Book Club Assignment
Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership
Adapted from an original exercise template created Dr. Susan G. Duffy, co-founder of the GWSB WEL program, Assistant Professor of Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership at Simmons College
PRINTABLE VERSION – Book Club Assignment
Objectives:
The WE Book Club offers graduate students the opportunity to create value for the market of students in the course through the following activities:
- Read a current book that deals with women, leadership or entrepreneurship
- Prepare and deliver a “workshop session” to the class on key elements of the book.
- Engage the class in an exercise that demonstrates learning.
Book Options:
Choose a book with relevance to the students in this class. Distill the contents down to the key elements that you believe are most important. If the book is long or dense, choose specific parts of the book upon which to focus.
DUE by 1/29/09:
- ASAP: Choose a book from the attached list. Email the name of the book to Prof.Frey when you select it (include name in subject line).
- o If you would like to read a book off the selected book list, provide a link and a paragraph about the book, including the author and a link to the author bio.
- o The goal is for each graduate student to cover a different book, so, be prepared with your 2nd and 3rd choices.
- By next class: Draft a one-page outline of the book that you want to select and why – submit to professor. PRINT AND BRING TO CLASS.
- Option - do as a group. You could select a partner for this project, both read the book, and complete the deliverables (book workshop and PPT) together.
DUE LATER IN SEMESTER: Workshop
- Two or more learning objectives (Ex: at the end of this session, students will know and be able to demonstrate three techniques used in effective networking.)
- A powerpoint presentation of workshop session
- An interactive learning exercise for the class
- Short question and answer period
Session time: The time for this presentation will be determined based on the number of graduate students in the class.
Submit documentation to professor on date of presentations.
Oral presentation to class will be scheduled by professor to take place before end of the class.
Evaluation: 150 pts
Learning objectives clearly stated: 30pts
Content relevant to learning objectives: 30pts
Workshop content (key elements) well organized 30pts
Exercise appropriate for subject matter: 30pts
Presentation and materials (ppt, handouts): 30pts
Total 150pts
Texts
Based on areas of interest, students may choose to read one of the following books. The instructor will offer guidance on these texts and many others so that additional reading is directly relevant to the student’s learning objectives.
Women Don’t Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide, by Linda Babcock & Sara Laschever
Hardball for Women: Winning at the Game of Business, by Pat Heim
How to Say It for Women: Communicating Using the Language of Success, by Phyllis Mindell
Be Your Own Mentor: Strategies from Top Women… , by Sheila Wellington
Enterprising Nonprofits: A Toolkit for Social Entrepreneurs, by J. Gregory Dees
Your Heart’s Desire: Instructions for Creating the Life You Really Want , by Sonia Choquette
Personal Publicity Planner: A Guide to Marketing You, by Marion E. Gold
The Girl’s Guide to Building a Million Dollar Business, by Susan Wilson Solovic
Basic Black: Basic Black: The Essential Guide for Getting Ahead at Work (& Life), by Cathy Black
The E Myth, by Michael Gerber
The Four Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferriss
The Art of the Start / Reality Check , by Guy Kawasaki
Total Leadership, by Stewart Friedman
Go Put Your Strengths To Work, by Marcus Buckingham
Confidence, by Rosabeth Moss Kanter
Clearing the Hurdles : Women Building High-Growth Businesses, by Myra Hart, Nancy Carter,
I Said Yes (Youth Entrepreneurship in America’s Schools), by Julie Silard Kantor
The Female Brain, by Louann Brizendine
Talking from 9 to 5: Men and Women at Work, by Deborah Tannen
How She Does It, by Margaret Heffernan
Skill Building – Mentors and Networks
