Business world is the battlefield
Staying flexible in the battlefield of business is not an easy task.
Brenda Sun, professor in management and human resources, prepares students to work through ambiguity and business psychology in MHR 4890. This capstone class, business strategy in a global context, serves as a mini-tutorial for tangible experience before entering the world of business.
“Business is psychology,” Sun said.
Students must learn how to network and keep their internal principles intact, she said. Following the vision of the Huntsman School of Business, the course is guided with three pillars: ethical leadership, entrepreneurship and global vision.
“You cannot strategize in a vacuum. The dynamics of business will constantly be evolving and so must the students,” Sun said.
Bringing teaching experience from the campus of Cambridge in London to USU, Sun’s students have the opportunity to be stretched into adaptable business leaders. Sun’s course is filled with ambiguity, causing students to migrate from the forgiving requirements of the academic world to the real world of business, Sun said.
To accomplish this transition, Sun brings in highly trained guest speakers to lay a foundation for real-life scenarios to aid in the students’ exposure to uncertainty.
“Folks, you need to get out and talk to real people. You cannot strategize in psychological vacuums; networking is a key aspect of this. Building a foundation, connecting to real people, getting through to gatekeepers and not taking no for an answer points student in the right direction,” Sun said. “Eighty percent of jobs are obtained by networking and personal contact. You have to land the job and keep it.”
Low maintenance and high performance is a must in the new and evolving workforce, Sun said. Students cannot be like politicians, talking without acting, she said. This is a class designed to re-wire the academic mind to the workforce mind with tools for innovated creativity.
Learning to learn, relearn and develop strategy skills are not easily obtained in a college environment, but knowing how to handle emotions of stress during times of risk, ambiguity pushes students out of their psychology vacuum, Sun said.
Manijeh Nouraei, a junior and student in the course said, “It is frustrating to know what she wants. We are always making sure we are on the same track. The first presentation can be nerve racking. Learning how to be flexible and ask the tough questions force our groups to grow in our interpersonal skills. In two months I have experienced extreme growth in Brenda’s class. The skills are apparent in my job and success in the class. My ability to communicate ideas and ask for clarity has grown through the experiences in this class. Brenda is always available for questions and when I am uncertain.”
The class begins without a step-by-step syllabus, laying a foundation for uncertainty. This encourages students to seek out clarification and establish a desire for accuracy, which are essential keys in the workforce, Sun said.
Brandon Houmand, a USU senior, has become an advocate of Sun’s class program.
“After spending time on an international internship and taking Brenda’s class, I now have a competitive advantage in the workforce. I wish I could have taken this course earlier. It has only enhanced my ability to perform under risk and pressure, while working with my team mates,” Houmand said.
–c.child@aggiemail.usu.edu