Snow continue falling from the sky since last night, when I was walking home together with my EBPY (more detail below) teammate. Feeling the first time that Manchester can also be so romantic, when the first slice of snow unexpectedly fall on my coat the moment I step out from MBS entrance.
This was the second time it snow in Manchester, but the first time it fell long enough to cover the part of the ground. Ahhh... this is the winter that I was looking forward! Hate the winter without snow but only uncomfortable cold. That's why I love Hokkaido so much, with a temperature of just below the frozen level, you can enjoy a scenary of whole-white neverland. And of course the quality of the snow is so good, so soft that you can lie on it comfortably.
2 weeks passed since the 2nd Semester started. Quite few things happened but a relatively relax pace compare to last semester. To some extent, we already used to the demanding MBA life. To some extent, we know better how to deal with each other in the group works and hence more efficient. And also to some extent, we know what to prioritize and therefore can just ignore what we think is low priority.
Grumbling among us on the slow feedback on our last semester academic performance. 7 weeks passed since the final exam but still the scores and the feedbacks on some of the courseworks are still pending with the academics. Wondering why they pushed us so hard for studying and completing the courseworks within dateline, while slacking on returning the feedback. Though taught in one of the class, prompt feedback is the key in learning process...
So far, only grades on 2 subjects were released. Got a distinction for Accounting and a merit for SfSM Module, which 80% of the module is the NfP Project. Not quite surprise for the grade on Accounting (Module of both Financial Accounting and Management Accounting) as the assessment is purely paper exam. For SfSM Module, for which I have been worrying about failing, as our team scored really bad in initial stage, luckily survived the passing mark, and being pulled up further to pass the merit line by the individual reflective report and final exam. Still waiting for Marketing, Finance, Economics...
So, Sem2 started. What we have for this sem?
Core Subjects
1) Strategy
2) Operation Management
3) People Management and Organization (PMO)
4) International Business and Innovation Management (IBIM)
Curriculum was changed from last year. For our senior in Class of 2013, they had Strategy, Operation Management, and a subject called Designing International Competitive Enterprise (DICE) which combined both PMO and IBIM. Due to their feedback that combining 4 subjects (HR Management, Organization Behavior, International Business and Innovation Management) into the single subject of DICE made the subject complicated and hard to digest, the school changed the curriculum this year by dividing it into 2 subjects - PMO and IBIM.
Continue from last semester
1) Weekly Speaker Series
2) Career Management
2 alumni came so far. One talked on B to B Marketing and the other talked on leadership consulting. As before, it opened our horizon for an industry or a field that we may otherwise never come across.
CMS (Career Management Service) organized a career week that invited several companies to visit the campus for recruiting, both fulltime position and internship. Companies came included Hilti, Google, AT Kearney, Essar Oil, Admiral, Amazon, and BCG. All sessions were filled up with well business-dress students as this semester is the critical timing for both fulltime position and internship hunting.
Competition
1) EBPY (European Business Plan Competition)
An Europe level entrepreneurship competition, which we need to submit a business plan, give an elevator pitch and present the business idea in front of real VCs. MBS is so kind to design a series of lecture and workshop to prepare the participants for the competition. We had talks from the Academics as well as outside speakers like the Entrepreneurs, VC, Taxation Accountants and so on.
Have a business idea in my mind, not sure whether it can win the competition. But to my surprise, I'm so passion about it when I tell it to other people. Kind of uncover the entrepreneurship spirit that long 'hidden' in me! Still looking for my team members, hope fully can gather a bunch of bright minds who can share my passion!
Preparation lectures for nest semester projects
1) UK Consultancy Project
2) M&A Project
The classes will start in next few week. Mainly cover the topics on Quantitative Analysis and Financial Analysis, to enable a smooth kick-off for those 2 projects in next semester.
That's all?
Of course not!
Internship search, preparation for MBAT (MBA Sport Tournament), preparation for Asian Night, mentoring program, stock trading competition, house parties, networking sessions...lots more to go in this semester.
So, refill the fuel and keep moving!
2013/01/18
2013/01/01
Happy New Year!
Exactly 1 year passed since I wrote my first blog. Intended to write the blog at least once a week, and started with full engine, but the engine seemed to be running out of lubricant half way and the momentum was getting smaller and smaller... Nevertheless, thanks to the initial passion, 50 blogs written so far in last year, an average of almost one blog per week. Certainly it can be done better, not in quantity-wise, but in the content-wise especially more focus on the learnings in each MBA subjects and their applications in business.
Anyway, leave the reflection on blogging aside. How about a reflection on my 2012? How I grade my 2012?
Well, 2012 was really a year of CHANGE for me, whether functionally, geographically, or intellectually. A good start in January by working on a new project in the leading position, got promoted in June, decided to resign in July, left Japan and flied to UK in August, returned to student life again in September, completed the MBA first semester in December, and continuing on the quest for a dream future in the uncertainties...
Did I satisfy on all these "achievements"? Can I declare my 2012 a good one?
Well, the answer can be "Yes!" or "I don't know!"
