FAQs

Why should you consider a masters-level program in management and leadership?

Because management is a difficult and confusing field that requires thoughtful reflection. Short courses can help, but an extensive program with experienced managers and executives from around the world can make a truly profound difference. Management is a practice; managers learn through practice and a meeting of minds. That is what the IMPM is all about.

Do you have to leave your job to get such an education?

No! Leaving your job would deny you the greatest advantage of this program: the opportunity to go back and forth between learning in the classroom and practice on the job. With the IMPM, experience can be brought into the classroom for deeper reflection, and the impact of that learning can be pursued on the job for better practice. The IMPM meets five times for two weeks over sixteen months. Other activities in the program blend into the work context.

Why not do a conventional MBA?

The MBA is mostly B, not A – more about business functions than about management. Managers cannot be created in the classroom. But wonderful things can happen when the experience of managers is used to bring about learning in the classroom. The IMPM is designed as an ongoing forum in which the major concerns of participating managers are addressed by thoughtful colleagues from around the world.

What will your organization get out of this?

The IMPM is for practicing managers, for the most part sent and sponsored by their organizations. In this way, we seek to marry management development with organization development: to develop more effective leaders while they build more effective organizations. Considerable attention is given in the IMPM to what we call “impact” – taking the learning back to the company, as well as helping participants change their own managerial practices.

Isn’t this program going to be a great deal of work?

Management already entails a great deal of work. The intention of the IMPM is not to pile it on, but to encourage participants to work smarter. Our motto is: use work, don’t make work. Of course, there has to be some added work in any program. But ten years of experience have taught us that these intentions work. It is, in fact, quite remarkable how effective this can be with busy but enthusiastic managers.

What about the cost?

The costs are generally covered by the sponsoring company or organization.
For further details, see the What’s in it for your company, as well as IMPM fees.