March 9, 2015 • An Advertising Supplement to the Los ... · 09/03/2015 · March 9, 2015 • An Advertising Supplement to the Los Angeles Business Journal This special advertising

ExecutiveEducation

March 9, 2015 • An Advertising Supplement to the Los Angeles Business Journal

This special advertising supplement did not involve the reporting or editing staff of the Los Angeles Business Journal.

Among the most important decisions youcan make in your life, deciding whether toattend graduate school is right up there

(along with “when?” and “where?”). Let me see ifI can help you navigate that decision. While mycomments are colored by the fact that I am a busi-ness school dean, many of these considerationsare universal regardless of profession or discipline.

How you address the “if?/when?/where?” ques-tions depends on the stage of your career, yourvalues and life objectives, and the types of oppor-tunities that graduate education can provide. Forexample, students entering the full-time MBA pro-gram at the Drucker School are often at the begin-nings of their careers and seek a broad understand-ing of the core business functions that will allowthem to start a business or social enterprise, enterthe management track in a company or govern-ment agency, or run key programs in a not-for-profit. Some also hope to leverage their undergrad-uate studies to enter a particular industry niche.An example would be undergraduate art majorsentering our Masters in Art Business programwhich focuses on the marketplace of art and theoperation of related institutions (galleries, auctionhouses, etc.). Others seek to achieve specializationby concentrating their electives in a particular dis-cipline (e.g., marketing, finance, etc.) or by pursu-ing a dual degree (e.g., MBA + Masters in PublicHealth, MBA + JD, etc.).

Another category of potential students alreadyhas a significant amount of work experience but hascome to a bit of an impasse. He/she may havefound that further advancement in their chosenoccupation requires an advanced degree or thatthey need a different set of skills to entirely redirecttheir career. A related circumstance includes individ-uals re-entering the workforce after military service,raising children, etc. These people seek a shortenedprogram which gives credit for their work experi-ence and maturity and offers the possibility to studyon a part-time basis. For this type of student, busi-ness schools like Drucker offer the ProfessionalMBA. A key consideration for this group is making achoice between programs that are primarily onlinevs. onsite. That’s a matter of preferred learning style,one’s freedom to commute, and the perceivedimportance of establishing close personal relation-ships with faculty and fellow students.

Another cadre of potential student is highlyseasoned, has supervisory experience, and mayhave sights on the proverbial corner office. Theseindividuals, regardless of discipline or industry sec-tor, are interested in honing their organizationalleadership, strategic, and talent management capa-bilities. In business schools, such persons are often

in the market for advanced certificates or anExecutive MBA that affords the opportunity tointeract with others in their peer group.

The “where?” decision looms large for every-one. Obviously, a school’s reputation is animportant consideration but it is important toponder “reputation for what?” For some, thismeans reputation for securing a well-paid job.Given the high cost of graduation education,that’s a reasonable interpretation. But there arealso a few caution flags that need to be raisedincluding timeframe, i.e., are we talking first jobor lifetime earnings? Also, while money matters,life is long and it is critical to wake-up every daywith a strong sense of purpose. This might implya school/program that allows one to do wellwhile doing good. In other words, it prepares youto have a positive impact on society throughyour work and community activities.

Another consideration is best summarized bythis famous Wayne Gretzky quote: “… skate towhere the puck is going to be, not where it has

been.” In other words, in choosing a school/pro-gram it is important to examine how it addressesdeveloping trends that will shape the future work-place. In business, that would include such topicsas big data and the internet of everything, themindfulness movement, the digitally enabled sup-ply chain, the socially networked organization,etc. And because the future is opaque, also consid-er the opportunities the school offers for lifelonglearning in the form of advanced certificates andexecutive education.

Confused yet? Sure, the choices may seembewildering but much can be gleaned from aschool’s website (please visit ours atwww.cgu.edu/druckerschool). For questions youcannot find answers to there, a phone call to anadmissions counselor, attendance at an informa-tion session, a campus visit, or sitting in on a classshould fill-in most of the blanks.

Larry Crosby is the Dean of the Drucker School ofManagement at Claremont Graduate University

If Thinking About Graduate School, Consider This

21 30_ExecutiveEDU.qxp 3/5/2015 2:32 PM Page 21

The Association of AmericanColleges and Universities (AACU)recently reported that employers

give college graduates lower scores forpreparedness across learning outcomessuch as critical/analytical thinking, ana-lyzing/solving complex problems, andwritten communication. As a result,employers are looking to hire individualswith advanced degrees for their competi-tive edge and heightened skills. For thosewho wish to excel in their field, pursuinga graduate degree will open cognitive andfinancial doors while accelerating profes-sional growth.

Professionals from the local communi-ty and around the world chooseCalifornia State University, Northridge to

purse a wide range of career-focused grad-uate programs. Currently, CSUN offersmaster’s degree programs that prepareworking adults for careers in the fields ofbusiness, healthcare, music industryadministration, taxation, more.Their programs provide stu-dents with curricula speciallydesigned for working profes-sionals and are taught by expe-rienced faculty and practitioners.

