School officially begins for me tomorrow, and I’m dutifully procrastinating the completion of some of the required reading. I’ve finished reading all of the prep materials, as well as some additional reading, except for the elusive first four chapters of the Jolly text.

Actually, I’ve managed to “complete” the first two chapters, and hope to finish chapters 3 and 4 before I pass out some time this evening. But I’m not expecting much. It took me well over a week to complete the first chapter, and I honestly couldn’t tell you what it is about. During that same week, I finished several whole books, incorporated a business, took care of my son, travelled, visited friends, made dinner several nights, twiddled my thumbs, and otherwise occupied myself. Yet it was torture finishing one single chapter…

The book is incredibly thick (literally and figuratively) and probably uses every single word in an unabridged thesaurus—only once, mind you, Jolly seems to be the type of writer to never use the same word twice. Single sentences are so muddled with jargon and heady words that I literally have to take them one word at a time, simply to complete the sentence in my head, and then again to figure out what has been said. I’m exaggerating a little, but overall, the book has been a big disappointment. I really hope to finish it (such an achievement is looking bleak at this point) as I would really like to give it full review. We shall see…

I am looking forward to tomorrow—to beginning the program, as well as meeting everyone else who will be completing it—and truly hope to bring as many nuggets as possible back from the experience to this blog. We shall see about that too…

I’m off to attempt to finish the Jolly reading. (If I don’t post here for several days, I’m still in the deep sleep the text might very well put me into.)

TAGS: MBA | Business

GSB X529, or otherwise known as Effective Communication Skills for Managers offers the following overview:

The most important ideas in business are spoken and written. They are also “sifters” that can make or break a project or a career. Technology, models, cash flows, underwriting, and financing are all servants to the English Language. This course will build on your current speaking and writing skills, critical thinking, audience analysis, message development, correspondence, and document and visual design.

Whew! As competent as I may *think* I am in all of the noted areas, there is always room for improvement (most of the time, room for vast improvement). I have long noticed that the successful businesses are more often than not, those that are able to communicate how their product or service fulfills their target market’s needs. For the most part, quality, though important, does not trump effective communication…

Required Reading:

• The Business Writer’s Companion, 4th Edition: Alred, Gerald, et. al.
• Making Presentations: Hindle, Tim
• Business Communication for Managers: An Advanced Approach, 5th edition: Penrose, John, et. al.
• Write Up the Corporate Ladder: Ryan, Kevin
• On Writing Well: Zinsser, William

TAGS: MBA | Business Communication | Communication Skills | Book Recommendations

I just love the cryptic codes used for each class…

GSB s528 is the Commercial Development of Innovative Technologies course taught by Dr. Eric Olsen. The course, one of two special summer classes, should live up to its title nicely:

This course provides students with conceptual frameworks and experiences necessary to understand the business potential of technology innovations and determine if one or more sustainable market opportunities can be identified to exploit them.

The required and suggested reading for the course looks very interesting. Save the first book, all seem to be what I would consider “business pleasure” reading. I’m counting on Jolly’s ability to make a somewhat mundane subject matter pop off the pages with passion…

Required Reading:

• Commercializing New Technologies: Getting From Mind To Market: V.K. Jolly
• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable: P. Lencioni
• E Ink [case # 9-800-143]: Amabile, T. & Archambault, S. (HBS case study)
• The Rise and Fall of Iridium [case # 9-601-040]: Mac Commack, A. & Herman, K. (HBS case study)

Suggested Reading:

• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Covey S. R.
• Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling High-Tech Products to Mainstream Customers: Moore, G. A.

TAGS: MBA | Book Recommendations | New Technology

I’m a few short weeks away from beginning the MBA program at CalPoly San Luis Obispo and have decided, for better or worse, to dedicate a portion of my blog to the next, very intense, 10 months. This may be a futile attempt while attending school, raising a newborn (yay!) and running a business, but an attempt I will undertake nonetheless…

Rather than try to regurgitate the details of my education, I’ll focus on posting anything interesting I think you may benefit from. I imagine the process will be a bit organic as I have yet to experience the reality of my workload (I’m crossing my fingers in hope that it will be a little lighter than expected). I look forward to sharing the experience with you!

TAGS: MBA | Graduate School | Business Education