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Published on: 4/30/2001
Last Visited: 8/9/2001
I'm not really sure why it is , admits Deborah Barrett , instructor and director of MBA communications at Jones.Barrett spent more than five years working with executives at a top management consulting firm before returning to academic life : I spent most of my time working on communication.They all needed help with speech preparation and how to present.They also needed some help with writing..
So Rice added a communications class to its preterm course listings , during which new students are graded on their speaking , writing , and presentation skills-even having their presentations recorded on video.They then work on improving their scores during a year of required coursework and projects that focus on individual and group-oriented skills that their former jobs might not have encouraged.
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Business-school students have experience , Barrett says , but many of them have been working in a technical field.They don't do much writing , and if they do , it's not the kind of writing they need to do as a manager..
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On top of getting the jargon down , Barrett says , managers must be able to present information to coworkers who might not have similar technical or academic backgrounds.
The basic skills people need in communications remain the same , says Barrett-writing , public speaking , and presenting.That hasn't changed since Aristotle..But unlike more quantitative skills that can be gleaned right from books , communications skills are best learned with help.It can be practiced , she says , but it needs to be coached.You really need feedback..Many organizations , schools , and even some employers offer short seminars in writing and speaking that students might want to consider , Barrett says.
All Work and No Play
Just remember that there's more to business school than studying.Test scores , group projects , and job interviews are just part of the package.For many , starting school again means finding entirely new friends , haunts , and means of getting around town.