A Management Development Programme for Indian Managers: An Experiment with the 'Personal and Management Feedback Groups'

Abstract

Since sensitivity training and encounter groups endorse certain cultural values, their suitability is confined, understandably to the country of their origin. Re cognising the difference in the existential dilemmas of the American and the Indian managers, a structured approach was tried on a set of senior executives. In a three-day programme, through structured sociometric, self-disclosure, and feedback exercises, twelve managers explored the nature and content of their perceptions and cognitions influencing their constructs about self and work. This exploratory programme suggested a potential usefulness of emphasising awareness of cognitive processes as much as, if not more than, emotional ones in managers. Those responsible for management education may do well to recognise the effectiveness of PMF programmes providing stimulation towards much needed professionalism in Indian managers, especially those employed in family-owned and government-run organisations.