From directing school musicals as an “acting director” to structuring deals and executing strategies in private equity, and ultimately discovering her transferable skills in communication, stage presence, and coaching during her MBA, this is the story of Katinka Wodschow.
In this episode, John and Konsti sit down with “Kat” to explore what her early theatrical experiences taught her about the world of business and orchestrating different teams, the unconventional way she broke into private equity by applying for a full-time position even though the company sought a half-time student, how her cross-cultural exchanges in Hong Kong, U.S and Hawaii sharpened her curiosity and adaptability, and her vision for helping business leaders conduct cross-functional strategies by communicating with impact and authenticity.
Key Takeaways and Highlights:
1. The Similarities Between Acting and Business: Directing her classmates in annual school plays taught Kat how to engage different personalities, manage budgets and deadlines, and align everyone around a shared storyline. All skills she now applies to team projects and presentations.
2. A Non-Traditional Path into PE: Rather than wait for the “right” role, Kat suggested that the PE fund hire her full-time instead of two half-time student assistants, demonstrating her commitment and freeing up the firm’s budget. This approach fast-tracked her responsibilities despite a non-traditional CV path.
3. Coaching as Leadership: Through IMD’s individual and group coaching, Katinka recognised that asking reflective questions, mirroring people’s emotions, and summarising discussions are not just tools, they define her leadership “sweet spot” between caring and daring, unlocking people and teams’ full potential.
4. Balancing Learning and Performance: Being used to aiming for top performance in terms of grades, Kat is now at IMD, aiming for top learning. By choosing to invest time in non-graded challenges, such as the Venture Award, IMD’s Venture Capital program, and external pitch competitions, she prioritised deep learning over purely grade-driven work, underlining her view that true growth often occurs off the exam grid.
5. Handwritten Reflection for Retention: By using pen-and-paper notes with a two-column approach (lecture notes on one side and personal “Kat’s Reflections” on the other), she deepens understanding and ensures long-term memory of key insights.
6. Invisible, Impactful Leadership: Embracing the “invisible hand” style, Katinka steps in just enough to steer her teams through conflict and lets members shine, praising their successes while shouldering responsibility when things falter, a model she calls both motivating and effective.
Enjoy the show!
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