Embracing a New Virtual Reality

Why did you apply to the GMP program?

As a senior leader in my organization, I knew the next career move for me would be transitioning to C-suite, but in order to do so, I knew I needed to expand my knowledge in certain areas such as finance and accounting. The case study method at HBS greatly appealed to me as I felt it would help me gain insights and knowledge into the issues faced by organizational leaders, in effect enabling me to gain years' worth of experience in different industries over the course of a few intensive and immersive months. HBS Executive Education’s reputation speaks for itself and I knew my cohort would also be of exceptional calibre, so the unique opportunity to connect and network with business leaders around the world was extremely valuable to me. Lastly the timing, format and structure of GMP was perfectly tailored for those in my position who were actively working full-time yet still wanted to advance their learning.

What drove you take a virtual offering of GMP and how did you think about the trade-offs between a virtual program and an in-person program?

I had initially applied when the program wasn't yet virtual and when the decision was announced that it was going to be offered virtually, I had my doubts. However, I then started to consider the advantages of the virtual experience. I reminded myself that the main value of HBS Executive Education is the education it provides and its world-renowned professors that I would still benefit from. Secondly, as a mother of two young girls, not being away from them for seven weeks (for the on-campus modules) was a huge benefit which my family was also thrilled about. Another important consideration was that regardless of when or how we get out of this unprecedented COVID-19 time, it was clear that work was never going to be the same and that many things would actually remain virtual or digital, so it made sense for me to start equipping myself as best as I could for this new reality by embracing the virtual GMP experience also. Lastly, when we were given the chance to attend classes in the state of the art HBS Live Online Classroom, it really sealed the deal for me, as it was a fantastic experience and really felt like we were all there in class as we would be in person, without losing any of the effect.

Can you describe any advantages that you gained from doing the program now, rather than waiting?

The future is uncertain, we don't know when or even if things will go back to completely 'normal' or how they were before. I looked at it from the perspective that within a matter of months I could considerably evolve my leadership and management skills, become an HBS alumni and expand my network by meeting amazing like-minded leaders from around the world. I thought there was no better way to have maximized my time in lock-down, already working from home, than to have signed up for what I knew would be a transformational experience. It has been even more rewarding than I could have ever hoped or imagined!

What was the virtual learning experience like in the Live Online Classroom?

To my pleasant surprise, the LOC turned out to be a brilliant experience. Not only did it feel like a real classroom with my fellow students all around me but it was also great to experience the professor in the center of the classroom teaching as he always would, coming up close to talk to us, or moving to the front to write on the blackboard. We were also instantly able to switch views to blackboard view if we wanted to get a better glimpse of the notes being written by the professor. I absolutely loved the LOC experience and would happily recommend it to anyone thinking of taking GMP virtually—just make sure you have good internet connection to avoid experiencing any technical issues during class—but even if you do, the supportive LOC technical team are always on hand to assist with any problems you may be facing!

What did you like best about the virtual experience?

I liked the immediacy of it, that we could be logging on to one class one minute and breaking out into groups the next with ease, then debating case studies with our Virtual Discussion Groups after that. The program felt like a natural progression from the present work from home situation that many of us found ourselves in due to the COVID-19 environment. In this increasingly digitized world, experiencing GMP virtually also seemed very fitting. Last but not least, signing off in the evening and being able to go back to your family is also precious- you don’t feel like you need to compromise on seeing them for the sake of furthering your education either, so that’s an added bonus which I was also grateful for!

Describe the interactions you had in the classroom, in the discussion groups, and in the social settings?

The thoughtful contributions made by my exceptional peers from different all parts of the world working in different industries with diverse skillsets was extremely valuable. I am grateful for the wealth of knowledge, experience and insight that they provided both in and out of class.

The Virtual Discussion Groups were one of the best things about the GMP experience for me. We had virtual meetings every day for at least 2 hours to discuss and debate the case studies we had been assigned. In doing so, we developed a close bond where we would freely and openly discuss ideas without limitation or judgement and we would engage, support and challenge each other as well. We made sure to come to each Virtual Discussion Group meeting well prepared to enable us to deep dive into the topics before tackling them on a broader scale in class. I found these incredibly beneficial to my learning and development over the course of the GMP and I know I will continue to keep in close contact with my LG going forward.

As for the social settings, the GMP team really went above and beyond to compensate for the fact that we weren't able to be together in person, such as organizing virtual social evenings, industry events and 'speed-dating' zoom calls to name just a few, to enable us to network and get to know each other better. We also took the lead and created our own social channels where we continued discussions around various topics, on Slack and on our own GMP whatsapp group.

Can you describe the network you have built in your GMP cohort?

I can honestly say that I’ve built an extremely valuable, diverse network with great leaders in their field in different businesses and industries from all around the world. Now I really do have friends in every time zone and I look forward to visiting them whenever I'm next in their part of the world, or hosting them if they're ever in mine. We've built close connections with each other, so we would easily feel comfortable reaching out to each other for help and guidance on any topic we may need assistance on and I personally feel extremely fortunate to have cultivated such a great support system.