Welcome!

We have created this text to serve as an introduction, as well as a guide, to my classes.  As you will soon discover, this class is – in many ways – very different than any college class you have taken up to now.  The primary reason is that i came back to academia after years spent working and managing.  What was evident to me on returning to college – and still is based on the experience of many Alums – is how poorly higher education does in preparing students for life after college.  A solid liberal arts – even business – education gives you a ton of information, even some knowledge.  But whereas knowledge serves you quite well in your schooling, what are you supposed to do with it?  Outside of the classroom, doing – especially doing well – is what counts.

There will be a lot of detail in this text about how to get the most out of it.  The important thing up front is something your parents – and every inspirational (including commencement) speaker always say –  Like life itself, “what you get out of this course depends on how much you put into it.”

As you will come to understand, there are a lot of “voices” in this playbook.  Not only mine, but you’ll read stories and advice from those who have taken my classes as well as those who have team-taught with me.  Many of whom were still students at the time.  Because this playbook is interactive, you will all add your voices as well.  At the end of the semester, this site will be less of a “How to” text, and more of a history of our learning together this semester.

One challenge i get continuously from students is information about me, especially stories that help them understand why i’m whacked.  i always feel uncomfortable doing this.  Given how hard i work to build classes around student voices, as opposed to my own, i tend to say little about me.  But since this course will – by design – take you far out of your comfort zones (a necessity in any real learning), it is only fair that i do the same to myself.  The class will really take a leap forward, however, when you are the ones who push me out of my comfort zone.

i was born in a log cabin. . .

i did not do well as a college student; i was miserable and my grades reflected my attitudes.  Part of it was a lack of maturity, but another part was that things did not make a whole lot of sense to me in school.  They still don’t.

Daniel Quinn said that, in indigenous (so-called, “primitive”) tribes, by the time children reached puberty, they learned everything they needed to survive in the world on their own.  It’s interesting that our students, upon graduation from college—many years beyond puberty—have almost no survival skills.  They need a job, or their families’ ongoing support, in order to even begin learning those skills.  And while this has more to do with the world we have created, institutionalized education has not kept up and changed its ways in order to adapt to a rapidly changing world.

College didn’t make much sense to me because it wasn’t helping me learn how to survive, let alone thrive, beyond college.  It tried to teach me a whole lot about how to thrive in college.  i always thought it odd that, despite all the rhetoric about why we were in school, schooling only taught one how to be good at one thing:  schooling.  The things i practiced in school: memorizing, regurgitating the information on command, figuring out what someone wanted me to say – and make them believe that i knew it, even sometimes believed it – following commands and orders even though they made no sense to me, hardly seemed to be the kind of skills i was interested in having when i graduated.  i had already practiced those skills in my schooling before college.  i didn’t need four more years to practice things that i couldn’t find in a paid job.

After four years of college, even though i hadn’t finished, i left to develop survival skills.  The next four years provided the toughest, and most profound, education i’ve ever had.  And not once did i use any of the schooling skills i learned beyond the reading, writing, and arithmetic i received years before i entered college.

When i came back to college, i saw things very differently.  i had my own questions, those that had arisen out of my experience in organizations and as a manager, and i was like a sponge, reading and asking questions of everyone, just trying to get some answers.  i would read an assigned chapter in a text and be wholly unsatisfied with the material (i also didn’t like how it “talked down” to me and ignored the experience i had attained).  i felt that the only answers there were for 8 – 9th graders (the level at which most college textbooks are written).

i noticed at the end of the chapters there were usually references, “For Further Reading,” so i would read those.  Because they were often primary sources, those were better but they just raised more questions.  i would go into class with the questions from those readings.  It completely shocked me that, most of the time, one of two things would happen:  professors would get defensive and silence my questions in a variety of ways, or they simply said they would have to get back to me (most of the time, they didn’t).  My suspicions about something being very wrong with college grew deeper.