"Yes!" because those are all I wanted to do. I planned it, I worked on it and I achieved it
"I don't know!" because I still don't know the outcome. The future is full of ambiguity. Does a MBA degree means that I will change my profession in future? Does a farewell of Japan means that I will leave Japan permanently? How my future looks like? Where will I be in 10 years from now?
Asked by my wife that if there was a Doeramon Door, that can get me to the future to see where am I and what am I doing in 10 years from now, would I dare to open the door? Of course, I dare. But the question is your life will be less interesting after you know what it will be in future! The ambiguities and the uncertainties are actually the spice of the life that make you anxious, make you excited to explore any unknown opportunities!
So, why worry so much about the far future? I should be grateful that I am now doing what I wanted to do. And this will certainly improve myself for a better career and better future!
If my 2012 is all about CHANGE, I hope the theme for my 2013 will be EXPLORE. So, here is the list of my goals in 2013.
1) Secure a good internship, which may decide my post MBA career.
2) Better time management to digest as much as possible the MBA knowledges and skills.
3) Take part in more MBA events especially the MBA competitions.
4) If possible, an exchange to other university in other country.
5) Visit as many countries as possible to open my horizon.
6) And of course try to enjoy UK life!
Wishing 2013 a good one for everyone! Happy New Year!
Anyway, leave the reflection on blogging aside. How about a reflection on my 2012? How I grade my 2012?
Well, 2012 was really a year of CHANGE for me, whether functionally, geographically, or intellectually. A good start in January by working on a new project in the leading position, got promoted in June, decided to resign in July, left Japan and flied to UK in August, returned to student life again in September, completed the MBA first semester in December, and continuing on the quest for a dream future in the uncertainties...
Did I satisfy on all these "achievements"? Can I declare my 2012 a good one?
Well, the answer can be "Yes!" or "I don't know!"
"Yes!" because those are all I wanted to do. I planned it, I worked on it and I achieved it
"I don't know!" because I still don't know the outcome. The future is full of ambiguity. Does a MBA degree means that I will change my profession in future? Does a farewell of Japan means that I will leave Japan permanently? How my future looks like? Where will I be in 10 years from now?
Asked by my wife that if there was a Doeramon Door, that can get me to the future to see where am I and what am I doing in 10 years from now, would I dare to open the door? Of course, I dare. But the question is your life will be less interesting after you know what it will be in future! The ambiguities and the uncertainties are actually the spice of the life that make you anxious, make you excited to explore any unknown opportunities!
So, why worry so much about the far future? I should be grateful that I am now doing what I wanted to do. And this will certainly improve myself for a better career and better future!
If my 2012 is all about CHANGE, I hope the theme for my 2013 will be EXPLORE. So, here is the list of my goals in 2013.
1) Secure a good internship, which may decide my post MBA career.
2) Better time management to digest as much as possible the MBA knowledges and skills.
3) Take part in more MBA events especially the MBA competitions.
4) If possible, an exchange to other university in other country.
5) Visit as many countries as possible to open my horizon.
6) And of course try to enjoy UK life!
Wishing 2013 a good one for everyone! Happy New Year!
2012/12/25
White Christmas???
When I was small, I thought the Christmas in the western countries was like, the shopping malls were crowed with people busy on shopping, the shops were decorated with Christmas Trees, Christmas decorations and illuminations; streets were covered by snow, children were playing with snow and some built the snowman in the playground, people wearing in festive color especially with the red Santa hats, singing Christmas song here and there, the noise of joys were coming relentlessly from your neighborhoods...
Well, there's the power of TV, make your childhood believe everything shown on the TV is true. And today, I celebrated my first Christmas in the western country, in a city with the most student in the Europe (told by someone but not sure whether this is true...), the Manchester. As you can imagine, most of the residents, the students, have gone back to their home in other cities or other countries for vacation, and therefore the city was very very very quite, even the pubs that used to be noisy in the weekdays were closed and the whole city was in terrifically peace...
No shops open on the Christmas day, even at the busiest shopping district, Arndale. The shop that I found open today in the city was Spar, a convenience store. People walking on the street were mostly Asian face like me. I think they might also wondering where the hell of all the people gone. Shouldn't people come out and celebrate in the festive season???
Still waiting for my first snow in Manchester. But unfortunately instead of snowing, the city raining as usual. So, my anticipated White Christmas was more towards a Grey Christmas...Never thought that I will hate raining so much...As in Malaysia, the rain bring the cool breathe to the hot weather, so I doubted people associate rain with bad weather...Well, I fully appreciate this association now. Yes, rain means freezingly cold, wetting your shoes and socks, made you feel uncomfortable to walk on the street...
So, how I feel about my first Christmas in the western country?
Well, not so bad actually. Had a wonderful petite Turkey Christmas eve dinner with my wife, strolled on the people-less Manchester's streets (happen only on Christmas day), relaxed at home with Nescafe and a chocolate cake bought from Spar, played iPad games, planned for next year Europe trip, and now writing this blog. Everything is so calm, peace and relaxing...so what can you ask more?
Still anticipate for a White Christmas?
Of course! But may be in other cities. After the boxing day, I have planed a trip to Inverness, the north most city of UK...hopefully what fall from the sky will be snow instead of rain.
