In 2019, Sandeep Jadhav, now an Engagement Director for Salesforce, knew he wanted to grow his leadership capabilities and be an influential part of his organization. At the time, his manager had just completed her own Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation through MIT Sloan Executive Education. Having experienced the benefits first-hand, she encouraged Sandeep to start his own Executive Certificate journey in order to accelerate his goals.
As he considered the various Executive Certificates available, Sandeep quickly determined that the Management and Leadership track was the perfect fit for him. His responsibilities were shifting from that of an individual contributor to that of a director managing a larger team and more complex client strategies. “I always believe that unless you challenge the status quo, you’re not going to invent new possibilities or create new opportunities for yourself and your team. I knew Executive Education would help me learn what I didn’t already know about the business, upskill to be an effective leader, and network with others in similar roles across different industries”
Sandeep was particularly methodical about his learning journey and didn’t want to randomly select courses to simply fulfill his certificate requirements. He wanted to customize a plan that would address his specific long-term goals, current organizational issues, and personal knowledge gaps. He started his journey with Visual Management for Competitive Advantage: MIT’s Approach to Efficient and Agile Work.
“When I saw the key aspects of this course were around using visual management techniques to effectively work across teams – that’s what we typically do in my department. We use the agile method for delivering projects. So that really was my inspiration to prioritize that training.”
Working things out on the whiteboard
Since participants of the course are asked to bring a real problem with them to the workshop as part of the curriculum, Sandeep was able to implement immediate change on one of his current work projects with his team. “We used the principles from the course to effectively run agile sprints and it was a very effective outcome. The course was an eye-opener and I met some key objectives for myself.” He also created a presentation for his peers in the organization so that they may also benefit from the lessons he learned and apply them within their own teams.
Pivoting during a pandemic
Sandeep was eager to continue his journey, unfortunately following his first course, the world was put on pause due to the start of the pandemic. “The pandemic changed a lot of things. I wanted to continue the learning journey, though obviously I could no longer do it in person.”
Luckily, the pause in learning was temporary thanks to live online options. Sandeep was able to take Managing Technical Professionals and Organizations and Transforming Your Leadership Strategy – the latter of which was one of his favorite courses. “Kudos to the team who made sure through the use of different technologies to give us a similar experience online as in the classroom. I loved the sessions and glad it was an option to continue on.”
Once the world opened back up though, Sandeep was eager to get back to campus. “There’s just something about experiencing the flow of energy in the room and grasping thoughts and responding to questions in person. The synergy in the room and being immersed in the campus teaches you a lot of things.”
Negotiations and networking
Sandeep enrolled in Negotiation for Executives with Jared Curhan as his final – and favorite – course. “This course was really useful and impactful and will stay with me for a long time.”
Aside from being highly interactive, with plenty of opportunities to practice negotiation skills through team exercises and various games, Sandeep especially enjoyed approaching negotiation in ways he hadn’t previously considered. “I learned understanding the other person’s interest, not just your own, is the first step going into the negotiation. Jared also taught us to be creative. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when negotiating. There are many ways to reach an agreement, so you can likely find a solution that can benefit both parties.”
"I always believe that unless you challenge the status quo, you’re not going to invent new possibilities or create new opportunities for yourself and your team. I knew Executive Education would help me..."
As an executive, Sandeep is often representing the organization so checking any personal emotion or ego at the door is a necessary skill. “One technique that was particularly impactful was to proceed through the negotiation journey in a respectful and graceful way. In my current role, I have conversations with CIOs negotiating contract value. Maybe a particular negotiation isn’t fruitful, but even if you’re walking away, you don’t want to completely sever that tie. You are going to be using these relationships in the future.”
Speaking of relationships, whether online or in-person, an added benefit of the Executive Education experience was the relationships formed – with faculty and classmates from across the globe alike. During his first course, Sandeep connected with a fellow participant and they established a “peer advisor” connection. “We’ve been in touch for the last four years. He’s reached out to me a few times to discuss technological challenges to get my perspective. Similarly, when I’ve been stuck in areas of the promotion cycle, like how I should present my value proposition, he’s been able to give me his point of view and be a candid critic. It’s a ‘buddy advisor’ relationship that we both really enjoy and benefit from.”
What’s next?
Sandeep plans to continue working towards an Advanced Certificate for Executives in Management, Innovation, and Technology (ACE). He’s not sure what his next course will be just yet. Ever the planner, he intends to sit down with the new program guide this summer and determine which courses align best with his professional goals over the next year. He’s hoping to make frequent trips to campus for in-person courses and admits the new Executive Certificate in Digital Business is an intriguing addition.
Sandeep wouldn’t change much about his journey – especially since he had a lot of management support at the beginning who helped guide the way. For those lacking such involvement and insight, he recommends reaching out to the large community of people who have already earned Executive Certificates – chances are high there’s someone in your network who can help and offer a valuable perspective on how to plan your own journey. Likewise, you can attend the recorded information sessions available for many of the courses. “I wish I had viewed those sooner because they were a good source of clarity.”
For anyone still contemplating an Executive Certificate, Sandeep advises to just start with one course. “Go in with a plan and try to understand how that course aligns itself with your vision and career goals. It’s also important to be flexible about what courses are available during the duration of your journey. Do that groundwork. That will help you get the most value for your investment.”
Learn more about earning an Executive Certificate.
Contributed by Elaine Santoyo Goldman