Successful executives require three types of skills.

• Technical skills, or knowledge and proficiency in the processes, tools and techniques in a certain area. For example, a marketing manager should be familiar with the tools and techniques used in market research.

• Human skills, or the ability to interact effectively and productively with others. For example, a regional sales manager should be able to lead a productive team of marketing executives in that territory and achieve targets and budgets by motivating the team members.

• Conceptual skills, or the ability to conceptualize and formulate ideas and plans. For example, a marketing director should have a strong conceptual understanding of the business environment and be able to develop achievable long-term and short-term marketing plans that fit into the corporate plan.

As a manager moves up the hierarchy, the relative importance of each of these skills changes. For a junior manager, technical skills are usually far more important than conceptual skills. On the other hand, conceptual skills exceed technical skills in importance, as far as top managers are concerned.

The Executive PG Program prepares its participants for the transitions between the various levels of management. It is aimed at shaping tomorrow's successful managers, with a good grasp of the technical, human and conceptual skills required at various levels of management.