Develop Your Leadership Skills With Seattle U’s Online MBA

Clarity of purpose is a central trait shared by successful businesses around the world. This clarity sustains them as they face challenges and guides them as they seek opportunities. In today’s increasingly dynamic environment, clarity becomes ever more crucial to organizational survival and success.

Creating and sustaining organizational clarity is a core leadership function and a skill that can be developed through purposeful practice. Toward that end, the faculty of Seattle University Albers School of Business and Economics have designed the LEAD framework and incorporated leadership challenges using the framework’s comprehensive approach to leadership throughout the curriculum for its flexible Online MBA program.

Developing the necessary skills to lead with confidence, empathy, and strategic vision is a fundamental goal of Seattle University's Online MBA, which blends theoretical knowledge with practical application. Explore how Seattle University’s comprehensive approach to leadership development plays out in one of the advanced Online MBA courses.

The LEAD Framework offers guiding principles for each step in strategic decision-making, from recognizing and analyzing opportunities and challenges to designing and implementing purposeful and sustainable solutions that support both the greater good and the corporate bottom line.

Each letter in the LEAD acronym has a dual meaning. Taken together, the steps in the framework help organizational leaders communicate across functions and develop sustainable, ethical business innovations. By incorporating specific LEAD challenges throughout the curriculum, the Albers Online MBA helps students develop and tune the leadership capabilities that will serve them throughout their careers.

● Listen and Learn: Communicate with all stakeholders to gather relevant information and develop the full context of the situation at hand

● Empathize and Examine: Consider the viewpoints and goals of each stakeholder affected by the outcome of the situation

● Assess and Analyze: Identify the key problems that must be addressed in developing a resolution to the situation, as well as their specific impact on stakeholders

● Design and Deliver: Propose and present a course of action that addresses all problems to the satisfaction of stakeholders and in the best interest of the organization as a whole

In January 2009, as the world was enduring the financial crisis triggered by the collapse of the subprime mortgage market, Paul Polman became the chief executive officer of Unilever, a venerable British multinational firm in the fast-moving consumer goods category. At the time, Unilever share prices were lower than they’d been for years, having dropped to $16.95 from a high of $38.25 just fourteen months before.¹

In response to the economic turbulence of the times, Polman recommitted the company to its guiding philosophy of “doing well by doing good,” and led Unilever to historically high earnings. When he announced his departure after nearly a decade at the helm, a Unilever press release said, “During his tenure, the company has delivered consistent top and bottom line growth ahead of its markets. Its focus on successfully pioneering a new model of sustainable growth has served the needs of its many stakeholders and created excellent returns for its shareholders, delivering a Total Shareholder Return of 290% over that period.”²

The board chairman said that Polman’s “role in helping to define a new era of responsible capitalism, embodied in the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, marks him out as one of the most far-sighted business leaders of his generation.”²

The Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) was the LEAD focus for students in a recent session of the International Management course in Seattle U’s Online MBA. An advanced-level course, the International Management class emphasizes theories of organizational roles in society, examines the influence of culture on organizational and individual behavior, and explores how to create competitive advantage within that context.

The first step in the LEAD framework underlines the importance of understanding the full context by listening to diverse stakeholder perspectives. In the case of the USLP, the financial uncertainty of 2009 made it even more crucial to develop a clear understanding of the company’s situation and path forward.

Interviewed in an internal publication, the newly appointed CEO said, “Unilever’s main strengths are its values and principles – integrity, trust, focus on the long term, investing in people, helping the communities in which we operate to prosper – all of which are captured so well by the phrase ‘doing well by doing good.’ Next to its values are its brands, people and scale. Few organizations have such resources.”³

Then Polman clearly stated which stakeholders he would focus on as he developed his strategy. “Especially this year, we need to stay even closer to the consumer. Everything we do should ensure that we better satisfy consumers’ needs – and at the right price/value equation. We also need to invest in our people’s futures. And we need to challenge our cost base, which in many areas is not yet competitive enough for this economic climate.”³

When the USLP was launched, it incorporated a review process that included a group of external corporate social responsibility experts and “mechanisms internationally and at country and regional levels to seek views from a broad range of stakeholders, and will periodically review and revise the Plan to take account of their comments and changing external circumstances.”⁴

After identifying the stakeholders and hearing their perspectives, leaders should work to understand their motivations and cultural influences as they weigh and evaluate the situational dynamics.

