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Morven Fitzgerald: Transitions & Transformations

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“Over the years, technology and new ways of sharing and exchanging knowledge kept CEGE’s programs innovative and relevant. It has been exciting to look back at what we have accomplished, but it is even more rewarding to look forward to new on-line/blended learning possibilities that are waiting for us in the future.” Morven Fitzgerald, Integrated Learning Coordinator MPA (M) & MIM Programs


Morven Fitzgerald, Integrated Learning Coordinator MPA (M) & MIM Programs

 

Over the years, technology and new ways of sharing and exchanging knowledge kept CEGE’s programs innovative and relevant. It has been exciting to look back at what we have accomplished, but it is even more rewarding to look forward to new on-line/blended learning possibilities that are waiting for us in the future.” Morven Fitzgerald

Morven Fitzgerald, Integrated Learning Coordinator for the Masters of Information Management and Master of Public Administration Management programs, was there from (nearly) the beginning of the MBA(FS).  From its genesis to present day, Morven has been a witness to the remarkable transformations that have occurred at the Centre for Executive and Graduate Education (CEGE) within the short time frame of 21 years.

I have been with CEGE since 1999,” Morven recalled in a recent FaceTime interview.  “It seems so very long ago! But it all comes back with a fresh perspective, especially as we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the MBA(FS) program. I tended to work in the background to facilitate and coordinate student activities and requests. I did not travel as much as Michelle; instead, I was engaged in creating and shipping intensive materials, plus receiving assignments by fax and getting them returned to students and support for whomever needed whatever.

Looking back, what we accomplished was remarkable. Delivery was through a formal web board that today we would call a “blog” (long before blogging was a term). Lesson notes were created to fill the gap created by no formal lectures in a classroom. Any electronic documentation was attached to the blog and viewable by all within the course. Private communication necessitated the use of external email. Assignments were returned by fax. As outdated as this sounds, it was well ahead of its time all those years ago.

In 1999, while I was engaged with the MBA(FS) students, in another part of the building, the Master of Public Administration (Management) students attended school every other Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. There was a two-week hiatus between classes for assignments and hand-ins, readings and research. There was a 3-hour exam at the end of each course. Unlike the MBA(FS) program there were no formal “lesson notes.” The sole means of communication at that time was email; the only classroom equipment were whiteboards and projectors (when they worked, if they were there). The on-campus MPA moved under the CEGE umbrella. With the final cohort of students due to graduate in a couple of years, new means of delivering the program were being explored in order to reach a larger, more diverse, audience.  WebCT, a learning management system (LMS) software application for the delivery of on-line/blended education, was the next iteration in technology.

I was selected to bring the Master of Public Administration(M) program online with WebCT. Shortly thereafter, I moved the MBA(FS) program onto the same system as it had tested so well with MPA(M).  The Master of Information Management was a natural addition to CEGE’s program.

The Centre for Executive and Graduate Education is known to respond to the ever-changing business environment by offering degree programs specific to the sector and the audience it will serve.  In addition to the MBA(FS), professionals have the choice of an MBA that specializes in Leadership, Master of Public Administration (Management) and Master of Information Management. 

Over the years, technology and new ways of sharing and exchanging knowledge kept CEGE’s programs innovative and relevant. It has been exciting to look back at what we have accomplished, but it is even more rewarding to look forward to new on-line/blended learning possibilities that are waiting for us in the future.

 

Lisa Colangelo: Recognizing the Individual Journey

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“One constant exists in today’s work environment – change. In the past three years, the typical organization has undertaken five enterprise changes: cultural change, restructuring, market expansion, leadership transition, or a merger or acquisition. Two-thirds of these changes fail to deliver against their stated goals, and they are also not happening quickly enough.”
Lisa Colangelo, Dalhousie MBA Leadership Candidate, 2022

Lisa Colangelo, Dalhousie MBA Leadership Candidate, 2022

Lisa Colangelo, SVP Retail Banking Coast Capital Savings Federal Credit Union, is currently in the MBA Leadership program.  In a recent virtual interview with CEGE Connection, Lisa shared her thoughts on leading change within a complex business and social environment.

Lisa Colangelo

What does change look like for people in an organization? Think of a ‘curve’ as the process we go through as individuals, and the process in an organization that creates sustainable support for a new process over time.  Individuals ascend this curve at different times; some, like sponsors, go through the process early; others commit to the process once they confirm that their leaders embrace change. The responsibility to set the pace rests with the leader.  Supporting and believing in the change process will encourage your teams to actively participate and thrive during transitions.

