Kinguin Empowers Employees by Funding Harvard Business School Courses

Kinguin, a leading digital marketplace for video games, has taken a groundbreaking step to invest in the professional development of its employees (Kinguiners). The company has established a partnership with the prestigious Harvard Business School, providing funding for its employees to attend various online courses. This initiative reflects Kinguin's commitment to nurturing leadership, fostering organizational excellence, and promoting innovation within Kinguiners. Led by industry experts, these courses not only enhance the skills and knowledge of Kinguin employees but also provide them with an invaluable opportunity to expand their international network and engage in meaningful discussions with participants from around the world.

With over 40 individual courses funded so far, Kinguiers have a unique opportunity to enhance their skills and expand their knowledge through the three core courses offered: 

• Leadership Principles
• Organizational Leadership 
• Design Thinking and Innovation 

Courses are led by two exceptional experts:

• Joshua D. Margolis, James Dinan and Elizabeth Miller Professor of Business Administration and the Unit Head for the Organizational Behavior unit. He is also Faculty Chair of the Program for Leadership Development. His research and teaching revolve around leadership and ethics. He has taught courses on Leadership and Organizational Behavior, Leadership and Corporate Accountability, Authentic Leadership Development, and Field Immersion Experiences for Leadership Development (FIELD). 
• Anthony Mayo, Thomas S. Murphy Senior Lecturer of Business Administration and C. Roland Christensen Distinguished Management Educator in the Organizational Behavior Unit of Harvard Business School (HBS).  He currently teaches Leadership and Organizational Behavior (LEAD) and Authentic Leader Development in the MBA Program.  He also serves as the course head for LEAD.

Leadership Principles:

The Leadership Principles course provides Kinguin leaders with a comprehensive understanding of the core principles that drive effective leadership. Participants explore their motivational drivers, emotional intelligence, and communication methods to establish a personal leadership style that resonates with their teams. The course emphasizes the importance of applying or adapting leadership styles to meet specific challenges, equipping leaders with the flexibility to navigate diverse situations. By understanding and managing the conditions that drive team performance, participants gain the tools to create an environment that fosters productivity and collaboration. Moreover, the course focuses on coaching colleagues and sharing feedback in ways that empower their development and enhance their performance. Leaders are prepared to handle stressful and demanding situations, developing resilience and composure in their decision-making. Lastly, the course emphasizes the importance of taking charge of professional development, supporting leaders as they navigate the transition from individual contributors to effective leaders within the organization. 

"The Leadership Principles course at Harvard Business School has been a game-changer for me. It enhanced my communication methods, adaptive leadership, and team performance. I'm excited to apply these principles and drive our team's success." - Konrad Wojcinski, Communications Director at Kinguin. 

Organizational Leadership

The Organizational Leadership course focuses on equipping Kinguiners with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively lead teams within a complex organizational structure. This course helps participants identify any misalignments between the dynamics of their organization and external market conditions, ensuring that strategies and actions remain relevant and responsive to the ever-changing business landscape. Through effective communication of purpose and vision, participants learn how to inspire their organization to execute on that vision, aligning their teams and driving collective success. The course also emphasizes the importance of extending influence through other managers, enabling leaders to have a broader impact on the organization. Additionally, participants learn to elevate their leadership style to meet the distinct challenges of leading larger, more dispersed teams. They gain insights into shaping organizational culture and architecture to maximize talent, leverage diversity, and drive overall performance. Furthermore, the course equips Kinguin leaders with strategies for planning and engineering organizational change and innovation initiatives, enabling them to navigate and lead through transformative processes successfully. 

"The Organizational Leadership course at Harvard Business School has been transformative for me. It provided me with the tools to address market dynamics, inspire our team, shape our culture, and drive performance. I'm really looking forward to using all these invaluable learnings.”- Adam Gruda, Chief Operations Officer at Kinguin

Design Thinking and Innovation

The Design Thinking and Innovation course equips Kinguiners with a fresh mindset that integrates creative problem-solving and management. Participants learn to overcome rigid thinking patterns and approach problems with a fresh perspective, fostering innovation within the organization. The course helps develop an innovation toolkit, enabling leaders to determine when and how to apply design thinking frameworks, tools, and exercises to their strategic initiatives. Through practicing empathy and applying human-centered design techniques such as ideation, prototyping, user journey mapping, and analyzing mental models, participants gain practical skills to drive innovation. Additionally, the course emphasizes the assessment of group dynamics to maximize the team's potential in developing and iterating prototypes, as well as managing the implementation of new designs. Leaders also gain an understanding of how to create an optimal environment and foster team dynamics that promote innovation and collaboration. By collaborating with peers from diverse professional backgrounds, participants put design thinking into action and leverage the collective experiences to drive innovative solutions.

"The Design Thinking and Innovation course at Harvard Business School revolutionized my perspective. It empowered me to break rigid thinking patterns, apply human-centered design, and maximize our team's potential for innovation. With a newfound toolkit, I'm eager to collaborate across diverse backgrounds and put design thinking into action to drive transformative solutions." - Jakub Bieganowski, VP of Products, Data & Analytics at Kinguin.

Conclusions:

This commitment to professional development is in line with Kinguin's core values of Care, Impact, and Passion. Kinguin ensures that these courses are available to every Kinguiner, regardless of their level or department, emphasizing equal opportunities for growth and skill enhancement. This inclusive approach cultivates a supportive and collaborative work environment, where individuals are encouraged to pursue their career aspirations and contribute their unique perspectives to the overall success of the company. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and growth, our commitment to professional development through these courses ignites passion and makes a true impact on our organizational culture and business outcomes.

Kinguin's partnership with Harvard Business School reflects our dedication to investing in our employees' professional development. By funding over 40 individual courses, Kinguin empowers its employees to become effective leaders, drive organizational excellence, and foster innovation. The Leadership Principles, Organizational Leadership, and Design Thinking and Innovation courses provide Kinguiners with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in a competitive industry. As Kinguiners seize the opportunity to attend these prestigious courses, the company sets a new standard for employee development within the gaming industry.