Well, there's the power of TV, make your childhood believe everything shown on the TV is true. And today, I celebrated my first Christmas in the western country, in a city with the most student in the Europe (told by someone but not sure whether this is true...), the Manchester. As you can imagine, most of the residents, the students, have gone back to their home in other cities or other countries for vacation, and therefore the city was very very very quite, even the pubs that used to be noisy in the weekdays were closed and the whole city was in terrifically peace...
No shops open on the Christmas day, even at the busiest shopping district, Arndale. The shop that I found open today in the city was Spar, a convenience store. People walking on the street were mostly Asian face like me. I think they might also wondering where the hell of all the people gone. Shouldn't people come out and celebrate in the festive season???
Still waiting for my first snow in Manchester. But unfortunately instead of snowing, the city raining as usual. So, my anticipated White Christmas was more towards a Grey Christmas...Never thought that I will hate raining so much...As in Malaysia, the rain bring the cool breathe to the hot weather, so I doubted people associate rain with bad weather...Well, I fully appreciate this association now. Yes, rain means freezingly cold, wetting your shoes and socks, made you feel uncomfortable to walk on the street...
So, how I feel about my first Christmas in the western country?
Well, not so bad actually. Had a wonderful petite Turkey Christmas eve dinner with my wife, strolled on the people-less Manchester's streets (happen only on Christmas day), relaxed at home with Nescafe and a chocolate cake bought from Spar, played iPad games, planned for next year Europe trip, and now writing this blog. Everything is so calm, peace and relaxing...so what can you ask more?
Still anticipate for a White Christmas?
Of course! But may be in other cities. After the boxing day, I have planed a trip to Inverness, the north most city of UK...hopefully what fall from the sky will be snow instead of rain.
2012/12/20
Dec. 21 - End of the World
After sending the NfP report to client tomorrow, my first MBA semester will officially come to the end. Not sure whether the end of semester also meaning the end of the world, as the rumor of December 21, the end of the world according to Maya Calendar was here and there. Not so much in UK, but the people in the the Fast East, including people in my hometown which is located near the equator, scrambling to buy the winter cloths as rumor says that the temperature will drastically change from above 30 degree Celsius to below 30 degree Celsius. Some even made a joke that if the end of the world end up didn't come, there will be another baby boom next year September!
Anyway, whether the end of the world will come or not tomorrow, it is still worth a celebration for me - I survived the first semester of my MBA! Phew...can't imagine that 4 months have passed since the course started. Still couldn't enjoy the city especially the weather, but the MBA is really something worth coming for. Looking back the 4 months, can't tell how much I have learned, how much my perspective have changed, and how much new experience and new skills I have gained. To summarize it, 4 core subjects - Accounting (both financial accounting and management accounting), Corporate Finance, Marketing, Business Economics; series of soft skills lecture in Skills for Successful Management Module; one big real-client project - the Not-for-Profit Project, weekly guest speaker series, career management sessions, supplementary English classes, numerous group works and presentations in the core subjects, company events, networking events, internship research, internship interviews, private social events...
Wow, I have gone through so much things in just 4 months! So, what did I really take aways in these 4 months. Here are the 5 main GAINS!
1) Equiped myself with the basic business knowledge
Accounting, Finance, Marketing and Economics are the most basic business knowledge that a manager, or at least a senior manager should know no matter which profession you are or what industry you are in. Even as an engineer (like me), if you are in the manager level, you should not only well-verse in your engineering problem solving, but also the basic business knowledge that enable you to articulate the company business performance and strategy to your subordinate, evaluate the efficiency and profitability of the project (or at least your own team), market your company to client externally, or market your team or department internally, judge whether you are still in the right industry considering the change in economic environment etc.
Well, can't say that I mastered all the knowledge within 30 hours session classes for each subject. But the key ideas and how to apply these ideas are efficiently taught through the well-designed curriculum. I think this might be the strength of Manchester Method - the so called "Original Thinking" and "Learning by Doing". The course stimulated your independent thinking in the lectures, made your hands dirty by lots of case studies and group works. As people used to say, "Knowledge in your mind is useless if you can't articulate it or put it into application".
2) New exposure to other industries
Have no idea at all what is the different between an investment banking and a commercial banking. No idea what really Private Equity and Venture Capital do. No idea how a strategy consultant can advise a company CEO who has more industry experience than him. No idea how to establish a start-up. No idea what is a content business. No idea what is arbitration...
Well, when you get to know more, you will know that there are more you don't know. The finance industry, the consulting industry, the entrepreneurship, the media industry, and lots more that I think I would never not know in detail if I didn't come for the MBA. There are lots of fun and bright people out there in different industries, which broaden your horizon and again stimulate your thought. Looking back my previous years as a civil engineer, professional interactions were confined to other disciplines engineers and architects, which somewhat help you to think deeper but definitely not wider.
And it is just feeling so good that you can talk the talk whether you are in a group of engineers, or bankers, or entrepreneurs, or consultants, or accountants or any other professions. And most important, you enhance your chance of employability in a different industry if, let say your industry is heading down the slope.
