Brush up on your Managerial Skills Over the Summer

by Kendyl Klein '14 On the CMC Forum's list of "10 Classes you HAVE to take Before Graduation," Organizational Psychology is noted as a worthwhile course that is both academic and practical. The course, taught by Professor Ron Riggio, studies behavior within the workplace with regards to leadership, worker motivation, and stress. In the course, you will learn about the hiring, training, and evaluating processes of successful (and unsuccessful) organizations, while also increasing your self awareness toward becoming an effective manager. You will study the intricacies of the work place from the viewpoints of both the workers and managers. Professor Riggio considers his course to be the "nuts and bolts' of managing people."
As CMC leaders in the making,' we could all benefit from taking Riggio's course. Most of us plan to enter the professional world after graduating, and organizational dynamics are harder to master than we are led to believe. If you think it is all common sense, think again. Riggio explains that his students are "often surprised that common sense has it backwards." The information you will learn is valuable and applicable to the real business world after college. Riggio tells his students that they will realize the value in this course about five years after graduating, when they receive managerial positions.
If you can't fit this course into your busy schedule, why not take it over the summer for a short, hands-on, three-week session? Because the class has fewer students during the summer, Professor Riggio explains that students are able to "focus intensely and deeply on the topic [] more like the condensed management training they might take as professionals." After three weeks of this intensive course, you will feel more prepared for your professional future and more confident in your managerial abilities.