Frontload or Backload?

She reviews our memo from last week's assignment and tells us it is very 'management speakish'. Errr...MBAs arent we? Think about it, the management communications prof is crying out loud to MBAs to not use 'management speak'. All hell break lose! We did NOT know HOW to do management speak before coming here! And now, we are being taught how NOT to use management speak...huh? Why Why Why are we here then?

Well, on a more serious note. Am sitting here, one of the 2-3 MBA students amongst the Nanyang Fellows, in this inconsequential irrelevant sounding class. Or atleast thats what most people probably think; nothing else could possibily explain why no else signed up for it. After all, what is this class about?

How to write emails?
How to structure presentations?
How to write memos?
How to choose subject lines for memos/emails?
How to be other-centered instead of self-centered when communicating?
How to communicate something without hurting feelings at the same time being assertive? (i.e. being diplomatic{I hate the word too}? But then, if diplomacy helps in helping people...why not?)
How to replace nouns with verbs in subject lines?
How to write cover letters? (have to mention this even if it disrupts the flow of the post:the key thing about cover letters is to make not more than 2 claims and support them with data...sounds too simplistic? Just send it to me and I'll help you shoot holes in it with a shotgun...already did that to mine)
How to critique your own argument and make it stronger (hopefully)?

The most amazing feeling that you can get out of an MBA lecture is to walk out thinking you can actually USE what you just learnt in the last few hours as soon as you get back to work. If thats the feeling you are after, you should have been here!

Now, a lot of you guys are probably thinking right this moment, all these learnings are just too obvious. We all know this...blah blah blah....He is just stating the unsaid obvious. You are correct. If you ask me, this class is all about that: 'stating the unsaid obvious'...

PS: This was a backloading post... my next post from the FA class will be a frontload...you will know what I mean....