In today's rapidly evolving landscape, characterized by unprecedented levels of uncertainty and societal unrest, the role of business leaders extends far beyond profit margins. This dynamic course delves deep into the heart of intricate leadership challenges, equipping future business leaders with the tools to navigate complex dilemmas in an increasingly polarized world. As students grapple with multifaceted issues such as the intersection of business and politics, race relations, environmental concerns, and cultural nuances, they'll learn to strike a delicate balance between diverse stakeholder demands. Tackling real-world scenarios, from the controversial to the day-to-day, they'll uncover strategies to foster open dialogue, make autonomous decisions, and steer organizations with purpose. Guided by a comprehensive framework built on introspective questioning, this course empowers students to transcend reactive responses and cultivate an impactful, values-driven leadership style that resonates within communities and organizations.

*This course is currently offered in the Evening MBA and Executive MBA programs. 

Leading People and Organizations is dedicated to refining the vital skills needed for successful people management, a linchpin of thriving enterprises. Students explore the complexities of guiding individuals, teams, and networks, honing the 'soft' skills that distinguish exceptional leaders. Grounded in practicality, this approach ensures students are well-prepared to tackle the real-world challenges of the business landscape. From theoretical foundations to hands-on application, students develop the insight to navigate intricate organizational dynamics, utilize proven strategies to enhance team performance, and cultivate self-awareness about their own leadership style and beliefs. Engage in collaborative discussions with peers, delving into critical leadership issues, as you elevate your career prospects by mastering the art of effective leadership.

Discover the innovative realm of People Analytics—a departure from traditional HR practices, adopting a data-driven approach to managing personnel. Students gain insight into its transformative impact on diverse areas, including recruitment, performance assessment, leadership, and compensation.

In this course, students actively engage with real-world data sets, honing their analytical skills and statistical acumen. They learn to apply essential statistical techniques to actual organizational data, translating insights into strategic recommendations.

Beyond statistics, students will delve into the fusion of data science, psychology, and strategic management—a triad that defines People Analytics. This holistic skill set empowers students to excel as data-conscious managers in today's dynamic, analytics-focused organizations.

Sports offer a unique and insightful framework for understanding leadership dynamics. Individuals of all ages look up to athletes and teams, forging enduring emotional connections. Interestingly, the realm of higher education often lacks specialized courses that delve into sports as a business, encompassing crucial lessons in leadership and ethics with universal applicability. This course leverages sports analytics to address business complexities, demystifies pathways to thriving in the sports business sector, and fosters the creation of innovative analytical tools through the fusion of computer science, mathematics, and statistics.

This selective program offers first-year MBA students the opportunity to partake in leadership-focused workshops and instruction in the spring semester in preparation to mentor incoming first-year MBA study teams in the fall. 

Students participate in a weekly lecture and discussion series led by guest speakers ranging from heads of Fortune 500 companies to renowned professors and experts in fields such as behavioral economics and ethics. 

At the start of their second year, our Peer Leadership Coaches work closely with incoming first-year student groups to ensure that each student has positive guidance as they launch their MBA experience. Our students maintain close-knit relationships with one another and serve as coaches, advocates, and friends as they continue recruiting and exploring life after McCombs.

On the McCombs MBA Leadership Expedition, you will hone practical leadership strategies and outdoor technical skills over ten days of travel amongst the isolated mountain valleys, ragged icy peaks, and swift-moving rivers of Patagonia. Daily, you will be challenged to exercise individual decisiveness while facilitating excellent teamwork skills relevant to school and business. This wilderness expedition supports McCombs's classroom curriculum by providing lessons that are immediate and lasting.