Leadership "SWAT units" (Corporate Service Corps/Executive Service Corps) have earned IBM the first place in this year's global ranking of the best companies for leaders, compiled by Fortune magazine in cooperation with consulting firms Aon Hewitt and RBL Group. It is a global leaderhip development program helping IBM to convert from a U.S. company with offices in 170 countries around the world into a truly global company.
IBM has previously sent certain managers on global missions. It had, however, been very expensive and it had concerned only a limited group of executives. Today, the Corporate Service Corps sent some 500 emerging leaders a year to the world. Executive Service Corps are designed for workers in positions of directors.
Each unit, consisting of representatives from about ten countries, first spends three months on preparation. That means building a virtual team, developing knowledge about the global economy and leadership and first meeting with clients. Then the members of the unit spend four weeks on common real market.
"This is not the Peace Corps - these people work in the real business and IT consulting for NGOs, public agencies or universities," Robin Willner, IBM's Vice President for global community iniciatives, was quoted on the Talent Management server.
Authenticity of global experience is supported by shared housing in Western five-star hotels. Members of the corps learn better cooperation under one roof although each of them is responsible for different tasks. "It's not like a conference call with people from other countries - it is dependence on people from other countries to find solutions," adds Willner.
Feedback shows that program participants learn much more than just deliver solutions to clients. "They learn more about leadership, teamwork and diversity as well as how to listen and learn to do business somewhere else. They learn a lot about themselves and gaining confidence, "concludes Willner.
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