Artifact #5
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IV. Exhibit poise and confidence in verbal, interpersonal, and written communication.
My artifacts demonstrating mastery of this outcome:
Artifact #1: MGMT505: Project Management Fundamentals: Buxton Hall Project
Artifact #2: MGMT520: Managing Organizational Change & Conflict: Leadership Paper.
Artifact #3: MGMT560: Ethics in Global Marketplace: Multinational Corporations’ Role in CSR
Artifact #4: MGMT585: Strategic Management: Textron Strategic Vision
Artifact #5: MGMT530: Marketing Strategies: At Home Inn Video Commercial
Artifact #6: MGMT530: Marketing Strategies: Marketing Plan
My Reflection on meeting this outcome:
When I first started into the MBA program, I had heard to anticipate writing papers. My undergraduate years consisted of the fairly usual traditional curriculum. In other words, you read the textbook, listened to the lecture, maybe took a couple quizzes, answered questions in the back of a chapter, and finally took a test over the material. Most of these tests were in the form of multiple choice or true / false with an occasional essay question or two at the end. Whenever I heard of a class where the majority of the tests were all-essay in nature, I would panic. So you can imagine the trepidation felt knowing I was entering a program that was, for the most part, one extremely large essay exam. Not only was the thought of paper after paper scary, the knowledge that all this writing must be done in an APA format was enough to make me want to retract my MBA application.
My first test of written skills can be reviewed in Artifact #1. This artifact was my first attempt at a final project, where the requirements for length and content were greater than for that of a weekly assignment. While there were a few minor APA errors, which I have since recognized, my professor was pleased. “You have done an OUTSTANDING job on your course project” (T. Sines, personal communication, May 9, 2011). I now had a greater confidence in my academic success.
The fun part of this outcome is that it allows me to demonstrate how this poise continued to grow and brag a little on my accomplishments.
With the input from each instructor I began to trust in my writing abilities. For example, Artifact #2 is from one of my earlier classes. At the time, felt it was one of my better papers. My instructor confirmed my belief. “Wow Jennifer. Outstanding analysis, comparisons, and evaluation of the context of the theories….It was well organized with very good conclusions. I rarely give out a perfect score but this was very well done!” (G. Cullen, personal communication, August, 8, 2011). There were several other instructors with similar comments.
All was going well until one instructor informed the class of his belief that many graduate students may not be graded as strongly as they should. “I have observed many 4.0 graduate studies students enter doctoral level learning thinking their work was perfect when in reality, their work really appears to not have been critically reviewed” (Dr. R. Fuller, personal communication, January 12, 2012). As any other student reading such a statement from the individual that would be responsible for grading coursework, I was more that nervous that my writing would not stand up to such stringent analysis. I believe this actually drove me to excel even more with my writing skills. Artifact #3 demonstrates what this extra effort provided. The final comment attached to this paper provided much satisfaction, “You did an outstanding job with this assignment! Please keep up this level of effort in all your work in this class and beyond” (Dr. R. Fuller, personal communication, February 6, 2012).
Communications similar to those referenced early were echoed throughout the rest of my coursework. Finally, as I reached the second-to-last course through the MBA program, I was sure this would be one of the roughest roads in my educational journey. However, I received similar glowing remarks. Artifact #4 was selected to demonstrate my ability to maintain, and expand, on my writing skills throughout the program.
Jennifer, I have a long rubric that allows me to comment on every area of your Textron analysis. I did not bother to attach it
here. Instead, I will just say that your paper was outstanding. Your writing was very strong. Your research was excellent and it
was appropriately cited in APA format (Dr. M. Corriere, personal communication, January 20, 2013).
While there was a need to demonstrate a need for quality written communication, I also learned of the ability to communicate with very little words. The adage “less is more” would be applicable here. This pertains to Artifact #5. I had the most fun with this artifact as it allowed some creative freedom away from the normal APA format. Granted, there was still a paper associated with this video, I was still able to open some imaginative venues in which to communicate. (It does have sound, so please kick back and enjoy for a minute.) This video serves as a commercial to the business I outline in the marketing plan in Artifact #6. It allowed me the chance to express my vision of the kind of business I dream of owning someday using very little words, but providing a large message.
My Future Learning Goals related to this outcome:
There is no doubt as to the importance of communication in the business world. “Business communication is old but immature…It is a practical-science with a potentially bright future. To ensure its future it must: (1) continue to emphasize the improvement of basic communication skills,
particularly writing, among business students and practitioners…” (Reinsch, 1996, p. 27). As I have progressed through this journey, I find myself with a greater confidence in my communication skills, written as well as verbal. In today’s world, e-mail has become one of the most used forms of communication. I find my e-mail correspondence worded in a greater professional manner. Since much of my communication is with upper management, sometime senior management, this skill will be one that I will continue to build and grow. In addition, I have a renewed confidence when communicating verbally. The requirements of my career necessitate my ability to verbally communicate with many professionals,
be it team mates, suppliers, or upper management. It would be my plan to continue with growing this ability and expound on the skills I have acquired the past two years.
