Pepperdine is a well-established university and one of top business schools in the nation, according to multiple polls. Recently, there has been a lot of discussion on both Yammer and Facebook and within the campuses about whether or not Pepperdine should offer online education as a way to further provide education to more students. Along with this proposal have come a lot of opinions as to whether or not adding such a program would increase or decrease the value of the Pepperdine brand.

Those who argue for the online program point to other universities who are offering online degrees, like the University of Indiana, whose online program is ranked among the top in the nation. They also point to MIT and Harvard, who will be rolling out free online course material to the general public this fall. However, the MIT/Harvard venture will not be providing those courses for credit, but to further the expansion of knowledge in a grand social experiment.

Those against online education point to how Pepperdine is already laid out across several campuses which could be portrayed as a University of Phoenix model already, and feel that an online program will devalue the quality of the Pepperdine brand.

Both of these arguments are valid, and the decision to pursue an online program to attract revenue, reach more students, and increase the alumni base of the university are all important decisions that need to be discussed and examined thoroughly and have input from all the stakeholders – faculty and staff, professors, current students, prospective students, alumni, and donors. Each of these stakeholders will bring a different viewpoint which must be weighed and thought out prior to a decision one way or another.

Personally, I believe that Pepperdine should put the online MBA idea on the backburner until the university can really distinguish itself as a beacon of influence. Currently, Pepperdine’s Fully Employed MBA program is ranked 43^rd by U.S. News & World Report, and to me, that’s not good enough.  I see an opportunity for Pepperdine to distinguish itself in an innovative way that should help build the brand value of the University to solidify its standing as an outstanding institution of higher learning, and it all revolves around the Graziadio School’s mission statement:

The mission of the George L. Graziadio School of Business and Management is to develop values-centered leaders and advance responsible business practice through education that is entrepreneurial in spirit, ethical in focus, and global in orientation. As a professional school growing out of the tradition of a Christian University, we seek to positively impact both society at large, and the organizations and communities in which our students and graduates are members. Therefore, we affirm a higher purpose for business practice than the exclusive pursuit of shareholder wealth. We believe that successful management seeks collective good along with individual profit and is anchored in core values such as integrity, stewardship, courage, and compassion.

I highlighted the areas which stand out to me as opportunities for the university to revolutionize the MBA, and I feel that Pepperdine’s Christian roots lend it credibility to be the leader in what I am about to propose. The term MBA – Master’s of Business Administration – focuses on the management part of business; the administration of the business to operate properly. This includes setting scheduling and creating budgets, financials, marketing etc – needed skills to be a successful business manager. But the University’s mission statement calls for values-centered leaders, not managers. I have written in the past about the difference between the two terms, and in my experience so far, I haven’t seen any part of the curriculum which focuses on building leaders.

Sure, the university has a Social, Ethical & Environmental Responsibility (SEER) certificate and promotes Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in its courses. To me, this falls short of creating leaders. Leading cannot be taught through coursework, but rather through hands-on experience in leading others. Much like riding a bicycle for the first time, one doesn’t find out how challenging being a leader is until they are thrust into wobbling along and trying not to crash. But unlike a bicycle, there are no “training wheels” for bright, young students to get a chance to lead when the stakes of crashing are lessened by a controlled environment.

Yes, Pepperdine has a leadership course here and there and offers an emphasis in leadership, and yes, HR handles many of the people-ey stuff in an organization, so why put everyone else through the same process?  Because it matters. And it’s a place where Pepperdine can separate from the pack and really live up to its mission statement:  We create business leaders. Breaking students out into groups for every class and having them conduct class projects and giving one student the chance to be “CEO” during the 670x simulation or Strategy doesn’t cut it. Many students, left to themselves, will never volunteer to lead a group, and thus they will never get the experience needed to be successful. Leading is uncomfortable; it involves confronting others and holding them accountable for their actions, whether those actions are good or bad. It involves understanding your own shortcomings, and taking criticisms from others to “see” how they perceive you, and how you can project the image needed to motivate your organization to follow your lead.

Breaking students out into groups for every class and having them conduct class projects and giving one student the chance to be “CEO” during the 670x simulation or Strategy doesn’t cut it. Many students, left to themselves, will never volunteer to lead a group, and thus they will never get the experience needed to be successful.

