I teach two required and one optional course for the MHR program and one PMBA class. The first required class is HR in the Global Firm (MGMT 801), which is a broad overview of how large multinationals manage their HR function across national boundaries. The second one I co-teach and is entitled OD and Consulting (MGMT 730). There are lectures on leadership, change, organization design and decision-making and on consulting skills, such as contracting and client management.  The heart of the course involves the delivery of live projects for actual clients. 

The optional class is a short-term study abroad in Singapore (IBUS 750). We visit six or seven different companies and we do a variety of cultural visits.

Whether a student has any interest in working overseas, the bulk of the companies that regularly recruit from the program are global either in the operation or in the spread of the customers they serve. Being aware of global issues and how that affects the delivery of HR is a key skill that companies look for when recruiting. Additionally, the OD and Consulting class provides a bridge from the academic to business world that is a substantial preparation for that transition.

I use all 43 years of my practical learning in one of the world’s largest and most respected companies to augment my professional training. Although the courses are based on sound academic principles, the heart of my teaching is how to use those principles in a real-world setting. I use real-world examples drawn both from Shell and my consulting clients to illustrate key learning points and to challenge student thinking to differentiate the way perhaps SHOULD BE compared to how it ACTUALLY IS.

Never assume that there is one answer to a problem. Different countries, cultures and companies deal with different problems, deal with similar problems but find different solutions or use the same solutions to similar problems. The world of the cookie cutter solution has a short lifespan.

I teach highly interactively using a variety of methods. I use case studies, some drawn from real life and others that I have written, to enable students to look at solving issues from multiple dimensions; I use role plays where the students are required to put themselves the shoes of actors in learning situations; I break up lectures with small group discussions followed by report outs; and I use traditional lectures, particularly in the first two or three weeks of the program when the students are early in their learning curve on the subject matter.

Participate and take yourself out of your comfort zone. Be open-minded and explore new fields. Ask for help BEFORE it is too late.

My passion is to inspire the next generation of HR professionals to be able to balance the human element with the business resources. There is a reason that the profession has both words and they are both important. HR has a unique accountability to ensure that the human element is always in consideration and that the company makes the most use of its talent to deliver superior business results. 

I play golf (badly) and enjoy travel. I have a close-knit family with whom I love spending time, and I am active in my church.