Does the self-reflection EMBA project foster personal and professional development? -

Abstract

The aim of this field project is to explore how effective a mandatory self-reflection project was in enhancing the reflective learning of the participants in an 18-month EMBA program by way of fostering personal and professional development. The Self-exploration for Leadership Development (SELD) project was initiated as a reflective learning tool to the EMBA program in 2006 and since that time 173 individuals have completed the project successfully. This project is a popular curriculum component, though it is an arduous and lengthy process that requires substantive data collection, analysis, introspection and the development of a resultant personal plan of strategic action for self-development. The current field project collected primarily qualitative data from two sources. First, we gathered evaluation data from our 36 current and past students through an online open-ended survey. The survey confirmed that the project had an impact on students’ development in both the personal and professional domains. The evidence from the qualitative analysis suggests that the reflective processes embedded in the project changed how they perceive and cope with situations and people around them thus giving them a new cognitive framework to follow.