Simmons College

School of Management

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Simmons College School of Management
Executive Education
409 Commonwealth Ave
Boston, MA 02215
617-521-3869
execed@simmons.edu

Case Study: DeAnne Dupont

It was a real eye opener, said DeAnne Dupont, Treasurer, Controller and Managing Director of Babson Capital. That' s how she described her Executive Education experience at Simmons. Commenting on the 360° evaluation tool used in all Strategic Leadership programs, DeAnne said, "I learned some things about myself that I' m applying on the job right now."

One exercise on comparative leadership styles was particularly revealing. Participants broke into groups all possessing the same knowledge about a particular scenario. Unbeknownst to DeAnne and the other participants, however, each group leader was play-acting a different leadership role. "It reinforced how people can come to such different conclusions based on varied approaches to leadership." This is the hallmark of Simmons' approach to teaching leadership in the real world of business, government and the nonprofit sector.

Like many participants in Executive Education programs at Simmons, DeAnne appreciated the way in which her seminar was developed and managed. "I like that it was a residential program. Programs went into the evenings, so staying in the hotel enabled us to concentrate and not get distracted," she said. "Simmons also made it easy to establish rapport with the other participants. They really helped us get over the initial hurdle and right into the work," she added.

DeAnne truly felt the energy that builds when a group of women convene to discuss, analyze and resolve business challenges. "You knew that participants were at different levels in their organizations, but nobody put on airs. We respected each other and that put us all on a level playing field," she said. "I'm not sure we could have achieved that same rapport in a male-female environment."