CSUN provides a quality educationalexperience, including a sound theoreticalfoundation, practical applications andexceptional student support services.With instructional content developed bya faculty of senior-level professionals andscholars from relevant disciplines stu-

dents will receive a cohesive and cumu-lative educational experience. The studyof real-world cases brings current datainto the classroom and provides the bestblend of theory and practice.

Additionally, the cohort for-mat enables students to buildvaluable working relation-ships with public sectoradministrators and peers,

which will serve them throughout theirprofessional lives.

The programs also feature a fixedschedule of courses which enables par-ticipants to plan their studies aroundtheir existing professional and personalresponsibilities. Students will also bene-fit from the one-on-one support of a

designated program manager and aCSUN faculty member assigned to themfor the duration of their education. Thissupport frees busy professionals fromnavigating the University’s administra-tive systems and leaves them free tofocus on their studies

As a result, CSUN’s fully online pro-grams have on-time graduation rates thataverage 70 to 80 percent, with some pro-grams reaching over 90 percent.Graduates of CSUN’s online programsalso regularly report finding positions intheir intended field and receiving mean-ingful promotions following graduation.

For more information, please visit tsengcollege.csun.edu.

Advanced Degrees that Open Cognitive and Financial Doors

By JOHN POLLARD

Business school students face auniquely difficult challenge, becausemost programs require a series of

essays rather than a single, comprehensivepersonal statement. This fact alone shouldindicate the importance that businessschools place on your written responses.Part of the reason for this extra requiredwriting is that business schools also placea stronger emphasis on practical experi-ence. Academic ability may still be thenumber-one factor, but it’s not enough toget you into a school, just as it’s notenough to guarantee your success in thebusiness world. Business schools pay closeattention to personal qualities, includingyour leadership, communication skills, ini-tiative, vision, and many more. Gradesand scores do not explain this side of you,and neither does a resume.

Thus your admission will depend largelyon your ability to convey your experiencesand goals in written form. Self-assessment is asignificant part of this process, as is a carefulreview of both your life and what you havedone professionally. Many successful profes-sionals have simply never had to articulatetheir accomplishments before and now forthe first time must communicate this infor-mation in a very clear, concise, powerful man-ner that is accessible to anyone, even withoutknowledge of their field. Being able to conveyboth the substance and significance of one’swork life is crucial for all applicants.

This article has been written to help youavoid the most common essay flaws. If youremember nothing else about this article,remember this: Be Interesting. Be Concise.

Nearly all applications will feature aquestion that asks about your reasons forwanting to obtain an MBA at this stage ofyour career. Some will explicitly ask youto tie these reasons into your backgroundand your goals. Even for schools thatdon’t offer this specific direction, youshould plan on such a discussion of pastand future, as it provides essential con-text for your application.

“Why MBA?” is often the first ques-tion asked and without a doubt the mostimportant essay you will write. Itincludes essential information aboutwhether you’re qualified, whether you’reprepared, and where you’re headed. Theother essays fill in details about thesefundamental points, but a strong answerabout, for example, how you overcame a

failure will not revive a candidacy thatfailed based on a lack of career focus.

Every answer should contain the fol-lowing elements, unless the applicationhas separate questions addressing themindividually:1. Your long- and short-term goals.2. Your relevant past experience.3. An assessment of your strengths andthe gaps in your experience/education.4. How an MBA program will bridge yourpast and future and fill in those gaps.5. Why this particular MBA program is agood match for your needs.

There are no groundbreaking reasons forpursuing an MBA. This is not a place to aimfor bold originality. Rather, you should focuson articulating detailed reasons that are spe-cific to your situation. Moreover, there isplenty of room to distinguish yourself whendiscussing past experience and future goals;the reasons themselves, however, come froma more limited set. That said, you should nottry to drop buzzwords for their own sake.Make sure you tie your specific objectives toother aspects of your application.

Here are ten business school essay writ-ing tips:1. Don’t Use Company Jargon.

As a prospective business student, youhave probably spent the past few years ina corporate environment with its own in-house terminology. Remember that youare writing for a reader who hasn’t attend-ed your company’s meetings or con-tributed to its products. You should cer-tainly describe various aspects of your pro-fessional life—your leadership skills, yourcareer trajectory, your triumph in the faceof obstacles, and so on—but do so in lan-guage that is as accessible to your reader asit is to you. Imagine that you are compos-ing a document for a customer who mustdecide whether to buy a particular prod-uct: you. Write clearly and personably.

