Insights

 

Q&A with Director, Cornell University ILR School, Donna Sharp

AESC is building on its existing relationship with Cornell University's Industrial and Labor Relations School (ILR) to provide a six-month MBA-level virtual certificate program designed exclusively for senior-level executive search and leadership consultants. We caught up with Donna Sharp, Director of Cornell University's ILR School, to discuss the program.


Donna SharpHi Donna, thanks for sharing with AESC members a little more about the program. So, what's new for 2016?

Building on the success of the past three years with the program hosted in New York, we are excited to take the program online so that more AESC members around the world can participate. This model won't require travel or time spent out of the office, but the content will be just as rich and taught by the same fulltime faculty members as in the past. In fact, for 2016, we've added additional content, including more emphasis on leadership consulting, a focus AESC members specifically requested and we're excited to deliver.

For whom was the program specifically created?

This is not a program for those new to the profession. We've designed the program in collaboration with AESC for senior-level Executive Search and Leadership Consultants. It's for the consultant who is looking to advance their skills as a trusted advisor and move their business forward. AESC will review each applicant's experience to maintain the appropriate level of participants in the program.

Can you share with AESC members what some of the learning outcomes will be for participants?

Sure, participants will learn how firms can create value in the eyes of their customers by reviewing their business proposition, customer needs, and packaging. They'll gain an understanding of how a firm manages its leadership pipeline and how talent is being managed and developed globally. The program will provide insights to the trust-building behaviors that foster deep personal engagement between the consultant and the client. The participant will learn how assessment is typically used in leading firms, how those evaluations affect career progression, and the pitfalls to avoid when these processes are poorly handled. They'll also consider some of the most successful frameworks and practices for complex, multi-party negotiations and learn key considerations pertaining to total rewards, and provide a framework to understand an executive compensation package, negotiating points, and opportunities to analyze marketplace alternatives. And those are just some highlights!

Thank you, Donna for providing a glimpse into the 2016 program.


This six month MBA-level virtual certificate program is designed exclusively for senior-level executive search and leadership consultants. The program takes participants through a rigorous learning experience by applying cutting edge theory and industry best practices to their client assignments. Cornell University’s ILR School professors will take an integrated approach to teaching, which will include virtual lectures, interactive learning, group activities and case studies.

Learn more about the program