I’m 1/3 done; Holy S**T! Time is flying and within 8 short months I’ll be tagging three very expensive, but invaluable letters to my name ;) I’m feeling more confident then ever that the program is providing me with the skills and network that I need to achieve my post-MBA goals, and I’m going to ensure that I’m working my ass off to make it happen. Remember; things don’t necessarily fall in your lap during an MBA program…you’ve got to make things happen! That said I’ve definitely lost a fair amount of hair during the first bit of the program, which really sucks….guys are conscious about their receding hair lines and I’m no different. I also find myself rapidly turning grey; I seem to be getting more comments then ever on how my hair is turning grey….at first it was cool because I felt wiser and more mature but now I think I’m just starting to look older? Did I mention that I noticed a couple of greys in my beard and on my chest? Yes.. the stress and pressure of this program definitely have effects on us students…. when we first started the program there were likely only 2 or 3 regular smokers; now at break times there appears to be 10 to 15 (no I'm not one of them)! Remember to keep up the exercise during the program; I don’t think I would have gotten here thus far without staying healthy and active. I seem to get my stress relieve, second wind, and adrenalin rush from running at the end of a long day of classes…
Thought I’d share my top MBA phrases and words that I’ve picked up from the first 1/3 of the program: ‘culture’, ‘holistic’, ‘burning-platform’, ‘urgency’, ‘communities of passion’, ‘vision’, and the one I seem to be saying all the time ‘apparently’.
So how did exams go you ask? They went as well as they could under the circumstances. I’ve had a lot on my plate and a lack of time. I’m happy with my finance exam, not very happy with accounting, and luke warm about strategy.
I’ve been overwhelmed by some of the response I’ve had lately from readers of my blog. I had no idea that people were actually reading this blog and it’s nice to receive emails and questions about the program from them. Originally, this blog was meant to be an open, public diary for my former work colleagues, friends, and peers that were curious as to what a realistic MBA experience is all about from a personal, and professional perspective. I didn’t refrain from sharing personal details, despite some of them being overly-personal. I now feel a bit of restrain from being as personal as I’ve been in the past, however I also believe that I’m not being true to myself or to anyone else if I don’t show that personal perspective.
Recruiting season has set in for the iBankers and consultants of the class; you can feel the competition heating up. Our class social coordinators have done a wonderful job in ensuring that the class continues to get out socially and relieve themselves of the day to day MBA and recruitment stress. All in all I must say that I’m delightfully surprised at how well the class continues to get along despite the increasing job competition, and despite the so-called ‘honeymoon’ period being over. Some groups of people tend to click more naturally then others; in our class’ case the Ivey admissions teams definitely hit the mark with selecting a compatible and diverse bunch…we jive, we have each other’s backs, and we are united. For example, every single time one our classmate’s make an announcement or a presentation the entire class provides a standing ovation or a loud applause for that person. We love encouraging each other and driving each other with positive reinforcement. Its gotten to the point where it’s almost amusing; our class just itches to applaud for each other… hence I now refer to our class as “the clapping class.”
On a secondary note, I honestly think that they are a few people in this class that will surely emerge as superstars within 5-10 years; after a few months you get a good sense of the gifts/talents that are hidden within each student …but there are a few that standout like sore thumbs. There is some incredible talent in the class and I find myself learning from their diversity and their gifts every day. I’m excited about re-visiting this blog entry a few years down the road to see if my prediction holds true. In the mean time I’m going to let my intellectual curiosity wander some more and to be as open as possible to continue absorbing from my mates.
Recently, our class president raised a very important topic to the class; the importance of not spreading ‘negativity.’ In my experience, negativity is contagious. It’s a cancer that spreads rapidly. Our strategy professor likes to call such things ‘viral.’ I think that name is appropriate. Day in and day I’m making more of effort to become a positive person. I believe in forceful optimism. I consider myself to be an eternal optimist but I’m human and I like to b**tch about things like everyone else. When others start to complain, under the right circumstance I’ll join in. Over the last year at Nortel, a work place that has its fair share of negativity (for obvious reasons), I’ve witnessed the power of negativity and what it can do in a work place….it spreads. I’ve also witnessed that being positive can encourage others and provide them with the inspiration to want to do their best. That’s who I want to be and who I strive to be.
