Change Management

Roloff, Michael. “Distributive Negotiation.” MSC Program, 26 January 2019, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. Lecture.

 

In distributive negotiation, we’re typically negotiating for something that will take away from someone else. There are different negotiation strategies and approaches that can be used to get what we want, including the aspiration theory, fair bargaining strategy, reinforcement approach, reciprocity approach, commitment approach, and pacifist strategy. The idea is to utilize a particular strategy or approach depending on the personality of the target, as well as how they go about the negotiation, in order to be the most effective. Since we find ourselves in negotiations all the time, whether in the workplace or in our personal lives, knowing when and how to use these strategies is extremely beneficial in order to get what we want.

KEYWORDS: negotiation, strategy

 

Roloff, Michael. “Functional Approaches to Attitude Change.” MSC Program, 12 January 2019, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. Lecture.

 

According to Katz’s functional approach, there are certain functions that people fall into that help explain or justify their behavior: the instrumental function (do it to get rewarded), the social adjustment function (do it because everyone else is doing it), the information function (do it because I know how), the value expressive function (do it because it’s consistent with my values), and the ego defensive function (do it to avoid negative things about myself). In the workplace, by being able to identify how people can be classified into these functions, we may be able to match change strategies to functions in order to effectively manage change.

KEYWORDS: attitude, change

 

Roloff, Michael. “Integrative Negotiation.” MSC Program, 2 February 2019, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. Lecture.

 

In integrative bargaining, instead of trying to get something by taking away from someone else, we bargain in order to get something that both parties want. One way to go about this is by logrolling, which is when we make concessions on issues that aren’t important to us in order to get concessions that we want. I find that this type of integrative bargaining happens all the time, especially in politics. What may be important to us may not mean much to someone else, so why not use this strategy so that both parties are satisfied?

KEYWORDS: negotiation, bargaining

 

Roloff, Michael. “Introduction to Macro Approaches.” MSC Program, 16 February 2019, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. Lecture.

 

According to the ASA theory (attraction, selection, attrition), everything is about fit. This can determine whether or not you want to work for an organization, whether the organization want you to work for them, and why you decide to stay or quit. To me, this theory reinforces the fact that organizations where we’ll be the most satisfied are where we fit in the best. We can’t try to fit into somewhere where it doesn’t make sense (i.e. fitting a square peg into a round hole) because we won’t be satisfied there in the long run.

KEYWORDS: ASA, fit

 

Roloff, Michael. “Organizational Change Strategies.” MSC Program, 2 March 2019, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. Lecture.

 

According to Kipnis, there are certain strategies that can be utilized in order to influence change. These strategies include ingratiation, rationality, assertiveness, exchange, blocking, sanctions, upward appeals, coalitions, legitimizing, inspirational appeals, and consultation. However, these strategies are more effective depending on who they are targeted at. I believe these strategies will be useful to know so that we don’t try to influence a change with one strategy when there’s a slim chance it will work. Instead, it would be best to go about it by using a different strategy in order to be more successful.

KEYWORDS: influence, change, strategy

 

Roloff, Michael. “Process Approaches to Attitude Change.” MSC Program, 19 January 2019, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. Lecture.

 

There are three components of the Tripartite Model of Attitudes: cognitive (beliefs about something), affective (emotional reaction), and behavioral (action orientation towards something). By understanding the three components of attitude and which is the primary component for an individual, you will be able to persuade someone to change their attitude. In the workplace, we come across individuals with unfavorable attitudes, so by understanding how this model works, we can influence people’s attitudes for the better.

KEYWORDS: attitude, persuasion

 

Roloff, Michael. “Strategies of Resistance.” MSC Program, 9 March 2019, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. Lecture.

 

Individuals have different reactions when changes happen in the workplace, and sometimes these changes may lead to workplace aggression. Some of these changes include the following: downsizing, budget cuts, and organizational restructuring. Unfortunately, we live in a world where individuals may react to workplace changes in the worst possible way (i.e. mass shootings). By being more aware of predictors of workplace aggression, perhaps we may be able to utilize other strategies for managing change in order to minimize the chances of a “worst possible scenario” from happening.

