As a pilot and Vice President of the Dutch pilot’s union, Camiel Verhagen may not seem like the typical MBA candidate. However, his decision to pursue an MBA has proven to be a valuable asset in his role as a union leader.
Camiel Verhagen, a KLM Cityhopper captain, had always been a planner. He would research routes, prepare for weather conditions and anticipate adversities. That organizing ability allowed him to complete a bachelor’s degree, and join his union’s leadership without giving up his wings
He has been Vice President of the Dutch Airline Pilot Association (VNV) for two consecutive terms. Managing the union required similar planning, but he realized he needed something extra to grow as a good leader and problem solver.
Moving from the cockpit to the conference room requires a range of skills. Camiel realized he could develop those skills with an executive MBA from the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) in the Netherlands. When we spoke to Camiel, he said, “When I re-ran as the vice president for a second term, that seemed to be the moment to do a Master. Business administration is really something that I enjoy because it’s so broad. … It helps in the pressing issues we see in the union at this moment.” (00:59)
The combination of a union Vice President and an MBA degree at first seems unusual. Unions are generally associated with representing employees’ interests. On the other hand, an MBA degree is associated with business managers’ interests. However, there are many areas of overlap, such as negotiating contracts, managing budgets, and advocating for better working conditions.
The Dutch Airline Pilots Association has played a vital role in promoting airline pilots’ interests, improving working conditions, and professionalization since 1929. The union’s four practical goals include:
With over 5,000 members, the VNV has a wealth of knowledge and experience in aviation. It uses constructive consultations to achieve its goals. The VNV is also internationally strong, co-founding the International Federation of Pilots Associations and the European Cockpit Association.
As the union’s Vice President, Camiel is responsible for abiding by its principles and exhibiting true leadership. The EMBA at RSM helped him develop a broad perspective of his capabilities through practical approaches and professional coaching. In addition, RSM’s leadership programs developed his motivational and leadership skills, providing strategies to solve real-life issues in the union.
Thus Camiel says, “A couple of things fit nicely with the union. Especially the high focus on leadership, leadership development, and personal leadership development. How do you want to lead? Who are you as a leader? It’s one of the key focuses of RSM EMBA. And that really works well in the work I am doing for the union.” (01:26).
Personal leadership skills are woven throughout the EMBA learning experience at RSM. The program empowers you to build improved skills, best practices, and an advanced leadership mindset from inception.
Cameil was grateful for this approach. He says, “The high focus on personal leadership development is valuable for the RSM MBA. … It forces you to think through what you are doing? Why are you doing this? Balancing different theories or ideas and actively putting them into practice. So I think my leadership style is evolved by being much more aware of the different aspects of leadership I put into practice.” (02:30)
RSM’s faculty and professional development coaches are thought leaders providing the latest research. They challenge and encourage students to reflect on the values and attitudes that constitute agile leadership. You can work with professors, coaches, and mentors to identify your goals and develop roadmaps. Carmiel used this approach to address the “pressing problems” of the union.
The RSM program offers more than mere academic instruction. You can experience things that impact you and which you can look back upon and draw from in the future. While technology, techniques, and strategies are accessible to all market players and often standardized, leadership skills differ. Knowledge can rapidly become obsolete, but influence, negotiation, and personal behavior are dynamic. Camiel combined these leadership skills with hard professional skills to do justice to his role.
The RSM Executive MBA program not only helped Camiel develop his leadership and management skills, but it also broadened his perspective on important issues, such as sustainability. The school’s “Force for positive change” mission has inspired professionals like Camiel across industries.
Camiel acknowledges that his thoughts on some issues were transformed by the perspectives from different industries his cohort contained. He explains that they particularly provided him with an alternative outlook on sustainability matters. He had to ask himself questions on how to deal with these issues and engage with all stakeholders to generate resolutions. (01:57)
With the world facing significant environmental challenges, the aviation industry has a crucial role to play in addressing these issues. As a leader in the VNV, Camiel has an opportunity to drive positive change in this regard.
If you want to know more about the Rotterdam School of Management and its Executive MBA program, don’t hesitate to contact past students directly through MBAGRADSCHOOLS Ambassador Page.
