SYLLABUS
- BA 299.01 - Fall 2003
Success 101: Leadership,
Professionalism, and Excellence
Day/Class Time:
Wednesdays, 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
(From 5:00-6:00 pm class discussion will be held, with
the Speaker Series commencing from 6:00-7:00 pm)
Class Meeting Dates:
8/27, 9/3, 9/10, 9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22,
11/29, 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 11/26, 12/03. Final exam in
December: date TBA
Class meeting Location:
CCB 205 for class/CCB100 for speaker series
Instructors:
Alexis Bonnell & Michael Costache
Office Location:
CCB Adjunct Office 317
Office Hours:
by appointment only
Contact:
alexis @ ypgn.org
/ 949-310-5438 &
mike @ ypgn.org
/ 310-753-9292
Introduction
“Always use the word impossible with the greatest
caution.” –Werner Von Braun
"The only thing I deserve is what I create for myself"-
Anonymous
“I start with the premise that the function of
leadership is to produce more leaders, not more
followers.” –Ralph Nader
“Try to become a man, not just of success, but of
value” –Albert Einstein
“Example
isn’t the main thing in influencing others, it is the
only thing.” –Albert Schweitzer
“Choose a job you love and you will never work a day
in your life.” –Confucius
“College is life’s safest laboratory.” –Dr. Adele
Scheele
This class is designed for those students who take
their current and future success very seriously. It is
for students who are interested in hard work and great
rewards. This is a class that will demand you become a
better person by the time it is over. You will be
expected to be hungry and to desire to learn what is
being taught. This class is completely unlike any
other. The instructors and the guest speakers are
top-level professionals who are teaching this class,
SOLELY, for the reason of bettering your ability to
succeed. They have dedicated their time to you, and
they ask that you dedicate your time to them. If you
are not 100% ready to dedicate yourself to reaching a
higher level of success they ask that you please drop
this course out of respect to them and your fellow
classmates.
Historical Perspective
“Today we consider it an imperfection of society for
people to be fixed in their opportunities and jobs by
class and birth. Where only yesterday this was the
natural and apparently inescapable condition for
mankind, freedom of choice regarding occupation is a
relatively novel social phenomenon. Those of us who are
faced with such a choice are, historically speaking, a
very small minority indeed.”
–Lee Hardy in The Fabric of This World
Course Description
The purpose of
this course is to introduce students to the strategic
and tactical elements of ethical leadership,
professionalism, and personal and professional success.
Through the presentation of course material, weekly
exposure to business leaders as guest speakers,
classroom discussion, individual and group reflection,
and the application of essential skills as developed
through classroom exercises and outside activities,
students will learn about the functional and social
realities of the workplace and well as begin to develop
the portable professional skills most often associated
with “finding one’s calling” and success.
Course Goals & Objectives
·
To analyze business and success strategies via a
discussion and reflection oriented learning
environment.
· To
develop critical thinking and reasoning skills relevant
to both the academic and workplace settings.
· To
improve essential skills in interpersonal
communication, leadership, team participation, and time
management.
· To
recognize and evaluate ethical dilemmas, balance the
rights of individuals, communities, and organizations,
and contribute to society.
· To
understand the concept of personal Image, and master
the tactics that successful professionals use to make
the best impression the first time.
· To
become familiar with the top leadership and management
concepts popular today in business.
This class meets weekly, each Wednesday, for two hours
from 5:00pm-7:00pm. The weekly sessions will include a
seminar discussion format, presentations by guest
lecturers, and student presentations. Students will be
expected to come to class prepared to participate in
class discussions based on any assigned readings,
assigned and optional outside classroom experiences,
and their reflections, as well come prepared with
well-framed questions for guest speakers.
COURSE POLICIES
1. This
is a 1 unit class. All students registered for the
class are required to attend class from
5-7pm each week.
2. Students
will receive a grade of either CR (credit) or NC (no
credit). The grading scale is described below.
3. Your
success in this class, depends greatly upon your
attendance. Due to the participatory nature of this
class you are allowed 2 excused absences and 1
unexcused absence. Two or more unexcused absences will
result in the student receiving a grade of NO CREDIT
for the class.
4. Tardiness:
Being late to class is considered an UNEXCUSED ABSENCE.
Two or more unexcused absences or tardies or a
combination of the two, will result in the student
receiving a grade of NO CREDIT for the class.