2. Don’t Bore the Reader. Do Be Interesting.

Admissions officers have to read hun-dreds of essays, and they must oftenskim. Abstract rumination has no placein an application essay. Admissions offi-cers aren’t looking for a new way to viewthe world; they’re looking for a new wayto view you, the applicant. The best wayto grip your reader is to begin the essaywith a captivating snapshot. Notice howthe blunt, jarring “after” sentence createsintrigue and keeps the reader’s interest.

Before: I am a compilation of many

years of experiences gained from over-coming the relentless struggles of life.

After: I was six years old, the eldest ofsix children in the Bronx, when myfather was murdered.

3. Do Use Personal Detail. Show, Don’t Tell!

Good essays are concrete and groundedin personal detail. They do not merely assert“I learned my lesson” or that “these lessonsare useful both on and off the field.” Theyshow it through personal detail. “Show,don’t tell” means that if you want to relate apersonal quality, do so through your experi-ences without merely asserting it.

Before: If it were not for a strong sup-port system which instilled into mestrong family values and morals, I wouldnot be where I am today.

After: Although my grandmother andI didn’t have a car or running water, westill lived far more comfortably than didthe other families I knew. I learned animportant lesson: My grandmother madethe most of what little she had, and shewas known and respected for her gen-erosity. Even at that age, I recognized thevalue she placed on maximizing herresources and helping those around her.

The first example is vague and couldhave been written by anybody. But the sec-ond sentence evokes a vivid image of some-thing that actually happened, placing thereader in the experience of the applicant.

4. Do Be Concise. Don’t Be Wordy.

Wordiness not only takes up valuablespace, but also confuses the importantideas you’re trying to convey. Short sen-tences are more forceful because they aredirect and to the point. Certain phrases,such as “the fact that,” are usually unnec-essary. Notice how the revised versionfocuses on active verbs rather than formsof “to be” and adverbs and adjectives.

Before: My recognition of the factthat the project was finally over was adeeply satisfying moment that will forev-er linger in my memory.

After: Completing the project at lastgave me an enduring sense of fulfillment.

5. Do Address Your Weaknesses. Don’t Dwell

on Them.

At some point on your application, youwill have an opportunity to explain defi-ciencies in your record, and you shouldtake advantage of it. Be sure to explainthem adequately: “I partied too much to

do well on tests” will not help your appli-cation. The best tactic is to spin the nega-tives into positives by stressing yourattempts to improve; for example, mentionyour poor first-quarter grades briefly, thendescribe what you did to bring them up.

Before: My grade point average providesan incomplete evaluation of my potentialand of the person I am today, since it failsto reveal my passion and determined spiritwhich make me unique and an asset to the_______ School of Business.

After: Though my overall grade pointaverage was disappointing, I am confidentthat the upward trend in my undergraduatetranscript will continue in business school.Furthermore, my success on the GMAT andin the corporate world since graduationreinforces my conviction that I have a keenbusiness sense—one that I hope to developat the _______ School of Business.

6. Do Vary Your Sentences and Use Transitions.

The best essays contain a variety ofsentence lengths mixed within any givenparagraph. Also, remember that transi-tion is not limited to words like neverthe-less, furthermore or consequently. Goodtransition flows from the natural thoughtprogression of your argument.

Before: I started playing piano when Iwas eight years old. I worked hard to learndifficult pieces. I began to love music.

After: I started playing the piano atthe age of eight. As I learned to playmore difficult pieces, my appreciation formusic deepened.

7. Do Use Active Voice Verbs.

Passive-voice expressions are verbphrases in which the subject receives theaction expressed in the verb. Passive voiceemploys a form of the word to be, such aswas or were. Overuse of the passive voicemakes prose seem flat and uninteresting.

Before: The lessons that have preparedme for my career as an executive weretaught to me by my mother.

After: My mother taught me lessonsthat will prove invaluable in my career asan executive.

8. Do Seek Multiple Opinions.

• Ask your friends and family to keepthese questions in mind:• Does my essay have one central theme?• Does my introduction engage the read-

Getting Into Business School with a Great Application

22 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL MARCH 9, 2015

EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

EDUCATIONSPOTLIGHT

Continued on page 26


MARCH 9, 2015 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL 23

The University of La Verne strives to con-

nect with all walks of life in our region,

helping people and organizationsthrough partnerships, philanthro-

py and — for our college-bound neighbors— scholarships. Where does this drive come from?

As members of the Board of Trustees and

business leaders in Los Angeles and Orange

counties, we can tell you first hand, it lies at the

heart of our core values –community engagement and life-long learning.

We prepare our students to be future leaders,

global citizens ready to take on myriad challeng-

es in a diverse society. Many of our students come

to La Verne as first-generation students and go on

to become key players in the small business

community, while some take the helm of large

corporations and municipalities. These alumni

carry the values they have learned at La Verne into

their professional lives.

