Olga Lidenko’s, EMBA ‘17, career has been a journey of growth, transformation, and strategic evolution. Before entering the MIT Executive MBA, Lidenko held a senior leadership role as the COO of a startup. But despite her success, she felt that her career had plateaued. That’s when she turned to the MIT EMBA. She now credits MIT with unlocking her full potential and leading her to transition from an executive role in a small company to becoming the Vice President of R&D Program Management at PTC, a leading global software company.
What led you to pursue the MIT Executive MBA, especially considering your extensive experience?
I felt like I was maxed out. I grew to become the COO of a small startup in the tech industry, and while the role came with a lot of autonomy and breadth of responsibility, I realized that I had reached the limit of what I could achieve on my own. I had relied on my experience, books, and gut instinct, but I wasn’t making the progress I needed to take my career to the next level.
I realized that to truly break through and grow further, I needed formal knowledge and connection to other professionals who I could learn from and expand my horizon. I needed strategic frameworks to help me navigate larger, more complex challenges. After looking at different schools, and being based in the Boston area, MIT was clearly the best fit for me.
Olga Lidenko, EMBA '17
Can you talk about your career trajectory after completing the MIT EMBA program, and how your role evolved?
Before the program, I held a big leadership role in a relatively small organization. I joined the company when it was still a startup and grew with it over nearly 13 years. It was an incredibly rewarding experience, but I eventually felt like I had reached my limit. I wanted to expand my horizons, get into a larger organization, make bigger impact.
Fast forward eight years, and I have the privilege to lead R&D PMO team at PTC. Every day my team and I get many opportunities to optimize, problem solve and make an impact on PTC R&D organization as we help our colleagues around the globe to execute on the goals, plan and deliver releases and solutions, optimize process, provide data insights for critical decision making, you name it. And every day I rely on the knowledge that I gained during my time with the EMBA program.
Which courses stood out to you during the MIT EMBA program, and why?
All of the courses in the EMBA program were outstanding, and to this day, I use the learnings from every single class, without exception. But there are a few courses I rely on a little more than others.
Nelson Repenning’s Organizations Lab (O-lab) class was nothing short of brilliant. “What is the problem we are trying to solve?” is a concept I apply every single day. It’s how I start every deck I create, every big meeting, and every brainstorming session. A very significant part of my role is to help teams convert ambiguity into certainty and enable efficient delivery of planned work to achieve desired outcomes. Dynamic work design and structured approach to problem solving is one of the most powerful frameworks to do that. I’ve used it so much that it’s become second nature to me now.
Another course that had a major impact was Organizational Processes (OP). Roberto Fernandez is one of my absolute favorite professors; he’s just incredible. The insights I gained from his classes have been critical in helping me navigate the corporate environment and relationships with my colleagues. Whether it’s about convincing others, making decisions, or understanding organizational design, the frameworks I learned have been indispensable. The cultural and political lens Roberto teaches is something I use daily when navigating both professional and personal worlds.
I could keep going. Every single class was impactful in its own way. But what stands out is that every single class provided frameworks that I still use regularly in my job. The program equipped me with tools that have helped me be successful in my career and personal growth.
What has been the ROI for you after completing the MIT EMBA?
The ROI of the MIT EMBA is hard to measure in purely financial terms (although I have to say, it did pay off very quickly).
However, I believe the most important ROI is intangible. The program transformed me in ways I didn't anticipate. It didn’t just give me new skills or knowledge; it changed who I am. It altered how I perceive myself, how I deal with my family, my colleagues, and even how I view the future. I thought I was joining the program to learn how to solve business problems, yet it has had a profound impact on every part of my life. This was one of the best investment decisions I’ve made in the last decade.
What did you find most rewarding about going through the EMBA program?
As I was in the program, the most rewarding aspect was access to knowledge, frameworks, and the brilliance of the professors. The wisdom of my classmates also played a huge role. It wasn’t just about learning from textbooks or lectures; it was the collective wisdom and experiences we shared as a cohort that really shaped my learning journey.
Post graduation, I got to appreciate the value of the MIT network. The friendships and professional connections I made during the program gave me the confidence to believe in myself in a new way and pushed my career to a very different orbit. Those relationships continue to be incredibly valuable, both personally and professionally.
Today, looking back, I realize how much the program truly changed me. I see myself as a different caliber of professional today. Being one of the ‘principled, innovative leaders who improve the world’ is now truly ingrained in what I am striving to accomplish in my professional journey.
