Program(s): Business Admin Marketing
Program Coordinator(s): Marcie Theoret
Course Leader or Contact: John Macrae
Version: 4.0
Status: Approved - Under Rev (AREV)

Section I Notes: N/A

Detailed Description
This course provides opportunities for students to investigate theories and behavioural development to increase personal and professional effectiveness, particularly in the North American environment. By becoming more aware of their own abilities and focusing on personal development, students will be able to contribute more creatively and positively to the society in which they live. In a professional context, this includes an examination of such concepts as Emotional Quotient and the development of a competitive edge that requires learned behaviours vital to personal growth and success in today's corporate and organizational environments. The course will be delivered through four modules: the first addresses self-awareness and personal operating styles; the second examines theories of leadership and working in groups and teams; the third examines theories of communication, the impact of ethnicity, gender and age on communications processes, adapting to corporate cultures as well as personal image management strategies such as dress, dining, networking, office etiquette and working in diverse corporate cultures.

Program Context

 CRITICAL PERFORMANCE

By the end of this course, students will have developed the ability 
to incorporate specific strategies to enhance their personal and 
professional effectiveness.



LEARNING OUTCOMES

To achieve the critical performance, students will have demonstrated 
the ability to:

1. Utilize self-awareness tools to determine personal values,
   attitudes and the influence they have on interactions with others.

2. Identify personal strengths and limitations using self-
   evaluation tools.

3. Develop goals and plans to improve limitations that are 
   identified by using reflective journal writing.

4. Recognize common problems and develop strategies for 
   effective verbal communication.

5. Compare and contrast communication styles related to gender, 
   age and ethnic background as they affect all interactions.

6. Describe effective non-verbal communication strategies and 
   solutions for common non-verbal communications problems.

7. Use accepted North American etiquette that reflects a respect 
   for others in all aspects of interpersonal interchanges.

8. Analyze the social significance of incivility in both 
   personal and professional venues.

9. Develop higher level communication skills including 
   assertiveness, collaboration and positive influencing skills.

10.Develop an effective teamwork and/or leadership style through 
   participation in a project designed to enhance college community
   life.

11.Practice team building, motivational skills and project 
   management skills.

12.Identify personal decision-making styles as well as how to 
   interact with others with different styles.

13.Implement strategies that result in creative problem-solving.

14.Develop an entry level resume, cover letter and portfolio 
   suitable to target a specific job ad.

15.Critique team events produced by other students.

16.Demonstrate professional behaviours including:
      a. Openness to peer critiques
      b. Acceptance of differing viewpoints
      c. Willingness to work collaboratively
      d. Commitment to meeting project due dates
      e. Responsibility for self direction and time management 

1. THE PERSONAL PORTFOLIO                                  32%
   
   Assignment is done in 4 segments (4x8%)and submitted as per 
   due dates. Each segment has 2 parts: 
         A. Self-assessments and Analysis
         B. Personal Development Journal

2. TEAM PROJECT                                            48%

         Event Team Formation and Contract                  3%
         Event Proposal                                    15%
         Event Delivery                                    20%
         Post-Event Evaluation & Meeting Logs              10%

   This project will be done in 4 stages and involves a 
   variety of tasks and skills starting with planning and 
   promoting an event, project management in teams, event 
   delivery as well as video taping and evaluating the 
   success of the actual event and the team functioning.

3. PARTICIPATION IN CLASSROOM LEARNING ACTIVITIES          20%

   These activities will require student participation in 
   a variety of classroom activities such as group 
   decision-making, analyzing videos, role-playing and 
   debating.  Each activity will also include a written 
   component that will be submitted at the end of class to 
   allow assessment of student learning and a grade to be 
   given for that activity.  There will be no make-up 
   work-up work if absent.

                                                           ____
                                             Total         100%

Custom Course Pack for 2010:  produced by Grenville and sold in the 
book store.

MODULE 1 - PERSONAL UNDERSTANDING 

WEEK 1

TOPICS:
-  Understanding the Professional Edge concept and the importance of
   soft skills to careers
-  Perception
-  Values and Attitudes

ASSIGNMENTS:
-  Introduce Portfolio Assignment
______________________________________________________________________

WEEK 2

TOPICS:
-  Personality
-  Emotional Intelligence


ASSIGNMENTS:
-  Introduce Team Event Assignment
______________________________________________________________________

WEEK 3

TOPICS:
-  Introduce event and form groups
-  Personal creativity
-  Problem solving
-  Decision-making

ASSIGNMENTS:
- Install project management software onto your computers as per your
  professor's instructions.
- Finalize team contracts
______________________________________________________________________

MODULE 2 - LEADERSHIP AND WORKING IN TEAMS

WEEK 4

TOPICS:
-  Introduce Report #2 for the Team Event Proposal
-  Introduce Project Management theory and software

ASSIGNMENTS:
-  Portfolio #1 due
-  Event team contract due
______________________________________________________________________

WEEK 5

TOPICS:
-  Teamwork theory
-  Behavioural styles
-  Assertive team communication
-  Project work as needed
_____________________________________________________________________

WEEK 6

TOPICS:
-  Conflict management
-  Stress and anger management
-  Project work as needed

Assignment:
- Portfolio #2 is due
____________________________________________________________________

WEEK 7

TOPICS:
-  Leadership concepts and models
-  Managership
-  Power and influencing skills
-  Project work as needed

Assignments:
-  Team event proposal is due
______________________________________________________________________

MODULE 3 - COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY 

WEEK 8

TOPICS:
-  Listening effectively
-  Negotiations
-  Introduce Team Post-Event Evaulation

ASSIGNMENTS:
-  Team events in the college will occur in various days and in 
various places in the college during weeks 8,9,10 and 11.  These are 
outside of regular class time, however, there will be teacher 
presence at these.
______________________________________________________________________

WEEK 9

TOPICS:
-  Diversity
-  Gender and age related communication issues in the workplace

ASSIGNMENTS: 
-  Portfolio #3 is due
______________________________________________________________________

MODULE 4 - IMAGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

WEEK 10

TOPICS:
-  Soft skills for Business
-  Business and office etiquette
-  Corporate attire
-  Incivility in the workplace


______________________________________________________________________

WEEK 11

TOPICS:
-  Business dining and social event etiquette
-  Networking
-  Business "small talk"
-  Techno-manners
______________________________________________________________________

WEEK 12

TOPICS:
-  You are the Brand...market yourself
-  Managing your Brand Image
-  Dissecting the Job Ad
-  Entry level resume format
-  Employment portfolios introduction

ASSIGNMENTS:
-  Portfolio #4 is due 
______________________________________________________________________

WEEK 13

TOPICS:
-  Writing the cover letter/resume to suit your job
-  Building and using your employment portfolios
-  Corporate culture and politics
-  Preparing for the job interview

ASSIGNMENTS:
-  Bring your employment porfolio items as well as your revised
   resume.  
-  Team post-event evaluation and meeting minutes log are due week
   12. 
______________________________________________________________________

WEEK 14

-  Job Interviews exercise
-  Return event evaulations
-  "Show and Tell" of team event videos
______________________________________________________________________