Corporate Social Responsibility in the Nordics

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EWMBA 291T.11: Advanced Leadership Communications

Instructor: Mark. A Rittenberg; Doy Charnsupharindr, and Susan Houlihan

Reflection Paper #1

Rohini Panjrath

EMBA’18

Strengths:

1. Spontaneity: I approach each presentation or story telling challenge with complete openness and spontaneity. I prepare for every conversation, presentation that I need to participate in. Sometimes, I when I put in a spot, I am very quick to switch gears and focus on what is the best use of my air-time.
2. Expressiveness: I am very attuned with my body to express my comfort, presence, ability to listen to my audience and converse with them such that they are comfortable with my verbal and body language

Skills that need improvements:

1. Relaxation:  This phase of my personal life is very hectic; I have two very young children, a full time job and 11 credits in my final term at Haas. I can be “Not-relaxed” sometimes and I have to very aware of my stress level prior to my presentation so that I can be fully present. So I do mini meditation sessions before my meetings. I was not relaxed on the day of our class. I was overwhelmed with guilt because my children were going to be home with a Nanny from 7 AM to 9 PM on a Sunday. Such situations will always be a part of my life, I have to figure out a sustainable way to overcome my guilt to continue to show up present and ready to deliver.
2. Preparation: As we went through the motions of the day, I realized, I was finding myself not so well prepared for the 1:1 coaching sessions. I got some great feedback on the lack of depth in my stories.  I was staying at the surface while telling my stories and my 1:1 partners were consistently urging me to go deep and align empathetically with my audience as well as the protagonists in my story.
3. Accent: I got a very thought provoking feedback from one of my fellow students. He said while I show up as very well prepared and experienced as an orator, I have a foreign accent and that may come in the way of people understanding what I was trying to communicate. I would love to hear what my professors teaching this class will have to say about this feedback. I think feedback is a gift and I would like to ponder on this piece of advice a bit more for further improvement.

As the class progresses, I would love to continue to focus on how to strengthen the following communication pricinpals. Angeles Arrien’s Four Universal Communication Principles as a great presenter:

1. Show Up and Choose to be Present
2. Pay Attention to What Has Heart and Meaning
3. Tell the Truth Without Blame or Judgment
4. Be Open to Outcome, Not Attached to Outcome.

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