Five Questions with Patty Dahm
In our Five Question series, faculty at the University of Kansas School of Business share their insights, experiences and advice for students.
Patty Dahm is an assistant professor of management at the University of Kansas. Dahm earned her bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame. She received an MBA from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign and her doctorate from the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management.
What got you interested in your field, and what is the most rewarding part of being involved in it?
I started my career as an engineer in a leadership development program. I noticed that I was more interested in the leadership training than learning more about ball bearings or road paving equipment. When I went back to school to get my MBA, I took an organizational behavior class with Mike Pratt, a leading scholar in our field. The rest is history.
The most rewarding part of my job is teaching students. When I can make a personal connection in a way that inspires a student to think more about people at work, and not just the work, I feel happy.
What is your favorite part about being a Jayhawk?
I grew up in Kansas, so it feels good to be home. It also doesn’t hurt that we have a good basketball team.
What would you see yourself doing if you weren’t a professor?
If I wasn’t a professor, I would be a middle school or high school math teacher. I really love the sense of community in high schools. I’d enjoy coaching a high school girls’ swim team.
What advice would you give your college self?
I’d tell myself to follow my heart. It took me several years and a few careers to navigate my way to becoming a professor. I would have gotten here sooner if I had listened to myself instead of trying to please other people, but things take time. I would also tell myself to be patient and enjoy the ride.
If you could require students to read one thing before graduation (outside of your class reading), what would it be and why?
Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters most by Bruce Patton, Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen.
By Lauren Hartwig
