Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/56805
BY SUSAN FEINBERG M ost MBA students don't expect to be playing percus- sion instruments on a symphony stage or performing improvisational scenes and mono- logues during the course of their studies. But as business schools look for memorable ways to teach leadership and critical thinking skills, the fine arts have gained a presence in many programs. The idea is that students need to learn how to think creatively every bit as much as they need to learn how to manage the supply chain. "So much of what we do in an MBA pro- gram is directed toward analyzing and solving problems," says R. Edward Freeman, Uni- versity Professor and Elis and Signe Olsson Professor of Business Administration at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Busi- ness in Charlottesville. "For the most part, the MBA curriculum doesn't help students exercise the right part of their brains. If busi- ness schools are to stay relevant in the global- ized world of the 21st century, we have to help students create and discover new ideas. The problems that today's business leaders face require a substantial dose of creative imagination." Leadership has always been a critical com- petency for business executives. But the cur- rent financial crisis has underscored the need for them to sharpen their thinking skills, whether they need to question their assumptions or look at problems from multiple perspectives. "Sometimes we have this concept that creativity is a softer skill in business," says Daena Giardella, a lecturer at the Massachu- setts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management in Cambridge. In addition to being a leadership coach and organizational consultant, Giardella is a professional actress. "However, in an economic downturn that involves global and institutional changes that we've never seen before, these so-called softer creative skills—the ability to listen, influence people, and form powerful relationships—are now the hard skills. Creative thinking helps people respond in the moment with authentic- ity to the needs of their team or organization." Economic downturns are major opportuni- ties for growth, she adds. "Business executives need to be able to look at the big picture and say, 'Things are tight right now, but what's the five- or ten-year plan, and how am I position- ing myself?' Now is the time when innovation and creative thinking are needed most." Here, three schools share the programs they've created to help students develop the necessary creativity and confidence to be lead- ers in the new business environment. BizEd March/April 2012 43 CSA PLASTOCK/GETTY IMAGES