And so the cohort experiment continues, though with this blog post reaches its online conclusion. In the penultimate post in the series, Nicole discussed the critical variables involved in designing leadership programs, in a discussion that we hope was helpful in considering the development of your own leadership programs.

As we reach the end of this series, on the nature and the role of cohorts in leadership programs, we find ourselves confronting the after or extended life of our programs. In other words, what do you do once the program finishes?  Needless to say, this question demands a discussion on alumni development. Though quite challenging to administer, maintaining strong ties among alumni (both with one another and with the institution) must be considered an essential element of programs such as those we have been discussing in this series. From my perspective, indeed, this is one of the key pieces of the leadership development puzzle. In our interviews with various people involved in developing, participating in, and administering leadership programs, we have identified four essential aspects of effective and successful alumni development. In this last post of the series, we want to share our findings with you.

First , we have discovered that alumni development must be part of the program from the very beginning; new recruits should be aware from the first day of training that their commitment is a lifetime one. Or, phrased slightly differently, from the outset, participants should understand that though their training will have a limited duration, their commitment to the program and to each other will last through the course of their lives. There are various practical, strategic, formal, and informal ways that leadership programs can encourage this kind of commitment.

One organization that has been particularly effective at this is Ashoka, who have developed one of the finest alumni networks in the field of social entrepreneurship.  While the Ashoka fellows program lasts only three years, Ashoka as an institution continues to support former fellows throughout their career. They do so by providing assistance to former fellows with pro bono support, open access to Ashoka’s extended global network, and periodic extended training. While Ashoka have been innovative in creating and administrating alumni initiatives, in some measure, they have based their own model of alumni development on university alumni organizations.

As the model from which all other alumni development efforts derive, top university alumni associations have a great deal to teach us all.  Alumni networks such as those operated by Harvard, Stanford, the University of Michigan, and other top academic institutions all continue to provide support to their alumni well beyond their time at the university. Alumni remain connected to their Alma maters through targeted events such as annual reunions, web-based networks, local chapters of alumni groups, newsletters, magazines and other similar development projects.  Many of these programs are so strong, the sense of community so richly established by them, that it has become an almost unstated rule that if an alumni or student contacts another alumni, they will almost certainly respond.  Now that is really impressive!  These programs capitalize on an individual’s desire to be involved in a group of people that has shared a similar experience.  If you are looking to build your alumni network, turning to university alumni organizations would be an excellent first source.

One of things that university alumni networks are so excellent at realizing is a continued platform for interaction by former members of cohorts, or of extended cohort groups. And while there is an almost intuitive connection between alumni of a university, other organizations have also found effective ways to develop the sense of affiliation amongst their former members. Organizations can ensure that its groups remain connected in a number of ways. For instance, the Henry Crown Fellows Program has a yearly gathering for all of its alumni, an event where the fellows have the opportunity to work and network with one another over the course of several days spent on specific projects.  The key to an event such as this is that it has direction; the gathering will be much more valuable for all those involved if it is organized around a particular goal or activity, which these yearly gathering always are. Specifically, if the fellows are either working on solving a specific problem together or are being trained in some new skill set, these types of gatherings will be both individually productive and instrumental in further creating a shared sense of group. These events create a specific value for its fellows, encouraging them to fly in from distant places, to learn new skills, or apply their professional talents towards a distinct aim. These events wind up doubly productive; the new time spent on a shared activity reinforces the fellow’s commitment to the convening organization and to one another.

Third, we have found that the programs which recruit fellows with a shared mission are more likely to have strong alumni networks than those without it.  For example, at Acumen Fund we have found that even though we do not convene our alumni yearly in the way, say, the Henry Crown Fellows Program does, (though we are would be very interested do so if any potential donors would be interested) less formal “reunions” are continually under way, with fellows remaining in close proximity to one another (occasionally geographically but more often in terms of life direction). To cite another example, I mentioned in my last blog that two of the 2007 Acumen Fund Fellows at Bamboo Finance have invested in a 2008 Fellow who is building his own low-income housing development in Pakistan. This investment and renewed partnership between alumni fellows, while not generated from some form of “top down” alumni development initiative, nevertheless reflects the ways that informal alumni collaborations can wind up having the same function, if the sense of shared mission is strong enough.

Fourth, as is a common practice at universities, alumni groups can and should involve its alumni in ongoing recruiting processes.  At Acumen Fund, we do this at multiple stages of our annual fellows’ recruitment process. Acumen Fund Fellows Alumni carry out multiple rounds of resume reviews, phone interviews; attend our final round panel interviews, and recruitment dinners around the world.  We do this because we find it is a surefire way to ensure the finest new Fellows are recruited each year, to help continue to build our alumni’s networks, and to keep alumni involved and engaged in the program.

These are just a few ideas though. As I think about managing Acumen’s alumni network I would love your thoughts on ways you have worked to bring your own global alumni together. We would love to hear from you all of you and continue this conversation online.