Published in AACSB eNEWSLINE, vol 6 issue 2, February 2007
Flying at 33,000 feet en route from a very productive, enlightening business trip to Buenos Aires, a deliciously smooth, robust Malbec (Argentine red) wine inspires me to share a very moving experience.
Following a recent talk I gave on global business strategy and vision, a conversation with executive program graduate students subtly migrated away from strategy and business issues to the role of professors in business schools.
When a student asked my opinion on this issue, I took the liberty of explaining to my new, young, intelligent friends how professors’ roles are understood at EGADE. It was the perfect opportunity to show off our faculty, and since we were all enjoying the same Malbec, I could not resist the opportunity to reflect upon this event.
“We believe that, at a minimum level, professors transfer knowledge and develop skills regarding business dynamics in global markets,” I said. Then I supported my ideas with some company examples from Europe and Latin America about competitive advantage, marketing, risk, corporate governance and operations management issues. My words produced a response and the potential students continued to converse about knowledge and skill development—that is until a semi-silence, serendipitously emerged.
Then it was the time to continue this delightful dialogue. ”Yes,” I said, “knowledge and skills are important. But we all need to understand that when company executives are in need of knowledge and skill, they return to school to acquire them. However, as professors in a new, global, interdependent and more demanding global market, we also should include in our roles and approaches such elements as judgment, decision making, the ability to analyze, synthesize, discern, form sound opinions, and make sensible decisions or, at least, reliable guesses.
“In fact,” I told them, “for executives from many companies, this is much more crucial than their knowledge of a particular discipline or skill at a particular trade”
My second comment triggered a tremendously animated debate, one that I watched for about a half-hour. Finally, once again, their young, energized eyes looked toward me, awaiting my next (and hopefully insightful) words.
After a momentary pause, I told them that knowledge, skill, and judgment are important, but that in a world of uncertainty, ambiguity, and rapid changes, character can be even more important. I even dared to advance a quasi definition of character: the capacity to live with the consequences (positive or negative) of decisions we make.
What followed is impossible to describe because the whole place was full of vibrant, noisy conversations. And I must say to the collegial readers of this note that, more than any other previous interaction with graduate students, I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamics of this discourse. Here I was, part of and in the presence of, a brilliant, enthusiastic, and talkative group of Argentinean professionals, totally engaged in defining the kind of professor they wanted for business schools. What an intellectual delight!
Leaving the restaurant, I turned to the group and said there was one additional characteristic that I wished faculty members would have—the ability to develop trust with students, other faculty members, and customers (when professors are also consultants). This trust should be manifested in coaching, mentoring and providing opportunities for personal development.
This time, there wasn’t as big a reaction from my young friends. Instead, there were more small, group conversations. One young, elegant and enthusiastic lady, who had been talkative during the evening, softly and assertively from the back of the group said:
“You know professor, knowledge and skills, judgment, character, and trust are all very important. But after passing a minimum level of proficiency as professors, what I mostly expect from them is passion for what they do. I cannot imagine being in a classroom with a professor who is dispassionate.”
So there we had it. Knowledge, skill, judgment, character, trust and passion. These universal educator qualities span continents and cultures as we prepare the next generation of global business leaders. We all cheered in unison—in total agreement.
Later, our conversations long over, the flight attendant passed by and filled up my glass. I silently enjoyed my wine, reliving those delightful moments shared with my new friends.
This post is also available in: Spanish
