WORK EXPERIENCE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

COURSE SUMMARY

I. KEY CONCEPTS

Critical thinking allows you to : understand the logical connections between ideas ;
detect inconsistencies in reasoning ; solve problems systematically ; reflect on ones own
beliefs and values

How to think strategically : pay attention to the larger operation environment ;

challenge assumptions of the organization structure and processes ; gather and interpret
complex data ; implement creativity to formulate a vision ; use insights to make smart
choices

The 8 stages in change management : create a sense of urgency ; establish a change

coalition; develop a vision and strategy ; communicate the vision and strategy; develop
an implementation plan ; remove obstacles ; generate short term wins ; solidify gains

You prepare yourself to change by : being open minded to different ways to achieve
your strategy ; identifying new conditions when they arise ; demonstrating resilience in
the face of obstacles ; maintaining a sense of urgency for change ; having strong working
relationships with your colleagues ; managing your energy to minimize stress

You cultivate your team change skills by : knowing your group challenges ; promoting
ownership of the tasks ; addressing doubts and concerns ; providing support to reduce
stress

A change coalition should include team members with : relevant expertise ; different
points of view ; credibility ; leadership skills ; company first attitude

The benefits of short term wins : they provide evidence the sacrifices are worth it ; they
reward people involved in the change effort ; they give you a chance to fine tune the
vision ; they encourage learning from experience

People dont resist change when : they believe the change makes sense ; they respect
the leaders ; they expect new opportunities from the change ; they were involved the in
the change planning ; they get personal gain from the change ; they are confident the
change will succeed ;

The UI Matrix quadrant actions : urgent + important = crisis management ; urgent + not
important = delegation ; not urgent + important = planning ; not urgent + not important
= waste
The 5 enemies of good time management : procrastination ; schedule overload ;
distraction ; multitasking ; meetings

The 5 steps of overcoming procrastination : identifying the situation ; cutting the task ;
committing to action ; quiet surroundings ; positive self talk

The 4 elements of any project : budget ; deadline ; tasks ; resources

The 4 reasons why you should not solve an ethical dilemma based on your instincts :
people instincts differ ; few people can foresee all the consequences of a decision ; you
may be swayed by your emotion ; you may choose the path of least resistance

The 3 steps for ethical decision making : gather the facts ; consider the consequences ;
test your decision

The 4 steps to ethically lead by example : be consistent; be honest; assume

responsibility for the tough calls; demonstrate transparency and genuine concern for all
parties

The 3 forces behind misconduct: obedience to authority; fear of loss; pressure to fit in

The 3 core human values : respect for human dignity ; respect for basic rights ; good
citizenship

The 4 benefits of a diverse group : they solve problems more effectively ; they reach
more customers ; they challenge the status quo; they develop breakthrough

II. DEFINITIONS

Critical thinking : is the ability to think clearly and rationally about what to do or what to
believe

Strategic thinking : is the ability to analyze opportunities and problems from a broad
perspective to obtain a competitive advantage

The 5 Why : is a strategic thinking technique to quickly get to the root cause of an
issue by asking a why question and then why again to its answer at least five times.

A mind map : is a visual representation of hierarchical information that includes a

central idea surrounded by connected branches of associated topics.
Time management : is being able to plan how much time youll spend on specific
activities and when you will accomlish them

A SMART goal : is a goal that is Specific, Measurable, Agreeable, Realistic, Time bound.

An activity log : is a time management tool where all the activities of a week work are
registered and then ranked by importance to identify time wasters

A UI Matrix : is a time management tool where the work activities are categorized in a
four square matrix where the values are Urgent and Important.

A time waster : is an activity that is not urgent nor important but is made repeatedly like
social media, checking emails

Procrastination : is to voluntary delay an intended activity, despite expecting to worse

off for the delay

Multi-tasking : is the action of dealing with more than one task at the same time which
often results in a loss of efficiency.

A GANT chart : is a project management tool designed to illustrate the start and finish
dates of the terminal elements and summary elements of a project. It focuses on
deadlines of the different actions

A PERT chart : is a project management tool designed to analyze and represent the tasks
involved in completing a given project. It shows dependency between actions

Resilience : the capacity to overcome and recover quickly from difficulties

An implementation plan : is a plan to drive change, that explain what needs to be done,
when, how and who needs to do it.

Ethics : are personal values, based on morals, that help a person determine right and
wrong.

Workplace ethics : is how a person applies morals to a professional environment

An ethical dilemma : also called a right-vs-right dilemma, is a situation in which a

manager has to decide between two or more correct courses of action

Postive stress : healthy worry and feelings of pressure that motivate you and drive you
to excel
Negative stress : destructive anxiety that overwhelms you and damages your
productivity

The Yerkes-Dodson curve : a graph that shows that once stress exceeds a certain level,
its benefits disappear and performance suffers.

A negotiation : an interactive process through which two or more parties seek to come
to mutual agreement.

A BATNA : the best alternative to a negotiated agreement, the option if th negotiation

fails

A WAP : walk away position, the least favorable point at which youll accept a negotiated
deal; otherwise, you walk away

A ZOPA : zone of possible agreement, the range in which a potential deal can take place,
defined by the overlap between your walk-away position and the other partys walk-
away position

A single issue negotiation : a negotiation that only focuses on one term, for instance the
price

A multiple issue negotiation : a negotiation where multiple terms are at stake, allowing
for value creation through trades

A negotiation impasse: when you are in complete disagreement on one issue and it
threatens the entire deal; solved by setting aside the difficult issue and continuing
discussing the other issues.

A negotiation deadlock: when a lack of progress is frustrating enough that neither of

you sees the point in pursuing negotiations; solve by bringing in a neutral third party to
mediate the deal.

A negotiation stalemate : when you are still talking to each other, but cant make any
progress; solved by changing the dynamics of the negotiation by altering one of the
elements.