Taking the LEAD

In response to student feedback and curricular updates, the University of Chicago Booth School of Business has redesigned the LEAD component of the Sokolov Executive MBA Program, enabling EMBA students to create a customized leadership experience tailored to their interests and career goals.

LEAD, an experiential leadership development program, has been a required course for all Booth MBA students for more than 35 years. Across MBA Programs, the LEAD curriculum continues to evolve over time to meet student needs. Now, EMBA students who start their MBA in fall 2025 or later will experience a more flexible approach to leadership development in keeping with their more advanced career status.

“Students coming into the Sokolov Executive MBA Program have an average of 13 years of work experience, so they approach leadership development in a way that is specific to their motivation for going back to school,” says Jenny Steiner, who leads the Chicago-based Global Career and Leadership Development team that oversees LEAD for EMBA students. “Our new LEAD program speaks to the individual pathways of our students and provides more options for where they want to grow.”

These enhancements allow EMBA students to create their own experience through executive coaching, career and leadership clinics, and conversations with experts and other executives. Students will engage in a variety of activities designed to help them clarify their priorities and prepare to lead with conviction.

The reimagined program combines new elements, such as LEAD Your Professional Journey, with existing components that were particularly valuable for previous participants. LEAD Your Professional Journey consists of two sessions: one during Kick-Off Week in Chicago, and the other during the Autumn Quarter’s International Weeks. In these sessions, students will build relationships with classmates, lay the foundation for leadership growth and career advancement, and learn about resources offered by the GCLD team.

Students will apply what they learned in these opening sessions to customize the remainder of their LEAD experience by choosing from workshops, lectures, discussion groups, and other activities.

For example, the Insights from Insiders series connects students with Booth’s executives in residence, faculty, and distinguished alumni, as well as leaders from global companies such as Amazon, HSBC, and Starbucks. In these sessions, students can ask career-related questions, hear about others’ leadership journeys, and expand their networks. The series also convenes small groups of students in discussion about specific industries or experiences with a senior-level Booth graduate.

Some optional LEAD activities focus more directly on career advancement. Monthly Career Clinics bring together groups of students to talk about topics such as executive presence, career pivots, salary negotiation, and interview techniques. Quarterly Leadership Labs encourage students to experiment and collaborate with classmates as they apply best practices to real-world problems.

EMBA students have unlimited access to one-on-one sessions with Booth’s executive coaches throughout their time at Booth. In these sessions, students can gain insights, develop individual goals, and make progress in areas such as self-awareness, networking, interviews, transition management, and market awareness. Students can also have their resumes reviewed by experts.

The GCLD team plans to closely monitor the LEAD components and adjust the offerings as necessary. “The changes to LEAD allow us to be more agile, nimble, and responsive to student needs,” Steiner says. “And ultimately, that’s what we want: to meet students where they are and provide opportunities for them to grow in a way that feels meaningful.”