Speaking recently as part of student-organized speaker series at the Kellogg School of Management’s Saturday MBA Program, Kellogg Dean Sally Blount advised students that true leadership begins with strong, inspired work and is supported by building relationships and fostering dialog.
“You want to be known as a person who makes things happen, but does so in an understated, collaborative way,” she told the part-time students. “People want to work with people like this.”
Before becoming dean of Kellogg in 2010, Blount held positions at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and New York University’s Stern School of Business, and in these and other positions she eventually learned to follow her inner instincts rather than cater to social expectations, she said.
“I’ve been rewarded every time I’ve hunkered down and done what I believe in,” she said. “That has to be our goal — to do work out of passion, love and belief.”
Blount also encouraged building real relationships rather than simply networking. “Building relationships creates reasons to follow up,” she said, stressing that mindful and consistent personal connections are much more meaningful than widespread networking through social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn.
“Networking may be in vogue, but she was clear that relationship building is really where long-term success lies,” said Kellogg student Mohan Kompella, who helped organize the speaking event. In a post-talk Q&A session, Blount also stressed that true leaders need to set realistic work-life expectations.
“The idea of relationship building and her challenge for us to understand all phases of our lives and the tradeoffs that might have to be made were important words to hear,” Kompella continued.
For more on Blount’s address to the Kellogg Saturday MBA Program, click here.
Read the full article: Kellogg Dean Provides Life, Career Advice to Part-Time MBA Students