Alumni Leadership Day 2024: Managing Teams in Critical Situations
Why do leaders in organizations and the corporate sector need tactical training?
Why did this idea become central to Alumni Leadership Day – 2024?
Who organized this training for the event participants?
Andriy Rozhdestvensky shared that in 2022, together with a group of faculty members working with military personnel, he completed basic military training courses to teach closer to combat zones.
He observed the initial stages of training multiple times and personally completed an assault course organized by the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade and the Main Intelligence Directorate. During this training, he gained valuable insights into leadership and its role in high-pressure environments. This inspired him to combine the Alumni Leadership Day event with providing relevant knowledge and skills necessary in today’s reality.
The primary goal of such training is to assess how effectively a person can act under extreme stress and pressure. Even in a simulated format, the emotional impact is significant. Some participants “surrendered” to the simulated enemy during exercises, finding the challenge too overwhelming. For others, it became an opportunity to discover their strengths and realize their courage in difficult circumstances. Such training also offers a better understanding of how the military system works, reducing fear of the unknown. Additionally, it serves as a motivator to further support the Armed Forces.
Andriy Rozhdestvensky
Executive Director of the UCU Leadership Center
The training was conducted by a team of experienced instructors from the SECTOR SEVEN Special Tactical Training Center
The event seamlessly continued with a meeting featuring Valerii Zaluzhnyi and the Alumni Awards ceremony.
Business and the military have much more in common than most people think. Discipline, clear planning, teamwork, and prioritizing tasks are fundamental to the Armed Forces at any time. These principles are also at the core of successful businesses. Conversely, the Ukrainian Defense Forces need to better understand the advantages of entrepreneurial approaches, focusing on speed, efficiency, and communication development. The transformation of logistics units in certain brigades, using expertise from top managers of Nova Poshta and other companies, is a prime example
Valerii Zaluzhnyi
This year’s Alumni Awards winners are deeply connected to the context of war and leadership.
They are conscious individuals who fully understand the risks their work faces in Ukraine during the war, especially its full-scale stage. Despite this, they deliberately pursued business education during this period and purposefully chose to develop their projects at home, overcoming numerous challenges.
These individuals tend to act asymmetrically. Almost every described business idea is about maximizing efficiency, speed, and scalability. It’s about understanding their clients and creating services even in areas where such innovation once seemed impossible.
The Alumni community demonstrates through their actions that victory is forged not only on the frontlines but also on the home front.
Three winners stood out with projects that significantly support Ukraine’s Defense Forces. Another two were recognized for initiatives that help the business community find new markets, develop solutions, or restore resources within a circle of like-minded individuals.
Through their understanding of the real needs of the society they live in, these entrepreneurs represent the true “face” of a new model of business. A model that serves as a benchmark not only for Ukraine but for the entire world.
