Larry D. Lauer

This week I have been thinking about the advanced seminar in strategic integrated marketing communication (often referred to as IMC) I will be teaching in the spring.  Enrolled will be graduate students and a few advanced seniors, and the question on my mind has been:  “What is it that they most need from me now?”

All of them will have taken the basic introductory subjects, learned fundamental research methods, mastered all the essential new and social media tactics, and even will have taken some advanced directed study courses. So, after much reflection about the lessons I learned over the years, I found myself beginning the course description: “We will first address internal politics, and the other barriers often confronted (and rarely anticipated) in organizations while trying to do our work.” 

I went on to list other topics such as critical thinking, strategy, leadership, planning, and problem-solving. But, I also found myself once again concluding that these students will have to be prepared to teach people in any organization they work in about what they do, any why it can be so very powerful.

The basic challenge for these advanced students will be to clearly understand themselves how it all works, to be able to explain it, and then to inspire others to do great things.  It’s a matter of living this subject matter, teaching it,  practicing it, and then adjusting what is done next from what was just learned.

Managing a staff later on will turn out to be much the same kind of challenge.  At first I felt self-conscious when I came into a staff meeting sounding like a teacher.  But now I know that “learner” and “teacher” are other words for manager. And so, from day one, I strongly believe that everyone in our profession must continue to learn, and be prepared to teach.