learn the subject matter, but other topics need more time to fully understand and utilize the training information.

I recommend: If you want course flexibility, check out Interactive Training Technologies to order the training you want in a variety of interactive multimedia software. World Wide Learn lists several online management courses, so training happens at convenient times. If you're still looking for more options, International Institute of Management has accelerated, modular and experiential training available.

Ensure the provider of your management training offers diversity

When searching for a course or program that fits your needs, ask providers about diversity within the group (ethnic, age, education and experience), so your managers receive different perspectives of the information taught. Choose classes that fit the learning style of the managers you are training; whether they prefer group work, case studies, lecture or projects, be sensitive to their needs when seeking to aid their development.

I recommend: The Training Registry offers different options for business management courses, and CAPSIM Management Simulations has business games used for management and executive training programs. If you're not sure about learning styles, LdPride.net has information and testing to discover individual learning styles.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Research the company and faculty of the management training course and ask for references from businesses they partner with and businesses who receive training from them. Locating the right training provider is just as important as locating the right business training program.

Guide to Executive Education

Learning and working go hand-in-hand in these quick-hit specialization courses

By Greg Brown

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Start with the media rankings

Business schools take issue with rankings, for many good reasons. And exec ed is such an apples and oranges product that actual rankings are rare. But there are several reasonably good lists out there to begin your search.

I recommend: Business Week has an executive ed program page (way down on the right hand column of links), as do the Financial Times, the Economist, and the Wall Street Journal (subscription required). Professional magazines, too, like CFO, have their own recommendations for, say, finance executives. You'll find a convenient state-by-state breakdown at About.com

Check to make sure the program is quality

Just about the toughest accreditation for business schools to complete is the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, AACSB. See if your target program is tracked by them before signing the check.

I recommend: AACSB has a Knowledge Services division (aka the research department) which offers a schools seach page with detailed information on what each program provides. Accreditation matters: Intel recently decided to stop funding non-accredited business programs for its people.

If you have a school selected, find the class

Courses that last a day or two go by quickly. It helps to settle on where you will realistically be taking the class and then find your subject matter.

I recommend: The database Web site Management Courses seems to be chock full but searching is tricky. Best is to type in the school name ("Wharton" or "Harvard") and then submit.

Your best choice may not be a business school

Increasingly, large trade groups with extensive and talented membership bases are offering what amounts to ad-hoc, non-academic executive training. It's worth a look.

I recommend: The Society for Human Resource Management, for instance, has an exec ed program. HSM, a kind of über networking organization, has top executives and business authors offering master classes. FranklinCovey (yes, the "7 habits" guys) has onsite classes for managers. Even Disney is trying to peddle its brand as an educational opportunity.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Executive education is fast: a brain dump from a top academic, extremely focused and fast and made to be consumed and applied. Be ready for an intense experience.
• •  Be realistic about time/reward assumptions, since you'll get no degree to show off. Also, find a program close enough and relevant enough to your real problems on the job to hold your interest.
• •  Definitely, get your employer involved early. They might pay for some or all of the tuition. Your HR folks should have a good idea of what financial help is available. Chances are good there's budget but no one asks for it.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Improve manager's abilities with management classes

Business is dynamic in many aspects, but there is always the drive to improve. It is just as important to improve your people as it is to improve your product because people are what make your business move. Managers on every level are leaders and need challenges to improve and change their style and skills, so they can make the most of the organization.

I recommend: View Mulhauser Consulting for an interesting perspective on leaders, managers and personal development that improve the person as well as the business. Suite 101 describes how manager's roles have changed over the past 30 years, which leads to the necessity of training.

Know the type of management training available

When it comes to subject matter, everything is available, and, if it is not in a standard form, there are companies that customize training for what you need. When you think about the format of training available, options include online management courses, software, classroom, seminar, in-house, etc., and training is available through universities, colleges, public sector, consultants, private businesses, etc.

I recommend: When searching for more information about management training, see and consider joining the American Management Association. Training-Classes.com provides options for business management classes depending on how you want training and what you want to learn.

Find business management training that benefits your organization

If you decide to seek courses for business management, understand how to assess strengths and weaknesses of all your managers, and how to choose an effective training course. There are different options of assessment tools ranging from do-it-yourself to companies that specialize in assessment for training.

I recommend: For a step-by-step training needs assessment help, see Work911.com. Expert Training Systems offers reporting systems that require direct feedback from employees affected by managers, so you find areas of management that need attention.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Lower level management training programs and executive training programs are equally important and improve your entire chain of management productivity.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Business writing

Solid writing skills are critical for someone in a managerial position. Classes relating to business writing, email etiquette and grammar can help one develop skills they are lacking.

I recommend: For information on business writing courses, refer to The Business Writing Center.

Communication skills

Effective communication skills are another important trait of a successful manager. These skills are important to convey one's thoughts and assignments clearly to staff. This will ensure employees produce the final project desired by the manager and valuable company time is not wasted having to rework the project. One can develop their communication skills utilizing resources pertaining to public speaking and presentation, questioning techniques and cross culture communication.

I recommend: Refer to Learning Tree International for courses on how to improve one’s communication skills.

Leadership

Leadership skills are important for managers as they help employees develop trust in the manager's character as well as their capabilities. Keys to becoming an effective leader include skills in problem solving, understanding group needs and characteristics, counseling and setting examples.

I recommend: For leadership courses, refer to The Leaders Institute website.

Management and supervisory skills

Management and supervisory skills involve the ability to motivate others, provide professional development opportunities to staff and promote teamwork among members of the organization.

I recommend: Refer to the American Management Association for management and supervisory skills seminars.

Project management

Project management is a process by which one approaches and completes a task in a systematic manner. Rather than jumping headfirst into a project, project management involves processes such as developing a scope of work, defining goals and monitoring procedures to ensure the project stays on track, developing timelines and pinpointing resources and monies needed to complete the project.

I recommend: For project management courses, refer to Watermark Learning.

Time management

Effective time management leads to increased organization and productivity and decreased stress not only in the workplace, but in one's personal life as well.

I recommend: Refer to WorkLifeBalance for courses in time management.