Interpersonal and Oral

Communication Skills
Reflection
CPBE 225Enterprise
Communications
Melissa Horovitz

Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................. 3
Class Sessions.............................................................................. 4
August 31, 2015......................................................................................................... 4
September 14, 2015.................................................................................................... 4
September 21,2015.................................................................................................... 5
September 21, 2015................................................................................................... 6
September 24,2015.................................................................................................... 7
September 28,2015 and October 5, 2015..................................................................8
October 12, 2015..................................................................................................... 10
October 19,2015...................................................................................................... 11
October 26th, 2015.................................................................................................... 12
November 2, 2015:................................................................................................... 13
November 6, 2015.................................................................................................... 14

Semester Assignments................................................................17
BSE Reflection Questions.......................................................................................... 17
Update:................................................................................................................. 18
TED Talk Reflection................................................................................................... 19

Dale Carnegie: How to Win Friends and Influence People...........20

Step 3: Putting in a Plan of Action............................................................................27

Personal Branding Manifesto for (Melissa Horovitz)......................28

REFLECT by GMA.........................................................................34
Reflect Action Plan.................................................................................................... 36

Mock Interview...........................................................................37
Innovation................................................................................................................ 37
Operational Thinking................................................................................................ 38
Decision Making....................................................................................................... 38
Strategic Vision........................................................................................................ 38
Strategic Self-Awareness.......................................................................................... 39
Resilience................................................................................................................. 40
Drive......................................................................................................................... 40
Interpersonal Intuition.............................................................................................. 41
Collaboration............................................................................................................ 41

LinkedIn Profile ..........................................................................42

TED TALKS.................................................................................. 44
Synthesis of the Semester...........................................................50
How I Have Changed? What Have I Learned?................................50

Introduction
My name is Melissa Horovitz and I am a member of
the Business, Society and the Economy Scholars
program at the University of Maryland. I am Finance
major at the Smith School of business and hope to also
minor in Business Analytics. CPBE 225 is a course called
Enterprise communications and it focuses on
interpersonal relations as well as communication in business. I think it was
incredibly to take a business communications course because I gained so
much from it and it will undoubtedly help me in my professional career.
Communications skis are one of the most underrated attributes that are
crucial in todays world. Before entering the work force, it is essential that I
master all components of it. Before taking this course I thought that
communications was simply public speaking. While this is a very large
component of it, communication is an umbrella term for things like
messaging via emails, negotiating contracts, giving a person feedback, an
elevator pitch, having charisma, interviewing for a job, and communicating in
a team. Throughout the semester we discussed each of these in detail and
then brought them into practice. It was very effective to not just learn about
it but actually take that knowledge and apply it in real life situations.
This reflection is a compressive report about the class with descriptions
of each of the classes, self-assessments, and the action plan I have
completed throughout the semester. I have put in an incredible amount of
effort into this reflection and have learned a lot by taking the time to reflect
and record those thoughts. One of my main takeaways from this reflections
is that communication skills can be learned and take deliberate practice to
practice them. I am incredibly motivated to continue to work on these
because I understand the value in them. The report is organized
chronologically and summarizes everything that we have done in the
semester. One day I am sure I will look back and consider this dedication to
improving my communication and interpersonal skills a turning point in my
professional career.

Melissa Horovitz
University of Maryland Class of 2018
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Class Sessions
August 31, 2015
IntroductionCommunication Process
It was exciting to see half of the Business, Society, and the Economy
scholars for the first time since last spring. To be able to catch up and learn
about everyones summer was really fulfilling. That is what partly makes the
scholars program so great is that as a living and learning program we were
able to get incredibly close last year all living in Cambridge Hall while still
taking classes together this year and reaffirming those connections.
Class mostly consisted of going over the syllabus and explaining the
objectives and course goals. It was an introduction to the communication
process and we discussed what falls under that broad category of
communication. It includes talking to someone face to face, conveying a
message to someone via email, or persuading someone to do a particular
task. Communication is the primary means for leaders and managers to
influence action. I learned that the course would ultimately teach concepts
that will be incredibly applicable into my future work.
Main Takeaways:
1) Communication is one of the most sought after skill. Employers
particularly look for this ability during a job interview, and it is a soft
skill that I really need to improve. If I were to improve and be able to
excel in communication skills then I would become a more attractive job
candidate.
2) When communicating ,it is essential to have a purpose. There is
informative communication and persuasion. Persuasion can be very
powerful if done correctly including the use of language to motivate an
audience to think, feel, or act a certain why in which the communicator
intends. Furthermore, communicating is not about me, the
communicator but rather the audience. I have to always look for
barriers to communication such as cultural differences, background
knowledge, etc. While communicating it is essential to analyze the
communication situation.

September 14, 2015

The Perfect Elevator Pitch to Land a Job
An elevator pitch by nature is an essential component to landing a job. It
may be the first few comments you make to a recruiter, or how you explain
why you should be hired in a job interview. Although at first it seems simple
to explain to someone who you are, there are so many components that
make it incredibly difficult. First, you have to highlight your experience, what
skills you have, all why tailoring it to whomever you are talking to. In some
ways there are endless talking points that you could mention. However,
picking the right ideas in a condensed thought out speech is far more
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difficult. From presenting my elevator speech in front of the entire class, I

took a lot away from the experience and I learned a lot about myself in the
process.
Main Takeaways:
1. Practice does not make you perfect, but it does make you
better. For the elevator speech assignment I went about it in a similar
way I do for all oral presentations. I first wrote out my thoughts and
typed exactly what I wanted to say. I then proceeded to memorize it,
and fine-tune it to sound more natural when I said it out loud. I then
proceeded to say it out loud at least 15 different times. All this practice
definitely made me learn it much better, but nothing can prepare you
for the pressure of speaking in front of others. Looking back on it, I can
say that the practice made me better but it definitely was not perfect. I
learned that I have to prepare under similar conditions that I will be
during a presentation, and not by the comfort of my dorm room.
2. It is effective to record your presentation to be able to critique yourself.
It was very impactful to video tape my presentation because I had the
chance to see myself in a completely new way. Here are a few things
that stood out to me very clearly:
My arms were distracting because I was playing with my hands
I needed to speak up
My tone of voice needs to be more dramatic to add excitement
Finding the perfect word is not as important as being natural
Overall, these observations about myself were confirmed through the
constructive criticism of my peers. Multiple people pointed out to me
the same presentation mistakes that I have observed about myself in
the video.

September 21,2015
Dr. Jeff Kudisch: What Skills are Critical for Career Success
Dr. Jeff Kudisch is the Assistant Dean of Corporate relations and is the
Managing Director in the Office of Career Services. I found him to be a
fantastic guest speaker and highly valued his insight. He talked a lot about
the Office of Career services and what they do for the Smith School of
Business. I also learned what skills employers are looking for in a
prospective employee. Mainly, he talked about interview skills, and what to
do/what not to do in an interview situation. I really enjoyed how he delivered
the PowerPoint in a way that kept me interested but also conveyed a lot of
information. Furthermore, personally he seems like a very genuine guy that
actually really cares about us as students in the job speech. I really
appreciated all that he took the time to be a guest speaker for our class and
overall I think what I learned will come into play when I am doing interviews
for potential internship opportunities for next summer.
Main Takeaways:
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1. I need to visit the Office of Career Services more: The OCS is a valuable
resource that I should take advantage of in the business school. They
have workshops that would help me find my path and where I am and
where I want to go. Also, there are numerous employee and alumni
connections that I could try to connect with. Also, I think it would be
really valuable to visit more just to get more familiar with the job search
and it would ultimately help to launch my career journey
2. Intelligence is not enough: Intelligence quotients are often mistaken for
emotional intelligence. I learned that being intelligent is not enough
because the world is a global playing field and employers look for
people that go above and beyond what is asked. Intelligence will only
get me so far, but I have to invest in my emotional intelligence just as
much if not more.
3. Interview Preparation Strategies: the best predictor of success is
past behaviors. Therefore during interview questions, it is important to
highlight what you have done because it shows the employers your
experience and therefore potential. Also, I learned to go into an
interview with questions written down because it shows engagement
and initiative. Last, practice makes perfect. If you know what
motivates you and what your personal brand is, it helps make you
unique. Overall, there are several very common questions that you can
be prepared to answer, with examples in mind so that when you leave
the room, you leave the employer remembering what you want them
to.
4. The SAR story: This was one of the most key pieces I learned during
his presentation. SAW stands for Situation, Action, and Results. It
refers to your response to behavioral questions where the employer
gives an open-ended question. It is a great opportunity to explain what
happened and more importantly what you did to resolve a problem. For
a question like this I would first describe the situation, then explain the
action I took to make the outcome better, and last explain the results of
exactly what did happen. Ultimately the icing on the cake is to end with
a few sentences explaining what you learned from it all. I think this is a
great approach to tackle any behavior style question.

September 21, 2015

Dale Carnegie Training
Dan Parsons went up and front of the class immediately owned the
room. The first thing he asked us to do was write about someone who we
think is a very good public speaker. By starting with an activity like this he
completely gained the attention of the room right away. We then wrote
about what sort of skills they have that make them an excellent speaker. It
turns out, that each of the skills falls under one of three categories that make
up the triangle of success. The Dale Carnegie Training was quite a learning
experience. Although it lasted four hours, I would not have guessed that the
time passed that quickly. The intensity of the program was what made it
pass so quickly and the interactive elements definitely helped me remember
6

certain learning points. It was a very valuable class session where I had
multiple main takeaways. After the Dale Carnegie Training, I was able to
apply what I learned throughout the semester in class and in my personal
life.
Main Takeaways:
1. The triangle of success: There are three skills that are most important
when trying to deliver a speech in front of a room full of people. Attitude,
Knowledge, and Skill are the three components of the triangle.
Knowledge is the base of the triangle because a person has to know what
they are talking about. However, a study done by the Wall Street Journal
indicates that 44% said the presentations were not effective because they
were boring and sleepy. Therefor that shows that even though you have
the information correct, if you are not exciting then you will not be
exceptional. Attitude is all about how you speak and taking ownership of
the room. Most people feel out of control when they go in front of a room
of people, however the fact of the matter is that you have to feel in
control. How you say something is how you create a feeling in the room.
If there is incongruence with what you say and how you say it then it will
not make sense. People will follow what they
see compared to what they hear. Last, skill is
practicing enough to make perfection. It means
finding someone to coach you and give you
feedback to get better. Without understating the
triangle of success, communicating a message
will not be as effective.
2. It is not what you say, it is how you say it.
The TED talk shown during the Dale Carnegie
session taught me a lot about communicating a purpose. The presenter
told us that he has nothing to say, but everything is a matter of
presentation. One of my main takeaways is to get comfortable with
silence. A lot of the times when I am presenting I feel I have to fill every
single space with saying something. I end up saying a lot of space filers
like umm and uhh that ends up being distracting to a listener.
Instead, create pauses because that actually has an effect of creating
drama.
3. Body Language: It plays a powerful role in communication. Often when I
am speaking to a crowd I lose sight of what I am doing with the rest of my
body. However, you cannot lose sight of it because it can be very
distracting to the crowd. In the words of Stamford Business, body
language is your super power. The first impression you make is based on
your posture and position. If you are sitting up and taking notes, making
small gestures of nodding in agreement then it shows you are engaged
and paying attention. However, if you are slouching in your seat and
looking elsewhere then it gives a very bad impression. Furthermore, there
are three types of gestures; show, chop, give. These can be used to
engage the audience and it has been proven that they actually help an
7

audience remember what you say. It is difficult to keep in mind your body
gestures while speaking but the more practice you do, the more natural it
will become.
4. Planning is essential. If you do not know your purpose, then your
audience will not take anything away. It essential to do more than just
provide evidence, information, or update something. Presentations must
try to convince or persuade, influence and motivate someone to action.
One of my main takeaways from this session was to eliminate all doubt in
yourself. The way to do that is through evidence. By planning your
demonstrations, examples, and facts into your presentation it will be more
influential to any given audience.

