Teaching at Drake University has been awesome, and as we’re winding things down, I’ve been thinking about how my students amaze me.
Over the semester, my students learned about things like:
- The power of their network and why the people they know really matter over the course of their careers
- Their Ripple Effect (impact) and personal brand
- How to build emotional intelligence
- Methods for negotiating and influencing
- Giving feedback to peers and bosses
- Communication and listening skills for internal and external environments
And of course, how to make JOY their job…we all know that life only moves faster after school, and we need JOY to keep us going.
I also put them to work. You know me
Each class, they spent 10 minutes networking with another student, and over the course of the semester, they developed new friendships. They also practiced making conversations flow more easily, asking better questions to enhance interactions, and finding ways to open up dialogue and sharing.
My goal is for each student to get more comfortable in that setting as they enter the workforce and are expected to meet new people daily (and collaborate).
The experience has been surreal, and I’ve been so inspired by the future generation. Knowing a few more people will enter the workforce with these tangible skills… priceless.
What is one thing you wish you had learned in college that would have been helpful?