I am taking a strategy course right now with Dr. Biseda, who told us that during one of her consulting evolutions that interviews amongst the top leaders of the organization she was assisting led to one word appearing consistently throughout the organization: alignment. Everyone has to be on the same page in order for the company to function properly, and that they have to align with the leaders’ vision for the strategy to work. This requires people skills, this requires leadership to influence and motivate people to adapt and change to the new way of doing business. If those at the top aren’t holding a values-centered view of the business, there is no way the rest of the organization will.

I wrote before about the Marine Corps model of The Basic School, where all Marine officers are sent prior to ever leading troops in garrison or combat, where they spend six months learning from the leaders who came before them, and who are forced to lead their peers in a controlled environment, they are allowed to fail without repercussion, and they are immersed the challenges of leading people in the most hostile, austere, and challenging conditions known to mankind: warfare. No other service subjects their officers to such a course, and the ramifications of that difference are huge. I attended an army school with army officers immediately after leaving The Basic School and the difference in the level of confidence, and understanding of the role as a platoon commander between the Marine officers and the Army officers who had received only a two week indoctrination course was staggering.

Once a Marine officer reports to his unit, he or she is in command from Day 1, and shoulders full responsibility for the success or failure of his/her unit from Day 1. There are many within the confines of Pepperdine’s campuses who will find themselves in the same situation when they finish their MBA, so why do we not set them up for success as a leader in the same manner?  Imagine the impact of such an idea:  Pepperdine MBA’s are armed with both the book and administration knowledge of how to run a business as well as how to lead an organization from Day 1. I imagine that would increase the brand equity of the university quickly, and turn Pepperdine into a model for others to follow.

After all, isn’t that what leaders are for?

Watch Kyle Murphy, a Technology CEO and investor, discuss the goals of a new business from an venture capitalist’s perspective

As excited and prepared as Yi Sun (MBA, ‘11) was to move from China to study at the Graziadio School of Business and Management, she found it was the little cultural things that caused her the most difficulty.

Yi Sun

“Seemingly simple things – like getting a cell phone, purchasing a car and insurance and working with a team of domestic students – were big problems that I needed help with in order to be successful,” she explains.

Those lessons she learned in the beginning help inform her daily duties now, as the assistant director of the Full-time Master of Science programs. She takes on the challenges of helping other Chinese students bridge the cultural gap with her colleague, Qilin He, career counselor for students in the Master of Science programs.

“Together, we work to help Chinese students gain the confidence they need in order to be successful at Pepperdine, integrate into American culture, navigate the internship process, and successfully interview and secure jobs,” says He.

Statistics underscore the importance of Sun and He’s jobs. Not only is China the largest country of origin for international graduate students in the United States, but the growth in applications from China in 2012 outpaced that of all other countries and regions included in a recent survey by the Council of Graduate Schools. Pepperdine is no exception. In 2010, 47 Chinese students matriculated from the Master of Science in Applied Finance program. In 2011, that number increased to 72.

This influx of students delivers a unique challenge to Sun and He; they must make time to help each individual student move out of their cultural comfort zone.

Qilin He

“Like anyone else, Chinese students find it easier to stay with what they know culturally,” explains He. “If an American student went to China to study, he or she would find an American cultural base, and would find it easier to live, communicate, and spend free time with other Americans. It’s the same for the Chinese students here.”

“If these students want to achieve their goals of earning their degree and gaining employment, full acculturation must take place. They must be able to work within the parameters of American society,” adds Sun.

To help them, He and Sun encourage and coach Chinese students to make more than a first effort at cultural integration.

“This generation of students is open to new experiences and situations,” Sun points out. “They will make the first attempt at going to a mixer or get-together with their MBA counterparts. But they may find it uncomfortable and become discouraged. We work hard to push them to move out of that comfort zone and to continue the integration process.”

Key to the success that He and Sun have had with their students at Pepperdine is their focus on helping faculty and staff better understand the cultural differences Chinese students are trying to manage.

“We organize workshops at the beginning of the academic year aimed at helping staff and faculty understand the Chinese learning culture and typical home life structure ,” says Sun. “In this way we not only pave the way for the Chinese students, but we help expand the global view of our staff.”

During these workshops, attendees learn that the educational environment and the teaching styles the Chinese students have typically experienced differ greatly from those of their American counterparts. For example, Chinese students learn in a very formal environment, are taught to be quiet listeners and that questions are mostly considered inappropriate challenges to the teacher. In the United States, classes are interactive, informal and questions are considered part of the learning process.

“By explaining this to faculty and staff, we are able to build a strong foundation that helps these students integrate better,” notes He.

When it comes time for the students to apply for internships and jobs, He and Sun help them understand the American hiring culture, train them in effective networking techniques, and guide them in résumé development.

