Speaking the Language of Business to Drive Impactful Change
Lorna Christoff, Undergraduate Faculty Impact Business Buff Award Winner
Lorna Christoff (Intl Bus ‘98), assistant teaching professor in the Social Responsibility and Sustainability Division, is one of this year’s Impact Business Buff Teaching Award winners. Christoff was nominated and selected by her students in the Class of ‘23 because she has made a difference in how they look at using business to make the world better. Throughout her 16 years at Leeds so far, she has made an impact on her students and been impacted by their strong desire to make the world a more just place.
Early in her career, Christoff felt alone in her desire to drive impact and positive change through business. Many people were trying to change the world…but not through business. Now, she is amazed by the social consciousness that resides within those who will be leading the future of business.
CESR 4000: Leadership Challenges focuses on values and leadership at all levels of an organization. High-level executive guest speakers share stories about critical business dilemmas faced in their careers and evaluate student-prepared responses to an ethical dilemma they present.
CESR was able to sit down with Christoff and gain insight into her experiences, achievements, and hopes for the future.
CESR: Over the years, a common theme I have heard from teachers is that they too learn from their students. I am curious, what do you feel you have learned from the students here at Leeds?
Lorna Christoff: The biggest thing is how wonderful it is to learn how much students care about people and subjects well outside of themselves.
“I like to arm all my students, for any company, even the most investor-forward or shareholder-focused companies,"
- says Christoff
CESR: What is your favorite example of an executive who has come to talk with Leadership Challenges and what your students took away from that speaker?
LC: They all provide such great learning opportunities. Over the years, I have had the ‘glorious problem’ of having female-heavy classes; and this is a testament to the Office of Diversity Affairs’ recruiting of more diverse students. With this group, I see Jane Miller (CEO of Rudi’s Rocky Mountain Bakery and many other natural food companies, and former executive at large CPG companies) as someone who is very relatable for the students. All of her ‘non-traditional’ experiences, from being the first woman to earn an executive position in a company, to finding her voice in male-dominated spaces, move students and allow many to feel seen, heard, and known.
“If you only speak the language of social impact, you will lose attention and credibility. Collaborate. Find value in others' perspectives,”
- says Christoff
CESR: Your class, Leadership Challenges, is a perfect example of bringing real-world examples into the classroom. What do you hope students take away from this experiential learning?
LC: When I teach it is always with an eye to giving the students the tools and language to talk about how doing things that are for environmental or social benefit, while being profitable, contributes to long-term shareholder wealth. I like to arm all my students, for any company, even the most investor-forward or shareholder-focused companies. Even there, the better they can make the business case for impact and serving other stakeholders’ needs, the better their case for changing minds.
CESR: What advice do you have for the students who want to make an impact, and leave this world better than they found it?
LC: You have to speak the language of business. You have to constantly find the links to profitability so that you have a real chance of persuading people to take actions that they would not otherwise. If you only speak the language of social impact, you will lose attention and credibility. Collaborate. Find value in others' perspectives.
- Learn more about sustainable business students and opportunities from Leeds and CESR by reading more of our