Geeta and I were in Ottawa twice in August for two different weddings. Weddings seem to be seasonal in the East Indian community (my background)…they all seem to be in the July/August time frame. We had four weddings to attend in August but picked two. One by best friend’s got married last weekend. It was really nice to see how happy he is, and for whatever reason it made me appreciate how lucky I’ve been to have married my best friend. These days with life being so busy and all, I seem to take things for granted. I sometimes forget how good I’ve got things. Not too long ago, I decided to make some changes by spending more time at home, and by reducing the number of MBA social outings I attend. I think these changes have been positive, but I also realize that there is no substitute for time which will always be lacking throughout this program. For those entering into a one year program with partners, remember that you’re going to have to work that much harder to keep things good on the home front; you’ve got to treat this experience as a partnership! Also remember that you’re going to go through many ups and downs, but that you’ve got to take life day by day and find common ground.
My former director (bosses boss) at Nortel accepted a job in Turkey. I can’t say that I was surprised, but it made me think about the prospects of working somewhere international. I think that getting international experience would be an incredible experience and perhaps the timing is better then ever to go for it?
So what are my top learnings from the program thus far? I think that’s the topic of my next blog…stay tuned.
Until next time….which will hopefully be sooner then last time ;)
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
sorry for the delay in posting
I'm in the midst of stuying for Module 2A finals and I'm getting rocked from excessive fatigue ;) Yes its a work-hard play-hard atmosphere, but at the moment there's no play. I've never been in a situation where I could honestly say that I didn't have the time to prepare for an exam to the extent that I wished; I can now say that this is the case. I'm playing catch up and I find myself in uncharted territory....a perfect recipe for some additional, unrequired stress. I can't say that its all because of school. The truth is that I've had a really busy extracurricular, and personal schedule over the last month which has taken away from my studying time. I just got back to London after attending one of my best friend's wedding in Ottawa. I was one of his two bestmen and hence I felt that it was important for me to put that ahead of studying for finals this weekend....by the way the speech went well. In a previous blog entry, I mentioned that I was having writer's block with respect to writing his speech; well one day about a week ago I was able to write his speech in 15 mins!....talk about having a good writing day ;) When it rains it pours.
I've gots lots to talk about and lots to update on....I'll get to it with a blog entry this Labour Day weekend. Wish me luck!
I've gots lots to talk about and lots to update on....I'll get to it with a blog entry this Labour Day weekend. Wish me luck!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
I'm Loving It!
Can you believe it: I’ve completed a quarter of an MBA degree already ;) Time is flying by, and I am truly loving the Ivey MBA experience. In all honesty I think the program has been excellent thus far and I think that most of my colleagues would agree with me. The learning materials are relevant and applicable in the real world, my peers are awesome (I feel like I’ve made 70 good friends), career management has been very helpful and is living up to their reputation, and the alumni network appears to be as strong as ever. What more could I have asked for?
I recently got back from Industry Week; a week off from class where the class was put up in the Hilton Hotel in downtown Toronto and given an opportunity to meet with industry, alumni, and recruiters. It was truly a great experience and a fantastic way to weigh one’s options with respect to potential career paths and target companies. In particular, I found it useful because I was able to eliminate a number of career paths that I had been contemplating. When I came into the MBA program, I was focussed on going back to the telecom industry in the capacity of general management, or product management. Early on in the MBA, I got caught up with the management consulting and iBanking (investment banking) crowd. It is difficult to stay focussed on your career goals when you are being wined and dined and lured in by the consulting and iBanking companies. It also doesn’t help when 60-75% of the class is talking the iBanking and consulting talk day in day out, with its promise of big money + bonuses etc. Well I’m off that diverted track and I came back from Toronto more focussed then ever. I feel that I’ve cleared mind with respect to my career path: I think I’m sticking to my initial objectives and will follow my passions in Telecom (remember Sacha that the intersection point between your passions and strengths will lead to success --> I live by this!). Of course there are a few exceptions; I am considering technology consulting as a potential post-MBA path. This type of consulting is somewhat different then management consulting and is somewhat appealing (more research required). At this point, my first preference would be to go back to Nortel if the offer and opportunity is right and fits my goals. I feel very loyal to the company, but I also realize that expanding my breadth of experience beyond Nortel is equally important at this stage of my career. At the end of the day I will need to pay the MBA bills and a good offer would likely sway me. I hope Nortel comes through for me because I want to give back and be apart of that turnaround story.
One of the interesting positive points that I’ve come to like about Ivey is how they are very quick to respond to student concerns. There are no doubts that the one year program is still in transition phase, however I would argue that most of the knots have been ironed out and any glitches in the one year program have been fairly minor thus far. About a month ago, the new acting dean came to our class and asked for the student’s feedback. All concerns were recorded and many were fixed immediately. For example, one student complained that some of the study rooms lacked a white board; within a week all study rooms that were lacking one were fitted with white boards. I guess that’s what you’d expect from a top b-school. I know I was impressed!
