MHR 6500 Managing Individuals and Groups

 
Students in MBA programs are routinely surveyed about the coursework they are taking. Here are the results for the campus weekend program after completion of three 3-credit courses and one half-credit course. The questions asked of the students were:

Please describe below the single most important learning you took from each of the following classes you have completed (please be specific-e.g., "I learned that _____"):

In terms of the two criteria of relevance and rigor, please rate each of the six fall semester courses. Using the following scales, assign a number between one and five for each course on both dimensions:

  • Relevance
    • 5 = Highly relevant to both the goals of the MBA program and my career goals
    • 1 = Not relevant to either the goals of the MBA program or my career goals
  • Rigor
    • 5 = Very challenging
    • 1 = Very easy

Students' Responses

  • Managing individuals and groups is a complex process through persistence, creativity and dedication a manager can realistically expect to evaluate the performance of his work group - and himself. In a nutshell, "I can get better and so can my people." (5,4)
  • Learning about teams and the roles individuals have within each team. Learning about motivation intrinsic and extrinsic. (5,5)
  • To recognize my own behavior and how to influence my behavior in a positive way. (5,5)
  • I gained a greater appreciation for different perspectives and skills and the importance of diversity in teams as well as the tools to make diverse team members feel included. I also learned (and this is related to the above) that motivation is complex, but understandable. (__, 4)
  • I learned how to effectively organize teams and include the right people with the right skills to perform a specific task. (5,4)
  • I learned that there is a lot more to managing a group than being a cheerleader and just trying to be everyone's friend. (4,4)
  • I learned that managing groups effectively is more about how you approach a problem than anything else. Meaning that if you specifically consider the implications of how things are presented, you will be more successful. (3,4)
  • I learned that you need to take care of your human capital to build your financial capital. (4,3)
  • The group assignments in general were very interesting and helped us bond with each other. (5,4)
  • I learned that managing human resources is critical to the success of any business. All leaders should be educated in dealing with employees effectively. (4,4)
  • I learned that the best way to change organizational behavior is to change my behavior first. (4,5)
  • How to manage people better, understand fellow employees and managers. (3,2)
  • I learned that people are the greatest asset to a company. A manager must recognize this in order to be as efficient and effective as possible. (5,5)
  • I learned that in order to be a successful manager that we need to be able to give and receive constructive feedback (even though I am uncomfortable giving and receiving negative feedback). (5,5)
  • I learned that there are specific skills that make someone a good manager, and there are managing techniques that can be implemented in order to obtain optimal performance from an organization. (4,3)
  • I learned that usually people problems are most complex and most difficult to handle. The class provided framework to handle those. (5,5)
  • I learned not what it takes to be a leader in an organization but what makes it tick and how to be a force for change. (5,4)