Learning to Lead: An Overview of My Favourite Spring Class

Only three months into the Tech MBA program at NYU Stern, my classes have already played a large role in impacting my future career as a professional and leader. 

Our Spring semester was packed with many business core classes such as Accounting, Economics, Business Communication, and Leadership. Among all of these great classes, Leadership in Organization (LiO) – the opening class of the MBA, taught by Professor Petitt – specifically stood out. Not only because it was a very engaging class, but also because it’s centered on a topic that all of us can relate to. No matter what point of your career you are at, no matter if you are in a tech, creative or strategy team, Leadership will be the key to unlock your success at its maximum potential as well as the success of your organization. And, a bit more surprisingly, this course also taught me that strong leadership skills are critical to helping your personal relationships flourish. 

But first, let me start by addressing the most common question that people ask themselves (including me) when approaching a Leadership class: “Can I really learn Leadership in a classroom?”
The answer is rooted in the notion of leadership itself. Leadership is the ability to create change in a given environment; this could be your organization, your team or your family/friends.
We are all naturally capable of creating change by making decisions; if you think about it, you make hundreds of decisions everyday, with various degrees of risk. This course provided me with the right tools to analyze difficult situations and opportunities to act and to make difficult decisions to achieve the best outcomes for a set goal. And when I say making difficult decisions, I literally mean decisions that impact your actual life – not a business case, not a simulation. So yes, you can learn Leadership in a this classroom! 

So what was so good about this course? 

– Content: human, social and organizational aspects of leadership
Throughout our six intensive sessions, we have explored all the different dimensions and aspects of leadership, from individual motivations to group dynamics inside and outside the organization, touching on cultural differences in business interactions and ethical dilemmas. We covered a wide range of interesting topics, yet went deep enough to be able to embed these learnings into our professional lives. 

– Methodology: pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone
The greatest aspect of this course was the “experiential” component that enabled us to test our leadership skills in many different situations – I won’t spoil anything here, but get ready to push your limits and face some challenging situations! And – bonus point – while doing so, you will get to know your classmates better and also have fun!

– Outcome: increased self-knowledge
Because of the way the course was structured, through each session and each assignment we had the opportunity to reflect on our strengths and weaknesses when it comes to leadership and take actions to improve some of the key areas that are critical to become a good leader. I learnt about the theory and the frameworks, but most importantly I learnt more about myself, how to recognize my biases and how to overcome them, as well as how to leverage my current skills to improve my leadership style.

Mix all the above points with the enthusiasm and humor of Professor Petitt, and you will get all the ingredients for a memorable, game-changing class! 

Creating Community in a Virtual Environment

I’ve always heard people say that one of the biggest takeaways from business school is the community and network you create. In fact, the community of Sternies is one of the main reasons why I ended up at Stern for my MBA. Prior to starting the program, I was so excited to meet my classmates, learn from their experiences, and build an amazing community. Though, given the current state of the world, I was nervous about how all of that would work with a hybrid learning model.

It’s true that the experience looks a bit different from what I had first expected while going through the application process. As the program was first getting started, it was certainly daunting to create connections and make friends with brand new classmates in a virtual environment. This wasn’t just a new experience for me, but it was a new experience for all of us. As soon as we all embraced that this year would be a bit different but we were all in it together, we were able to make just as meaningful of connections through screens as we would have in person.

So how did we create a community in a virtual environment? Follow these tips and tricks to learn how:

Find a platform where everyone can stay connected: Our cohort has been loving Slack. Having a platform where the entire class is connected offers opportunities for us to chat throughout the day, share resources, celebrate one another and more. We’ve created different channels for us to discuss different topics that we’re interested in like tech, gaming, popular tv shows, and fitness.

Turn your camera on (if you can!): If you are able to, consider keeping your camera on while in class or participating in group events. Of course, there are different reasons why we need to keep your camera off, but if you are able to, having your camera on helps create that in-person experience. Using video offers the ability to see reactions, body language, and emotions. The use of video can make that virtual zoom feel that much more like real life.

Leverage the chat function and emojis: The chat function on video conferencing sites adds an additional layer of communication and connection with classmates. It’s another place where you can engage with your peers and learn more about each other along the way. The emojis allow you to acknowledge different moments without having to unmute. You can show that you agree, that you have something to contribute, applaud a classmate and more just with emojis.

Don’t just use Zoom for class – host virtual gatherings as well: Zoom isn’t just a great mechanism for class, it’s also a great way to build connections with your peers. With Zoom, you can host coffee chats, game nights, get togethers, open mics and more. It allows us to get together safely beyond just that classroom environment.

Bring elements of your personal life into the camera (if you feel comfortable!): It always brings the class joy when we get little glimpses of each others’ lives via Zoom. Whenever a cat decides to come on screen or a loved one makes a cameo, you can see large smiles across the grid of faces on Zoom. Getting that little glimpse of people’s lives is a reminder that we’re all Zooming from home during a challenging time — and we’re all in it together.

Why the Tech MBA, Why NYU Stern?

