Kelly Kliebhan's new company, Paris Eats, will be launching a mobile application in spring aimed at the "travel to eat" set. Having managed teams in large firms including ManpowerGroup, Kliebhan knew she'd face different leadership challenges in starting and running her own business. At the Program for Leadership Development (PLD), she found supportive peers, new insights, and the skills to create a successful venture.
Back when I was running the strategic accounts business in Europe for ManpowerGroup, I had attended another HBS Executive Education program, Finance for Senior Executives. I understood the HBS learning experience and had become familiar with other programs, including PLD. I found PLD to be one of the most powerful experiences I have had—both personally and professionally.
When you enroll in a program at such a prestigious institution, it is somewhat implied that the best ingredients will go with it—principally, world-class students and faculty. This was indeed the case. What I could not have imagined was the power of the PLD curriculum and faculty to create a glue, to draw out the best from such a diverse group, and help me on a path of individual transformation that far exceeded my expectations.
For me, it is certainly the people that make PLD so special. It's not just being surrounded by the best, but the fact that everyone gives their best, with a spirit of generosity and sharing that transcends the learning environment.
While the PLD curriculum was important, the people component of the program was also very significant. In the midst of a career transition, I was especially glad that my previous experience at HBS helped me make the most of the interactions and opportunities for networking. Valuable exchanges happen in the moments between sessions, during coffee breaks, gym time, and social events.
I really valued the interactions with other participants. I come from a generalist management background. Most people I met at PLD were specialists with incredibly deep domain knowledge. We learned a lot from one another. Now, as I'm building my business, I can draw on a network of individuals with rich and varied backgrounds. For instance, my company is developing an application, and I can reach out to the fellow participant with a large team of developers to get advice on problems that have been driving me nuts. Everyone I've talked to has been gracious and generous in sharing ideas and contacts. That's the spirit of PLD.
When starting a business, it's easy to get caught in fire fighter mode and also to become a bit disconnected from your peers. PLD gave me the time and opportunity to reset some of my priorities, to reconnect, and to think about where we are and where we want to go with the business. Paradoxically, perhaps, PLD brought me forward as a leader by bringing me back to the fundamentals.
My advice—be prepared to be open. When you walk through the door at HBS, you are choosing to undergo a unique transformation process. Each day brings tremendous opportunities to network, to learn, and to share. The 'work' that happens when egos are left at the door and great minds engage in open and meaningful conversations is nothing short of extraordinary.
