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Using lessons learned in Marketing to be more effective

Posted by Christine Grodecki

thanksgiving-clip-art-3As we begin the holiday season, I’ve been thinking a lot about thanking. Not just thankfulness – I am thankful that I’m in this program, that I have a job, and that my family is in good health. I have spent lots of time the past two months thinking about how I can more effectively engage the volunteers I work with through thanking.

The questions I have been struggling with over the past several months are common to many nonprofits. How can I thank my donors more effectively? How can I make sure I’m thanking the right people at the right time? In the non-profit world, we know it’s important that we thank donors and volunteers for everything they do for us throughout the year. But the key is making sure we do it effectively.

My elective this quarter is marketing and I’ve been able to apply so much of what we have learned in class directly to my job. I’ve started thinking about segmenting the donors and volunteers I work with into more manageable groups. Using the lesson that Professor Kolsky repeats often in class, “It all goes back to the customer”, I analyzed those groups and thought a lot about how to make my approach more personal for their characteristics. I developed a plan and a few weeks ago, I started targeting specific groups with different messages.

These ideas are definitely experiments and I have no idea if they will lead to an increase in volunteer engagement. But the MSC program so far has given me some tools to look at different parts of my job in a different way, ultimately making me a more effective employee. I’m excited to see the results!

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Categories: Marketing Strategy

The first eight weeks

Posted by Christine Grodecki

I started writing this post eight weeks ago, during the first week of school. It’s hard for me to believe that was eight weeks ago. EIGHT whole weeks – a lifetime when you are on the quarter schedule. If you’ve never been on quarters, they hit you hard and fast and before you know it – it’s 10 weeks later and you’re not exactly sure how you’re writing your final paper.

Before the first day of school, I spent the week prior mourning the loss of my Saturdays. Saturdays are my day to sip coffee while catching up on the news or watching Netflix. I treasure my Saturdays – they are my reward for a week’s worth of hard work and frustrations. I get to be creative or laze around or go for a walk in this beautiful fall weather. I built it up in my head that not having my Saturday’s was going to be a challenge.

We’re almost done with the first quarter and it’s okay because I realized that I foolishly mourned the loss of my Saturdays. They haven’t died – I now just spend them in Evanston instead of on my couch. I can sip coffee just as effectively in a class on Change Management as I can at home. And I still have my Saturday night and my Sunday. As long as I plan ahead, I can still relax and get caught up on the world or a friend’s life before diving into readings for the week.

It took several weeks to stop feeling rusty. I’ve attended a lot of professional development throughout the last few years which prepared me for sitting in classes. But my brain – like most students who don’t go directly from undergrad to grad school have probably realized by now – has not had to make connections between theoretical, lectures, case studies and in-class discussion for quite a while. It’s been a bit of transition.

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What’s with the “s” ?

Posted by soc_admin

By Michelle Shumate

I’ve been a faculty member in departments of communication and communication studies for over a decade, and I cringe a little bit every time a student tells me that they are getting a degree in communications or calls me a communications expert. At first blush, I realize this looks like a grammar lesson. I promise, its not (though I am a bit of a grammar nut). Instead, I think that the extra “s” signals a lack of knowledge about the breadth and depth of the humanistic and social science field known as communication or communication studies.

The short version is that the “s” is generally added when we are talking about technology systems used to transmit information (i.e., telecommunications, information systems) and the s is omitted when we are talking about how humans create messages and interpret meanings. Communication, without the “s”, encompasses a lot more than media or the study of information systems.
As a field, communication studies encompasses a wide variety of contexts including, but not limited to, interpersonal relationships, group and team communication, organizing and organizations, media, new technologies, and healthcare. It is a wide field whose contributions extend well beyond telecommunications.

As a humanistic field, the study of communication, has its roots in the study of rhetoric in ancient Greece and Rome. The social scientific study of human communication dates back to the early 1900s. The Wikipedia article outlining the history of the field provides some details. There are several academic societies dedicated to scholarship surrounding evidence-based, effective communication including the National Communication Association and the International Communication Association.

The MSC degree is informed by a deep knowledge of the scholarship and practice of human communication. Using that knowledge, students are able to analyze the complexity of the modern communication environment, lead other collaboratively, and communicate. The study of communications is a part of that, but its a small slice of a much larger pie. The MSC degree: the C stands for communication.

