The Leadership Development Center is key to promoting the leadership skills for both mid-level managers and senior executive managers. It is true that most of the managers in an organization are in the middle level, implying that there is likely to be a higher number of mid-level managers who would wish to participate in training programs. However, the need for personal and career growth by those in the middle level of management creates the need for Leadership Development Center to improve on ways in which they can offer senior executives training programs such that the mid-level managers are prepared for bigger roles in the organization or elsewhere. LDC seemed to have little difficulties starting a senior executive training program since it only required $ 5000 that could be taken from the $ 20000 figure for marketing activities that had been cancelled. The efforts made by the company in preparing the brochures, delivering the mailed brochures to the potential customers and making lodging arrangements imply that LDC was more than ready to diverse its training offerings. The director of the Leadership Training Program however seemed to be stressed by the low turn up by managers who were invested in acquiring leadership skills relevant for senior management positions. However, with four weeks still remaining for the program to start, there is till much the company could do to ensure it achieves the desired target. This means reaching out to organizations to subscribe to the training as well as individual managers who may wish to participate in the program.
Answers to Questions
I would still go on with the program as planned and use the finances cancelled for marketing to reach out to organizations and individual managers in creating awareness of the program and how the event could be used to shape the career and personal growth of both senior and mid-level managers.
Gantt Chart for the Program
The program design stage takes more time since it is the critical stage that determines the feasibility of the program. The insight generated from the Gantt chart also signify that there is need to apply systematic steps to avoid clashing of activities and different roles played by workers.
The fact that the director did not consider the issues of marketing could be the possible cause for failure to meet the desired target. With $ 15000 in store due to cancelled marketing programs, the director could have used a portion of the amount to engage in marketing such that organizations, students and managers wishing to participate were aware of the program. Instead of sending mails, the director could have relied on better ways such as sending representatives to the organizations. The strength of the program however is that they were able to make the necessary arrangements within a shorter duration.
Senior executives are involved in bigger leadership roles compared to the mid-level managers since the senior executives are the figure heads of organizations and liaise with other stakeholders outside the firm as opposed to mid-level managers who mostly perform internal duties. This, therefore, means that LDC could have anticipated unwillingness by mid-level managers to take part in the program since they could assume that the nature of training was only fit for the senior managers.