We champion the many leaders in the Southland

who embrace these values. This month, ourinstitution will honor Richard, Robert, Roger and Randall Lewis of the Lewis Group ofCompanies, a developer long known for building

residential, commercial and retail projects

throughout the region. Their legacy of giving can be

seen throughout California and neighboring

states, with their names inscribed on schools, parks,

theaters and community centers. The Lewis brothers

generously contribute to college and university

scholarships across Southern California and Nevada.

But let us first take a step back. What kinds of

students come to our institution? More than 40

percent are the first in their families to go to college.

These first-generation students navigate a

challenging, unfamiliar path, one for which they

have no point of reference. With the help of

programs, such as the First Generation Student

Success Program, we actively assist them in their

journey toward excellence. Our partnership with

the Lewis brothers is among the many examples that

make it possible for first-generation students to turn

their dreams into reality.

Increasing college access to all students,

empowering them to fulfill their dreams and the

dreams their parents have for them, is a mission

we should all share. Providing an exemplary

education to the future leaders of our communities is

something we should all support.

We call on the business community to join

us in this mission. Please join us for ourupcoming Gala on March 21 at the FairplexConference Center so you, too, can be a leaderin educational access, a healthier economyand a better future. Visit laverne.edu/gala15 for

more information.

UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNERallies for Corporate Support toOffer Broader Educational Accessfor Tomorrow’s LeadersBy MICHAEL J. BIDART Partner, Shernoff Bidart Echeverria Bentley, LLP and University of La Verne Board Trustee

and STEVEN REENDERS President, The Reenders Company and University of La Verne Board Trustee

MICHAEL J. BIDART is managing partner with Sher-noff Bidart Echeverria Bentley LLP. A prominent consumer attorney since 1974, he has earned the highest rating from Martindale-Hubbell (AV), the national legal rating publication. He holds a bachelor of science degree from California Polytechnic Univer-sity and a juris doctorate from Pepperdine University School of Law. He is also a fellow in the American Board of Trial Advocates, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and American College of Trial Lawyers and has served on the boards of the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) and Consumer Attorneys of Los Angeles. Currently, he is Chair of the University of La Verne College of Law’s Board of Visitors.

STEVE REENDERS is president of The Reenders Company, a consulting and investment firm locat-ed in San Clemente. He is also chair of the Covina Irrigating Company and a director of Sunwest Bank in Irvine. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of La Verne.

To purchase tickets to the Scholarship Gala 2015, please visit: laverne.edu/galatickets.

TSv

Richard, Robert, Roger, and Randall Lewis, of the Lewis Group of Companies

ADVERTISEMENT


ASan Dimas businessman whodreamed of opening a bakery withhis mother came to Sean Snider

in September for help.Snider, director of the University of La

Verne Small Business DevelopmentCenter, worked with him to develop abusiness plan and financialstatements, and also examinedmarket research.

The man ultimately boughtan existing business in LosAngeles with Snider’s assistance, and heand his mother are already seeing success.

“It’s really enjoyable to work withsuch passionate people and find networksor resources that can help them achievetheir dream,” Snider said.

The newest site of the Los AngelesRegional Small Business DevelopmentCenter Network sits amid tree-linedstreets that blend college vitality with his-toric homes and other relics of yesteryearin the San Gabriel Valley city of La Verne.

Since it opened in 2014, the center hasalready made an impact on its surroundingcommunities, assisting 117 clients throughseminars, one-on-one meetings and otherservices. Snider and his team have helpedstart five new businesses. Businesses havealso been able to secure more than$412,000 in debt and equity financing.

“When we decided to open the SmallBusiness Development Center at La Verne, atthe front of our minds was our commitmentto community engagement and the oppor-tunity to provide experiential learningopportunities to our students,” said Dr.Ibrahim “Abe” Helou, Dean of the College of

Business and PublicManagement. “It is fantastic tosee that the center is already ful-filling its purpose and making animpact on the Southern

California economy. We hope to see ourpartnerships with small businesses andentrepreneurs continue to grow.”

University of La Verne PresidentDevorah Lieberman shared Helou’senthusiasm for the results the center isalready seeing.

“Small business development wasamong the top priorities of our 2020Strategic Vision, as it was expected to be ahigh community need,” PresidentLieberman said. “These early numbers fromthe center validate our anticipation and Iam eager to see how the center affects thecommunity in the coming years.”

Not only does the Small BusinessDevelopment Center help start new busi-nesses, but its employees also helpimprove existing businesses.

A strike that began last year at the Port

of Long Beach resulted in lost revenue forMonica and Kiet Slu’s small truckingbusiness, Beattie’s Trucking Group, Inc.,so the West Covina couple turned to theLa Verne center for tips on how to growtheir organization.

“Right now, we’re trying to get all thefinancials together, and we’re going toapply for a loan to see if we can getanother truck,” Monica Rivera Slu said.

They dream of one day growing thebusiness to 13 long-haul trucks.

“We want to be able to grow, but wealso want to be able to provide jobs,”Rivera Slu said.

