Tailor executive development to strategy.

In the not so distant past, when top executives at Motorola encountered management training and development staff or ideas it was usually at an Arizona retreat where during a period of six days, the Motorola executives would hone their skills and increase their awareness of the complexities of management. Those days are gone at Motorola--and at Xerox, Federated Department Stores, and General Foods as well. Now, with increased competition and a perceived need for revitalization, the focus of the executive training and development programs at these companies is on corporate strategy and how to achieve it. With a practical and bottom-line focus, these programs are directing top managers to analyze the company's competitive position and to come up with real action plans to achieve strategic goals. The author, an expert on executive development, has examined the four companies' programs and reports here their common characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]