References
Reinsch, L. N., Jr. (1996). Business communication: Present, past, and future. Management Communication Quarterly:McQ 10(1), 27-27. Retrieved
from http://ezproxy.sckans.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/2162945?accountid=13979
My artifacts demonstrating mastery of this outcome:
Artifact #1: MGMT505: Project Management Fundamentals: Buxton Hall Project
Artifact #2: MGMT520: Managing Organizational Change & Conflict: Leadership Paper.
Artifact #3: MGMT560: Ethics in Global Marketplace: Multinational Corporations’ Role in CSR
Artifact #4: MGMT585: Strategic Management: Textron Strategic Vision
Artifact #5: MGMT530: Marketing Strategies: At Home Inn Video Commercial
Artifact #6: MGMT530: Marketing Strategies: Marketing Plan
My Reflection on meeting this outcome:
When I first started into the MBA program, I had heard to anticipate writing papers. My undergraduate years consisted of the fairly usual traditional curriculum. In other words, you read the textbook, listened to the lecture, maybe took a couple quizzes, answered questions in the back of a chapter, and finally took a test over the material. Most of these tests were in the form of multiple choice or true / false with an occasional essay question or two at the end. Whenever I heard of a class where the majority of the tests were all-essay in nature, I would panic. So you can imagine the trepidation felt knowing I was entering a program that was, for the most part, one extremely large essay exam. Not only was the thought of paper after paper scary, the knowledge that all this writing must be done in an APA format was enough to make me want to retract my MBA application.
My first test of written skills can be reviewed in Artifact #1. This artifact was my first attempt at a final project, where the requirements for length and content were greater than for that of a weekly assignment. While there were a few minor APA errors, which I have since recognized, my professor was pleased. “You have done an OUTSTANDING job on your course project” (T. Sines, personal communication, May 9, 2011). I now had a greater confidence in my academic success.
The fun part of this outcome is that it allows me to demonstrate how this poise continued to grow and brag a little on my accomplishments.
With the input from each instructor I began to trust in my writing abilities. For example, Artifact #2 is from one of my earlier classes. At the time, felt it was one of my better papers. My instructor confirmed my belief. “Wow Jennifer. Outstanding analysis, comparisons, and evaluation of the context of the theories….It was well organized with very good conclusions. I rarely give out a perfect score but this was very well done!” (G. Cullen, personal communication, August, 8, 2011). There were several other instructors with similar comments.
All was going well until one instructor informed the class of his belief that many graduate students may not be graded as strongly as they should. “I have observed many 4.0 graduate studies students enter doctoral level learning thinking their work was perfect when in reality, their work really appears to not have been critically reviewed” (Dr. R. Fuller, personal communication, January 12, 2012). As any other student reading such a statement from the individual that would be responsible for grading coursework, I was more that nervous that my writing would not stand up to such stringent analysis. I believe this actually drove me to excel even more with my writing skills. Artifact #3 demonstrates what this extra effort provided. The final comment attached to this paper provided much satisfaction, “You did an outstanding job with this assignment! Please keep up this level of effort in all your work in this class and beyond” (Dr. R. Fuller, personal communication, February 6, 2012).
Communications similar to those referenced early were echoed throughout the rest of my coursework. Finally, as I reached the second-to-last course through the MBA program, I was sure this would be one of the roughest roads in my educational journey. However, I received similar glowing remarks. Artifact #4 was selected to demonstrate my ability to maintain, and expand, on my writing skills throughout the program.
Jennifer, I have a long rubric that allows me to comment on every area of your Textron analysis. I did not bother to attach it
here. Instead, I will just say that your paper was outstanding. Your writing was very strong. Your research was excellent and it
was appropriately cited in APA format (Dr. M. Corriere, personal communication, January 20, 2013).
While there was a need to demonstrate a need for quality written communication, I also learned of the ability to communicate with very little words. The adage “less is more” would be applicable here. This pertains to Artifact #5. I had the most fun with this artifact as it allowed some creative freedom away from the normal APA format. Granted, there was still a paper associated with this video, I was still able to open some imaginative venues in which to communicate. (It does have sound, so please kick back and enjoy for a minute.) This video serves as a commercial to the business I outline in the marketing plan in Artifact #6. It allowed me the chance to express my vision of the kind of business I dream of owning someday using very little words, but providing a large message.
My Future Learning Goals related to this outcome:
There is no doubt as to the importance of communication in the business world. “Business communication is old but immature…It is a practical-science with a potentially bright future. To ensure its future it must: (1) continue to emphasize the improvement of basic communication skills,
particularly writing, among business students and practitioners…” (Reinsch, 1996, p. 27). As I have progressed through this journey, I find myself with a greater confidence in my communication skills, written as well as verbal. In today’s world, e-mail has become one of the most used forms of communication. I find my e-mail correspondence worded in a greater professional manner. Since much of my communication is with upper management, sometime senior management, this skill will be one that I will continue to build and grow. In addition, I have a renewed confidence when communicating verbally. The requirements of my career necessitate my ability to verbally communicate with many professionals,
be it team mates, suppliers, or upper management. It would be my plan to continue with growing this ability and expound on the skills I have acquired the past two years.
References
Reinsch, L. N., Jr. (1996). Business communication: Present, past, and future. Management Communication Quarterly:McQ 10(1), 27-27. Retrieved
from http://ezproxy.sckans.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/2162945?accountid=13979