3) Team work in a multicultural context
Talked about this in my previous blog. See NfP.
4) Ability of multi-tasking
All MBA schools assume that you come to the MBA with aims to become a future leader. And they also assume that requisite quality of a leader is ability to handle multi-task at the same time. So, they designed such a curriculum that make you do everything but you just can't finish everything to perfect. You have to attend the classes, pre-reading of case studies, solve the after-class assignments, participate in the group works, attend the company events, socialize in the networking events, etc. all in one day!
So, everything is about efficiency. Efficiency in your pre-reading so that you can grasp the key ideas after your first reading. Efficiency in the lecture, for me is more on staying focus. Efficiency in the group meeting, pre-determine the agenda, prepare before the meeting, set the time limit. Efficiency in assignment and efficiency in so and so and so...
Sometimes the situation is just not possible for you to handle both at the same time. So, you may need to weigh which one is more important, rather than which one is more urgent to you. Choose the more important one and drop the other one.
5) 114 great friends from 29 countries
For sure, this will be the greatest take away from the MBA and even after the MBA. Thanks to Manchester Business School evaluation system that emphasize on collaboration rather than competition, we can observed generous knowledge and information sharing among us. The friends with accounting and finance background particularly helped us passing the exams! Not forget to mentioned also since everybody has different industry and culture background, you will find a lot of fun and learning in this diversity. And of course the after-study, after exam parties, trips, all contributed to the unforgettable memories of the MBA!
Those are the key gains in the first semester. So, what to do with the end of the world???
Well, we can't really do anything to prevent it if the end of the world is really coming. So, why not just stay calm and think that, if it didn't come tomorrow, how should we live a more MEANINGFUL LIFE hereafter...
Anyway, whether the end of the world will come or not tomorrow, it is still worth a celebration for me - I survived the first semester of my MBA! Phew...can't imagine that 4 months have passed since the course started. Still couldn't enjoy the city especially the weather, but the MBA is really something worth coming for. Looking back the 4 months, can't tell how much I have learned, how much my perspective have changed, and how much new experience and new skills I have gained. To summarize it, 4 core subjects - Accounting (both financial accounting and management accounting), Corporate Finance, Marketing, Business Economics; series of soft skills lecture in Skills for Successful Management Module; one big real-client project - the Not-for-Profit Project, weekly guest speaker series, career management sessions, supplementary English classes, numerous group works and presentations in the core subjects, company events, networking events, internship research, internship interviews, private social events...
Wow, I have gone through so much things in just 4 months! So, what did I really take aways in these 4 months. Here are the 5 main GAINS!
1) Equiped myself with the basic business knowledge
Accounting, Finance, Marketing and Economics are the most basic business knowledge that a manager, or at least a senior manager should know no matter which profession you are or what industry you are in. Even as an engineer (like me), if you are in the manager level, you should not only well-verse in your engineering problem solving, but also the basic business knowledge that enable you to articulate the company business performance and strategy to your subordinate, evaluate the efficiency and profitability of the project (or at least your own team), market your company to client externally, or market your team or department internally, judge whether you are still in the right industry considering the change in economic environment etc.
Well, can't say that I mastered all the knowledge within 30 hours session classes for each subject. But the key ideas and how to apply these ideas are efficiently taught through the well-designed curriculum. I think this might be the strength of Manchester Method - the so called "Original Thinking" and "Learning by Doing". The course stimulated your independent thinking in the lectures, made your hands dirty by lots of case studies and group works. As people used to say, "Knowledge in your mind is useless if you can't articulate it or put it into application".
2) New exposure to other industries
Have no idea at all what is the different between an investment banking and a commercial banking. No idea what really Private Equity and Venture Capital do. No idea how a strategy consultant can advise a company CEO who has more industry experience than him. No idea how to establish a start-up. No idea what is a content business. No idea what is arbitration...
Well, when you get to know more, you will know that there are more you don't know. The finance industry, the consulting industry, the entrepreneurship, the media industry, and lots more that I think I would never not know in detail if I didn't come for the MBA. There are lots of fun and bright people out there in different industries, which broaden your horizon and again stimulate your thought. Looking back my previous years as a civil engineer, professional interactions were confined to other disciplines engineers and architects, which somewhat help you to think deeper but definitely not wider.
And it is just feeling so good that you can talk the talk whether you are in a group of engineers, or bankers, or entrepreneurs, or consultants, or accountants or any other professions. And most important, you enhance your chance of employability in a different industry if, let say your industry is heading down the slope.
3) Team work in a multicultural context
Talked about this in my previous blog. See NfP.
4) Ability of multi-tasking
All MBA schools assume that you come to the MBA with aims to become a future leader. And they also assume that requisite quality of a leader is ability to handle multi-task at the same time. So, they designed such a curriculum that make you do everything but you just can't finish everything to perfect. You have to attend the classes, pre-reading of case studies, solve the after-class assignments, participate in the group works, attend the company events, socialize in the networking events, etc. all in one day!
