In today’s business world, responsible leadership is becoming increasingly important. One way to develop the skills and mindset needed for responsible leadership is through extracurricular projects. In this article, we’ll explore the concept of responsible leadership, the fellowship program, and how it can impact your career.
The days of “win at all costs” leadership are long gone. Nowadays, successful business leaders are also expected to be responsible leaders. But what does that mean exactly?
The best modern leaders consider how their decisions will impact the wider community or society they belong to. They must think about their decisions’ moral, financial, technological, environmental, and social consequences. Responsible leaders can also fall into the categories of ethical, conscious, sustainable, or principles.
This change in attitude towards leadership is reflected in modern business schools. Nowadays, schools such as ESMT Berlin in Germany are not just focused on producing successful alumni, but responsible alumni. Here’s how the school’s Responsible Leaders Fellowship (RLF) program is, for many, the first step toward becoming a better leader.
The full-time MBA program at ESMT Berlin allows students to participate in a social impact fellowship at the end of the course. School alumna Theresa Rodriguez explains more about the fellowship and how it works.
“It’s a four to six-month opportunity that students can apply and work for a social impact organization pro bono,” she says. “I felt like this was really important before entering back into the workforce.” (00:06)
Once Theresa had decided she wanted to take part in the Responsible Leaders Fellowship, it was a case of aligning her interests and career goals with the right opportunity.
“Back in August, I created an inspiration board, as you would call it, of what I wanted my RLF project to look like. I wanted to work in urban development, which aligned with my past background. I wanted to work in female empowerment. I wanted to find something focused on the urban poor, affordable housing.” (00:37)
Fellowships tend to offer merit-based financial rewards to students, which can cover anything from course materials to tuition fees. In the case of the RLF program, ESMT Berlin students receive travel support and a stipend to cover their living costs during the program.
Yet, for the organization approached for the fellowship, it can often sound “too good to be true,” according to Theresa. That’s why she says it’s important to meet with the company to make sure you’re both a good fit for each other – and that you’re motivated to work with them.
She adds that it’s crucial you do something you’re passionate about and can focus on for months. (01:00)
Theresa ended up doing her social impact fellowship with Slum Dwellers International. She describes it as a “beast” of an organization. They work supporting the urban poor across several countries.
“They had multiple projects that they wanted to work on,” she says. “So we really narrowed it down to one that I would be able to focus on for the four months.” (01:50)
Theresa worked with Slum Dwellers International in Cape Town, South Africa, to help transform an urban dumping site into a green community garden. More than just a garden, the idea was to create a community space where residents could come together.
The fellowship taught Theresa what it means to be a responsible leader. She was able to use her business knowledge to benefit a community while also inspiring future students to do the same. But her experience in South Africa was simply the first stage of her journey.
Learning about responsible leadership in the classroom is one thing, but applying it in real life is another thing entirely. Using your knowledge in a practical setting can be hugely beneficial for your career – and it’s something that employers pick up on.
“Having the social impact, working in a developing country, helping build a business, and helping an organization that maybe doesn’t have the resources to have a business perspective. This shows so much while you’re interviewing for your post-MBA job,” Theresa explains. (02:18)
“Employers really look at it with a smile on their face, knowing that they’re having someone who cares and not just someone who’s focused on perhaps the salary benefits or employment.” (02:41)
Participating in a social project is only part of what it takes to become a responsible leader. Responsible leadership is a mindset that comes from several years of putting beliefs into action. However, a project like this can open your eyes to what leadership is, and prepare you to become a better version of yourself.
If you’d like to learn more about transformative MBA experiences, why not reach out to one of our MBA ambassadors?
