The Client: A Global Industrial Organization
A natural resources leader embarked on a transformative journey to modernize its operations and address critical global challenges. With a revised business model and new leadership, the organization aimed to cultivate a core group of managers capable of driving strategic change across the enterprise.
Recognizing the value of MIT’s approach to education, grounded in both theory and practical application, the company’s leadership saw this engagement as the initial step toward broader collaboration.
The client co-developed a comprehensive curriculum with MIT Sloan faculty and MIT Sloan Executive Education learning experience designers. Two 15-day learning sessions introduced participants to a diverse set of disciplines, including strategy, leadership, operations management, system dynamics, organizational transformation, strategic decision-making, and cognitive frameworks. These sessions were carefully integrated and aligned with the organization’s specific business priorities.
"Sloan has always been very tightly connected to the rest of MIT, and what we bring to this program is the integration between management and social science and the engineering and material science," said John Sterman, Professor of System Dynamics and Engineering Systems, Director, MIT System Dynamics Group and the program co-faculty director. Meg Regan, Managing Director, Executive Programs at MIT Sloan Executive Education, concurred, "This was a great example of an organization leveraging the fact that we can reach across all of the Institute to deliver our programs."
Given the organization’s emphasis on sustainability and resource management, sessions on system dynamics and systems thinking enabled participants to understand their roles within the larger organizational context and global impact. Additional modules on risk and talent management deepened their understanding of critical operational challenges.
The program structure emphasized interactive and collaborative learning rather than traditional lecture methods. Faculty encouraged participants to engage with concepts actively, fostering dynamic discussions and critical thinking tailored to the organization’s specific context.
Between sessions, participants took on group-based action-learning projects addressing concrete business challenges, such as knowledge management, innovation, product development, and performance enhancement. Participants found these projects particularly effective, as they directly addressed real organizational needs, enabling immediate application of their new skills.
“People now have this combination of a little more modesty about what they thought they knew about their business, and more confidence that they are capable of thinking about it in new ways.”
The program also strengthened internal relationships, enhancing communication and collaboration across different business units. Participants noted improved conflict resolution, information sharing, and team cohesiveness following the educational experience. "After this program, we have much more open communication, we share information,” a participant reported. “It seems like a small and simple change, but it has already helped diffuse situations that would have become conflicts in the past, and helped us focus our energy on working together toward common goals, better and faster," he said.
Throughout the action-learning phases, teams received mentorship from both MIT faculty and internal corporate sponsors, culminating in presentations to organizational leadership. Active senior leadership involvement significantly enhanced the program’s effectiveness, reinforcing its value within the organization.
Additionally, the company leveraged connections with MIT Sloan for broader expertise, including strategic advice on sustainability, innovation, entrepreneurship, and talent development strategies, enriching their internal capabilities and global competitiveness. Participants returned to their roles equipped with new perspectives and a renewed sense of confidence in addressing complex business challenges creatively and collaboratively.