Case Studies and Testimonials

AARP

AARP partnered with Georgetown McDonough to develop a multi-module program, called Agile (AgL), for its leadership team.

The AgL program, now in its fifth cohort, builds participants’ leadership and business skills while creating a common lexicon. The program culminates in strategic learning projects (SLPs), for which small groups of participants tackle a real organizational issue. Cohort sizes have varied from 25 to 40 participants. Georgetown and AARP chose the cohort model to help boost learning across the organization.

• Three modules of three days each, delivered on Georgetown’s campus
• Started in 2014
• Georgetown faculty teach sessions on strategy, leadership, communication, and teams

“The program stands out in my mind as being very comprehensive. It focused on theory, practice, and teamwork. The program used relevant scenarios from AARP, which added to the value and the power of the experience. Specific concepts taught were reinforced with exercises that allowed us to put theory into practice. Since we were all from the same organization, we focused on topics and issues that were inherent to our day-to-day reality. It was very impactful.”

Sonia Alvarez, senior vice president of operations strategy and analysis, AARP

Booz Allen Hamilton

Booz Allen Hamilton and Georgetown developed the Change Management Advanced Practitioners (CMAP) program to expose executives to the major frameworks, tools, and methodologies within change management; present their similarities and differences; and provide guidance on how and when to apply them.

• Intensive nine-day program, delivered in D.C. over the course of five months
• Nearly 1,000 participants have gone through the program since its inception in 2009
• Content is taught by Georgetown faculty and Booz Allen practitioners

“When we first started these discussions in 2008, it was important to Booz Allen that we weren’t going to fit into a pre-prescribed mold. We wanted to have a voice. Georgetown has been an incredible partner, listening to us and learning what our vision is, feeding into that vision, and giving us ideas. It was through that process, through that dialog with Georgetown, that we developed the Change Management Advanced Practitioner Program.”

Scott Barr, senior vice president, Booz Allen Hamilton

For more about our work with Booz Allen Hamilton, watch our video.

KPMG

Georgetown developed the Latin America Leadership Development Program for partners at KPMG.

Participants in the multi-city program focus on building personal leadership, developing and leading others, and leading the organization through sessions with Georgetown faculty. The program also incorporates cultural activities in each city, as well as executive dialogs with senior firm leaders and outside experts who help ensure the program curriculum is firmly connected to practice.

• Nine-day program, split into three modules: São Paolo, Mexico City, and Washington, D.C.
• Started in 2015
• Georgetown faculty lead sessions and guest speakers share their expertise during each module

“Georgetown University and KPMG have worked shoulder to shoulder to create a one-of-a-kind leadership development program in Latin America. The team at Georgetown tailored this plan to our needs, combining proven research and cutting-edge practice. Four years on, it has become the gold standard for our partners across KPMG in the region. Through our people, we make a positive impact in society. We inspire confidence and empower change.”

Victor Esquivel, senior partner, KPMG in Mexico and Central America & Charles Krieck, senior partner, KPMG in Brazil and South America

Rio Tinto

Georgetown McDonough collaborated with global mining group Rio Tinto on the Rio Tinto Stakeholder Engagement Academy, a multifaceted training and development program designed to enhance behaviors, improve competencies, and innovate systems in stakeholder engagement capital.

The SEA comprises three components: residential courses, an online SEA portal, and on-site training modules. Harnessing the expertise of Georgetown’s program management team, the SEA is delivered at Rio Tinto sites around the world.

• Three- to four-day program, delivered on-site in more than a dozen countries
• More than 820 participants since 2012
• Included residential courses, an online portal, and on-site training modules

“The education reminds people to do a better job of listening, which inevitably broadens their thinking about the world and ultimately makes them more effective in their jobs. It all comes down to this: How do you measure things like trust? If you can demonstrate that you better understand stakeholders to your investors and those who calculate your investment profile, then you are demonstrating good management of external risk. That is a distinct byproduct of the partnership with Georgetown.”

Robert Court, Rio Tinto’s former head of external affairs

USAID

As part of USAID’s Engendering Industries initiative, Georgetown McDonough delivered the Gender Equity Executive Leadership Program. The executive leadership course trained leaders at utility companies to adopt gender equitable practices throughout the human resources lifecycle.

The program began and concluded with a week-long, in-person module in Frankfurt, Germany. Between the in-person sessions, participants took part in four virtual modules, consisting of both live and recorded sessions.

• Eight-month program, consisting of two in-person modules and four online modules
• Participants represented companies in Georgia, Jordan, Kenya, Macedonia, and Nigeria
• Program culminated in a capstone project

“Because women represent one-half of the workforce, organizations that fail to recruit, select, and develop female talent will be at an operational disadvantage in the future. This program helps participants think deeply about how they can positively contribute to the active recruitment, development, and retention of women in male-dominated positions and industries.”

Brooks Holtom, academic director and professor of management, Georgetown McDonough