Shambhu Sharma

1. What was the primary reason for you to choose doing an MBA?

“I’ve been doing the same thing in my company for more than 15 years, delivering to customers again and again. It's not the work experience itself; it's how you integrate that experience that allows for the true transformation. I want to learn how to create a robust and diverse business. The MBA can help me make that happen. If you want to stay on track, you must zoom out, look at the bigger picture, and see how you can help create the business you want to make. The real competition comes from outside your industry. I joined RSM’s GEMBA to be sure I’d be exposed to more global industries and domains. I can also combine it with my work travels as my team is primarily based in Netherlands.”

2. What expectations did you have studying for your Global Executive MBA in a world in motion?

“Success comes from understanding how people and things work together. I wanted to experience how different industries and domains work together and build their products. That helps me deliver the right product that people love. I’m also learning to be the leader I want to be, by stepping up and thinking beyond my work. It helps me to empower my team to bring new ideas and thoughts.”

3. What's been the most exciting about your RSM MBA experience so far?

“The most exciting part are my classmates who are my study team. The MBA is a pre-production platform for me where I could rehearse executing my new ideas, play with new frameworks, learn and adapt before applying them to my actual workspace. We’ve also had two study trips. The one in Stockholm about entrepreneurship made me think outside of my boundaries and create business opportunities. The study trip to Singapore was about digital transformation. These trips are also about sharing ideas and working together. My class is outspoken about everything. We’re learning to bring our thoughts in a clear manner so we can drive things, rather than follow. This gives me confidence and tools to get things done in a far better way.”

4. What impact does the Strategic Leadership Development component (SLD) of the programme have on you?

“I’m learning to balance between autonomy and control so I can be the authentic leader I want to be. SLD has taught me who I am and what people expect from me and my leadership. It’s all about building your leadership presence in the group. It helps me understand what I want to be, what I’m best at, and what I can improve. It helps me to take right decisions to create and move things forward, together with the team. They can trust me to find what they’re looking for.”

5. Has your MBA journey changed your outlook on what your career will be like after doing an MBA?

“I’m getting more involved in my organisation’s leadership team; I look at the bigger picture so I can help grow the business. The MBA is helping me know where I want to go and gives me the tools to achieve that. It helps me coach and empower my team. If you want to grow, you need to keep doing things differently. You need to build your own team, stakeholders, and partners. I used to be involved with just one part of the business, but now I am ready for bigger and for all the stacks of the business.”

6. What advice could you give to people who are considering doing a Global Executive MBA?

“It’s an intense experience, and you’re constantly switching your own role and context: from being an employee, to being a family man, to being a student in a classroom. You need a lot of time and effort to do this. Discuss the idea with people around you beforehand to ensure that it fits with your work and family. The thing is: you are bringing the value back to them. It’s not about your own transformation but the whole units’. You are going to incorporate your study experiences in your own life – professionally and privately. So ensure it fits well with your work and family.”