Written by Casey Bennett, EMBA 2022
CPCP, CGFO Purchasing Analyst – City of Allen
The UT-Dallas Faculty and Staff have made this experience completely worth the time and money that I’m investing in my future. At work I’ve acquired a new professional certification and been allowed to completely re-write my job description into one that fits who I am and rewards me for all the effort I’ve put in, both at work and at school.
Gaining perspective through diversity
As a member of the Executive MBA program at UT-Dallas I have had an incredible experience with my classmates, starting with my study group. In just a few months’ time, my study group has quickly become like my second family! We have grown very close and are here for one another for career, family, and personal guidance/advice.
Since we all come from such varied backgrounds, I have learned a tremendous amount from the different cultures of the members of the Cohort, which leads to very powerful discussions about how these aspects of culture and values are translated into the workplace. We then dive deeper into these aspects of culture and values in the context of our leadership styles through our Organizational Behavior curriculum. The best part about this curriculum is that we are challenged to see our organization from the lens of humanity, giving us the opportunity to then unlock empathy as a powerful leadership tool for the sake of our organization’s success.
Investing in my future
From that standpoint, I have already seen a marked shift in the way that I am approaching my career, which is another important reason why I joined the program. I am now able to see my environment at work from a different lens, allowing me to see through any rhetoric to the truth of my situation at work. I’ve also seen a difference in my standards for what I want in a workplace environment, thus allowing me to create a workplace that matches my personal values.
Lastly, the work that I’m putting in with my Executive Coach is already starting to show results as I have been able to re-work my personal brand into one that is powerful, consistent, and allows my unique personality to shine. The UT-Dallas Faculty and Staff have made this experience completely worth the time and money that I’m investing in my future. At work I’ve acquired a new professional certification and been allowed to completely re-write my job description into one that fits who I am and rewards me for all the effort I’ve put in, both at work and at school. Next step – here I come!
