You may never again write an Op Ed article and so you may be wondering, “What does this (midterm assessment) have to do with my career, or with earning an MBA?”
Good question! I’ll answer it with some questions.
Do you think you might be asked to express an opinion about an important topic at some point in the future?
Do you think you might be required to gather facts that support a position or point of view (either your own, or your company’s) at some point in the future?
Do you think you might be asked to write a position paper, or a report, expressing ideas and opinions about an important topic?
Do you think you might be asked to “make a case” to support an opinion or position shared by your employer or your company?
Do you think you might be called upon to lead?
Do you think you might be asked to defend a position or point of view?
Do you think you might be required to tell people what they must do to produce change or correct a problem?
Do you think you might be asked to stand in front of your colleagues and present information that may lead them to take specific actions?
I can’t imagine an MBA answering “no” to any of the above questions. Some MBAs, depending on their position with a company, may never be asked to do all of the tasks above, but surely they’ll be asked to do some of the tasks above.
The Op Ed article prepares you for all of the tasks. And it also gives you the opportunity to publish your article in a local newspaper, which enhances your resume.
Instead of an Op Ed article I could assign a term paper, research paper or business report and the requirements would not change. You would be required to demonstrate the same skills, and ultimately present your report orally to prove your skills as a communicator. I choose to use the Op Ed article because I think it serves a better purpose overall -- it's surely friendlier than a term paper. Of course, your comments are welcomed.
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