THE EXECUTIVE INTEGRAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM AT NOTRE DAME

(reported by Leo Burke)

The program this week is underway for 64 Executive MBA students, mostly from the Midwest but stretching from New York to San Francisco. It’s a lot of fun and we’re conducting it in a new “AQAL” or integral learning space – very cool. Our new Learning Commons has spaces for class teaching (LR), individual reflection (UL), and small group dialogue (LL).

The Executive Integral Leadership Program is offered both in a non-degree format to outside executives and as part of our Executive MBA (EMBA) curriculum. This five-day program includes both an overview of integral leadership (quadrants, levels, and lines applied to business), as well as a number of “integrally informed” components. These include the use of a 360° instrument (the Leadership Circle) and individual coaching, modules on health and wellness, negotiation, optimal experience, and advanced communication tools. There are “sidebar” modules on leadership improvisation (with comics from Second City), leadership and art (using the University art museum), and business storytelling. In addition, participants work on either a pressing business or personal issue using a journaling inquiry process. Throughout the program linkages are made to current business stories and the integral model.

We have offered the non-degree version twice, and it will continue to be offered twice a year. The EMBA version has run three times (including this week), and is offered twice a year. We have EMBA programs both in South Bend and Chicago. Within the next few months we may be doing a customized version of this for a corporate client, as well as a version in Chile.

The response has been humbling. Here are representative comments from the last EMBA session.

“This week far exceeded my expectations. At the core, I learned much more about myself and about my need for enlightenment, reflection, introspection, etc. The challenge will be to carry this learning, hold motivation and ‘be the change’ I want to see in this world.”

“I learned more about myself in this week than in the last 20 years. Now I need to express this new knowledge in the workplace.”

“The course far exceeded my expectations. The exercises really helped reinforce the theory. My only recommendation would be to lengthen the program.”

“Great program – the opportunity for growth is immense. This is the reason I came to Notre Dame – to not only grow intellectually and expand my business acumen, but to grow more holistically, physically and emotionally as a leader.”

“Great program. High point of the MBA program – most useful class in the whole 1.5 years!”

I’m encouraged that the program is beginning to attract the interest of some of our traditional business school faculty; a couple of senior profs are sitting in to learn how they can link the program to their other courses. All in all, our work here is really quite simple. We simply push birds out of the nest so that they discover they can FLY.