Snider says the center’s work is only apiece of the puzzle, and that organizationssuch as the La Verne Chamber of Commerce,legislators and other community membershave also been instrumental in its success.

“My goals for the future are to reachmore small businesses, develop a team ofindividuals that can add value to them andultimately work with a broader range ofpartners to help small businesses get start-ed or grow,” Snider said.

The University of La Verne SmallBusiness Development Center serves busi-ness owners living or working in cities suchas Pomona, West Covina, Diamond Bar,Claremont, San Dimas, La Verne, Industryand Hacienda Heights, but is also open to

small businesses and entrepreneurs in sur-rounding cities.

The Los Angeles Regional SmallBusiness Development Center Network isfunded in part by the U.S. Small BusinessAdministration. The network received$3.5 million in federal funds in 2009,which were matched with state, commu-nity or private funds. The centers providefree or low-cost training to more than 1.3million business owners annually through950 SBDC service centers nationwide.

Founded in 1891, University of La Verneis a private university providing rich educa-tional opportunities for both the academicand personal development of its students’opportunities in a friendly, engaged setting.The university continues to expand, servingboth traditional-aged and adult learners atits main campus as well as at regional cam-pus and satellite class locations throughoutCalifornia. La Verne’s enrollment of morethan 8,000 students closely reflectsSouthern California’s diverse population.Offering bachelor’s, master’s and doctorallevel programs, the university fosters learn-ing and nurtures character by stressing theimportance of a values-based education.

For more information, visithttp://www.laverneSBDC.org, or call (909) 448-1567.


EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

A Small Business Development Center that is Helping to Build a Better Economy

EDUCATIONSPOTLIGHT

Why do students flock to theonline learning environment?With over four million students

are enrolled in online schools and univer-sities (and that number is growing 30%per year), there are many compelling argu-ments for attending a cyber classroom.

1. Students can “attend” a course atanytime, from anywhere. This meansthat parents can attend to their children,then sit down to class; working studentscan attend classes no matter what theirwork schedule might be, folks that travelfor business or pleasure can attend classfrom anywhere in the world that hasinternet access.

2. Online learning enables student-centered teaching approaches. Every stu-dent has their own way of learning thatworks best for them. Some learn visuallyothers do better when they “learn bydoing.”

3. Course material is accessible 24hours a day 7 days a week. Students havethe ability to read and re read lectures,discussions, explanations and comments.Often spoken material in the classroompasses students by due to a number ofdistractions, missed classes, tiredness orboredom.

4. In an online environment, atten-dance to class is only evident if the stu-dent actually participates in classroomdiscussion. This increases student interac-tion and the diversity of opinion, becauseeveryone gets a say, not just the mosttalkative.

5. Online instructors come with practi-cal knowledge and may be from any loca-tion across the globe. This allows stu-dents to be exposed to knowledge thatcan’t be learned in books and see how

class concepts are applied in real businesssituations.

6. Using the internet to attend class,research information and communica-tion with other students teaches skills inusing technologies that will be critical toworkers in the 21st century businesscommunity that works with colleaguesglobally and across time zones.

7. Participating online is much lessintimidating than “in the classroom.”Anonymity provides students a levelplaying field undisturbed by bias causedby seating arrangement, gender, race andage. Students can also think longer aboutwhat they want to say and add theircomments when ready. In a traditionalclass room, the conversation could have

gone way past the point where the stu-dent wants to comment.

8. Because online institutions oftenoffer “chat rooms” for informal conversa-tion between students, where studentbios and non class discussions can takeplace, there appears to be a increased

Why Do Students Like Online Learning

Continued on page 30



Enhance your credentials in a key area:Business LawStudents specializing in Corporate Law and International Business Law gain their footing in deal-making and corporate structuring through the required courses of Contracts and Business Associations. Additionally, Corporate Law students take Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Regulation. Electives include Antitrust Law, Business Planning: Financing the Start-Up Business & Venture Capital Financing and Business Strategies for Lawyers.

Entertainment LawStudents in this specialization take Copyright, Trademark and Entertainment Law. Electives include Financing Entertainment Industry Ventures, Litigating a Media Law Case, Motion Picture Finance & Production and Reality TV & New Media Production & Distribution.

Fashion LawLoyola’s Fashion Law Project – the only program of its kind on the West Coast – offers unique symposia, rare industry networking opportunities and a cache of fashion business courses.

Health Care LawOfferings like a Health Law Alumni Chapter and courses on health care access, quality and cost prime students to take on new challenges in this ever-evolving field.

Intellectual Property LawStudents may select from Advertising Law, Digital Media & the Law, Fashion Law Business Transactions, Laws of Video Games & Virtual Worlds, Right of Publicity, Trade Secret Law and related courses.

Technology LawLearn how to rule Silicon Beach with professors who research and teach in the emerging areas of Digital Media & the Law and Technology & Privacy.

Visit lls.edu/labj for more information, including a complete course listing.