September 24,2015
Assessment Iliad Assessment
The Illiad Assessment is skills based assessment that takes you
through a mock business schedule and aims at identifying how an individual
acts during professional situations. Going into the testing center, I felt much
more confidant then I did during my first year as a BSE student. Most of the
hype of the program comes from not knowing what you are going to be doing
or how to act. However, since I completed the Iliad assessment center last
year, I knew that exactly what I was getting myself into.
First you are tasked with choosing a CEO with your other co-workers.
To do this you dissect each persons resume and try to identify the best
candidate. Next, we were sent to a room to give a pitch to a group on where
to expand our international market. For this segment I felt that I did not look
into my area as much as I wanted to before hand. However, after taking the
Dale Carnegie Training, I felt that I gained several valuable skills on how to
speak in front of a group. Last, there was a segment where we had to
respond to several inbox messages. For this piece of the assessment I took
the strategy of reading through all of the messages and putting aside the
ones I thought was most urgent. I then attempted to respond to as many
ones as I could give the time constraint we had. Overall, it was difficult to
choose which ones to respond to because they all seemed so important. The
Illiad Assessment definitely puts you into situations that are normal for an
everyday business professional atmosphere. I definitely think it is a valuable
exercise.
Main Takeaways:
1. Confidence and preparation: One of the main pieces that helped me raise
my scores was the fact that I came much more prepared then the last
time. I read through all the CEO profiles, and knew what to look for
because of a Career Services based class I took in the business school last
semester. Furthermore, I knew it was essential to have a presence.
Although there are many successful introverts in the world, in an
assessment center such as Illiad, it is imperative that you speak up, make
yourself known and give input. During the group meetings I was sure to
contribute my opinion. I not only was an active member of the group, I
8

felt that I spoke my thoughts more clearly and professionally as a result of

having one more year of experience under my belt. By devoting a certain
amount of time towards preparing myself for the assessment center, I
gained more confidence during the test and overall had better scores.
2. The feedback I received was of great value. It helped me identify exactly
what skills I need to work on, but also appealed to my strengths. The
packet we received that broke down the results was incredibly
comprehensive and very useful in determining what areas I need to work
on in the future. One of the most important part of becoming a better
speaker and advancing my communication skills is to received feedback
from a non-biased third party. Therefore, I take the feedback well because
I know it is constructive criticism that ultimately will help me improve.
3. I do not know my strengths and weaknesses as well as I thought I did.
The Assessment center first asks you to score yourself on all of the main
skills. By doing this I could compare how I rated myself and how the
assessment center scored me. It was quite shocking and difficult to accept
but I am not as good as I thought I was for certain skills but I also am not
as bad in others as I originally thought. For example, my highest selfranked skill was organization and the lowest was decision making.
However, the assessment center rated the highest for decision-making
and lowest for organization.

September 28,2015 and October 5, 2015

Strategic Self-Awareness: Understanding Your Personal
Effectiveness
Self-Awareness means having an understanding of where you are and what
skills you need to develop further. During this class I learned a lot about
what attributes go into making a leader and how it is not necessarily a
persons intelligence that determines how effective they will be in that role.
For this class session we looked at a lot of articles and by reviewing what
reliable sources have discovered, it is very impactful to my own personal
development.
Main Takeaways:
1. A leader excels in Emotional Intelligence: In the article, What makes
a Leader by the Harvard Business review I learned that identifying a
leader is more of an art than a science. This is because of the basic fact
that the personal styles of superb leaders vary. However, the main point
of this article is that IQ and technical based skills are simply threshold
capabilities meaning that they are required for any entry-level position.
Attributes in executives on the other hand are directly related to
emotional intelligence. The five skills of Emotional Intelligence are selfAwareness, self-regulation, motivation, and empathy, and social skills.
Among these I found self-regulation most interesting. It is the ability to be
free from being prisoners our own feelings and not letting your frustration
get to you. In a professional setting, it would be detrimental to be known
9

as a hot head in the office. I feel like I am not necessarily at that level
but need to work on being able to roll with the transitions better because
it will ultimately enhance my integrity.
2. EQ is more important than IQ: There has been a long held belief that
the higher a persons IQ, the more intelligent a person is. In reality there
are 8 different kinds of intelligence so it would be ridiculous to evaluable
anyones total intelligence purely from something such as cognitive
intelligence. My main takeaway from this article was that improving my
EQ is worth the time. I especially took note of the ways to make this
advancement. For example, I am constantly aware of my personal
competence and how I manage myself. Also, I request feedback from
others because it is a great way to acknowledge
my personal areas of weakness. Most of all, I am
trying to educate myself about Emotional
intelligence and get excited about human
development. I find it best to pick one area of EQ
each month and solidly work on it until there are
tangible results.
3. Google knows best: If Google comes up with a
way to create a better boss, then the world listens. A venture called
Project Oxygen sought to identify the eight habits of the most effective
manages. What they found surprised me very much. My initial thought
was that technical skills is the most important because when a person of
lower rank needs advice about some other project, then they are able to
assist them. However, what they found was the opposite. A manager is
someone who has excellent communication skills and being able to
connect with employees and be accessible to them. One my main
takeaways from this project study was that it was a data-driven method to
create better management. As technical of a company as Google is,
business is still done by humans and the success of any company starts
with relationships.
4. Radical change is easier than small incremental change: No matter
how you cut it, it is extremely difficult to change people. However, if a
company is not willing to change, then they will likely not survive in the
extraordinarily market place. I learned that a companys ability to change
depends on how it is framed. It is important to portray it in a way that
signifies an optimistic result rather than through a negative frame.
Ultimately, the brain has an ability to change throughout its life. I will
definitely take this into consideration and do my best to continue to have
a hunger for learning and respond to change with a positive reaction.

October 12, 2015

Leading with Communication

10

Many businesses are resistant to change. In this class I learned a lot

about the stages of resilience and how to combat it. To provide a visual to
this concept, we watched a summary of the book called Who Moved My
Cheese It actually is the best selling business book of all time. I really
enjoyed this short video because it portrayed very complicated and real
ideas but in a simplified way. By watching the video I quickly became more
aware that it is very common for companies to get stuck into the same
pattern. They are comfortable making money how they have been doing for
some time. When a new company comes into the market for example, and
begins taking a portion of the first companys profits, there has to be an
adjustment. I think that is what the example of Han and Hall is really
portraying. It could be fatal for a company to ignore the surroundings and
often they slip back into old quiets. Another topic of this class was the idea
of a tipping point where once the beliefs of a critical mass of people are
engaged; the conversion to a new idea will spread like an epidemic. There is
a four step process to reach this tipping point and it includes the cognitive
resource, motivational, and political hurdle that all contribute to creating
change. Each of these steps is definitely challenging to overcome, but it is
imperative in order to create change in any organization.
Main Takeaways
1. Smell the cheese often. In the story Who Moved My Cheese? Sniff
and Scurry noticed changes taking place to their supply of cheese.
However, Han and Hall still expected to find cheese in the same place
every day and got too comfortable with the norm. The moral of the story
that I found most impactful is the idea that you have to smell the cheese
often so that you notice changes taking place. If a company has tunnel
vision and becomes too comfortable with how they make money, they will
not notice changing market conditions and will ultimately parish.
2. The signs of resistance to change: Confusion, immediate criticism,
and denial. These stages of resistance occur because humans are not
usually excited about making a transformation because it leaves them
feeling vulnerable and out of a regular routine. The way to combat the
stages of resistance of change is through understanding, reacting, and
having trust and confidence in an idea. One of my main takeaways from
this class was that it is very valuable to have evidence such as facts and
figures and rational arguments. However, it is not until you can change
peoples fear and lack of trust that there is actually an open mind to
change. I learned that I to be sensitive to peoples emotions in order to
facilitate any sort of modification.
3. Good leaders do not as for extra resources; they are able to
concentrate resources where they will likely payoff the greatest. Similar to
Brantton in the article, great leaders do not need more to do more.
Instead they focus on how they can make the best out of what they have.
I think this really stuck with me because I think when people are making
change in any organization they focus too much on asking for money
because they think that is how to implement a modification to a current
11

system. However, this is false way of looking at it and it is definitely one

of my main takeaways.
4. Charisma is a learnable skill: Before this class session it was my
understanding that charisma is something that a person was born with if
they were lucky. I felt that I was not a very charismatic person and it
simply did not come naturally to me. However, after reading the article I
learned that it is not in fact innate, and to have better charisma, you need
to look at the key CLTs that contribute to the type of animation you get
with a charismatic person. My main takeaway from this was that to excel
in public speaking, you have to deliver the information in such a way that
has an animated voice, facial expressions, and dynamic gestures. More
specifically, by expressing yourself through moral conviction and
revealing statements that are sentimental, you can
reveal a lot of character.

October 19,2015
Guest Speaker Ira J KorteskyChief Storyteller
Speak Like TED
During this secession I was formally introduced into
what TED talks are. Before this class I thought I had a good understanding
about how they worked and the popularity of it. However, Kortesky really
went into detail about how it started and why it is so impactful. In 2006
there were a total of six TED talks posted. By February of 2015 over 1,900
talks became available through several sights such as YouTube, and the
actual TED talk website. Ira Kortesky was a very dynamic speaker and
communicated a plethora of really valuable insights into communication. He
spoke mainly about how to focus the words that we say, how we use our
body, and voice in a way that is effective. Kortesky is a chief storyteller and
believes that in order to reach an audience and make it memorable, you
have to appeal to their emotions. More specifically his experience as a
speaker in front of a crowd really showed because his presentation was
clearly practiced and well polished. The main idea of his message is that
everyone needs to be able to pitch and idea to others and there is no way
around it. I really enjoyed his delivery and approach to teaching us. He used
the exact techniques he was describing while presenting, which I thought
added a lot of value to the overall class.
Main Takeaways:
1. Promise a Better Tomorrow: The premise of this topic was that you
need to need create your presentation for a specific audience. Although I
thought that when you write a presentation, you highlight what you think
is most important for the audience. However, I learned that is the wrong
approach. First I must think of the audience first and then build my entire
presentation around them. One phrase that Kortesky said that really
stuck in my head was that designed a presentation without an audience in
mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it to whom it may
12

concern. I definitely will never make the mistake of considering not only
who the primary audience is but also the secondary listeners.
2. Be memorable: In any presentation, it is common for the audience to
wonder off and ultimately not remember anything the presenter said. To
combat this I learned that if you develop a catchy phrase then it is more
likely to stick. Furthermore, it is essential to say it repeatedly because
once is not enough. The strategies to make a topic more memorable are
not too complicated but require a certain level of creativity. This is
because naturally humans remember situations that are more out of the
ordinary. For example, Kortesky showed us a clip of the TED talk that Bill
Gates performed. During this presentation, he let out mosquitoes to the
audience while on stage. The punch line is what really made it
memorable because it was the perfect combination of comedy and
appropriateness. He was making a campaign to combat malaria and as
he released them he said, There is no reason only poor people should
experience these.
3. Tell a story: Most people do not remember statistics unless they right it
down. Instead, people remember how they feel and the emotions that are
created at any given movement during the presentation. IT is up to the
presenter to provoke these emotions in order to make it more memorable.
Kortesky made this clear that by telling stories, people are compelled to
laugh, smile, or even cry. These feelings are what they remember, and
therefore it is essential to include them into a presentation. Furthermore
you should never say I am going to tell you a story before you actually
do. It is far more impactful to simply start from the beginning and catch
the audience by surprise. This was by far the most significant takeaway
from Korteskys class session and in each presentation I have done so far
since, I have included a story.

October 26th, 2015

Guest Speaker Ira KorteskyChief Storyteller
Powerful Personal Branding: Differentiate Yourself for Career
Success
During the second-class session of guest speaker Ira Kortesky, the
focus of the class shifted from how to give stellar presentations to a larger
picture discussion on how to be successful in any given field. First he asked
us to write a few notes about What we want to be known for. This was
incredibly impactful because it really got me thinking about how I want
others to perceive me. As Kortesky explained, if you do not know what you
want to be known for then how will you portray yourself in such a way to
make it happen. I wrote down a phrase that said, I analyze to improve
efficiency. Kortesky said that this statement is ultimately the differentiating
factor that you want to portray to employers. Throughout the guest speaker
discussion he went into detail about how to use LinkedIn effectively and I
gained several valuable insights. Also, he showed us a short video clip that
depicted a very intelligent airplane engineer explaining a very complicated
13

and technical idea. The point of the short video was to show us that even
the most genius people in the world do not necessary make sense. Even
though his delivery was passionate and articulate, unless he was speaking to
a person of the same expertise, there is no one who is going to understand
it.
Ira Kortesky left us with an action plan of what to do after the class.
Although it is technically optional, I really took his advice to reality and
completed the tasks he assigned to us. This included searching my name on
the Internet and scrolling through at least ten pages to see what is
associated with my name online. Second, I improved my LinkedIn profile
and am more active on it through sending connection requests and clicking
the like button on updates. Overall, Kortesky left me with several Main
takeaways that are a staple to the lessons I learned in this class.

