David L. Ager, lecturer of the hugely popular Sociology 109: “Leadership and Organizations” and the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Sociology, is known for his sky-high CUE ratings, affable personality, and enthusiastic teaching style. The Canadian and former Harvard Ph.D. student in Organizational Behavior spoke to FM about his life, his passion, and “The Social Network.”
1. Fifteen Minutes: How does it feel to be teaching a mega-popular class?
David L. Ager: It’s very overwhelming, and at the same time very gratifying. It’s fun to know that you’re teaching a topic and teaching in a way that resonates with students.
2. FM: Why do you think your class has such an appeal for Harvard students?
DLA: I think it has more to do with the way the class is taught. We’re using the case method which is very interactive, and I think students enjoy hearing what other students have to say. Kids are thinking in real-time, which is exciting and interesting.
3. FM: What made you decide on the case method?
DLA: I had experienced the case method as an MBA student, after coming from a very large university where there were enormous classes, and to go into my very first MBA...I loved the learning experience. It was fun to come up with your own way of thinking about a concept or theory, and then to put it out there and have other students challenge it.
4. FM: Can you describe your students in five words?
DLA: Motivated. Passionate. Energetic. Busy. Overcommitted? Yes. Absolutely overcommitted. And curious.
5. FM: Why do you think people are so overcommitted here?
DLA: I think part of it is the culture of the institution. People look around and see that their next-door neighbor is doing three or four extra things, so they feel that they’re not worthy unless they are also doing that. I think that’s something that really distinguishes Harvard college students from, say, Princeton and Yale.
6. FM: On the CUE guide, students have used words like “enthusiastic,” “inspiring,” and “wonderful” to describe you. Someone even wrote, “David Ager is quite possibly the coolest professor at Harvard.” Do you think you’re cool?
DLA: Wow. Now, the sociologist in me would say, “What do you mean by ‘cool?’” I guess it’s the combination of all those qualities. I’d like to think that that’s just a part of who I am. To be honest, I feed off of my students. When they’re curious and passionate, how can I not become curious myself?
7. FM: How would you describe your teaching style?
DLA: I take teaching very seriously, so I take a lot of time preparing for my classes. I try to go in and really enjoy myself. If I’m passionate and enthusiastic about what I’m teaching, then hopefully that will convey to my students and draw them in as well. One thing that characterizes my teaching style is also to work with students to empower them, to confront that about which they’re uncertain, and then to help them master it.
8. FM: What do you think makes a good leader?
DLA: Contexts matter a lot, so the ability to come into a new situation and quickly assess what’s going on, and then to be flexible enough, perceptive enough, and to have a repertoire of skills to respond in an appropriate way, is what makes a really good leader.
9. FM: Who is one global leader that you admire?
DLA: Mother Teresa of Calcutta has always fascinated me. It’s her selflessness, and this great ability to mobilize very few resources and large number of people to do work, to help the most destitute of destitute, people who the rest of the society has forgotten. I’m just very impressed.
10. FM: It’s interesting that you chose a woman. Does gender matter in leadership?
DLA: Not at all. I think women, in moving up in organizations, face challenges that men don’t face, and we’re trying to remove those obstacles, because we realize that diversity is really important in terms of creating high-performing team and organizations.
11. FM: Do you think the US is ready for a female president?
DLA: It’d have been good to have one 30 or 40 years ago. Gender, race, or ethnicity shouldn’t matter. It should be about who the human being is and the ability to lead.
12. FM: If you were to meet Mark Zuckerberg right now, what would you say to him?
DLA: What it’s like to have a movie made about himself. And how we can improve his experience. I get the sense that he wasn’t always totally happy here. The other thing would be what we could do as an institution to help students pursue their ideas and still stay in school and finish their degree.
13. FM: Do you think your class is geared towards students planning on business school?
DLA: There probably are a large number who end up in traditional for-profit business, consulting or investment banking, but I’ve also had a number of students who have gone into education, government, and not-for-profit industries. So I think it’s geared towards students with a curiosity and fascination about leadership and an interest in making a difference.
14. FM: Do you think there exists a culture of careerism at Harvard?
DLA: No, because I’ve seen students who are truly friends. In my course, when we talk about social capital theory and building one’s social network, I try to impress upon students the need to have people within your network who provide “socio-emotional support.” I think to stay healthy as human beings, we need individuals to whom we can turn to confide almost anything.
15. FM: You’ve worked as a consultant for large multinational firms from a variety of industries, as well as the Canadian government. What keeps bringing you back to academia?
DLA: The most exciting thing for me in terms of being here is the students. I have the great privilege of being able to work with students who have ideas for enterprises, to sit with them and think through the issues that surround launching organizations, then create a viable structure, and finally get those organizations off the ground. Why would you want to leave all that? To be so lucky.
