Pankaj Kankar is a startup mentor, advisor, and angel investor with more than two decades of experience as a technology and product development executive. Eager to dive deeper into his work driving organizational transformation, he participated in the Senior Executive Leadership Program—India. Below, he shares how the program helped him validate the work he'd been doing while giving him frameworks to guide his future growth.
Why did you choose to attend the Senior Executive Leadership Program—India?
I attended the program to get a 360-degree view of how successful companies operate. I wanted to learn from peers from diverse backgrounds, and I looked forward to getting their opinions on situations I had been through or would be going through in the future. Finally, I wanted to use my time in the program to assess and validate the leadership style I'd developed through practice.
Were your objectives in the program met? What were the key takeaways?
My primary objective was to build a more holistic understanding of business beyond my experience developing products. The program was incredibly helpful on that front, and it emphasized the importance of putting customers first and then seeing how technology would help them.
When I started advising startups, the program's teachings informed how I would talk about global markets, positioning, and even how to go about fundraising. It helped me understand how transforming companies is as much about changing culture as it is about changing products and processes.
Lastly, the program helped me explore my leadership style as I hoped it would. It gave me greater confidence and I came away with a very structured framework that I could use to navigate future leadership challenges.
How would you describe the program's value to someone considering it?
This program is extremely helpful for those who have experience at the senior level of a business. They'll be able to understand better whatever they've seen at that level after they’ve been through the program. They'll also be able to see different possibilities after examining how other organizations have scaled and grown.
A lot of the value comes from the opportunity to listen to the perspectives of other senior leaders who come from diverse backgrounds and have applied different solutions to challenges you've encountered. The program gives you access to a great community that regularly hosts events where you can meet new people, learn from them, and grow your network.
Is there advice you would give on how to get the most out of the program?
Fully immerse yourself and avoid distraction. Set your office responsibilities in such a way that you're able to focus. Go through the cases thoroughly and be curious about other participants' points of view. Sometimes, we can be so focused on our thought processes that we forget to be curious. Prioritize interacting with your peers and try to apply the learnings as much as possible in your business.
Is there anything else you want to share about your experience?
It was really great. The professors are very friendly and helpful. You bond with your cohort and learn a lot about how to work as a team. And having the opportunity to attend class on the Boston campus was a great experience in and of itself.