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Categories: faculty, MSC

Money Talks

Posted by Peter Sandstedt

Can money buy you happiness? It can buy things that make you happy such as a new car, a vacation, or that snazzy leather jacket you’ve been looking at for the past few months. So yes, money can indirectly buy you happiness – the real question is for how long? The new car gets a scratch, vacations end, and someone spills their Frappuccino all over your leather jacket in the crowded coffee shop. The truth is happiness is fleeting. So, when a company wants to make a change, is offering incentives the best option to convince the employees to accept the change?
This is one of the ideas Dr. Roloff posed in class last week. There is no doubt that offering incentives such as raises and bonuses can make employees adopt change more quickly. The short-term effects are very beneficial, but the long-term effects can be detrimental to the company environment.
One of the worst things about money is that it turns an intrinsically motivated person into an extrinsically motivated person. The once joyful employee who loved working for the subtle nuances suddenly loses that joy as their attention turns toward the next raise or bonus. Since intrinsically motivated employees produce better effort and quality over extrinsically motivated employees, companies should be weary of using incentives.
Another downside of adding additional incentives is that it produces reduced organizational citizenship behavior. What was once done on an uncompensated basis such as working longer hours or tiding up the office is gone. The employee starts performing the tasks only listed in their job description. This can damage the work culture as everyone starts becoming more selfish and focused on their own work.
Some of my favorite co-workers are the ones who do things that are not expected of them. Gitta baked treats at least once a month for all the people in our office before she retired after 50 years in the organization. She also took care of the plants in our office which only has three windows for 35 people. Manny always fills the printer with paper, even if it isn’t empty and genuinely wants to know how you’re doing when he asks. These intrinsically motivated co-workers do the little things that make a significant difference in the work environment.
Even though money can hasten the change process and produce short-term compliance (or happiness), it won’t last in the long-run and isn’t the best way to encourage change. Instead, Dr. Roloff posed a better solution. People will accept change if they feel the company cares about them. Rather than giving everyone a little extra money, it’s better to put that money in discretionary funds or personal training for the employees. The money still goes to the employees, but it creates the sense that the organization supports them – which makes implementing change easier.
It’s fascinating theories like these that keep my mind active and attentive during Dr. Roloff’s lectures. You never know what you’re going to learn next in the MSC Program!

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Categories: change management, Ethics, Michael Roloff

MSC Beneficial for the Future

Posted by Madison Adduci

We are quickly approaching the registration for our second quarter… hard to believe, right?

As fast as this first quarter is flying by, I cannot imagine how fast graduation will approach.

After this first quarter is completed, I think we will all be able to agree that this program will be the best thing to happen to us, as if that isn’t something we already know. The content we are learning and people we are meeting will change our future.

Being able to network with other students in the program is eye opening. If you are thinking about entering this program right out of undergrad, thinking you’re going to be out of place, don’t worry that isn’t the case.

Being surrounded by people in the professional world allows you to rethink a career for yourself. You get to meet other people and discuss what they do, and can even network to find yourself a job. You can find a mentor, naturally.

Mentors do not always work, especially when it is forced, but if you meet someone in the program you really get along with, they can become your mentor.

When looking for a mentor, studies have shown that the person you pick should be the same race as you and preferably the opposite gender according to one of the Northwestern professors. You may not need a mentor, but it will never hurt to have someone you can communicate with about school and work problems.

Everything we learn in class can be related to the real world and can be beneficial for the future, not only in the work place but in all aspects of our lives.

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Categories: MSC, Northwestern

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What Culture is Your Organization?

Posted by Peter Sandstedt

One of the more fascinating theories Dr. Roloff introduced last week was Attraction-Selection-Attrition (ASA) Theory. The theory conveys that one applies for a job because they think they fit the organization’s culture, they are hired because the bosses feel the applicant fits the organization’s culture, and the applicant stays or leaves the organization based on how they fit with the organization’s culture. Of course, I related this to my personal work experience and tried to determine what type of culture embodied my organization.
After reflection, I concluded that my organization is predominantly a Detailed-Oriented Culture. This makes sense because my department’s responsibility is to monitor and maintain my organization’s Data Center. My co-workers and I tend to have open personalities and are very conscientious. The goal of our job descriptions is to ensure the Data Center is operating to its optimal ability. Our focus is oriented around the quality of work we are producing rather than the quantity of work like an outcome-oriented or reward-oriented culture does.
When I first applied to my organization, I had a positive experience with everyone I came in contact with. After my interviews were complete, I was hoping to be offered the job position because I felt that I could succeed at the job’s descriptions and was attracted to the work environment.
As for my five interviewers, I’m sure they felt the same way about me. It is likely I was selected not only for my credentials, but also because I would fit in with the culture and atmosphere of the department. I can say that I made a personal connection with each of my interviewers which greatly increased my chances of being hired.
I have been working at this job for 16 months and continue to enjoy my daily tasks as well as the new responsibilities I am given. I can see myself staying in my organization for many years to come. Granted, if the culture of my organization changes, then I will probably seek another job with a Detailed-Oriented Culture.
It helps to know what kind of person you are before you start searching for jobs. Sometimes, we don’t have a choice and must accept any job offered to us. However, if we want our work to be fulfilling and enjoyable, then we need to find a culture we are compatible with. So I challenge you to reflect – what kind of culture is your organization and what kind of culture do you want to work in?

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Categories: change management, Michael Roloff, MSC

Breaking Ground for New Complex: Innovation

Posted by Madison Adduci

Innovation: an idea or practice perceived as new by an individual.

