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“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.”
Rachel Carson, Silent Spring
The Rowe School of Business through the Faculty of Management has many innovative and exceptionally talented Professors.
Dr. Carolan McLarney is one of them as evidenced by her recent collaboration efforts to facilitate a virtual presentation with a Dalhousie alum who recently climbed Mount Everest.
Professor McLarney enhances the Strategic Leadership and Change capstone experience with lessons of exploration, communication and leadership that resonate and inspire program participants involved.
Dr. Carolan McLarney and Dalhousie alum Kevin Walsh (DDS’90)
in the new state-of-the-art studio in the Centre for Executive and Graduate Education in the Faculty of Management.
Dr. McLarney’s virtual presentation during the Strategic Leadership
and Change capstone course (MBA FS/L).
What lessons can students gain from the Mount Everest lecture and presentation?
Dr. Carolan McLarney:
There are three big lessons that come from the Everest lecture and were reinforced by Kevin’s presentation. First, we need to be more open to others. We must listen to what they tell us, understand what they see in us, and know that at their core they are genuinely good. Second, we need to create safe places within our teams (be they at work, in our communities or at home). These need to be places where all ideas are discussed and people engage in constructive dialogues. Finally, we need to be more accepting of the complexity in our world. Given what we have experienced over the past 18 months, I hope we have learned that many times in life things happen that are unexpected and difficult to perceive or comprehend. However, if we are open to those around us and have created safe spaces for everyone, then we can do the impossible: we can climb our own personal Everest.
Republished from Dal News
Stephen Abbott – August 27, 2021
Stephen Abbott – August 27, 2021
Rappel practice. (Provided photos)
Dr. Walsh, who summitted Mount Everest earlier this year, spoke with Carolan McLarney’s Strategic Leadership and Change capstone course for students in the MBA Financial Service and MBA Leadership programs.
For years, Dr. McLarney has been teaching a case study about the 1996 Everest disaster where eight mountaineers died in a blizzard. She asks what can be learned from the tragedy, from the perspective of a business professional. So, when Dr. McLarney saw an article about a Nova Scotian Dalhousie alum climbing Mount Everest in the middle of the pandemic, she wondered if he’d be interested in speaking with her students.
“I found his email address off his dental practice and wrote to him. He wrote me back and said, ‘I would love to chat about my time on Everest and climbing — but I’m in Kathmandu,” she says. When he got back in Canada, Dr. Walsh called her up and they were able to arrange a virtual presentation through the new state-of-the-art studio in the Centre for Executive and Graduate Education in the Faculty of Management.
In his presentation, Dr. Walsh discussed all the different aspects that go into summiting Everest, from training to preparation and communication.
He got hooked on mountaineering while stationed in Germany as a military dentist. He and his brother came across a mountain-climbing school and decided to try it out. At the time, he never thought he would climb Everest, but eventually after gaining more experience that once far-fetched idea became reality.
“Eight years ago, I decided I was ready for Everest, and I needed to make sure I had the proper training and planning,” he says.
After his extensive training, he left Nova Scotia earlier this year and his group summitted on May 23. It takes about 60 days to safely climb the almost 9,000-metre-tall mountain.
“Mountaineering is inherently a risky undertaking, especially if you’re not prepared. Leadership is so, so important,” Dr. Walsh says. “We had a great leader. I picked the guy I wanted to go with.”
“The chain of command has to be clear. If anything goes wrong, there needs to be a ‘buck stops here’ approach from the leader. It has to be clear who is in charge of what.”
Dr. Walsh, who has operated his family dental practice for 27 years, is no stranger to running a business.
“Getting your headspace around an expedition of this magnitude — planning, preparation is key and that applies to the business world. Having faith in your coworkers, or in the mountaineering case your fellow climbers is super important. You rely on each — you’re hanging off a rope together — and I think that lesson is also true in the corporate world.”
