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From engineer to executive: Nathaniel Tiffany’s inspiring career journey
Outstanding from the get-go On day one, Nathaniel was able to tap into the expertise of Jacques Neatby, a foremost authority on executive committees and how they work. “I was already up against some management challenges in my job, and I learned a lot about how to deal with them in this module,” says Nathaniel. “I devoured his book after that! His teaching had a profound impact on how to approach my executive committee.” Drawing on Laurent Simon’s extensive knowledge of innovation, Nathaniel found out how to take ideas that come from the people on the ground and move them up the ladder. Everything he learned about team-based innovation and problem-solving has proved to be very useful. “My company has been able to take things to the next level because of Laurent Simon,” Nathaniel confirms, adding that the expertise of each of the instructors immeasurably enriches the program. Something all leaders can benefit from After nearly 20 years at the same organization, Nathaniel knows the technical side of operations like the back of his hand. But that didn’t automatically make him a good manager. “Lots of people come to a career crossroads as they move up into management. They know their field inside and out, and they may even seem like natural-born leaders. But managing a team or an entire organization takes more than instinct or trial and error. That’s where programs like Ascension come in. They align strategic concepts with people’s real-world experience and offer them the keys to unlock the complexities of management.”
An engineer by profession, Nathaniel Tiffany joined GCM Consultants in 2005. At that point, the engineering firm, which serves an industrial client base, had a workforce of 80 people. This number has since skyrocketed to over 700. Nathaniel, now Vice-President – Engineering, is as passionate about the company as he is about leading it forward. His experience as a participant in the Ascension program has been instrumental in pointing the way. A major impact “When you’re in senior management, you have to have a development plan in place for yourself,” says Nathaniel. “The combination of academic content, hands-on learning and in-residence training made Ascension the ideal choice for me. It had everything I was looking for.” So he signed up, not knowing just how transformational the program would be. “Of all the training programs I’ve done, Ascension is one that’s had the most influence on my career. All of the concepts I learned about are directly applicable to my work. And the people teaching the program are simply some of the best I’ve ever encountered.” The moment he arrived at the hotel, alongside the likes of Robert Dutton and Réal Jacob, he knew he was in the right place.
50 EXECUTIVE EDUCATION HEC MONTRÉAL
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