So, everything is about efficiency. Efficiency in your pre-reading so that you can grasp the key ideas after your first reading. Efficiency in the lecture, for me is more on staying focus. Efficiency in the group meeting, pre-determine the agenda, prepare before the meeting, set the time limit. Efficiency in assignment and efficiency in so and so and so...
Sometimes the situation is just not possible for you to handle both at the same time. So, you may need to weigh which one is more important, rather than which one is more urgent to you. Choose the more important one and drop the other one.
5) 114 great friends from 29 countries
For sure, this will be the greatest take away from the MBA and even after the MBA. Thanks to Manchester Business School evaluation system that emphasize on collaboration rather than competition, we can observed generous knowledge and information sharing among us. The friends with accounting and finance background particularly helped us passing the exams! Not forget to mentioned also since everybody has different industry and culture background, you will find a lot of fun and learning in this diversity. And of course the after-study, after exam parties, trips, all contributed to the unforgettable memories of the MBA!
Those are the key gains in the first semester. So, what to do with the end of the world???
Well, we can't really do anything to prevent it if the end of the world is really coming. So, why not just stay calm and think that, if it didn't come tomorrow, how should we live a more MEANINGFUL LIFE hereafter...
2012/11/30
NfP
Just completed my personal reflective report on the NfP (Not for Profit) Project. Here are the points.
Team Working
Our team consisted of 6 MBAs from different countries and different background. With a team of such a diversity, one may expect that the team work will be interesting and productive as the team has access to a range of perspective and skill.
In fact, diversity can actually hinder integration and may increase the occurrence of conflict within the team. This was exactly what happened in the meetings. Everyone had their own interpretation of the project needs and own ideas to implement the project. But hard to achieve an agreement as everyone had different point of view. As a result, the team spent long hour in meetings yet no concrete conclusion. Sometimes, the conclusions were made recklessly due to tiredness and frustration of further discussion. Obviously, the outcome due to these conclusion was undoubtedly poor in quality.
The team was aware of the severity of the problem only after half way of the project We received our first score in their MBA program, the score of the project interim presentation. The score was below passing mark and everyone was shocked. Our ego as an MBA student was badly hurt and after a reflective meeting, we committed to put more time and more effort into the project.
Later, I learned about the Belbin Team Role in the Skills for Successful Manager class. Interestingly, our team members are obviously in different team roles. Since the result of the SHL psychometric test was confidential, I could only guess my team members' team roles based on my observation. I guessed there were a "Shaper," two "Plant", a "Finisher-Completer", an "Implementer" and a "Monitor-Evaluator". What lacked in our team were a "Co-ordinator", a "Resource Investigator", and a "Team Worker". No wonder our team has a lot of ideas, but no one try to coordinate between us, no one try to explore resource outside the team and no one being diplomatic to support the team.
With the commitment and better understanding of each other, we started to split the work according to the strength of each members. We set a limit for the meeting time and tried to carry out the meeting efficiently with better preparation before the meeting, threw ideas and discussed but let the person-in-charge of the work decide the final decision, and ensure all action items decided in the meeting were carried out in action.
As a results, our work was gaining momentum and we managed to work efficiently and harmoniously compare with before. We managed to finalized our study results and gave a presentation to our client confidently.
Key learnings:
1) Recognise strength and skill of each members is important at the first stage of any project.
2) Understand interpersonal style (for example the Belbin Team Roles) of the team members can help to achieve better efficiency in team.
3) A team work efficiently when the team has a balance of all team roles.
4) Diversity can help as well as hinder the efficiency of team work.
5) A meeting without clear objective, time limit and a decision maker is doomed to be fail.
Consulting Skills
Another problem in implementation was non of us had consulting experience before. We were unclear about what need to be do, and how could we do in a consulting project. Therefore, due to lack of experience as well as delay from client side, we could finalize the project scope only almost one month after the project launching.
After finalized the scope, we had long discussion about what data is required and how we could gather the data. We thought of carry out survey but later found out that within limited time and resources, the limited numbers of questionnaire that we could gather would be statistically insignificant. We carried out several interviews but the responses were not encouraging.
Nevertheless, we gradually understood what need to be done, and how to carry out our study. We prepared a project structure breakdown to visualize the whole process. As taught in the Consulting Skills class, "Begin with the end in mind" by visualize the end, the deliverable to client in mind, we could actually think backward of what need to be done in order to achieve that. Based on the project structure breakdown, we divided the tasks and work independently but supportively.
I found that newly learned knowledge from Financial Accounting and Corporate Finance class was quite useful in the analysis of the project.
Key learnings:
1) Identify the business need and finalized scope with client as soon as possible.
2) Work up a clear and realistic work plan.
3) Begin with the end in mind.
4) Quick understanding of client's issue and add value with the implementable recommendations.
5) Financial/Management Accounting, Corporate Finance, Marketing and other MBA subjects are the fundamental knowledge to support any consulting work.
Presentation Skills
The comments on our interim presentation were no clear structure, lack of logic in content development for the presentation content and not appear confidence, no eye contact, reading slides for the presentation delivery. No doubt our score was below the passing mark.
