Sekou Bermiss

Sekou Bermiss, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship
Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise
Full-Time MBA| MBA@UNC| Charlotte MBA| Evening MBA|
Weekend MBA

 

What courses do you currently teach, and what do you love most about them?

People Analytics.  I love thinking about how data and analytics can help us make work better for both employees and employers.

 

How do you bring real-world business challenges or trends into the classroom?

I use cases in my class with data from real organizations.  I also have current executives come in and discuss how they are managing current pressing issues such as hybrid work, AI at work, employee retention, etc.

 

What’s one lesson or insight you hope every MBA student takes with them after your course?

Leadership is built on assumptions about how organizations operate. People analytics helps leaders move beyond assumptions, by testing what’s really driving how people work.

 

In what ways do you see our students standing out in the workplace or making an impact?

KFBS students stand out because they are good speakers AND listeners. These are the critical skills needed to be a leader during transformational times.

What excites you most about the future of business education or your field?

As a social scientist, I’m excited by new phenomena. The new interesting and complex problems that future leaders will face and working with them to figure out solutions.

What advice would you give to incoming MBA students?

Figure out what you are interested in and go deep! The time and space to develop a new skill and talent in your career is rarer than you think.

Is there anything you’d like to highlight about your research, industry partnerships, or other projects?

In efforts to have my research be more translatable I have worked to build a public voice connecting strategy, human capital, and the future of work:

• Interviews & Commentary: Featured by Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, and Fortune discussing themes such as organizational resilience, DEI strategy, and leadership in turbulent environments.
• Podcasts & Panels: Moderated and participated in several high-profile conversations on AI, people analytics, and leadership—most recently through College Promise’s “AI, Education, and the Future of the Workforce” session.
• Public Writing: Shared thought pieces on LinkedIn and other platforms that explore issues such as the “inclusion tax,” the evolving role of middle managers, and public trust in institutions; weaving in culture, music, and sports to make management ideas more relatable.
• Speaking Engagements: Delivered media-friendly talks and keynote sessions for the Kenan Institute, the Frontiers of Business Conference, and executive education programs, frequently picked up or quoted in business and policy outlets.
  

What’s something your students might be surprised to learn about you?

I host a monthly podcast called “The Lit Review” where I break down big ideas in management and social science, translating academic research into real-world insight – with a little humor and a lot of curiosity.

Is there a student, colleague, or industry partner you’d like to recognize?

Any student who has every correctly guessed the 90s hip hop instrumental that I play before class.