08/08/2023
If you’ve already built a solid career, but aspire to a C-suite leadership role, an Executive MBA could take you to the next level.
As a manager with several years of experience under your belt, you may find yourself pondering your next step. You’ve already carved out a successful career—but how do you break through to the boardroom level? At IE Business School, we’ve designed our Executive MBA, especially for ambitious mid-career professionals like you.
What is leadership?
Leadership, according to McKinsey & Company, is “a set of behaviors used to help people align their collective direction, to execute strategic plans, and to continually renew an organization.” Leadership is not an innate quality you have, it’s something you do—and it’s something you can learn.
Traditional models of organizational leadership, with a narrow focus on maximizing value for shareholders and a “command and control” approach to people management, are no longer fit for purpose in today’s complex business world. Human-centered management skills that emphasize collaboration, communication and creating new levels of value for all stakeholders are now at the core of leadership. This reflects a growing recognition that mindset is the key to both individual and organizational transformation.
A survey carried out for McKinsey’s Organizational Health Index revealed that out of a list of 20 essential leadership traits, four of these accounted for 89 percent of leadership effectiveness: being supportive; operating with strong results orientation; seeking different perspectives; solving problems effectively.
We’ll take a look at how the Executive MBA helps you nurture these qualities and fully accomplish your leadership potential.
From manager to leader: a 360° approach to leadership
The Executive MBA focuses on developing the mindsets, methods and behaviors you need to transform yourself in order to become an impactful leader. Not only will you develop the skills to give you a competitive advantage at the highest level, but it’s not just about career advancement—you’ll also be encouraged to align your career objectives with what matters to you. Taking a holistic view of your career, your impact and your purpose, the program covers four aspects of leadership: being a leader with impact; leading business transformation; leading people & organizational transformation; and leading your own brand and career.
1. Being a leader with impact
According to a recent World Economic Forum report, critical thinking, analysis and problem-solving skills are crucial for the new world of work. The Executive MBA focuses on three pillars of impact: thinking skills, behavioral skills and digital skills. You’ll hone your thinking skills through a combination of hands-on workshops, simulations and challenging role-play scenarios. Undertaken for real companies, and working with executives in leadership positions within those organizations, you’ll be fully prepared for the demands of the boardroom.
You’ll have the opportunity to apply your behavioral skills—including negotiation, influencing and building trust—in real-world business scenarios throughout the program. And you’ll learn to use data-driven insights, essential in today’s digital world, to make better decisions, support your business cases and pitch your ideas.
2. Leading business transformation
Business leadership today is about more than just making profits: it’s about adding value to the organization with the foresight and vision to conceive strategies for long-term success in an unpredictable future. Readiness to lead business transformation requires familiarity with effective go-to-market strategies, confidence in both front- and back-office operations, and the business acumen and holistic perspective to make the big calls with confidence, knowing they’ll leave your organization transformed and fit for the future.
3. Leading people & organizational transformation
Leading positive change starts with knowing how to take people with you as you carry out your overall strategy.
In the Executive MBA, we’ll show you how to create a working culture based on the behaviors of positive leadership that engage both internal and external stakeholders. Through immersive experiences, including an off-site, experiential boot camp, you’ll come to understand yourself and your leadership style. Through effective governance, efficient organizational design and empathetic talent management and development, you’ll mold yourself into the leader that your people, and your organization, will need in a complex and evolving business ecosystem.
4. Leading your own brand and career
Your career is as individual as you are. We know there is no one-size-fits-all formula for career success, which is why the Executive MBA is curated to help you achieve your unique professional goals. We call this the Executive Discovery process, and it’s the foundation of your development at IE Business School and beyond. Throughout the program, you’ll work with an executive coach and a career coach to refine your career goals and create a personalized plan to achieve them.
The two coaching streams—Executive Coaching and Career Coaching—complement each other to enhance both your personal and professional development. And your executive career guidance doesn’t end when you graduate: you’ll have lifelong access to the services of the IE Talent & Careers team, including masterclasses, special events and the Careers Portal, as well as being part of a global network of alumni.
Where are they now? How the Executive MBA transforms careers
At IE Business School, we believe our alumni are our best ambassadors.
Their professional growth and personal development make them living proof that the Executive MBA changes lives.
Here are some of their stories:
For Marieke Jonker, the program gave her the confidence to make a big leap, both geographically and professionally. From working for a cinema chain in the Netherlands, she’s now one step closer to her dream of working in Hollywood, as Customer Success Manager for a company producing innovative AI solutions for the film industry. And thanks to the global reach of our community, she’s already connected with some of her former classmates in her new location, Los Angeles.
Sohail Ahmed, an executive manager in the pharmaceutical industry, credits the leadership skills he gained through the Executive MBA with transforming his life on both a personal and professional level. “Business associates need an inspirational leader, just like children need an inspirational father or mother. A manager’s associates will flourish in an environment where they feel safe and respected,” he explains.
Design manager Antonio Moreno Pérez embarked on the Executive MBA as he wanted to add a “more strategic and global vision” to his creative profile. The confidence he gained during the program enabled him both to accept a position of greater responsibility and to implement positive change in his company. Antonio describes his experience with the Executive MBA as “transformative.”
If you’ve been inspired by our alumni’s success stories and want to take the next steps on your own journey to leadership, take a closer look at the Executive MBA to find out how you could transform your career and conquer the C-suite.