What a beautiful sight! I took this picture outside of the Kaufman Management Center on my first official day of classes as a member of the Tech MBA Class of 2022. It feels surreal to say out loud seeing as I submitted my application to Stern in November of 2019. An unforeseen global pandemic and a 7-month program delay later, I finally arrived on campus this past January as a full-time student. While it seems long ago that I was wading through the MBA admissions process and deciding on the right program for me, this past year has given me a unique opportunity to “sit” with my decision before attending school. I hope that by sharing my application experience and why I ultimately chose Stern’s Tech MBA program, I can provide some clarity to those thinking about pursuing their MBA and whether Stern would be a good fit.

A Little Bit About Me – 

After graduating from Villanova University in 2015 I spent 5 years as a Technology Consultant with Deloitte Digital in their Philadelphia office. There, I specialized in digital transformation project delivery for our public sector customers. I gained a lot of valuable experience during my time with Deloitte and got to see first-hand the powerful role that technology can play in driving positive human impact (namely the underserved constituent populations that our solutions supported). I developed a curiosity for human-centered design and started to feel the urge for change. Consulting was the only world that I knew, and I wanted to seek new opportunities that would allow me to use my skills to design and deliver the very solutions I was implementing as a consultant, from inside the organization. To do so required me to improve my admittedly narrow technology skillset and my business acumen. An MBA seemed like just the change I was looking for.

Why the NYU Stern Tech MBA – 

Fast forward. One of my first classes at Stern was Leadership with Nate Pettit (a class I highly recommend). During class, we talked about leading through change, specifically the importance of appealing to both emotion and logic. Both are required to affect change, much like a vector requires intensity and direction. Lightbulb! This is a perfect metaphor to illustrate how I arrived at choosing NYU’s Tech MBA as the next change in my career.

Appealing to Logic – 

During my MBA pursuit, I thought a lot about the direction of my career. This isn’t to say that I had my target company and role pre-determined but understanding where I was headed directionally helped me narrow my MBA program search. As I mentioned, I plan to stay in a technology or tech-adjacent industry. Roles in Product Management appeal to me and align well with my previous work experience. I knew that I was not using the MBA to make a huge pivot in my career but to accelerate it.

Therefore, the format of the Focused Tech MBA program made a lot of sense. Firstly, the one-year accelerated program had clear cost benefits. Getting an MBA is a big investment, and I felt that the one-year format was the more ROI-conscious choice given where my career was headed. I was also very sensitive to the fact that the pace of technological change is very fast. Being out of the workforce for too long in the tech industry would require a steeper learning curve post-MBA. The one-year format allowed me to minimize that risk.

The program’s focused curriculum provided an opportunity to build my technology acumen in a city with a finger on the pulse of the tech ecosystem. In New York, NYU has access to some of the largest and most innovative technology companies in the world. Whether learning through experiential opportunities alongside NYC-based companies or from faculty who come directly from the industry, getting that kind of exposure and experience in and out of the classroom would help me develop a unique point of view before heading back into the workforce. It crossed my mind that with a one-year accelerated program, one of the key differences from a traditional 2-year MBA is the lack of a built-in internship during the summer. I felt, however, that the experiential learning opportunities in our Tech MBA program were more than sufficient. From a logical perspective, the Tech MBA program seemed like a great format to maximize my MBA experience and align well with my career aspirations.

Appealing to Emotion – 

If the structure and benefits of the Tech MBA program provided the logical appeal for my decision, then the community at NYU appealed to my emotion. What really impressed me during my Stern application process was the emphasis on strong EQ. This is one of Stern’s values that you read about online and hear about from current students. It sounds cliché, but it is one of the biggest contributors to building a strong sense of community at Stern. I saw it first-hand in every interaction throughout my application process; whether I was talking to an alumnus, a current student, or a representative from the admissions office, everyone was welcoming and spoke to the collaborative and inclusive culture that exists at NYU. Classmates are willing to go the extra mile for each other and Stern alumni are eager to help current Sternies in any way that they can. In addition, the breadth of Academic Advising and Career Development resources at our disposal provide individualized attention to maximize your time in school and get you where you want to be after graduation. This made me feel confident that if I inevitably stumbled at any point throughout the year, NYU would be there to lift me up. The Tech MBA program, specifically, is a smaller cohort of people that come from all walks of life and careers. The size of the program lends itself to building strong and lasting relationships and offers an opportunity to learn from each other.

What was equally impactful for me was Stern’s call to action for students centered around change – “Dare It, Dream It, Drive It.” This really stuck with me. I felt that NYU recognized how powerful change can be to grow and encouraged students to embrace it. I felt that there would be no better place to embark on the biggest change in my professional career. NYU was exactly the place I was looking for: a community that understood the power of change.

I am happy to report that the past two months in the program have exceeded my expectations. I am being challenged academically, getting to know my incredible classmates, and learning from some of the best professors I have had in the classroom. I know that I made the right decision to choose Stern and that I am headed in the right direction.