Content area
Full Text
It is people who bring organizations to life
As Adobe became one of the world's leading software companies, the role played by extraordinary leaders was evident. As it continued to grow there was a need for a leadership development program to keep pace with that expansion. Commenting on the creation of the Adobe Leadership Experience (ALE) program, Donna Morris, the company's Senior Vice-President of Human Resources, said the need for exceptional leaders was intensified following the acquisition of Macromedia in 2005. As Adobe organized to seize market opportunities and optimize performance, it was apparent that a broader bench of leaders was needed ready to take on increased opportunities globally.
She explained: "Rather than implement an off-the-shelf leadership development program, we decided to create our own. We wanted the program to mirror who we are as a company, bringing into play our unique vision, values, strategy, challenges, and opportunities. Our goal has been to develop exceptional senior leaders who think and act like general managers of their respective businesses. In addition, we have aimed to develop leaders who know how to engage global, cross-business teams in a manner consistent with our values, and who build a collaborative network with other Adobe leaders."
Retention, performance and promotion of people who had been through the ALE process are significant indicators of its success and participants also say they valued the opportunity of establishing relationships with their peers around the world.
A second program, Adobe Business Leadership (ABL) was established, as Carlo Peratoner explains, to round out development focusing on business leadership and business acumen at the director level, with an emphasis on making better business decisions with the limited information that is often part of real-world solutions but armed with knowledge that allows action based on a clearer understanding of potential financial impact. A software simulation was designed with the key objective of giving participants a feel for how Adobe should react to the changing marketplace and how decisions for the old and the new business are intertwined.
Importance of valuing individuals for their strengths
Leadership is often talked about in general terms...