KEYWORDS: strategy, resistance, aggression

 

Roloff, Michael. “Understanding Innovation.” MSC Program, 23 February 2019, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. Lecture.

 

There are certain stages of adoption that ideas or practices go through from when they’re considered innovative to when they’re considered common knowledge or standard practice. Innovators are the first to adopt, followed by early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards at the end. I find that these stages of adoption can often be applied to how well new ideas and practices are received in an organization. We think new, unheard-of ideas are crazy at first, but once they get picked up by innovators and early adopters, then everyone else will follow in time. This can also be seen in ideas or practices related to new technologies.

KEYWORDS: innovation, adoption

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Communication, Management, and Ethics

Machiavelli, N., Skinner, Q., & Price, R. (1988). The prince (pp. 54-63). Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

 

The Prince described how princes should act, conduct themselves, and make decisions in order to prosper. Some of these decisions may not seem right or virtuous at the time, but these decisions can be seen as acts of consequentialism, where the ends (war) justify the means (glory). I believe that some ideas from this reading are applicable to the real world. One in particular that stood out: “A ruler who wishes to maintain his power must be prepared to act immorally when this becomes necessary.” I think we often think we can do the right thing all the time, but it’s naïve to think that there will never be difficult choices to be made. Deontology and consequentialism may require us to make these difficult decisions for the greater good.

KEYWORDS: consequentialism, deontology, ethics

 

Soltes, E. (2011). A letter from prison (HBS No. 9-110-045). Brighton, MA: Harvard Business School.

 

This case study was a letter that Stephen Richards, a prison inmate and former executive for Computer Associates (CA), wrote to Eugene Soltes, a student at University of Chicago Booth School of Business. In the letter, Richards answered questions that Soltes asked regarding what lead him to unethical decision making at CA that led to his incarceration. While reading this case study, it seemed that Richards, as an agent for CA, was carrying out his duties as the global head of sales, by allowing the misreporting of revenue and earnings to take place in order to bolster the company’s financial position. However, this also led to his personal downfall. In my career, I need to make sure that I’m making ethical decisions. Also, I need to be weary of making minor unethical decisions for personal gain because these same decisions may snowball into more unethical decisions with major implications.

KEYWORDS: agency, ethics

 

Sophocles., & Fagles, R. (1984). The three Theban plays (pp. 55-128). New York, NY: Penguin.

 

In this reading, we focused specifically on the Theban play Antigone. After the Thebes’ civil war, Antigone and her uncle, Creon, had different ideas on what to do with Polyneices’ (Antigone’s brother) body, with both characters believing that their ideas were the right thing to do. By burying her brother’s body, Antigone acted on her personal virtues to honor him and also by her duty to not anger the gods. Creon also felt that by leaving Polyneices’ body out to rot because he fought against the city of Thebes, he was fulfilling his deontological duty as king to not give this traitor a proper burial. To me, this highlighted the fact that everyone has their own ethical values. In my professional and personal life, it’s important to take into consideration other people’s beliefs and allowing other people to express their beliefs and opinions. Although I may not agree with others, they may still believe they’re acting ethically because of what they know and their experiences.

KEYWORDS: deontology, ethics, virtue

 

Content and Influencer Marketing

Crestodina, A. (2018). Content chemistry: The illustrated handbook to content marketing. Chicago, IL: Orbit Media Studios.

 

This is a great handbook that encompasses almost everything related to content marketing, including Google analytics, SEO, social media, and influencers. It details how to create engaging content, how to get “eyes” on it, and the metrics related the content. I’m interested in getting into this industry, so I can definitely see this as a book that I’ll be referring to often in the future. Crestodina details what makes good content; it’s something that’s “easily digestible” to its viewers. These days, people hardly read large amounts of copy; they like to skim and get to the main points. By using a combination of copy, images, and infographics, this will ensure that the content I produce in the future is more likely to make an impact on those who view it.

KEYWORDS: content, Google analytics, SEO

 

Handley, A. (2014). Everybody writes: Your go-to guide to creating ridiculously good content. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

 

With the emergence of social media and text messages, we tend to set grammar to the wayside in favor of acronyms and short-hand writing. However, well-written copy is still valued for good content because it’s easier to read. I especially enjoyed this book because it reassured me that the way I write is valued. My writing style has always been straightforward and concise, which has served me well for technical writing at my current employer. It’s good to know that good content values my style of writing, and I need to keep doing what I’m doing.

