“Understanding the needs, the wants , the good and bad things of a location, of a lifestyle, of challenges people might live is not easy. You can read about it, watch TV and listen to what some people say , but it is just a small part of the reality. The reality is multidimensional with many facets that happen in parallel, with all kind of people, with different motivations and expectations. This is something that you can only experience if you go and see, if you talk to people, if you smell, taste, and experience it with all senses”. That’s what I often hear from Western managers when we stay one week in the rural parts of South India in a very nice learning center to learn more about India and its people, about leadership models and innovation opportunities and about ourselves.

On our program there are a lot of field visits, interactions with local communities, kindergarten, training institutions, NGOs, health care centers and Selfhelp groups.

The managers arrive with certain expectations and often also prejudices about life in “poor” surroundings looks. Some of these ideas are confirmed, others are challenged and completed. It’ s a great learning process. Very intensive, sometimes also very tough.

Interestingly, besides understanding better India and it’s people it’s a huge personal learning curve, as well. About ourselves, our values, our happiness, our goals in life.

Many managers describe it as a life experience that changes themselves. Many of them start to think differently when they are back in the office. Many start to engage with social projects – in their home towns. Many start to become social intrapreneurial within their companies while linking social issues to the daily business. Some of them have launched innovative health services and innovative business ideas from inside the company.

That’s the real outcome of the week in India. The journey starts when the Indian trip has ended.

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Please note: we run this leadership experience several times a year under the umbrella of the Making More Health initiative ( http://www.makingmorehealth.org). Once a year we offer also a week for managers from other companies/Corporates from all over the world. The next “MMH in action week” with a mixed group will take place in September 2019. If you are interested to participate and to learn more about it, feel free to contact.