Programme Navigating Your Success in Corporations

The programme consists of 120 teaching hours (15 sessions). Classes are held on Saturdays from 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. in the WUT Business School building, Koszykowa 79, Warsaw and CZIiTT PW, Rektorska 4, Warsaw.

Overall Concept & Purpose

Despite growing interest in pursuing more independent and entrepreneurial careers among MBA and post-graduate students, the reality is that many of them are (and will continue to be) working in large, multinational, matrixed organizations. While there, they typically aim to move to positions of greater responsibility and scope. In order to succeed in doing that, they need to both perform (the WHAT) and act (the HOW) in ways that are conducive to reaching that objective.

The purpose of this Programme would be to offer some insightful, relevant, and practical perspective on a host of subjects related to operating in large, multinational, matrixed organizations, supported by practical examples and business cases from Jacek Pastuszka’s experience across four global companies – Procter & Gamble, Danone, AIG, and Carlsberg, Joanna Pommersbach an experienced advisor with many years of experience in management positions in global human capital consulting companies Hay Group, Korn Ferry, as well as examples from our special guests’ regional and global experience in companies such as Astra-Zeneca, MDS, Dentsu, Moers Legal, BNP Paribas Cardif.

15 Program Modules

MODULE 1: Corporations, how deserving and well-grounded is their widespread reputation?

This module addresses heads-on the frequently voiced criticism of or negative perceptions around large organizations (‘corporations’). These negative opinions and beliefs often acquired at the very beginning of a corporate career, are unlikely to change as time passes and one progresses through the corporate ranks. When unresolved, they can impact productivity, personal satisfaction, and career prospects. Therefore, a completely new paradigm is needed to transcend them. The module provides a balanced account of the true ‘virtues and vices’ of large organizations as employers and proposes a paradigm shift that allows program participants to look at their organizations with renewed energy and commitment and at their prospects of pursuing ethical careers more optimistically.

MODULE 2: Demonstrating and exercising leadership skills, despite constrained hierarchical power.

This module proposes a non-hierarchical leadership model focused on influence over own behavior/conduct, in relation to others (subordinates, peers, bosses), in the environment of relentless pressure on performance and measurable results that is typical of large organizations. The concept proposes a clear separation of ‘leadership’ from the notion of ‘hierarchical power’, thus reducing the pressure to appear ‘leader-like’ before assuming greater responsibility, that most other leadership theories propagate. The module also discusses the three components of having lasting, positive influence on co-workers: trust, respect and attention. While demanding intellectually, this model offers new insights into an area that is overpopulated with fads that are hard to action.

MODULE 3: The job of a manager in a large, multilayered organization – today and tomorrow.

This module has two key elements. First, a simple concept of ‘two-and-a-half jobs’ of a manager based on the premise that managers take decisions that belong to them and refrain from taking decisions that belong to others, especially their subordinates. The two decisions are ‘what’s on the agenda?’ and ‘who is in charge of what?’. The one decision they may (or may not) be able to take, given favorable circumstances, is ‘where/how should we start?’ and the space and latitude for this decision is the function of trust. And second, the module introduces Hanssen’s ‘T-shaped Manager Model’, that is then used to discuss the unfolding future of management and what demands, challenges and opportunities it offers to future aspiring leaders, especially in the context of large organizations.

MODULE 4: Managing in VUCA world, given that large companies are set up for less turbulent times.

Rather than providing another rehash on the diagnostic part of the well-covered VUCA model, this module focuses instead on the critical assessment of the prescriptions sparsely offered by VUCA theorists and their true applicability in the environment of a large, P&L-driven organization. The core of the module is sharing practical, life tested thoughts and recommendations on managing and leading in turbulent times, using the COVID crisis handling as a specific business case and positioning the issue in the context of a large multinational organization balancing global, regional and local considerations. The module will introduce the concept of Mission Command, a worthwhile contribution to leadership theory from the military perspective, especially fitting for VUCA times.

MODULE 5: How you should approach strategy, when your autonomy to shape or adjust it is limited.

This module is designed to re-define ‘strategy’ as a more actionable ‘decision on resource allocation’ and introduce a simple tool used broadly by management practitioners in large organizations (O.G.S.M.). The key part of this module is an extended business case based on a real-life example of establishing a winning strategy for a sizeable business in highly competitive industry. Also, taking into consideration that a typical manager’s latitude in a large organization to define their own strategy is limited, we will be discussing how to secure alignment with the corporate one, while maintaining the highest possible level of autonomy to ‘pick your own battles.’ As part of this module, we’ll cover the importance of vision, the long- term vs short-term dilemma, and the issues of incrementalism and inertia.

MODULE 6: Practical aspects of operating in an environment dependent on effective teamwork.

This module recognizes that most of the work in a large organization is done through team effort and provides specific tools for being both effective and efficient in this demanding, and potentially time-consuming and energy-draining, environment. Other than providing with practical tools and practices for managing in a team setting, we will also look at teamwork from the unshy introvert’s perspective, for whom team meetings are a massive discharge of vital energy that they need to accumulate elsewhere. Also, a case for and a plea to ‘unteam’ more often will be made, as there is a broad tendency to use teams excessively in large organizations on tasks that can be delivered with less of a collaborative hassle and meeting time invested.

MODULE 7: How to practically approach the subject of ethics, purpose, values & personal integrity?

