Mr. Indranil Roy, Alfred Ford School of Management alumni from Canada, is a successful business manager working in the banking sector who is also serving on the Belgian-Canadian Business Chamber where he is now a member of the Board of Directors.
Why did you opt for AFSM MBA while having hundreds of MBA schools in Canada?
In spite of hundreds of business schools in Canada and USA, no one is offering conscious leadership specialization. I am inquisitive and inclined to learn about the dynamics of leadership that will facilitate to groom world class future leaders who are conscious and respectful of living entities, environment, planet, culture, people and the Creator. I researched for Business Schools offering conscious leadership and there were only a handful of them, and so I came across AFSM.
I also wanted the flexibility where I can invest my time and energy to study and create my own schedule to complete modules. The format that is offered through AFSM is just what I was looking for.
Last but not the least, the tuition fee. The amount for the entire MBA course including the residency is indeed affordable and cheaper than other online MBA institutions.
Living in Canada, working in the banking sector, having a family and studying MBA based in Belgium. How do you combine that?
It was definitely a juggling act in the beginning. Initially, I had challenges in balancing my work, family and study. As I got more into the study format provided by AFSM, I understood that a routine will be very important to discipline myself and bring in a balance. I had a family meeting and explained the situation to them. I wanted their cooperation and they were all onboard to support me. That was a big step. Next, I allocated fixed study hours every evening and fixed morning hour on Saturday and Sunday. I blocked the time on my calendar and followed it with utmost priority. The online format provides you with tools and resources but it is you who will have to put that extra effort in reading through the mandatory readings, take notes, watch the videos and do your own research online to get better understanding of the management models and techniques that can be applied to real life scenarios.
To balance my daily study schedule, I had to organize my work calendar as well to ensure that work is not impacted. It made me more efficient. I planned strategically to ensure that my work meetings are scheduled within my work hours…
What is the highlight of your study till now?
Overall the program is a comprehensive one. It definitely made me a critical thinker. I see things from a different perspective now. I reason situation systematically and analyse it to find strategic solution.
The residency was probably the biggest highlight. I got to know the cohort. The problem-solving tasks and impromptu team building activities during the residency were unparallel. We learnt management techniques, acquired new skills, developed new attributes, learnt new dimension and made every effort to apply them. We got creative feedbacks from facilitators and peers and we all striven to do better on the next task.
The week long residency is a must in my opinion. At the end of the week, you really feel from within that you have acquired the knowledge and skill that will make a difference in your life. It is a wonderful feeling.
What is the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge was to keep up with weekly readings, video lectures, weekly quiz, weekly assignments, mid-module assignments, discussions on forums and additional reading and research materials. The school provides reasonable amount of resources and reading materials. If you actually read and watch the materials provided by AFSM, you will have a clear understanding of the subject. The weekly quiz prompts the important parts of mandatory reading. I found it very helpful. Honestly, it can be overwhelming at times. I struggled through half of my first module until I realized that I will have to be more disciplined and dedicate regular hours for studying. It is important to have a daily study schedule to overcome such challenges.
What happened with your work during your studies, was there any impact of your MBA studies on it?
To balance my daily study schedule, I had to organize my work calendar as well to ensure that work is not impacted. It made me more efficient. I planned strategically to ensure that my work meetings are scheduled within my work hours, client meetings are in same area to maximize my productivity, planned team and external business council meetings in such a way that I can still come home at a decent time and have enough time to study. It was not all great at first but as I continued to focus on work, life and study balance, it became smooth and seamless. The key is to stay focused. Have a daily schedule for study. Be flexible and adjust your work, family and study balance. Ensure to have your family support your effort and the rest will fall in place.
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