I recently applied and was chosen to be one of three ambassador senators for the Ivey MBA School. I’m excited about the opportunity. People who know me well know that I like to sell and promote things that I believe in. I believe in knowledge sharing and collaboration and I spread this wherever I go. I believe in Nortel and I promote the company wherever possible. I believe in Ivey, and you better bet that I’m going to do my best to do a good job as an ambassador for the program.
Speaking of Nortel, I am thrilled to announce that Lauren Flaherty (CMO of Nortel) and one of Canada’s 100 most powerful women (as per a recent award), has agreed to visit Ivey and deliver a talk on leadership and Nortel. I wanted to specially thank a particular reader of my blog who happens to work for Lauren and who endorsed my cause and invitation: Thank you! I can’t wait for Lauren to come down. I really believe that it will help change the perception of Nortel on campus and will help build the Ivey/Nortel relationship. In the mean time I’ve been in touch with the University Relations Prime at Nortel to help rejuvenate the Ivey/Nortel recruiting relationship; keep you posted on that. I believe that Ivey has some of the brightest business minds in the country, and I believe that Nortel should be taking advantage of this. I hope that Lauren’s visit and a potential rejuvenation of the Ivey/Nortel relationship will spark interest in Nortel amongst the students and vice-versa.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend a “dress for success” event that was put on by the Ivey Career Management folks at a high-end clothing store here in London. I learned a few nifty fashion tips. Here are some of my takeaways (which will be handy for the upcoming recruiting season): match you belt with your shoes, one should have at least four suits (black, navy, grey, and one other colour), one should have about 15 dress shirts (really??), brown shoes go with navy and gray suits while black shoes go with a black suit, there are many different tie knots, dry cleaning reduces the life of you attire by 50%, and never button up the bottom button of your suit (leave open). I’ll leave it at that. Did I mention that the store was selling $3k boss blazers! Maybe one day ;)
I just got back from a 4 day long weekend in Ottawa where my whole family spent the weekend together. My sister and her family came up from California, while my brother and his kids came up from Texas. Of course my parents, in laws, and other brother and his family were present too (all live in O-town aka Ottawa). The 22 of us had a blast; I love family reunions! We attended a wedding of a close family friend, and partied it up for 4 straight days (mix of wedding parties, clubbing, and outdoor activities including fishing!). I arrived back to London late on Tuesday night feeling like I needed a vacation from the vacation. Well, I’m in one piece but I’m still paying the price for a crazy, fun, sleepless weekend. I’ve been exhausted all week and haven’t been participating much in class. In addition, I seem to be falling behind a bit on the accounting and finance class material. I need to catch up on some sleep this weekend…What’s new? The good news is that it seems like most of the class is in the same boat ;) I'll catch up on sleep after hitting the barking frog (night club frequented by all Ivey MBA students) tomorrow night with my mates
In my last entry, I briefly discussed how I was feeling a lot of anxiety lately and was not always thinking straight + losing concentration etc etc. Well I’ve had enough of that #!#@# and I’ve decided to get a grip on myself. I'm feeling a lot better over the last couple of weeks, and I’m getting back to normal. I’m spending more time with Geeta (my wife) which is really helping me + I’m exercising regularly + I’m learning to take life day by day + I’m doing away with things that are dragging me down + trying to keep life as simple as possible: Keep you posted on my progress.
Until next time…
Sacha
I recently got back from Industry Week; a week off from class where the class was put up in the Hilton Hotel in downtown Toronto and given an opportunity to meet with industry, alumni, and recruiters. It was truly a great experience and a fantastic way to weigh one’s options with respect to potential career paths and target companies. In particular, I found it useful because I was able to eliminate a number of career paths that I had been contemplating. When I came into the MBA program, I was focussed on going back to the telecom industry in the capacity of general management, or product management. Early on in the MBA, I got caught up with the management consulting and iBanking (investment banking) crowd. It is difficult to stay focussed on your career goals when you are being wined and dined and lured in by the consulting and iBanking companies. It also doesn’t help when 60-75% of the class is talking the iBanking and consulting talk day in day out, with its promise of big money + bonuses etc. Well I’m off that diverted track and I came back from Toronto more focussed then ever. I feel that I’ve cleared mind with respect to my career path: I think I’m sticking to my initial objectives and will follow my passions in Telecom (remember Sacha that the intersection point between your passions and strengths will lead to success --> I live by this!). Of course there are a few exceptions; I am considering technology consulting as a potential post-MBA path. This type of consulting is somewhat different then management consulting and is somewhat appealing (more research required). At this point, my first preference would be to go back to Nortel if the offer and opportunity is right and fits my goals. I feel very loyal to the company, but I also realize that expanding my breadth of experience beyond Nortel is equally important at this stage of my career. At the end of the day I will need to pay the MBA bills and a good offer would likely sway me. I hope Nortel comes through for me because I want to give back and be apart of that turnaround story.
