Reaching Beyond Your Comfort Zone

How did PLD compare with your expectations?

Though I had talked with previous PLD attendees prior to attending the program, the actual experience exceeded all my expectations. Over the years, I have developed functional expertise in marketing and strategy. So, I entered PLD thinking I had all the necessary key tools and that the program would reinforce and deepen this knowledge base. But PLD broadened my perspective. It showed me how much more I needed to learn—not just about business strategy, but also about organizational dynamics, authentic leadership, and change management.

I walked away with key functional tools—frameworks and strategic approaches. What I learned truly empowered me to accomplish more. Overall, my expectations were blown out of the water, forcing me to reset my thinking about what I need to do to reach the next level in my career.

Which aspects of the PLD experience stand out for you?

I particularly appreciated working with my peers. All of the attendees had achieved success in their respective fields, and at PLD we came together to look at ourselves, explore our strengths and weaknesses, and elevate ourselves to become smarter business leaders. We all pushed each other to go beyond our "local maxima" and think bigger about what we could accomplish.

PLD forced me to acknowledge that my best strengths could also become my worst weaknesses—and that I should challenge myself to evolve my leadership style. It was incredibly eye opening to have honest conversations with my executive coach and with peers in my living group about my shortcomings. I found the feedback particularly meaningful because it didn’t come from coworkers, friends, or direct reports—people with whom I had history—but rather from my coach and peers based on their objective observations of my behavior.

Which aspects of the curriculum were most valuable for you?

The accelerated pace of the curriculum, the breadth of content, and the teaching were all very effective. The carefully selected cases and the discussion format really pushed me beyond my comfort zone. I left the program with a strong knowledge base of other functional areas that will help me frame my thinking, ask the right questions, and develop winning strategies.

I found many of the frameworks valuable for analyzing business or leadership problems, but two of them stand out. Professor Tsedal Neeley's model for managing global teams is helping me connect my distributed teams in a more meaningful way and build stronger relationships in a world where teams interact through conference calls, emails, and Google chats. Professor Michael Tushman's congruence model has given me a language to describe the structural and communication challenges that exist in my company. With the tools to identify root causes of problems, I can help my peers and senior leaders understand issues that are preventing our teams from doing their best work.

How did PLD change you as a leader?

I came away with a personal action plan for instilling new behaviors in my day-to-day leadership. I now push myself to ask more probing questions rather than tell people around me what to do. I try to find more opportunities to empower my team rather than to simply do things myself. As a result, I feel more balanced and not as overwhelmed because I'm focused on the right priorities and delegate much more.

How has attending PLD affected your career?

I have more confidence in my future potential. PLD has empowered me to set more ambitious goals and to reach for roles that that will stretch me while leveraging everything I've learned. I came into PLD with the idea that the program would help me become a more effective chief marketing officer. Through the course materials, engagement with my peers, and coaching, I realized that I am capable of so much more.

How would you describe the value of attending PLD?

PLD gives you time to step off the treadmill and reflect in a structured way on gaps in your business knowledge and leadership that could keep you from fulfilling your potential. You learn new business frameworks that can help you solve problems. But the program's true value goes way beyond that—it's the personal change that occurs through the peer-to-peer mentorship, the executive coaching, and the informal conversations that happen with professors and guest speakers.

In the rush to climb the career ladder, we all need time to pause and reflect on whether we're climbing the right ladder or climbing fast enough. PLD provides a rare opportunity to set aside time for learning that can inspire us to envision a future with bigger possibilities. It's essentially a leadership boot camp that requires a personal commitment—to keep an open mind, absorb as much information as possible, and be ready to change leadership style.

How did your organization benefit from sending you to PLD?

My organization has definitely received value for their investment in my PLD education. I have taken coaching points to heart and actively sought to be an enabler of change by having more thoughtful discussions, posing strategic questions, and empowering my employees. My direct reports have noticed that I have fundamentally changed my approach to managing my team and driving strategy.

In addition, I have shared with my team and extended team many of the leadership frameworks, best practices in organization dynamics, and business cases that were featured in PLD. These individuals benefit from the content, but I also hope that my example—the way I invest in myself and in my team—will inspire them to seek continuous learning opportunities and to think beyond the day-to-day norm.