KEYWORDS: content, writing

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Law, Technology, and Strategy

Bickart, B., Fournier, S., & Nisenholtz, M. (2017). What Trump understands about using social media to drive attention. Harvard Business Review, 95(2). Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2017/03/what-trump-understands-about-using-social-media-to-drive-attention

 

Donald Trump took social media by storm during the 2016 presidential election. He was able to do this by utilizing big-seed marketing and attention-grabbing content. He also presented a raw presentation of himself by addressing his followers directly on Twitter. Although Trump is certainly successful in bringing attention to himself through these strategies, I believe it’s also important to consider possible risks when communicating to audiences in this way. Once we present ourselves in a certain way that reaches mass amounts of people, it can be hard to retreat.

KEYWORDS: social media, marketing

 

Byrnside, I. (2008). Six clicks of separation: The legal ramifications of employers using social networking sites to research applicants. Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law, 10(2), 445-477.

 

In this age of social media, we can often be found simply through a Google search or social networking platforms. Employers have also done these types of searches to find out information on potential job candidates, similar to a background check. But is there a problem with too much information, and can employers even be sure that who is presented online is even the individual they’re looking into (is it authentic, or is it someone posing as the individual)? This article brought up interesting considerations when dealing with social networking sites, notably whether we should censor ourselves versus freedom of expression. Ideally, we want to find a happy medium between the two, but that can be a lot easier said than done.

KEYWORDS: social media, censorship

 

Gordon, C. M., & Carr, C. M. (2012). Dirigo International (HBS No. 9-212-056). Brighton, MA: Harvard Business School.

 

In this case, Dirigo International was a large corporation with their headquarters located in the city of Kezar, but they were looking to expand. Although Dirigo was already a big driver for jobs and the economy in Kezar, the mayor had concerns with construction and the city’s infrastructure should Dirigo expand. I found this case interesting because it brought up issues that can arise when these types of things come up. Typically, such expansions appear to be win-win situations, but we often disregard possible infrastructure issues, as well as regulations that may hinder such work. We need to be strategic in how to deal with these situations (possibly using integrative bargaining) so that everyone can be satisfied.

KEYWORDS: regulation, strategy

 

Morris, R. G. (2007). The end of the networks. Florida International University Law Review, 2(1), 55-73.

 

This article detailed the history of network television from its heyday in the late 20th century until the rise of the internet. The viewing habits of people today have changed, where people no longer watch television on live on the networks. Instead, people watch cable television (free from commercials) or binge on shows available on the internet (i.e. Netflix, Amazon, etc.). Throughout the years, regulations were enacted that weren’t favorable to network television, but Schurz Communications v. FCC case changed network television forever by forbidding networks from owning television shows. This article was informative in showing how influential regulations can be. In this example regarding network television, regulation changed the entire course of the industry.

KEYWORDS: regulation, law

 

Riedel, G. A., & Knoop, C. I. (2018). Facebook ­– Can ethics scale in the digital age? (HBS No. 9-319-030). Brighton, MA: Harvard Business School.

 

In the past few years, Facebook has found itself in plenty of controversy, namely the Cambridge Analytica scandal. With data on more than 2.2 billion of its users, should Facebook be more intentional in how this data is managed? As the scandal unfolded, both Zuckerberg and Sandberg stated that they were open to some type of privacy regulation for Facebook. Then came the Russian investigation, along with claims that Facebook was responsible for helping spread fake news on its platform. I found this article interesting when it examined what Facebook is facing with the privacy issues, and really, how concerned (or unconcerned) Facebook’s senior management is with these issues. Another interesting issue that came up is how to even regulate social media in general.

KEYWORDS: social media, regulation, privacy

 

Serafeim, G., & Welch, K. (2012). Ultimate Fighting Championship: License to operate (A) (HBS No. 9-112-011). Brighton, MA: Harvard Business School.

