Discover Purpose with our full-time MBA students

We interviewed two of our Full-Time MBA students, Nur Jazmina Bint Md Azmi and Valerio Anzivino, to ask for their thoughts on the recent workshop they attended, Leading with Purpose, run by the consultancy The Mind at Work

Purpose is a thread which is woven into the tapestry of the whole MBA course and the workshop was an introduction to this discipline, building the students’ ability to work with purpose and, ultimately, to build and guide a purpose-led organisation.

1)How easy/difficult did you find it to identify your purpose during the workshop? What particular factors most influenced this process?

Jazmina:

At first, I was quite confused because I don’t have great self-awareness regarding how I feel. It seems to me that it is always hard to figure out my exact feelings and consciously find out what I am thinking because I have been living a lifestyle in which I just kept following the flow.

Valerio:

I started this MBA at Polimi GSoM driven by my purpose. Therefore, this aspect of my professional development is very dear to me. The workshop allowed me to deep dive into myself, others, and context in general, clarifying what my real purpose is and providing easy, effective, and practical tools that I have started to put in practice since day one.

2) Do you see your purpose as being something completely distinct from that of others?

Jazmina:

Yes, I do. I can see that in the same situation or environment, people around me could have a different purpose from mine. It sometimes blows my mind — I feel the need to look at the big picture.

Valerio:

I strongly believe that no purpose can be independent of the purpose of those who are around us. Even more so, my purpose is to make a difference for others, nurturing talent and making a tangible impact on the environment. Therefore, my purpose cannot and should not disregard that of others, but they should all coexist in harmony.

3)Do you think that working with purpose could change your actual career destination or might you adapt your current plan in light of recent knowledge?

Jazmina:

To be honest, I might not yet be fully aware if working with purpose could change my actual career destination, but I believe it could be a starting point and guide the path to my career plan. Simply put, I will have a purpose in the journey of developing my career.

Valerio:

Now, more than ever, I am convinced that purpose is going to be the discerning element that will lead future decisions in my career but, most importantly, in my daily life. Quoting one of our trainers during the workshop: “Purpose is a new pair of lenses through which I intend to see the world around me”.

4) Can you explain to us how you see the thread of purpose running through your MBA course?

Jazmina:

Besides having a purpose personally, we learned about how purpose could operate in an organization or company. I think I am adopting Purpose in my life, studies, and career — and also for the bigger picture: the organization/company, day by day. To have purpose through my MBA course would for sure mean getting it done with flying colours, with all the experiences and knowledge that entails!

Valerio:

I believe that purpose is the trademark of an MBA at Polimi GSoM, and it was the most attractive factor for me when choosing this school of management over other options. On top of this amazing workshop, we had an entire course called “Management with Purpose” that showed me and my colleagues the role of purpose in modern organizations and how to harmonize the unnecessary dichotomy between profit and purpose that many companies try to advocate.