Loyola Law School’s Master of Science in Legal Studies (MLS) program equips working professionals to excel in their fields with legal skills and training in a variety of subject areas. Whether following a self-designed course of study or one of five specializations, MLS students have the flexibility to create a curriculum that empowers them to capitalize on new challenges.

The MLS program takes one year to complete full-time or two years part-time – as opposed to the three to four years necessary to earn a JD. Two required courses – Legal Research & Writing and Introduction to American Law – provide all students with an essential legal foundation. MLS students must also take a first year course from Loyola’s JD catalog such as Contracts, Criminal Law or Property. Advisors are available to help students make course choices from among myriad electives.

lls.edu/labj

MLS Specializations:

• Corporate Law

• Criminal Justice

• Entertainment Law

• Intellectual Property

• International Business Law

INFORMATION SESSIONTuesday, April 7, 2015 at 6 p.m.

Loyola Law School’s Downtown LA Campus RSVP: lls.edu/labj

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE



EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

Our businessfaculty practicewhat they teach.41% of our faculty come from Fortune1,000 companies. Bringing an average of18 years of professional experience to theclassroom. So when they talk business,they mean business.

See how we help our graduates get towork in the Southern California area.phoenix.edu/southerncalifornia

© 2014 University of Phoenix, Inc. All rights reserved. | REG-3692

Organizations coping with smallerstaffs and fewer resources needgreater personal accountability

from their employees, but it’s often diffi-cult to achieve. The Center for CreativeLeadership (CCL) is offering tips on howto foster this valuable workplace skill inits 50th practical and easy-to-read lead-ership development guidebook – part ofits long-running series of educationalguidebooks and tools for the workplace.

The recently published “Accountability:Taking Ownership of Your Responsibility”is the newest in the Center’s series of IdeasInto Action Guidebooks, which offer prac-ticing managers information on topicsincluding coaching, active listening andmanaging conflict. CCL published its firstIdeas Into Action guidebook in 1998, andthe series has been distributed globally.

Henry Browning, a senior facultymember at CCL and the lead author, saidthe newest edition can help practicingmanagers “see how to turn the biggestobstacle to accountability — fear in theworkplace — into trust.”

“Trust is built slowly, and when it islost, it takes a long time to rebuild,”Browning said. “The best advice is tobuild it consistently over time. As wenote in the guidebook, when there is fear,people tend to hide, hold back and doonly what is expected.”

The accountability guidebook clearly andconcisely explores why employees oftendon’t take ownership of their decisions, playthe blame game or are crippled by fear ofpunishment. It offers ways for organizations

to develop a culture of accountability — awillingness to face the consequences thatcome with success or failure — that beginswith top management and spreads to alllevels of managers and employees. The

guidebook, based on five years of study withmajor companies around the world, alsofeatures an accountability scorecard that canhelp managers figure out the problems intheir organizations.

Browning and his co-authors outlinefive major strategies for creating an envi-

ronment that encourages accountability:• Offer support to employees from senior

leadership, direct supervisors and their workteams. Create an environment that toleratesmistakes and individual differences.

• Give employees freedom to accom-plish a goal or task, promoting ownershipin the process or results.

• Provide access to all informationneeded to make decisions.

• Offer some control over resources. • Be clear about to whom an employee

is accountable and for what outcomes. Ultimately, according to the guide-

book, “A culture of accountability is onethat provides a free flow of information,works to secure viable resources, keepsfear to a minimum, rewards risk-takingand treats mistakes as learning opportu-nities and not career-ending events.”

The Center for Creative Leadership is a globalprovider of executive education that acceler-ates strategy and business results by unlock-ing the leadership potential of individuals andorganizations. Founded in 1970 as a non-profit educational institution focused exclu-sively on leadership education and research,CCL helps clients worldwide cultivate creativeleadership — the capacity to achieve morethan imagined by thinking and acting beyondboundaries — through an array of programs,products and other services. CCL is headquar-tered in Greensboro, N.C., with campuses inColorado Springs, San Diego, Brussels,Moscow, Singapore, Pune, India and AddisAbaba, Ethiopia. Its work is supported by 500faculty members and staff.

The accountability guide-book clearly and conciselyexplores why employeesoften don’t take owner-ship of their decisions,play the blame game orare crippled by fear of

punishment. It offers waysfor organizations to devel-op a culture of accounta-bility — a willingness toface the consequences

that come with success orfailure — that begins with

top management andspreads to all levels of

managers and employees.

Education and Accountability in the Workplace er? Does my conclusion provide closure?• Do my introduction and conclusionavoid summary?• Do I use concrete experiences as sup-porting details?• Have I used active-voice verbs whereverpossible?• Is my sentence structure varied, or do Iuse all long or short sentences?• Are there any clichés, such as “cutting-edge” or “learned my lesson”?• Do I use transitions appropriately?• What about the essay is memorable?• What’s the worst part of the essay?• What parts of the essay need elabora-tion or are unclear?• What parts of the essay do not supportmy main argument?• Is every single sentence crucial to theessay? This must be the case.• What does the essay reveal about mypersonality?