 

Before the UFC was owned by Dana White and the Fertitta brothers, it was owned by Rorion Gracie and Art Davie. During this time, the UFC was promoted by SEG, but because of their marketing strategies early on, it made it harder for agencies to want to work with them when trying to regulate the sport. Although the sport was growing in popularity in the United States, it was banned in almost all states and pay-per-view television didn’t want to broadcast it. These troubles led Davie to search for a potential buyer for the UFC. This case was a great example of how strategy is important in how we choose to market ourselves or the organizations we represent. If we make a mistake, this can prove to be costly in the long run.

KEYWORDS: strategy, marketing, regulation

 

Sharma, T. G., Suraj, S., Srivastava, M., Chandoke, T., & Prakash, P. (2017). Netflix in India: The way ahead (Ivey ID: 9B17M033). London, Ontario, Canada: Ivey.

 

Netflix entered the Indian market in 2016, but almost immediately, it ran into issues that it never experienced before. There was already competition in India for similar services, and their pricing model gave no real incentive for people to switch services. Also, although Netflix was in process of adding titles and original content to the Indian library, they failed to truly understand how influential the Bollywood industry is. Netflix carried many Bollywood titles when it entered India, but it was really a small number compared to the number of titles Bollywood actually produced. I thought this case was a great example of how we often fail to truly understand cultural differences, and this can hinder how well our organizations operate. In this particular case, if only Netflix had done more research on the Indian market, or even delayed its Indian launch until they had a sufficient amount of Indian-specific content available, they could have been more successful.

KEYWORDS: cultural differences, competition

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Leading Collaboration

 

Amabile, T. M., & Kramer, S. J. (2011). The power of small wins. Harvard Business Review, 89(5), 70-80.

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When teams are assembled, it’s to work towards a particular goal. However, on the way to reaching the end goal, teams make progress along the way. This article discusses how acknowledging small wins can increase the productivity of teams. Also, managers can ensure the work is meaningful and productive by setting up support for teams through catalysts, nourishers, and establishing themselves not as just a supervisor, but as a resource. I found the ideas in this article interesting because most management that I’ve encountered don’t acknowledge the small wins; instead they are only focused on the end goal. Because of this mindset, productivity suffers, and teams end up doing just enough to get by. By using the power of small wins, teams can feel like their work is meaningful and has a purpose.

KEYWORDS: teams

 

Bernstein, E. S. (2016). Leading teams (Core Curriculum in Organizational Behavior 8306) [Reading and interactive illustrations]. Available from https://hbr.org/product/organizational-behavior-reading-leading-teams/8306-PDF-ENG

 

Teams are effective when they deliver results, adapt and learn through effective teamwork, and team members are satisfied and learn. The process of teamwork also matters; this can be seen through process gains and losses. Team effectiveness can be decided early on based on its design. When designing a team, we need to look at the following: why, who, what, when, and how. The examples of process gains and losses were interesting to read about; the gains are simple enough to implement in the real world, yet we have to be aware of when losses will become an issue so that they can be effectively resolved.

KEYWORDS: collaborative leadership, teams

 

Catmull, E. (2008). How Pixar fosters collective creativity. Harvard Business Review, 86(9), 64-72.

 

Ed Catmull, cofounder of Pixar, discusses how Pixar overcomes falling into a creative rut by not being afraid to take risks. This is in contrast to most production studios that are afraid to take risks and why we see more reboots of franchises. Also, Pixar employs the idea of a braintrust to review work in progress. Pixar also sees all of their creative roles as peers, so that one creative role isn’t more important than another. This was one of my favorite readings of the quarter. Often times, we are too afraid to take risks, but by taking risks is when great things can happen. Also, by treating all roles (or team members) as peers, everyone feels as if their role is just as important as others on projects, no matter how big or small it is.

KEYWORDS: collaborative leadership

 

Coutu, D., & Beschloss, M. (2009). Why teams don’t work. An interview with Richard Hackman. Harvard Business Review, 87(5), 98-105.

 

Although it’s widely believed that working in a team is better than working individually, there are different obstacles that can prevent a team from working. This article identifies these obstacles and prescribes how to overcome these limitations. The idea of introducing a deviant into a team is particularly interesting. Sometimes when a team is together for a while, they are no longer challenged or as motivated towards the goal. The deviant can revitalize a team and provide new ideas from an outsider’s perspective.

