By Communication Consultant Xinyi Cui (Accounting and BIS, ’22)

Professor Mir is a Supply Chain Management professor for SCM 186 and 345, which help business students learn basic principles of supply chain in the real world. Prior to joining the academic world, he worked as a merchant mariner on oil tankers and he loves to share his experiences with the students.

Professor Mir believes communication should be relatable, efficient, and effective at sharing information.

To better explain his opinion of communication, Professor Mir used the group projects from SCM 186 as an example. He wants students to pay attention to details like the fonts for their slides, which can ensure that all slides are consistent and visually appealing to their audience. He advises that, before starting their work, all the teammates need to figure out the structure and layout of the presentation, which will largely decrease the burden on the person who clears up the final version. Another tip of having better reports and slides for his course is to check for effective messages. The best way of attracting the audience is to help them learn something new–a new idea or opinion–about the assigned topic for your work. Think about what your audience needs to know and make sure to deliver the message effectively.

When talking about the importance of communication in real life, Professor Mir mentioned the bullwhip effect. His professional area, supply chain management, involves different types of businesses from suppliers. Effective communication between these stakeholders becomes key. For example, if a single seller decided to make big discounts on a product, aiming to motivate demand, very soon all the products would sell out. Without effective communication, the producer would think that they had a larger demand and therefore would increase their production. When the seller stopped giving discounts, the products would be stuck in the warehouse. You can tell how crucial business communication is for controlling production.

Furthermore, for those students who are going to graduate soon, Professor Mir provided some valuable suggestions for career communication! In the first place, do mock interviews and utilize all the resources the campus provides because Professor Mir shared that he did not realize he needed to make better eye contact until getting feedback after a practice interview. Once you are hired, Professor Mir recommends that, before starting your work, you should take some time to understand the differences between different formats, from reports to presentations.

Professor Mir’s wide-ranging experience illustrates how valuable communication skills are in college and beyond. Work on developing your communication skills. If you want advice or feedback, try meeting with one of our Communication Consultants. We are peer tutors who will help you become an adept communicator.

Get information and resources about our center at The Philip Rauch Center for Business Communication.

Mir, Saif. An Interview with Professor Mir from RCBC. 21 July 2020.

By Communication Consultants Lili Tang (Accounting and BIS, ’22) and Duy Nguyen (Accounting and BIS, ’22)

As a first year student, you have a lot of things to familiarize yourself with. At midterm, you might find yourself feeling overwhelmed with your coursework and transitioning to college life. Thus it is incredibly important that one learns where to find help in order to avoid such anxiety. Excellent resources are available at Lehigh, including professors,  advisors, academic support centers, and much more. 

Though it is easy to be intimidated, freshmen should be aware of the importance of the opportunities and knowledge offered by their professors. Office hours are one notable example in which students benefit from one-on-one interactions with their professors. The personalized help and feedback you receive will be more applicable to your own situation than the broad details presented during class. Additionally, students would be enabled to establish valuable relationships with their professors during such meetings. Those professors might become your major advisors, or simply your mentors from whom you could obtain professional advice and earnest letters of recommendation in the future. 

Moreover, the academic advising team plays a vital role throughout your academic life. When you are worried about your first-year course schedule, degree requirements, etc., you can simply schedule an appointment in the beginning of the semester. During the appointment, your advisor will address concerns, provide suggestions and recommendations for you. For instance, if you are not sure about your future major(s) – a common situation, your advisor can introduce you to introductory major courses, or provide you with tips to learn more from the specific major department. If you have decided your major(s) already but are uncertain about your academic plan, your advisor will create a sample four-year course plan for you, including courses you have taken so far, and courses you should or are suggested to take in future semesters. Keep in mind that you are always free to reach out to your advisor for plan revisions later on. And you surely will be more confident and relieved after the fifteen-minute conversation.

Another incredibly useful resource at Lehigh is centers offering academic support. Freshmen are highly encouraged to seek assistance from these sources for help with their schoolwork. Tutors of various subjects can be reached at the Center for Academic Success. Business students can work on their writing, presentations, and communications-related assignments with assistance from the RCBC, where we specialize in helping you succeed in your business classes. 

As you first step into Lehigh and start to experience your freshman year, you might not have a clear idea about your future career path. With various tools regarding career advice and training, the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) will be able to assist you with resumes, cover letters, mock interviews, etc. The earlier you get exposure to these experiences, the more prepared you will be for meaningful career development. In addition, be sure to spend time with resources like Handshake and LinkedIn so that you can prepare for your job search. As you go through some posted job descriptions and responsibilities, you could start to develop related skills and strengthen your networks early. 

College is not the final stop; rather, it is merely a beginning. Adjusting to this new environment and overcoming unknown challenges are surely not easy. However, remember that you are not alone. Taking advantage of these useful tools and resources while learning to step outside of your comfort zone, you will not believe how much you have grown in four years as you walk out of campus with strong confidence.

Get information and resources about our center at The Philip Rauch Center for Business Communication.