9. Don’t Wander. Do Stay Focused.

Many applicants try to turn the appli-cation essay into a complete autobiogra-phy. Not surprisingly, they find it difficultto pack so much information into such ashort essay, and their essays end up sound-ing more like a list of experiences than acoherent, well-organized thought. Makesure that every sentence in your essayexists solely to support one central theme.

10. Do Revise, Revise, Revise.

The first step in improving any essay isto cut, cut, and cut some more.

John Pollard is a freelance writer.

Continued from page 22


anderson .uc la .edu/execut ive-educat ion

Since 1954, UCLA Anderson Executive Education has been empowering

leaders to create positive change in their organizations. We’re not just on

campus. We partner with you wherever you are in the world: on the go, in

the cloud and online. Whatever your business, we’ll dig deep and build a

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Master of Business Administration

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By SEAN M. SCOTT

Imagine closing a critical merger dealarmed with corporate law knowledgethat rivals that of outside counsel.

Consider structuring a television distribu-tion agreement based on your intensefamiliarity with copyright, trademark andcontract law. Contemplate forming across-border trade pact relying on yourknowledge of treaties governing interna-tional sales and licensing. Now imaginedoing all that without a law degree. Thatis precisely what Loyola Law School, LosAngeles did when it created its new Masterof Science in Legal Studies (MLS) program.

In fall 2015, Loyola Law School willdraw on a century of educating some ofthe country’s finest lawyers as it launchesits first graduate program designed forthose not intending to practice law. Thenew MLS program will offer students theopportunity to design their own degreeor enroll in an area of specialization:Corporate Law, Criminal Justice,Entertainment Law, Intellectual Propertyor International Business Law. The non-JD program takes one year to completefull-time or two years part-time – asopposed to the three to four years neces-sary to earn a JD. Students must apply byMay 1 to be considered for fall 2015admission. Application details, courseofferings and more information are avail-able at www.lls.edu/MLS.

“From fashion and finance to healthcare and media production, emerginglegal issues increasingly complicate howbusiness is conducted in the U.S. andabroad. Our new Master of Science inLegal Studies is intended to empowertoday’s leaders to flourish amid thosechanges,” said Dean Victor Gold. “Whatwe bring to the table is almost 100 yearsof excellence in legal education, whichwill provide our MLS students the highestlevel of training possible.”

To design a program that best meetstheir needs, MLS students may select froma wide array of Law School course offer-ings, in most instances taking the sameclasses as JD students. Two required cours-es – Legal Research & Writing andIntroduction to American Law – provideall students with an essential legal foun-dation. Beyond that and a short list ofrequired courses specially tailored for eachspecialization, students have many classoptions. Advisors are available to help stu-dents make course choices from amongmyriad electives. And Areas of Study insubjects like Health Care Law and FashionLaw allow students designing their owndegrees to focus on an emerging field.

Enhanced Credentials in Key Areas:

Business Law

• Students specializing in Corporate Lawand International Business Law gain their

footing in deal-making and corporatestructuring through the required coursesof Contracts and Business Associations.Additionally, Corporate Law studentstake Mergers & Acquisitions andSecurities Regulation. Electives includeAntitrust Law, Business Planning:Financing the Start-Up Business &Venture Capital Financing, BusinessStrategies for Lawyers, Commercial Law,Corporate Finance and InternationalBusiness Transactions.

Criminal Law

• Students specializing in Criminal Justicetake the foundational classes of CriminalLaw and Criminal Procedure. Electivesinclude Criminal Tax Practice & Procedure,Cybercrime and White Collar Crime.

Entertainment Law

• Students in this specialization takeCopyright, Trademark and EntertainmentLaw. Electives include FinancingEntertainment Industry Ventures, Litigatinga Media Law Case, Motion Picture Finance& Production and Reality TV & New MediaProduction & Distribution.

Fashion Law

• Loyola’s Fashion Law Project – the onlyprogram of its kind on the West Coast –offers unique symposia, rare industry net-working opportunities and a cache offashion business courses.

Health Care Law

• Courses on health care access, qualityand cost prime students to take on newchallenges in this ever-evolving field,which is an Area of Study. Offerings like aHealth Law Alumni Chapter provideinstant connections.

Intellectual Property Law

• To complement their required coursesof Copyright, Trademark and Patent Law,IP Law students may select fromAdvertising Law, Digital Media & theLaw, Fashion Law Business Transactions,Laws of Video Games & Virtual Worlds,Right of Publicity, Trade Secret Law andmany other related courses.

