Alumni Forums

Harvard Business School Alumni Forums are transformational experiences that help members to become their best selves. They are small, intimate groups usually comprised of seven to ten alumni who meet regularly and discuss their personal and professional lives confidentially. The experience helps them to live more fulfilled lives and to be better leaders and humans. Forums often are described as a personal board of directors.

Forums use proven best practices in group composition, meeting agendas, customized exercises and group leadership approaches to encourage members to discuss what is most important to them in an open and safe environment. It is natural for HBS alumni forum members to discuss business and career issues, but just as common to discuss personal issues, which are often even more important in their lives.

Forum meetings generally occur monthly and are approximately 3 to 4 hours in length. Meetings are formatted to guarantee the deepest sharing and the best outcome for all participants. Meetings cover a range of topics: personal, family, and professional.

Forum members build exceptional relationships over years, often described as the most valuable connections members have ever had with fellow HBS alumni. The support they receive from each other helps guide them through their toughest challenges and helps foster their long-term success.

Testimonials

“HBS Forum has been a life-changing experience. It builds upon the lessons learned in the HBS course Authentic Leadership Development and provides a diverse, engaged, group of alumni the chance to develop professionally, explore solutions to business problems, and grow as a leader. In the process, I've gotten to meet alumni in other industries and career stages who have become trusted advisers and close confidantes. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity and to have the trained facilitation and structure of HBS Forum.”
—Lilly Beshore (MBA 2013), Forum Member, HBS Club of Colorado

“Most HBS alumni events (and I have attended many) involve casually socializing with other alumni. In contrast, my HBS Alumni Forum has been the most impactful HBS-related experience I have had since graduating, allowing for far deeper and meaningful conversation.”
—Marc Zablatsky (HBS MBA 1992), Former President, HBS Association of Boston

“Forums provide a peer support group where you can get real, where you can be honest about the difficulties you are having, and where you can share the fear of failure which causes so many people to self- destruct. Having this kind of group in your life is invaluable.”
—Bill George, Professor of Management Practice; Former CEO, Medtronic

“My HBS Forum has been meeting for over five years and has been a key part of my life. Without the support and encouragement of my fellow Forum members, I may never have taken on the role of president of the HBS Club of NYC. Definitely worth the time commitment!”
—Katherine Bahamonde (MBA 2007), Immediate Past President, HBS Club of New York

“My Forum experience has been transformative in my life. With coaching from my forum, I’ve been able to help my company avoid many pitfalls, make tough decisions, and grow our business. I’m also a better boss and a more effective communicator because of my forum experience. This is by far the most valuable part of my YPO experience, and as an alumnus (and past President of the HBS Association of Boston), I am thrilled that Forums are now available to HBS Club members.”
—Dick Simon (YPO Member), Former President, HBS Association of Boston

“My HBS Forum experience over the last 5 years has been transformative in my life. With coaching from my forum, I’m a better business leader, a better spouse, and a better parent. This is by far the most valuable part of my HBS alumni experience.”
—Zander Packard (MBA 1997)

“My Alumni Forum has helped me look at my life through a different lens. It allows me to take advantage of the unbiased experience and knowledge of others who have no dogs in the race. Our only goal is to help each other professionally and personally.”
—Kal Bittianda (MBA 1997)

“I am really getting a lot out of my experience in my HBS Alumni Forum in Atlanta. I recently went through a job transition, and the group was excellent at helping me think through options for next steps as well as helping flush out the most important factors to me for selecting my next career gig. It is so nice to have a group of smart, motivated, caring folks to help you think through important business and personal issues.”
—Elizabeth Head (MBA 2008)

“Forum is about gaining perspective from people who I trust, who are truthful, and who commit to confidentiality. I can’t get this in any other place.”
—Adam Berman (MBA 1990)

“I have been fortunate to participate in an HBS Alumni Forum group in Toronto – it has provided me a deep set of trusted relationships with a group of fellow HBS alumni who share extraordinary perspective at my most challenging and most opportune moments.”
—Sandy Scott (MBA 2007)

“I am very blessed to have amazing and supportive friends in my HBS Forum. It is a powerful network that helps me bounce ideas in business and life. I am an entrepreneur and it can be lonely with lots of questions on my mind. My forum helps me think clearly about both my consulting and start-up.”
—Christine Gajardo, (Program for Leadership Development 2012)

“Forum has helped me in business in many ways. It’s been a terrific resource for those hard multi-faceted decisions that involve money and markets but also people and reputation. Forum training has also given me an additional set of communication skills around listening and getting to the core of an issue inside the company and with customers and vendors.”
—John Macomber, (MBA 1983, YPO member)

“My HBS Alumni Forum in Toronto is my most powerful asset in closing the gap between who I am today and who I can become.”
—Wes Co (General Management Program 2010)

“My YPO Forum has been essential to my personal and professional development. A Forum’s diverse members offer rich insights and expertise, shared in an environment of mutual support and common learning. It has been the most valuable part of my YPO experience. As an HBS alumnus (and past President of the HBS Club of Chicago) I am enthusiastic about the availability of forums to our alumni." - Terry Plochman (HBS MBA 1976, YPO Member)

“The insights, openness and wisdom of my HBS Alumni Forum have influenced me greatly. I won't soon forget their comments, life philosophies, and impactful experiences. The examples of my Forum colleagues will serve me well as I seek to develop a leadership style rooted in respect for others, transparency and self-understanding.”
—David Moeller (MBA 2008)

“I have been working with the Young Presidents’ Organization for over four decades and have seen first-hand that Forum is among the most powerful benefits of YPO membership. Members are uniformly enthusiastic about how their Forums help them make better personal and professional decisions, and deal with all the pressure and loneliness of business and personal challenges. I am pleased that Forums are now available to Harvard Business School alumni who I think will benefit in similar fashion."
—Benson P. Shapiro Malcolm P. McNair Professor of Marketing, Emeritus

“My forum was key in helping me manage a difficult job transition. Having a supportive group of smart, objective and caring people to bounce ideas off of and do "reality checks" proved to be invaluable as I balanced a search with a challenging job situation. As I have moved into a new role, my forum has helped me think through ways to maximize both my professional and personal success. For me, being able to learn from others' experience in a supportive environment is one of the biggest benefits of Forum.”
—Lisa Rohrer (PhD 2004)

“My OPM program (Owner/President Management) at HBS was transformational. Yet, in the past decade, I have benefitted even more greatly from my local HBS Forum. This group of brilliant, experienced business leaders have helped me in innumerable ways to make my business better, weather rough seas and build on success!”
—Kate Simpson (Owner/President Management Program 2008)

Read More

Harvard Business Review article on “How to Get the Most out of Peer Support Groups: A guide to the benefits and best practices”