What I learned at Harvard Business School-Part 1

Attending Harvard Business School (HBS) is as exciting as it gets when it comes to continuing education in the field of business. As an educator, I always wondered what makes HBS experience so impactful and transformational. With growing empirical evidence on the importance of soft skills for one’s success and performance, I was not surprised to confirm the value is well beyond the lectures by the renowned professors. In addition to academic advancement and thought provoking ideas, I walked away with three key learnings.

1-     Significance of building a strong community

HBS has truly mastered creating a platform for building a strong sense of community with a shared purpose. This sense starts long before physically getting to the campus and continues long after leaving the campus. It is amazing how so many well accomplished people from around the world that may have never interacted with one another in their daily lives, come together, create a community, and share a common experience that will impact them for the rest of their lives. Every activity is tactfully designed to enrich this experience of community; from the pre-class online course preparation to the arrangement of the dormitory living groups, every detail has been designed to strengthen the sense of community and friendship between participants. While the theoretical discussions from the professors are essential to one’s continuous learning, peer learning is the unique and extremely valuable proposition HBS orchestrates. It is remarkable how strangers become friends and then advocates for one another. Never in my life have I received such impactful support and encouragement for overcoming challenges and obstacles to focus on my goals and their pursuit. The give and take dynamic within a trusted community truly enriches self-growth and support for peer growth. Being part of HBS’s global community is an invaluable engagement and source of inspiration. 

2-     Impact of Being Authentic

Building on the strong sense of community, much of outside classroom activities are focused on self-awareness and self-development. The very first day on campus, we were to share our “path of life” with strangers we had just met for the first time. The leadership program is designed in a way that encourages everyone to open up and be vulnerable. Given the caliber of the participants as influential leaders in their own field, I was astounded by the level of sincerity and trust everyone had in sharing their stories. After many shared their heartfelt stories with one another, the group dynamic elevated and created an atmosphere of cohesiveness and transparency. Authenticity and being our true selves without a fa?ade, respecting and accepting each other as we are, and open feedback and receptivity was established as our code of conduct. Through this experience, we established a deep trust and we became keener to discuss our various goals, doubts and challenges with our team and receive candid feedback. The open discussions, our genuine interest to support each other, and our willingness to incorporate our peers’ feedback was a rewarding experience resulting in our transformation.

3-     Importance of Embracing Diversity

It is a rare occasion to study and socialize with such a diverse group for an extended period of time. Diversity of gender, culture, background, age, experience and point of view enriched our class discussions and exposed us to various perspectives on the same matter. It was an eye opening experience to learn about others contrasting interpretation of the same case and how each person’s unique life experience influences their information processing and outlook. The classroom’s discussions are facilitated diligently to promote sharing opposing ideas challenging our previous assumptions. The diversity of thoughts around very sensitive topics and open discussions about their significance enabled us to broaden our point of view and become more insightful and appreciative of others experiences and perspectives.

Learning is an endless journey and no matter how much access we have to information and data, interacting with a diverse group of knowledgeable people face to face in a well-organized manner has an impact on self-development like no other. My biggest take away from my experience was that for growth it is essential to build a strong trusted community for ongoing open feedback and support; to be authentic while receptive to change; and to frequently seek exposure to diverse perspectives acknowledging there is always opportunities to learn more. As Professor Ofek, HBS Marketing Professor, concluded his lecture, the key learning “is not how (I) feel about HBS, it’s how HBS makes (me) feel about (myself)”. My HBS experience inspired me to build on my learning and continue to support others to be inspired. I walked away with a life lasting supportive community, a broader perspective and higher determination to pursue my aspirations and share my learning with others; all aligned with my passion for education and desire for continuous growth.