International Law

• International Business Law specializa-tion electives include InternationalBusiness Transactions, InternationalCommercial Arbitration, Introduction toStructured Finance and Law of Sales:Domestic & International. Loyola’s stronginternational ties include theInternational & Comparative Law Review,the Asia-America Law Institute and more.

Sean M. Scott is senior associate dean atLoyola Law School, Los Angeles, where sheteaches Contracts, Law of Sales and othercourses. Prior to teaching, she was an asso-ciate at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP inLos Angeles.

For Careers on the Rise, New Non-JD Legal Program Offers Tools for Ascent

EXECUTIVE EDUCATION





WANTS TO BE IN THE BUSINESS OF PRACTICING WHAT SHE BELIEVES.

Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management | Claremont Graduate University | [email protected] | 909 .607.7811

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Jasmín Jiménez | MBA and MA, Art Business ’16

Sotheby’s Institute of Art Fellowship holder Jasmín Jiménez will bring international art collecting to a new audience of diverse young people.

EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

By SARAH CLARK

Measuring the return on invest-ment for big-ticket purchases hasbeen and always will be impor-

tant to efficient organizations, but in thewake of the recession, hunkered-downcompanies have become that much moreinsistent that dollars be wisely spent.While skills-based training benefits can betracked and measured, quantifying thereturn on big-picture, strategic learning isas challenging as ever. Executive educa-tion is about learning new tools, frame-works, ways to think about the businessand the global economy. That’s not some-thing you can test at the end of a chapter.

Even if one suspects that a program

may have helped ready a senior executivefor the next big task, it’s nearly impossibleto trace a direct line. When looking CEOslook at ROI of executive education, it isprobably best to use the analogy of thestrategic radar screen. Every CEO has a listof big, strategic issues and challenges heor she would like to tackle in the nextthree, six or eighteen months. When theCEO sends someone for training, he orshe is looking for the school to help readythat person to address a particular issueon the radar screen. So the question is,three months later, six months later, is itclear that the employee was prepared todeal with that issue or not?”

Increasingly, companies that send exec-utives to open-enrollment programs are

sending them with very specific goals,challenges they are expected to solvewhile they’re away. In the past it was:“Broaden their perspectives, give themnew knowledge, best practices, tools to usein the field.” Now it’s much more: “Do allthat, but also get something done whileyou’re here that’s going to impact our P&Lor our bottom line this fiscal year.”

Executives arrive at education programswith several significant business challengestheir companies need to address. Whenthey leave, they are expected to bring backkeen insights, new thought leadership and,most importantly, solutions to those prob-lems. For open enrollment, the morefocused the company’s objectives for theexecutive, the easier it is to measure results.

In custom corporate programs, metrics forevaluating return can be embedded upfront.

One area in which companies havehad a relatively easy time justifying edu-cation spend is in succession planning,whether it’s preparing a candidate for theCEO office or readying a middle managerfor a C-suite role.

Regardless of what industry a compa-ny is in, however, when an employeereturns to an organization after beingsent to learn a set of skills, the companybenefits from that employee’s enhancedknowledge as well as the morale boostand gratitude an employee has after par-ticipating in such as course.

Sarah Clark is a freelance writer.

Does Executive Education Provide Return on Investment for Employers?

bonding and camaraderie over traditionalclass environments.

9. The online environment makesinstructors more approachable. Studentscan talk openly with their teachersthrough online chats, email and in news-group discussions, without waiting foroffice hours that may not be convenient.This option for communication providesenhanced contact between instructorsand students.

10. Online course developmentallows for a broad spectrum of content.Students can access the school’s library

from their PC’s for research articles,ebook content and other material with-out worries that the material is already“checked out.”

11. Students often feel that they canactually listen to the comments made byother students. Because everyone gets achance to contribute, students are lessirritated with those that “over con-tribute” and can ask for clarification ofany comments that are unclear.

12. Over 75% of colleges and universi-ties in the U.S. offer online degree pro-grams, with online degrees as respectedas “on the ground” degrees. (Lewis)

13. Online classrooms also facilitate

team learning by providing chatroomsand newsgroups for meetings and jointwork. This eliminates the problems ofmismatched schedules, finding a meetinglocation and distributing work for reviewbetween meetings.

14. Students often comment thatonline learning lets them attend classwhen fully awake and attend in incre-ments of convenient time block, ratherthan rigid 2 or 4 hour stretches once ortwice a week.

15. Because there are no geographicbarriers to online learning, students canfind a diversity of course material thatmay not be available to them where they

live or work. This is especially true forprofessional training such as medicalbilling training or purchasing trainingand for students in remote rural areasthat cannot support college or vocationaltraining centers.

While “brick and mortar” institutionswill never be eliminated, it’s easy to seewhy a growing number of people areattending class in the cyber world. Theymay be reasons of accessibility, flexibili-ty or quality, all compelling and con-tributing to the attractiveness of thismode of learning.

Information Provided by WorldWideLearn.

Continued from page 24


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