Achieving success

Adel Al Sharid, director of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Leadership Development Programme, was named a member of the Advisory Committee on Management Education by INSEAD, a leading international business school based in France. He is the first Arab and UAE national to join this panel.

Al Sharid said that his appointment was the result of the recognised efforts the Mohammad Bin Rashid Leadership Development Programme has made.

The programme

"Our programme provides the screening and selection of young, talented adults through a process of assessing their capabilities," he said. "It is a personal development initiative, where depending on the individual's level, they are placed in various strategic positions."

Al Sharid highlighted some of the competencies students learn while participating in the programme, among them critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, networking and technical skills — all necessary for the advancement of one's career opportunities. Students also have the opportunity to travel abroad to gain further worldly experience.

The approach

"Our approach pertains to the individual's needs. Each individual goes through a series of constructive learning and evaluation where if they prove successful, they advance to a higher level of leadership in the stages of low, middle, and top management," he said.

The major interest of the Dubai government, Al Sharid emphasised, is the investment in strategic human capital. And the leadership programme, is an initiative established to serve that investment.

"The standard of our programme has developed individuals into government leaders," Al Sharid said. "And our mission is to continue to do so."

The project

The leadership development project contains two phases: a programme for young leaders and a programme for government leaders. Once an individual passes the first phase and gains four years of work experience, they may then join the second phase.

The initiative's involvement with many notable brands such as Boeing, Shell, BP and academic institutes like Harvard is what helped spawn this achievement.

"Five out of 20 well-known international segments are benchmarking against our models of human resources," Al Sharid said. "And very rarely do private sectors benchmark with each other."

The accomplishment

Al Sharid highlighted the underlying meaning of his achievement in such a prominent institution for a UAE national and an Arab.

"Our involvement with such a prestigious international body reflects our advancement as a nation and as the Arab world," Al Sharid said. "I hope to see more leaders pursuing this field."

Some advice

"Let the world know your ideas and innovations," he said. "Communicate your thoughts."

Strategic networking, Al Shared added, is also an essential factor to success.

"Share your knowledge and expertise to the right people. Participate in conferences," he said. "And in the end, good and hard work will get recognised."