KEYWORDS: collaborative leadership, teams

 

Edmondson, A. C. (2012). Teamwork on the fly. Harvard Business Review, 90(4), 72-80.

 

These days, teams are set up quickly and from different locations and even temporarily. Because of this, team members don’t have much time to build trust or learn about one another beforehand. Amy Edmondson discusses teaming, which is a way to do work as teams quickly by speaking up, experimenting, reflecting, listening intently, and integrating. I believe this article will be useful as more and more teams are being set up do work in this way, when there’s no certainty that the team members surrounding you in the present will be the ones you’ll be working with in the future.

KEYWORDS: teams, collaboration

 

Eisenhardt, K. M., Kahwajy, J. L., & Bourgeois, L. J. (1997). How management teams can have a good fight. Harvard Business Review, 75(4), 77-85.

 

Conflict is inevitable, especially in teams. However, not all conflict is bad, but there are ways to work through conflict and move forward. This article focuses on the different ways to work through good conflict. I enjoyed reading this article because the ideas that were presented can be used anywhere, not just in our professional lives. We need to focus on what’s important and try to eliminate what’s not in order to get towards the team goal.

KEYWORDS: collaborative leadership, teams

 

Frisch, B. (2008). When teams can’t decide. Harvard Business Review, 86(11), 121-126.

 

Often times, when team members can’t come to a decision, they look to the leader to decide. However, this is not always the best course of action. This article discusses different reasons why teams can’t decide and how to overcome these obstacles in order to make a decision. This article brings up ideas that can be implemented right away in my life because I find myself often surrounded by people that can’t make up their minds. By using the techniques presented in this article, I can better navigate these types of situations.

KEYWORDS: teams

 

Strategic Communication

 

Campbell, K. S., & Dulek, R. E. (2015). On the dark side of strategic communication. International Journal of Business Communication, 52(1), 122-142.

 

There are some instances in strategic communication where it’s necessary to be ambiguous, and even deceptive, in our messages to our intended audiences. The ideas expressed in this reading built upon the message from Halloran’s article on strategic communication, which is that messages may be deceptive in order to maintain an advantage over competitors. We may also choose to be ambiguous when crafting press releases so that we don’t induce panic for shareholders

KEYWORDS: deception, stakeholders, strategic ambiguity

 

Coombs, W. T. (2015). The value of communication during a crisis; insights from strategic communication research. Business Horizons, 58, 141-148.

 

Crises seem to happen more often these days. This article discusses strategic communication plans on how to deal with a crisis in order to save face with stakeholders and protect the reputation of the organization involved. Since I’m considering a career move into public relations, this article is especially helpful. It goes into detail the different types of crisis situations that can occur, response strategies, and likely outcomes.

KEYWORDS: crisis communication

 

DeVanna, M. A., & Tichy, N. (1990). Creating the competitive organization of the 21st century: The boundaryless corporation. Human Resource Management, Winter 1990, 29(4), 455-471.

 

These days, corporations seem to be moving away from a hierarchal organization and moving towards a boundaryless corporation. In these boundaryless corporations, the means of communicating with one another are more direct as opposed to communicating up and down a hierarchy. By moving towards being boundaryless, corporations can be more efficient. This can be especially important as we move towards global economies and working with other people that are not geographically close. I found this article particularly interesting because it seems like the world is moving towards this direction of breaking down boundaries in order to work and communicate with one another, but we need to be aware of the implications of removing these barriers and how to adapt.

KEYWORDS: boundaryless

 

Gossett, L. M., & Kilker, J. (2006). My job sucks: examining counterinstitutional web sites as locations for organizational member voice, dissent, and resistance. Management Communication Quarterly, 20(1), 63-90.

 

Counterinstitutional web sites provide a means for individuals to express the frustrations they have towards particular organizations. These individuals are typically dissatisfied customers and former or disgruntled employees. This article focuses on a counterinstitutional web site directed towards Radio Shack in 2004 and the fallout from it. It brings up the question, should organizations take action against these types of web sites or let them be? Do they even need to take action? Perhaps the individuals that contribute to these types of web sites bring up internal issues at the organization that can be looked into and improved upon. This article brings up interesting ways on how to deal with these types of web sites, as well as actions to avoid.

