Dalita Davis is an Executive MBA Student at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. Read more about her life as a Nursing Unit Director, and her own unique career goals and aspirations with her MBA degree.
MBASchooled: What did you do before business school, and why did you choose to get an MBA?
I was a Nursing Unit Director, Neuro Intensive Care Unit. Leading during the pandemic has been a “wake up call” for me. The healthcare system is undergoing enormous changes brought about by COVID. The Nursing Model does not address many of the business and organizational challenges faced by nursing leaders. Given this awareness, I knew I had to pivot into a space where I could truly transform as a leader and ultimately be able to strategically lead a healthcare organization from an operational standpoint.
What’s one goal you have for yourself that you want to achieve before you graduate from business school?
My goal is to research healthcare market trends and determine what my niche market will be post MBA. As I continue to lean into my MBA experience I hope to develop my consulting skills by pitching projects at my current place of employment.
MBASchooled: What is the most important lesson that you’ve learned in your career so far?
My reaction to a situation literally has the power to change the situation itself.
MBASchooled: What is a career or personal development related podcast or book that you recommend for other MBA students?
“Getting to Yes” by Roger Fisher and William Ury. This is one of my favorite books because you are immediately thrusted into team-based learning through case studies during your MBA program. You will have to learn how to reach agreement without giving in.
MBASchooled:Who is someone who you admire or look up to for career guidance or advice, and why?
I learned early in my career that building a genuine human connection is truly what sets leaders apart. Over the past few years, I have explored this concept in great detail and became very intentional about understanding the difference between leadership and management. Coincidentally, I happened to cross paths with a phenomenal nursing leader in my organization who stood out to me by the way she interacted with her team and how she partnered with them to initiate process improvement across her division.
Needless to say, I engaged her in conversation and she ended our meeting by giving me an assignment. The assignment required me to go out and find ways to connect with my direct reports on a deeper level by understanding what drives and motivates them to deliver results. That one conversation changed my mindset and motivated me to assess how I show up and serve others as a leader. Needless to say, it has been 4 years since our initial conversation and I continue to seek her out when I need advice because of my admiration for her leadership style.