To improve our presentation, we got the feed back from our supervisor, and carried out peer assessment on our presentation style. While complementing what done well, we also pointing out what need to be improved in each other presentation. We scrutinised the logic in content, we checked the necessity of each and every slides, we made sure all slides carry clear messages to the audience.
Our final presentation was quite successful, at least to our own perception. We appeared confident in the presentation and managed to articulate our ideas and recommendations clearly to the client.
Key learnings:
1) Use eye contact, appear confident, speak with passion in presentation.
2) Make a logic, a story line to link up the whole presentation.
3) Bring the finding forward to the beginning of the presentation will give audience the whole idea of the presentation.
4) Ask why you need the slide - eliminate any unnecessary slide.
Team Working
Our team consisted of 6 MBAs from different countries and different background. With a team of such a diversity, one may expect that the team work will be interesting and productive as the team has access to a range of perspective and skill.
In fact, diversity can actually hinder integration and may increase the occurrence of conflict within the team. This was exactly what happened in the meetings. Everyone had their own interpretation of the project needs and own ideas to implement the project. But hard to achieve an agreement as everyone had different point of view. As a result, the team spent long hour in meetings yet no concrete conclusion. Sometimes, the conclusions were made recklessly due to tiredness and frustration of further discussion. Obviously, the outcome due to these conclusion was undoubtedly poor in quality.
The team was aware of the severity of the problem only after half way of the project We received our first score in their MBA program, the score of the project interim presentation. The score was below passing mark and everyone was shocked. Our ego as an MBA student was badly hurt and after a reflective meeting, we committed to put more time and more effort into the project.
Later, I learned about the Belbin Team Role in the Skills for Successful Manager class. Interestingly, our team members are obviously in different team roles. Since the result of the SHL psychometric test was confidential, I could only guess my team members' team roles based on my observation. I guessed there were a "Shaper," two "Plant", a "Finisher-Completer", an "Implementer" and a "Monitor-Evaluator". What lacked in our team were a "Co-ordinator", a "Resource Investigator", and a "Team Worker". No wonder our team has a lot of ideas, but no one try to coordinate between us, no one try to explore resource outside the team and no one being diplomatic to support the team.
With the commitment and better understanding of each other, we started to split the work according to the strength of each members. We set a limit for the meeting time and tried to carry out the meeting efficiently with better preparation before the meeting, threw ideas and discussed but let the person-in-charge of the work decide the final decision, and ensure all action items decided in the meeting were carried out in action.
As a results, our work was gaining momentum and we managed to work efficiently and harmoniously compare with before. We managed to finalized our study results and gave a presentation to our client confidently.
Key learnings:
1) Recognise strength and skill of each members is important at the first stage of any project.
2) Understand interpersonal style (for example the Belbin Team Roles) of the team members can help to achieve better efficiency in team.
3) A team work efficiently when the team has a balance of all team roles.
4) Diversity can help as well as hinder the efficiency of team work.
5) A meeting without clear objective, time limit and a decision maker is doomed to be fail.
Consulting Skills
Another problem in implementation was non of us had consulting experience before. We were unclear about what need to be do, and how could we do in a consulting project. Therefore, due to lack of experience as well as delay from client side, we could finalize the project scope only almost one month after the project launching.
After finalized the scope, we had long discussion about what data is required and how we could gather the data. We thought of carry out survey but later found out that within limited time and resources, the limited numbers of questionnaire that we could gather would be statistically insignificant. We carried out several interviews but the responses were not encouraging.
Nevertheless, we gradually understood what need to be done, and how to carry out our study. We prepared a project structure breakdown to visualize the whole process. As taught in the Consulting Skills class, "Begin with the end in mind" by visualize the end, the deliverable to client in mind, we could actually think backward of what need to be done in order to achieve that. Based on the project structure breakdown, we divided the tasks and work independently but supportively.
I found that newly learned knowledge from Financial Accounting and Corporate Finance class was quite useful in the analysis of the project.
Key learnings:
1) Identify the business need and finalized scope with client as soon as possible.
2) Work up a clear and realistic work plan.
3) Begin with the end in mind.
4) Quick understanding of client's issue and add value with the implementable recommendations.
5) Financial/Management Accounting, Corporate Finance, Marketing and other MBA subjects are the fundamental knowledge to support any consulting work.
Presentation Skills
The comments on our interim presentation were no clear structure, lack of logic in content development for the presentation content and not appear confidence, no eye contact, reading slides for the presentation delivery. No doubt our score was below the passing mark.
To improve our presentation, we got the feed back from our supervisor, and carried out peer assessment on our presentation style. While complementing what done well, we also pointing out what need to be improved in each other presentation. We scrutinised the logic in content, we checked the necessity of each and every slides, we made sure all slides carry clear messages to the audience.
Our final presentation was quite successful, at least to our own perception. We appeared confident in the presentation and managed to articulate our ideas and recommendations clearly to the client.
Key learnings:
1) Use eye contact, appear confident, speak with passion in presentation.
2) Make a logic, a story line to link up the whole presentation.
3) Bring the finding forward to the beginning of the presentation will give audience the whole idea of the presentation.
4) Ask why you need the slide - eliminate any unnecessary slide.
