A 20-year view of trying to develop emotional, social and cognitive intelligence competencies in graduate management education

Purpose - Development of competencies needed to be effective managers and leaders requires program design and teaching methods focused on learning. The paper presents an update and a view of 20 years of attempting to develop these competencies. Design/methodology/approach - A total of 14 longitudinal studies of the impact of a particular MBA program on developing emotional, social and cognitive intelligence competencies are reviewed. Three new studies are to complete a 20-year perspective. This is a value added design. It asks how are the graduates different from when they entered the program? Findings - Emotional, social and cognitive intelligence competencies that predict effectiveness in management and leadership can be developed in adults through a graduate management program. These improvements can sustain out as far as seven years. But this degree of value added can be eroded by a tumultuous organizational climate. Research limitations/implications - It is a series of 17 longitudinal studies on one school. With support from four studies of a program for 45-65 year-old executives. Practical implications - Competencies needed to be effective can be developed. But that development can be eroded without continuous improvement and renewal. Originality/value - Few sets of multiyear, multi-cohort, multi-method, multitrait studies exist. This helps to build a new literature on learning and development, as well as focusing on development of competencies.