(Published in the Special Edition of Focus for the 44th World Conference of the International Association of Financial Executives Institutes, October 15, 2014) Relationships are the backbone of any business, more so in this regional and global economy. Many of these relationships are initiated, maintained, and nurtured at professional networking events. As Metcalf’s Law describes it - the value of a network is proportional to the square of the number connections. Accordingly, the value of your network is related to its size. The value of these events comes from the ties you build - both weak and strong - with a wide array of professionals, beyond just your clients; hence, the value of events like this comes from the connections you build, may it be weak or strong. By engaging with delegates, speakers, and even the organizers of this event will give you valuable insights about the market, prospective partners, competitors, potential employees, and even potential employers thro
(Published in Business Mirror under Free Enterprise column, March 2, 2012) NEXT week, I will be attending a week-long executive education on business, management, and leadership in Singapore. As an adult learner, I am one of those business executives who are sent by their companies to business school and training camps to learn new skills and knowledge, with the objective of applying these on the job, ultimately resulting to enhanced business results. Companies spend tons of money in running training programs. But are companies getting their money’s worth? Are management training programs effective? What if two competing companies used the same training program with the same approach and content? Who will eventually have the advantage? Trainings and executive education are not as effective due to a number of factors: inadequate training materials, lack of qualified trainers, deficiencies in program design and evaluation, excessive reliance on conventional techniques, and others.