Business Naviagator
COM 377
During my junior year, I took COM 377: Organizational Communication. This course offered a broad overview of organizational communication theories, models, and procedures. We participated in organizational communication exercises, studied situations, and practiced communication exercises, studied situations, and practiced communication and leadership methods for effective organization. The curriculum emphasized group formation and organizational behavior, providing a comprehensive foundation for understanding and navigating the intricacies of communication within groups and organizations. The course required us to use these ideas and models in real-world circumstances, which helped us get a better understanding of group dynamics while also improving our communication and leadership skills.
Group Development: Throughout the course, we were expected to grasp the stages of group growth and how they affect communication and effectiveness within a company. Each lesson focused on case studies that highlighted various stages of group growth, from formation to performance. This experience helped me improve my group development skills by allowing me to watch and reflect on how groups evolve throughout time, as well as the specific communication tactics that support each stage. Weekly case studies and debriefs allowed me to apply theoretical information in a practical setting, improving my capacity to support good group development and manage group dynamics.
Organizational Behavior: An important aspect of COM 377 was the emphasis on organizational behavior, which examined how individuals and groups behave inside companies. We investigated numerous organizational communication models and applied them to real-world situations using case studies and role-playing exercises. These exercises helped me examine and interpret the behavior of individuals and groups within organizational environments. This entailed studying how organizational culture, structure, and power dynamics affect communication methods. By engaging with these principles, I gained a more sophisticated understanding of how to navigate and influence organizational behavior in order to build a happy and productive work environment.
ENTRE 440
During my final year, I took ENTRE 440: Business Plan Practicum. This course allowed students interested in starting new businesses to explore their entrepreneurial abilities, formulate concepts, validate opportunities, develop business plans, and demonstrate their knowledge by writing an executive summary and competing in the UW Business Plan Competition. The curriculum stressed vision and planning skills, offering a thorough foundation for understanding and navigating the complexities of entrepreneurship. The training pushed us to move outside of our comfort zones and fully engage with the process of developing and implementing a business plan, encouraging a better grasp of strategic visioning and planning in the context of new venture formation.
Vision: Throughout the course, we were responsible for creating a clear and appealing vision for our entrepreneurial ventures. This included analyzing market needs, communicating our company concepts, and picturing our firms’ long-term impact. The process involved considerable market research, customer validation, and iterative improvement of our business concepts. This experience helped me improve my vision competency by teaching me how to think strategically about the future and express a clear and inspirational direction for my business. Weekly reflections and feedback meetings with peers and professors helped me refine my vision and ensure it was both ambitious and attainable. By the end of the course, I had established a good understanding of how to create a compelling vision that could guide and inspire my teammates.
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Plan: ENTRE 440 prioritized careful planning as a key competency. We were expected to create detailed business plans that included financial estimates, marketing strategies and operational plans. The final of our endeavor was presenting our startup concepts to a panel of judges and local investors at the UW Business Plan Competition. These exercises helped me improve my planning skills by showing me the value of rigorous preparation and planned implementation. The process of creating a business plan required me to analyze every facet of the endeavor, from the initial concept to market entry and expansion strategies. Navigating the uncertainties and last-minute changes inherent in business pushed my preference for deadlines, and clear directions, ultimately improving my ability to prepare successfully in dynamic and unpredictable situations.
MGMT 450
During my sophomore year, I took MGMT 450: Women in Leadership. This course investigated how leadership models are growing to become more difficult for women juggling careers, families, communities, and new social settings and movements. The curriculum emphasized mentoring and empowerment, educating students on the multifaceted problems that women confront in leadership roles and giving them the tools they need to mentor and empower others through unique communication styles and leadership exploration. The course forced us to address biases and negotiate changing social contexts while also building on our current talents in mentoring and empowering others, resulting in a more in-depth understanding of effective leadership in a variety of settings.
Mentoring: A big component of MGMT 450 was a project in which each student was asked to mentor someone while also finding a mentor who was either 2-5 years younger or older than them. This practical experience allowed me to use mentoring theories and approaches in real-world situations. This initiative greatly improved my mentoring skills by teaching me the value of active listening, empathy, and delivering constructive feedback. It helped me appreciate the reciprocal nature of mentoring relationships and how effective mentoring can benefit both the mentor and the mentee. By participating in these partnerships, I learnt how to help others with their personal and professional development while also receiving vital insights and guidance from my mentor.
Empowerment: The course focused on personal communication styles and leadership, both of which are essential for empowering oneself and others. One of the important activities was to give a TED-style talk to the class, which challenged us to conquer our fears and build confidence in public speaking. This helped me improve my empowerment competencies by forcing me to move outside of my comfort zone and confidently explain my vision and thoughts. The planning and delivery of the talk helped me identify my communication strengths and places for growth. Additionally, by hearing and delivering criticism, I learnt how to inspire my peers by recognizing their skills and encouraging them to take on leadership responsibilities. The event highlighted the significance of self-empowerment as a foundation for empowering those around you.