Academic Overview
I think it's high time I devoted some attention to describing the actual courses one encounters on an MBA. I'll try and do this course by course otherwise this aura of intense buzyness I've been diligently cultivating over the past few weeks will disappear in a puff of smoke, which just won't do.
Today, I shall focus on Leading People and Groups. This, in MBA speak, is an Organisational Behaviour Course. It's kind of a one of a kind course when compared to the other ones I'm taking this term. After 4 weeks of it, I still have no idea what to make of it. Every week I start the lecture in two minds. One of them is saying "This is complete and utter bullshit", the other "This is utter genius". And every week I resolve to finally make my mind up once and for all, and every week I seem to fail miserably.
What does the course teach? Well, this is kind of a tough one. We have a session devoted to different aspects of group behaviour. We started by examining self and the different kinds of people you can get in a group. We then went on to look at leaders and different leadership styles. For example, it seems that most people have an instinctive preference to work for a really free wheeling, innovative thinking boss who gives them all the freedom in the world and trusts them to do tasks of earth saving magnitude well. But when it comes to choosing who they would like to have work for them, they'd be much happier having something between an ant and a robot that mindlessly goes and carries out whatever simple task you've assigned to them without asking any questions.
Today we looked at influence, and ways of exercising it. This involved a viewing of "12 Angry Men", which not being one I'd seen before was immensely enjoyable. We ended up going through all of the techniques Henry Fonda uses to influence the jury. Like for example making friends before tackling the strongest opponents, and accepting a gift from someone in order to make them feel like being part of his side.
My problem with it all is most likely related to my background. Every week I find my head swirls in amazement during the course of the lecture, but once I come out of it, I really can't quite pin point whether I've actually learned anything or not. I diligently try and take notes in class, but when it comes back to reading them they seem to make very little sense. So who knows. Hopefully next week I will finally crack the genius or bullshit question....
Today, I shall focus on Leading People and Groups. This, in MBA speak, is an Organisational Behaviour Course. It's kind of a one of a kind course when compared to the other ones I'm taking this term. After 4 weeks of it, I still have no idea what to make of it. Every week I start the lecture in two minds. One of them is saying "This is complete and utter bullshit", the other "This is utter genius". And every week I resolve to finally make my mind up once and for all, and every week I seem to fail miserably.
What does the course teach? Well, this is kind of a tough one. We have a session devoted to different aspects of group behaviour. We started by examining self and the different kinds of people you can get in a group. We then went on to look at leaders and different leadership styles. For example, it seems that most people have an instinctive preference to work for a really free wheeling, innovative thinking boss who gives them all the freedom in the world and trusts them to do tasks of earth saving magnitude well. But when it comes to choosing who they would like to have work for them, they'd be much happier having something between an ant and a robot that mindlessly goes and carries out whatever simple task you've assigned to them without asking any questions.
Today we looked at influence, and ways of exercising it. This involved a viewing of "12 Angry Men", which not being one I'd seen before was immensely enjoyable. We ended up going through all of the techniques Henry Fonda uses to influence the jury. Like for example making friends before tackling the strongest opponents, and accepting a gift from someone in order to make them feel like being part of his side.
My problem with it all is most likely related to my background. Every week I find my head swirls in amazement during the course of the lecture, but once I come out of it, I really can't quite pin point whether I've actually learned anything or not. I diligently try and take notes in class, but when it comes back to reading them they seem to make very little sense. So who knows. Hopefully next week I will finally crack the genius or bullshit question....
posted by The Apprentice at 2:22 PM
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