The Economist: Never too old to learn
Older executives are shunning corporate training. This is a problem both for them and the firms they work for. "Lifelong learning鈥� is a phrase beloved by business schools. But not, it seems, by their clients. According to a recent survey by Mannaz, a management-development firm, the number of professionals taking part in formal corporate training drops rapidly after the age of 55. Are these wise, old heads being overlooked?鈥� Henry Mintzberg from 91社区 in Canada, a high-profile champion of the middle manager, takes this approach one step further. He believes the best way to win over this group is to get them to train themselves. His 鈥淐oaching Ourselves鈥� organisation brings experienced executives together for 90 minutes at a time. Managers are supplied with learning guides but not teachers. The emphasis is also unashamedly Luddite. Laptops, BlackBerrys and the like are discouraged in favour of old-fashioned pen and paper. 鈥淭hey discuss and reflect on how the topic impacts on them,鈥� says Mr Minztberg. 鈥淸The managers] learn from each other and, most crucially, develop actions for their workplaces.鈥