My first management class

Those suspicions developed into full-blown skepticism when i took my first management class.  Keep in mind that, for a few years, i had been employed full-time in a management position.

The first thing that made little sense to me was that we were handed a syllabus.  It wasn’t the syllabus that was the problem, however. It was what it symbolized.  i noticed that, throughout the semester we were going to learn things like decision-making, planning, evaluating, and organizing.  Well, i certainly knew those topics and knew how important they were for managers; i wanted to learn much more about them.  So what was bothering me so much?

As the professor went through the syllabus, it came to me.  Almost all of the decisions, planning, and organizing had already occurred and it was right there in the syllabus.  What a paradox!  The professor had already done it before the class even started.  And then, throughout the semester the professor was going to evaluate me.  i was being asked to learn management through show and tell!  To me, having been a manager this made as much sense as a coach asking a group of people to meet in a gym and learn to play basketball by merely demonstrating the shots, positions, and plays himself.

The second thing that troubled me was that, when i was a manager, i was constantly thinking about my department and organization.  i saw my own performance directly tied to the performance of the whole, really, more dependent on the people i was managing and anything i was doing.  In the management class, however, i was being asked to focus almost solely on my own performance; i did not need to care at all how my classmates did.  There was a group project, but i soon learned that there is a huge difference between a group project in a classroom setting, and feeling responsible for a group.  In the former, i was still basically concerned about my own performance in the exercise.  i could succeed by simply putting in more work than others (thereby learning to hate group projects since i always had to work harder for the same result).  In my job, it was always about the group, the division; the quality of performance of my colleagues was as important as my own.

i realized that i was going to learn about management, not how to manage!   i was appalled and felt cheated.  Unlike most students who get to that point, however, i refused to just give in and take it for what i could get out of it. . .a grade and another notch toward the degree.  i wanted much more.  After all, i was going to take this knowledge back to my career.  i had already learned what made people successful in their jobs; strategies to help them improve is what i needed to know!

About or to?

Management involves skills, it is both art and science.  But the art and science are learned chiefly through application, that is, one learns the skills, learns how to manage and lead, by doing.  Is teaching students about management the best we can do?  Or can we also teach them how to manage in college?

So, to begin understanding the differences between this course and the others you take, here are some basic assumptions of both approaches to a college class:  A traditional class where you learn about management vs. this class, where you will actually learn how to manage, organize, even lead through hands-on practice.

Assumptions involved in a traditional class (the assumptions you have now about a class)

• The course subject matter (theories, ideas, research, etc.) is at the center of the class.  Important questions for the one creating the course are:  What materials best represent the subject(s)?  What teaching methods are best for delivering the material?  What assignments are best for assessing student performance?
• The “Professor” has expertise in the subject(s) covered by the course and determines which topics will be covered.
• Learning involves exposure to material provided by the professor, then demonstrating knowledge and/or understanding of that material in the form(s) requested by him or her.
• The professor determines how well the students know/understand the material and codifies that judgment in grades.  “A grade is an inadequate report of an inaccurate judgment by a biased and variable judge of the extent to which a student has attained an undefined level of mastery of an unknown proportion of an indefinite amount of material.” – Paul Dressel
• It is good for students to question their assumptions, reject old ideas, and embrace new ones based on their exposure to the ideas and theories in the class.
• Responsibilities of the professor:
  • Create the course and lay out the guide, as well as the plan, for the course in a syllabus
  • Make all of the decisions concerning the course with respect to both the class overall, as well as those concerning individual students
  • The more detail provided in the syllabus – as well as in class – the better in helping students know how to do well (get a high grade) in the course  [i must note here that rarely is this because a professor is obsessed with control, it is widely believed that doing as much as possible for students is necessary for learning.]
  • The professor can change anything in the syllabus without prior notice or approval from students (indeed, the Syllabus Guidelines for the PCSB includes the following: “[The professor] must include a disclaimer stating that the syllabus and course schedule may be subject to changes over the course of the semester at the sole discretion of the instructor.” – PCSB Syllabus Guidelines)
• Responsibilities of the students:
  • Understand, then follow, the course guidelines, policies, and weekly plan
  • Accept all grades from the professor without objection or – oftentimes – without understanding how the grade was determined.

