A Cook’s Tour of My Organizational Dynamics Experience

My tour ends this spring with graduation. Looking back six years to when I started, I could never have predicted the growth, academically, professionally and personally, and I’ve never been as proud of any other 6 years.

My tour began in the Spring of 2012, with the late Jim Larkin, who helped me find my true north as a leader. The next stop was Alan Barstow’s Culture and Learning and introduction to bedrock Bolman and Deal. Following a break for baby #1, I continued with John Eldred’s sage organizational politics; Charline Russo’s transformational coaching leader; Walter Licht’s history of the organization, the first history class I ever liked; Janet Greco’s truly magical storytelling; and while pregnant with baby #2, the ominous capstone course made congenial by helmsmen Alan Barstow and Dana Kamminstein. After baby #2 came my swan song: the power of the Devil’s Advocate with Janet, an anthropoligist’s view of culture with Derek Newberry and of course the capstone.

While I am excited to graduate next month, I will miss the academic stimuli, engaging professors and classmates, supportive program team and extraordinary community. Thank you OD – I am forever grateful!

– Anna Spraycar