By Zach Hyman
The MSLCE program came to a close for the year on June 6th with the final Leadership and Teamwork class, an elective taught by Kellogg professor Gail Berger. In honor of the occasion, every student had the opportunity to present their “vision of leadership.” The results perfectly reflected the unique road we’ve traveled this year with MSLCE.
At the start of the course we focused on personal discovery, learning more about our strengths and weaknesses before moving on to management and negotiation strategies. It all culminated with these final vision statements, which illustrated how we have evolved as leaders in the creative industries.
One student showed off a custom-made map of Disneyland’s Magic Kingdom that she had tailored toward herself. Another put together a watercolor book complete with intricate calligraphy. We saw a few videos, an animation, and an exposé on leadership ghosts. The presentations ran the creative gamut as everyone got a chance to shine. For a program that often featured real-to-life group projects, this final gave us a chance to see everyone’s individual spark.
Professor Berger finished class with a recap of her most important takeaways before sending us off into the summer. Leadership is not just the study of telling people what to do – it is about team motivation, building a positive environment where risks are encouraged, and never “trying to do it all by yourself.” A good leader should be aware of his or her position as a “moral compass and role model” and never let personal politics get in the way of innovation.
With many MSLCE students on the verge of beginning an internship, we have the opportunity to apply our newfound skills right away. I feel like this class gave me a new outlook on what it means to be a leader. Much like the entirety of the MSLCE program, I will take these lessons with me for the rest of my life.