Main Takeaways:
1. Companies hire on potential, not experience: Many of us are full
time students at the University of Maryland and do not have significant
work experience. Most of my experience includes high school level jobs
that do not require a ton of skill. For example, I have worked as a ski
instructor and soccer referee. While these jobs show that I have done
something with my free time, they do not show any experience in the
fields that I plan on pursuing in finance. My main takeaway from Kortesky
is that employers understand our age and instead look at our potential.
They dig deep into our activities on campus and try to predict what our
performance will be like in the future. This gives me confidence that
although my experience does not portray a specific relationship between
the work I have done and finance, the skills are still applicable. For
example, as a ski instructor I gained leadership experience and
strengthened my communication skills.
2. LinkedIn is more powerful than I thought: Thousands of business
professionals are on LinkedIn and it is an excellent source to reach out to
them and connect. It is basically a social networking site for business.
While I have a LinkedIn profile and have a presence on the sight, I learned
that what I have been doing it not substantial for actually finding a job. I
have to me much more active on it and connect more with others. First, I
need to send a personalized request for any connection I make. Also, my
personal statement needs to actually be personalized. Before, I simply
had the default of Student at University of Maryland which does not
differentiate me whatsoever. IN the summary section it is important to
discuss the potential that I have, and what I am passionate about in order
to create interest in my profile.
14

3. Use I am a student deliberately. I did not realize this before, but

when you tell people that you are a student most people are very much
willing to help. A fantastic phenomenon occurs after saying those four
words so much that I am likely to say it more frequently. When reaching
out to any alumni or professional, it is imperative to tell them that you are
a student. Often it appeals to their emotions and they reminisce about
their college experienced. It is far more effective then I ever would have
thought and it extends into several aspects of my life. I not only get
student discounts nearly everywhere I go, but I gain more attention
especially when reaching out to alumni.

November 2, 2015:
Building Effective Teams and Teamwork
Teamwork is something that is emphasized in nearly every job. It is
very rare for someone to work on a project alone and it is much more likely
that there is some sort of group teamwork involved. Therefore, when
managers look at putting a team together it is imperative that they
understand what makes a team effective. Beyond business, sports teams
require some sort of leadership. During this class we looked at a multitude of
team dynamics and why a team of all-stars may not make a good team. In
this class we were asked if we thought a task would be accomplished more
quickly if there were more people on the team or less. Theoretically, if more
people are on a team then there is physically more manpower and a task
should be finished quicker. However, I thought that it would in fact happen
less efficiently. This is because of the factor of the difficulty of working with
other people. When I work on something by myself, I am able to mange my
time and delegate my tasks to certain times on my own schedule. However,
when working with others it brings up a plethora of difficulties that end up
taking more time to figure out than it would have in the first place. This
complexity that occurs when working with a team occurs when a team is not
build effectively. It reminds me of the idea that there are Too many cooks in
the kitchen. Ultimately, teamwork can be incredibly effective if the right
manager puts together a team that can work together as one cohesive unit.
Main Takeaways
1. Why dream teams fail: The reason dream teams fail can not be
summed up with one sentence or paragraph but there is definitely a few
significant factors that dictate the success of a team. Basically, the
underlying theory of a dream team is wrong. Some of the most successful
teams in history have been made up of a bunch of no names that have a
phenomenal ability to work together. They compliment each others
strengths and weaknesses and work for the betterment of the team and
not their own personal success. For example, the US team that build the
Soviet Union in hockey in the 1980 Olympics was built on a anti-dream
team theory. When too many all-stars are on one team, there is no team
chemistry and it does not yield the results that are anticipated. When you
look at teams in the corporate environment, often they are assembled
15

with the best employees and everyone is a future CEO. However, it

becomes a zero-sum game where everyone is trying to get ahead rather
than trusting that other team members
will pull through.
2. Group goals are put ahead of
individual goals: When people are in a
group it is common to agree to the ideas
of the group even though you personally
object. It is the phenomenon that people
collectively decide on a certain course of
action even though many of the
individual members of the group do not
agree on. The Abilene paradox is common among groups that mistake
that their own preferences counter the group. When teams work
together, it is imperative that people are willing to speak up. Often
people in a group that ask the most questions, and object an idea are
what make it stronger. I learned from this that going forward I need to not
be afraid to voice my opinion because others in the group might be
thinking the same thing but do not want to disturb the ideas of the group.

November 6, 2015
Small Group CommunicationEverest Simulation
The Everest pursuit is a simulation that challenges a group to
successfully climb Everest through the web-based activity. During the
simulation we were each assigned a role in the group and are told what we
will do as a member of the team. I was assigned the position as the
marathoner who was inexperienced in climbing, but was in incredible shape
from running marathons. Due to the fact that my experience was lacking, I
relied on my team members to provide me information about climbing. For
example, when we were climb I was consistently a front-runner and because
of my athletic ability, I was able to scale the mountain at the quickest pace.
One of my main objectives however was to avoid getting frostbite because of
the importance of my toes for future marathon runs. Therefore, my role was
to always keep an eye on the weather. Each round I was assigned to predict
the temperature for the next day at the location that we were headed. One
of my main flaws was that I did not ask my teammates what kind of
information they had regarding weather. Instead, I simply looked at the
weather application on the website and I consistently predicted it wrong.
It was a very interesting endeavor because it relied on the teamwork
of the group to help each other out and share information. The objective of
the activity was to see how small groups work together and the dynamics
that occur when in a difficult situation. I learned a lot about how people
collectively solve problems and I also learned a lot about how I act in a team.
There were definitely some frustrations with working in a team because
when you are by yourself, you can rely on how you normally do tasks rather
then competing with other styles.
16

I learned an incredible amount on this simulation because of the fact

that we were able to run it a second time. The first time we were confused,
did not pay attention to our objectives, and most importantly did not
communicate enough. I know that sounds simplified but if you look at my
groups improvement in scores, we learned how to overcome our
communication mistakes that we made on the first one. To put it in
perspective, our group score on the first one was a 58% and my individual
score was a 78%. The second time we completed the assignment, our group
score improved to a 94% and I received a 100% for completing all of my
individual goals.
Main Takeaways:
1. Unique information is more important than shared information: In
group situations, most of the time there is a certain amount of shared
information that everyone has. All the participants hold this shared
information and there is a general understanding about those topics.
However, in order for the teams to be effective, it is the unique
information that is most important. Unique information is the material
that is only held by one person. When communication fails, the unique
information is not shared. During the climb of Everest we each received a
list of information at the beginning of each round that facilitated our
decisions. We did not figure out until the later rounds that the brief on the
induction page was different for each of us. The simulation was therefore
really testing how well we were able to communicate our unique
information. In business meetings this is often what happens and shows a
failure of transparency. For example, the attacks on the World Trade
Center on September 11th were the result of a series of events that
happened across the country prior t the date of the actual attacks.
Different intelligence groups in America had information that if they had
communicated it to each other, they may have figured out what the
terrorist group was planning. The main lesson from this simulation was
that communicating my own knowledge in contributing to the team.
2. Balancing your individual goals with your team goals: While
participating in Everest, we were assigned with certain individual
objectives as well as our overall team objectives, which made it
interesting to balance this. My grade is based on both my individual score
and team score so it was important to consider both equally while playing
in the game. Clearly it is important to contribute to the team and help
other team members but one takeaway I learned is that it is also
important to think about my individual ambitions. Through this simulation
I had the opportunity to have a moment of self-awareness. I had to work
deliberately to achieve my own personal goals by staying healthy,
avoiding frostbite, and making it to the top while also being a team player.
In life, the balance between these two is clearly necessary and the
simulation correctly portrayed this dichotomy.
3. Communicate how to communicate: One of my main takeaways from
completing the Everest simulation twice is that my group learned how to
17

improve our communication. During the first simulation we were not

communicating enough by far. After we received our score, we sat down
as a group and talked about what we needed to improve on in the future.
Some of these issues included not sharing our unique information, being
too nonchalant about our goals, and running through the simulation too
quickly without double checking our calculations. More specifically,
during the second simulation, it was my task to predict the weather for
Camp 4 for another group. The information I had was insufficient in
making that prediction accurately and I relied on another group member
voicing his knowledge about an irregular weather pattern for the week.
By discussing how my group needed to improve our communication for
the next round, there was a general understanding of exactly how to
communicate during the second simulation. I am very pleased with this
progress in my group and in myself as a result of the simulation.

18

Semester Assignments
BSE Reflection Questions
1) How has BSE helped you grow personally and professionally during the
first year of the program?
The Business, Society, and the Economy program has played a major
role in my fantastic first year at the University of Maryland. I have grown
personally from coming out of my shell by meeting other students who share
similar majors, aspirations, and values. Professionally, I have been
introduced to some very successful alumni and had the opportunity to meet
them and network with them which I otherwise would not have had the
chance to. By participating in programs such as the Assessment Center I
was put into a simulation that gave me a taste of what it might be like in a
real life job. Later, I was forced to identify my strengths and weaknesses
upon reflection. Next, there was a lot of value both personally and
professionally by completing Reflect by GMAC because it tracks an
individuals strengths and weaknesses and suggests ideas to improve them.
Since taking that evaluation I set a plan to work on my communication skills.
Through this I feel I have made progress on that weakness and plan to
continue that growth this year. Furthermore, in response to the CPBE100
class and BMGT110 with Miller I decided that it would be highly beneficial to
become more aware of the world around me. I personally want to be a more
knowledgeable person about current events. Therefore, I read articles on the
Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, and The Skimm nearly daily. The
lasting impact of my first year of BSE is impossible to measure. On a
personal level, I have learned skills that have made me realize my creative
potential as an innovator. Also, I now look for guest speakers or events going
on at the business school instead of having to be required to go to which
shows my growth professionally.
2) Beyond participating in the required courses (CPBE 100, BMGT 110, 289)
what activities did you participate in (innovation immersion experience,
global study trips, BSE in New York, Scholars Cup, CPS events, CPS/BSE
volunteer activities, etc.) and how did these events help you?
I benefited from the required events greatly but I think some of the
most valuable events I went to were not required. The plethora of events I
attended took place throughout the whole year and helped me broaden my
knowledge across several areas. Guest speakers like Marc Greenberg from
Pixar helped me become highly motivated because I consider working as the
head finance person for the leading movie animation company a dream job.
Next Ben Carpenter, the author of the Bigs, gave excellent insight into
starting a career, how to be the best I can be, and improving my overall
happiness. One of my main takeaways from the Walter Issacson speaker was
that innovation needs arts and humanities because creativity is at the
intersection of technology and the arts. Beyond guest speakers I
participated in the NYC trip by SUSA, which forced me to network at the
19

Bowling place in Times Square. I enjoyed seeing Maryland alumni and

hearing about what they did as an undergrad that catapulted their success.
The Global Immersion trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi was one of the best weeks
of my entire life. I learned a lot about the UAE on both a cultural and
international business level. Finally, I was able to attend the Scholars BSE
admitted students day for prospective students and shared my experiences
with them. The last event of the year was the charity scholars cup softball
tournament where I met a lot of second year BSE students at the time and
had a great day of competition. These are just a few of the events I was
involve in beyond the required ones and these were very influential in my
first year with the program.
3) What do you intend to gain during the second year of the BSE program in
regards to the academic component? What are you tentatively considering
for your capstone experience? Nearly all students move out of Cambridge
Hall after the first year so the learning component plays a greater role.
This year I plan to continue to be highly involved in the BSE program.
On an academic level, my goal is to get out of my shell a little and feel
comfortable enough to raise my hand and speak in every class. Considering
it is a communications class I am looking forward to continue to work on the
art of networking. For my capstone experience I am planning on going on
the Southeast Asia global immersion program and completing the
assignment on what it is like to have a global mindset. The learning
component for this year seems very interesting and I am excited to have
guest speakers again. One of the best parts about the program is that it is
combination of classroom and outside of the classroom activities.

