A Rich Learning Experience
Dave Kolankarai, Senior Director at Expedia, arrived at Harvard Business School (HBS) Executive Education looking to improve his strategic skills, but the rich learning experience broadened his mindset in ways he never imagined. He emerged with the awareness of a "global citizen," friendships that span the world, and strategies for creating value. In this interview, he describes the profound impact that the Strategy—Building and Sustaining Competitive Advantage program has had on both his professional and personal life.
What were your main reasons for coming to Strategy—Building and Sustaining Competitive Advantage (SBSCA)?
In our business environment, we are so focused on the immediate tasks at hand that we can get caught up in short-term thinking. My hope was that I would develop the ability to think more broadly, more long term—and be able to drive value from a more visionary approach. While I have some inherent strengths in terms of leadership, my goals for the SBSCA program at HBS were to enhance high-level strategic thinking and learn techniques to ensure the long-term success of our organization.
The distinct advantage at HBS is the fact that the different modules are taught by world-class faculty, arguably the best in the world in their disciplines. The classroom environment, with executives representing a wide variety of industries, was bound to bring diverse perspectives and lead to an enriching learning experience.
How would you describe the learning experience?
It was amazing! The professors were brilliant, and you could sense the intellectual energy in the room as they were facilitating the debates and challenging the different opinions. The range of topics covered was phenomenal. What I learned in the program was both relevant and fascinating—it went way beyond what I had anticipated. The program made me more aware of key issues in the world and, hopefully, has made me more responsible as a global citizen.
Which aspects of the program were most relevant to you?
For me, and for Expedia, it was the focus on differentiation. We have numerous, and formidable, competitors globally in the online travel marketplace. This creates pressure on pricing and margins, so we have to find a way to drive differentiation. That's why the discussions about value creation were very useful. We talked about the value stick quite a lot during the program at Harvard. Professor Felix Oberholzer-Gee explained the value stick—the willingness to pay and the willingness to sell, and how to increase the variance between the two to add value. Then we discussed how the top firms in an industry are working together to drive leverage within the industry. I gained some really good insights that will help me work with my leadership team at Expedia to drive greater incremental value for our organization.
What did you learn that you will you try to apply in your company?
At Expedia, we are going through so much transformation on the personnel front—with the millennial generation coming into the company. Given our rapid global expansion, we are hiring at a good pace, and need to make smart decisions in terms of hiring. Are we bringing in the right caliber of people? Are we asking the right questions? The case studies and discussions really made me rethink our approach to talent acquisition and talent retention—and how that affects our organizational culture. What I learned in the program is going to be very helpful to the leadership at Expedia as we incorporate some of the core talent acquisition approaches into our business.
Were you satisfied with the diversity of participants in the program?
Definitely! The participants represented a wide range of industries, and brought with them different and unique perspectives and thought processes. Everyone was very engaged in the discussions. A couple of folks really brought an outside-the-box mindset and even challenged the professors, which enriched the experience.
What kind of impact has the program had on your life?
A huge impact that cannot be expressed in words! Some of the cases, like the one on health care in the Cayman Islands, made me think about my responsibilities as a global citizen. The program broadened my mind in ways I hadn't imagined when I enrolled. And, of course, there are the friendships I developed, with people all over the world—places like Norway, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Italy. These are friendships that will last a long time.
Would it be helpful for another member of your group to attend this program?
Absolutely! I'm one of four senior directors in North America, and I would definitely recommend that the other three attend the program. We also have senior directors in Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America, and they would benefit as well. The VP that I report to attended this program back in 2010, and he recommended it to me very highly, which was a key influencing factor in my attending the program.