There is an overall approach to the program founded in the Catholic Ignatian study of human development, values, and traditions. The program experience is going to be a bit different though for each person depending on their elective courses and how they apply their studies. My studies have focused on creating change and leading through service. These two themes are complimentary of one another. Much of my early career was founded in both change and service. I plan to continue this approach in my relationships, but now I have a better understanding of why change does or does not work and how to create an environment where change sticks.

The program is designed to include various learning experiences for working professionals (online, campus, and domestic/foreign trips). I found the online platform to be an exceptional tool to connect with others and study the topic of leadership. I was able to see into the hearts and minds of so many of my peers through the online format that a traditional classroom environment does not allow.

The courses were scheduled in 8-week modules so they could be taken one at a time. This helped tremendously in time management. It allowed me to focus and deep dive my studies. A big credit also goes to my wife. I was successful only with her help. She was patient and giving of her time. I spent countless evenings and nights studying and writing papers. She supported my efforts, read many papers, and listened to my ruminations. My approach to my studies was to go above and beyond the minimum requirements. I really tried to engage in a big way on the discussion boards and zoom meetings. Giving generously of my time and effort was a way to help the growth and progress of my peers. I saw it as a way to practice what I was studying. This was only made possible because my wife was so generous with her time and effort. Much of the credit to my successful completion of the program goes to her.

I love books too! I have read countless books on leadership. There is something special that Gonzaga's Organizational Leadership program offers. Their Ignatian approach to education through Experience, Reflection, and Action creates a unique learning environment. My experience has been life changing!

My peers in each course are what I enjoyed most. Coming together virtually allowed a unique and diverse group of people to gather. My peers were geographically concentrated around the Northwest, but they also represented cities across the US. They could even be found in Germany and Saudi Arabia! Their professions ranged from public service, engineering, accounting, finance, human resources, military, information technology, sales, and sports. Organizations such as Amazon, Google, and Apple were represented. Also included were countless mid-sized and smaller private and public organizations. My peers ranged anywhere from early to late career professionals. What a beautiful group of peers to see and experience the world through! They all brought a great strength to the program.

Transforming Leadership was one of my favorite courses. I found satisfaction in the process of film analysis and weekly zoom discussions. Using film to study character and leadership development brought everything to life and helped me create a new way of seeing the world. When I work with others now, I'm able to visually perceive a more holistic picture of who we are and how our lives change over time. Our weekly discussions were also always something I looked forward to.

The course I was most excited to take in my studies was Listen, Discern, Decide. I took it as early as I could in the program. It was my second class. Although initially maybe the least impactful, I found increased meaning in each subsequent course. The wonderful thing about the program is that each course builds on prior courses. Taking this class so early in my journey gave me time to reflect and find further meaning on the topic. Much of what we do as leaders and how we impact others depends on our ability to listen. This course set a beautiful foundation for expanding this leadership competency!

Oh, to pick just one book! That's tough. I read many great ones. The biggest impact from what I read is maybe not so much "what" I read but "how" I read. Yes, many of the books we studied were different than what I've read prior to the program, but to read the books with a purpose helped me pick up on nuggets that I would not have otherwise picked up on had I studied without the aid of my professors guiding that intentional process. The approach to learning in the program was refreshing! One book that was meaningful to me though was a book called Left for Dead by Beck Weathers. This was a supplemental book I picked up as part of my studies for Organizational Theory and Behavior. In the course we studied the events of the Mount Everest tragedy that happened in 1996. Beck Weathers was a survivor. His book gave a glimpse into his life leading up to and after the climb. I highly recommend his narrative for a study on human and organizational behavior. This book would also pair well with my studies of Transforming Leadership.    

The most difficult course I took was Leadership, Justice, and Forgiveness. Not only did the course include material that touched the inner depths of who we are as humans, but I was pushed to take responsibility for some of my personal pain and struggles that I have experienced in relationships. It was uncomfortable and frustrating to talk about how I have been hurt by others while at the same time exploring how I can still take responsibility for that hurt. To complete the course, I read just over 2,300 pages of text, which equals about 25% of the total text I read throughout all my program! It was a lot to keep up with. What an important topic to study as leaders. Our world needs much more of this in our relationships and leadership.

Leave it up to my son to ask a question like this. It's a fair question and one that I think a lot of people ask when I tell them what I'm studying. For me, this study has been life-changing in how I approach my relationships and how I see the world. I want to be a senior leader known for my ability to bring people together and create change.