“You could be our first double ACE,” mused Peter Hirst, Senior Associate Dean of MIT Sloan Executive Education. He may have been joking with Ram Srinivasan during his Advanced Certificate for Executives in Management, Innovation, and Technology (ACE) ceremony, but the Managing Director of Consulting for JLL in Toronto wouldn’t rule it out. In fact, he would be thrilled to achieve that distinction.
“I’m very passionate about learning. Maybe it’s in part genetic,” Srinivasan says, noting that his mother has a PhD, his father was a double engineer, and one of his uncles studied and taught at MIT. “It has always been a personal aspiration and ambition for me to be associated with MIT in some way.” Srinivasan saw the pandemic as an opportunity and began his Executive Education journey in December of 2020. Six months later, he achieved his ACE, having participated in 12 courses across the three specialization tracks of Management and Leadership, Strategy and Innovation, and Technology and Operations.
“When I looked at the courses MIT offered, I found that you could engage in classes from a wide variety of areas, from Artificial Intelligence to Neuroscience for Leadership. I could orchestrate my own journey,” explains Srinivasan, who boasts more than 15 years of experience in managing complex multi-regional and global real estate strategy projects. In his role with JLL, one of the world’s most renowned commercial real estate services company, he advises clients across the Americas in areas such as hybrid workplace strategy, technology strategy, and real estate transformation.
“With the work we do in consulting at JLL, it’s become very clear that we can’t be a know-it-all organization…we have to be a learn-it-all organization,” he says. “Today, C-suite and executive leadership teams are asking us questions for which there are no ready-made answers. At times, there is no history or data. So how do we solve their problems? The only way for us to do it is to learn, to test, and to innovate.” In fact, JLL and MIT have partnered to create a Real Estate Innovation Lab to focus on aspects such as the autonomous future of real estate; how artificial intelligence, robotics, and other automation will impact the industry; the real estate hype cycle; and more.
Where the Rubber Meets the Road
From his first course, Applied Neuroscience: Unleashing Brain Power for You and Your People, to his final class, Building Game-Changing Organizations: Aligning Purpose, Performance, and People, Srinivasan knew that the information presented throughout his Executive Education experience would be exceptional, as he previously completed the MIT Data Science Professional Education Program. However, he did not expect it to be so relevant and applicable so quickly. In fact, he often found himself applying new frameworks to client situations within days of completing a course, and he was able to blend those frameworks with the invaluable practical knowledge that the instructors brought to the table. “When dealing with complex systems, very often we fail to see the domino effect of one system affecting another. Through the Systems Dynamics course, we learned that there are ‘no side-effects—just effects,’” says Srinivasan, quoting Professor John D. Sterman from the Understanding and Solving Complex Business Problems course.
“The people who teach at MIT Sloan Executive Education are all application practitioners. All of the faculty members consult with organizations and have lived inside of a corporate space and have dealt with C-suite and board-level senior executives. They know the challenges in attempting to implement broad frameworks in a practical organizational setup, and they have the ability to convey that experience,” Srinivasan notes. “That’s where the rubber meets the road. There is immense practical value in what MIT Sloan Executive Education delivers.”
"Today, C-suite and executive leadership teams are asking us questions for which there are no ready-made answers. At times, there is no history or data. So how do we solve their problems? The only way for us to do it is to learn, to test, and to innovate."
Srinivasan recognized this trend in every course he took, from Leading Successful Transitions in a Digitally Driven World with Hal Gregersen and Roger Lehman to Leading People at Work: Strategies for Talent Analytics with Emilio J. Castilla. “There’s such incredible insight and information, and I was wowed by all of it,” he says. “And I’ve been able to apply it in very practical senses.”
This includes Srinivasan’s recent effort to publish thought leadership pieces on LinkedIn and JLL’s Views blog. Some of his recent publications cover topics like the future of work, the impact of AI, the new dynamic workforce, and the new talent equation. “Many of the pieces I have written have been inspired by the professors at MIT, and many have references to MIT research,” he says.
Enjoying the Benefits
In addition to connecting with so many accomplished faculty members, Srinivasan estimates that he built a network of nearly 600 classmates through the courses, including through live online classes. “The live online format is very engaging and allows us to have access to the faculty, as well as a chance to dialogue with brilliant people from across different industries,” he states. “Some of those connections will be lifelong partnerships and associations.
What’s more, as an ACE holder, he now receives even more benefits as an MIT Sloan Affiliate Alumni, such as inclusion in a private LinkedIn group, discounts on additional Executive Education programs, an MIT Sloan e-mail-forwarding-for-life address, and access to the MIT Sloan Alumni Directory. “The ACE benefits blow my mind,” he says. “It’s the icing on the cake.”
Of course, for Srinivasan, the chance to learn through MIT Sloan Executive Education is the real reward. “Learning is a lifelong journey. It is the greatest gift you can give yourself,” he concludes. “As MIT alumni, we have the tools to shape the future for a better world.”
Learn more about MIT Sloan Executive Certificates.