3 Skills Every 21st Century Manager Needs - Harvard Business Review

I read an interesting article recently in the Harvard Business Review * which suggested 21st Century Managers needed three key skills:
1 - Code Switching Between Cultures: the ability to work effectively with foreign colleagues.
The challenges the article discusses led me to ask whether or not we are maximising the opportunities our international student body offers to prepare our graduates for working with international colleagues. Given that so few UK firms are British owned, it is likely many of our graduates will face the management challenges and behaviour conflicts working with different cultures will present.
2 - Wielding Digital Influence: how the effective use of online networks will be crucial to success.
The article provides different examples of how online networks can help and support managers and organisations, and given that these networks are clearly here to stay and usage likely to expand, what are we doing on our HE programmes to help our students develop, understand and utilise social media and digital networks? Employers are telling us they are using social networks to recruit graduates; therefore without an effective digital presence, our undergraduates and graduates will certainly miss out on opportunities in the graduate labour market, and in future, be disadvantaged as managers if they aren't equipped to fully utilise the benefits afforded by effective networking.
3 - Dividing Attention Deliberately: this piece embraces the multi-tasking potential the digital age presents us with, and explores its advantages, suggesting that: "In the future, continuous partial attention will perhaps be seen not as a problem but as a critical new skill. And maybe we won't call it multitasking-we'll call it multi-inspiring." So perhaps when we look up and see a lecture hall of tweeters we shouldn't get so disheartened, but embrace the skills they are developing!

*Source: Harvard Business Review: Jan/Feb 2012, Vol.90 Issue 1/2, p139-143, 5p
Molinsky, A, Davenport, T, Iyer, B, Davidson, C, 3 Skills every 21st Century Manager Needs
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=69949242&site=ehost-live

Disabled Graduates holding their own in the Graduate Labour Market

Each year, the AGCAS (Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services) Disability Task Group produces a report on the first destinations of disabled graduates nationally.

This year's report, (based on data collected from the 2009/10 cohort) indicates a certain level of stability returning to the graduate labour market following last year's downturn.

Key findings from the report include:

• The proportion of both disabled and non-disabled graduates entering employment rose clearly this year with the rate of increase for disabled graduates slightly higher than for their non disabled peers.
• Unemployment levels decreased for both groups with the rate of decrease marginally greater for disabled graduates.
• The proportion of graduates entering 'graduate level' employment improved this year, with, for the first time, higher proportions of disabled graduates in graduate level employment than non-disabled graduates.

For more information on the key findings, and access to the full report follow the link below:
http://www.agcas.org.uk/articles/486-First-career-destinations-of-disabled-graduates-research-published

The potential in using the Capstone Assignment for final year PDP

I recently attended a CRA (Centre for Recording Achievement) conference and attended an interesting presentation given by Dr Andrea Raiker from the University of Bedfordshire where she discussed developing the "Captsone Assignment" tutorial as a PDP process in developing the graduate identity*.
The presentation recommended the use of the final year "Capstone Assessment" and the supervisor/student/s tutorial relationship as a great opportunity to address a range of final year PDP issues. It was suggested that this is made possible by the shift from teaching to learner centrality and developing learner autonomy, assisting the students to make their own paradigm shift from having an undergraduate to a graduate identity, and thus facilitating and supporting this often difficult transition. If you would like to read more about Dr Raiker's work you can follow the link to her article in a CRA Newsletter or read her journal article, details below.

http://www.recordingachievement.org/news-and-events/publications/pdpuk.html - Issue 23

*Raiker, A. (2010) ‘An investigation into the undergraduate dissertation tutorial as a Personal Development Planning process to support learner development. IN Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education: Special Edition Researching PDP Practice, November 2010. ISSN1759-667X

PDP through Patchwork Text Assessment

I recently attended a CRA (Centre for Recording Achievement)conference, and attended a presentation given by Caroline Marcangelo from the University of Cumbria. Caroline was reporting on a JISC project she had lead entitled "Digitally Enhanced Patchwork Text Assessment" - see link below*
Patchwork Text Assessment is not new, but it certainly has the potential to offer a pragmatic approach to enhancing the curriculum experience. Students are offered a range of activities, which they have to provide evidence of engaging in. The main assessment takes the form of a reflective piece of work, after the completion of the required number of activities.
One of the key strengths of a patchwork text approach to assessment is the opportunity it provides to introduce a range of activities into the curriculum that can be designed to enhance student employability, student self-confidence and self-efficacy. Whilst the latter attributes are essential if our students are to successfully maximise their undergraduate experience in the graduate labour market, these cannot be taught, only developed experientially, which is what the added-value of patchwork text assessment offers.

* Link to final report http://bit.ly/zDGlvR
The final report makes interesting reading about not only the use of patchwork texts but also on the impact of using technologies and peer to peer assessment.

What leads to success?

I came across a very short clip that can be found on the Ted.com network. The piece by Richard St. John includes some excellent quotes from successful people.
The clip could be used to generate discussion about students' contribution to their own success and employability.

Employer input to academic studies

Follow the link for an interesting podcast about how some employers are working closely with universities.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/worldbiz/all#playepisode9

The podcast is entitled "InBiz: Class Struggle: 05 Jan 12"

The hidden benefits of volunteering for students and graduates.

Students and graduates who undertake volunteering projects do not just get the opportunity to develop and evidence their employability skills; these opportunities can inspire and motivate as well as improve self-confidence and self-belief.
An article in the Graduate Recruiter* provides quotes from employers and participants of the Raleigh's international volunteering:
Richard Reed, co-founder of Innocent Drinks says,

"The people at Innocent who have previously done Raleigh expeditions have greater confidence, enthusiasm and a belief in what can be achieved that motivates both themselves and others around them. When I am recruiting I am looking for something special in people and that is what they get from Raleigh: the gene for ingenuity."

A graduate with a degree in Architecture had applied for over 40 architectural jobs, unsccessfully. Three months after returning from Raleigh he was offered a position with Foster + Partners.

"As important as they are on expedition, skills such as survival, medical, radio and dive training weren't the most important lessons that Raleigh taught me. It was actually the frame of mind, my sense of purpose and achievement and my attitude that anything is possible - that is what has really helped. Working together with people of all nationalities and knowing that your limit is always that little further in front was a great experience."

*Issue 55 Graduate Recruiter, Publisher Association of Graduate Recruiters