Unilever’s Universal Sustainable Living Plan began with the business case for action, centered on meeting consumer demand, growing its markets, and generating cost benefits through sustainable innovations.⁴

International Management students studying the USLP were directed at this stage to focus on one key group of stakeholders and “analyze the appropriateness of the radically different, transformational, global corporate strategy that the Unilever management had proposed.”⁵ The students focused on understanding the risks and benefits of the plan from the perspective of employees in the context of the company culture and operations.

Next, the Seattle University International Management Students were challenged to do exactly what Polman and his leadership team had done, which was to identify major problems, and use managerial accounting concepts such as transfer pricing, ROI, and other analytical techniques and tools to evaluate potential courses of action.

Unilever’s plan identified three high-level areas of focus, each tied to core business operations, including health and well-being, enhanced livelihoods, and the environment.⁴ The International Management students were directed to consider behavioral factors along with their business analyses and to evaluate the effectiveness of the leadership strategies in meeting the business challenges.⁵

Crafting and implementing actionable solutions that address stakeholder concerns while advancing organizational goals is the ultimate goal of leadership and the payoff of the final step in the LEAD framework.

When Paul Polman and his leadership team launched the USLP after nearly two years of study and preparation, the ten-year plan included detailed and “quantified, time-bound targets for each area.”⁴ They launched with a full communications plan for internal and external audiences, including a 24-page booklet that outlined the business case and strategic goals with action and measurement plans, including a discussion of the benefits for employees and supply chain partners.

In this ultimate phase of the case study, International Management students worked to “evaluate future options, decide on an action, and translate broad strategic proposals and specific action steps,” while centering their recommendations and discussion on globally and socially responsible decision-making.⁵

The Unilever case study is one of many examples of the integration of real-world scenarios into the rigorous training Seattle University’s Online MBA provides for developing business leaders. Using the LEAD framework, the International Management students conducted a detailed review of the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) and CEO Paul Polman's leadership.

Polman's tenure at Unilever exemplifies the positive impact that principled, skillful leadership can have on corporate performance and larger social and environmental concerns. His strategic vision and daring moves in sustainability were thoroughly dissected in the curriculum, allowing students to glean practical insights from actual leadership challenges and outcomes.

Through the LEAD framework, the Seattle University Online MBA gives students a structured approach to leadership. The USLP case offers an in-depth analysis of strategic processes and decisions, letting students apply the same methods to their thinking about real-world challenges. This method ensures graduates are not just familiar with theories but adept at using them in real-life situations.

By working through this case study, students experience firsthand how to balance business acumen with ethical considerations and sustainability goals. This rigorous and reflective coursework prepares Seattle University graduates to be progressive, bold leaders who can make significant impacts in their industries.

In Seattle University’s comprehensive and rigorous coursework, you’ll explore critical areas such as strategic decision-making, ethical leadership, and effective team management. The Albers Online MBA curriculum is crafted to provide real-world applications and collaborative opportunities that will help you hone the executive leadership skills necessary for high-level roles.

One of the standout benefits of Seattle University’s Online MBA program is the flexibility it offers. As a professional looking to advance your career while balancing work and personal commitments, the ability to study online provides the ideal solution. This MBA for working professionals allows you to access coursework at times that fit your schedule, making it easier to manage your many responsibilities without sacrificing your educational goals.

Seattle University’s diverse professional community is another significant advantage. This distinguished network not only offers different viewpoints but also fosters a rich environment where innovative business leadership strategies can flourish. Engaging with peers from various industries, geographies, and cultural backgrounds broadens your perspectives and enriches your leadership skills.

Ultimately, the long-term benefits of the Online MBA extend beyond immediate career advancement. Graduates from the Seattle University program emerge equipped with the confidence, empathy, and strategic insight needed to tackle new challenges. This program will empower you to achieve sustained personal and organizational growth, preparing you for advanced roles and ensuring you're ready for the future.