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“What is common sense?”

  • The comedic improv group, Casual Thursdays, led MLDP participants through some icebreaker activities, creating a comfortable learning environment to the session. Photo by Phil Son '16.

  • Deputy Director, Sadhana Hall, shares a few wise words with students on the importance of self-care, confidentiality, and humility.

On Tuesday, January 5, 2016, the Management and Leadership Development Program kicked off its first session, with guest speaker, Sadhana Hall, Deputy Director of the Rockefeller Center.

Sadhana first spoke about how leadership is showing up and not just physically, but mentally as well. She then went on to explain the importance of leaders being lifelong learners. “What is common sense?” Sadhana asked the group. One participant replied, “When you think something is common sense, you think you already know it.” Sadhana raised her hands in excitement, “Exactly! And when you assume you know something, the learning process stops.”

She took the group through some exercises that brought home the message that when we assume something is common sense, we assume everyone grew up in the same culture or has the same perspective on life, and that’s when the learning stops. As leaders we must commit to lifelong learning and always keep an open mind, and by challenging our assumptions on things we initially thought were common sense.  

Submitted by Mary Sieredzinski ’17, Student Program Assistant for the Management and Leadership Development Program