‘Learn language of executives’

Senator Irene Sandiford-Garner (left), Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health, welcoming students Haldaine Greaves and Pamela King to the Cave Hill School of Business. (MM)

Thu, September 06, 2012 - 12:03 AM

PEOPLE IN MANAGEMENT positions are being advised to learn “the language of executives” in order to become a more valuable asset to their organizations.

This suggestion has come from Senator Irene Sandiford-Garner, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Health, as she welcomed the new cohort of students at the Cave Hill School of Business (CHSB) yesterday at a breakfast meeting.

Sandiford-Garner said it was very important for people in top management positions to know the meaning of and difference between various business terms.

“Learning the language in a dynamic business environment is valuable. You listen to people speak and sometimes the language is very high-tech. Here, you are going to learn the language of executives.

“And why I say that is important is because I sat at a meeting only [two weeks ago] and asked the presenter if his paper was supposed to be a strategic paper or if it was operational.

“This is a manager of approximately 1 500 people, he makes an excellent salary – and he asked me what I meant . . . .

“He did not know the difference between strategic and operational planning,” explained the former CHSB graduate.

“So I say that here, you are going to learn the technical language of executives. It is important because when you sit down at the table, you are supposed to speak the language that they speak, understand the concepts that they present and be able to add your two cents’ worth.

“That is something I thought I should mention because a lot of people do not recognize it until they get into an environment and they can’t function. And to function at a high level, you first have to understand the language that they speak,” she added.

She later told the DAILY NATION she did not know if the lack of knowledge was widespread but she was surprised to have witnessed it recently.

“Where you may learn the technical language for your field? it would not hurt to do a [Master’s of Business Administration].

“That is the first time I recognized outright that people at certain levels in our business environment are lost when it comes to the technical requirements. Learning the technical language and understanding it is very important.”

In welcoming some 52 students, she said a supporting family environment was critical to their time spent at the learning institution.

The students, who are from eight countries including Canada, will be studying the EMBA general management and human resource management programmes, and the IMBA public sector management programme. (MM)