Dr. McLarney says she thinks the MBA students — who come from a diverse range of industries — walked away understanding “what it is to pursue your passions and be a good global citizen.”
Dr. Walsh echoed that sentiment while reflecting on his experience. “If you set your goals and have a plan and put it all in motion, almost anything is possible. I wouldn’t have guessed 10 years ago that I would have been standing at the top of the world back in May, but with the right approach you can get stuff done.”
“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.”
Carl Sagan
“I have a more wholistic lens on my academic experience and how it relates to the work I do everyday”.
Andrew Bonomo, MBA(L) Candidate (Class of 2022)
Andrew Bonomo, MBA(L) Candidate (Class of 2022)
Photo Provided
Andrew Bonomo began his MBA journey in 2019 with a focus on Leadership. Andrew has built a career in Financial Services but not in a conventional arm of the industry, as he oversees the Concierge and Food Services across North America. Andrew supports research and critical thinking to foster innovation and drive change at work.
CEGE Connection reached out to Andrew in a virtual interview to discuss his MBA program experiences and how his learnings are impacting the workplace.
Andrew Bonomo
As I reflect on my experiences at DAL, the continued education has been a rewarding experience. I first started in 2019 not knowing what to expect of graduate level studies. Being able to work and study (and do it well) was important to me. Recently, I started a new role overseeing the Concierge and Food Services across North America for a large bank in Canada. This business line provides some amenities to colleagues across our different corporate locations and also a Credit Card Lounge open to the public.
My engagement at school and work have quickly developed into a passion of constantly trying to find ways to bring learnings from school into the workplace. The critical thinking and diverse perspective help me develop recommendations and drive innovation at work. As I am nearing the end of the program, I have a more wholistic lens on my academic experience and how it relates to the work I do everyday.
Two semesters ago, I finished Finance, a course that was challenging and rewarding. I remember the many nights I spent studying and working on assignments as I prepared for exams. This semester I took Sustainable Leadership which provided an opportunity to use the more creative side of my mind. I was inspired by this course which focused on research-based arguments that either affirm or oppose statements regarding leadership. It was from our first live class dialogue that got me thinking about the future of leadership and how we can start preparing today.
Since that first class, I continue to find myself thinking about what’s to come next. I am motivated to do research to understand how technology and other societal nuances inform decisions and preferences that will affect newer generations coming into the world. Taking this one step further, it would be interesting to see what research shows about what these newer generations will require from organizations where they both work and spend their consumer dollars.
This directly ties to the work that I do as we look at making the right investments when building new spaces to attract and retain top talent of today and future generations. The future of work and leadership is changing as we see the landscape around us shifting. It is an exciting time to be doing research so we can influence changes and leave a legacy behind.
“Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.”
Ruth Reichl
This year, the Fall Graduating Class of 2021 will walk across the virtual stage to receive their diplomas and step onto the world’s stage.
Graduations mark the ending of a demanding academic journey and signal the beginning of an adventure that awaits. It is a time of celebration and anticipation, of farewells and of new plans.
CEGE Connection sends out warm congratulations to the Class of 2021. Thank you for your commitment to excellence, life-long learning, and the communities in which you live and work.
We know that whatever you do, you will be remarkable.
The CEGE Team
Master of Business Administration
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Master of Business Administration
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Master of Information Management
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Master of Public Administration (Management)
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And all those who are receiving their Graduate Diploma in Public Administration and Information Management and the Graduate certificate in Information Management.
DRIVING YOUR DEVELOPMENT
CENTRE FOR EXECUTIVE AND GRADUATE EDUCATION (CEGE)
Learn from Wherever You Are!
Develop your leadership and strategic knowledge management skills. Our experiential learning model allows you to apply your new competencies in your workplace with your very first course.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The MPA (M) is designed to meet the needs of not-for-profit and public service professionals seeking to enhance their careers. The program provides the flexibility of online instruction while ensuring an educational experience that is rigorous, relevant, and practical.