“Career planning is a process and we are here to help our students every step of the way,” says He.

The duo also sees their jobs as important to developing and maintaining the reputation of Pepperdine.

“Pepperdine both welcomes students from diverse cultures and appreciates the distinctive value they add to the educational experience,” states Sun. “We’re not only proud to be part of that tradition, but excited about helping to further that mission.”

Personal branding was originally conceived in 1997, which tells you that it’s not a fad.

Despite the mainstream adoption of social media globally, the basic principles of personal branding still apply. You have to define your brand, position yourself in the marketplace, and constantly reinvent your brand over time. You have to figure out what makes you special and then communicate that to the right people, who are interested in your story and message.

Social network profiles, and blogs, have made it easier to build a brand because you’re investing your time instead of thousands of dollars. In today’s competitive landscape, just having a presence isn’t enough. You have to maintain it for the rest of your existence and be committed to your career and business objectives.

I’ve been following the personal branding movement for over four years and have identified several trends that you need to become aware of if you want to remain competitive. Each trend will have a dramatic impact on your life moving forward and the sooner you build your brand, and take advantage of new technologies, the more prepared you will be for a successful future!

1. LinkedIn will replace resumes and job boards

About a week ago, I predicted the end of resumes and job boards in Forbes and the recruiting world retaliated. Although, you will still see job boards for time to come, the real pathway to employment is through the connections that we all share. Companies such as BranchOut.com and LinkedIn.com have put a “social graph” over our job search, which allows us to tap into the people we already know to get job referrals. Networking is clearly the key to getting the best jobs in the world, and applying through job boards isn’t going to get you anywhere.

Traditional resumes as we know them don’t fit into the new workplace paradigm. Forget the Microsoft Word resume and start building your online presence so that recruiters can find you and place you. Soon companies won’t even ask for your resume; they will ask for a single URL that should point them to a reason why they should hire you.

2. Your personal and professional lives will converge

Did you know that 96 percent of Americans under 50 are on Facebook? Facebook connects the world and even when we leave our laptop or desktop computers, we login through our mobile phones. Forty-six million Americans check their social networking sites multiple times each day. When you live online, your actions can affect the way people around you treat you, in and out of the workplace. Everything you publish, and whatever is published about you and can haunt your career for time to come. Rep. Anthony Weiner found this out the hard way. He, like many other politicians, celebrities and regular people, learned what you say online is in the public domain and can be used against you to ruin your reputation.

3. The recruitment process will have a mandatory online presence background check

A 2010 study by Jobvite reported that approximately 80 percent of companies plan to use social networks in the background check process. Eventually, all companies will use the Internet to verify candidates and it will be as common as a drug test. If you aren’t found online, it will show that you aren’t as valuable to employers as other candidates. My advice is to build a website and manage your reputation before other people do it for you.

4. Online influence will be a determining factor of whether you get a job

A decade or so ago, if you had the right hard skills, you would be almost guaranteed a job. Then, when the market became more competitive, companies started looking for soft skills, including presentation, writing, organization and leadership. This way, companies could recruit the individuals who would be the best fit to the organization. Today, you need to have hard skills, soft skills and online influence. You might be hired based on the number of Twitter followers you have or if Lady Gaga retweets you. Individuals who have the largest and most influential networks bring more to a company – they bring an audience of potential buyers.
5. Relevancy will become our greatest challenge

It’s becoming a great challenge to keep up with the latest information and technology that’s pertinent to your career. I see relevancy becoming even more important but very challenging because our brains can’t process the sheer amount of information out there. I skim through eight hundred blog posts each day and that number isn’t going to decrease anytime soon. You need to know what’s going on in your marketplace and react to it. Consumers are expecting more from businesses and if you aren’t current then you’re irrelevant to the marketplace, which means that you will eventually go out of business or get laid off.

From A Post By Dan Schawbel

Dan Schawbel is the managing partner of Millennial Branding, LLC, a full-service personal branding agency. Dan is the author of “Me 2.0: 4 Steps to Building Your Future,” the founder of the Personal Branding Blog, and publisher of Personal Branding Magazine.

Angel investors look for four things before providing capital to an entrepreneur. LAUNCH! Magazine Issue Six explores what angel investors want entrepreneurs to know about their decision-making process. Four new Pepperdine entrepreneurs are profiled and the latest edition shines the spotlight on two startups started by Graziadio-venturers while they were students. Grab your copy of ISSUE SIX.

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