Take the EMBA plunge

Having just completed my Executive MBA program, the main piece of advice I would give EMBA candidates is to put themselves in the right frame of mind: success inspires success. The results of pursuing an EMBA can be spectacular, but the journey itself is exhilarating and life-changing. Most of all, you come out of the program richer, not only in terms of knowledge and skills, but also because of the unique moments you will share with the people who will become part of your close network for years to come. Take the plunge – it’s worth it!

Invest in yourself...

It’s a question of setting off the right signals. By being prepared to, in your mid-thirties or forties, sacrifice your evenings and weekends to develop your skills and broaden your horizons, you are showing those around you that you believe in yourself and that you are gearing up for success! As Nick Barker, CEO of Aware Monitoring, who graduated from the Executive MBA program at Nottingham Business School in 2007, puts it: “An [E]MBA says something about you – [that] you’re willing to take on significant challenges, and undergo change and personal growth.”

It’s easy when you are in a comfortable position to get stuck in a routine. Whilst some employees are lucky enough to have a flight plan for their career mapped out within their organizations or as entrepreneurs, others find themselves stuck in roles that offer little evolution, positive challenges and intellectual stimulation. You sometimes have to break your own glass ceiling and pave your own path to success.

... And in your network

The Executive MBA is an exciting journey not only because you are back in the classroom revisiting business fundamentals and picking up new skills, but also because you are constantly working on group assignments and case studies with participants from diverse cultures, backgrounds, industries and job functions. All at once, you learn to work with people who are in sales roles, marketers, engineers, financiers, entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, mid-managers, senior executives, directors, VPs, CEOs, members of board; talented young executives on the fast-track as well as more mature classmates in their fifties.

Ekaterina Shapochka, Director of Marketing, Corporate Communications and Business Development at PWC, Moscow and Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA alumna (Class of 2007) explains that as a result of her EMBA experience, she has broadened her horizons, both professionally and personally. “That was another great part of the program,” she says. “I benefitted from the experience of many other

businesses in many other countries. This adds many perspectives to what we do and how we do things.”

EMBA graduates report that one of the aspects they most cherish is their experience with the people they meet whilst on the program. Fordham’s Assistant Dean and Director of Executive Programs, Francis Petit, explains that, “the value of an EMBA experience is all derived from the people. These people include classmates, faculty and staff from a specific school. I tell students that they will learn more from their classmates than they will from the faculty. That is the way it is when you put together a dynamic and professionally diverse group with a great spirit.”

Gain confidence

It’s all about the soft skills. Soft skills are not so soft. If you’ve ever been in a class on effective communications or improving your presentation skills, you’ll know that it’s hard work. Somehow, though, as you go through the program, you get used to standing up in front of an entire classroom full of people to present your case studies and group assignments. You also get more comfortable voicing your opinions, even if this is something you are not used to doing, because that’s the only way to participate in class and group discussions. Moreover, you learn to do this more and more diplomatically, especially because you know that you have to work with your classmates throughout the entire program.

Rediscover yourself

Most EMBA programs focus on leadership to enable participants to assess not only their environments, but also themselves better. At W.P. Carey School of Business (Arizona State University, USA), for example, EMBA participants attend workshops on subjects such as ethical leadership, conflict management, dealing with failure, team effectiveness, influence and persuasion. “Students can enrol in this ‘leadership experience’ and can choose to make leadership an area of emphasis. They are immersed in a 360 degree peer review process. The goal is to involve self-reflection and to assess what the students are gaining from the beginning to the end of the program for use in their careers,” explains Jennifer Shenfeld, Assistant Director for MBA Recruitment.

At ESCP Europe in Paris, France, participants of the European Executive MBA program can choose from a variety of 13 electives focusing on Leadership, such as “Personal Leadership Skills”, “The Leadership Mystique” or “Intuitive Intelligence and Innovative Leadership”, for example.

INSEAD offers, as part of the curriculum, a Leadership Development program, where participants in peer groups are led by a coach throughout the course of the program. As professor of organizational behaviour, Charles Galunic and former Dean of the Global Executive MBA program underlines, “Sometimes, there is no one better to help you understand and develop than a peer who may be going through the same, or similar experience. This process increases self-awareness and creates personal action plans which can be transformational.”

As we saw earlier, the rich diversity the EMBA classroom offers, gives participants the opportunity to build bridges and become conversant with people from different professional avenues. As Joanna DeBiase, Partner and Operations Director at IBB Solicitors in London and a Cranfield School of Management EMBA (Class of 2007) tells us, “the advantage of having an EMBA is the confidence it gives me. On a day-to-day basis, this enables me to communicate with the finance, operations and marketing functions (and external suppliers), with a greater depth of knowledge and understanding. I feel better equipped to analyse business issues and apply solutions.”

Take the Helicopter seat

For professionals with a sound number of years of experience, it’s refreshing to be back in a learning environment where you are encouraged to leap into a helicopter to look at the world from a different perspective: the big picture view. Understanding the dynamics of general management and the responsibility that goes with it, the political framework of a corporation, as well as the fundamentals of corporate finance and financial accounting, gives you the tool kit you need to be able to manage, lead and innovate.

Moreover, Executive MBA participants tend to get more out of their MBA learning because they are able to look back at their experiences and decisions made in their companies, and analyse the outcomes with a different pair of shades. ‘Had I been able to apply what I learnt in class, would I have made a different decision?’ or ‘What if I had been able to better convince the board’ or even ‘That’s where I made a mistake - I know better now” are common questions or remarks in an EMBA classroom. In effect, past work experience and immediately applicable knowledge - experiential learning - give the Executive MBA an extra edge compared to full time MBA programs.

From learning how to assess an investment decision or prioritise key projects, to reading a company’s annual report, to implementing change in your organization, the Executive MBA is a polyvalent advanced degree. Petit explains to prospective students that if they are looking for specific high-level content in a graduate program, they should pursue a specialized Masters in that area. “I tell them that the EMBA is a generalist degree. A simple metaphor illustrating this is jumping out of an airplane, activating your parachute and landing. [Where you land and] the contents in your backpack are your ‘Business/Management Survival Kit’. Your career will go in many different directions, however you will always be prepared because of this “survival kit” that is part of you. That is what the EMBA is all about.”

In the end, it’s also about the pursuit of happiness and fulfilment. Kellogg-WHU alumnus Nicolas Derville (Class of 2004) and Sales Director for Kraton Polymers, tells us that, “it is not just about the money, it is about personal achievement and giving oneself the tools and skills to achieve what you really want to do in life. For me, this means moving my family and taking a senior position in a land full of possibilities. For some of my classmates it has been starting a business of their own; for all of us it has been to expand our knowledge and our ability to engage with others and get a richer life.”