Two weeks ago, I was on a Zoom call with friends from my undergraduate engineering class. Everyone was sharing their recent experiences, and it was my turn to speak. Normally, I would spend some time preparing an answer, but this time around, I was ready to go. I just started talking about my experiences in the Ivey MBA program.
When I entered the program in March, I expected it would help me polish, formalize and repackage the existing business knowledge I already had. Little did I realize, I would leave the program a different person.
After watching interviews of successful business leaders, I was always in awe of their ability to think on their feet, especially when they took questions from an audience. This is why I fell in love with the case method of instruction. Over the course of the year, we had hundreds of cases to go through, across various functions, industries and geographies. The opportunity to come up to bat, contribute to the discussion in front of your peers, be challenged, and follow the twists and the turns of the case was exciting, to say the least.
All of a sudden, whether in class, or outside of class, I noticed a marked improvement in my ability to think on my feet. It was also inspiring to see this transformation in my classmates over the course of the year. In both our formal and informal learning teams, it was enlightening to learn from my classmates, and encouraging to see how everyone was ready to extend a helping hand, in spite of the heavy course load and pressure.
I came into the program promising myself I would look for opportunities to go outside my comfort zone, instead of doubling down on the familiar. When I heard about the Leadership Under Fire course, I signed up. Modelled after the Basic Officer Training Course in the Canadian Forces, the course really tested my rapid decision making and execution capabilities. I left with a mental utility belt filled with tools to manage and thrive in what would have previously been high-stress situations. It also acted as a reset button for me. I was able to unload all kinds of unnecessary mental overhead accumulated over the years, and focus on what truly matters.
I have focused on the case method and the Leadership Under Fire course for this article, for the sake of brevity. If I were to fully capture all I learned in this program, there would be enough content to fill a book. Though the formal portion of my MBA is now complete, I look forward to the next chapter. It was truly a year well spent, and I cannot wait to see the amazing things our class will accomplish in the years ahead. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this community.
