This type of learning requires taking risks and challenging one’s attitudes and assumptions. The results include an improved ability to embrace opportunities as they arise, a greater capability in coping with challenges as they emerge, an enhanced ability to lead self and others through change experiences and increased conflict resolution skills. Above all, there is an improved ability to move from what may appear as a breakdown or burnout position to a more positive state of mind or position.

Over more than 20 years as a career transition coach, I have worked with hundreds of displaced business executives. My experience working with these executives, along with my experience teaching MBA students, has demonstrated the need for transformative learning experiences among our corporate leaders.

At all levels, I hear requests to teach “more individual leadership courses with personalized learning and change” and “productive and non-productive thinking styles and practices.” People participating in higher level business education want to improve their skills in areas like critical-analytical thinking and problem-solving, emotional intelligence levels, communication approaches, conflict resolution, team leadership, transition and performance management. Such requests support research which suggests that transformative experiences involving self-reflection are necessary before a leader can effectively lead others.

In order to make changes in behaviours, instructors need to move beyond purely intellectual knowledge transfer. To enable change to occur and to help participants implement new ideas, instructors must incorporate new ways of thinking and experimenting with new behaviours into program design and delivery. Most importantly, the specific needs of the executives and students have to be considered.

I have done just that in two of my MBA courses at McMaster. In the Leadership course, students are thrust into a “disorienting dilemma.” Early in the course, they complete a series of tests measuring their thinking styles, emotional intelligence, stress management, time management and cultural intelligence. They become “aware” of thoughts, behaviours, feelingsmany of which are unhealthy and unproductive. Students prepare a self-reflection and action plan in which they define what thoughts and behaviours they wish to change and how they will change them. A second critical reflection piece, allows students to walk through their transformative journey and learnings. Students describe the experience as “life-altering”, “revealing”, and “an individual leadership experience absolutely necessary before attempting to lead others”.

In my strategic organizational change course, students are also thrust into a “disorienting dilemma.” Students form groups and given an assignment. One week after group formation, case analysis and write-up, the students encounter their dilemma. I fire two members of each team. Those fired are moved to new teams, and the assignment begins again. The first official submission is a self- reflection piece by each team member, where they have to describe the experience of either being terminated and forced to work with a new team, or being a survivor, having teammates pulled from their group and new people placed on their team. Following submission of the case, students are asked to submit a second self-reflection piece on the experience after the dilemma. One student described the experience as, “At first I was in shock and completely out of my comfort zone, but when given the chance to reflect, and better understand where my thinking and actions were coming from, I learned and was able to practice different approaches to handling change situations.”

The goal of any business school should be to produce graduates who enter the workforce able to make key strategic decisions and initiate change within their industries.By encouraging students to fully understand self-thought and resultant behaviours, transformative learning helps build more authentic leaders for the future.

Dr. Teal McAteer is on the faculty of the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University and teaches organizational behavior and HR management. Dr. McAteer also has her own consulting practice specializing in the areas of strategic human resource management, motivation, career planning and development, change, stress and time management, and health and wellness.

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