By Lacie Blankenship
Mid-level leaders are crucial in driving organizational and operational success. Nissan North America, Inc. recognizes the need to empower pivotal leaders in key leadership roles and has collaborated with Vanderbilt Executive Education to offer the Nissan Talent Up program. In the summer of 2024, the Executive Education team at Vanderbilt Business welcomed 38 professionals for an in-person learning experience on the Vanderbilt campus in Nashville, TN. Read on to learn more about how the program simultaneously supports Nissan and the professional development of employees.
“The auto industry is always evolving, requiring intentional focus on ensuring our workforce, at all levels, are positioned for success,” said Laura Gillespie, Director of Talent Management, Nissan Americas. “Our strong partnership with Vanderbilt has proven to be an essential part of our talent management strategy, resulting in innovative programs that we have implemented in our daily operations.”
What is a mid-level leader?
A mid-level leader plays a critical role in translating the strategic vision set by top management into action for their teams of employees. These leaders oversee the day-to-day operations of an organization and serve as a bridge between senior leadership and employees.
“Mid-level leaders are pivotal to the sustained success of an organization,” says Tom Steenburgh, Ralph Owen Dean at Vanderbilt Business. “Empowering them reaches beyond individual skill development; it’s about elevating an entire organization and making a strategic investment in collective success.”
What is Nissan Talent Up?
Nissan Talent Up is a customized 6-month immersive leadership development program offered through Vanderbilt Executive Education. The program was carefully designed to nurture the professional development of some of Nissan’s high performing mid-level leaders. Talent Up participants and leadership travel to the Vanderbilt campus in Nashville, TN, for an in-person learning component.
After the in-person program has concluded on the Vanderbilt campus, participants are assigned to cross-functional teams and tasked with a subsequent project to be completed over the course of 4 months. For this year’s program, Nissan sourced a total of 6 unique projects from various functions and locations across the Americas. As participants develop ideas and solutions with their project sponsors, they are working toward presenting their project findings and recommendations to executive Nissan leaders, including the Chairperson of the Americas and Senior Vice Presidents, in November.
Who participated in Nissan Talent Up?
The 2024 Nissan Talent Up participants were comprised of managers from 7 different countries across North and South America, all of whom were selected to participate in the program by their leadership team based on several factors, including performance and potential to continue growing as a leader. Over a dozen Nissan leaders (some of whom are Talent Up graduates) participated in teaching a portion of the program during an in-person week in Nashville. Vanderbilt Business faculty members Jon Lehman, Brian McCann, Berk Sensoy, Ranga Ramanujam, and Mark Cannon taught in the program.
What was the program like?
Nissan Talent Up was designed to prioritize the growth and development of current and future leaders of the organization. Program participants learned about the unique challenges of the automotive industry, expanded their understanding of the organization as a whole, and refined their leadership skills.
“Nissan Talent Up is a true partnership with company leadership to curate a unique learning experience dedicated to nurturing and developing mid-level leaders who are critical to the company’s success,” says Becca Yancey, Managing Director of Executive Education at Vanderbilt Business. “This program not only helps individuals navigate industry challenges but also deepens their understanding of the organization and refines their leadership skills.”
Why does Nissan Talent Up exist?
Nissan Talent Up was inspired by the Nissan LEAD program with Vanderbilt Executive Education, which dates back to 2009. Together, more than 500 Nissan employees have completed one of the two programs. The longstanding partnership between Nissan and Vanderbilt Business thrives on the mutual desire to support developing leaders. The program provides a structured and custom-tailored avenue for Nissan to invest in and engage with their top talent.