Assumptions (this class)

• The development of the student (and, secondarily, the professor) is at the center of the course.  Important questions are:  “What knowledge and skills are most relevant for students once they graduate?”  “Since the course material must be geared to student interests and questions, how can we best determine those interests and questions?”  “How can we help students make the transition from being consumers of knowledge, to being producers of knowledge?”  Which, of course, is what an organization will pay them for.
• The professor (here, more of a facilitator of learning as is a coach or mentor) has expertise in the subject(s) relevant to the course, but presents that material to address student interests and aid in skill-development.
• Learning comes from hands-on applications of course material to specific projects.  “Projects” can mean organizing to raise money for charities, or creating systems of feedback for individual and groups in the class.  In other words, learning is active (learning by doing) rather than passive (memorize specific answers and give them on command).
• Assessment is distinct from grading.  Assessing is determining how we are doing, our current strengths as well as what we can do in the future to improve.  Think of a coach who, in every team practice, is continually assessing how the individual players, the offense and defense, as well as the entire team, is doing.  How ready is the team for the next game?  Based on the assessments, she and her assistants determine the drills and activities that comprise the next practice session, or even determining which players need more work in the weight room between practices, etc.  Grading, on the other hand, is the game.  It is how the team does when it meets an opponent on the field.  Note that in most sports (those without ties), grading is pass/fail.
• So in this class, assessing is done by everyone in the class and involves trying something, then determining what went well, what could be improved, then creating a plan for improvement.  Most of my classes – and what you do between classes to prepare – involve assessment, practicing how to do the things required of you.  Grading comes at the end of the assessment process and, again, involves everyone in the class (perhaps some outside of the class).  For many things, you’ll decide when you all have practiced to the point where you are ready to be graded.  Rather than the definition of a grade offered by Paul Dressel above, we will work together to ensure that the grade in this class accurately reflects the learning you each have achieved by building the criteria and continuous assessment.
• Based on the previous assumption then, the world outside of higher education, which includes employing organizations, is the model for this class.  Only in education do you find where, if you fail an assignment, that F will always be factored into your final grade.  Outside of education, teams with early losses can turn the season around.  In those situations, the turnaround was often due directly to the learning those losses provided.  We have read stories of entrepreneurs who have failed at 5 or 10 businesses before they create a viable company.  This is the world you will be entering soon; we must use that world as our blueprint.
• It is good for everyone (especially the facilitator) to question their assumptions, reject old ideas, and embrace new ones based on their exposure to the ideas and theories in the class.
• Responsibilities of the facilitator(s):
  • Help new students understand the philosophy behind this approach to learning as well as how each practice contributes to the development of all in the class.
  • Work with students to create a classroom environment that encourages all student voices, all questions, and learning from the voices of others.  A classroom characterized by honest communication and trust.
  • Work with students to develop course projects and assignments through experimentation.
• Responsibilities of the students:
  • View classmates and the facilitator(s) as full partners in learning the knowledge and skills offered by the course.
  • Given the need for continuous collaboration – and the realization that the work of your peers will impact what you can achieve – it is critical to get to know your peers to the point where you can trust, and rely on them.  This is essential in all organizations and teams.
  • Commit to practicing this approach – by doing – and assisting peers in their practice.
  • Bring your voice to our discussions and inquiries, encourage others to do the same, and build off of each person’s contributions.
  • Challenge me to be a better facilitator of your learning in this class.
  • Accept my offer to co-create this course for your learning.  This requires you to offer positive critiques of what we do and build together, as well as offer your ideas on how to improve them.