4) Beyond participating in the required courses (CPBE 225; capstone

requirement) what do you plan to participate in and gain/contribute from the
non-required BSE experiences/events next year? Examples may include
innovation immersion experience, global study trips, BSE in New York,
Scholars Cup, CPS events, CPS/BSE volunteer activities, etc.
Since non-required BSE experiences were some of the highlights of my
year I plan to go on the Southeast Asia global immersion program offered in
the winter of 2016. This trip will be vastly different from the UAE trip
because they are completely different parts of the world. While Dubai is
modern and high tech, Thailand and Singapore seems to have a more rural
and rainforest look to them. Also, I am most likely signing up for the New
York City trip except on the Finance track through the business school. Since
I already did the BSE track last year, I am interested in visiting companies
more focused on my major for this year. Next, I am looking forward to any
guest speakers planned by BSE and will keep an eye out for any volunteer
actives. Already this year I was a BSE buddy and emailed first year BSE
students throughout the summer and was available to answer any questions
they may have had. Furthermore, I attended Scholars Service day and was a
Team Leader for a group that did service at Shepards Table. These nonrequired BSE evens are what really make BSE one of the best scholars
20

program because they gave me a chance to get more involved last year and
I plan to gain more from them this year.
Update:
As the first semester of the second year as a BSE student quickly
approaches, it is time to reflect on what I have done this semester for the
program. Here are a few things I have been involved in that are outside of
the required curriculum in scholars:

BSE Buddy for first year BSE students

Team LeaderService day 2015
NYC SUSA TripEntrepreneurship Track
Officially going to Southeast Asia in January 2016

My involvement in BSE will not stop here. I have sincerely enjoyed my

participation in this program it has been incredibly impactful in my college
career thus far. I look forward to completing my capstone as a signature to
the end of the program. I highly recommend most of what I have been
involved in as a BSE student and I highly enjoy the peer mentor aspect of
interacting with the first year students I have met on service day. I know I
used to look up to the second year BSE students last year when I was a
freshman so I do my best to set a good example and am conscious of how I
act.

TED Talk Reflection

I prepared for the Ted Talk differently than I have for any presentation I
have ever done before. Talking like Ted was a far more complicated task
then I originally assumed. After watching several Ted Talks in class, it
seemed like a normal presentation on something that you are knowledgeable
about. However, the difficulty in giving a Ted Talk is making it memorable.
Most of the time the audience becomes distant from the speaker almost
immediately after they start talking. It is very natural for a persons
thoughts to wander and it is difficult to listen to someone for a given amount
of time. The first challenge I found was creating a presentation that would
not only be memorable for the audience, but also something that I was
passionate about and could discuss for at least 5 minutes. I chose the topic
of the changing English language because my grandmother sent me a text
using an acronym for a phraseTtyl. I was shocked not only that she used
it but also that she clearly had an understanding of what it meant. I began
thinking about how my generation communicates and how there is constant
revision to the dictionarya book documented all the words that we as a
society accept.
Overall I think the talk went well but I wish I had practiced a little more.
I had rehearsed it about 2 times all the way through but I will definitely learn
from my mistake and next time practice as much as 5 times. It also would
21

have been helpful to practice in the room I would be presenting in because

there is a significant difference between when you practice on your own
versus the real thing when it is front of a room full of people. I felt like I
stuttered with my words slightly and perhaps had some space fillers like
umm. The hardest part was keeping the audience engaged and curious. I
tried to run through my presentation efficiently but overall I think I may have
forgotten to say some of my main points that I wanted to talk about. I
leaned that adding an anecdote to the talk makes it much more memorable
because during stories people relate to them and actually feel emotion.
Moving forward, I will learn from my mistakes for the teach a class activity
and continue to improve on public speaking throughout my college career.

22

Dale Carnegie: How to Win Friends and Influence

People
The book How to win friends and influence people was written in
1936 and since then has been one of the top selling business books of all
time. It is a step-by-step guide on how to gain skills that will transform your
life. More specifically, it looks at how to build relationships, completing
goals, and developing skills to become a better leader. The key points of the
book are the techniques in how to handle people, six ways to make people
like you, how to win people to your way of thinking, and how to be a leader
and change people without getting too offensive or creating resentment.
Basically one of the main ideas of the book was that making people like you
and interacting with people is something that you can become better at the
more you set specific goals. The points that I found most impactful were:
Action Plan
1. Dont criticize, condemn or complain
Research has found that people are more likely to respond being
rewarded for good behavior rather than being punished for poor
behavior. Therefore I learned that criticizing people does not help in
any way. There is no change that results from complaining about
things. When dealing with humans, we have to remember that they
are effected by emotions and no positive results occur from criticizing
others
Development Goals/Explanation
Action
It is easy to over react and verbally
Step 1: Think before I speak, never
show disapproval.
say something without considering
My goal is to keep my cool and the consequence
Step 2: Have more empathy for
be conscious of my reaction to
others feelings and how they are
others when they frustrate me
motivated
Step 3: Aim for constructive
feedback rather then negative
condemnation

2. Be genuinely interested in other people

It is easy to identify people who are fake. In human relationships there
is no better feeling than to come across as a genuine individual who
seems interested in one another. By asking them questions, listening
intensely, and following what they are saying you can show that you
are genuinely interested in others. Also, with non-verbal
communicators you can give off a really positive impression. This
includes nodding while they speak, look them in the eye, and showing
emotion based on what they say. Furthermore, it is valuable to
constantly be aware of the surroundings and notice when someone is
struggling. After making this observation, it is important to act on it.
23

Development Goals/Explanation
Caring about another persons
personal happiness will build a
positive relationship
My goal is to improve the
empathy I have with others so
that they feel comfortable
confining information with me

3. Make the other person feel importantand do so

sincerely
When someone compliments me on something I have done, my skills,
or even what I am wearing for the day I naturally feel more inclined to
like that person. As humans we tend to enjoy praise and this is an
example of how to make people feel important. In a company, it is
important that people are excited for the work they are doing and feel
like they are being valued in the company. When we focus too closely
on what we are doing, it comes across as selfishness and if we can
radiate honest appreciation then it will have huge impact on how
others view us.

Development Goals/Explanation
People work best in an atmosphere
where they feel their efforts are being
appreciated
Verbally acknowledge a
persons importance and
radiate the happiness that
comes with giving people
compliments

Action
Step 1: Ask about the other persons
interests and use follow up questions
to go deeper
Step 2: Make them talk to you about
what they value, treasure the most
Step 3: Use research as a guideline
for what to question another person
about, so you can leverage their
enthusiasm

Action
Step 1: Offer words of kindness to a
person through a genuine
compliment
Step 2: Never forget someones
name, even people that I have just
met
Step 3: Remember at least one
personal detail about people when
our relationship is first developing

4. Try honestly to see things from the others point of view

Humans naturally are narrow minded and only think about our
individual perspective. However to be successful when dealing with
other people in personal situations is to try to understand their point of
view. If you ask yourself a few basic questions such as How would I
feel or What would I think you can put yourself in someones shoes
and save a lot of frustration. Going further, it is not enough just to
consider this perspective but actually accept it. This is a very difficult
skill to master but is incredibly important when learning how to make
people like you. One of my favorite quotes from this section of the
book is There is a reason why the other man thinks and acts as he
does. Ferret out that reasonand you have the key to his actions,
perhaps to his personality
24

Development Goals/Explanation
When working with others, often
there are disagreements.
It is my goals to have more of
an open mind when reacting to
differences in opinion and not
be so ignorant

Action
Step 1: Write down both sides for a
controversial topic and consider each
Step 2: Discuss these ideas with a
peer and take the stance on one of
the sides in the debate, chosen
randomly
Step 3: Switch sides so that I have
to argue the other side in addition to
the first round

5. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other

person
When confronting another person about their mistakes, it is a very
difficult conversation to start. Most of the time, people become very
discouraged when they are criticized and could be turned off from
creativity and work motivation completely. A way to combat this is to
first talk about your own mistakes because it shows vulnerability. By
also admitting that you are susceptible to mistakes, it makes yourself
more personable to them and the person will react more positively
when you point out their mistakes. By admitting these kinds of
mistakes even when one hasnt corrected themcan help convince
somebody to change his behavior.

Development Goals/Explanation
Be more considerate that everyone
makes mistakes and realize that it is
an opportunity to be a mentor to the
person
Be a positive influence and
show vulnerability by relating
to the situation at hand

Action
Step 1: Ask myself if I have ever
made a similar mistake
Step 2: Consider the effects of
harshly criticizing someone without
empathizing first
Step 3: Be a mentor, not a parent or
boss

6. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every

improvement

From personal experience, when I receive praise for something that I

worked really hard, on I react really positively. I am motivated to work
harder and receive the satisfaction of praise once again. A few words
of positivity has a significant ability to help other realize their potential.
Often the problem is that we do not do this enough because it is tough
to find material to base our praise on. The lesson I learned in this
section is to praise even the slightest accomplishment because it has
25

such a powerful effect. While it might seem minor to the person saying
the praise, to the person on the receiving end, it is a huge deal.
Development Goals/Explanation
Notice a persons progress and
deliberately notice each gradual step
Give a person the satisfaction
of feeling small successes
which will motivate them

Action
Step 1: Write out the expectations I
have for others and when they
achieve it, praise them
Step 2: Be specific with the praise,
because it comes across as more
sincere
Step 3: try to find something, no
matter how small

26

Assessment Center Reflection:

Step 1: Action Taken
1. Compare your results with the results from last year. Explain areas where
you improved, and reflect on areas that may have not improved. How do you
plan to use the new feedback to enhance your professional (or personal)
future? Whats most important?
Assessed Skill
Initiative
Decision Making
Organizing
Communication
Teamwork
TOTAL

2014 Score
45
15
66
29
30
185

2015 Score
62
55
35
79
78
309

The result from this years assessment compared to last fall show
significant improvement. In nearly every assessed skill I had a higher score,
which reflects where I have put work into, but it also reflects where I still
need focus on. My initiative score improved because I was concisely had a
more active role during the team meetings and contributed more to both the
CEO selection and customer service meeting. I think this indirectly shows
that my confidence has grown in the past year and I am more comfortable
talking in front of people. The problem was not the analysis, but actually
voicing my thoughts. When I did this during the Illiad Assessment this year,
it reflected in my initiative score. Although I still have a fairly low decision
making score, it is 40 point increase since last year. I am proud to say that I
performed higher than more than half the population which I know includes
real adult professionals and graduate students much older than me.
The loss of progress in the organization skill is very disappointing. I
actually believe that organizing and planning out my time is one of my
strengths but clearly I did not show that during
the assessment. For some reason, during the
assessment I could not find the information for
my presentation about expansion internationally
and it was a very frantic time. The assignment
has a few flaws in nature because it assumes
that we are preparing in a very short amount of
time. However, my style and the reason I am
good at planning is because I start long term assignment early and do not
procrastinate. In this way, the organization score is not a good reflection of
how I actually perform in real life. Nevertheless, I have outlined a plan of
action that I have taken to improve my organization skills. I plan to use this
feedback as a motivator to really solidify my skills.
Overall, I am incredibly pleased with how my communication skills
improved. It went from my lowest score last year to the highest score this
year. I think this reflects my effort in the enterprise communications class
because last year I identified communication as a weakness and specifically
27

targeted. My improvement was by 60 percent, which is unheard of in only a

single year. I look forward to continue to work on my public speaking skills
and identify what can put me ahead of the highest 20th percentile. In my
professional career, the skills identified above are ones that employers value
the most. By completing the assessment a second time I really learned
where I improved and where I still need to put effort towards.
2. For each development goal listed in the individual development plan from
last year, list the action steps that you actually and the results.
Last year, in my Personal Creativity Reflection in 2014 I created a plan
to improve several skills in areas that I scored low in. After completing the
same assessment this year, I saw extreme improvement and am very
pleased with the results. That being said, I still have a lot to improve on in
the future semesters. Going into the assessment center from last year, I was
very nervous, and remember having difficulty thinking straight. My skills in
the areas of initiative, decision-making, organizing, communication, and
teamwork all saw significant improvement. In nearly a year I went from very
low scores to decent acceptable ones. In my reflection last year I discussed
how the assessment opened my eyes to my strengths and weaknesses and I
was incredibly motivated from that point forward. By setting specific goals
that were both short term and long term in nature, I was able to improve
those desired areas.
Interestingly enough, my lowest score last year was in the area of
communication. In order to develop my speaking skills and ability to explain
my ideas to others I created a plan of action. These were small steps that
overall led to a noteworthy difference. The goals I mad last year were SMART
goals meaning that they were Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and
Time bounded goals. Here are some of the goals I made in last years
assignment
Personal Development Goals from 2015 PlanUpdated Results
1. Contribute more to class discussions
In my classes I am usually fairly quiet, but I have deliberately been more
active in my classes this semester. For example, in my architecture
discussion I constantly raise my hand to give my insight into a project. The
class relies on the feedback of other students because we constantly reiterate our plans. Therefore, nearly every class I comment on other
students uploaded project because a second perspective ultimately makes
someone realize certain details that they otherwise would not have thought
about.
2. More confident presentations
I can say with full honesty that my presentations have benefited from the
increased confidence that I have when I present. When speaking in front of
any group of people I often struggle with my nerves. Some people are
naturally calm, but I have to purposely relax. I discovered the power of
controlling my breathing and ultimately my heart rate. More specifically,
28

class sessions such as the Dale Carnegie Training and Ira Kortesky guest
speaker have really been impactful in my development. Dale Carnegie
taught me to own the room and a TED talk taught me to fake my
confidence until I become the confident person that I want to be. Overall, I
believe that I have a long way to go to improve my confidence during
presentations but I am highly satisfied in my ability to speak confidently in
front of a development.
3. Better vocabulary, grammar, and speaking clearer
During the past year I have not had an active focus on my vocabulary but I
have been more conscious of my vocabulary. While writing professional
emails to set up informational interviews, I was very careful not to make silly
grammar and spelling mistakes. Within the last year I learned that
employers will completely neglect your application if it has these sort of
mistakes. It shows carelessness and I have actively worked on improving
that area of communication. Furthermore, as discussed in the Talk like TED
book, brief pauses add a dramatic effect and are actually very effective in a
presentation. I have learned to be more comfortable with silence during a
presentation and this has improved the clarity of my communication. By
simply slowing down my speech, I am able to articulate my words better and
it my point comes across much clearer.
Overall, I believe that I have achieved these goals for the most part.
Clearly last year I understood how important it is to be able to stand in front
of a crowd an deliver your points without stumbling on your words or
forgetting what to say. I understood how valuable communication skills are
in my future career especially in a management role or position. The results
of my action plan directly correlate with my improvement in the Iliad
Assessment. Here is specific evidence to my development in these areas:

