Beyond the Lecture

During my first year in the program, I’ve witnessed Kenan-Flagler’s commitment to innovative curriculum delivery that extends beyond lecture-based formats to include novel methods for teaching business concepts.

For example, several leadership development exercises involved students role-playing as new leaders at an organization. In one video-taped session, I assumed the role of a senior executive whose company had recently been acquired.  With only five minutes to prepare, I presented my division’s performance plan to my new, very demanding supervisor.  I received invaluable insights into the verbal and non-verbal messages I send while in pressure situations. Another role-playing session had me providing an annual review to an employee. After each session, I reviewed the video and read the facilitators’ feedback on my performance.

In our Marketing Management class, our study group applied what we’d learned about segmentation and portfolio analysis to computer simulations of fictitious companies launching a new product.  Our group met weekly to decide what market segment to target with our product and made decisions around advertising media and distribution channels while sticking to a budget.

These experiential learning exercises have kept the program fresh and challenging for me. Years from now, I believe the insights I gained about myself and the managerial process from these experiences will be what I remember most from my time at Kenan-Flagler.