Buffalo, NY - Associate Dean Karl Kozlowski, PhD, contributed his expertise to an article in CEOWorld Magazine that challenges conventional corporate thinking about return on investment. In the piece, titled "If You're Only Measuring ROI In Dollars, You're Missing the Real Value of Your Leadership," Kozlowski provides valuable insights into how institutions of higher education are redefining success beyond traditional financial metrics, demonstrating how universities track long-term leadership development and societal impact rather than focusing solely on immediate financial returns.
Redefining Return on Investment (ROI)
Kozlowski explains that Canisius takes a comprehensive approach to measuring ROI, looking well beyond graduates' first-year salaries to assess the leaders they become over time. The university specifically tracks how many alumni assume significant leadership positions in corporate, non-profit or community settings within five to 10 years of graduation. This early-career impact provides a meaningful indicator of a talent pipeline that's truly prepared to advance quickly into influential roles. Kozlowski emphasizes that this broader measurement approach signals whether graduates possess the adaptability necessary to navigate industry changes successfully, which ultimately prepares them for sustained career success rather than just immediate employment.
Applying Academic ROI Principles to Corporate Leadership
Perhaps most significantly, Kozlowski offers a distinctive long-term perspective on measuring value that contrasts sharply with quarterly business thinking. He notes that universities have always measured success across generations rather than fiscal quarters, observing how graduates impact their communities and develop as ethical leaders over periods spanning decades. This generational view of impact and leadership development provides a model for executives who want to build lasting legacies rather than focus exclusively on short-term financial gains. His insights suggest that the most effective organizations should measure both the capital they accumulate and the systemic impact of the leaders they cultivate.
Click here to read the CEOWorld article.
