Gaining Personal Insight Through Professional Development
When he enrolled in Harvard Business School's Building and Sustaining a Successful Enterprise [Disruptive Innovation: Strategies for a Successful Enterprise] program, Paul Roppen, CEO of Inviso AS in Norway, was hoping to enhance his business acumen and skills. To his delight, the program delivered that and more, while also illustrating the important connection between his professional and personal lives. He shares some highlights from the classroom and discusses how he plans to make the most of the program's unique online component.
How would you describe your experience attending the program?
Attending Building and Sustaining a Successful Enterprise [Disruptive Innovation: Strategies for a Successful Enterprise] was a great experience. My expectations were high, and still HBS over-delivered. The program offered useful and insightful theories that are highly relevant to any business around the world. The professors were extremely experienced, engaging, and inspiring. Just as important, the other participants in the classroom—who represented a range of companies and countries—were knowledgeable and friendly. And the environment surrounding the HBS campus provided me with enormous motivation and energy to make the most of this opportunity and develop my skills.
What were your objectives in attending the program?
I had several objectives. I wanted to refuel my intellectual capabilities, get a deeper understanding and insight into how to succeed in an increasingly global and competitive landscape, and enable myself to contribute to the success of the companies that I do business with. I also wanted to extend my network of smart, nice, and inspiring people from around the world.
What were the most useful segments of the program?
The power of this program is that the entire experience is designed to be logical, practical, and educational. I particularly enjoyed the interactive teaching methodology and the small discussion groups. They enabled us to be even better prepared and "fired up" when we met during the classes and helped expand our understanding of the reading material. There were also specific theories that I found to be useful to my business, including those that focus on how to beat the most powerful customers, modularity versus interdependence, and good versus bad money.
Finally, I gained a lot from the extra dimension Professor Christensen brought into the lessons regarding our personal lives—the choices and decisions we make, and how we measure our happiness. He had the unique ability to make me reflect beyond theories and cases. He is outstanding, and I admire him for his deep professional and personal insight, knowledge, and experience.
How would you describe the impact the program has had on you?
First and foremost, I now have a suitcase of tools that will be very useful for the rest of my career. I have already started to use several of the theories in my daily work—and although it will take some time before I am fully trained and experienced in using all of the relevant tools, I have seen some immediate results. In addition, I have been inspired with energy, aspiration, and motivation, not only in my professional life but on a personal level as well.