KEYWORDS: counterinstitutional

 

Halloran, R. (2007). Strategic communication. Parameters, 37(3), 4-14.

 

Halloran discusses how strategic communication has been used in the past by the U.S. military and certain ideas to keep in mind when strategically communicating. The most difficult part of strategic communication is finding a means to get the message across to the intended audiences (Halloran, 2007). Full explanations to everyone all the time are not necessary. I found the ideas presented in this article especially interesting because although it discusses strategic communication primarily in a military or warfare setting, the same principles can be applied in other settings such as public relations.

KEYWORDS: strategic communication

 

Glass, I. (2015, July 17). NUMMI 2015. This American Life [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.thisamericanlife.org/561/nummi-2015

 

This podcast focused on NUMMI, a joint venture in California between GM and Toyota in the 1980s and early 1990s. Just before NUMMI, GM vehicles were faulty and unreliable, whereas Toyota vehicles were known for the complete opposite. NUMMI was a way for GM to learn how Toyota vehicles were manufactured in order to improve their vehicles and for Toyota to learn the ins and outs of manufacturing vehicles in the United States. I referenced this podcast in one of my reaction papers that discussed boundaryless corporations. To me, GM represented the “old way” organization brought up in DeVanna and Tichy’s article, while Toyota represented the “new way”, or boundaryless organization. It was fascinating to hear about the culture shock, as well as how workers from the two companies overcame their differences and came together as a team to build some of the most reliable vehicles produced at the time.

KEYWORDS: boundaryless, communication, multicultural

 

O’Connor, A., Shumate, M., & Meister, M. (2008). Walk the line: Active moms define corporate social responsibility. Public Relations Review, 34(4), 343-350.

 

This article discusses Active Moms (or soccer moms) and how they view corporate social responsibility. This group of stakeholders was chosen because of the buying influences and power they possess. They believe that authentic corporate social responsibility must be consistent and linked to the business’s core practices. As we hear about more companies and their corporate social responsibility measures, we often wonder if these companies are authentic in what they’re doing or if it’s a strategic move on their part in order to win over stakeholders. After the discussion we had in class about this reading, I’m more aware of how corporations will often do these types of things in order to appeal to a certain customer base, but they appear to be little more than publicity stunts.

KEYWORDS: corporate social responsibility, stakeholders

 

Prahalad, C. K. & Ramaswamy, V. (2002, April 9). The co-creation connection. Strategy + Business, 27, 1-12.

 

In the past, companies would operate under the guise that they know what customers value and would sell their products based on this belief. However, in the information age that we now live in, potential customers are more aware of what is out there and now know what they value, which is experiences. In turn, companies have to find a way to sell experiences to their customers in order to create value for them. Reading this article reminded me of an accounting class I took during my undergrad when we learned about Porter’s generic strategies, where companies attempt to gain a competitive advantage through cost leadership, differentiation, or focus. In today’s world of information, those companies that employed the differentiation strategy are more successful in winning over stakeholders than those that employed the cost leadership strategy.

KEYWORDS: co-creation, value, stakeholders

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Understanding and Leveraging Organizational Networks

Byham, W. C. (2009). Start networking right away (even if you hate it). Harvard Business Review, 87(1). Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2009/01/start-networking-right-away-even-if-you-hate-it

 

This was one of the first reading assignments from Professor Contractor’s class, and it addressed the initial uneasiness that most people feel when they first think about networking. If we’re not naturally “blessed” with networking skills, we often believe networking feels contrived. This reading brings a different perspective to networking that helps people hate it less. The overarching idea I took from this reading is that when networking (whether professionally or personally), I shouldn’t approach it as what this person can do for me. Instead, I should approach it as what I can do for this person.

KEYWORDS: networking, people skills

 

Casciaro, T., Gino, F., & Kouchaki, M. (2016). Learn to love networking. Harvard Business Review, 94(5). Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2016/05/learn-to-love-networking

 

This reading provided four simple ideas to apply to networking, and by applying these ideas, networking would not seem as bad as many of us think it is. These ideas include focusing on learning, identifying common interests, thinking broadly about what I can give, and finding a higher purpose. Because I’ve never really been too fond of networking, I can definitely apply these ideas when trying to expand my professional network, and at the same time, learn to love networking.