One of the interesting positive points that I’ve come to like about Ivey is how they are very quick to respond to student concerns. There are no doubts that the one year program is still in transition phase, however I would argue that most of the knots have been ironed out and any glitches in the one year program have been fairly minor thus far. About a month ago, the new acting dean came to our class and asked for the student’s feedback. All concerns were recorded and many were fixed immediately. For example, one student complained that some of the study rooms lacked a white board; within a week all study rooms that were lacking one were fitted with white boards. I guess that’s what you’d expect from a top b-school. I know I was impressed!
I recently applied and was chosen to be one of three ambassador senators for the Ivey MBA School. I’m excited about the opportunity. People who know me well know that I like to sell and promote things that I believe in. I believe in knowledge sharing and collaboration and I spread this wherever I go. I believe in Nortel and I promote the company wherever possible. I believe in Ivey, and you better bet that I’m going to do my best to do a good job as an ambassador for the program.
Speaking of Nortel, I am thrilled to announce that Lauren Flaherty (CMO of Nortel) and one of Canada’s 100 most powerful women (as per a recent award), has agreed to visit Ivey and deliver a talk on leadership and Nortel. I wanted to specially thank a particular reader of my blog who happens to work for Lauren and who endorsed my cause and invitation: Thank you! I can’t wait for Lauren to come down. I really believe that it will help change the perception of Nortel on campus and will help build the Ivey/Nortel relationship. In the mean time I’ve been in touch with the University Relations Prime at Nortel to help rejuvenate the Ivey/Nortel recruiting relationship; keep you posted on that. I believe that Ivey has some of the brightest business minds in the country, and I believe that Nortel should be taking advantage of this. I hope that Lauren’s visit and a potential rejuvenation of the Ivey/Nortel relationship will spark interest in Nortel amongst the students and vice-versa.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend a “dress for success” event that was put on by the Ivey Career Management folks at a high-end clothing store here in London. I learned a few nifty fashion tips. Here are some of my takeaways (which will be handy for the upcoming recruiting season): match you belt with your shoes, one should have at least four suits (black, navy, grey, and one other colour), one should have about 15 dress shirts (really??), brown shoes go with navy and gray suits while black shoes go with a black suit, there are many different tie knots, dry cleaning reduces the life of you attire by 50%, and never button up the bottom button of your suit (leave open). I’ll leave it at that. Did I mention that the store was selling $3k boss blazers! Maybe one day ;)
I just got back from a 4 day long weekend in Ottawa where my whole family spent the weekend together. My sister and her family came up from California, while my brother and his kids came up from Texas. Of course my parents, in laws, and other brother and his family were present too (all live in O-town aka Ottawa). The 22 of us had a blast; I love family reunions! We attended a wedding of a close family friend, and partied it up for 4 straight days (mix of wedding parties, clubbing, and outdoor activities including fishing!). I arrived back to London late on Tuesday night feeling like I needed a vacation from the vacation. Well, I’m in one piece but I’m still paying the price for a crazy, fun, sleepless weekend. I’ve been exhausted all week and haven’t been participating much in class. In addition, I seem to be falling behind a bit on the accounting and finance class material. I need to catch up on some sleep this weekend…What’s new? The good news is that it seems like most of the class is in the same boat ;) I'll catch up on sleep after hitting the barking frog (night club frequented by all Ivey MBA students) tomorrow night with my mates
In my last entry, I briefly discussed how I was feeling a lot of anxiety lately and was not always thinking straight + losing concentration etc etc. Well I’ve had enough of that #!#@# and I’ve decided to get a grip on myself. I'm feeling a lot better over the last couple of weeks, and I’m getting back to normal. I’m spending more time with Geeta (my wife) which is really helping me + I’m exercising regularly + I’m learning to take life day by day + I’m doing away with things that are dragging me down + trying to keep life as simple as possible: Keep you posted on my progress.
Until next time…
Sacha
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