CorpU Launches Leaders As Teachers Institute

    MECHANICSBURG, PA, March 02, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Corporate University Xchange announced the launch of its Leaders As Teachers (LAT) Institute at a reception for corporate learning executives March 2 at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. The LAT Institute provides research, consulting, program design tools, and peer networking to help corporations implement and improve their Leaders As Teachers programs.

Ed Betof, author of the book, "Leaders As Teachers - Unlocking The Potential of Your Best and Brightest" will serve as the LAT Institute's Executive Director. Betof based his book on years of experience as a learning executive, including as Vice President and Chief Learning Officer at BD (Becton Dickinson & Company) where he instituted a highly successful Leaders As Teachers program. Betof is now a Senior Fellow and Academic Director at the University of Pennsylvania.

Successful Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) like Jack Welch at GE popularized the Leaders As Teachers approach by encouraging executives to teach, coach and mentor rising leaders. Many companies that are recognized for having stellar leadership talent have now adopted the model.

"When leaders are viewed as teachers, coaches and mentors, they have established some of the first important steps for enduring results, as well as the engagement and development of their people," Betof says.

Betof defines the following benefits for the Leaders As Teachers approach:
- Helps drive business results
- Stimulates learning and development of leaders and associates
- Improves the leadership skills of those who teach
- Strengthens organizational culture and communications
- Promotes positive business and organizational change
- Reduces costs by leveraging top talent

Mary McNevin, President of the Learning Centre for McCain Foods, a Canadian-based manufacturer of frozen foods such as French fries, appetizers and pizzas, says all McCain Foods leaders are accountable for developing others and teaching the company's values and goals.

"The leadership skills and behaviors associated with our leaders acting as teachers within McCain are deemed essential for the company's success," McNevin notes. "Our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer are our 'teachers in chiefs,' hosting quarterly sessions for leaders as a way to strengthen alignment and provide them the tools and leadership skills required to cascade this "Leaders as Teachers" approach throughout the organization."

Gwen Callas-Miller, Chief Learning Officer for Textron, a conglomerate that includes Bell Helicopter, E-Z-GO, Cessna Aircraft Company and others, notes the power of the approach to facilitate dialogue and collaboration among leaders.

"One of the most exciting benefits of leaders serving as teachers is they become actively engaged in a give and take of ideas," Callas-Miller says. "The teacher becomes the student and the student the teacher, opening the door for continued learning and collaboration. And senior leaders are exposed to talented emerging leaders whom they may not otherwise have come to know on the same level."

Some of the companies that have already joined the LAT Institute include:
- Raytheon
- Farmers Insurance
- McCain Foods
- Textron
- Lockheed Martin

Visit the Leaders As Teachers Institute at http://corpu.com/leadership

About Corporate University Xchange
The Corporate University Xchange is a private membership of senior learning and talent executives. Founded in 1997, members pay an annual fee in exchange for access to cutting-edge research, practitioner-tested tools, and expertly facilitated peer-to-peer networking. To learn more, visit http://corpu.com.

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