SOM at 50: Lasting Lessons
Alumni reflect on the insights from faculty that have helped shape their lives and careers.
As Yale SOM celebrates its 50th anniversary, we are inviting alumni to reminisce about the people, programs, and moments that helped shape their paths and the values they carry into their work for business and society.
Recently, we asked alumni about the lessons from the SOM classroom that they’ve applied since graduation.
Professor Art Swersey taught us to always make sure you are answering the right question. This is so true in professional and personal life.
The best lesson I learned at SOM was to spend more time understanding before trying to solve. Business schools naturally teach you to answer questions. Yale taught me to ask better ones. This mindset changed how I approach people. Whether working with customers, colleagues, or stakeholders, I’ve learned that the fastest explanation is rarely the most accurate. Listening longer almost always reveals something that data alone cannot. It also changed how I think about organizations. The problems that matter most are rarely financial, operational, or strategic in isolation: they’re usually all three, shaped by incentives, culture, and human behavior. Seeing those connections has become one of the most valuable habits I took away from SOM. More than anything, Yale reminded me that leadership begins with humility. The goal isn’t to have the smartest answer in the room; it’s to understand the problem well enough that the right answer becomes clearer. That’s a lesson I try to practice every day.
The lesson I still put into practice is that technologies tend to move quicker than the social systems that they impact.
Reflections: SOM at 50
Help shape Yale SOM’s 50th anniversary celebration by sharing your reflections. Stay tuned for more prompts and read previous reflections as we celebrate this milestone together.
