Another night of elections -- the Potomoc primaries tonight. If you like politics, this presidental primary season has been more interesting than usual with both parties holding competitive contests. I have always been interested in politics since I was in grade school and followed my first presidential election season: Nixon-Humphrey 40 years ago.
Well, politics borrows some of its terms from business (or vice versa). I will use this space to talk about two particular ones that critically important to both companies that conduct businesses and political campaigns.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
One Young Soldier
Many people once they get to be my age think they have it in them to write a book--certainly we are old enough to have experienced something and studied something worth writi
ng about. But most of us don't do it because writing a book takes long term commitment that must compete with the daily responsiblities (and distractions) that engulf us. But some people with regular jobs and families do find time to write a book.
Earlier this week, one of our long-time adjunct professors in the Helzberg School, Gary DeRigne, had a book signing for his first novel, One Young Soldier. Gary says that it is mosly a memoir of his experience serving in Vietnam. I was happy to receive a copy and happier still to have my proceeds for the book be designated to the Wounded Warriers charity. I guess it was appropriate that Gary who teaches corporate social responsbility for Rockhurst would think of such gesture.
One of the strengths of Rockhurst, especially in the Helzberg School, has long been its adjunct factuly. Gary is an IT professional in our community who not only uses his non-work time to write books, but teaches courses for Rockhurst. Adjuncts are a strength because they are real business professionals who can bring that practicing expertise into the classroom. Ironically, in working with adjuncts for over a decade I have found they are most interested in their role as teacher and anxious to learn how to be a
better teacher and not simply a talking head expert.
Another thing I have learned from adjucts is that they get immense satisfaction in the classroom. In fact, some of our fulltime faculty started out as adjuncts. When I asked Gary how he likes writing, he said he likes it enough he wants to do more of it--seems this can get in your blood, too. Best of luck Gary with your next book.
ng about. But most of us don't do it because writing a book takes long term commitment that must compete with the daily responsiblities (and distractions) that engulf us. But some people with regular jobs and families do find time to write a book.Earlier this week, one of our long-time adjunct professors in the Helzberg School, Gary DeRigne, had a book signing for his first novel, One Young Soldier. Gary says that it is mosly a memoir of his experience serving in Vietnam. I was happy to receive a copy and happier still to have my proceeds for the book be designated to the Wounded Warriers charity. I guess it was appropriate that Gary who teaches corporate social responsbility for Rockhurst would think of such gesture.
One of the strengths of Rockhurst, especially in the Helzberg School, has long been its adjunct factuly. Gary is an IT professional in our community who not only uses his non-work time to write books, but teaches courses for Rockhurst. Adjuncts are a strength because they are real business professionals who can bring that practicing expertise into the classroom. Ironically, in working with adjuncts for over a decade I have found they are most interested in their role as teacher and anxious to learn how to be a
better teacher and not simply a talking head expert.Another thing I have learned from adjucts is that they get immense satisfaction in the classroom. In fact, some of our fulltime faculty started out as adjuncts. When I asked Gary how he likes writing, he said he likes it enough he wants to do more of it--seems this can get in your blood, too. Best of luck Gary with your next book.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Learning by Experience
I am reminded tonight of the vast Jesuit network of schools as I completed JebNet faculty survey. What was most interesting to me was the subject of the survey—experiential learning. Specifically, the survey queried respondents on their use and understanding of experiential learning methods in their classes. This is a subject especially dear to me as I think learning activities that engage students in actually doing the target skills is not only Jesuit but most effective.
Fortunately, there are lots of opportunities here at Rockhurst in the Helzberg School for hands-on learning that isn’t simply listening to the instructor or doing exercises out of the textbook. First, I have a colleague this semester using creative simulation for the senior capstone. It is not a computer simulation, but an activity that stretches students to develop strategies, work in teams, and present interpretations.
In fact, in the School of Management some other courses typically use simulations that force students act the role of managers—in, for example, the Introduction to Business and Marketing Policy courses.
Students who take Personal Selling don’t spend all semester just talking about selling concepts, but are required to actually sell in a simulated role play. Usually, they must sell to faculty who play the buyer—a tough buyer at that. Such "labratory" activities allow for self reflection and self assessment.
Finally, several of our faculty make use of projects that require students to interact with real people. Importantly, many of these projects are leveraged to help not-for-profit and community concerns. Right now our Executive Fellows students are working with Operation Breakthrough, providing critical services in marketing, IT and other functions. Importantly, the University supports such efforts with our Center for Service Learning.
And these experiential activities are quire Jesuit and consistent with the notion of education of the whole person. That is, it is not only what you know but what you value (place importance on) and believe (how you relate to things) that makes learning whole . . . best done through experiential activity.
Fortunately, there are lots of opportunities here at Rockhurst in the Helzberg School for hands-on learning that isn’t simply listening to the instructor or doing exercises out of the textbook. First, I have a colleague this semester using creative simulation for the senior capstone. It is not a computer simulation, but an activity that stretches students to develop strategies, work in teams, and present interpretations.
