Ecopreneurist

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Have you been thinking about getting a sustainability focused MBA? Have you been wondering what they’re really like? If they have substance? If they have depth? If they will be of any use to you out there in the real world? Well today, in part 2 of a series on sustainability focused business education, it’s all about Presidio School of Management, where I was part of the third cohort.

What’s to know about it, from an insider’s perspective? Let me tell you, it was a tremendously beneficial experience, on an educational, personal and professional level. I gained confidence, learning extensively how to give a great presentation, even enjoy the experience, from a starting point of utter terror. I learned how to work in teams, of varying strengths, skills, and personalities, and how to manage when things become, well, unmanageable. I got a broad and deep understanding of what’s going on in the realm of sustainability, in terms of business, government, and society as a whole. And beyond that, I saw how the emerging sustainable business paradigm overlaps with the existing, and how to bridge between the two.

I think the most important lesson I got from being at Presidio is to listen. Listen long enough, and seek out what matters to people, and you’re far on your way to making progress where there may have appeared to be no road to do so before. This was driven home when I got the chance to play the part of Wal-Mart, debating a series of small town stakeholders on whether it should locate in their area. If I, who was quite opposed to the idea in reality, could persuasively argue such a point, who else out there in the real world was doing the exact same thing? Who else is not the “black hat” we make them out to be?

There is much more to tell of my personal experience there, but that’s for another time. Feel free to ask me, directly or in the comments, below.

How is the overall program, you ask? Dynamic, evolving, and full of people, both in the staff and the student body who are passionate about using business as a tool for change. The faculty includes such people as Hunter Lovins, co-author of the book Natural Capitalism with Paul Hawken, and Amory Lovins. She is a woman in demand across the globe, yet she chooses to teach at Presidio. Why? Because, as she said, she wants more colleagues to join her in making a difference on the planet.

The same could be said for the rest of the faculty, who come to Presidio with extensive experience and deep commitment.

And the students? I can’t speak for the entirety of the student body, as I’ve now been out for a year, eons in the evolution of this still relatively young school. But what I can say is, they come from an extremely wide variety of backgrounds, and come for varying reasons. From hardcore environmentalists wanting to know how to make a bigger impact in the broader society, to people with extensive business experience, who yearn for a different way to go about their work in the world. And as I mentioned above, listen long enough, take time to talk with them, and you’ll find they all have something of value to contribute. An asset to you when you’re out in the world trying to do business.

On my first weekend at Presidio was what I consider the tipping point of interest in green business: Hurricane Katrina. From there, the demographics of who has shown up in this realm has steadily shifted, or I should say expanded, to include many people that would perhaps never have considered themselves interested in or playing a part in moving business to a more environmentally benevolent model.

This is being reflected in Presidio’s new Executive Sustainable Management program, aimed at senior level executives. Does that mean they’re shifting away from developing people from the ground level up? No chance. Their MBA in Sustainable Management program continues to get stronger, with new faculty, strong leadership, and an increasingly visible alumni population, which includes people such as Simran Sethi, who hosts The Green on the Sundance Channel, rubs elbows with Oprah Winfrey, and is generally unmissable in just about any media.

Then there’s me. How has Presidio benefited me, a 2007 graduate? One example says it all: I chose to start a consulting practice shortly after graduating, and was able to get two clients, prior to having either a website or a business card. This, purely based on my ability to market myself, and answer the tough questions that were asked of me. And it continues now, with my developing a soon to launch car dealership greening program, being a regular contributor to two green business blogs, and just last week I was asked be a featured expert on going green on the Evan Carmichael site.

Would I recommend you attend? Of course I’m biased, but yes, I would. You’ll learn many things on many levels, gain an extremely supportive community, and perhaps even a much stronger sense of purpose. And don’t let your distance from the school be an excuse, they have a student who came from Paris every month. You can do it too. Learn more at www.presidiomba.org.  Better yet, go visit the classes in person.

As I said last week, I welcome your input and questions on this program, and others like it, both here in the US and abroad.

Other resources: Where To Get A Green MBA And Beyond, pt. 1