Michel Filion, CHRP, DC

Michel Filion_optIs an EMBA a life-changing experience? That’s quite a question! My answer is yes, of course! Your values as a human being won’t change, let me be clear on this from the outset. However, you will change, develop new management habits combined with a more open mind, and increased analytical skills. You will change, most definitely. Here are three elements of the McGill-HEC EMBA Montréal program that can change your life.

1. Reflection: Managers and leaders live in an endless whirlwind of action. Everything is done very quickly and mostly intuitively. Who has the luxury of introspection, exchange, and reflection? No one! Yet the power of reflection is a great strategic lever for even the most seasoned executives. For example, simply taking the time to write and reflect on a daily basis can be extremely powerful.

2. Network: Starting from the premise that the absence of social isolation is, for humans, a key factor in longevity and health, it’s clear that a strong and diversified business network is a substantial advantage for a manager. However, a strong network is normally built within the industry in which we work, which means it remains limited. A seasoned manager grows thanks to regular and meaningful interactions with other senior managers from different industries. This sharing opportunity is extremely rare, but this is exactly what an EMBA, like the McGill-HEC Montréal program with its diverse participants, offers.

3. Humility: They say that everything you do can be copied except what you learn and how you evolve. With experience, we realize that getting out our daily patterns, out of our comfort zone, often brings good ideas and opens new horizons. If you find yourself in an EMBA class, in a program built on values such as listening, collaboration, and sharing, it is because you have shown courage and humility. How many of our students have the well-known “impostor syndrome” despite their impressive backgrounds! Aren’t the greatest also the humblest?

Whether you decide to do an EMBA or not, remember these timeless elements. The power of reflection, building a strong network, and the courage of humility are valuable allies!