Ricky’s Online Business Blog

If there is such a master’s degree course in communication, would you be interested to enrol?

First Semester

• Positive Mindset
• Personal Branding
• Conversation
• Socializing

Second Semester

• Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP)
• Non-verbal Communication
• Presentation
• Practical #1 – Toastmasters Club

Third Semester

• Humor
• Public Speaking
• Leading
• Practical #2 – Assertiveness

Fourth Semester

• Persuasion
• Selling
• Negotiation
• Arguments

I designed this “curriculum” out of fun and quest for self-improvement.  I can use it as a self-imposed self-development course to improve my communication skills.

Imagine each semester takes 2 months to complete. Then I can focus on two courses in a month.  For example, in the first month I can improve on Positive Mindset and Personal Branding.  Then in the second month I can work on Conversation and Socializing.  The course will finish in eight months or within a year.

Is there any exam?  Of course, no.  But to make it work and make myself accountable, I’ll need to read, learn and put into practice in daily life.  Then I can use journaling to record and reflect on my progress.

How would you improve this course?  Would you like to design your own course too?

FB post #1 – Have you been saying you want to do something, but your action just doesn’t show you are doing it? Perhaps you need a little more motivation? Perhaps many things in life keep distracting you that you can’t focus? Perhaps you are over ambitious that your goal is just not practical? Or perhaps what?

FB post #2 - Have you been working diligently but other people just don’t see your hard work? Perhaps your performance is not yet good enough to attract their attention? Perhaps you need some “selling skills” to make them notice you? Or perhaps you are not exposed enough that they don’t even know your existence?

FB post #3 - Sometimes what we want to do conflicts with what other important people in our life expect us to do. Maybe we haven’t learned enough of their needs. Maybe we don’t know enough of our own ability. Or maybe we haven’t communicated enough with them on what we can do for them.

How do you respond to these posts and questions? I’m in brainstorming stage to prepare for an upcoming talk on personal branding. Your comments are welcome.

Now this is going to be highly unpopular among students.  If you answer No to any question below, then this post is not for you.  You might be studying or made to study for a different reason.

1. Are you a student of tertiary education (university or college)?
2. Did you choose the course you are studying now (your dad did’t point a gun on your head telling you to take the course)?
3. Are you truly interested in the area of study you chose?
4. Have you got the passion to learn everything you could in your area of study?
5. Is you learning (note I don’t use the word “studying”) in good progress?
6. Would you like to know how well you are doing in your learning?
7. Do you consider exam a way to feedback to you how well you have learned what you like to learn?

These series of questions might help us to “reframe” how we view this thing called exam.  Reframing is a technique in neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) to relook at a matter from a different perspective.  In this case, hopefully we can view exam in more positive light.

I don’t deny exam can be boring, stressful and hated.  But if we could fill the thoughts in our mind and the words coming out of our mouth with more positive vocabularies, we are more likely to do well in it.  If you believe in the law of attraction, positive thoughts attract positive energy, which in turn attracts positive results.

If we need to face exam anyway, we might as well choose to use more empowering words to describe it.  May the positive force be with you