Leadership That Can Adjust and Adapt

We caught up with Alicia Edsen, Senior Vice President at Kiewit Corporation, to hear about her experience in the Advanced Management Program.

The flexible program combines sessions in leadership with electives in strategy, finance, and innovation, as well as personalized coaching. Upon completion, participants join Booth’s alumni network of more than 58,000 leaders in 120 countries.

Here’s what Edsen—a senior leader in the construction industry—shared:

Why Booth’s Advanced Management Program?

AMP’s curriculum was ideal for me at this time in my career. I lead several diverse verticals in my role, which is in a highly regulated industry. All my communications must be highly adaptable, to resonate with different audiences and to shift as regulations change. AMP emphasizes how we can adjust as leaders to different people, needs, and situations: this was exactly what I needed to continue growing in my position. On a more personal note, I have twin seven-year-olds and travel 70 percent of the time. AMP’s flexible timing let me balance the program with my obligations to family and work.

My Experience

AMP staff shaped an environment where learning was easy and experimentation was encouraged. Our cohort represented a range of organizations: large, small, public, private, nonprofit, and so on. Though we all had different points of view, we shared many of the same day-to-day challenges. Collaborating across these global perspectives to develop ideas and solutions was a true highlight of the program.

Career Impact

Every day, I use two key tools I learned from AMP. One, as I mentioned, is adapting to different audiences and situations. We all have many authentic personas: We can choose which is the best to bring to a situation and audience. I now use this AMP framework to shape the right messaging for each of my teams, to align us as an organization on our direction and goals. It’s also helpful for developing talent. The other tool is experiential learning, especially by deliberately trying different practices in old routines. I do this every day in my role and constantly find new insights.

What’s Next

Having a reunion with our AMP cohort is definitely a priority. It’s been amazing to stay connected with all the participants who are now valuable friends as well. We have a WhatsApp thread where we share our experiences. This broader group has been a great resource for me professionally, and personally as well.

Final Takeaway

I’m confident that absolutely everything we worked on in AMP, every exercise and module, will help me continue to grow. The program offered me exactly what I needed at the beginning, and now I believe it will offer me just as much in the future as well.

About the Advanced Management Program

Booth Executive Education's flagship AMP program combines three week-long core sessions in leadership, a choice of electives across strategy, finance, and innovation, and personalized coaching. From day one, you’ll apply practical frameworks, gain insights from world-class faculty, and learn alongside a powerful global peer community. Upon completion, participants earn Chicago Booth alumni status. Learn more.