Expanding General Management Horizons

What was your GMP experience like?

My expectations were very high. This is Harvard, after all. But I can say confidently that the program not only met my expectations—it exceeded them. GMP was truly transformational for me. It broadened the horizons of my business understanding.

I was very impressed by how much thought went into creating every detail of the program. You spent just seven weeks on campus, immersed in the curriculum, but when you add to that the different assignments of the two off-campus modules, along with the different activities, exercises and networking events, the result is a program that is very, very special.

How did the other participants enhance your learning?

The group was cross-functional, cross-industry, and cross-cultural, with people from almost every continent and many different countries. That tremendous diversity really added to the learning. We were organized into four subgroups, so we sat with different people in the classroom every two weeks. That provided a great opportunity to learn from the largest possible number of people.

Which aspects of the learning experience stand out?

We needed to cover a lot of material in very limited time, so it would have been easy to be intimidated. But the professors made complex subjects so simple that we could understand the parts or concepts that were most important for us. We learned many nuances of general management at just the right level so that we could absorb key points but weren't drowned in detail.

What surprised you most about the program?

The case method of learning was an amazing experience. I was surprised to find that the course was based only on cases—no books! We immersed ourselves in business situations—almost simulations, really—and considered each case from all sides. When I discussed the case with my living group or in the classroom, people from different functions and industries expressed many different views. I was always thinking from the sales and marketing point of view, because that's my expertise, but I was also always discovering new ways of seeing a problem or analyzing a solution.

Has the program changed you as a leader?

Before GMP, I had thought about our challenges mostly from a hard-core business perspective—in terms of revenue or profitability. Now I think about problems more holistically. I am much more confident in my ability to make good decisions related to strategy, finance, or operations. In the past, I had found these domains complex and somewhat intimidating—especially finance and accounting. But GMP gave me enough confidence to deal potentially with any business situation. I may not always succeed, but GMP has given me the courage to take the plunge.