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Whether you’re looking to grow in your career or start your own business, doing an Executive MBA can equip you with valuable tools for a head start.
COVID-19 has sent the world into upheaval, and now more than ever before, the need is for leaders capable of helping navigate through uncertainties. As the opportunities for leadership arise, how will you distinguish yourself from your peers?
This is where a program like the ESSEC & Mannheim Executive MBA (EMBA) comes in.
ESSEC & Mannheim EMBA Asia-Pacific participants hail from various industries, each bringing with them between 10 to 30 years of experience. Some come for career advancement, others for an industry switch, role switch, or even to start their own businesses.
The diverse backgrounds, nationalities, and ambitions set the stage for vibrant classroom discussions, drawing out unique perspectives and different approaches to management issues.
“Peer-to-peer learning occurs when each person contributes their own experiences and expertise and brings their own comparisons to the classroom. We highly encourage experience sharing in all of our EMBA courses,” Prof. Cèdomir Nestorovic, Program Director of the ESSEC & Mannheim Executive MBA Asia-Pacific shares.
Opportunities for Co-Creation and Collaboration
Working alongside a diverse cohort taught Rany Pa, Global Head of Change Management, Control, and Quality at BNP Paribas Securities Services, volumes about communicating effectively across cultures and nationalities,
“To tackle change, we have to be more open-minded and receptive to alternative ways of doing things. Only when we listen to different opinions and perspectives can we have collaborative discussions that result in new and unique solutions,” she shares.
This diversity is critical when considering the multi-sectoral efforts needed to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
Besides needing to possess a cross-functional perspective, it appears that having a network that spans sectors and countries is also an asset, whether you are looking to manage, change roles, or simply solve problems that arise.
A Nuanced Understanding of Business Trends
Those looking to develop careers in Asia also benefit from a broader and more nuanced understanding of one of the most diverse regions in the world.
Nestorovic observes that when people speak of understanding Asia, they are often only viewing the region through the perspective of one or two countries.
“But at ESSEC, we don’t look at Asia from the prism of just one country or area,” he explains. Instead, when discussing business trends like big data, digitalization, and family business, professors curate examples that are Asia-specific and drawn from a variety of countries, so participants gain a complete understanding of how a scenario can play out in different contexts.
A Platform to Practice Entrepreneurship
The EMBA also serves as an incubator for change. Part of this is credited to the inspiring individuals you meet. Case in point, the founder of three start-ups, Carisa Mann, shares that she was motivated to begin her first venture during the EMBA application process and that she co-founded her third start-up with an ESSEC classmate also from the class of 2018.
It is also because of the way the curriculum is designed: Actionable learning points and tactical frameworks are easily brought back to the workplace, and, for some, the entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability project — a platform to test theoretical knowledge gained — can become an impetus to start their own businesses.
Enhancing Leadership Skills
A side-effect of the EMBA is that the knowledge gained and exposure to different leadership behaviors will ultimately boost one’s own aptitude.
Timothy Kooi, from Class of 2020, notes that leaders today need a “more intentional approach to groom people, to build them and motivate them.”
By giving him a platform to address his business queries, the EMBA ultimately helped him answer questions like, “How do you inspire? How do you get people to learn? What motivates them and shifts that mindset?” This makes him a better leader.
Others, like 2016 alumnus and Director of Global Sales Performance Management & Asia-Pacific Sales Operations at West Pharmaceutical Services, Christophe Gonet, found the “confidence and tools” to discuss ideas with senior management, while Stephenie Teo, from the class of 2015, drew inspiration to take on a leadership role as Head of Learning and Talent Management at the Bank of Singapore.
Helping You Uncover Your Value
Finally, the ESSEC & Mannheim EMBA also offers access to personalized executive coaching to address any career-related questions or issues.
Whether you are at the crossroads of your career or have a concrete goal you’re working towards, assessment tools like CareerLeader can help by unearthing your strengths, weaknesses, motivations, and interests, helping you find the motivation and clarity you need.
So take the first step to advance in your career. Enroll in the ESSEC & Mannheim EMBA Asia-Pacific and open the doors to a world of opportunities in the region.
Interested in the ESSEC & Mannheim Executive MBA Asia-Pacific program?
Find out more HERE or email us at emba-asia@essec.edu.