Leadership and Personal Development

Many Executive MBA programmes are now emphasising the Leadership and Personal Development tracks in their programmes as the graduates continue to highlight the significance of these courses and workshops in their professional and personal success.

At emlyon business school, there is just as much importance placed on personal development as there is in developing hard skills. As an Executive MBA participant, you already have extensive managerial experience and you more often than not understand the technical aspects of your position, however, are you at ease with your role as manager? Are you comfortable with the reasonability of leading others? Are you happy with your own career or have you decided to do an MBA because you’re searching for meaning in your professional life?

These doubts and reservations are all tackled through Leadership and Personal Development, where you are challenged to step out of your comfort zone, to take on an external perspective in the way you manage and introduce you to new ways of thinking.

Philippe Gautreau wanted to continue to develop professionally in his company. He embarked on the Executive MBA adventure in 2007 and used the programme to validate his hard skills to ensure that he will be credible to climb the corporate ladder. He unexpectedly found that the most valuable part of the programme was the Leadership and Personal Development track.

“The programme did meet my expectations but also added extra value through the leadership and personal development track. It allowed me to get an outside perspective of my company (after having worked there for 10 years) and to discover other horizons and ways of doing things through the other participants.

The programme allowed me to change positions, take a step back and review my methodologies therefore being more efficient as a manager with additional skills.

Don’t just look at the Executive MBA as a way to develop new skills but as a way to work on yourself, to put down all of your baggage and reflect on your future.”

Christophe Delayre from the class of 2014 had a very rewarding position managing two industrial sites in France and Italy with great autonomy and a respectable salary. He felt that he had explored all options in the company and was searching for something more.

“I was thirsty and wanted to surmount new challenges. I wanted to leave the company but I didn’t dare launch myself if failure was an option, not knowing truly if I was capable of accomplishing my goals and without a clear direction: should I stay as an employee and obey orders, should I become an entrepreneur or take over a company?

I found that the programme allowed me to construct my own future thanks to the personal development modules. I stepped out of the comfort zone that I had created for myself. I was confronted with other people’s experiences, I expanded my professional and personal network and also acquired skills that gave me confidence to step out of the industry that I was working in to try something new.”

With the programme constantly evolving, participants not only take part in collective workshops and seminars, but also can have individual coaching sessions.

Are you ready to take the challenge?

“Only start the programme if you are ready to question and challenge yourself!” Christophe Delayre.