One thing is certain: no two Connext weekends are the same. The momentum of change and mission of progress shared between Harvard Business School Online staff, faculty, and learners offer uniquely vibrant and enriching experiences year after year.
After two years of virtual engagement, the enthusiasm to connect in person was visible on the faces of nearly 350 people from around the world who gathered on the HBS campus on May 14, 2022. The sunny weather and warm spring air complemented the event as attendees walked and ate together, discussing their pursuit of knowledge and existing or aspiring roles in international business, innovation, and social empowerment.
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This was my third Connext experience within four years of participating in the HBS Online Community—first as a Community member, later as the founder and Organizer of the Munich Chapter, and this time as a Boston Chapter Organizer. I was especially delighted to reunite with people I had met at my first Connext in 2019. What were once ideas and dreams have since developed into tangible businesses. Those taking courses in the hope of becoming managers now have teams and projects of their own. It’s a proud feeling to share these stories of personal growth and success after surviving a global pandemic together.
Although the official theme of Connext 2022 was "Reimagining Leadership," it felt like the unofficial theme was “Inclusion.” Every presentation, workshop, and discussion was impressively inclusive, from the format to the topic. The very nature of HBS Online is inclusive—delivering world-class education to all corners of the globe and bringing this great diversity of people together within the HBS Online Community. This diversity was proudly represented by the Connext attendees, who represented 132 countries.
After a warm welcome from HBS Online’s Senior Associate Dean Luis Viceira and an overview of HBS Online’s newest Learning Tracks, the audience was visibly captivated by Professor Julie Battilana. She introduced a subject that influences every one of us: power.
You can watch her keynote here:
Afterward, everybody traveled across the yard into Aldrich Hall for faculty-led case discussions while virtual attendees engaged in a case online. Before class, I enjoyed breakfast with several Boston Chapter members, and was overjoyed to finally meet the Bogotá Chapter Organizer, Rosario Ariza García, in person after years of virtual collaboration.
We soon sat as Professor Randy Cohen, who teaches Alternative Investments, entered to deliver an entertaining and educational lesson on alternative investments and how to find an investment manager who’ll outperform the market. I left with five densely filled pages of notes, a clearer understanding of the realities of the financial playground, and some plans of my own.
One quotable lesson from Professor Cohen was a simple success formula for management: “Think clearly and communicate your thoughts effectively.” As we see from many renowned managers and leaders, you don’t have to be an expert in a field to succeed in it. In fact, people who come with outside experiences and knowledge often carry ideas and strategies that break through the industry’s walls of convention. Such people must have the ability to listen attentively, think clearly to reach impactful decisions, and communicate effectively to collect and combine others’ powers.
From there, it was lunchtime. While tables in the Spangler Center quickly filled with attendees eager to discuss their cases and lives, HBS Online Community Organizers used the opportunity to do the same in a room upstairs. We were all delighted to finally see and meet each other, in the same time zone, beyond the borders of a screen. During this time, Organizers took turns presenting their Chapters to the virtual audience while Community members came upstairs to meet the Organizers present.
Next, we returned to Klarman Auditorium. Everyone participated in an interactive discussion led by Professor Bharat Anand, who had collected survey data from the global audience in advance. Some audience members had the great privilege—or misfortune, depending on their level of stage fright—to receive a cold call from Professor Anand and share their survey responses.
The audience was invited to interact in real-time via the Connext mobile app throughout the discussion. For 90 minutes, we enjoyed Professor Anand’s humorous delivery style and insightful content as we learned about digitization trends and strategies in work, commerce, and education.
"How can you see opportunity instead of fear of disruption? How can you make changes to make your business and life better?" These were some of the questions Professor Anand asked and that we ask ourselves frequently in our individual lives as managers and humans.
We heard from audience members from all corners and heights of the Klarman Auditorium. As the session ended, it was clear that the room was filled with more eager voices than there was time to hear them. Fortunately, the HBS Online Community is a place where these conversations can continue.
After a short break, the theme of inclusion met its height in the form of a panel discussion on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. The panel included HBS’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Terrill Drake, HBS Professor Lakshmi Ramarajan, and HBS Online’s Managing Director of Marketing and Product Management Simeen Mohsen.
Looking over the auditorium from the top row, I witnessed a troubling reality as the panel asked: “How many people are in an organization with a DEI program?” Approximately 50 percent raised their hand. “How many feel these programs are succeeding in creating an embedded sense of diversity and inclusion?” About five percent raised their hand. As I looked from left to right, it was shockingly apparent that there’s still plenty of progress to make.
As we listened to the challenges, realities, and necessity of DEI in organizational settings and society, I considered the diverse representation coming together at Connext and present within the HBS Online Community. I thought about how most of the attendees at our Munich and Boston Chapter events weren’t originally from Germany or Boston, and how enriching our conversations and experiences were. I thought, “Everybody is here today at Connext for each other, not to learn and grow in isolation, but to engage and connect with like-minded people in this community and develop relationships to make progress together.”
While these thoughts lingered in my head, we migrated back to the Spangler Center for a closing reception. I was stunned to see a friend and former Munich Chapter team member. Coincidentally, she had landed only two hours prior at Logan International Airport for a business trip and came directly to Connext. (That’s dedication!) After many video calls and virtual events during lockdown, we, too, were meeting for the first time. Together, we had executed some of the greatest (in my biased opinion) HBS Online Community events through the Munich Chapter, with executive guest speakers, such as the Chief Human Officer of Walmart and a former VP of GoDaddy. You can listen to these discussions, which we published as part of our “Women in Leadership” podcast series.
While Connext ended, the festivities continued as people traveled across Boston to a private room at Ned Devine’s for dancing and drinks. I left the restaurant filled with appreciation for the friendly and inspiring interactions with new and old friends and colleagues that day. On the train ride home, I reflected on how much has changed in my life and the world over the last three years. During the closing remarks, HBS Online’s Executive Director Patrick Mullane shared his view on the evolution of education through stories from his family history. He described how the format of education for his parents and grandparents had been the same as it was for him and us and how education has suddenly been changed, hopefully for generations to come.
Moving forward, it becomes our responsibility as change agents to maintain a healthy society and promote human-oriented applications of technology to make education—as a foundation for power and growth—more inclusive, collaborative, accessible, and impactful. Fortunately, HBS Online offers three concrete ways we can start:
- By continuing to educate ourselves through the valuable courses offered by HBS Online and applying our knowledge to create opportunities for others
- By participating in this year's Community Challenge in support of education in developing regions
- By engaging with the HBS Online Community on a local and global scale through the Community Chapters
Community Organizers worldwide are here to welcome your thoughts, support the HBS Online Community, and serve our common goals.
Thank you for making Connext 2022 a uniquely memorable one!
If you're interested in networking with like-minded business professionals, join the Community. For more Connext-related content, explore our past coverage of the event.