Designed and delivered by internationally recognized academics and senior public service practitioners, our program’s optimal blend of theory, analysis and day-to-day practical learning gives you a unique framework to address the complex national and global issues that leaders and executives face today and in the future.
DIPLOMA OPTION
The MPA (M) offers a seven course Graduate Diploma option. Recipients of the Graduate Diploma may elect to continue their studies to earn the Master’s degree
ADVANCED STANDING/PLACEMENT
Dalhousie recognizes several professional designations. Consult the department for more information.
Flexibility: Enjoy a highly flexible timeframe that caters to your lifestyle and learning needs. Our program’s blend of distance and face-to-face learning provides you with an opportunity to learn from
anywhere in the world.
Networking: Build a lifelong network of like-minded professionals across Canada.
DEVELOP YOUR COMPETENCIES
All courses in the MPA (M) program focus on the development of skills, knowledge and capabilities that will prepare you to manage and lead public sector organizations. Each course exposes you to the theories, concepts, applied techniques and current issues affecting the modern state and society and public governance. Graduates of the MPA (M) program will be able to effectively make decisions by applying a best practices approach to management.
BLENDED/ONLINE LEARNING – THE DALHOUSIE EDGE
The MPA (M) is a part-time program delivered primarily online, complemented by onsite intensives.
Instructors in the program are award-winning teachers with broad experience in distance education, research, and consulting. Our highly experienced team in the Centre for Executive and Graduate Education (CEGE) ensures high quality online learning.
LEARN FROM WHEREEVER YOU ARE
Designed for dedicated and goal-oriented mid-career professionals, programs delivered through the Centre for Executive and Graduate Education (CEGE) can be tailored to meet your needs.
Learn from wherever you are: Our blend of distance and face-to-face learning lets you study from wherever you are. Courses are delivered via the university’s online learning system, concluding with a two to five day face-to-face intensive component conveniently held in cities across Canada.
Flexible program options: You can complete your degree in as few as two and a half or as many as seven years, giving you the flexibility you need to balance your learning needs with your lifestyle and current professional responsibilities. Choose from a list of courses available year-round.
Learner-centred approach: Our award-winning instructors use an array of integrated learning technologies to provide you with a dynamic and interactive online learning environment.
Support centre dedicated to mid-career learners: The CEGE team will ensure you have the information and resources you need to focus on. driving your development and advancing your career.
CONTACT US
We are here to assist you every step of the way.
Apply Now: dal.ca/mpam
EMAIL: cege@dal.ca I TEL: 902.494.6391
TOLL FREE: 800.205.7510
School of Public Administration
Faculty of Management I Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 4R2 ‘
From all of us at CEGE Connection, we send out warm wishes for a joyful and memorable Thanksgiving.
“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”
Maya Angelou, Celebrations: Rituals of Peace and Prayer
TjanT
“The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man”
T.S. Eliot
Halifax Public Library
Yvonne Thevenot MBA(FS) Class of 1999
“Say what you mean
Mean what you say.
And do what you say you’re going to do.”
Barbara Coloroso
One of the most sincere and principled leaders I had the privilege of working with used the above quote as part of his personal brand. It rattles through my head from time to time along with the ghosts of leaders past and reminds me in a back-to-the-basics way, how simple some foundations of leadership trust can be.
Delivery of feedback is a tricky thing in building trust. The selection of words, the tone, the receiver’s state of mind. And yet, when delivered genuinely, with heartfelt intent and space to be safe, there can be so much room for imprecision, and intent truly can and does shine through. I remind myself, leaders are humans too!
So, my note this morning is to my leaders, both today and those ghosts of leaders past.
Thank you for these little whispers of wisdom that pop into my mind and heart when I need them most.
Thank you for trusting me enough to share your feedback – even if the delivery was not as finessed as you’d have liked.
And thank you for being open to my response, as human and unpredictable as it might have been.
Keep up the great work, and keep being you!
Yvonne Thevenot