KEYWORDS: networking, people skills

 

Cross, R., & Thomas, R. (2011). A smarter way to network. Harvard Business Review, 89(7). Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2011/07/managing-yourself-a-smarter-way-to-network

 

Cross and Thomas identify a number of approaches that people use when networking and provide ways to improve in order to get the most out of your network. They also explain how to get your network right: you need to analyze, de-layer, diversify, and capitalize on it. I’m often told that networking is a numbers game; the more connections I have, the better the network. However, for my network, it’s not about quantity; it’s about quality. While I should be continuing to expand my network, I have to be mindful of the types of connections I make.

KEYWORDS: diversity, networking

 

Edmondson, A. C., Moingeon, B., Dessain, V., & Jensen, A. D. (2011). Global knowledge management at Danone (A) (HBS No. 9-608-107). Brighton, MA: Harvard Business School.

 

In this HBS case study, Danone management reflects on decisions they’ve taken in the past to become a multinational corporation and how these decisions have affected the way knowledge is shared among employees. They also discuss the challenges they’ve encountered with sharing information across employees around the world. I really enjoyed this case study because it really went into depth the challenges that corporations can run into when becoming multinational. Also, while the world becomes more “connected”, these same issues that Danone experienced can occur in any network.

KEYWORDS: multinational development, networking, sharing

 

Eisenstat, R. A. (1993). Managing Xerox’s multinational development center (HBS No. 9-490-029). Brighton, MA: Harvard Business School.

 

In this HBR case study, John Clendenin was contemplating his next career move at Xerox, a corporation he had worked at for six years (at the time). The case study went into detail his professional timeline at Xerox since 1983 and illustrated the different ways he negotiated within his network to better his career as well as the departments he managed along the way. This reading gave me great examples of how to utilize my networks to get what I want, similar to what Clendenin did during his tenure at Xerox. My favorite example from the case study was how he was able to win over a colleague that felt slighted when Clendenin received a promotion that the colleague felt he was more qualified for.

KEYWORDS: multinational development, negotiation, networking

 

Ibarra, H. (2016, April 18). 5 misconceptions about networking [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2016/04/5-misconceptions-about-networking

 

As the title of the reading states, this blog post sought to disprove a few misconceptions that most people have about networking. One takeaway I got from the post is the misconception that relationships should form naturally. However, this should not be the case. If we let relationships form naturally, then our network becomes homogenous and lacking in the diversity needed to get ideas from a variety of people. I will definitely keep these misconceptions in mind when I continue building my professional network in the future.

KEYWORDS: diversity, networking

 

Levin, D. Z., Murnighan, J. K., & Walter, J. (2011). The power of reconnection—how dormant ties can surprise you. MIT Sloan Management Review, 52(3). Retrieved from https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-power-of-reconnection-how-dormant-ties-can-surprise-you/

 

In this reading, we learn about dormant or weak connections. In our networks, we typically focus on our strong ties because those are the connections that we’re most familiar with. However, “awakening” dormant ties can actually be more beneficial because they offer fresh perspectives that we don’t normally get from our strong ties. Until I read this article, I never considered contacting weak ties; I thought that they were weak for a reason. However, to inspire innovation and creativity in my network, I now realize that my weak ties are keys to these ideas.

KEYWORDS: creativity, innovation, networking, weak ties

 

McGinn, K., & Tempest, N. (2010). Heidi Roizen (HBS No. 9-800-228). Brighton, MA: Harvard Business School.

 

In this case study, we learn about Heidi Roizen, networking extraordinaire. The case study explains how she connected with big players in the tech industry (she connected with them before they were big) and also how she maintains her network and connections. When we discussed this case study in class, it was brought up that perhaps Heidi’s network was too broad, and maybe she wasn’t getting as much out of it as others were receiving from her. This case study gave me great networking ideas. It doesn’t always have to be about formal networking events; rather, networking can occur over dinner with colleagues or sending out cards during the holidays.

