OPM Alumni Circles

OPM Alumni Circles are for HBS OPM graduates.

Keep up the connection, deepen the learning, share your experience to make this community strong.

If you aren’t in a confidential peer group, you are missing a proven, powerful way top executives work on their toughest business, leadership, and personal challenges. Harvard Business School (HBS) has been a pioneer in this movement with its unique on-campus living groups. You can now extend this experience beyond campus with OPM Alumni Circles that continue after you graduate.

Leverage the unique OPM experience in structured, fully-guided sessions that revisit vital OPM themes and content, while also making space for your urgent and important challenges and opportunities. Every year, you will have the option of joining an inperson retreat.

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WHAT YOU WILL GET

A professionally facilitated monthly circle designed to efficiently tackle urgent and common challenges impacting OPM graduates

A network of past and future OPM graduates that are committed to supporting your growth.

A recurring structure to reinforce relationships made on campus. Includes the option of joining an in person retreat.

Commit now to your first quarter of onboarding, before committing to full annual network membership

FULL MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES:

Peer support through dynamic, curated groups based on topic, industry and/or geography
Conversations with specialists and strategic voices
Virtual and physical social events
Option to join an in person retreat with those in your Circle
Ability to gather peers within 48 hours to address emerging challenges

What Others Say

“I learned a new way to communicate, the topics we covered were really helpful“

“Sharing the different experiences that we all had and being honest about our achievements and struggles is extremely valuable and humbling“

“Efficient, Engaging, Well-orchestrated“

“Great platform to connect virtually”

“The power of having a “living room” to share ideas and thoughts“

” Exchanging knowledge with this amazing OPM tribe“

How it Works

OPM graduates will be offered the exclusive opportunity to join the onboarding program. The program includes 4 90-minute sessions, recurring monthly. Applications are taken on a rolling basis and new Circles are launched reguarly.

High value and effective sharing is ensured with professional facilitation throughout sessions

Members meet in a confidential virtual setting, following a proven process inspired by and modeled after other executive peer support programs like YPO and Entrepreneurs Organization.

Commitment

Your active participation in all sessions is essential.
Between sessions, the only expectation is to reflect on and apply what you have learned.

Attend all 4 sessions

Respect sessions like you do your board of directors. Schedule and commit to attending the full program.

Come Prepared

Attend each session in a quiet place. Use a computer with a camera and headset.

Confirm the schedule

After registration, your facilitator will reach out to schedule the first session date and time. Your facilitator will then work with the group to schedule the remaining five sessions.

Pricing

Onboarding Program

Four month membership to confirm commitment

Participation in the initial program is $495 per person, to be paid in full prior to the program start date.
This fee covers participation for the first four months, including a professional guide for four-facilitated sessions, suggested agendas and exercises, and use of the Circles platform.
Your commitment is risk-free. If you need to cancel participation, you can do so after session 1 for a full refund. After the initial program ends, you may be offered annual membership in the OPM Alumni Circles.

Annual membership

Membership will be offered at a monthly rate of $165, with a 1 year commitment, following completion of the initial 4 month program.

FAQs

What is the OPM Network?

The OPM Alumni Circles (OAC) supports the continuation of your OPM learning journey following graduation. With your OAC, you will apply aspects of the OPM curriculum, and your own life and business experience to address the group’s professional and leadership challenges.

The OAC also includes an in person retreat experience. Recommended to include at least two days and one night, this is a unique opportunity to connect in person, and frame the year long experience. Flexibility is given to the group to decide on location and timing, and administration support is provided in the coordination of the logistics.

Where are the sessions held?

OACi sessions take place on the Circles platform. Many recent graduates are already familiar with Circles, with inter-unit sessions (“OPM@Home”) and in-unit case prep sessions already being delivered there. Participants join using a personal meeting URL. No installation is required to use the Circles platform.

How many members are there in the OPM Network?

We will make recommendations for OAC members, and depending on numbers, you can opt to invite others to join, including from different OPM year levels.

Why do the initial program sessions take place on Circles?

Just like your on-campus Living Group, we care not just about getting you together, but what happens once you’re in the room. Following the best practices of other executive peer support groups and forums, the Circles video experience is rooted in a process and technology that delivers the peer learning structure consistently. The structure drives to powerful conversation, with real results.

Who will facilitate our VLG meetings?

A Guide facilitates each session using a variety of proven peer learning methods. Circles has supported OPM cohorts over several years, with numerous ongoing OAC’s exploring both curriculum-based and emergent challenges.

How often are we supposed to meet?

Initial sessions will be scheduled monthly for 90 minutes.

Who will schedule our sessions?

Your guide will reach out and start the discussion to set a date and time for the first OAC session.

What will we talk about?

Your OAC is your personal advisory board. Whether revisiting key concepts from OPM like negotiation, feedback, recruiting, or opportunity analysis, or sharing what’s most urgent and important for you in the moment, your Circles Facilitator will use a challenge exploration structure to dive deeply into at least one member’s challenge or opportunity each session. Groups may wish to pre-select a topic or curriculum item, and even a presenter. Facilitators are trained to be flexible, responsive, and encouraging.

How are the groupings of each VLG determined?

Each OAC is matched to include a diverse group of 6-12 OPM graduates. You have the option to join the program as an individual or with a group. Once you join the community, there are options to join groups with members from different OPM classes.

What do I need to prepare for my first session?

Preparation and focus goes a long way. Plan ahead as best you can to be stationary, in a space where you can focus and be present. Please be sure your technology is stable. Be sure you read your welcome email from your Guide – it may contain pre-reading.

How do I connect to my meeting? Can I use Circles across all devices?

The OPM team has partnered with Circles for your one-of-a-kind OAC meetings.

To connect, click or open your personal URL in your browser. No installation is required to use the Circles platform and it works on the 4 main browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge. There is also a mobile and tablet app, although participants are discouraged from being mobile during the sessions.

If I have to miss a session, are they recorded for me to listen to later?

Because of their confidential nature, OAC meetings are not recorded. Your journey will be valuable if you show up – for yourself and for the rest of the group. Share your experiences with others, and learn from those of the rest of the group.

Can I join with existing living group members?

Yes, during registration you have the option to join the program with existing living group members.

Do I have the option to cancel my membership?

Yes you can cancel any time and refunds are available only for cancellation after the first session.