Friday, March 30, 2012

Transformation has begun

March went quickly marching by.
Spent much of my free time preparing for the JWMI EMBA adventure.

Paid for the books and case studies through the Strayer university virtual bookstore.
Finished APA guidelines for business writing - most of this I am already familiar with but it helped to be reminded about what it takes for good communication.

Professor Mary Munter's Business Communication book was a good read. A thorough set of guidelines are provided to take effective communication to a whole new level.

Transformation 1:
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I go to meetings I run with greater preparation and attention to detail - I give greater thought to the audience background, what to say depending on the situation, what channel is appropriate, how to communicate better; and yes, I even check if the chairs are properly arranged, and if the projector and phone are working properly.

I have seen situations where the smallest of detail can derail a presentation - a painstakingly prepared powerpoint presentation may look great on my computer screen but on my colleagues' screen the difference in font settings may make it look awful.

Reviewed the curriculum of leading business schools in greater detail and compared vs coverage at JWMI .  This process itself is highly educational.

Went over the sample lectures posted at JWMI.com

I never expected the impact from my JWMI learning to be so powerful and quick. To help the JWMI faculty quantify the impact they are creating, here are more specific examples of positive change.

Transformation 2:
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Had to interview candidates this week at work. With Jack Welch's guidance on hiring from the book "winning", I now have a framework I believe in and know exactly what to look for: IIM (Integrity, Intelligence, Maturity), 4E,P (Energy, Energize, Edge, Execute, Passion). This is a game changer. Used it gainfully for hiring decisions and shared it with fellow managers. I know I will use this over and over again going forward. Thanks Jack for turning on the light bulb for me !

Transformation 3:
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From the sample lectures, terms like "goal clarity" and "role clarity" began to emerge.
When progress slowed due to a superheated and long drawn discussion at work - with time pressure from a key deadline looming - I used these concepts to help steer the team smoothly towards the goal. The team energies were harnessed and from conflict we went to resolution quickly. I received appreciation from senior leaders who witnessed this event. What I learned from Jack Welch's books and videos came to mind. "Help the team members grow and lift the bar for the game - help reach a level no one thought was possible".

Had the JWMI new student orientation web conference yesterday night. The overview went well despite some technical glitches.

Web delivery of higher education makes so much sense. To the millions of underserved communities around the world, this is a clear path to climb out of poverty.

It is for all these reasons I view JWMI education as nothing short of revolutionary.

just thrilled to learn and be a part of Jack Welch's legacy
DP



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