Professor Elam

Matt asked a good question in the grad class, here is the exchange from the blog in case you missed it.

I understand the content of delivering a good presentation, but on the note I would like to point out that though she was disappointed in our attire, the presentation was designed for an informal dress, meaning that we could still deliver the same quality presentation, but not have to dress up for the presentation. I think we all know and understand that our appearance is the first selling point and had the presentation been designed from a formal standpoint that we would all have dressed more appropriately for the occurrence. My question is, are we making this next presentation a formal dress or not?

Posted by: Matthew Moore | April 18, 2007 at 09:39 PM

Matt

Good question. And you are quite right, I have certainly not had anything to say about dress. I scheduled the class for Saturday morning hoping that would improve the state of mind versus one of those truly awful weekday 7-10 or 6-9 classes after everyone has been at work all day. One might look better coming from work but it the prospect of another three hours certainly does not make anyone feel better. I nvever expected anyone to dress up and again, have not said so.

My PhD was in a different field than my BBA or MBA. What I really got from that is the existence of multiple views of the same reality. I think therefore it is interesting to have someone totally from the outside with no previous knowledge of the setting for a comment. And, face it, Ariane is female, and manner of appearance ususally carries more importance than with us guys. Though the females in our class have clearly sided with the Fruit of the Loom maxim, the best things in life happen in comfortable clothes, and I agree, that was not Ariane’s view. I don’t think the clothes themsevles matter as much as the preparation and delivery. For example, being a radio DJ requires an excellent voice delivery. But Julie Rich, the best the Permian Basin had to offer, wore sweats to the job and said all her other DJ friends did as well. The listener could not konw the style of radio dress, but one could certainly tell the style of delivery. And I can tel you that I witnessed mothers bringing young girls, under ten, to live remotes that we had just to get Julie’s autograph or meet her. They got their impression from Julie’s delivery and enthusiasm on the radio. (Julie was half the morning drive time show on KFFM radio which fell to my name as a bankruptcy trustee).

I would say my disappointment has not been in the style of dress, OK Jason probably should have taken off the ball cap, but the lackadasical method of delivery. As she said, no one has even bothered to show a single video clip from any movie, we have technicals in the classroom comparable to a modern tv studio compared to what we had when I went throgh. But more than that, only Stephen Davis who reviewed HUD has showed any passion for the presentation. The whole world, like it or not, watches Hollywood, There are entire networks and magazines devoted to what stars are doing. People make a living, indeed are idolzed themselves, as movie critics. The cinema is studied as an art form much as music, literature, sculpture, or painting. Yet we have had reviewers report that they really didn’t care for their selections, so why didn’t they pick another one. Folks get promoted and famous for a passion about what they are doing, not for commenting that thank goodness it is Friday.

Indeed I have heard excuse after excuse that folks don’t have time or the energy or the inclination to do this. Ariane was simply stunned that anyone would say that. And on that point I do agree with Ariane. When the person employing you has what they think is a great idea, you had best jump aboard or hop off the wagon. Indeed, we have a new President at UNT simply because the last chap did not embrace the idea of UNT Dallas. I don’t think many of you would still be around the job if when asked, as Ariane pointed out, you replied that you did not have the time or inclination to be involved with the boss’s project. This is not a matter of appealing to my vanity but a very real world test of attitude and expectation. Which come to think of it, Ariane made a post on the blog. Yet only three or four students out of a couple of dozen have done so this week. What are you thinking? I had the class read How to Win Friends in the Prof Develoment Class. And several of you have read it for this class. Ok, now, thought put into action. How many of you have sent Ariane an e mail either last semster or this? I would bet $1,000 that no one has. What did Carnegie say about influencing people? Again, what are you thinking? Did you think she would ask to see your journal entries from a homework assignement?

Ethics has been a centerpiece of thougth ever since Socrates posed the question, How Shall We Live? Just last week I heard that the operator of an Optimist Day Recreation Facility, in Arilington, presumably for after school kids, had taken the money for personal use. Hundreds of individuals at DISD have used the public trust and money for personal use, yet seek innocence in the defense that everyone did it. The Lancaster ISD cannot balance its books yet seeks over $100 M in bonds to spend. Should we entrust them with eight figures? Is Don Imus worse that all the rappers spewing disgusting lyrics and living the lifestyle of the rich and famous as a result? Was Sandy Wiell worth $200 M he made from Citicorp options? I don’t pretend to know the answers to these quesitons but they certainly define our time more than a debit and credit entry in accounting I thnk and that was the reason for the assignment.