Cogito_ergo_sum:The_Dean's_vision_2007.qxd 20/02/2008 15:41 Page 3
Is innovative thinking simply a question of expanding one’s comfort zone and confronting the unconventional?
Sometimes innovation is incremental and sometimes it takes very big steps. In certain cases students will be required to take a giant leap in their thinking to get
to where they need to be, for others steady baby steps will be fine. Innovation does require expanding one’s comfort zone and confronting the unconventional, but
other elements may be necessary depending on the student and the situation.
Does the EMBA classroom provide an environment that kindles innovative thinking?
People learn in different ways: alone, in teams, through experience and through text books. Students are not supermen or superwomen; they work best, as all of us
do, in teams. Each person can learn from and be helped by the others’ strengths, so yes, in this and other ways the EMBA classroom provides an environment for
innovative thinking.
Do corporations expect EMBA participants to bring back innovative thinking to the workplace as an acquired skill?
Yes, this is a key element to the Executive MBA program. Students are able to apply what they are learning in the classroom, right away in the workplace. It is one
of the reasons that companies support their executives in seeking out this type of higher education.
How does the HEC Executive MBA program help participants face the challenge of innovation?
HEC seeks to focus on the needs of each market and tailor our programs to those criteria. In St. Petersburg for example, there are many entrepreneurs and aspiring
entrepreneurs; our program, though a common track, is geared towards guiding that entrepreneurial spirit. France is also headed in this direction as we begin to see
students making a switch from working exclusively for large companies to seeking entrepreneurial endeavors. China is different though, in that the students we are
working with tend to come from large public companies in domains such as energy and construction. The students there also seem to be coming from very senior
positions. When creating our curiculum for each country and each program, we take all of these trends into account.
In addition, through discussions in the classroom, students find answers to their particular situations. We contribute towards developing strategic thinking that
students can then implement and use in their leadership capacities.
Do innovation and leadership go hand-in-hand?
Leadership develops your skills to help know what you are good at. At a team level it is important to be able to identify what each person’s skills are and then
capitalize on them. As students learn better ways to work with and manage others through their work group experiences, they begin to realize how they can best
use innovation to lead.
Jaki Sitterle - NYU Stern
JAKI SITTERLE has been Managing Director of Executive Programs at NYU Stern School of Business since April 2006, overseeing
the School’s portfolio of Executive Programs. This encompasses the Executive MBA program, TRIUM Global Executive MBA pro-
gram (an alliance with the London School of Economics and HEC Paris), a custom MBA program with Lehman and the recently
launched MS in Global Finance with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Can innovation be taught?
This is a very exciting and topical subject. There are actually three perspectives involved here so I would like to speak to each one. Firstly, there is the faculty
perspective. With over 200 full-time research faculty members, we are constantly working with the latest research to share with our students. Secondly, there is the
corporate perspective, where the emphasis on change takes on a Darwinian aspect with the idea of change or die. This culture lends itself to prudent risk taking.
Thirdly and finally, there is the student perspective. At NYU Stern our executive MBA students find themselves working in small (around 5 people) study groups with
members from dissimilar backgrounds who have different skill sets. This kindles innovative thinking as the groups provide a safe environment for exploring and risk-
taking.
In the corporate world, what does innovation mean and why is it important?
We are beginning to see more and more of a Google mindset in companies, meaning that pervasive innovation throughout the company is encouraged; it is no
longer simply just an arm of the company and companies are beginning to see that innovation can be benefial in each aspect of their business. In the past, innovation
was only considered to be necessary when it was obvious that change was needed, whereas now innovation is becoming a part of daily business.
Can today's rising executives learn how to be innovative, or are they too set in their ways?
To help executives learn how to be innovative you must take them out of their familiar settings. Then, they should be allowed to experiment in a safe environment, a
learning environment. They need to be in a place where they can say things without worrying about diminishing their frameworks and tools because they took a risk.
EMBA students have a distinct advantage because they can apply directly to their jobs what they are learning. They can experiment in the safety of their workgroups
and then take back what was beneficial to the workplace. Though structured sharing sessions with co-workers are diminishing as corporate sponsorship wanes,
students can still bring back their new-found knowledge for the good of all those they work with.
At NYU Stern the average age of an Executive MBA student is 38, meaning that they have an average of 14 years work experience that they are able to pull from
as they learn. This can make for a bigger challenge though, as many of the students have deeply entrenched habits and mindsets. The intellectual stimulation of a
classroom environment and the support of their workgroups soon provoke students to begin to explore new ways of thinking and doing.
Is innovative thinking simply a question of expanding one’s comfort zone and confronting the unconventional?
EMBA students are looking to broaden their current frameworks. So yes, it is a matter of expanding one’s comfort zone, but it is also a matter of changing their
everyday environment, seeing things from a new perspective and with a fresh eye. Again, the small study groups offer students the freedom to express themselves
without the fear of criticism or penalties..
Does the EMBA classroom provide an environment that kindles innovative thinking?
Shapiro’s (editor’s note: Stephen Shapiro, author of 24/7 innovation) work about a culture conducive to risk taking proves that a positive, open environment can ignite
innovative thinking. Within the NYU Stern EMBA program, an executive coach works with the study groups to ensure that a true comfort zone exists within the teams.
We take a long time selecting who should work with whom. The groups are microcosms of the the real-work world and thus are an essential component of the program.
Do corporations expect EMBA participants to bring back innovative thinking to the workplace as an acquired skill?
Yes they expect that participants will come back with broadened frameworks and new tools. Their new ways of thinking and working can then be used for the
benefit of all concerned.
How does the NYU Stern Executive MBA program help participants face the challenge of innovation?
At NYU Stern we have created mentor/mentee programs. Within these programs we partner new EMBA students with 2nd year students who are basically in the
same place in life ie: current position, family situation, and personal background. These relationships prove to be extremely beneficial for both parties. The new
student is able to learn from the experienced student’s knowledge and that knowledge is then solidified for the experienced student through teaching what she has
learned.
In addition, due to the fact that less and less EMBA students are being fully sponsored through their companies, they seek strong career services within their chosen
program. NYU Stern offers a complete Career Services division and makes every effort to provide the information a finishing student will need to make the right
choices for his career advancement.
Do innovation and leadership go hand-in-hand?
Yes, I think they do. A good leader is innovative and through his or her example encourages others to be as well.
Dawn Bournand
Senior Content Development Manager - QS TopExecEd
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