This important module includes two business cases based on real-life experiences, sensitizing the participants to ethical and moral dilemmas that they may still face in large organizations. The discussion around these business cases will serve as a backdrop for introducing the Badaracco framework for making decisions on gray- area matters fraught with moral dilemmas. Also, on the practical side, we will discuss the importance of exploring thoroughly and understanding well the specific context of the Company we are working for:
1) stated values and purpose,
2) CSR/ESG policies, incl. public pledges, and
3) internal ‘code of conduct’ and compliance regulations.
The module will conclude with a supposition that the role of ‘purpose’ may be overrated in navigating careers and daily work.

MODULE 8: Decision making, execution and managing the business for measurable performance.

This highly practical module covers a broad range of topics directly related to the core of a manager’s job: making and executing decisions. It discusses the all-critical importance of focus as an ability and courage to concentrate on the critical few rather than on the important many. We will discuss how to empower employees through involvement in decision making processes, radical transparency, open dialogue, and co-creation. We’ll also discuss practical approaches and tools for building and solidifying the accountability of our co-workers through skilled delegation and powerful daily routines. We wrap up by
1) discussing the considerations uniquely related to personnel decisions,
2) the role of intuition, gut feeling and instinct in decision making and
3) the paradoxes around building consensus.

MODULE 9: Time & change management, in a fluid environment of multiple distractions and inputs.

This module eschews the traditional way of discussing time management techniques and change management models, introducing a notion that neither ‘time’ nor ‘change’ can actually be ‘managed’. They just are. The sole purpose of this module is instead to introduce and promote the trademark routine that I have used over the last 20 years in managing the businesses that were entrusted to me – regular, structured, in-depth interviews with the top 60-90 managers in the organization. This routine is a proven way to make the best use of the time at a manager’s disposal and simultaneously drive the desired change in the organization. It also plays a critical role in sorting through multiple inputs and distractions to our business agenda and personal calendar.

MODULE 10: Perspective and practical advice on career progression in a large, matrixed organization.

This module will inevitably be quite autobiographical. I will openly share my personal takes from a 30-year journey of being assigned to progressively more significant responsibilities across four large, multinational organizations. More universally, we will discuss the specificity of key transitions in a typical management career, with special focus on the most challenging one – from a senior functional expert to a generalist. We will also cover the most common HR processes – career pathing, succession planning, high potential, and talent programs – from the perspective of an employee aspiring to move through the ranks. To keep things practical and engaging, we will also cover the subject of negotiating a compensation package within one employer and when switching between employers.

MODULE 11: Diversity & Inclusion – practical perspective and a call for specific management action

This module assumes a certain level of knowledge among participants on and natural support for a well-covered subject of Diversity & Inclusion in the workplace. The objective instead will be to discuss practical ways to improve inclusion, working off a hypothesis that there is already more diversity in our organizations than we know how to handle and put to good use. On this occasion, we will cover three related subjects that are usually getting inadequate coverage. First, the phenomenon of ‘cancel culture’, ‘quiet firing’ and ‘covert bullying’, all directed towards people who offer different opinions. Second, the strong bias against introversion in a world that associates extroversion with leadership. And thirdly, encountering and dealing with bullies, alphas and narcissists in our professional careers.

MODULE 12: Exerting influence in a position of hierarchical power, both effectively and ethically.

This module supplements the previously covered material on ‘leadership’ and ‘the job of a manager’ with a critical element of hierarchical power. It starts by covering extensively the subject of ‘power’, based on the work of a Stanford professor of organizational behavior, Jeffrey Pfeffer. We will also discuss the importance of (well- functioning) traditional hierarchy, shedding some critical light on the recent management theories of ‘holocracy’/‘teal’ and recognizing their contribution to enhancing the dialogue on what ‘good management’ entails. The final part of this module is a practical exercise of identifying ‘dos and don’ts’ in exerting influence on teams/organizations of 10, 100, 1000, or 10.000 people.

MODULE 13: Avoiding burn-out and handling the common challenges around work/life balance.

This module provides practical ideas on ways to reduce the risk of burn-out and improve work/life balance when pursuing an intensive and rewarding career in large, multinational organizations. We will discuss common triggers and supporting factors for burn-out, based on the research work of Annie McKee, Ph.D. – the traps of ambition, ‘should’ and overwork. The subjects for discussion will range from 1) handling emails, meetings and other minutiae of daily corporate life, through 2) common symptoms of overwork and impact on co-workers and subordinates, down to 3) the fundamental causes of exhaustion at work. We will give special attention to the desired patterns for solving problems and selecting problems to solve, as related deficiencies are often the root cause of burn-out.

MODULE 14: First 100 Days in a new leadership position, the perils of a ‘quick drying cement’.

This module discusses a commonly overlooked, yet very relevant, subject of managing the early stages of any new leadership assignment. From the individual perspective, we will on average have 6-7 opportunities in our careers to expertly handle the ‘first 100 days’. From the organizational perspective, at any given moment, a large group of managers is entangled in their own onboarding periods, often without much assistance/supervision. The module will be primarily devoted to the ‘dos and dont’s’ of the ‘first 100 days’, as outlined in the research and literature on this subject. Additionally, I will specifically discuss how my personal playbook for handling the introductory period evolved throughout the four general management positions and the role it played in the strategy process.

MODULE 15: Working well cross-functionally and relating to others in a highly matrixed organization.

This module kicks off by explaining why large multinationals are commonly organized in matrix structures, where it is quite common to have more than one boss, even in senior positions. We then move to discussing the challenges and opportunities that the matrixed structure typically offers, providing a balanced account on the matter and sharing personal experiences in navigating and leveraging this structure in a way that is conducive to efficient and effective delivery of tasks assigned. We will wrap up by zooming in on the fundamental issue of cross- functional collaboration, that has a tendency to suffer and get suboptimized in this environment. In this section, we will be referring to the classic work of Peter Senge promoting the theme of ‘system thinking’.