Your Portfolio Project is to create a research and reflection paper that synthesizes information gathered from an interview you will conduct with an individual of your choosing who reports/has reported directly to, or works/has worked closely with, a manager; the knowledge you've gained in this course; and your personal experiences.

Be sure to read the Portfolio Project description below thoroughly before beginning to work on the project.

Interview

For your interview, choose someone with whom you are familiar-ideally, someone you know well. The individual should currently report to, or have reported to in the past, one or more managers. Ask her or him for some time-perhaps you can sit down for coffee-during which you can describe your course learning objectives and discuss what you have so far taken away from the class (in brief). Ask your interviewee what insights she or he has to offer about what makes a good manager.

The goal of the interview is to gain insight into what makes a good manager from the perspective of the employee. Some topics to touch on in the interview could include the following:

Does your interviewee have a favorite manager with whom he or she has worked? Ask for an explanation of why this manager is a favorite.

What does your interviewee believe makes a strong manager?

Does your interviewee aspire to be a manager someday?

What does your interviewee believe it means to be an effective leader (as opposed to the popular view of what a successful leader is and/or does)?

What roles do managerial goals, objectives, decision making, and communication play on the job, on a regular basis?

How does the interviewee handle changes at his/her organization, and what specific challenges has she or he encountered with managers in the past?

What advice does your interviewee offer to someone who is looking to become a manager?