Section 4 Future Learning Methods – Overall what this comparative analysis Having established the important suggests is that for Australian and US/ influences, key objectives and topics of International the emerging particular interest in the Australian importance of executive coaching as a executive development field in the short to future learning method may reflect a more medium term, we next sought general and consistent trend. Explaining respondent’s views this trend, at least in part, is a perceived on the most effective learning methods increase in that would underpin their development the need for independent expert support aspirations. They indicated that Action at the top of many organisations and Learning (74%) by which we mean – the increasing remoteness of top learning through working in teams on managers from the more traditional current business problems or organisations support mechanisms that opportunities they could have drawn on in eras past. and External Executive Coaches (74%) – It is plausible that this is also partly are likely to be the most popular methods explained by the shorter duration for through which their organisation’s most executives in top and mid level learning would be supported (see Figure roles (changing 2-3 years) and the 1.10). more Outside Experts Action Learning External intensive, complex and challenging business 74 Executive Coaches environment they are operating in today Outside 74 57 Speakers requiring more direct and timely access to 57 Internal Experts external counsel about their organisational 48 0 16 32 48 64 80 Senior Executives as Figure 1.10: Australian data Learning methods – Faculty in emphasised in executive development programs in the next 2-3 years executive development Although externally sourced coaching and activities is action learning figured prominently in the unquestionably US/International survey response on this the most question, there are a number of significant distinctions with the Australian survey divergence response that are worthy of highlighting. between the two The massive difference almost 45% in – – survey groups respondent attitudes around the (see Figure 1.11 involvement of
Section 4 – Future Learning Methods Having established the important influences, key objectives and topics of particular interest in the Australian executive development field in the short to medium term, we next sought respondent’s views on the most effective learning methods that would underpin their development aspirations. They indicated that Action Learning (74%) – by which we mean learning through working in teams on current business problems or opportunities – and External Executive Coaches (74%) are likely to be the most popular methods through which their organisation’s learning would be supported (see Figure 1.10). Overall what this comparative analysis suggests is that for Australian and US/ International the emerging importance of executive coaching as a future learning method may reflect a more general and consistent trend. Explaining this trend, at least in part, is a perceived increase in the need for independent expert support at the top of many organisations and the increasing remoteness of top managers from the more traditional organisations support mechanisms that they could have drawn on in eras past. It is plausible that this is also partly explained by the shorter duration for most executives in top and mid level roles (changing 2-3 years) and the more Action Learning External Executive Coaches Outside Speakers Internal Experts Outside Experts 74 intensive, complex and challenging business 74 environment they are operating in today 57 requiring more direct and timely access to 57 48 external counsel about their organisational 0 16 32 48 64 80 Figure 1.10: Australian data – Learning methods emphasised in executive development programs in the next 2-3 years Although externally sourced coaching and action learning figured prominently in the US/International survey response on this question, there are a number of distinctions with the Australian survey response that are worthy of highlighting. The massive difference – almost 45% – in respondent attitudes around the involvement of Senior Executives as Faculty in executive development activities is unquestionably the most significant divergence between the two survey groups (see Figure 1.11
AusExecTrendsReport_2007_Final.docx