Mini Business Conference

This week was the beginning of the flip chart, five minute presentations. I don't present until the last day of the presentations next week, so for the first day I was just a good old audience member rotating from presentation to presentation. It was a very cool environment in the Conference Center, and a good learning experience hearing from different people.

One of the presentations that stuck out to me was the one given about twitter. It was very cool hearing about twitter from a business perspective. I also thought that Cameron came up with a very effective and interesting way of presenting his topic. Part of it also might be that I actually use twitter while the other things weren't things I was as familiar with.

Being able to watch the presentations was good preparation for me. I now better know how to go about getting mine ready and how to present the information effectively.

Group Presentation

This week in MCOM was completely dedicated to our group projects. Tuesday, our class time was used for us to prepare with our groups, and Thursday the presenting began. It was a pretty hectic week as our group finalized our report and presentation, but at the same time it was another great team work experience.
Our presentation went very well, even though I was pretty nervous. I definitely think practicing it over and over with my group the night before helped quite a bit!
It has been awesome working with the people in my group. They're all hard workers and have made things a blast. We probably spent a little too much time together this week haha, but it was definitely necessary for what we had to do.

I've learned a lot of valuable things working in a group setting in this class, which will be a huge asset moving forward in life. I've also learned skills of how to put together professional business documents during these group assignments, and they will definitely come in handy in the future.

Google Docs

I believe that using Google Docs is a very effective way to do group work. When you're working in a group, it can be so hard to find time to meet up and work together with the different schedules that every person in the group has. Google Docs make it possible to accomplish group work without having to be in the same location. Google Docs also make it easier to work as a group when you are gathered together. The fact that everyone in the group can have the same document open at the same time is so helpful. Everyone can be making edits and doing things simultaneously.
Google Docs are the best way to do group work.

Flip Charts

On Thursday we found out what we are going to be doing for our individual presentations and also how to go about preparing them. I am actually somewhat excited and think it will be a fun experience. We found out that we are going to be using flip charts. I have exactly ZERO experience with flip charts, so it will definitely be good having an experience using them. According to Professor Middleton they are still used quite a lot these days in almost all companies. From what it looked like, most people in the class didn't really have any experience using flip charts so everyone is pretty much on the same level in that regard.

The subject that I picked out of the pumpkin buck was how to do professional blogs. I kind of feel like I haven't done too good of a job with this blog, so maybe it was a sign that I drew out that topic. As I prepare for my presentation and research my topic, I'll have to apply the things that I learn to this blog, and try to make it a little better.

Library Day

This week was full of work to do in MCOM. I learned quite a bit, especially during our class in the library. I didn't know that there was so much that you could do on the library website. Professor Middleton timed things out perfectly, by getting us into the library just as we were beginning to write our research papers.
The library website is full of resources. It has many articles, tons of useful information on tons of companies, basic business information, and lots of other things that can help in gathering data for whatever is you need to do, whether it be writing a research paper or applying for a job.

I still have a lot of work to do with my research paper before I turn it in. Thanks to the tutorial in the library I already have more confidence in my paper. I know that what I learned in the library is going to not only be a very useful asset in preparing my paper, but also with different things I will need in the future.

Brethren, WSB Chapter Presentation

This week my group presented chapter 8 from the WSB book. It was pretty awesome being able to get online and being able to watch our presentation after we presented it. It definitely helped to see things from a different perspective. I think as I presented, I did a good job of referencing the hook, also of speaking loudly and clearly so that everyone could her. One thing I really need to work on is what I do after I finish my part. I was walking back to the front pretty slowly, and I think it distracted from the person that was speaking after me.
As I group I thought we did a great job. We spent a lot of time practicing the night before we presented, and I think that helped us. I think we did a good job of splitting up the material evenly and I think dressing up the way that we did made us look pretty professional and credible. One thing that we could do better as a group is smile and look more friendly towards are audience. Knowing all of this will help tons when our next presentation comes around.

