Institution:
Harvard Business School (USA)
Course:
High Potential Leadership Program
I first became aware of the Industry Leaders Fund while working at Deloitte Corporate Finance team in Adelaide. Upon transitioning into industry in 2018, a mentor of mine suggested that applying for support from the ILF could support my leadership journey as I transitioned into my new executive role in the renewable energy space at LMS Energy.
I was humbled to be accepted by the ILF in 2020, but due to Covid, I did not undertake my course until October 2022.
Having spoken to many people who have commented on the life-changing nature of their Harvard Business School course experience, I was keen to find a suitable course at this renowned establishment. Given the prospect of a transition to a company leadership role in the near future, I identified the High Potential Leadership Program (6 days on-campus) as a suitable course with a cohort of similar age and experiences.
It was a surreal experience walking into the beautiful grounds of Harvard Business School in the Fall, and one I won’t forget quickly. Our first working session (and most thereafter) took place in a classroom that was set up in a tiered, horseshoe-shape (like a UN meeting) with many bright minds mostly aged between 35 and 40 years. Upon finding my allocated name card and sitting down, I noticed I was next to Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn premiership captain and current AFL coach) and Kate, currently one of the most experienced NASA astronauts with over 300 days in space, and one of the first women to walk in space!
Beyond these neighbours, a cohort of 80 people from a diverse range of nationalities (20+) and professional industries filled the room. During the week on campus, we were divided into groups of 8 people that shared living quarters and undertook group activities – a fantastic bunch of people that I’m still in touch with.
The “case study” learning model of Harvard made for many robust discussions around certain aspects of leadership. Indeed, one of my key takeaways was an appreciation of the different perspectives and approaches on business challenges or issues.
Key areas touched on were leading through innovation and change, leading with emotional intelligence, leadership with resilience, and leading with presence, which included having real actors spend half a day with us to work on the art of story-telling in the context of leadership.
There was a high level of intensity to the 6 day program, with the academic focus during the day leading into networking and socialising in the Harvard town most evenings! The benefits from the lessons and relationships formed were equal in measure.
I would like to say a big thank you to Geoff, Suzi and the ILF board for giving me this remarkable opportunity.
