New deans, new directions: changes at the top bring innovation to the traditionally staid world of top business schools

Chief Executive, The, Sept, 2006 by Rebecca A. Fannin

Spruced-up leadership development programs for MBA students are another example of Hubbard's influence. "It used to be that MBA graduates had jobs that were more technical for a long time. Now they need leadership abilities earlier in their careers," he says. The new program features more case studies to help students prepare for quick decision-making. It also assists them in dealing with ethical concerns and balancing personal and professional lifestyle choices.

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INSEAD's Brown, too, moved quickly. Only a few weeks into his first 100 days as the school's new dean, he introduced new initiatives for strengthening INSEAD's global offerings, making the coursework more practical and raising the school's profile abroad. Not surprisingly, given his corporate background, Brown issued rapid-fire directives more common to boardrooms and CEO offices than university administration halls. Even before he officially started his new job at INSEAD, the 49-year-old had picked his team, identified key strategic objectives and urged his team to get going on clearly defined new projects. (See sidebar, below.)

At Harvard Business School, Dean Light says he already has a "good handle" on the school from his long association there. But that's not stopping him from seeking opportunities to talk with faculty, staff, students and alumni about ways HBS can improve.

Areas he earmarked include entrepreneurship and technology, as well as health care--a logical step given Harvard's hospital and medical research facility surroundings. Exploring ways to extend the school's reach and impact abroad are also on his agenda, though Light points out that HBS prides itself on being a global institution with alumni, faculty and research centers in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Attracting new faculty--the life-blood of an educational institution--who are committed to teaching and research as well as business practices is another challenge. Too often, the corporate world, with its higher-paying salaries and perks, is a "strong lure," Light says, and business schools "need to think carefully about how to develop and broaden the pipeline of qualified candidates."

But even as business schools adopt mantras heard in corporate halls--globalization, talent recruitment and results--Light, for one, warns that they must not ignore their roots. "Business schools are mission-driven, not profit-driven, organizations," he says.

Rather, deans today must embrace change and develop a thoughtful approach to the inevitable transformation in the way our executives of tomorrow are being trained.

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Anderson School of Management UCLA

Los Angeles, Calif.

Not typical leadership programs, courses at the UCLA Leadership Suite hone in on diverse audiences, attempting to examine management and leadership issues from the perspective of African Americans, women and gay and lesbian groups. The emphasis is on mentoring, personal development, workplace trust, work-life balance and team building. Among the aims of the leadership programs are helping corporations develop a more inclusive management team and encouraging participants to form networks of colleagues who share similar experiences.