Leadership Through Art: Three Perspectives from MAM Orientation
The Master of Advanced Management (MAM) Class of 2015 began a weeklong program of orientation activities on August 18. As part of orientation, the Leadership Development Program introduced a new workshop this year, in which students visited the Yale University Art Gallery and gave presentations on works of art and how those works related to their personal leadership styles and philosophies.
The art was really an instrument for self-reflection because something in the piece would make you tell a story from your own life, while standing in front of the group. We started the process of giving and getting feedback from the nitty gritty – like you’re shuffling on your feet – to ‘you start poorly and finish strongly.’ Or vice versa. It started a feedback loop with each other in a subject matter that wasn’t business.”
– Trevor Whelan, MAM ’15, UCD-Smurfit ‘14
By giving highly personal presentations on how works in the Yale University Art Gallery relate to their personal leadership styles and philosophies, students had an opportunity to learn about one another, present in a dynamic environment, and receive instant feedback from peers, staff, and faculty.
– Sarah Biggerstaff, Yale SOM Lecturer & Leadership Coach
What makes the MAM so compelling to top MBA graduates of Global Network schools is that it provides access to Yale's unrivaled resources - not just at the School of Management but across the entire university. It was wonderful to see the students work with some of the university's greatest treasures in the very first week of the program. The workshop demonstrated the creative energy and unique insights that come from purposefully connecting disparate areas of human endeavor.
– David Bach, Senior Associate Dean