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    Case Study· 1 min read

    Boeing: Executive Development

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    A leadership development program designed to broaden identified successors to executive positions and prepare individuals for a variety of new assignments while delivering solutions to top management through action…

    Program Genesis and Goals

    The Executive Development Program (EDP) was first established in 1995 by Harry Stonecipher, who was the CEO of the McDonnell Douglas Company (MDC) at the time. The program was created with a clear purpose: to broaden the capabilities of identified successors for executive positions. Its design focuses on preparing these individuals for a variety of new assignments through a combination of action learning and personal development, while simultaneously delivering practical solutions to the company's top management.

    Adoption as a Best Practice at Boeing

    Following the announcement of the Boeing/McDonnell Douglas merger in 1997, a significant effort was undertaken to integrate the two entities. Over 100 small "synergy opportunity teams" were chartered to assess programs and processes from both organizations. Their goal was to identify best practices that could be implemented across the newly merged company.

    MDC’s Executive Development Program was one of the key initiatives selected through this process. It was recognized as a valuable and effective strategy, leading to its adoption and evolution as a premier development approach within the larger Boeing organization.

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