Some of these assumptions might not make a lot of sense to you at this point.  It is, of course, important that you do understand them, especially the student responsibilities.  No worries, throughout this text we will elaborate on what voice is for this course as well as going over the other assumptions. And a lot more.

The traditional approach to college classes means that you have all of the information and details, know what it is you are supposed to do, by when, and how to it very well.  Usually on the first class meeting, if not a bit before.  As a result, it is natural if this approach creates some anxiety.  Maybe a lot.  However, here are some things to remember that might help you deal with that anxiety:

• You will have the support of your classmates in learning what the class is, and how to succeed.  In most classes helping your peers in class is considered “cheating.”  But outside of schooling, people working in organizations always collaborate, share their work, and help others with their work.
• There are many alums with whom I keep in regular touch, ones who were sitting where you will be on the first day of class and had the same anxieties.  They stand ready to serve as guides – perhaps even mentors – in succeeding in the class.
• Don’t be afraid to reach out to them, again, it is up to you to get the most out of this class, so never be afraid to try something different or outside of what we’ve written here.  The alums can be used however you see best fit for your success in the class.
• Since my role is as facilitator, not professor or – especially – not judge, i am also here to help you learn and succeed.  As you will see, there is very little – if any – grading in the course in which students are not involved.  This is intentional:  Assessing and grading are major managerial skills.  Understanding what ways of assessment work best within a business will be a crucial skill in your life after college, so take full advantage of the opportunity to try this out in the classroom first.
• Your anxiety can be a very good thing for this class if it results in you asking questions and offering ideas about how to improve your learning in the class.  Once you accept the co-ownership i offer, anxiety turns into excitement.  About a class?  Really?  Just wait.

Your first practice

Unlike most other course textbooks, this one is interactive.  At times, you’ll be asked to respond to things here; at other times, you’ll be asked to add ideas or even stories of your own.  This will ensure that, at the end of the course, this playbook can truly reflect the learning in the course.

There will be a few venues for your writing in this class.  One is that you will need to get a sketchbook (i’ll go over that in class).  You will use that as a journal, as a place for reflection.  There will be discouraging days when you feel frustrated with the class and/or me.  Write about it.  There will also be exciting days, where you feel successful about a breakthrough or advancement that you or the class made.  Write about that as well.  I promise having a written account of your learning and growth over the semester will be a valuable resource for you to look back on.

In this Playbook there will be a blog for all of you after the first couple of weeks of class.  That is for you to write your reflections more publicly if you choose, offer resources and information to the class, pose questions you think are important for all of us to consider, etc.

For now, your first practice involves using the comments section below each Playbook chapter to offer questions that occur to you after reading it.  The following is a list of possible questions to ask yourself:

• What are those things for which you’d like clarification in a given chapter?
• What are the things you understand but about which you would like to have more information?
• What have been your current struggles in traditional classes?
• What have you liked about those classes?
• What is your biggest concern – even fear – about this class?
• What is the biggest opportunity or thing you find most exciting about this class?
• What area are you hoping to grow in most as a future business person from this class?
• How do you hope to apply what you learn in this class to your job after college?

You will, of course, think of many others as you settle in and get a feel for the rhythms of this class.

This will help us all in at least two ways:  First, this is the first semester we are using this text.  In essence, this is a first draft and i, by no means, made this better than a first draft.  Your questions will help us edit and add material that will be clearer for future readers.  Second, i may respond to questions you pose here; or i may address them in class.

Given that i am asking for your questions in order to help me know what you – and future students – want clarified, your comments are optional.  i don’t want you to come up with questions simply to fulfill an “assignment” (a theme of this course as you will see).  As you will hear time and time again, YOU are in control of YOUR learning in this class.  Rather, if you have questions – any questions – about what you read here, please post them in the comments section.  But please be aware of one thing:  the more questions you ask, the more you offer your thoughts, the more you respond to others in writing, the more we all see your learning in the class and that is critical in a class where you cannot be judged using exams.