This is what we are discussing in Change Management. Do we think that innovation is good or bad? The truth is, innovation can go both ways. Whether or not innovation works is based on the organization and the type of people in said organization.

Northwestern University is constantly innovating, changing and adapting, like any good organization.

Currently on campus, we just broke ground for the new Lakefront Athletics and Recreation Complex. Construction began on Friday, Nov. 13.

“In support of the project, Northwestern Athletics and Recreation recently received a new leadership gift of $23 million from University trustees Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson as part of We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern,” according to the NU website.

The complex will include a huge multipurpose facility for football practice and competitions, along with another facility that will house academic support services for  student-athletes, a nutrition center and dining facility, a sports performance center and office space for coaches and administrators according to northwestern.edu.

This new complex will be new for all the students and faculty on campus, and will cause us all to innovate.

For complete information on the Lakefront Athletics and Recreation Complex visit SupportTheCats.com.

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Life of a Chicago Cubs Broadcaster

Posted by Peter Sandstedt

One of the great benefits of being in the MSC Program is that you are part of the School of Communication. As a result, you have access to attend private events with prominent professionals in their fields. Recently, I just attended an event where Len Kasper, the Play-by-Play Broadcaster of the Chicago Cubs spoke about his career and how he entered the field of sports media.

He had some fantastic advice for the students sitting in the lecture hall. He said that “experience is paramount for broadcasting” and he had to learn it by taking advantage of any opportunity he received. He also said that if we are passionate about something to just do it as much as we can because that’s the only way we will get better.

Also, since he works in the world of television, he has some fascinating insights to the business. He said that within the next five years, an internet company like Google or Yahoo is going to buy the television rights for a professional sports team. This will allow fans to watch the games on their computers and devices instead of their televisions. The world of sports is constantly changing which offers more opportunities to enter the field than when he first began. He encouraged us to be creative with these new entry points and find a way to make ourselves known in whatever profession we want to be in.

The last interesting comment he made was that he understands the magnitude of importance his job as the voice of the Chicago Cubs is. His friend was in a hospital during the season and every room he passed, he could hear Len’s voice on the televisions broadcasting a Wednesday afternoon game for the Cubs. For the hospital patients and all Chicago Cubs fans, it is comforting to hear Len’s voice narrate each Cubs’ game.

I would encourage anyone to take advantage of the opportunity that have and attend these events hosted by the School of Communications.

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Categories: experiences, MSC, MSC Value

Picking an Elective

Posted by Madison Adduci

Six weeks completed, three weeks to go.

We had no idea what to expect, but for me, it was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Starting my Master’s program, I did not know what was all entailed but after the first six weeks of class; it is totally manageable.

I am learning so much in my elective class, Current Issues in Law, Technology and Strategy. We discuss strategies companies use to regulate their business. Current topics are discussed like Netflix, the UFC and twitter.

We partnered up and picked a topic to present on. My partner and I wrote about a local high school closing and the strategies the district used when going about the closing. From “In the Public Interest” to “Being in Control”, there were many strategies used in the process.

This class is one I would recommend for future students, you learn a lot about recent issues without feeling like the workload is insane.

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When Negotiation is Fun

Posted by Peter Sandstedt

I love negotiation. I love negotiating. I wish I could do it more often. I receive the same exhilaration from it that I do from playing a competitive sport – without the risk of physical injury I might add. After another insightful lecture in my Change Management course, I was ready to apply my new negotiation skills immediately.
The first opportunity I had was when I needed to add a Northwestern hoodie to my wardrobe. I was going to a Wildcats football game with some of my MSC classmates after classes were done and I needed some school spirit gear for the chilly evening ahead.
I walked into a Northwestern apparel shop and started inspecting the various options. The store was empty, so the attendant was eager to assist me in any capacity. When asked who I was shopping for, I casually mentioned that it was for myself and my siblings who had birthdays soon. I could see the attendant’s excitement rise at the thought of convincing me to purchase my siblings’ birthday gifts at his store.
As soon as I asked a question about one of the products, he answered it quickly, but then proceeded to say it was “on sale”. I had made a few rounds in the store and new there were no sales going on. It was clear the attendant wanted to make a sale and please his customer. I looked at the clock and noticed it was fifteen minutes to closing time. I told the attendant I needed to think about it.
After waiting a few more minutes, pretending to ponder the hoodie I had my heart set on, I tried it on and asked the attendant how much it was “on sale” for. His price was 25% off the list price and I made my decision to purchase it immediately. I liked the hoodie and the attendant wanted to make the sale. This was a clear Win-Win negotiation. I left the store before it closed with my new hoodie for the game the following evening. The store attendant was pleased because not only did he make the sale, but by offering me the special discount, I assured him I would return if I ever needed more Northwestern gear.

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Categories: change management, Michael Roloff, MSC