You’ve been invited to:
DBA Readiness Workshop II
Leadership Projects and Capacities for Success in the DBA
60-Minute Interactive Workshop
What does it take to succeed in a Doctor of Business Administration program—and why are some organizational challenges leadership challenges rather than technical problems?
Many professionals enter a DBA believing that success depends primarily on expertise, research skills, or business knowledge. While these are important, the most impactful DBA projects require something more: the ability to navigate complexity, influence stakeholders, build trust, foster innovation, and lead meaningful organizational transformation.
This interactive workshop explores the leadership side of doctoral education and helps participants understand how leadership projects differ from operational initiatives or consulting engagements. Participants will learn how practitioner-scholars identify complex organizational challenges, develop systems-oriented interventions, and cultivate the leadership capacities needed to create sustainable change.
Drawing on Sofia University’s whole-person and whole-systems approach to leadership development, the session will introduce key competencies for success in both the DBA and today’s rapidly changing VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) environment.
Topics Include:
- What is a DBA leadership project?
- Leadership versus technical challenges
- Systems thinking and complexity leadership
- Emotional intelligence and adaptive leadership
- Psychological safety, trust, and organizational culture
- Stakeholder engagement and organizational influence
- Leadership capacities needed for DBA success
- Translating workplace challenges into doctoral project opportunities
Ideal For:
- MBA students considering a DBA
- Prospective DBA applicants
- Newly admitted DBA students
- Emerging and experienced leaders
- Professionals interested in organizational transformation and applied leadership research
Participants Will Leave With:
- A clearer understanding of leadership-focused doctoral projects
- Insight into the leadership competencies most valued in the DBA
- A practical framework for evaluating their own readiness
- Initial ideas for a potential leadership-focused DBA project
- Greater confidence in navigating the transition from practitioner to practitioner-scholar
Key Takeaway:
The strongest DBA projects do more than solve organizational problems—they develop leaders capable of transforming systems, building organizational capacity, and creating lasting impact in an increasingly complex world.
Date: Thursday, July 30, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM PDT
Location: Virtual
We look forward to having you attend the event!