Activity Name

Detailed
Behavior

Score

Overall ScoreSkill
Dimension

Communication
(Percentile)

79

International Expansion
Pitch

Purpose of Speech
within 30 seconds
(0,1)

Speech

Identifies strengths
and weaknesses
(0,1,2)

Speech

Speaks clearly (1,1,2)

2
29

Speech

Uses appropriate
grammar (-1,1,2)

Speech

Speaks Confidently
(-1,0,1)

30

Step 2: Summarizing Your Most Recent Feedback

Known Strengths

Strength
s to
Leverage

Promptly reporting to
activities on time

Explicitly defining
decision criteria

Focusing on relevant
information

Considering an
impact on others
(customers)

Speaking concisely and

with specific points

Making
recommendations

Appropriate non-verbal
communication (sitting up
straight, appropriate
facial expressions, etc.)

Using an
appropriate pace of
speech

Providing multiples
sources for evidence

Speaking with
expressiveness

Contributing to the group

Communicating my
suggestions

Staying on topic

Known Development Needs

Areas to
Develop

Unknown Strengths

Unknown Development
Needs

Writing quality in the

memos

Ethical Sensitivity

Clear closing statement

Emerging as a
leader

Addressing consequences
of your decision

Absolute Ethical Focus

Checking for a
common
understanding

Pace at which at complete

work

Asking for
clarification

Making decisions more

efficiently

Prioritizing my work

Attention to detail

Known to You

Unknown to You
31

32

Step 3: Putting in a Plan of Action

Target Behavior: Organization of substantially large tasks
Why important?: Having the ability to establish a correct course of action is at the front of getting anything
done. While I am relatively effective at managing and organizing minor things, when it comes to a very large
project or big picture work I tend to get overwhelmed with how to tackle it. In my future career, being able to
organize will play a significant role in my ability to lead others or manage a team.
Development
Goals
Set short term deadlines
for myself

Actions Steps
Use some form of planning
book (planner, calendar,
etc.) to record specific
deadlines for large projects

Schedule specific times

delegated for each class

Put significant due

dates/exam schedule on
calendar and set aside
certain hours before hand to
study. Note: do not move
these times

Increase productivity by
eliminating distractors

Never do homework while

the television is on, do not
study in a group if there is
too much chatter

Plan to Make Public

Rewards/Punishments

Share plan with fellow

UMD students
Discuss with family,
ask them to keep track

Rewards: Increased GPA,

grades, satisfaction of
productivity
Punishment: will refrain

Completion
Date
November
17th, 2015

October 6th,
2015

November
3, 2015

Resources/People

Sigma Pledge
class, friends and
roommate

Elms for specific

assignment due
dates, Class syllabi,
online calendar

Confine in friends
that this is my
plan, especially
roommate

Obstacles to
Overcome
Sticking to the
deadline I have set
and not coming up
with excuses for
the meeting each
individual deadline
When I would
schedule a block of
time, it was
difficult not to plan
something over it if
I felt in the
moment I
impulsively wanted
to do
Group study
sessions can be
fun, but are
honestly not as
productive as when
I isolate myself

Evaluation Plan
September 30th: Successfully put assignments on
calendar
October 15th: Have been somewhat effective increased
productivity
33

November 15th: Some instances of divergent behavior

when meeting short term deadlines
I plan to carry out the actions to achieve my development goals by April of 2016 :
X__________________________________________________
of improvement

from weekend activities

34

values Manifesto for (Melissa Horovitz)

Personal Branding
With resume attached

Key

Core Values
Adventurous
Optimistic
Passionate
Consistency
Dependable
Balance
Responsibility

competencies
style

Distinctive
Competencies
Acknowledges
people for
their
contributions
Signals
commitment
to a process
Is open about
team
members
concerns
Expresses
ideas
concisely
Approaches
complex tasks

Style
Realistic with expectations
Focused but easy going
Positive attitude
Accepting of challenges

Personal brand position

I analyze to create better efficiency and optimize any situation
Personal brand mantra
Driven to achieve, only limited by time
Recommendations for developing the brand to be more competitive:
A health balance: In my college career I am constantly pushing
myself to achieve more. I thrive when I have a healthy balance
between involvements in a multitude of areas. On one hand I believe
that I can constantly take on more and love challenging myself. On the
other hand, one of my weakness is spreading myself too thin, and

taking on too many tasks. In this way, to make my brand more

competitive, I need to pick a few areas of focus, and really excel in
them rather than being slightly involved in multiple directions.
Be more specific with what I am interested in: I have several
different areas that I enjoy learning about and could see myself
perusing a career in. I love learning outside of the classroom and this
had made me interested in more than I could possibly involved in. For
example, marketing intrigues me. It is the idea that small differences
in how you perceive something can create a brand completely. I also
am highly intrigued by the idea of the entrepreneurial spirit and love
the idea of working for a small start up. My somewhat torn focus is
what makes me versatile but to be more competitive in a single field, I
am looking forward to picking a major and being able to ultimately
grow an expertise in it.
Build my network: I work very hard to be involved with so much
while also keeping my academics in tack. However when it comes to
being a more competitive candidate, it is not what I know but whom I
know that will really make the difference. I will definitely work on
marketing my brand more frequently and really getting my name out
there. References are one of the most valuable aspects of the job
search because when someone vouches for you, it is incredibly
impactful.

Process (see the class Web site for more detail)

1. Describe your life purpose in one sentence.
I thrive on constantly trying to be the best version of me and finding how I
can be content with how I spend each day.
2. List your top seven values (from the value inventory).

importantVery

Achievement (results, tasks completed)

Adventure (new experiences, challenge, excitement)
Artistic (drama, painting, literature)
Balance (proper attention to each area of life)
Competition (desire to sin, to take risks)
Contribution (desire to make a difference, to give)
Control (desire to be in charge, sense of order)
Cooperation (teamwork, working with others)
Creativity (new ideas, innovation, experimenting)
Economic security (freedom from financial worries)

t Somewha

Value description

importantNot

Personal Brand Value Inventory

X
X

X
X
X
X
X
X
X

Fairness (equal chance, equal hearing for all)

Fame (desire to be well-known, recognized)
Family happiness (desire to get along, respect, harmony)
Friendship (intimacy, caring, support)
Generosity (desire to give time or money readily)
Health (physical fitness, energy, no disease)
Independence (self-reliance, freedom from controls)
Influence (desire to shape ideas, people, processes)
Inner harmony (desire to be at peace with oneself)
Integrity (honesty, sincerity, consistent demonstration of
your values)
Learning (growth, knowledge, understanding)
Loyalty (duty, allegiance, respect)
Nature (care of and appreciation of the environment)
Personal development (improvement, reach potential)
Pleasure (enjoyment, fun, happiness)
Power (authority, influence over people and/or
situations)
Prestige (visible success, rank, status)
Quality (excellence, high standards, minimal errors)
Recognition (respect, acknowledgement, applause)
Responsibility (desire to be accountable, trustworthy,
mature)
Security (desire to feel safe about things, surroundings)
Service (desire to assist others, to improve society)
Self-respect (pride in self, feeling worthy)
Spirituality (belief or interest in a higher power)
Stability (continuity, predictability)
Tolerance (openness to others, their views and values)
Tradition (treasuring the past, customs)
Variety (diversity of activities and experiences)
Wealth (material prosperity, affluence, abundance)
Wisdom (desire to understand life, to exercise sound
judgment)
Top Seven Values
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)

Achievement
Integrity
Variety
Economic Security
Adventure
Health
Independence

X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X

3. List your key competencies/strengths (what you are currently

good at).
Time management, attention to detail, reliability, innovating, prioritizing
time, analyzing figures, learning quickly
4. List your key weaknesses.
Public speaking, managing conflict, team building, building consensus,
speaking up, sometimes procrastination, perfectionism

5. How do others describe you? Report on the responses you

received from the 360Reach questionnaire.
360 Reach is a website that allows you to survey your peers around you
and receive feedback on core attributes and what you need to work on. I
found the ability send a survey to people around
me very interesting and I value the data I
received. Some of the responses I received
aligned with how I answered the same question,
but others were somewhat different. Overall, the
questionnaire for 360 Reach focuses on my brand attributes, brand
personals, strengths and weaknesses, and some character fun questions.
Respondents of the survey were asked to rank the top 6-8 attributes and
explain what kind of car I would be as well as which household appliance.
Out of the 12 responses I receive from my fellow colleagues, 6 people
listed Intelligent as one of my brand attributes, 5 people said I was driven
and sincere, and 4 people chose adventurous and self-motivated. I think
these were very interesting responses and I am very pleased that some of
the people I am closest with listed those sort of adjectives to describe me. I
am not very surprised by the responses because they are definitely
attributes that I have naturally been inclined to have. Furthermore, for one
of my brand skills, 6 people chose relating to others/Building relationships.
This came somewhat as surprise to me because I never really thought as
myself as someone who connected with others well. Two of the other top
skills included learning, managing time, motivating, and prioritizing. Overall,
the responses were very much across the board and while there were some
common responses, a lot of people chose brand attributes and skills that no
one else chose.
The strengths and weaknesses section was highly enlightening because
they identify what over people think I excel at but also where I need to
improve. My greatest strengths included my analytical ability, getting the
job done, self-discipline, ambition, optimism, and one person said once she
sets her mind to something, she is very strong-willed to stick to it/finish it
out. I am humbled by some of the other responses such as very kind,
genuine person and shes an overall positive person to be around and
draws people to her. Clearly the people I asked to take this survey were

people that I felt I have had some sort of connection with in the past and
therefore they most likely have a positive view of me. Learning what other
people think is my greatest weakness was very motivating and the feedback
will really help me work in the right direction. For example, some of the
responses were confidence in herself, dealing with the possibility of
failing, stubborn preconceived opinion, slightly materialistic, sometimes
she can be indecisive and she might take up too much at one time. I will
definitely take these weaknesses into consideration going forward and
appreciate the honest opinions from my peers.
6. Reconcile the differences between your self-perception and what
others say.
I found that many of the responses that my peers were similar to my selfperception. I honestly can say that most of them align closely with what I
think about myself and how other see me. However, that being said there
were definitely some pieces of feedback that surprised me. Overall, some of
the brand attributes that aligned are the notion that I am adventurous,
driven, competitive, and sincere. However, did not expect some of the
attributes such as cheerful, or likable. Although many people tell me that I
am someone that is likable, I still feel like I have trouble making really close,
good friends. Furthermore, I feel like I am usually in a good mood but also
feel like am definitely think realistically which sometimes comes across as
pessimistic.
In my opinion, the strength and weaknesses section was very accurate
compared to what I said about myself. Some of my strengths in my opinion
are that I am analytical and pay attention to detail. Also, I am incredibly self
driven, and motivated by my passions and goals. For the most part, the
things people said about me revolved around these ideas and the fact that
when I set my mind to something, there is nothing that will get in my way. I
know that I have a relatively low amount of self-confidence but I had no idea
that others saw that as a weakness. Furthermore, the person who said I was
slightly materialistic does not align with how I think I am. I try to be modest
and not care about what money can buy and rather the passions that I have
and what makes me wake up every morning. Furthermore, there is an
overlap between my self-motivation and the pressure I put on myself. While I
am driven to succeed, one my weaknesses is putting too much pressure on
the goal itself rather then the journey.
When asked what type of car I would be if I were one was a hilarious yet
insightful exercise. Most people answered that I would be a Jeep wrangler
and I agree. It is one of my favorite cars, but it also highlights my
personality and traits. Some people said that I am a Jeep because she loves
adventure, taking risks, and trying new things. Also because, jeeps are a
strong car and Melissa is a strong person. Some other responses included
Melissa would be a sports car that is fast and luxurious because she is quick

