Institution: Said Business School, University of Oxford (UK)
Course: Advanced Management & Leadership Program
I would like to start by saying how thankful I am to the Industry Leaders Fund, Geoff Vogt, Richard Barrett, & Suzi Douflias. From very first contact with the ILF you are made to feel valued and welcome. This includes written and face to face contact, the Scholars Information Night, the Annual Awards Dinners, and numerous networking events. This is extended to the actual Application Process, Interview & my own cohort’s Award Ceremony Dinner during which we were made to feel quite privileged and honoured. It continues well after your course is completed because as an ILF Scholar you are part of a strong ongoing network.
The course I chose to direct my ILF grant towards was the Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership Programme (OAMLP). I chose this because of the structure of it, and the location being a “bucket list” academic destination. OAMLP was everything the programme promised and more! It was a once in a career experience which is designed to be trajectory changing, perhaps even life changing.
The course itself was three weeks residential and the agenda divided into three different sections; the global perspective, the business environment, and you personally as a leader. We had 48 participants from over 25 countries. The content covered such topics as Global Trends, Technology, Strategy, Scenario Modelling, Culture, Purpose, Alignment, Dialogue, Communication and Trust. Leadership coaching was both taught and included in the curriculum. The location allowed some truly amazing cultural and recreational aspects to be included in the otherwise busy schedule.
By participating in a residential course, somewhat distant (metaphorically and actually) from everyday life and its many distractions, we were challenged to think in a more dedicated and focused way about ourselves, our careers and our impact. An outcome of such a style course is that lifelong friendships are formed through shared experiences and shared time. I will value those friendships greatly over the years to come.
Another beneficial aspect of the course, and those aforementioned friendships, is the way it intertwines ongoing accountability to the goals and challenges of the programme. We are encouraged to set ourselves short, medium and long term challenges, and share those with our fellow students. My cohort has since had many catch-up discussions around these goals and challenges, our progress, hurdles and success.
Overall, I can thoroughly recommend the experience of an ILF grant and will be grateful for the opportunity and memories, literally for the rest of my days.