5. Late
work will not be accepted.
ASSIGNMENTS
Course Readings:
Required readings will consist of handouts distributed
throughout the semester.
Students will be asked to purchase the book “How To Get
Your Dream Job” when it becomes available.
Students will also be asked to choose 1 out of the
following books to do a “Book Report” on:
Think and Grow Rich- Napolean Hill
Who Moved My Cheese-Spencer Johnson
RoadTrip Nation-Nathan Gebhard
7
Habits of Highly Effective People-Stephen Covey
Fish- A remarkable way to boost moral and improve
results- Stephen Lunden
Good to Great- Jim Collins
The five dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership
Fable-Patrick Lencioni
Students may suggest a book and bring for approval of
instructors
Class Participation:
Students must demonstrate preparedness and genuine and
significant interest during classroom discussion to
receive full-credit for participation. Students must
also demonstrate thoughtful and respectful audience
participation behavior when guest speakers or
professors are presenting.
Reflection Journal:
Reflections on the previous weeks speaker or topic are
due in the beginning of the next class. As with any
assignment or professional business document, proper
tone, grammar and spelling will be expected.
Reflections should be a minimum of 250 words, but no
more than 500 words.
Final Exam:
The final exam will be an interview with one of the
Professors that tests the student’s knowledge and
ability to apply that knowledge in a formal interview
setting. It will last approximately 15-30 minutes. The
final will also include a single question of reflection
on success and leadership.
Portfolio:
Students will hand in a Portfolio of Self at the second
to last class. Some of these will be assignments given
throughout the class. The Portfolio will be a
collection of these works. This will include:
Resume
30 second blurb
References
Cover Letter
Business Card
Technical Skill Sheet
Bio
Obituary
At Least 3 Reference Letters
Hobby or Interest Sheet
Association or Networking Tree Plan
Sample Contact Page Document
Personal SWOT Analysis
Any previous work of note.
Interviews:
Students
will be asked to interview one leader during the
semester that they admire. They will turn in and
present in class the questions and answers and a brief
paragraph of their reflection of that individual. The
students will be expected to ask hard questions that
pertain to the character of the Leader.
Students must complete all assignments for credit in
this course
GRADING
Students must complete all
assignments, on time, for credit in this course.
Assignments will not be taken late. If a student cannot
make it to class their assignment must be received via
email to
mike @ ypgn.org before the
beginning of the class. If an assignment is not
received due to “technical difficulties”, the student
will not receive credit for the assignment.
SCHEDULE
|
Date |
Subject |
Assignment Due*: |
| |
|
|
|
9/3 |
Intro to class |
None |
|
9/10 |
You and Success:
Finding
your own definition of success and what type of
success will make you happy |
None |
|
9/17 |
First Impressions: Tonal Control, confidence,
handshaking, eye contact |
Business Card Sample |
| |
Dress for Success: What to wear, what not to wear. |
Obituary |
|
9/24 |
Networking Know-How: Tips, rules, etiquette,
introductions, need analysis, attitude |
Hobby or Interest Sheet |
|
10/1 |
Working the Crowd: Etiquette, badges, dress code,
connecting |
Skill Sheet |
|
10/8 |
Professional Communication and Contact Management:
Etiquette for phone, email, mail, and face-to-face
communication, follow-up strategies, storing and
maintaining contacts |
Interview |
|
10/15 |
Business Entertaining: Dining Etiquette, alcohol,
sticky situations, ordering |
Book Report |
|
10/22 |
Myers-Briggs Test Indicator: Understanding your
personality type and working with other personality
types. |
Reference List Sheet |
|
10/29 |
Job Searching: Your network, online search,
recruiters, on campus career fairs |
2 Letters of Reference |
|
11/5 |
Resumes & Cover Letters |
Bio |
|
11/12 |
Interviewing |
Resume & Cover Letter |
|
11/19 |
Negotiating: The elements of an offer |
|
|
11/26 |
How to Exceed Expectations/Climbing the Ladder:
Once you have landed the job, how to achieve
success |
Portfolio of work |
|
12/03 |
Course
Reflection |
|
* There is ALWAYS a reflection paper due
on the prior weeks class every class after the 1st
Instructors reserve the right to add or delete
assignments and change topic order. All students
must check their email after
7pm
on each Tuesday to see if any changes have been made to
the next day’s class.
| 