and witty but carries herself at a high prestige. It was interesting to see how
people used analogies to describe my personality.
7. List your personality/style when dealing with others.
Realistic, straightforward, easygoing, goal driven, empathetic, enthusiastic
8. List in one sentence each your 3, 5, and 20 year career goals.
Describe the target market for your career.
3-Year Goal: Secure a job directly following graduation at a company with a
culture that aligns with my values and allows me to work in the DC area
5-Year Goal: Work for an organization that offers me potential to prove myself
and have the ability for upwards movement
20-Year Goal: I hope to be in a managerial role with great responsibility as a
director and be able to travel while on the job.
9. Identify what differentiates you from your competition in this
market.
I am a self-driven, analytical individual who enjoys tackling complex
problems and accept challenges. I am highly innovative and understand how
important it is for a company to continuously be creative. In my college
career I have been highly involved in various leadership roles that have
tested my skills and really challenge me to lead. I am a quick learner who
always looks for feedback on how to improve and thrive in new situations
where I may not have been in before. I am passionate and motivated by the
satisfaction of completing a difficult project and do not accept anything but
my best work.

MELISSA RAE HOROVITZ

860-324-4585 mrh2018@terpmail.umd.edu
22 Stockbridge Drive Avon, Connecticut 06001
LinkedIn Address: www.linkedin.com/in/melissahorovitz

EDUCATION
University of Maryland
College Park, MD
Bachelor of Science in Finance, Minor in Business Analytics
May 2018
Robert H. Smith School of Business
4.0/4.0
Short Term Study Abroad Global Immersion ProgramDubai/Abu Dhabi Spring 2015

WORK EXPERIENCE
Part-time Child Care
Avon, CT
Nanny
J une-August 2015
Managed a healthy, safe, and pleasing environment.
Promoted the physical and mental development of youth.
Launched daily activities and planned entertainment.
Ski Sundown
New Hartford, CT
Ski Instructor
December-March 2013-2014
Instructed children and young adults of various levels in groups of 2-6
Communicated with parents and other staff about students ability and progress.
CJ SA Certified Grade 8
State of CT
Referee
September 2010- J une 2014
Refereed soccer games at recreational, travel, and premier levels.
Managed game tempo and team of referees with clarity and concision.
LEADERSHIP AND VOLUNTEER SERVICES
Smith Leadership Institute
College Park, MD
Peer Mentor
September 2015-Present
Served as an ambassador and role model for first-year business students.
Provided support and offers insight on involvement and resources at Smith and UMD.
Assisted with registration process and guiding students to various events.
Residence Hall Association
College Park, MD
High Riser Host and Council Member
April 2015-Present
Planed and led High Riser training night.
Recruited potential High Riser hosts through interpersonal communication.
Answered questions about student life, academics, and campus activities to prospective
students.
Business, Society, and the Economy Scholars (BSE)
College Park, MD
BSE Buddy and Service Day Group Leader
September 2015Present
Resource for first-year BSE Scholars students prior to start of semester.
Oversaw group community service work at a local charity.
SUSA (Smith Undergraduate Student Association)
College Park, MD
Social Committee Member
J anuary-May 2015
Created posters, set up, organized, and cleaned up for Smithstock event.
Promoted Smith events to encourage student involvement.
Avon Memorial Day Soccer Tournament
Avon, CT
Assistant Chairperson
May 2012-2015
Reviewed and validated all scorekeeping for the tournament.
Handled disputes, complaints, and took on the roll as field marshal for several games.
Supervised Officials Table volunteers, ensuring accuracy, honesty, and support of
participants.
HONORS AND ACTIVITIES
Deans List
All Semesters
Presidential Scholarship
August 2014-Present
Business, Society, and the Economy College Park Scholars
August 2014-Present
Most Valuable SUSA Smithstock Member Award
May 2015

REFLECT by GMA

Reflect is a skills assessment by GMAC that

identifies ten of the most important skills and gives
you a score based on a series of questions. The job
market today is a highly competitive market and it
is becoming more and more critical that I develop
the soft skills that employers consider most
important. It is not enough to display these skills
periodically but rather consistently. The most
valuable aspect of Reflect is that it really improves
my self-awareness by directly telling me my
strengths and weaknesses based on an unbiased
evaluation. Not only does the Reflect tool report on
these professional qualities, but it also tells you
how to improve on them through a specific action
based plan. I accept this interactive platform and
have used it consistently throughout the semester
so that if I were to be re-tested on them, I would
show significant progress.
The results that I had showed a wide range of
scores and are somewhat confusing. Some of the
descriptions the Reflect assessment produced
seemed very accurate and I agree with them.
However, some of them surprised me and I do not
think that they correlate with my self-assessment.
The report summary under the discover tab allowed me to get an idea of
how the test evaluated me. The descriptions are fairly general, but specific
enough that I can directly associate experiences that I have had with what it
is saying. When faced with a business decision, it said that I am a practical
and level-headed contributor, but nay not be recognized by peers as an
original thinker. I think this is very accurate because I definitely am able to
balance the process with intuitive action and I feel as though this approach
has lead me to the success I have had. Furthermore, the analysis about my
approach when interacting with others was something that I did not really
agree with. It reports that I may unintentionally hurt others feelings if I am
not careful with my tone of voice. Apparently I also treat people with
respect but may not ask for others opinions. I think this is somewhat
inaccurate about how I interact in a group setting. I am constantly being
conscious of what I say because I know that words have a huge effect on
how teams function. I can understand where the analysis comes from
because I often prefer working independently rather than in a group to solve

problems. This is the approach I take because I have found that it works best
for me. However, this somewhat isolated way of approaching a project is
most likely led to my low score in collaboration and valuing others.
Overall the reflect website tracked my strengths and weaknesses and
gave me ideas on how I can improve them by using the action plan I explain
on the next page. I consider the Reflect questionnaire very valuable because
it made me aware of some of my traits that I had no idea I was deficient in. I
was surprised at my scores in the categories of innovation, drive, and
decision making because I was under the impression that these were some
of my

strengths. Nevertheless, I will not let a number define or discourage me and

will continue to work towards my ultimate goal of having a sufficient balance
in all the attributes that are most applicable in the work place.

Development Goals/
Explanation by REFLECT
Innovation
Your score indicates that you prefer to solve
problems that have immediate results and use
tried-and-true methods. Peers appreciate your
sensible approach and ability to evaluate
whether or not a new solution is practical. You
can be skeptical of new ideas and
uncomfortable with ambiguity.
My Behaviors:
Are more comfortable applying the ideas of
others rather than creating their own
Are risk averse and unsure of using new
methods that are not yet proven
May not look ahead to how new ideas can
have a positive impact

Operational Thinking
Your score suggests that you enjoy following
processes but may rely on others to manage
important details. You pay attention to details
and the process when the topic or task is
interesting to you and important to your
success. You may struggle when asked to plan
and complete a project from start to finish.
However, you avoid over-engineered or
wasteful processes that may slow down your
success.
Are tolerant of uncertainty
Uncover inefficient methods or
processes that may slow down
progress
May struggle with project
planning, as they may not be
interested in managing details

Valuing Others
Your score suggests you are open to others'
viewpoints and willing to consider new ideas.
You recognize your colleagues' opinions and
contributions, but you also focus on how to
achieve the organization's goals. At times,
especially when under stress, you may
become too task-focused and neglect to
consider the issues affecting your colleagues.
Tend to be open-minded and sensitive
to others
Take a balanced approach between
focusing on the end result and their
colleagues feelings and opinions
May not recognize the need for a
work/life balance

Action Steps Over the

Semester

Set aside time where I have explored new

interesting topics that are relevant to what I
want to do in my career helped me
discover my major and path
I signed up for a current events blog called
The Skimm that provides up to date news
every morning, delivered to my email
Inbox written in a way that has helped
me understand a wide variety of topics
Been involved in projects on campus that
have challenged me to brainstorm
effectively in a group forced me to think
outside of my comfort zone in a wide
variety of topics (creative fundraising
goals, case competitions)

Stayed up to date on large projects by

assessing its progress every few weeks,

and update how goals, resources, or
technology has changed
Went to the end user for information about
what they value so that it is more likely
they will accept the end result
Broke down large requirements into
smaller components 50 interviews were
due on November 17th, broke my deadlines
down into weekly increments so I knew I
would finish
Blocked time into my day so that if
something unexpected comes up, I can
address it at that time
Ranked my responsibilities in order of most
importance, and time sensitivity

Wrote thank you notes for about a third of

the people I interviewed with in the

professional business fraternityshowing I
value the time they gave up to spend
getting to know me and how I appreciated
that
Stopped talking about people in third
person, behind their backs because if I am
not willing to ay it in front of them, I learned
not to gossip
I have walked away from conversations
where people criticize others to avoid
joining in on the subject
Be more mindful and empathetic of the
perspective of other people, rather than
just the task at hand

Reflect
Action
Plan

Mock Interview
Overview (apply what you learned from the Chief
story Teller)

Tell me about yourself?

Hello, my name is Melissa Horovitz and I am currently a sophomore at the
University of Maryland studying Finance and Business Analytics at the Robert
H. Smith School of Business. As a member of the Business, Society, and the
Economy Scholars program I was fortunate enough to study abroad in a
short-term global immersion program to Dubai and Abu Dhabi and am
traveling on another trip this winter to Southeast Asia. I am from a small
town in Connecticut and I think that I really telling about what kind of person
I am because it was a huge decision to go to school far away from home. I
really enjoy meeting new people and enjoy challenging myself to be
comfortable with change.

Thats interesting, tell me more.

I consider myself a very versatile individual and the experiences I have had
may seem like they are without a single direction but they have made me
who I am today. For example, n my study abroad trips I have learned the
importance of having a global mindset, which is crucial when doing business
internationally. The perspective I gained on world affairs and how fortunate I
am in my own personal life has really given me direction. I also am highly
involved as a peer mentor on campus through the BSE program and the
Smith school because I have had some very impactful mentors throughout
my life and college career. The reason I choose finance is because I enjoy
analytics and working with numbers. I hope to go into the field of venture
capitalism because I think it will combine my analytic skills with my passion
for researching small start up companies.

What do you want to be known for?

Integrity is in my opinion one of the most important attributes in a
trustworthy person and business does not function without trust. I do my
best to be known for the integrity that I carry myself with. When others
describe me I want to be known for my ability to balance work and pleasure
but mainly associated with reliability.

Innovation
Tell me about a creative approach you took to solve a problem.
How did you come up with this approach? Did you consider other
options?
As a ski instructor for young children who are new to skiing, it is often
frustrating when certain methods work for some kids but not for others. One
time I was working as a private instructor and had a very young five-year-old
body that simply did not want to be there. All of the exercises that we were
taught to complete with the children simply were not working as they had
with the children I have worked with in the past. I needed to get him to
angle his skis together in such a way that it would form a wedge shape so he
could slow down. I considered calling the shape more friendly kids terms like
pizza slice and pie slice but it wasnt until I found a rubber band in my
pocket that we made any progress. I took the band and put it around the
tips of the skis to provide resistance when he tried to open them to a parallel
shape. Even after I removed the rubber band, the little boy had developed
the muscle memory to complete the wedge. The result of my creative
approach was improvement in his skills and a huge smile on his face, which
made it all worth it in the end.

Operational Thinking
Tell me about a time when you had the lead role in managing a
student project.
As a member of the executive board for the High Riser association, I took on
the lead role to plan the High Riser training night where volunteers of the
program come to learn about how to spend the Overnight Stay Program. I
first revised the High Riser training PowerPoint to make it more up to date,
and interactive. Then, I designed an activity for training night that would not
only make the material more memorable but also enjoyable. Estimating the
turnout to be around 100 students, I ordered snacks accordingly and arrived
early to set up the room so that all the desks were faced forward and it was
an inviting layout. The event ran smoothly overall, and I think we were
successful in training the future hosts for prospective students.

