How to deliver constructive feedback

They say that practice makes perfect. And that cannot be truer than with OCMC. But, all the practicing in the world is not helpful if as team members we are not given feedback on what we can improve upon and what we are doing well.  Although, we need it and may not ask for it there is one thing that feedback should always be; constructive, but what is constructive feedback? It is defined as: "Communication which alerts an individual to an area in which his/her performance could improve."(en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Managing_Groups_and_Teams/Glossary)

It is important to note that constructive feedback is not criticism, but there are certain things that must be kept in mind when delivering feedback, including: 

• Reinforcing positive behavior

• Suggesting an alternate behavior 

• Being specific rather than general

• Delivering the feedback as soon as possible after the presentation or event

• Being sensitive to the presenter's feelings 

• Ensuring that the feedback is directed at the behavior that needs to be improved rather than at the presenter

The members of the OCMC team keep these general rules in mind when delivering feedback to fellow teammates during practice by using a strategy called "commend, recommend, commend." Each time that a group or individual presents we are required to give feedback. During these feedback sessions we commend an aspect of the presentation that we enjoyed or found effective, offer a specific and useful recommendation of something that can be improved upon and then acknowledge another aspect of the presentation that we thought was well done or engaging. 

 Using a "commend, recommend, commend" strategy allows the members of the OCMC team to receive feedback in a supportive rather than critical way that lets them know that it is okay to make mistakes and that their teammates are there to help. 

OCMC is BACK!!

They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder and after a long dark winter OCMC has returned with FULL FORCE for 2012! This year the team is full of returning veterans and excited rookies all looking to make an impression on the judges during the weekend of competition November 15 and 16, 2012.

The competition will be held at Centennial College and along with the regular events, the college is sure to offer a number of special events, such as the OCMC Marketplace and the Gala Dinner which I'm sure will all reflect this year's theme for the competition: INSPIRE.

There are a few major highlights to this year's competition:

1) Paperless registration: What a great way to embrace green initiatives and save some paper! There is a handy guide to the new process available on the Centennial OCMC website to help guide everyone through the registration process. It can be found by clicking on this link http://www.centennialcollege.ca/OCMC/Registration

2) Renowned marketer Tony Chapman is this year's keynote speaker. Along with his keynote address students will also have the opportunity to learn from him during a special session during the two day competition.

3) The Gala Dinner Master of Ceremonies will be CBC News Network Host Suhana Meharchand. Suhana Mehardchand brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the participating students and is not to be missed.

At this point all these amazing events seem so far away, but November will arrive sooner than we all think. Get ready for an exciting, nerve-wracking and overall rewarding experience. Welcome to OCMC 2012!

Take a look at this video to see what Centennial College has in store for OCMC 2012 participants: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh1l2ibslgU

-Rachel

It's All Over

The Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition has come to an end. Over a year in planning and many months of training all came down to two very exciting days. Students from across Ontario, representing thirteen different colleges travelled to Toronto in order to demonstrate their marketing skills through a series of competitions.

The intensity and level of energy was immense. Between the chants of “GO GREEN!” and “HAWK YEAH!” all of the colleges did an excellent job in making their voice heard! Throughout the entire competition the energy level remained at a constant high. In addition, in order to help pump students up, there were various events ranging from: a live flash mob, to a casino royale experience and everything in between.

The highlight of the event was definitely the gala dinner and awards ceremony. Everyone was dressed to impress- it was amazing to be surrounded by the top marketing students from across Ontario. From the very beginning of the evening, participants and coaches were holding their breath in anticipation for the results. Once it was all over, it was time to celebrate and relax.

Although the many cheers have already happened we are pleased to release the official results for the 2011 Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition:  

Congratulations to all participants! Your efforts are extremely appreciated. Everyone did an exceptional job representing his or her respective college!

It was a true honor for Humber College to be the host of the 32^nd annual Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition.

Overall OCMC was a great success. On the behalf of Humber College I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of the participants, coaches, volunteers and sponsors. Without a combined effort OCMC simply would not have been possible. We look forward to experiencing what Centennial College has planned for next year!

-Tim 

The wait is over

The Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition is here! All of your hard work, determination, passion and perseverance is about to pay off. With students from across Ontario en route to Humber College in Toronto, the stage is set; Humber is ready for you! The tension for this competition could not be any greater. Many months of training all comes down to one day. Just remember - it’s okay to feel nervous!

I would like to share five very basic but essential ingredients to think about when you are performing. I have heard each of these multiple times throughout the training process.

• Remember to SMILE
• Remember to BREATHE
• Remember to TALK SLOWLY
• Remember to BE BOLD
• Remember to HAVE FUN!

Although all of these are very basic, they are typically the most overlooked. If you can remember to incorporate all of these into your presentation I can almost guarantee that you will feel more comfortable in what you are doing.

Even though the competition is high stress, Humber has lined up some fun and engaging activities to help ease the nerves and to pump everyone up! It is not only about showing what you are capable of, it is also about having fun and meeting new people. OCMC is the perfect opportunity to network and engage with some of the brightest students from across Ontario!

In order to stay up-to-date, I highly recommend downloading our mobile application for your smartphone at  http://www.widgetbox.com/mobile/app/ocmc.. It has direct feeds to all of the OCMC social media accounts. Myself along with a number of students and faculty members will be positing OCMC updates and highlights throughout the entire competition.

I am going to leave you with this ... picture yourself standing outside of the boardroom ... your hands are shaky ... your palms are sweaty.... you can feel your heart rate increasing - faster and faster. You close your eyes and take a deep breath ... and before you know it… it’s show time.

 “If you had one shot, or one opportunity, to seize everything you ever wanted, would you capture it, or will you just let it slip?” -Eminem

On behalf of Humber College, I wish everyone the best of luck! A very special thank you to all participants, faculty members, volunteers and sponsors.

-Tim