How does this play out for individuals within an organization?  Initially, we are simply aware of a change.  As we gather more information, we start to understand that change; then if conditions are right, we may decide to accept the change.  For change to be successful in the long run, that acceptance shifts even further, into feeling fully committed to or even taking ownership over the new way of being.  Does this connect for anyone on a personal level?

The most valuable takeaway may simply be for leaders to be conscious that they are going through a process themselves personally, and that it is okay to struggle or need specific things to get to the next stage.

Moving up the curve can require various things: more information, more encouragement, connecting the dots on individual benefits, even having a chance to kick the tires. The watch out: just like walking uphill, it is easier for groups or people to slide back down a curve than to progress up it!  Be sure that you get what YOU need to move up the curve if you feel yourself sliding back or feeling stuck.

Once a leader is up their own curve, then they can help move their teams from awareness to understanding, then from acceptance to ownership.  So as leaders, we use this model to help ‘clue them in’ to warning signs that teams or individuals are sliding back down.

There are some clues to recognize where you and your team are located on the curve.  As well, there are also reliable clues when people are ‘coming back down!’

When you become aware of an impending change, be curious and open to innovation. Of course, there is always uncertainty with transitions. There may even be cause for concern if people seem unaware that change taking place.  But once individuals become aware, they generally move to understanding by asking questions and integrating fresh information.  Training is essential to highlight how roles and workflow will change.  Confusion is a natural part of the process as we sift out the right information from myths and assumptions.  This is the time when you can bring clarity and purpose to the discussion, thereby positioning individuals and your team for success.

Once we understand a change, we have a choice: we can resist it, or we can accept it.  Now, one of the watch outs here is our tendency to believe that no news is good news or worry if we hear a lot of questioning and feedback (i.e., “road noise.”)  On the contrary, this questioning is a crucial part of what is needed for individuals to fully acknowledge and accept a change.

Once people accept that a change is really happening, there are two ways: actively oppose it or actively support it.    Active support means that the change is the new normal, and we even see individuals show that they believe it is here for good, suggesting improvements and wanting performance measures to be based in the new way.  That is when you know the change can be sustained over time.

Lisa Colangelo
Dalhousie MBA Leadership Candidate, 2022

 

Welcome Kim Brooks, Dean of the Faculty of Management, Dalhousie University

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“I love the Faculty’s mandate to inspire solutions.  When you think about the function of a Faculty of Management in the University, no other Faculty has quite that same mandate – we take ideas from inspiration to realization.  That is our talent set and intellectual project.  It is exciting to be in a place that is so actively engaged in making the world a better place one organizational or individual decision at a time.”
Kim Brooks
Dean, Faculty of Management
Purdy Crawford Chair in Business Law

Kim Brooks
Dean, Faculty of Management
Purdy Crawford Chair in Business Law

 

Dalhousie Faculty of Management’s incoming dean, Kim Brooks is excited to connect with alumni and friends across the country.   In a recent virtual interview with CEGE Connection, Kim shared her thoughts on embracing a new adventure and her plans for the coming year.

Tell us a little about yourself: 

I was born in Saskatchewan and I have lived in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.  If you track back a couple of generations, one strand of my family came from Freeport, Nova Scotia.  The great thing about that is that no matter who I meet from Canada, I usually have some connection to where they live!

I went to University of Toronto for my undergraduate degree, where I had a double major in English and Economics.  From there, I studied law at UBC and then completed a Masters in Taxation at Osgoode (York University).  I practiced tax law for a while in Toronto at Stikeman Elliott.  But I missed the varied discussions that you find at the University – I love talking to people about everything from astronomy to psychology to engineering.

What attached you to the FoM Deanship position?

I love the Faculty’s mandate to inspire solutions.  When you think about the function of a Faculty of Management in the University, no other Faculty has quite that same mandate – we take ideas from inspiration to realization.  That is our talent set and intellectual project.  It is exciting to be in a place that is so actively engaged in making the world a better place one organizational or individual decision at a time.

What are your goals and vision for the faculty?

I do not think I personally have any goals or vision: I think our project is to work together to elevate our game.  We have this fantastic vision already – where will it take us in the next three to five years?

