Prof. Wayne

1
Prof. Waynes Top Ten Tips for Course
SuccessAvoiding DUFs

• Empirically (that is, when one studies the issue
  in depth), how do students end up earning C-s,
  Ds, Us, and Fs?
• U/F
• Issue Enrolled students either dont take the
  final, or more often, do little or no work, but
  dont drop. This grade sticks with you unless
  and until you repeat the course (dont want to
  do) and earn a higher grade (hard to do)
• Remedy Drop early. CSUN has student-initiated
  (and University-initiated) drops, but not
  instructor-initiated drops (like many CCCs).
• C-/D/D/D-
• Issue Students do some or much work, but the
  work doesnt improve throughout the semester.
  That is, the level of performance at the end of
  class is very nearly identical to the level of
  performance at the beginning of class.
• Remedy Strive to perform well early, but
  regardless, strive to continuously improve on
  each type of class work deliverable as best as
  you can.

2
Prof. Waynes Top Ten Tips for Course
SuccessProcess Concerns

• Myth I passed at my CCC, so I can pass at CSUN
• Reality 1) 300- and 400-level courses are
  harder. 2) Compared to a 2-year institution,
  CSUN is quantitatively and qualitatively more
  difficult.
• Myth I can fix my low grade at the end of
  class
• Reality Strategically and statistically, this is
  very hard (but yes, you constantly improveso try
  to improve faster than your colleagues).
• Myth I dont need to write well
• Reality For a number of reasons, this just isnt
  true. Good academic writing is, in effect, good
  intellectual thinking. In contemporary work
  life, professional, managerial, and executive
  persuasion matters more than ever.
• Myth I can always just ask a student colleague
  for help
• Reality Perhaps, occasionally but never on
  tests. And you cant always just look it up or
  search for it either. Separating value from
  trash on the Internet remains non-trivial (and
  will remain so in the foreseeable future).
• Myth Im a MGT major this class, therefore, is
  a breeze
• Reality MGT students need to earn a C or
  better in MGT. A C- is not a C.

3
Prof. Waynes Top Ten Tips for Course
SuccessContent Concerns

• Myth Management is a soft course
• Reality The soft stuff (inter-personal skills)
  is the hard stuff (technical skills). Its just
  you dont know that now (but you will sooner than
  later).
• Myth Leadership is only for senior executives
  (top mgt.)
• Reality One builds an executive perspective on
  a continuous basis. In fact, one needs that
  perspective before one can be a senior executive.
• Myth Management isnt scientific
• Reality The study of MGT Org. Behavior is both
  systematic and scientific. Well combine the
  values of both art and science for organizational
  success.
• Myth Only Products (Goods and Services)
  matter
• Reality Early-stage ventures occasionally create
  products first, and then firms second. But most
  often, existing firms create products. Either
  way, people create the products and the firms.
  Well focus chiefly on the organizations.
• Myth Human Resources is easyjust fire the weak
  ones
• Reality This is a last resort. 1) It might be
  illegal, unethical, or just plain hard. 2) It is
  very expensive to hire replacement talent higher
  up in the firm.