Executive MBA English Edition – Interview with Klevi Markaj
30 October 2024How has the Bologna Business School EMBA helped you build your career path and what is the plus you have gained compared to your science education?
Math is something I decided to pursue when I was 9 years old. I followed a traditional academic path until, at a certain point, I had to change direction and face the challenge of completely reimagining my future self. The EMBA helped me realize that change can introduce new challenges, which can also be viewed as new opportunities. Furthermore, I discovered something astonishing: I’m a dynamic person, and a typical academic path doesn’t satisfy this need, nor does a corporate path. I learned that: to find fulfillment in my work I need to take on a completely different challenge: merging my science education with my business background.
A “learning by doing” approach is fundamental at BBS. Are there tools, methodologies and skills (hard and soft) learned during the EMBA that you use today in your work as a Finance Manager?
The most important skill I have learned and try to use every day in my job is emotional intelligence. In a world full of artificial intelligence, people need to be listened to, understood, and supported. The leadership course was particularly special from this perspective.
Then, there is one thing that I didn’t like when I had to deal with it, but which turned out to be very useful: respecting deadlines and being flexible. Being told, “If I give you six months on a project, you will complete it in six months. If I only give you two months for the same project, you will find a way to do it in two months” was difficult. But learning to set deadlines is extremely valuable, because today we are used to accepting deadlines imposed by others, and so we risk losing control. Then, this way you never really learn to know your limits.
Why pursue an Executive MBA and why do it at BBS?
It was in May 2022 when I felt the need for executive education. Why? Because at that time, I was promoted from consultant to Vice Chief Operating Officer in a mid-sized Italian company, and even though I had over 10 years of experience, my background was in mathematics. The person I worked for at that time had an MBA, so I began to think I needed one too. I started searching for programs, and the more I researched, the more I realized I needed this kind of education. Most of the MBAs I found were ‘traditional’ programs, but what set BBS apart was its focus on digitalization. Throughout my career in small to medium-sized Italian companies, I found that at least 90% lose money and time because they’re not digital. Here’s one reason why I chose the Executive MBA at BBS.
To conclude, what advice would you give to those approaching the Bologna Business School EMBA?
There are essentially three key lessons I learned from the EMBA at BBS, and unsurprisingly, they aren’t things you can find in books:
You are not alone on this journey.
The members of a team are like multipliers: they can exponentially increase the value of the team or destroy it.
In the darkest hours, you’ll truly discover who your supporters are.
During the program, everyone quickly realizes that there are other people in similar situations, no matter their individual paths. This is incredibly helpful because before starting the program, you might think, ‘How will I manage to do this if I’m working full time, if I have a family, if I’m becoming a parent,’ and so on.
Cooperation beats competition every time, but you need to find the right team. The right team isn’t made up of the best individuals, but rather of those who are the best fit for that team. It’s like a puzzle: every piece fits together to form the perfect picture.
The only people who truly care about you are those who know you, advise you, and support you, no matter the challenge you’re trying to pursue. You don’t need hundreds of fans; you just need a few real supporters.
