Many EMBA participants use the degree as a stepping stone to a c-suite role, or as an opportunity to learn about new tools and skill areas when scaling up their managerial responsibilities. For others it’s a vehicle that allows them to pivot industries or transition from senior positions to board roles or portfolio careers.
So, how do you know whether an EMBA is the right career step? To find out, BusinessBecause spoke with Pawel Kosciukiewicz, a financial service and automotive expert with 16 years of experience, who in 2021 graduated from the Executive MBA program at the International Institute of Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland.
When is the right time for an EMBA?
For the degree to be as effective as possible, an EMBA should be part of a clear professional project or strategy. This could be a plan to change sector or function, or perhaps a desire to internationalize your profile.
Pawel always wanted to complete an MBA: “I thought an experience at a top business school would be an enriching experience and would benefit my career,” he says.
Having reached a senior position in his career with automotive financing firm Opel Vauxhall Finance, he felt ready to take some risks. He also wanted to achieve greater autonomy and felt drawn to start-up environments, where he could establish something new and overcome unique challenges.
“Given my maturity it seemed the EMBA was the best fit. I needed a program that would allow me to reflect on my career journey up to now as well as my future professional trajectory.”
Crucially, an EMBA would also provide Pawel with a better understanding of the business world and how it is transforming: “I wanted to get external, up-to-date information on trends and developments in global business, as well as be able to narrow down specific next steps for my career.”
Why study an EMBA?
Having completed the IMD EMBA alongside continuing his career in automotive finance, Pawel identifies four key reasons why an EMBA can be a valuable tool for career progression.
1. An EMBA expands your global network
During the EMBA application process, admissions teams will strive to admit a diverse cohort composed of experienced professionals from various professional and geographic backgrounds. Pawel says he found IMD welcoming, stimulating, and motivating after joining the program alongside talented classmates.
“The admissions team did a great job in bringing together a cohort that was one of the most diverse groups by gender, ethnicity, country of origin, and industry, that I’ve ever come across,” he says. His network of fellow participants quickly built trust and were eager to work with, and learn from, each other, he adds.
Outside of the classroom, enrolling in an EMBA at a school such as IMD will also allow you to connect with previous cohorts during alumni networking events and guest lectures.
2. An EMBA will teach you key skills
As well as softer skills such as how to work with fellow participants, how to communicate and build bonds, through its particular focus on leadership an EMBA will help you become a more effective leader.
This was particularly true during the IMD EMBA, says Pawel, due to the program’s emphasis on reflective leadership—a focus driven by dean of Faculty and Research, Stefan Michel.
“I was used to working in a fast-paced environment, but I learned to take a step back, to evaluate and consider a situation from different perspectives before taking a step forward," Pawel explains, adding that this has been invaluable in his work life post-EMBA.
EMBA programs also focus on upskilling executives in the key areas impacting the business landscape, allowing them to implement their new learnings in real-time as they navigate the curriculum.
Pawel in particular valued the AI advanced management concept modules he undertook online: “I was very impressed with the online learning aspect.”
3. An EMBA will challenge you
Having already completed a master’s degree in economics, Pawel found some elements of the IMD EMBA curriculum—which includes a focus on developing business acumen, tackling advanced management concepts, and mastering leadership abilities through practical experience—familiar, though he welcomed learning about the latest developments in the business world.
Beyond the core teaching, the program also forced participants to do some soul-searching, he adds. “You have to take a look deep inside yourself: Who are we? How do we develop? What’s our narrative? It was eye-opening.”
Equally enlightening were the practical elements of the program, such as a crisis management exercise his cohort undertook with the Swiss Army that involved working under significant levels of stress and without much sleep.
“It was extremely challenging and gave me lots of material to work with in the future.”
4. An EMBA could change your career path
The EMBA was, Pawel says, a rich learning experience that prepared him for more challenging roles. During the Mastery stage of the program, where participants learn in real-world business environments and develop their leadership capabilities, he had the opportunity to test a number of startup and scale-up ideas and concepts while receiving practical advice from startup owners.
Paired with the career coaching he received, this shifted his career focus away from working with large corporates. He was encouraged instead to “step into an environment of higher risk”, ultimately concluding that working with a mature startup would be the right career move.
Since leaving the program, Pawel has pursued this aim, landing a role with electric vehicle company Lucid Motors as head of Europe Financial Services Strategy and Operations.
“Lucid felt like an absolutely perfect fit,” he says “it was still automotive, it was automotive finance, but it was not a pure startup as we already had a product.”
Reflecting on his journey, Pawel feels he has taken many learnings from the IMD EMBA into his new role: “I’m wearing many different hats, there’s operational elements, project management, risk assessment… My EMBA helps me maintain effectiveness while being much more flexible than I was before.”
How to choose the right EMBA for you
So, an EMBA can help you in numerous ways by providing the guidance and tools to take new steps in your career. Choosing the right program to help you do this, though, can be a challenge.
Before beginning his EMBA journey, Pawel—who lived in Germany at the time—researched leading business schools within Europe, visiting campuses and attending lectures to get a feel for each school and its professors.
He feels talking to people who are doing or who have done your target EMBA as part of your research is a vital step in ensuring a school matches your expectations.
“Given the cost and investment I knew I only had one opportunity to find the right school,” he says.
In opting to study at IMD, he observes: “IMD was the most impressive. Some decisions you can make on a scorecard, some you base on your gut feel and for me IMD felt right… the place, the people, the vibe at the campus. I felt I belonged there.”