Top priority over the next year?

Survival?  No!  More seriously, I think we have lots of experience with online teaching and learning in our Faculty, so we are so much more prepared for this moment than lots of other institutions.  A major priority internally is to support colleagues as we try to make this year great for students in the face of some substantial challenges.  But I also think we have room to move strategically as a Faculty.  I would like us to be the faculty of choice for students, staff, faculty members, policy makers, organizations and communities who want to generate real world solutions.

What message would you like to convey to students starting their academic career with Dal’s FoM?

This year is going to be different: see if there are differences that are appealing to you.  Think about how you learn and whether there are ways that virtual and online options might enable you to structure your life in ways that you would not have expected.  Do not be reluctant to reach out to your profs and fellow students and build community.  We are here to support you and make your time at Dal extraordinary.

Kim Brooks
Dean, Faculty of Management
Purdy Crawford Chair in Business Law

 

Dr. Isabelle Caron: Employee Engagement and Motivation

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I believe that employee engagement and motivation are crucial to any organization. You can change an organizational structure, your processes, your policies, you can talk about leadership as much as you want, you can increase salaries and benefits, if your employees are not engaged and motivated, your organization will never perform.

Dr. Isabelle Caron, Assistant Professor, School of Public Administration, Dalhousie University

Dr. Isabelle Caron, Assistant Professor, School of Public Administration has graciously shared her insights on research with our readers of CEGE Connection. Dr. Caron focuses on the exercise of administrative control and accountability in public institutions.  The includes exploring diversity and inclusion in the public sector, including recruitment and retention of women in the armed forces.

Dr. Isabelle Caron:

Over the past two years at Dalhousie University, I have realized that my favourite research topic is employee engagement and motivation. I am interested to understand what affects employee engagement and motivation (impact of diversity climate, impact of red tape and control, impact of trust, impact of cooperation, etc.). I believe that employee engagement and motivation are crucial to any organization. You can change an organizational structure, your processes, your policies, you can talk about leadership as much as you want, you can increase salaries and benefits, if your employees are not engaged and motivated, your organization will never perform. If your employees don’t feel that they are important and that their work is meaningful and if they are not treated with respect (this includes respect of diversity), they will not be engaged and will never be productive.

My interest for this topic probably comes from my own experience as a former federal public servant. I have seen so many times a new leader coming to an organization and changing the organizational structures, the processes, the policies, delivering amazing speeches to employees while employees didn’t understand their role in the whole system, the purpose of their work and were not treated respectfully. At the end, employees don’t care anymore, do minimum work and are frequently absent. This can kill an organization (even a public organization!). I hope my research will contribute to a better understanding of the importance of employee motivation and the crucial role of managers.

 My main projects for this year:

I was just awarded a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight Development Grant (SSHRC IDG) and Department of National Defence (DND) supplement to look at the retention of women in the Canadian Armed Forces. More specifically, it looks at how the perception that women have of the Canadian Armed Forces can be an obstacle to female retention. This project combines my interests for employee engagement and for diversity management as I will look at how the perception of the way diversity is being managed in this organization impacts women’s engagement and their decision to remain or to leave the organization.

I currently work on a joint research project entitled “Performance-Information Use in Switzerland, Germany and Canada: Do Organizational Climate and Cooperation Among Actors Matter” with a colleague from Switzerland and a colleague from Germany. This project examines the extent to which performance information use is developed and implemented in local governments (80 municipal governments in Canada). We are currently in Phase 1 of this project as we are developing the survey tool. I am in charge of the research done in Canada.

I am also part of a team who was awarded a grant from the Digital Ecosystem Research Awards entitled “The Attention Paid to Indigenous Issues in Twitter by Candidates in Federal Elections”. This project aims at understanding the determinants of Indigenous issues attention by election candidates on Twitter, with partisan affiliation and characteristics of local riding being the most salient hypotheses. As well, we will investigate if national advocacy groups representing Indigenous people and issues are able to set the agenda and compel political parties to position themselves on Indigenous issues, and if the overall priorities of Canadians are matching with the messages posted by candidates of the main political parties. My interest lies in the attention that will be given to Indigenous women on Twitter during the federal election campaign.

I also was just awarded a grant from the Government of Quebec to publish a book on the place of Francophonie in Canadian public policies. I will be the editor for this book. Nine authors located across Canada (including myself) have agreed to write a chapter. In addition, Graham Fraser, former Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada has agreed to write a preface for this book. The book should be released in June 2020.