In fact, in the School of Management some other courses typically use simulations that force students act the role of managers—in, for example, the Introduction to Business and Marketing Policy courses.
Students who take Personal Selling don’t spend all semester just talking about selling concepts, but are required to actually sell in a simulated role play. Usually, they must sell to faculty who play the buyer—a tough buyer at that. Such "labratory" activities allow for self reflection and self assessment.
Finally, several of our faculty make use of projects that require students to interact with real people. Importantly, many of these projects are leveraged to help not-for-profit and community concerns. Right now our Executive Fellows students are working with Operation Breakthrough, providing critical services in marketing, IT and other functions. Importantly, the University supports such efforts with our Center for Service Learning.
And these experiential activities are quire Jesuit and consistent with the notion of education of the whole person. That is, it is not only what you know but what you value (place importance on) and believe (how you relate to things) that makes learning whole . . . best done through experiential activity.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The New Year
While the new year started three weeks ago, today feels like the real start of the new year--the first day of classes. One of the reasons I enjoy working in the Helzberg School at Rockhurst is the diversity of programs and students we have. While today is officially the first day of class for our traditional undergraduate and MBA programs, we have other programs that have already begun. For instance, our Executive Fellows MBA students started back on January 4th and 5th and met again last Saturday. The Helzberg School also offers a DO-MBA (specialized program for studying doctors) -- they had classes on January 15 and again Tuesday of this week.
And most of our faculty teach in more than one program. Some of those instructors you have for an undergraduate class likely also teach in one of these graduate programs, giving them access to not only students with different experiences but to companies in this regional area. This diversity of experience is good for our students, but is just as good for our faculty. This semester I will teach a clas of mostly freshmen (and Intro to Business course) and a course of mostly graduating MBA students taking thier final class. I look forward to getting started for good -- today.
And most of our faculty teach in more than one program. Some of those instructors you have for an undergraduate class likely also teach in one of these graduate programs, giving them access to not only students with different experiences but to companies in this regional area. This diversity of experience is good for our students, but is just as good for our faculty. This semester I will teach a clas of mostly freshmen (and Intro to Business course) and a course of mostly graduating MBA students taking thier final class. I look forward to getting started for good -- today.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
The Dish
The problem with management professors and any student of management is they are constantly intrigued by human interaction; more specifically, what gets people to take action and relegate their individual interests secondary to some bigger end. So, for instance, we never just enjoy a movie but look for examples of leadership or management. This past weekend I had the pleasure to see “The Dish,” a movie that somehow makes a story of very mundane part of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
The story, briefly, shows a small group of men who operate the world’s largest satellite dish in a rural, Australian town. The plot is quite simple, covering the 3-4 days from launch of Apollo 11 to the moon landing on July 20, 1969. This small group of men are put in the “spotlight” because NASA will rely on them for television transmission of the men walking on the moon. For this event, NASA has sent the 3-man operation a NASA representative to work with them to make sure of coordination. The film’s director did a fabulous job of making this rather mundane plot a funny story, while still giving us insight into people through the characters.
The interesting part for me was the organization of the group, which was impacted by the addition of the person from NASA. This created conflict and in the case of one of the members an improper belief. He saw the NASA person usurping their authority and “taking over” their work. How the director of the Dish facility (played by Sam Neill) handled this conflict and intervened was quite exemplary.
Now I need to watch the movie several m
ore times—that’s the problem.
The story, briefly, shows a small group of men who operate the world’s largest satellite dish in a rural, Australian town. The plot is quite simple, covering the 3-4 days from launch of Apollo 11 to the moon landing on July 20, 1969. This small group of men are put in the “spotlight” because NASA will rely on them for television transmission of the men walking on the moon. For this event, NASA has sent the 3-man operation a NASA representative to work with them to make sure of coordination. The film’s director did a fabulous job of making this rather mundane plot a funny story, while still giving us insight into people through the characters.
The interesting part for me was the organization of the group, which was impacted by the addition of the person from NASA. This created conflict and in the case of one of the members an improper belief. He saw the NASA person usurping their authority and “taking over” their work. How the director of the Dish facility (played by Sam Neill) handled this conflict and intervened was quite exemplary.
Now I need to watch the movie several m
ore times—that’s the problem.Tuesday, January 1, 2008
A New Year
One of the great things about being a father (and teacher) is how much my children teach me. A couple of weeks ago my daughter told me she was putting together a reading list for 2008. She and some friends (who also are fiction writers) are challenging themselves to read 100 books--at least 75 of them literature and fiction.
I thought "Wow, what a neat idea!" I thought I would do a reading list as well and quickly realized a couple of things. First, making a list takes time -- I was up late until 2 a.m. the other night working on a list and got to about 18 books. It reminded me of my brother several years ago coming up with his top 300 movies, ranked in oder. I tried it and simply coming up with 300 movies was nearly impossible, let alone ranking them. Second, I realized 100 books is a book every 3-4 days -- impossible.
