Advancing to Next-Level Leadership

Can you describe the program's impact on you, personally and professionally?

The program made a lasting impression on me—one that will ultimately guide me in the next chapter of my life. It made me feel grounded in a new way and connected to a bigger purpose that goes beyond my professional and personal responsibilities. I often take leadership courses and ongoing training as part of my career, but I have never been as focused and engaged as I was in this program at HBS. I hung on every word, listened intently, and could have participated in discussions, debates, and hallway conversations indefinitely.

What do you plan to do as a result of this experience?

In the short term, I will use the gentle reminders we uncovered in our case-study analysis and focus on stakeholder engagement, brand-building, and cultural empowerment within my team. In parallel, I want to carve out time to focus on the personal development that will come from further education and writing.

My bucket list has always included authoring a book and pursuing a doctorate degree. After this program, I feel motivated to aggressively go after those goals. I want to leave a legacy that changes the lives of others. I believe my story of trials, triumphs, and lessons learned along the way can be useful to the next generation of leaders.

Can you say more about the "reminders" you gleaned from the case studies?

Through the business cases, you learn how to think at the next level. You're reminded of the importance of having a voice. You're reminded of how to empower your team and set the right tone and culture. Now that I'm back at work, those are things I think about a lot. I want to make sure that I am doing those things in my day-to-day interactions with my team.

How did the program help you grow as a leader?

The program was helpful for fine-tuning my approach to leadership. So much of what I have to do every day is ensure alignment. It’s about setting vision but also ensuring that the team is brought into that vision and aligned with it. In one of the sessions, we discussed what you have to do to come up with a strategy for professional alignment, and how to apply that framework. Hearing about what has worked for other people was helpful in terms of remembering best practices for those kinds of situations.

The diversity of participants in the program was also a huge benefit. I brought all of my background to the discussions we had in the program, and everyone else brought their full selves, too. We were more than just names, titles, and companies. The environment allowed it. It was a place where every voice mattered in a conversation, with different voices and cultures represented.

In the workplace, varying backgrounds plus different perspectives equal better decisions. We need to push the envelope on diversity. Gender and ethnic diversity are important, but recognizing diversity of thought is also game-changing.

What advice do you have for future participants to help them make the most of this program?

Really immerse yourself in the moment, in the experience, in the connections, in the power of the people around you in the room. During the breaks, instead of checking email, talk to someone you haven’t met yet. Capitalize on every moment because those conversations can offer you a new perspective.