As May draws to a close and we look to end Module 2 of our MBA journey on a high, we were introduced to the highlight of the IMD MBA program – the International Consulting Projects (ICPs).
ICPs are intensive, seven-week assignments to find strategic solutions to our clients’ issues, undertaken in groups of 4-5 participants with Professor James Henderson, Professor of Strategic Management at IMD leading the charge. Given the global outreach and reputation of IMD, the companies who approach us also hail from a wide range of industries – from tech, to healthcare, to mining, to manufacturing and many more. ICPs work to kick us out of our comfort zone as participants to a high pressure, all hands-on-deck mode, putting us back in the real world of business, unshielded from the volatility of economic and social triggers.
After the initial announcement, we were given two days to shortlist five projects we would be keen to work on. And what a roller coaster of thoughts these 48 hours have been. Should we go for a project where we can leverage our background and existing skill set? Should we do something so far removed from anything else we have ever done because this would be the perfect opportunity to try something so drastic? Should we play safe and try to use this as a stepping-stone to showcase our potential and network our way into a job interview for the company post MBA? Should we choose a project that would give us a chance to travel to and work in a geography where we haven’t had much exposure thus combining business with pleasure? The list of questions was endless … and the decision making far from easy.
Hectic debates and discussions ensued over the weekend with friends, colleagues, mentors, coaches and batchmates all chipping in – after all, this was a decision that was not to be taken lightly as it would have far reaching consequences not just on our future, but also for the companies who put their trust in us to help deliver appropriate solutions to their problems.
Well … the weekend is now over and it’s time to turn in our decisions, all the while hoping we make the right choices and have an amazing time learning, applying ourselves and bonding as a team. Watch this space for more interesting anecdotes that will get penned once these projects start.
