Executive Interviews: Interview with Tamara J Erickson on Managing Troubled Times
March 2009 - By Dr. Nagendra V Chowdary

Stewart D Friedman
Stewart D Friedman, Stewart Friedman, Practice Professor of Management Director, Wharton Work/Life Integration Project

• The New York Times (May 28, 2008) observed, “Students talk about Stewart D Friedman, a management professor at the Wharton School, with a mixture of earnest admiration, gratitude and rock star adoration.” What do such adulations mean to you?
  My students and clients inspire me with their courage and dedication to becoming better leaders and leading richer lives. The Total Leadership program requires a commitment to learning and growth, which is never easy but usually rewarding. My primary role is to clarify the goal, encourage the process, and then removemyself asmuch as possible so that the participants take ownership of their development.

• What qualities do you think a Bschool teacher should possess and hone? Should he be good in teaching? Should he be good in research and publications? Should he be good in consulting?What is the relationship between these three areas of faculty expertise? Or are they Business-school specific?
  The business school professors I admire most possess that rare combination of talents and experiences that enable them to be knowledgeable and authoritative yet empathic and genuinely concerned about their students. While I believe that experience outside of the academy is useful, these qualities may be evident no matter one’s particular background.

• What changes have you observed in management education in the last decade – from the standpoint of student selection, curriculum, faculty composition, pedagogical methodology and student assessment? Do you find that Asian business schools (CEIBS, Asian Institute of Management, Indian School of Business, etc.) are catching up with Ivy League Business Schools?
  The globalization of management education is a fascinating trend, and it’s clear that the US no longer controls the market! The major trend that I’ve observed is an increased commitment to relevant content, rooted in evidence, and greater value placed on learning from experience.

• Can leadership be taught?Why is it that leadership has been on the engaging agenda of companies, academicians, consultants, and even countries?
  I’ve long believed that leadership cannot be taught, but it can be learned. Indeed, it must be! It is the same as for any performing art or sport – you can always improve your capacity to lead, and anyone can do it, if they are willing. As I describe in my book, leadership offers limitless resources – the more the better – and organizations of all kinds benefit from members feeling like leaders, capable of mobilizing people toward valued goals.

• What according to you is the difference between leaders and managers or leadership and management? Are these differences subtle or substantial in terms of making someone a highly valuable resource?
  Unfortunately, there are many managers who are not good leaders and, fortunately, there aremany good leaders who have no formal authority to command other people. Leadership is not about a position; it’s about clarifying what is important, respecting and engaging others, and continually experimenting with how things get done. In most circles, management has come to mean the more administrative aspects of planning and control.

• Are leadership styles influenced by national cultures?
  Of course! How could they not be? Every leader has a different style and what works in one situation will not work in others. The ability to articulate a vision and inspire others to follow has to be shaped to fit the values and interests of the people.

1. Troubled Times Case Study
2. ICMR Case Collection
3. Case Study Volumes