Wow, this place is global

OK, here's another plug for a GSM class: Teams and Technology. That class has basically single-handedly iced my reputation and good name at Shell. You see, I had never worked for a large corporation before, let alone one with headquarters in Houston, The Hage/Rotterdam, Singapore and everywhere in between. And I'm calling people in all these places to conduct interviews about their experience with complex contracts, customer relationship management software (another of my assignments), sales channel selection... truth be told, asking them to take time away from their busy and important work to talk with the intern. Understanding how to conduct a meeting, what to look out for in group and team dynamics, and how a virtual interaction differs from a face-to-face interaction - these insights from Prof. Bechky's class have helped me convince people that I am legit, trustworthy, intelligent, diligent, reliable... all without ever meeting face to face. Sure, spreadsheets and finance are important, but skill in these basics is the ground floor. Building relationships is the elevator to the upper floors and that takes skill.