Discussion: View Thread

* Apologies for cross posting *

Dear colleagues,

I have been asked to design and conduct a course for MBA students in their final semester, just before they join a company. The course is entitled Personal Journey for Excellence, and is to consist of a consolidation of what they have learnt so far, in order to make the transition to organizational contexts far smoother.

I sent out a survey to top industry leaders in India, asking them what qualities/skills/learning they wished new MBA recruits had as new recruits. Some of the responses are pasted below. 

While some of the responses list requirements which one can learn through on-the-job training, what others do you suggest can be taught in the classroom? Are there any other thoughts you may have about this course design? Many thanks. 

A SAMPLE OF RESPONSES

Understanding views of others when they don't match others. Surviving toxic people. Surviving bosses from hell.

11/5/2017 5:19 PM

Listening actively, negotiating, raising pertinent questions confidently, being participative and enthusiastic, embracing the work culture

11/5/2017 11:34 AM

The wisdom to bat on the front foot and let others come forward as per the situation in the larger organizational context.

10/27/2017 1:13 PM

Overall confidence not cockiness.

10/26/2017 9:30 AM

Ability to collaborate quickly, become team focused and negotiate conflicts.

With regards,

Prof. Payal Kumar

https://www.linkedin.com/in/payalk1/

 

Professor

BML Munjal University

http://www.bml.edu.in/

Senior Reviewer, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Wiley 

Series editor, Palgrave Studies in Leadership and Followership (2017)

 

• Personal Vision and Branding - we do a vision exercise and they define goals for personal and professional life as well as branding elements such as quotes, color and mission
  
• Personal Brochure - which takes their resume and adds more branding elements to a graphic presentation
  
• LinkedIN  page
  
• Personal Survey - they create a Survey Monkey survey and send it to peers, supervisors and others to gather feedback on their skills, brand, career path, etc.  They have to produce a graphic report analysis the survey and developing a career plan
  
• Personal Video Resume - at least a minute of highlighting why they would bring value to a company.  They need to include graphics and/or testimonials.
  

Hi, Paul.

One suggestion I have might be to do a sort of Gap Analysis in reverse ... meaning, have students take a look at where they were, whether at the beginning of the program or the class, and compare it to where they currently are and share - by paper or presentation or journal entry, etc. -  how they got from there to here. The goal, I'd think of any program is to take students to a place of confidence and competence as they enter into the workforce. So often our students don't necessarily forget, but neglect to remember all that they have accomplished throughout the course of their studies and a project like this could help to boost their confidence and remind them that they really are more prepared to put their learning into practice than they may think.

Food for thought ... sounds like a wonderful course for your program.

On Sat, Dec 2, 2017 at 5:20 AM, Payal Kumar <payalk1@gmail.com> wrote:

* Apologies for cross posting *

Dear colleagues,

I have been asked to design and conduct a course for MBA students in their final semester, just before they join a company. The course is entitled Personal Journey for Excellence, and is to consist of a consolidation of what they have learnt so far, in order to make the transition to organizational contexts far smoother.

I sent out a survey to top industry leaders in India, asking them what qualities/skills/learning they wished new MBA recruits had as new recruits. Some of the responses are pasted below. 

While some of the responses list requirements which one can learn through on-the-job training, what others do you suggest can be taught in the classroom? Are there any other thoughts you may have about this course design? Many thanks. 

A SAMPLE OF RESPONSES

Understanding views of others when they don't match others. Surviving toxic people. Surviving bosses from hell.

11/5/2017 5:19 PM

Listening actively, negotiating, raising pertinent questions confidently, being participative and enthusiastic, embracing the work culture

11/5/2017 11:34 AM

The wisdom to bat on the front foot and let others come forward as per the situation in the larger organizational context.

10/27/2017 1:13 PM

Overall confidence not cockiness.

10/26/2017 9:30 AM

Ability to collaborate quickly, become team focused and negotiate conflicts.

With regards,

Prof. Payal Kumar

https://www.linkedin.com/in/payalk1/

 

Professor

BML Munjal University

http://www.bml.edu.in/

Senior Reviewer, Journal of Organizational Behavior, Wiley 

Series editor, Palgrave Studies in Leadership and Followership (2017)

 

--

Jeffrey S. Boian

Interdisciplinary Studies and Exploring Programs

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

Azusa Pacific University · www.apu.edu

 

Understanding views of others when they don't match others. Surviving toxic people. Surviving bosses from hell.

11/5/2017 5:19 PM

Listening actively, negotiating, raising pertinent questions confidently, being participative and enthusiastic, embracing the work culture

11/5/2017 11:34 AM

The wisdom to bat on the front foot and let others come forward as per the situation in the larger organizational context.

10/27/2017 1:13 PM

Overall confidence not cockiness.

10/26/2017 9:30 AM

Ability to collaborate quickly, become team focused and negotiate conflicts.

Understanding views of others when they don't match others. Surviving toxic people. Surviving bosses from hell.

11/5/2017 5:19 PM

Listening actively, negotiating, raising pertinent questions confidently, being participative and enthusiastic, embracing the work culture

11/5/2017 11:34 AM

The wisdom to bat on the front foot and let others come forward as per the situation in the larger organizational context.

10/27/2017 1:13 PM

Overall confidence not cockiness.

10/26/2017 9:30 AM

Ability to collaborate quickly, become team focused and negotiate conflicts.