Oh, to be young and able to dream big things. Her list (at 94 books a few days ago) includes some of my favorites like Brave new World and Apollo 13. It also includes a lot of Shakespeare and literature that we often would not read on a whim. The beauty of this exercise is that she picks her own list based on interests and needs. I believe people know what they need to learn more than anyone else.
So I have decided to make my own list with--with my own rules. I have mostly non-fiction and am looking at 25 books. Some are books I would have read anyway (business books), but most are ones I would like to read but never have time to. Also, I am picking representative ones from all decades starting in the 1920s. I am still looking for one in the 1980s. I still have a few to add -- I will leave this open as new leads come available.
Time to get reading. My daughter told me this morning she has already started her first book, Ella Minnow Pea, -- promptly at midnight.
I thought "Wow, what a neat idea!" I thought I would do a reading list as well and quickly realized a couple of things. First, making a list takes time -- I was up late until 2 a.m. the other night working on a list and got to about 18 books. It reminded me of my brother several years ago coming up with his top 300 movies, ranked in oder. I tried it and simply coming up with 300 movies was nearly impossible, let alone ranking them. Second, I realized 100 books is a book every 3-4 days -- impossible.
Oh, to be young and able to dream big things. Her list (at 94 books a few days ago) includes some of my favorites like Brave new World and Apollo 13. It also includes a lot of Shakespeare and literature that we often would not read on a whim. The beauty of this exercise is that she picks her own list based on interests and needs. I believe people know what they need to learn more than anyone else.
So I have decided to make my own list with--with my own rules. I have mostly non-fiction and am looking at 25 books. Some are books I would have read anyway (business books), but most are ones I would like to read but never have time to. Also, I am picking representative ones from all decades starting in the 1920s. I am still looking for one in the 1980s. I still have a few to add -- I will leave this open as new leads come available.
Time to get reading. My daughter told me this morning she has already started her first book, Ella Minnow Pea, -- promptly at midnight.
Monday, December 24, 2007
39 Years Ago Today
Most people know about Apollo 11, the first moon landing by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. I remember the Apollo space era as a young boy and remember Apollo 11, as well as the drama of Apollo 13. But preceding these missions was Apollo 8, which may have been even a bigger milestone.
After years of testing the limits of space within earth’s orbit, Apollo 8 was the first manned spaceship to actually travel to the moon and inject itself into lunar orbit. With the moon 250,000 miles away, such a mission took an immense amount of planning. Getting to the vicinity of the moon was relatively simple, but getting the spacecraft into lunar orbit, and more importantly to get back out, was a marvel of ingenuity and planning. In reality, the spaceship was programmed to do much of this work.
Thirty-nine years ago today, the crew of Apollo 8 (Borman, Lovell, and Anders) successfully injected themselves into lunar orbit. For perhaps the biggest television audience ever, the crew reported their observations (orbiting only 60 miles from the surface of the moon). The crew had a special Christmas message for that audience:
After years of testing the limits of space within earth’s orbit, Apollo 8 was the first manned spaceship to actually travel to the moon and inject itself into lunar orbit. With the moon 250,000 miles away, such a mission took an immense amount of planning. Getting to the vicinity of the moon was relatively simple, but getting the spacecraft into lunar orbit, and more importantly to get back out, was a marvel of ingenuity and planning. In reality, the spaceship was programmed to do much of this work.
Thirty-nine years ago today, the crew of Apollo 8 (Borman, Lovell, and Anders) successfully injected themselves into lunar orbit. For perhaps the biggest television audience ever, the crew reported their observations (orbiting only 60 miles from the surface of the moon). The crew had a special Christmas message for that audience:
In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth; and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of the God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good.
And God divided the light from the darkness.
And God called the light Day,a nd the darkness He called Night.
And the evening and the morning were the first day . . .
And God called the firmament Heaven.
And the evening and the morning were the second day.
And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called He seas.
And God saw that it was good.
Interestingly, the crew of Apollo 8 learned more about the earth by visiting the moon. The most magnificent image was when the Earth rose from the horizon of the gray, dark moon (pictured at the top). And that is how 1968 went on Christmas Eve. One person sent their congratulations to the homeward bound astronauts, saying “Thank you Apollo 8. You saved 1968." After a turbulent year of assassinations, riots, and war, the astronauts of Apollo 8 were named Time Magazine's Men of Year.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good.
And God divided the light from the darkness.
And God called the light Day,a nd the darkness He called Night.
And the evening and the morning were the first day . . .
And God called the firmament Heaven.
And the evening and the morning were the second day.
And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called He seas.
And God saw that it was good.
Interestingly, the crew of Apollo 8 learned more about the earth by visiting the moon. The most magnificent image was when the Earth rose from the horizon of the gray, dark moon (pictured at the top). And that is how 1968 went on Christmas Eve. One person sent their congratulations to the homeward bound astronauts, saying “Thank you Apollo 8. You saved 1968." After a turbulent year of assassinations, riots, and war, the astronauts of Apollo 8 were named Time Magazine's Men of Year.
I hope everyone will appreciate and cherish this 2007 Christmas season.
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