This course is the first of two classes concerning executive skills. Today, business is not only conducted in the boardroom, but in airplanes, restaurants, the company car, at home, and even in other countries. This course is about the important details of business behavior and how, when linked together, these details can provide you with a presence that will propel you in your career. You are expected to acquire: (1) skills on how to present yourself when applying for a job; (2) effective professional interpersonal skills; and (3) successful written and oral communication skills.
Johnson, Spencer
Who Moved My Cheese?
The Wall Street Journal (You are expected to spend a minimum of 30
minutes each day reading the Journal.)
You are to set up a home page that allows you to review a quick overview of news, the economy, weather and other personal features. This should allow you to have a daily briefing each day. You may personalize any of the major web sites, such as CEO Express,[1] My Yahoo, My Netscape, My MSN, etc. to establish your home page button. At a minimum, each day you should read financial news and also several major newspapers such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and/or The London Times.
· Office 2000, including use of Word (for all document production), PowerPoint (for presentations) and Outlook (for e-mail, contacts and calendars).
· Netscape and Internet Explorer (browsers)
· Google and Copernic 2000 (for searching the web)
William Struck, Jr. and E. B. White, The Elements of Style, Third Edition
Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications, Second Edition
1. Resume Preparation
a. Self-assessment
b. Creating a Mission/Value Statement
c. Creating a Final Resume
d. Writing a Cover Letter
e. Preparing for the Job Interview
2. Written Communication Skills
a. Effective Style in Written Communications
b. Grammatical Considerations
c. Editing, Revising and Proofing
3. Oral Communication Skills
a. Basic Presentation Techniques
b. Presentations for Information
c. Impromptu Presentations
4. Corporate Communications
a. Strategic methods in communicating with stakeholders
b. The Annual Report
c. Crisis Communications
5. Other Activities as Assigned
This course is an instructor-assisted, self-motivated learning experience designed to prepare each of you to meet the information and communications challenges in today’s business environment. You should view this as a work environment with the instructor as a mentor and team leader to help you guide your career with this company.
Classroom time is devoted to lecture, assignments, guest presentations, employee presentations, and interactive discussions. You are expected to prepare adequately for meetings so that time will be used efficiently and productively.
Just as in the work environment, assignments are sometimes ambiguous. Background information is sketchy. This might be expected and encountered when assignments are made in the business world. It is your responsibility to develop the specifics of the assignment and to focus on the relevant issues with the mentoring of the team leader (professor). All assignments must be submitted in a professional presentation style using electronic transmissions or laser-printed output if requested.
As in the work environment, it is expected that assignments will be completed by the due date, which may or may not be a regularly scheduled meeting time. No late assignments will be accepted under any circumstances and a grade of zero will be assigned.
Most assignments will be submitted electronically and will be returned electronically with comments and grade.
Please check your e-mail regularly. The most efficient communication between you and your colleagues is through e-mail. If you have difficulty reaching me, please do so by e‑mail and I will respond promptly.
You are to select a publicly traded corporation for study and as a basis for assignments during the semester. More information will be provided about the company study in September.
On Thursday, October 24th a number of entrepreneurs will be visiting the Walker College of Business. Groups will be assigned to interview an entrepreneur their careers. Each group will then report to the class on their findings.
You may be called upon to answer questions and/or make brief presentations in class on your tracking project, Wall Street Journal articles, assignments or other relevant business topics. You will be asked to make brief PowerPoint presentations. Further information will be provided on oral presentations.
You are expected to attend all classes (company meetings). If a meeting is missed, you are, however, responsible for all material presented, for obtaining the assignments, and for turning in assignments on their due date. No late assignments are accepted.
You may discuss resources and strategies for completing assignments among yourselves. Others may review and offer constructive criticism of your assignments and/or presentations before they are completed. However, you may not share with others data, graphs, tables, figures, exhibits or any information that you have photocopied or that you have saved electronically. All research, computer work, and assignments must be individually completed unless otherwise specified.
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Instructor |
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Office |
4073 Raley Hall |
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Office Hours |
M/W/F-- |
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Office Phone |
262-3174 |
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Home Phone |
297-7610 |
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schoenfeldtl@appstate.edu |
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Web Page |
http://www1.appstate.edu/~schoenfe/ |
Please note, every attempt
will be made to follow office hours as given and to be available for you at
other times. However, in terms of
efficient use of your time, it works best to e-mail, to call in advance, or to
use our opportunity to be together in class, to arrange a specific time for an
office meeting.
Course grades will be based on the following components:
|
Component |
% of Grade |
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Assignments |
35 |
|
Company Assignment |
25 |
|
Attitude |
20 |
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Class Presentations |
10 |
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Class Participation |
10 |
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Total |
100 |