If I created an MBA program…

As I wrap up my final semester in the MBA program, I’ve been thinking back on the class offered over the past year. Many of the classes have been helpful, but there are still huge gaps in what I know. I’ve done my best to fill in those gaps with outside learning, but I still have so much to learn.

That got me thinking about what skills I’ve used the most in my day-to-day job. Honestly, there is very little overlap between what I learn in the classroom and what I do at work. So what classes would I offer if I were to create a business program? What skills have I found most useful?

Here’s the list. Some of these topics would not need a full semester, but it would be helpful to at least spend a couple hours covering the basics. I think a business program that covered at least half of these would be a top program in the country.

Writing – If you can’t write, you can’t communicate ideas. Personally, I’d take a page from the playbook of 37signals and offer a writing class that only had a handful of projects each semester. But these projects would not be single papers. Each assignment should be submitted in four different forms: one sentence, one paragraph, three paragraph, and three page versions. This not only would lead to clear writing, but it forces clear thinking. Clear thinking is perhaps the most valuable skill an MBA can have.

Selling – Nobody cares how cool your product is if they don’t know it exists. Nobody can build a business without being able to sell their product. Good products are key, but selling is just as important.

Negotiating – This should be a must for any MBA. Good negotiating skills are incredibly powerful. Instead we just learn how to turn in papers.

Internet Marketing 101 – This class should tackle online marketing at a strategic level. It should emphasize that the internet is about community. It’s not about us pushing a brand or agenda. It should also give a baseline of current case studies and trends. Finally, it should talk about web analytics and how to boost sales using analytical tools.

How to Interview (someone else) – We spend lots of time talking about how to get a job, but nobody ever talks about how to interview someone for a job. Most of the interviews I’ve been to seem haphazard. If you’re making a hiring decision, you really want the best people for the job. Conducting a good interview can help the great people rise to the top.

Storytelling – Leadership is about telling stories. Whether it’s the story of an idea or the story of a vision, stories help people connect with brands and organizations. Stories help us impact others. Most visionary business leaders are natural storytellers.

Crisis Management – I’ve never been taught how to manage a crisis in a classrom. Not in four years of undergrad nor in any of my MBA classes. This skill I had to learn outside the classroom. Most of us will face a crisis situation at some point. Whether this is a PR disaster or a failed product, dealing with a crisis should be part of any leadership curriculum.

Finding Investors – There are few businesses that can begin without at least a little seed funding. How do you find investors? How do you ask family to invest? Sure, I know how to write a business plan, but what do I do now?

Networking – Sometimes I show up at a networking event and feel completely lost. How do you know what to do? What do you say? How much information do you ask from others? How much do you share? Can someone please explain this to me? I always do OK, but there has to be a trick to it…right?

How to Fire Someone – This is a tough conversation to have. Not only do you sever the relationship, but there are numerous legal cautions to boot. Someone please give a course on how to fire gracefully and professionally. At some point, many of us will have to do this – or at least we should to do it for the health of the company.

Collaboration – How do you work together to get something done? How do you pull the creativity out of your team? Most business schools have group projects, but most group projects are made up of one or two people who work and one or two people who do nothing. These experiences teach you how to do work, not how to collaborate.

Microsoft Excel – If you don’t know what the “$” is used for in Excel formulas, I will never hire you. Period. This program is too important and too powerful to ignore. Having at least a working knowledge of Excel is important in almost any job.

Writing Thank-You Notes – I’m terrible at writing thank-you notes. Thank-you notes are one of the easiest ways to show encouragement, so I should get better.

How to Tell Your Boss He (or She) is Wrong – How do you tell someone they are wrong and not burn bridges? This is especially important when they are your authority. Although the answer may seem like common sense to some, I’ve met many people who lack the tact to do this well.

How to Run a Meeting – Most meetings should take 15 minutes.

How to Play Golf – I’m terrible at golf. I dread the words “let’s go golfing and talk about your promotion”.

I think that’s it for now. Anything I missed?