Palos Park Police Officer Sean Walsh isn’t one to sit still.
“My dad growing up always had a saying: if you were sitting around the house, he was like, ‘You’re lazy, don’t get lazy,’” Walsh said. “So, if I’m stagnant, I get very antsy. I hear my father in my ear.”
That drive is what pushed Walsh, who serves part time with the Palos Park Police Department, to apply for Harvard Business School’s Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business program – better known as CLIMB. The accelerated program, cohort-based leadership and strategy, covers topics like negotiation, strategy, finance, and teaming to help professionals sharpen their skills and influence.
At first, he didn’t think he had much of a shot, he said, “I was like, well, I’m probably not going to get in, but I’ll throw it out there. I was waiting for the denial letter.”
Instead, acceptance came, and after nine months of coursework, Walsh is now in the final stretch of the 10-month Harvard program.
“I’m nine months in, I started last year,” he said. “I’ve got six weeks left, and I’ll submit my capstone on October 2.”
“When I got the packet, I immediately called my wife, Lisa, who was so supportive,” Walsh said. “She went out right away and bought me a Harvard shirt, she’s been behind me the whole time, encouraging me through the long nights of studying and the stress of balancing work, school, and police work.”
Walsh said the program has given him a deeper understanding of how to lead, but also how to connect with people.
“A lot of times, leadership in law enforcement can get lost, like, well, he’s in the office, he doesn’t know how to talk to us, etc., there’s that breakdown,” Walsh said.
“This course highlighted ways you can communicate with everybody– whether it’s going up, down, or across, especially now with different generations in the workforce.”
Two courses stood out most.
“The one I got the most out of was Negotiation Mastery with Michael Wheeler, just hearing him explain negotiation patterns from over a 40-year career was incredible,” he said.
“The most challenging was financial accounting. I actually went to Chief Miller and said, ‘I need a leave of absence.’ That was the first C of my academic career,so I had to focus.”
Walsh also credited Harvard professor Linda Hill, a psychologist who studies group dynamics, with changing the way he thinks about communication.
“She really broke down how you can communicate effectively at City Hall, but then differently with the public or with staff,” he said. One of the most powerful things she said was, data without expert opinions to explain it is useless,” Walsh said.
While Walsh wears the badge in Palos Park, his full-time role is assistant director of public works in Wheaton. He said both careers benefit from the skills he’s building.
He’s found support within both roles. “I was nervous to ask for leave, because I thought I’d be letting Chief Miller down,” Walsh said.
“But he’s been fantastic, so was Commander Chris Hughes,” he said. “I should’ve told them sooner, they were so excited for me.”
Walsh doesn’t know if the program will change his long-term career path – though city management has been floated to him. However, he is certain it’s changed how he sees communication in law enforcement.
“As a police officer, if you’re dealing with somebody on the worst day of their life, or just a simple complaint, there’s a way you can effectively communicate in all settings,” he said. “That’s the biggest impact I can have.”
He also encourages younger officers to seek out training and education whenever they can.
“Socrates said, never stop learning, the day you stop learning and become complacent is the day you stop living,” Walsh said.
“It doesn’t have to be a degree, it can be anything that teaches you different ways to deal with people and the job. Never stop learning.”
With six weeks left before he submits his capstone, Walsh is looking forward to one thing most.
“A big steak dinner,” he said with a laugh. “McCormick & Schmick’s, October 2. that’s the plan, my wife, my in-laws, hopefully my dad can make it. That’s what I’m waiting for.”