KEYWORDS: connections, networking

 

Visual Communication

Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (2013, April 2). Seven rules for managing creative-but-difficult people [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2013/04/seven-rules-for-managing-creat

 

In this post, Chamorro-Premuzic argues that creative people aren’t good at management, and there are particular ways to deal with creatives without stifling their creativity. While most of the rules were ideas that I’ve read about in other articles, one rule that stood out was that creative people shouldn’t be overpaid. The logic behind this rule is that the more people are paid for doing what they love, the less they will love it. Although I’m not sure if I agree with that logic, the rest of the rules seem like they make sense in any situation where innovation is key. I’ll definitely keep these rules in mind in future team building and management opportunities.

KEYWORDS: creativity, innovation

 

Huff, D. (2010). How to lie with statistics. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company.

 

This reading discusses how charts and graphs can be manipulated in order to exaggerate a point. For example, a line graph may show large fluctuations, but if the Y-axis is for a small range of values, the fluctuations may be minimal in the grand scheme of things. After this reading, I definitely feel more aware and cynical when I hear about graphs or charts because they may be manipulated as described in this reading.

KEYWORDS: information, manipulation

 

Lankow, J., Ritchie, J., & Crooks, R. (2012). Infographics: the power of visual storytelling. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

 

Infographics are widely used in media these days, and this reading discusses their impact in getting messages across. They can be used to sum up large amounts of data in a simple, easy-to-digest form. Because I have an interest in content strategy, this was an interesting reading for me. I believe infographics are great ways to illustrate a point and a very effective form of visual communication today. One thing that the reading brought up and I’ll keep in mind is if an infographic is trying to show too much information. If so, then the infographic can become too confusing instead of making things simpler to understand.

KEYWORDS: graphics, information

 

Lindstrom, M. (2010). Buy·ology: truth and lies about why we buy. New York, NY: Broadway Books.

 

For this reading, we focused on how visual communication can be combined with other sensory elements to further elevate the user’s overall experience. For example, TV shows and movies combine what we see with what we hear in order to immerse us in the world of the characters’ worlds. Because I’m interested in content strategy, I found the insights in this reading particularly useful in what to consider when putting together immersive experiences like the ones in the reading. I can apply these ideas in possible advertising or marketing campaigns, combining visual cues with other senses to invoke heighted responses.

KEYWORDS: sensory, images

 

Norman, D. (1988). The design of everyday things. New York, NY: Basic Books.

 

In this reading, Don Norman discusses how items we use on a daily bases are designed. There are times when items are designed for form over function, which then impacts the usability of the items. The reading also discusses what visual cues are helpful for usability, like clarity with what tasks certain buttons perform or providing feedback when buttons are pressed to confirm an action. I found this reading particularly insightful because I think there are many everyday items that may not be as user-friendly, but because we use these items on a daily basis, we’ve become accustomed to working around these limitations. When focusing on creating user experiences, I need to be mindful of how the user will use what I’ve created. While something can appear visually appealing, if it’s not very user-friendly, it defeats the purpose of the creation.

KEYWORDS: experiences, usability

 

Wheeler, A. (2013). Designing brand identity: An essential guide for the whole branding team. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

 

In our class, we focused on the section of the book that addressed brand fundamentals. This was an overview of what goes into branding, including names, strategies, logos, stakeholders, and more. I found this reading particularly relevant to me, especially being in the MSC program, because we’re in process of developing our own personal brands. While the information from the reading is relevant, the way the book presented the information with small sections of copy and its use of infographics, I think it is a great example of visual communication and content strategy as a whole. By presenting the information in this way, everything was easy to understand and take in.

KEYWORDS: graphics, images, information, usability

 

Williams, R. (2015). Non-designer's design book: Design and typographic principles for the visual novice. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press.

 

This book discussed typography and different aspects of it: types of typography/fonts and why one would choose different fonts over others, depending on the situation. This reading was interesting to me because as I develop ways to communicate with others visually, I realize that typography/font choices can make a difference. For example, old style fonts are better for large sections of copy because the serifs make the fonts better for readability. Decorative fonts are good for making a visual impact, but not good for readability. Because of this reading, I can make better typography choices so that not only can I convey messages in a visually appealing manner, but my messages can also be easily read by my audiences.

KEYWORDS: fonts, typography, usability