EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
to leave their egos at the first camp. Reflection is another piece of the puzzle. By encouraging students to keep reflective journals, participate in peer discussions and engage in coaching sessions, we help them analyse their performance, identify areas for improvement and internalise lessons learned. As the world changes at an unprecedented pace, the ability to respond to crises with grit and resilience is more critical than ever. From my perspective, it often feels as if the emerging generations are woefully unprepared to deal with the novel challenges they will need to face. While this might just be my generation talking, we have a responsibility, as leaders of educational institutions, to equip our students with the skills needed to thrive. By embracing resilience training and incorporating it into our curricula, business schools can help build a generation of leaders who are not only capable of surviving but also excel in the face of adversity. Reflecting on my own journey – from overcoming imposter syndrome at Oxford to spearheading internationalisation at Newton University – I know that resilience is a skill we can all develop and hone. The X-tream management training programme exemplifies how a structured, research-backed approach can help prepare students for the complexities of the modern business world in the accelerated timeframes of executive education. It’s never too late to start cultivating the right mindset and if we want our students to be the best of the best, we cannot fail to teach them grit.
need a different dose. For years, the programme’s training was continuously fine-tuned for a more-or- less consistent set of mostly Czech MBA students. Now, the age profile, level of professional experience and country of origin of our participants is increasingly diverse. This is the perfect opportunity to make the programme more broadly available and applicable, but it also presents a number of immediate challenges. Making sure that the training is well-calibrated, which involves responding to how individual participants and their teams deal with the different challenges, is very staff-intensive. An ideal group is one that is relatively well-matched in terms of age, fitness and life experiences. This isn’t a prerequisite, of course, but the more heterogeneous the group, the harder it is to keep the stress dose just right. Culture also makes a difference. We certainly didn’t expect to learn that hiking seems to be much less physically and mentally onerous for our Czech and Slovak students than it is for most other nationalities that have participated. In response, we’re now trialling the involvement of a trained co-ordinator who has already completed the programme and might come from a bachelor’s programme or partner university abroad. The idea is that they can offer guidance to classmates and help us keep the load appropriate. Stepping stones to success Resilience isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a vital skill we must cultivate. My own journey through X-tream management training showed me that our limits are often more flexible than we imagine. Experiential learning is at the heart of building this resilience. Simulations, role playing and real-world projects can all be designed to push students out of their comfort zones and I’ve seen first-hand how these controlled stressors can test and expand one’s fortitude. To help students learn how to effectively manage high-pressure situations in this way, you must create a safe but challenging environment. It’s important, in particular, to foster a supportive community where students feel comfortable seeking help and discussing their challenges. Encouraging a growth mindset is also crucial. This mindset shift can be fostered through mentorship programmes, workshops and ongoing feedback that highlight effort and improvement rather than innate talent. It’s about understanding that setbacks are stepping stones to success. It’s also about learning to be comfortable failing in front of others; we tell all our students
Anna Plechatá Krausová is chancellor at Newton University in Czechia. Plechatá has been instrumental in integrating innovative teaching and research methodologies at Newton University, with an emphasis on preparing students for the complexities of the modern world and bringing a practical focus on personal resilience. Her research expertise spans protest movements, democracy, risk management and multicultural dynamics with a focus on business and management contexts. She holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford
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Business Impact • ISSUE 3 • 2024
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