What I Learned from Teaching MBAs About Leadership
Apr 23, 2025 3:21 pm
Hello hello!
I recently wrapped up the second run of a course I co-teach for the Nichols College Executive MBA program: Creative Decision Making. It’s a fast-paced, seven-week course, co-led by both an academic and an industry practitioner—something truly unique in MBA education.
And wow, these students. Their final reflections had me energized and hopeful. They’re already applying what they’ve learned to become more inclusive, thoughtful, and self-aware leaders.
We designed the course to tackle big, messy, meaningful questions:
- How do we make thoughtful decisions in complex environments?
- How do we stay self-aware and inclusive under business pressures?
- Who's impacted by the decisions we make and how can we include their perspectives before the decisions are made?
- And how do we build change management habits that make our organizations—and ourselves—more human?
And wow, these students. Their final reflections had me energized and hopeful. They’re already applying what they’ve learned to become more inclusive, thoughtful, and self-aware leaders.
In their final reflections, they shared plans to:
- Invite more diverse perspectives into decision-making
- Implement thoughtful change management strategies
- Build habits that reduce emotional reactivity and increase empathy
- Balance business needs with real human impact
And one student’s words especially moved me:
“A heartfelt thank you to [professor] and Katie McLaughlin for the thoughtfulness, energy, and care you brought to this class. The course was amazing—diving into themes like self-awareness, inclusive decision-making, and navigating complexity in business gave me a lot to reflect on. I’m leaving this course with actionable tools, new perspectives, and deeper insight into my own leadership journey.”
Yes. This is why I do what I do.
If you're curious about how this kind of learning could support your own leadership—or help your team evolve in a more connected, empathetic way—I'd love to chat.
Cheers,
Katie
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