Portrait of Toba Oyewunmi, a student in the Weekend Executive MBA program at The Fuqua School of Business.

"Team Fuqua is real. As a key member of one of many EMBA teams, the ability to collaborate, cross-pollinate ideas, and learn from one another was enriching. Likewise, sharing my own experiences and expertise with my teams was invaluable. Individually we were good. Collectively, we became better!"

Global Engagement Manager
Independent Project Analysis (IPA), Inc.

Weekend Executive MBA

Class of 2024

Industry:

Energy

Prior Education:

Texas A&M University, College Station
MEng, Ocean Engineering

Hometown:
Leesburg, Virginia
Nationality:
USA

Reflections

I chose Fuqua for three reasons: 

  • its emphasis on leadership development and Team Fuqua
  • it's a top-tier executive MBA program that would not break the bank (plus the flexibility afforded by the Weekend Executive format while working full-time)
  • the school’s leadership in energy and sustainability research and programs.

It has been a transformational journey in my leadership development as a triple threat leader as Dean Bill Boulding describes it. It is about exhibiting and balancing three core qualities—Intelligence Quotient (IQ), Emotional Quotient (EQ), and Decency Quotient (DQ). IQ is your innate ability, EQ is emotional intelligence (the ability to be sensitive and to empathize with others), and DQ is your ability to treat others with respect and value while acting with integrity (i.e., doing right by others) even if or when you have differing opinions.

In another way, it helped me to extend the concept of DQ and think of it in terms of Diversity Quotient (i.e., how well you can deal with diverse people and ideas, and build a diverse coaltion to make a difference).

While education and IQ may open doors of opportunity for you, and get you in, it is your EQ and DQ that fills the room and determines your ultimate potential. It is what separates great leaders from good ones. As a lifelong learner, and as I continue my professional and personal journey, I aspire to become the best version of who I am now and to see who I eventually become: a leader who makes a difference through humility, service, empathy, and dignity.

 

As a global engagement manager and senior project leader at IPA, I worked with senior leaders and global teams of numerous international and major energy clients, providing capital projects advisory, benchmarking, data analytics, governance, and assurance to enable data-driven decision-making over the project life cycle on their multi-million to billion-dollar capital investments for the energy transition.

I plan to leverage my experience, knowledge, and skills to help solve complex problems and collaboratively find innovative solutions at the intersection of energy, sustainability, and technology.

5 Tips for Working in Teams

  1. Build trust by doing what you promise. A key part of the program is Team Fuqua. We learn to lead and get things done via teams, requiring clarity in roles and responsibilities. Your team will value and trust you if you show up and deliver on your promises on team assignments.
  2. Listen to others. Oftentimes, teams will have more than one dominant personality and diversity of thoughts. It is important to cultivate a habit of truly listening to others on your team and vice versa and encourage quiet members to speak up!
  3. Give praise. Recognize that good work takes teamwork. When the team delivers, be the first to acknowledge and appreciate the team's effort. Call out those who went over and above for the team. Praise publicly, correct privately!
  4. Be open to feedback. As is often said, feedback is the breakfast of champions. Be comfortable asking for and receiving feedback even if it may be painful, and use it to improve.
  5. Be willing to fail at something new. While it's normal to step into our natural roles (e.g., mediator, facilitator, leader, etc.) within a team setting, it is important to try other roles. Sometimes, the best way to learn and grow is to try, even if you fail the first time.
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MSQM:HA students "meet" in Durham without leaving home

Classroom of Remote Students on Video Monitors
Fuqua's demanding quantitative program offers the flexibility to maintain your career and personal priorities
More About MSQM:HA
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Global Executive MBA

Top Areas of Career Focus

Financial Services (20%)
Consulting (5%)
Sales/Business Development (5%)
Energy/Chemical/Gas (9%)
Marketing/PR/Advertising (6%)
Consumer Goods (3%)

Typical Class Demographics
Global Executive MBA

Average Age

28-45

Average Work Experience

5-20 years

Countries Represented

17

Women

35%

Non-US Citizenship

30%
false

Master of Management Studies: Duke Kunshan University

Undergraduate Majors

Business/Accounting (51%)
Economics (22%)
Liberal Arts (14%)
Engineering/Natural Sciences (10%)
Other (4%)

Typical Class Demographics
MMS: Duke Kunshan University

Average Age

23

Average Work Experience

6 months or less

Countries Represented

11

Women

53%

Non-US Citizenship

69%
false

Master of Management Studies: Foundations of Business

Undergraduate Majors

Liberal Arts (33%)
Business/Accounting (24%)
Engineering/Natural Sciences (18%)
Economics (17%)
Other (8%)

Typical Class Demographics
MMS: Foundations of Business

Average Age

23

Average Work Experience

6 months or less

Countries Represented

27

Women

49%

Non-US Citizenship

43%
false

Weekend Executive MBA

Top Areas of Career Focus

IT (16%)
Financial Services (14%)
Health Care/Health Services (10%)
Manufacturing/Operations (9%)
Sales/Business Development (8%)
Consulting (8%)

Typical Class Demographics
Weekend Executive MBA

Age Range

28-45

Students with Advanced Degrees

32%

Work Experience

5-20 years

Countries Represented

19

Women

27%
Off