Online Interview

The online interview was a great experience. I realized quickly that moving around is not a good thing to do when being interviewed. It is really easy to move out of the screen or even cause the screen to freeze up by moving around too much. I also learned how important it is to speak loud and clearly because it can be really hard to hear through a web cam.
Overall I feel like I learned a lot, and I feel like this experience will help me know what to be aware of and how to conduct myself when I run into an online interview

Cameron Homer was my employer. 5

Group Presentations

I learned a lot this week in class as group presentations started. The groups that have presented their assigned chapter have done an amazing job using effective visuals, dividing up the material equally, using good hooks, and involving the audience. For the presentations on the chapters in the book, we are only given 7 minutes. When you think about it that's not that much time for 4 people to be presenting a whole chapter of information. Even with the lack of time, each group has done a great job so far and helped generate ideas for those that have to follow.
I will continue watching those that present as my group awaits its turn, taking notes of things to do as well as things not to do.

Power Pointing

This week in MCOM we talked a lot about presenting, and a lot about how to use Powerpoint. I've always known the very basics of Powerpoint (probably a little more than Michael Scott), but nothing crazy impressive. CARBS is something that is easy to remember that can make a big difference in any Powerpoint presentation. Contrast, alignment, repetition, balance, and spacing. Understanding how to use these five treatments can have a drastic impact on the presentation we are giving. They are what will capture and hold the attention of our audience, or without effectively using them, do the opposite.
At the end of class on Thursday, our teacher gave us an assignment to make a good slide in Powerpoint of an invitation to a valentine's day dance. My group decided to make it right after class, and working with my group members, I learned more things about Powerpoint than I previously knew. It was also a good moment to put into practice the things I learned in class and from reading the book.


“PowerPoint doesn’t kill meetings. People kill meetings. But using PowerPoint is like having a loaded AK-47 on the table: You can do very bad things with it.”

                          (Peter Norvig, Google Director of Research)

Grammar

This week seemed like a never ending barrage of grammar. The grammar test we have been studying for like crazy since the beginning of the semester is on Monday. I don't want to think about the test too much, because all I have heard since the semester started is how hard the grammar test is. Horror story after horror story hasn't left me too excited to take it, but all the studying has definitely helped me feel a little bit more comfortable.

As I have studied the grammar rules, I have started paying attention to the way people speak and found myself wanting to correct them when they speak incorrectly, which surprisingly happens quite often. I know that even after studying all this grammar however, that I still am not perfect in my usage of the English language. The grammar portion of MCOM has been very helpful and has improved the way I speak and write and I know that it will help me in various facets of life.

Networking

This week in MCOM, we spent a good amount of time talking about networking. I've always heard people talking about networking and how it can help someone's career, but it never really hit me until we began talking about it in class. It amazed me when Professor Middleton mentioned that every job or internship that she has ever had in her life came through people she knew. When I heard her say that, I instantly began thinking back on all the previous jobs that I have had over the years. Even though I hadn't realized it before, every job that I have ever had has also come through people I know. If you want to go anywhere in life, it really is about who you know. Networking can be an enormous blessing, we just have to know how to do it.

There were many ideas talked about in class on how to effectively network. I plan on implementing a lot them in my life. First off is the professional organization networking meeting that we can attend for extra credit in the class. I feel like that will definitely be a learning experience and help me practice and better my networking skills. I also plan on printing off my own business cards. I thought the idea seemed somewhat strange at first, but I believe that it could make a big difference, helping me increase the size of my network.

Consciousness

We watched a few funny videos in class this week that made take a step back and think. The video that really made me think was a clip from King of Queens where Kevin James shows a complete lack of manners at the dinner table with his family. His wife finally can't stand what is happening and storms out. As she storms out, Kevin James is still completely oblivious as to why, and doesn't know what's going on. After I saw this clip I realized that I always need to be aware of what I am doing. I need to know who's around me and always do my best to be polite and considerate. As we learned in class, this will lead to more comfortable situations where better communication will occur. Knowing basic etiquette rules and knowing how to be polite can help make a great impression as well as help you to progress in your professional life.

First Week of School

The further along in school I get, the more I feel like it will never end. While school can be difficult and can seem to drag on, now that I have finally settled on studying the area of business, I feel like I am taking classes that relate to the real world and will actually benefit me in my life.

The first week in MCOM was a huge reality check for me because I realized that I really know very little about grammar. As I read through the book I felt like I was back in elementary school, but at the same time, while reading the various grammer and sentence rules, I couldn't believe how complicated and confusing they appeared. They are things that never cross my mind when I write or even when I speak. I can already tell that this class is going to be difficult, but that as long as I put in the work and study hard it will also benefit me greatly by helping me better my communication skills.