Seeking to expand his knowledge beyond the realm of finance, Bruno Ferreccio turned to the HBS Executive Education General Management Program (GMP). He encountered diverse perspectives inside and outside the classroom—and brought back new skills, new ideas, and new ways to think about his business.
Coming into GMP, I wanted to improve my business acumen—to learn more about strategy, marketing, and other topics. I expected to acquire a theoretical framework, but the program was so much more than that. We did cover those business topics, but I was not just learning a few formulas or concepts—I was really growing as a person and a leader. The exercises drew things out of me that I had never experienced before. GMP provided benefits that will stay with me for a lifetime.
My favorite was the first on-campus module, Module 2, because the discovery process was so exciting. Everything was new and I was constantly surprised. The second on-campus module, Module 4, was also very satisfying, but I was much more comfortable and less anxious. At that point, I understood the case study process, knew what to expect in the classroom, and already had friends and a network.
The case study method allows you to expand the learning as you go along. First you read and analyze the case by yourself, and then you discuss the case with your living group. This enables you to build your knowledge through exposure to others’ opinions. When you get to the classroom, the professor guides the conversation and draws ideas out of people. Once again, you encounter many new perspectives that had not occurred to you or anyone in your group. The discussions complement your thinking and force you to reflect more deeply on the issues.
During class discussion, you try putting your ideas out there in a concrete way so that others can understand them. At first, you are hesitant to say much in front of these other very smart executives—and brilliant professors. But you feel great when you articulate a good argument and make a positive contribution to the discussion. It’s a very safe environment, so there's no need to be guarded about what you say. You can be very open and express whatever is on your mind. At the end of the day, everyone is happy with the outcome. Case discussions are great practice for any business situation where you need to present your ideas clearly.
All the faculty members were great, but one who stood out for me was Warren McFarlan. The dynamic energy he brought to class, and the way he taught with humor and connected with people was fantastic. He's been teaching at HBS since the 1960s, I believe, and when I saw him work, I thought, "If he has that much energy, what's my excuse?" He kept everyone engaged and made the session very exciting.
The combination of on-campus and off-campus learning is valuable in several ways. During the first module, you do pre-work that enables everyone to begin the program on a level playing field. The pre-work grounds you in important concepts and terms so they are fresh in your mind and you can study and discuss the cases effectively.
During the first on-campus module, you begin to relate the material to your business and things start to click in your head. You think, "This happened to me a couple of months ago," or "I could see doing it this way in my company." Then you go back to the office and start applying some of the learning and connecting the theory to the reality of your daily work life.
During the second on-campus module, you continue to absorb many different ideas, building on what you learned and experienced earlier. Two or three of those ideas will stand out because they are particularly relevant to your challenges. I’d be sitting in class and think, "Hey, I have that problem. Why hadn't I thought of it this way before?" Then I would write down what I was thinking and be excited to get back to work and see how I could apply my idea.
GMP has changed my thinking on technology and innovation. The rapid changes occurring in different industries are more applicable to my industry than I had originally thought. Banking is a very old industry, and we're not used to thinking about wealth management as something radically impacted by technological change. In class, I saw how fast things are moving and started to think, "I haven’t thought about this the right way and maybe I need to make strides in changing things. If I wait until it's on my doorstep, it will be too late." These issues related to technology and innovation are relevant to more than just a few industries—they affect everyone.
When you're going through GMP, there is just so much exciting material that it's easy to wonder how you're going to apply it when you return to work. The guest speakers included GMP alumni who shared how they used what they had learned to really make an impact on their companies. One speaker that stood out was Terry Virts from NASA, who talked about a particularly valuable leadership exercise he experienced in GMP and how it had helped him. We also heard from several people who are CEOs of S&P 500 companies. Their firsthand accounts of leadership challenges were very helpful.
One of the most important things you do in GMP is build relationships—with the faculty, with the people in your living group, and with others in the broader GMP cohort. The program gives you multiple opportunities to get close to people from all over the world.
A living group is seven or eight people who share a common living space and work closely together in discussing cases and preparing for class. Living groups are very diverse, including a mix of people from all over the world. That diversity brought more ideas to the table and contributed a great deal to what we could learn from one another.
In spite of our many differences, we were able to develop strong friendships—really tight bonds. Before the program, I would hear people say, "You will keep in touch with the people in your living group for the rest of your life." I would think, "I'm only going to be with these people for seven weeks, how can that be?" But then, as I went through the process, I saw the bonds getting stronger and stronger. I now believe these will be lifelong connections.
In GMP, you can build valuable and enduring relationships with the faculty. Even after you go back to work, you can check in with them or follow up on something you discussed during the program.
I've had the chance to share work-related issues with different faculty members and they have helped me think differently about some of the challenges in my company. I fully intend to tap into their knowledge, whether it's through email or a phone call, and try to give them updates. I'll say, "You told me to do this. I've done it this way, and here’s how it’s going. What do you think?"
The program is so much more than what you get from class. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. At GMP, you’re advancing your career and learning many things you can apply professionally, but you are also growing as a person. You have access to brilliant faculty, and you’re building a network of people you will be in touch with for the rest of your life.