Decision Making
Tell me about a difficult decision you've made in the last year.
One of the most difficult decisions I have made this year was if I should study
abroad again to Southeast Asia. While I had a fantastic experience on the
past trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the expense of the trip is high not

including a few thousand dollars for flights. I weighed the pros and the cons
noting that I would not be able to get any work experience during January of
2016 and would arrive back from the trip practically at the start of the spring
semester. Although I enjoy my time at home because I am not there very
often, I decided to go on the trip because the benefits outweighed the
expenses. The experience I will get there and what I will learn by immersing
myself in a completely new culture is worth it. Looking back on it, I am
confident that I made the right decision and I know I will ultimately make
memories that will last me a lifetime.

Strategic Vision
How have you worked to achieve your own professional vision?
My professional vision is to work for a corporation as a respected executive.
One of the ways I have worked to achieve this professional goal is by joining
a professional business fraternity called Alpha Kappa Psi. Although I am only
a pledge this semester, I have already learned the value in being part of an
organization that aims to shape principled business leaders. I have attended
several professional events offered by the fraternitys connections including
a guest speaker with a employee of the Baltimore Ravens in the field of
sports marketing as well as a top manager in the startup Wedding Wire. It
has really broadened my horizon of potential fields and shaped my
professional vision by seeing successful alumni thrive and learning from their
advice.

Strategic Self-Awareness
Please describe two situations for me one in which you received
very positive feedback on your performance and one where you
received pretty negative feedback? What happened in each
situation? What did you do? What was the outcome?
The first situation that comes to mind on the subject of positive feedback
was when I went through an interview for a business organization I was
applying to. After I was accepted into it, the person who conducted my
interview came up to me and told me that I really impressed him. He said
my resume was fantastic and I had an answer to every question, even the
tricky ones he tried to throw me off with. Overall, I was really humbled by his
complements and found that my preparation for the interview had really paid
off.
When I was running for a position as treasurer we were required to make a
speech explaining why we were the right candidates for the job. My initial

thought was that I would just improvise what I was going to say and a
thought about a general outline of what I was going to say. The other
candidates were much better rehearsed and it was obvious that I had not
practiced my speech. After stumbling on my words, and forgetting what I
was going to say I asked some of my closest friends what I did wrong
because I was not elected into the position. The feedback was fairly
negative and I was told that my hands were distracting, I said several silence
fillers like umm, and I was verbose. Although it was difficult to take, I
learned from the situation and practice any form of oral presentation with
repetition so that I do not make the same mistakes again.

Tell me about a time when you made a big mistake?

One of the trickiest parts of college is being able to prioritize your time and
managing it so that what is really important ultimately is completed. During
my freshman year of college my friends asked me if I wanted to go to DC one
Sunday morning. Knowing I had an exam the next day, I respectfully
declined their offer. After considering it more, I justified the fact that I would
have more time later in the day to study and I ended up going to DC for the
entire day. While it was a very fun day, I regret not saying no to the trip
because I lost valuable time to study and my grade reflected that lack of
effort. I learned that I needed to know how to say no to activities because
school comes first. It was a tough lesson to learn but I benefited from the
experience going forward and was able to bounce back from the careless
mistake.

Resilience
Can you describe a time for me when you managed your stress really
well despite difficult conditions?
The Fall semester of 2015 has by far been the most stressful few months of
my life. I have been tested by difficult semesters and pledging a
professional business fraternity called Alpha Kappa Psi. As a prestigious
fraternity, there is an incredibly extensive process to pledge and the
standard I am held to has challenged me in so many ways. One of the most
difficult parts of finding relief of the stress that I have build up inside me is
the fact that there is no down time to perform the stress relief tactics that
usually I use. For example, last semester I used to go to the gym nearly
every day because it allowed me to clear my head and escape from reality.
However, this semester I simply do not have the time to go every day
because of the nature of my schedule. To push through these difficult

conditions I had to change my mindset completely. Instead of sulking in all

of my responsibilities and how demanding it was, I shifted my view to a more
optimistic one. I found small successes in each day and looked forward to
the little pleasures in life like walking to class on a beautiful and listening to
my favorite song. My ability to adapt to the stress of conditions that were
unfamiliar to me really reflects how I have found peace during difficult
circumstances.

Drive
Describe a situation when you had to give feedback to someone for
being a de-motivating to a person/team?
As the captain of the girls golf team at my high school during my senior year
I not only worked to lead by example by putting extra hours in before and
after practice, but also had to keep tabs on how the rest of the team was
motivated. One of my teammates had a phenomenal season the year prior
but I noticed that she was treating the sport as more of a hobby then as a
sport. The tone I set for the team was that we were going to enjoy our time
but also compete. This particular team member seemed to be missing more
practices, and it seemed like her effort level was not as it once had been.
Therefore, I respectfully confronted her about her commitment and tried to
understand if something was going on. After discussing it further I realized
that she was discouraged by the inner team competition and she was getting
stressed about the making the starting line up and would rather care less
then be disappointed. I understood the concern but was able to motivate her
that the practice would be worth it in the end and assuring her that she had
the potential.

Interpersonal Intuition
Tell me about a time when you had to begin a difficult conversation
with another person?
One of the ways I volunteer my time and abilities is by working at the field
marshal table at a Memorial Day Soccer tournament in my hometown. Some
of the main duties include collecting the score sheets, calculating the point
totals for each team, and recording the rankings on the public boards. One
year we had inclement weather and several games were postponed due to
the rain conditions. The schedule for the day became very messed up and I
had to report to a team that their game time would not be at the originally
schedule time of 2:00 but had to be pushed back to 5:00. I knew that I was

reporting bad news to them because they were from out of the state, which
would mean they were not going to get back until very late at night. To
prepare for the difficult conversation I made sure I had the facts behind why
the situation was occurring and prepared to offer a compensation for their
incontinence as part of a negotiation tactic. While it was one of the most
difficult conversations I have ever had with another individual, it was my
preparation and confidence with what I was saying that made it run
smoothly.

Collaboration
Tell me about one of the toughest groups that youve had to work
with. What made it difficult? What did you do?

My group for a project in a class called History 142: Looking at America

through a global lens was very difficult to work with. We were assigned
teams of six and none of us knew each other before that moment. When
working with random strangers it is difficult to know how each individual
member works and what their style is. The first challenge I found was that
we were communicating via email, which compared to other methods is very
slow, non-direct way of sharing information. To change this I suggested that
we all used the application called Groupme but not everyone had the app.
After figuring out our form of communication, the mere size of the group
made it difficult for any one person to feel completely responsible for the
project. Instead, many people relied on the other members of the group to
complete the majority of the work. Ultimately, a good portion of that was
put on me and I felt like there was a lack of motivation for the entire project.
When in a general education class, there are a wide range of students and I
found many of them are satisfied getting a B for a grade, and look for a way
to do the bare minimum to receive that. My objectives completely different
because I always strive to display my best work in hopes for an A.
Ultimately, I was able to motivate the rest of the group slightly, but mainly
took on extra work to complete it at a satisfactory level.

LinkedIn Profile

TED TALKS
Your Body Language
Shapes Who You Are
Amy Cuddy
Views: 29,458,747
The talk by Cuddy was one of my favorite TED talks I have ever seen. I found
it incredibly, interesting, entertaining and most of all impactful. Amy argues
that the body language we show and our own positioning of the body can
affect our confidence and ultimately our chances for success. When people
give off non-verbal expressions, often it affects how others perceive us.
However, often we forget about how it actually affects our self. When people
cross a finish line or accomplish something, the natural pose of success is to
raise our hands above our head making a V position, with the chin is lifted.
On the other hand, when we feel down, we tend to shrink, and make
ourselves smaller. Furthermore, I learned when I am in a situation where
someone is showing very powerful body language, it is likely that I will
compliment that with a submissive language. Since the mind changes the
body, she also discovered that the body changes the mind. It turns out that
when I position my body in high power poses, it actually affects how I feel
and the confidence I have. Amy Cuddy gave an excellent speech and the
anecdote at the end was especially effective because it drew emotion and
left me wanting to try the activities she challenged us with.
Main Takeaways

 Fake it until you make it, and then fake it until you become it. When
there doubt in my mind, I can pretend that I am actually really
confident not terrified whatsoever and eventually I will change and
become it. Before my ted talk in front of the class I adapted a high
power pose in front of the mirror and tried to take that presence when
actually presenting. I faked that I was not terrified about speaking in
front of others, and eventually I felt composure.

The Secret Sneaker Marketand why it matters

Josh Luber
Views: 212,478
Luber opened with an image of an Air Jordan Black Cement. He explained
the importance and popularity of the shoe and how did what the iPhone did
for phones. It was all very peculiar about what point he was getting at
because he was simply talking about sneaker. The argument Luber made
was that sneakerheads are targeted to a very important demographic, but
it is an incredible opportunity and profitable market. For example, in the
United States there were 9 million pairs of shoes resold at a value of 1.2
billion dollars in only twelve months. By using a story about his path as a
sneakerhead, and how he got into data about sneakers. He created a data
analysis about the resale market so that the sneakerhead can track their
portfolio and the value of the assets. It was interesting that he related the
sneaker re-sale market to the stock market but also to exchange of drugs.
His style of presentation was very relaxed and most importantly. He used
common language that anyone could understand. He explained it as a
simple result of supply and demand. In the end he explained that the
exchange of sneakers is not regulated he argues that we could buy sneakers
in the same way that we buy stocks. He proposed the idea of a stock market
of commerce so that consumers could buy and sell in a more educated
manner. Basically, the end had me saying wow and a TED talk once only
about sneakers, left me with a plethora of curiosity.
Main Takeaways
Investment opportunities are everywhere. I learned to be more
observant about the different markets because there are ways of
making money everywhere you turn. While investing in sneakers is not
my prerogative, it was interesting to see that the definition of an asset
really does have a broad definition.
What if we invested in the resale market just as we invest in stocks? I
am curious to know how this would work and what people would get
involved in it. Anything collectible could be placed in this stock market
of commerce with sophisticated financial transactions similar to that of
the stock market.

The Key to Success? Grit

Angela Lee Duckworth

Views: 7,431,728
Often a persons grades do not directly correlate with their intelligence. This
is what Duckworth found as a fourth grade teacher. She opened with the
idea that she left a highly demanding job in consulting to go to an even more
demanding and grueling job as a teacher. It was a very interesting way to
start and it really grabbed the attention of the audience. She argued that
what there needs to be in education is how to learn from a motivational
perspective because in life, it is more important than an ability to learn facts.
She explains that one significant predictor continued to show up through all
her studies and this was grit. It is shocking how little we know about building
grit and keeping someone motivated in the long run. In this talk she argued
that we simply need more information about how to increase the growth
mindset. She ended the Talk with a very witty phrase that we need to be
gritty, about getting our kids grittier. I thought this was very interesting
because it was a memorable way to express the main point of the talk one
more time.
Main Takeaway
It is not a sprint, it is a marathon: I learned that I cant just work hard for a
short period of time, or assume that it is only going to take effort for a
little while. I found this Ted talk very motivating because I consider
myself someone who is very driven. However, it is not just about working
hard in the moment but having perseverance for my long-term goals. In
this way, I have to have stamina and be willing to stick it out in the long
run.

Looks arent everything. Believe me, Im a model.

Cameron Russell
Views: 12,210,018
The way she started the Ted talk was very unique. She started by telling the
audience that she was a model. What was most shocking was that she
preceded to change outfits in front of the audience. She says that the
reasons he di that was because image is powerful but image is superficial.
She says that how we look has a huge impact on how people look at. I
thought it was interesting that she told us that she would be completely
honest with the audience. The reason she became a model was because she
won the genetic lottery. The tone of the entire Ted talk was playful and
comical, but also had very deep message. What made it so impactful was
that she got personal, and vulnerable with herself. The message she gave
was that they are staged versions of themselves. I respected that she said
she gets free things because of how they look, not for whom they are.
Main Takeaways:

 Inspire people by who you are, and do not be insecure about how I look. I
have always been slightly insecure about what I look like and have
struggled with body image issues especially in college. I learned from this
Ted Talk that I have to be happy with the body that I was given and there
is nothing I could do to change that. Mostly, I found it somewhat
refreshing to hear someone as beautiful as the speaker talk about her
insecurities and made me realize that everyone struggles with that, so I
should be more confident with my image.