2012/11/04
Manchester Survivor
My smartphone showed a temperature of 3 degree Celsius out there, and the weather forecast said that there would be a mix of sunshine and shower. I was changing with the Manchester Survival T-shirt and a running short pant. Putting up the additional jacket and tracksuit, I walked to the school to meet my fellow teammates. The weather was freezingly cold even in the jacket and tracksuit. I doubted whether I would be willing take it off once I reach the event center.
Arrived the event center 1 hour earlier. But the game already started with the first wave runner. Our team - a team of 10 and a team of 5 will run in the 4th wave. Took off the jacket and tracksuit, quickly worked out to warm up the body. Running around the field, discovered several scary obstacles along the runway. Several 2 meter high grasswalls at the first 100m, 2 pools of muddy water contained in the giant steel trash bins, and a 8 feet wall at the last 100m.
It was a 10km run. Sounds easy right? That was what I thought, but there were 15 physical obstacles (according to the guide, but I felt there were more) in the run. So, besides running, you will encounter 1 to 2 physical roadblocks every 1km. And the obstacles, can be high walls to test your upper body fitness, pools of water to slow you down (there was a pool where the water deep enough to cover your top, damn freezing!), hurdles in the arena to test your agility, burden to test your strength, fun stuff likes mud crawling, mud sliding, water slide, bouncing castle etc.
Tried to get to the front line at the starting point to avoid slowed down by other people during the first few obstacles. Climbed over the grasswalls, 2 meter height woodwalls, several hurdles, ran up and ran down the stadium spiral carpark driveway, ran up and ran down the stadium audience seat stairs, ran surrounding the stadium, when I thought I already finished half, almost fainted down when I saw the signboard showed a 2km on it. Oh, my god, still 8km to go!
Later came to a canal. Never think that the organizer want us to get wet that early. It was still 3km! And the canal was deep enough to cover my top. Getting all wet including my head and continued running to avoid cold. Run, run, run, passed the bouncing castle, ran into the woods, the fun and dirty parts began. Mud crawling, mud sliding, can't remember when was the last time I played with mud. But, it was really fun!
The organizer would never want us to finish it easy. They made us run with sandbag, gas tank, etc, do the rope swinging, puzzles, when I finished 8 km, I started feeling cramp in my thighs. Slowed down my pace and walked for a while, wondering how many obstacles left and any other surprises. Passed the 9km, came to the big pools of muddy water that I saw before, I know I was closed to the finish line. Crawl over the giant steel trash bins, walked through the muddy water, finally came to the monster 8 feet wall. I can't do it without help! None of my team member was there with me at the moment. I tried to be friendly and helped several people to climb up the wall, and lucky enough to get help from someone else to climb the monster too.
Climbed on the top of the 8 feet wall, the finish line was just 10m in front. Jumped down the wall and ran passed the finish line. Phew! Never think that a 10km would be that hard for me, but anyway I made it! I survived! Took pictures with those arrived earlier. My other team members arrived progressively. All 15 of us made it!
Went back home, took a hot shower, enjoyed the hot lunch prepared by my wife, went into bed, wake up and writing this blog now. Still can feel the pain on every inch of my muscle. But, the pain is a result of enjoyment, satisfaction, and achievement.
Arrived the event center 1 hour earlier. But the game already started with the first wave runner. Our team - a team of 10 and a team of 5 will run in the 4th wave. Took off the jacket and tracksuit, quickly worked out to warm up the body. Running around the field, discovered several scary obstacles along the runway. Several 2 meter high grasswalls at the first 100m, 2 pools of muddy water contained in the giant steel trash bins, and a 8 feet wall at the last 100m.
It was a 10km run. Sounds easy right? That was what I thought, but there were 15 physical obstacles (according to the guide, but I felt there were more) in the run. So, besides running, you will encounter 1 to 2 physical roadblocks every 1km. And the obstacles, can be high walls to test your upper body fitness, pools of water to slow you down (there was a pool where the water deep enough to cover your top, damn freezing!), hurdles in the arena to test your agility, burden to test your strength, fun stuff likes mud crawling, mud sliding, water slide, bouncing castle etc.
Tried to get to the front line at the starting point to avoid slowed down by other people during the first few obstacles. Climbed over the grasswalls, 2 meter height woodwalls, several hurdles, ran up and ran down the stadium spiral carpark driveway, ran up and ran down the stadium audience seat stairs, ran surrounding the stadium, when I thought I already finished half, almost fainted down when I saw the signboard showed a 2km on it. Oh, my god, still 8km to go!
Later came to a canal. Never think that the organizer want us to get wet that early. It was still 3km! And the canal was deep enough to cover my top. Getting all wet including my head and continued running to avoid cold. Run, run, run, passed the bouncing castle, ran into the woods, the fun and dirty parts began. Mud crawling, mud sliding, can't remember when was the last time I played with mud. But, it was really fun!
