Executive MBA programs have the daunting task of giving seasoned managers the extra oomph required to become CEO material. But teaching people how to become an effective leader isn't accomplished simply with a lineup of relevant courses. It comes from creating an atmosphere where executives can interact with each other and step in and out of leadership roles in a safe learning environment.

The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University has attempted to deliver the kind of learning atmosphere where leadership isn't simply taught in the classroom; it's woven—through group work and the premium placed on networking — into every aspect of the curriculum. "This whole idea of collaboration and cooperation," says Dean Dipak Jain, "is what made us what we are today."

While many EMBA programs flaunt their emphasis on teamwork, few schools get students working together quite the way Kellogg does. Students are divided into groups of six that stick together and work on projects for two years — uncommon at most schools. As a result, participants grow extremely close, learning each others strengths and weaknesses, and growing comfortable sharing anecdotes from their working lives.

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To avoid making the experience too insular, Kellogg brings in students from partner schools in Hong Kong, Israel, Germany, Toronto, and the Latin America program in Miami. For one week, these executives take classes and work on group projects with students, giving them international exposure. They then have a chance to reconnect by taking week-long electives at partner schools — a new addition to the program. Microsoft manager Bryan Trussel says he reached beyond his limited Seattle tech circle, thanks to the emphasis on networking. "The peer group is a huge part of the experience," he says.

Thanks to a reputation for producing strong leaders, Kellogg attracts seasoned executives. Students average 12 years of management experience, vs. 9 years for the top 25 programs overall. And these people often provide telling anecdotes that the professors can't hope to duplicate. During a recent session of professor Edward Zajac's Strategic Alliances course, the professor raised the topic of small companies playing up their relationships with larger firms. One Intel manager raised his hand to candidly share: "We don't allow companies to say they do business with us unless we get something in return."

When students are on-campus — every other weekend and during live-in weeks — Kellogg takes extreme measures to foster a sense of community. Bedrooms, while stocked with towels and toiletries, have no TVs, so students "don't just scurry back to their rooms," says Program Director Bernadette Birt. Instead, a downstairs bar opens every evening at six. The 15-minute coffee breaks students have between lectures are scheduled simultaneously for all classes so they can socialize with as many executives as possible. "They build both a business network and a social network," says Birt of the EMBA students. "We try and set up everything around that mentality."

And while most top EMBA programs give their students a place to stay and three square meals a day, the school has gone out of its way to make life easy for busy people. Books are pre-bought; there's on-site dry cleaning; break rooms are laid out with finger foods all day; and the salad bar is upscale. Say Birt: "They get here and they can focus on being students."

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