Does Racism affect how you vote?

Nate Silver
Views: 367,836
This Ted Talk was release in 2009 during the time of the election and he
discusses some of the election history in the past. He discussed one of the
exit polls that asked directly if their decision had to do with race. It turns out
that one in five said one of the reasons they voted against Obama because
he was African America. The Ted talk attempted to explain this and what
drives the manifestation of racism that took place on the national level. It
turns out the level of education has a strong ability to predict racism along
with the type of neighborhood people live in. Furthermore, just based on
who lives in your immediate neighborhood around, it may correlate with how
people feel with something personal like interracial marriage. The point of
the Ted talk was that he thought racism in some parts of the United States
was predictable and therefor, designable. Ultimately if you understand the
problem and the root causes of something, then you may attempt to find the
solutions for it.
Main takeaway
People study abroad all the time but not enough people do exchange
programs within the United States. At first I was confused with that
statement but upon thinking about it more I discovered that there are
enough differences in the United States that I have not yet discovered. I
think it was an interesting twist on something that is so common but not
necessarily something I have thought of before. If you take someone from
Tennessee and mix them with a bunch of kinds from NYU there would
definitely be thought provoking interactions.

How to make stress your friend

Kelly McGonigal
Views: 9,523,840

She started off with the phrase: I have a confession. It was the idea that she
is a psychologist and suspected that she was doing more harm then good.
She proposed an interesting correlation that resulted from a study she
conducted. People who said they experienced a lot of stress only had an
increased risk of dying if they also thought tat stress was hurtful. The people
who were least likely to die were the ones who did not believe that stress
was hurtful. Usually we think of stress as anxiety or signs that we cannot
handle the pressure. However, McGonigal spun it to ask what if you viewed
them as signs that your body was energized, and preparing your body to met
this challenge. What was most interesting was how she talked about how
you think about stress can change your biological heart and even make it act
like you do in moments as courage. McGonigal was a fantastic speakeradding dramatization and emotion to the presentation through rhetorical
questions, and a change in tone. Often she said as a precursor to the
evidence this study could change your life. She ended on very positive
note by telling us to try to get better at stress, rather then succumb to its
effects.
Main Takeaways:
Stress is my bodys response to be able to handle a problem. When you
breath faster, it means you are getting more oxygen to the brain. When
my heart rate goes up, it means I am being energized. I learned to look at
stress not as something that will bring me down, but rather how I will rise
to the occasion. The change in this viewpoint will actually change how
your heart contracts and could save your life. I will choose to see stress
as helpful to transform the experience I am in.

How to speak so that people want to listen

Julian Treasure
Views: 9,295,439
Treasure started by comparing the voice to the most powerful sound yet
when some people talk, people are not willing to listen. He then described a
list of seven habits to avoid which are gossip, judging, negativity, excuses,
penultimate, dogmatism which is the confusion of fact with opinions. In
order to avoid these and make our speech powerful and make a difference in
the world we can use the four cornerstones represented by the acronym
HAIL, which stands for honest, authenticity, integrity, and love. To increase
the power of speaking, you can also change the depth of your voice because
people tend to associate the depth of someones voice with power and
authority. What was interesting that Treasure did in his speech is talk about
the different ways you can speak. While discussing the different meanings,
he actually spoke in that way. For example, when describing how talking
really fast can get people excited. One of the most impactful part of the
presentation was that he actually made the audience get up and do the
exercise and he made it interactive. In the end, he wrapped it up with a loop

referring to the beginning and how speaking powerfully and listening

consciously could make very beautiful acoustics in the world.
Main Takeaway
Any time I am about to give a big presentation or talk to someone
important, I should warm up my voice. To do this all I have to do is stand
up, raise my hands in the shape of a V and take a deep breath and let it
out with a sound. Next, I should warm up my lips by going Ba ba ba ba
ba ba ba then la la la la la. On a serious note, we do not speak very
well and people do not tend to listen. However if this did actually happen
then there would be more purpose in communicating.

The Puzzle of Motivation

Dan Pink
Views: 14,539,837
Dan Pink is a fantastic speaker and I found this discussion incredibly
entertaining. He started out by telling people that he was a lawyer and
wants to make a case with evidence, not tell a story. The candle problem is
an experiment that challenges people to make the candle stick to the wall.
When people were given an incentive to finish the task with money. It turns
out that the people incentivized on average took three and a half minutes
longer. Dan Pink was incredibly passionate about how business works with
these bonuses but what it actually does is dull creativity and block
innovation. He said, this is one of the most robust findings in social science,
and also one of the most ignored. Our world is build around extrinsic
motivators but the reward and punishment approach does not work. His
three main points were that intrinsic motivators such as autonomy, mastery,
and purpose are the secret drive to high performance. The basis of the Ted
talk was the constant use of evidence to support his argument. It was very
effective and convinced me that there is a problem with motivators with how
business works.
Main Takeaways:
Intrinsic motivators, not extrinsic, motivate people: rewards in businesses
tend to be financial compensations. However, I learned that shockingly,
this blocks creativity and problem solving abilities. This is so important
because when I have problems finding a solution I have to consider if I am
narrowing my vision by thinking about the reward. Ultimately, I have to
chose a profession that I am passionate about and motivated intrinsically
rather than with money because it will not help me grow professionally.

The freakonomics of crack dealing

Steven Levitt
Views: 2,175,215

The life of a crack dealer and being in a gang is not in fact a glamorous life.
However, the point that Levitt made was that selling drugs was one of he
worst jobs in fact America. It turns out as a gang leader, there was no way to
make money so you were living with your money at home. I found it very
interesting to learn that the gang works much like corporate America. Only
the drug lords who control it all earn a lot of money but everyone else at the
bottom was earning less than minimum wage. Gangs, like Mcdonalds, have
a hierarchy of employers and actually runs much like a franchise. The
people who work the individual buildings are just like the small time drug
dealers who are entrepreneurs and expand to new areas. However, it is
important to note that the people who are standing on the streets actually
selling the drugs are similar to part time workers at McDonalds. The average
wage of these people at the bottom was making about $3.50 per hour. The
goal of these individuals was to rise to the top where you made about
$200,000 per year. He ended with a note about how economics is not all
about technical words but actually can be applied to the real world economy,
even something such as the drug business.
Main Takeaways:
The drug dealing business is no different than corporate America. The
people at the bottom do not make a living wage and the goal is to climb
the ladder and make it to the top were you essentially could be rich. The
difference is the fact that there is a 25% chance of dying within three
years and it is an incredibly dangerous job. The fact of the matter is there
are striking similarities between how gang members are willing to stay at
the bottom just like lawyers are willing to work long hours ad not make a
lot of money in hopes of making partner. It was a very interesting
association and a different approach to economics then I had originally
thought.

You can grow new brain cells: Heres how

Sandrine Thuret
Views: 1,536,968
The title of the Ted talk drew me in and made me curious to watch it. The
field is a fairly new field of research and is a phenomenon that is called
neurogenesis. One of the most unique structures of the brain is where the
neurons can be created. Although it was a slightly complicated topics,
Thuret explained in a way that I was able to understand. I learned that
neurons are very important for learning and having memory. There is
enough evidence to say that to improve mood or stress then we have to
target neurogenesis. Last, a certain diet can have an effect on the
production of new neurons. It was interesting to find out that the spacing
between your meals, and calorie restriction slightly could contribute. Also,

foods like dark chocolate, blueberries, and omega-3 fatty acids will have a
positive impact. She ended with the idea that we are in charge of our
neurogenesis and we need to better understand the function of our neurons
so that we can control their survival and ultimately production.
Main Takeaways:
Certain behaviors or activates will increase or decrease neurogenesis.
Some of the things that will increase production of new neurons are
learning, sex, and running. Some things that decrease it are stress, sleep
deprecation, and aging. I found this Ted talk slightly too technical for me
but had these main takeaways.

Synthesis of the Semester

By completing this reflection, I realized that I have acquired so much
valuable knowledge and insight into communication that has been extremely
beneficial in my professional development. The course consisted of a
combination of classroom information, online textbook, guest speakers,
outside of the classroom components, and the completion of simulations.
Each of these components in their own way helped me not only learn but
retain the course information. I really enjoy guest speakers because they
each bring their own unique background and area of expertise. I am more
inclined to listen to someone new because it is a fresh face and it adds
excitement to the classroom. By summarizing each of these sessions I feel
like I will retain the information much more. It took a great deal of effort to
identify the main takeaways because in each session, there was plethora
information so I tried to highlight what stuck with me most. Out of the entire
course here were my main takeaways from the entire course:
1. It is about how you say something, not necessarily what you say during
a presentation
2. Emotional Intelligence is more important than IQ
3. Know your personal brand and let it encompass everything you do
4. Teams rely on the communication of unique information
5. An active plan and deliberate practice will produce improvement

How I Have Changed? What Have I Learned?

Before this semester, I did not think of communication as a big deal. I
thought of it as something everyone does, and it was nothing more then
conveying a message to one another. However, now I know that
communication is an umbrella term for a plethora of topics. For example,
communication is simply talking to another person but it is also negotiating,
giving a public speech, sending professional emails, non-verbal language,
and a means of connection between people all together. I expected to
become a better public speaker in this class but what I did not expect was all
the other components to communication and identifying which ones I need
to improve on. Overall I saw myself change throughout the semester in so
many ways.
My transition from the first Elevator speech I did on the second week to
the Ted Talk I presented at the end of this semester really portrays this
difference. I learned that a presentation is way more than just what you say
because viewers do way more then just listen to a presentation. An
audience looks at how the speaker is dressed, standing, and what they are
doing with their hands. They take this information and assess if the person is

trustworthy and will deliver reliable information. After learning about how
impactful body language can have on a presentation, I changed to
deliberately use it to my advantage. For example, when speaking I look
around the room into peoples eyes so that I really connect with them. Also, I
have always talked with my hands (I am Italian) but now I do it in a way that
it communicates a message on its own. I can either show openness by
keeping my palms up and forward. When I slash through the air it indicates
that I am making a point. Furthermore, I have changed in a way to be
conscious about my tone of voice, I learned that it is essential that the
energy in voice matches what I am saying. For example when really excited,
the pitch of my voice rises and I speak louder. On the other hand when
saying something sensitive or personal, it is effective to lower my voice and
speak softer. Even though I may have fumbled over my words slightly, I will
learn from my mistakes and next time practice many more times so that it is
perfectly rehearsed. From watching the Ted talks I learned the power of a
presentation. Each talk that I watched was phenomenal and left me with a
very clear message. Some of the most effective things they did was have a
creative opening, using personal anecdotes, showing passion, and having a
conclusion that summarizes what the audience should take away from it all.
One of the main points I learned in this class is that communication
skills are way more than being able to give a presentation. It is also about
being able to read other people and empathize others in complicated
situations. In the Dale Carnegie book, the author made some interesting
advice about making people like you. I had not really thought about it before
but there are certain ways you can deliberately become a better person.
Throughout the semester I have been working on making these genuine and
feel like I have changed a lot because of it. For example, I consistently think
before I say anything critical because I learned that this only hinders
motivation. I try to compliment at least one person each day because I know
the power in encouragement.
It was also very effective to complete the Reflect Analysis because I
learned a lot about what skills I am strong at and which ones I am weak at. It
was most impactful to create the action plan because it took me through a
step-by-step process on how to actively change. Furthermore, I combined
these results with the ones from the Iliad Assessment center packet to create
a cumulative self-assessment. One of the reasons I was able to change so
much throughout this course was because I received very accurate feedback.
By working on these skills I was able to develop a personal brand mantra.
My own personal brand reflects my skills but more importantly my ambitions.
It helped me discover what I really care about and what I am working
towards. Without an end goal and vision, it is hard to find motivation in daily
life. I can honestly say that I have a good idea of what I want in life and it
was really helpful to fill out the value inventory to discover which of them I
care about most.
Interpersonal and oral communication skills are regarded as some of
the most important competencies in the business world today. As the end of

the year quickly approaches, I am largely immersed in the job search and
what I have learned in this course will undoubtedly have an impact on how
attractive of a candidate I am. This reflection has proven to me how I have
grown as a professional and person. A persons intelligence quotient is
actually the least significant attribute of a successful employee. The ability
to relate to others and communicate ideas is far more significant. Before
entering the workforce it will be very valuable to look back at this
comprehensive reflection and be encouraged by discovering where I started,
how far I have come, and ultimately be excite by where I desire to go.