If you were asked to lead an international business, how would you prepare? Rodrigo Martins faced that challenge when he was named president of global emerging markets for Stanley Black & Decker, an international industrial company with headquarters in the United States. The role came with several major responsibilities, including directing 4,000 employees in Latin America, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East; overseeing all of the company's commercial operations and five manufacturing sites; and managing the company's full P&L for global emerging markets. To ready himself for this role, Martins attended the Leading Global Businesses program at Harvard Business School (HBS) Executive Education. Here, he explains how the program prepared him for success.
Q. Why did you decide to attend this program?
It was an easy decision. I am very interested in professional development—and because of my recent promotion as president of emerging markets at my company, it seemed like the right time to invest in a program that would provide me with the opportunity to learn from exceptional faculty at an outstanding institution. The program was intense—it involved preparing and discussing several different case studies over six days, reading a number of books, and spending a large amount of time in small group discussions. But the time I spent in the program really helped me develop my self-awareness and, as a consequence, my leadership capabilities.
Q. What did you find most valuable about this learning experience?
Exploring my "true north" as a leader was a great investment of time and effort. I was fortunate to have a superb living group. We bonded from the start. This created a safe environment for deep discussions, and we always demonstrated mutual respect and support for each another. I believe we all gained a great deal from this experience. In my case, this effort motivated me to strengthen several aspects of my leadership style and to develop a few other aspects that were holding me back.
One section of the program, winning in emerging markets, was particularly enlightening. We studied several business cases that were extremely relevant to my day-to-day work. Some of the cases featured organizations that my company does business with on a regular basis, which made the case studies even more beneficial. I also acquired new frameworks while studying concepts such as institutional voids, which was extremely useful when considering developing new business models in light of market limitations. All in all, this was a top-notch experience, and any global executive would benefit from attending.
Q. How did the living groups contribute to the learning experience?
The living group model was an integral part of the program. These living groups enabled us to work on our leadership styles as well as allowed us to collaborate with an impressive group of people who have lived and experienced challenges similar to our own. As we became closer acquainted, we were able to discuss—with complete confidence and in a safe environment—the challenges of modern day leadership and how to improve our leadership capabilities.
Q. What did you think of the on-campus learning environment?
The HBS facilities and services provided a great learning experience. Every detail was considered, and the accommodations were impeccable. Once the program ended, I began thinking about coming back to HBS for more executive education.
Q. What advice would you give to future participants?
First, I highly recommend attending this program. You will have the opportunity to learn a great deal individually and from your professors, your high-caliber classmates, and your living group. Second, be prepared, read the cases and books in advance, and review them prior to the class discussions. You will get double the return on the effort you spend. Finally, be prepared to truly enjoy this global experience.