The organizer would never want us to finish it easy. They made us run with sandbag, gas tank, etc, do the rope swinging, puzzles, when I finished 8 km, I started feeling cramp in my thighs. Slowed down my pace and walked for a while, wondering how many obstacles left and any other surprises. Passed the 9km, came to the big pools of muddy water that I saw before, I know I was closed to the finish line. Crawl over the giant steel trash bins, walked through the muddy water, finally came to the monster 8 feet wall. I can't do it without help! None of my team member was there with me at the moment. I tried to be friendly and helped several people to climb up the wall, and lucky enough to get help from someone else to climb the monster too.
Climbed on the top of the 8 feet wall, the finish line was just 10m in front. Jumped down the wall and ran passed the finish line. Phew! Never think that a 10km would be that hard for me, but anyway I made it! I survived! Took pictures with those arrived earlier. My other team members arrived progressively. All 15 of us made it!
Went back home, took a hot shower, enjoyed the hot lunch prepared by my wife, went into bed, wake up and writing this blog now. Still can feel the pain on every inch of my muscle. But, the pain is a result of enjoyment, satisfaction, and achievement.
MBS 2014 Team!
Ready, Start!
Thinking of wearing these next year...
My wife was struggling washing this for me after the game
(Photos by Mary)
2012/11/02
Financial Accounting
Phew! A new word learnt from my British friends to express relief from fatigue. Ya, the Financial Accounting exam is just over. Hardly imagine that within 5 weeks of 15 hours lecture, I eventually managed to understand the substance of the mysterious accounting statements, read the financial statement of any of the listed companies without frowning and at least capable of some general analysis of the company performance.
It all owed to Peter, the lecturer of the financial accounting class. A British gentleman with lots of sense of humor. He made the dull accounting numbers a series of interesting stories. He made the seemingly complicated concepts easy to understand. And he made us (or some of us) the accounting beginners comprehended the tricks and the so called creative accounting behind the book.
As Peter mentioned in the first class, the course aim is not to teach you how to prepare a bookkeeping. It is all about how to understand the financial statement, analyse it, and use it for management decision as a future manager. The course is to demystify the financial statement, so that you won't be scared away by the accountants that speak to you in the accounting jargons which seems to be a foreign language. You can talk the talk and finally you will learn to love accounting!
Well, I don't know whether I have fallen in love with accounting, but at least accounting is no more a boring subject for me. It was so delighted that unconsciously I able to discuss about some company business performance using the accounting knowledge learnt from the class in the chat with friends. That's super cool!
The course covered of course the 3 main financial statements, the balance sheet, the income statement and the cash flow. But not much discussion on how to prepare those statement. The emphasis was more on how to analyse them and what are the tricks that some companies use to disguise their profits. A more detail discussions were done on topics like tangible assets, intangible assets, leasing, employee benefit, and group companies.
A 5 weeks lecture, 15 hours, plus 3 workshops for the preparation of exam, and 2 thick textbooks, numbers of powerpoint slides. That's the speed of a subject in an MBA program. Looking on the piles of other text book, I realised that the journey is still long away. NfP project submission and presentation, Economics presentation, Marketing presentation, Economics, Marketing, Finance, Skill for Successful Manager exam will occur subsequently in next 5 weeks.
Not feeling "phew" anymore...but at least I am enjoying the learning process. I don't aim to be an accountant, an economics, or a Finance or Marketing expert after all these courses, but if I can talk their language, understand their tricks, and may eventually manage them (haha!), wouldn't it sounds great!
It all owed to Peter, the lecturer of the financial accounting class. A British gentleman with lots of sense of humor. He made the dull accounting numbers a series of interesting stories. He made the seemingly complicated concepts easy to understand. And he made us (or some of us) the accounting beginners comprehended the tricks and the so called creative accounting behind the book.
As Peter mentioned in the first class, the course aim is not to teach you how to prepare a bookkeeping. It is all about how to understand the financial statement, analyse it, and use it for management decision as a future manager. The course is to demystify the financial statement, so that you won't be scared away by the accountants that speak to you in the accounting jargons which seems to be a foreign language. You can talk the talk and finally you will learn to love accounting!
Well, I don't know whether I have fallen in love with accounting, but at least accounting is no more a boring subject for me. It was so delighted that unconsciously I able to discuss about some company business performance using the accounting knowledge learnt from the class in the chat with friends. That's super cool!
The course covered of course the 3 main financial statements, the balance sheet, the income statement and the cash flow. But not much discussion on how to prepare those statement. The emphasis was more on how to analyse them and what are the tricks that some companies use to disguise their profits. A more detail discussions were done on topics like tangible assets, intangible assets, leasing, employee benefit, and group companies.
A 5 weeks lecture, 15 hours, plus 3 workshops for the preparation of exam, and 2 thick textbooks, numbers of powerpoint slides. That's the speed of a subject in an MBA program. Looking on the piles of other text book, I realised that the journey is still long away. NfP project submission and presentation, Economics presentation, Marketing presentation, Economics, Marketing, Finance, Skill for Successful Manager exam will occur subsequently in next 5 weeks.
Not feeling "phew" anymore...but at least I am enjoying the learning process. I don't aim to be an accountant, an economics, or a Finance or Marketing expert after all these courses, but if I can talk their language, understand their tricks, and may eventually manage them (haha!), wouldn't it sounds great!
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