OSCAR BORONAT – CLASS GROUP 2 “In 1992, my career had come to a point that the only growth alternative was a position as CEO. By then, more than a decade had gone by since I’d stepped into a classroom, other than for lecture or short duration programs. When I enrolled at the MBA, in my mind, the intent was to exchange experiences, update my toolbox. Little did I then know that in addition to all of the above, ahead of me lay a spontaneous process of thorough and profound meditation as to the very directing of my career, not only as from a professional standpoint, but also family, socially and in terms of personal development. I was four to five years older than my class average age. When interviewed during the selection process the admission committee’s first reaction was that the program could eventually fall below my expectations. My main point of defence was that I’d been absent from academic activities for a long period of time. Eventually, a condition was embedded within their acceptance of my application: that whereby in addition to taking part in the program, I’d act as an observer of improvement opportunities for the program itself, focusing on the practical benefits for organizations. Participate, observe, suggest, discuss...that was in a nutshell, all I truly wanted to do! As soon as activities started, I noticed that I’d entered into a not foreseen process of questioning my own self. A number of answers and even questions started to spring. That is why as soon as the challenge of defining a theme for the Course Conclusion Paper (TCC) arose, I chose to seek answers to my queries. So thus I plunged into themes such as motivation, quality of life, values, achievements, competencies and skills, self-knowledge and career planning. After conducting extensive research, I discovered that a Career Planning process could be built which, once united with my experience, might shape into an executive coaching product for top corporate leaders. I’d compiled what Professor Jacques Marcovitch had described as being an ‘executive’s broadened agenda!’. On the day the Final Paper was due for presentation (scheduled for the last session) I had just returned from a trip to the United States. I stepped into the classroom concerned with the approach I’d designed which solely focused on people. The entire class group was there and, since they’d been one of my study’s research focus, in a certain way, that meant this was going to be somewhat of a feedback session, where I’d be speaking to them, of us. All were relaxed and happy. I hauled the presentation from the bottom of my heart and only ended when I heard a burst round of applause. Once that was over, under the title Executive Career Planning, I presented my Course Conclusion Paper on a regular basis to the subsequent MBA class groups. Even when I went to work in Europe as a CEO, I delivered the module at Cambridge’s Judge Business School during the international trip taken by several class groups. These last two decades made much difference both to the Administration Foundation Institute and to me, in terms of my personal life. Nowadays I am a leadership and governance consultant, executive coach and member of Management Councils. The MBA was a transformational cycle, one of inspiration and of personal development, one that no longer comes to an end.”
English version | 157