BA 410

This course has two important goals.

• To increase your understanding of the role played by managers and leaders in complex organizations.
• To identify and begin developing the skills required to effectively manage and lead others.

This course will be more like a workshop modeled after corporate leadership training programs than a traditional lecture class. The primary emphasis in this course will be on skill-based learning and most of our time and attention will be devoted to developing the skills every individual needs to be successful in organizations. The nature of the course places considerable emphasis on participation and the motivation to learn. The skills we will be studying and practicing cannot realistically be mastered within the context of a single class in a ten-week term. The skills we will be studying need to be continually practiced, both outside class and once you are on a job, before they become second nature and thus easily applied. Once mastered, though, you'll find these skills can increase your effectiveness in all spheres of life, not just at work.

If you master the skills covered in this class, you will be able to:

This course is designed for all business school students, not just those concentrating in management. The skills that will be discussed in this course are relevant whether you are interested in a career in accounting, finance, marketing, or other areas of business. Although your first job out of college is likely to emphasize your technical functional skills, as you progress in your career it will be into positions of increasing management responsibility. Thus, your ability to manage and lead others will become increasingly important. Moreover, your ability to progress beyond entry-level positions will be enhanced by your personal and interpersonal skills, and your ability to work with others in group situations. This course is designed to help you achieve your career goals by providing skills that will be critical to your future success.