I also collaborate with my colleagues from the faculty of management on a project that looks at the effects of household food culture and division of unpaid labour on Canadian women’s reliance on ultra-processed foods.

What are the broader implications of your research outside of academia?

My research contributes to understanding what factors impact performance and how managers and leaders can influence those factors. My main focus is on public organizations, although I believe it could easily apply to any type of organization.

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself five years ago?

Don’t limit your collaborations to the people in your specific field of research, try to collaborate with people from very different fields. It opens your perspectives and pushes you to look at your research from a totally different angle. When I did my PhD, this is certainly not something I was encouraged to do. Faculty members always talk about the importance of multidisciplinary research, but I have realized over time that many of them are reluctant when comes the time to collaborate with people from different fields. Only few researchers are genuinely open to look at their research from a very different point of view.

If you had a magic wand, what would you do to support the research community in the Faculty of Management?

I would make a lot of money appear to support faculty members’ research! I would also get rid of the structural barriers to allow more genuine research collaborations between the different fields!

Tell us a few words about yourself not related to research.

I am the mother of three children! In my free time, I like to run with my daughter, I love travelling and I love food (not so much the cooking part but mostly the eating part, which is why I run!).

Golnaz Zilabi: 2020 Opportunities, Innovative Thinking, Building Resilience

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“The MBA(FS) had a remarkable impact on my career advancement. Alongside higher education and knowledge, the years within this MBA program provided new skills, superior perspective and personal reputation through an accredited graduate degree. I have been privileged to interact with high-level professionals and senior leaders through my organization. Most importantly, I gained access to an extensive alumni network with my colleagues through Dalhousie University.

Golnaz Zilabi, MBA(FS) Class of 2019

Golnaz Zilabi, MBA(FS) Class of 2019

 

Golnaz Zilabi, Portfolio Analyst at RBC Wealth Management Private Banking, was a member of IRIS Cameras,  International Business class team that finished 1st place in the GLO-BUS simulation exercise conducted during IB Winter 2018.  Graduating in the Class of 2019, Golnaz discussed her thoughts on accepting the challenge of a robust academic journey and how her studies influenced her personal and career goals.

In a recent interview with CEGE Connection, Golnaz  has come back to share, one year later, how the MBA(FS) influenced her journey since crossing the stage to receive her degree in 2019.

Golnaz Zilabi

My reasons for pursing MBA studies were both personal and work-related goals.

The academic content within the MBA(FS) was aligned to my career in Portfolio Management.  As a seasoned Portfolio Analyst, I recognized that my current platform was responsive, but with the competitive nature of the financial industry and evolving technological advancements, I needed to be proactive within a rapidly changing environment.   Over this past year, my focus within my organization, was on increasing agility, specifically in the area of financial project management. My reading in the area of risk management books and articles relating to qualitative risk techniques has been extensive, enabling me tackling strategic plans and new initiatives. In a volatile world, responding and adapting to fluctuations and uncertainties is a strategic imperative to thrive within this dynamic milieu.

My MBA(FS) years reminded me that I needed to embrace creativity to achieve balance and personal well-being.  I have enjoyed exploring this area of endeavour.  I began with choosing simple steps to expand my comfort zone and overcome my tentative reservations such as aspiration and presentation skills. With each step, I found that the variety of new projects and ideas that I examined, such as interior designing, propelled my creativity forward.

Travelling with my family has always been very important to me. Our world has a lot of amazing places to visit and learning about new locations and sightseeing is a way of including creativity in my family’s life.

I am committed to giving back to my community.  I enjoy volunteering at my children’s schools, especially accompany their classes on field trips. Getting involved is a great way to show my children that I am taking an interest in their education. I want them to know that learning is an invaluable gift, one that will continue to impact on their lives as they move forward in their education.

The MBA(FS) had a remarkable impact on my career advancement. Alongside higher education and knowledge, the years within this MBA program provided new skills, superior perspective and personal reputation through an accredited graduate degree. I have been privileged to interact with high-level professionals and senior leaders through my organization. Most importantly, I gained access to an extensive alumni network with my colleagues through Dalhousie University.

Editor’s Note: CEGE Connection is thrilled that Golnaz Zilabi has agreed to be a repeat contributor on CEGE Connection.

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