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Each admissions season, many candidates receive a response from MBA admissions committees that can sometimes be far more frustrating than a rejection: “You have been placed on our waitlist.” What should you do when your status is uncertain?
HBS started the 2+2/deferred admissions trend, and now every other top MBA program seems to be jumping on board or preparing to do so soon. Find out what you need to stand out.
If so, join us on our first Masterclass on January 28th at 12:00 PM Eastern Time. We will cover the essential elements you need now to be successful in your Round 1 (in 6 months) applications.
Great leadership includes the ability to write in a way that inspires and fosters teamwork. In collaboration with the Gotham Writers Workshop, students in the Kelley MBA Leadership Academy have produced a series of blog posts to demonstrate these skills.
The room had gone silent. Sixty people were suspended in a momentary limbo of uncertainty. Eric Johnson, Kelley School’s director of Graduate Career Services and the Leadership Academy, had just initiated a role-playing exercise focused on leadership coaching. Someone had to volunteer to ask the first question.
To us amateur coaches, a coaching discussion felt like trying to have a conversation backwards.
After a long pause with Eric scanning the room, I raised my hand and cautiously strung together some coherent words that loosely resembled a question. While Eric graciously revealed that my question wasn’t the ideal starting point, at least it kicked off the exercise.
I share this scene not to highlight the need for courage, but rather to highlight my extroversion, which leads me to think more after I speak instead of before – for better or for worse. Fortunately, this extroversion has actually been a critical factor in enabling me to successfully transition from being a follower to being someone that can lead, which in this case, meant speaking first.
I began to deeply internalize how my extroversion could enable my leadership when working with a team of four other Kelleys on a Business Marketing Academy consulting project for GE. I was surprised at meetings that my teammates didn’t always fit the stereotype of the “naturally chatty MBA.” I found myself being the first to speak at the start of and during transition points in our meetings. With time, this established me as the leader of the group.
However, I didn’t quite feel comfortable as the defacto leader. I always assumed that the leader had to be among the smartest in the group, and I was certainly not qualified to lead on the basis of relative IQ. My team had two engineers, an army helicopter pilot, and a director in a foreign government. And, I did not have the strongest frame among the group. A person with a strong frame is so confident in their views that they end up explicitly or implicitly defining the dynamic of the interaction. Fortunately, I remembered some leadership guidance offered by a Kelley staff member during a Me, Inc. session:
“Superior intelligence is not required to lead. For someone who is well-organized like yourself, focus on establishing a strong process for the interaction and others will happily follow along given your methodological direction.”
This made a lot of sense to me. Everyone brings something to the table in a group interaction, and I happened to bring extroversion and organizational skills, both of which are ideal traits for project management, a leadership role. Since I felt confident that my process and road-mapping ideas would be sound, I leaned on these strengths to justify taking the lead on the consulting project. As I began to feel more comfortable taking the lead in group projects and class discussions, I no longer needed a reason to justify to myself that I am capable of leading.
And, I realized my “going first” approach has also extended to leadership outside of a business setting.
Five years ago as I stepped out of a Washington, D.C. subway train and walked towards the end of the station platform, a fistfight broke out between a haggard, older-looking fellow and a peppy, insubordinate-seeming youth. While they pranced around in an imaginary circle right next to the track with fists lifted and primed, my first reaction was to look around, hoping, wishing, for someone else to do something. Then, I remembered learning about the bystander apathy effect, which describes the phenomenon of how people may hesitate to offer help to endangered people if others are around. Refusing to validate the theory, I dashed to the subway station kiosk and notified the attendant, who then notified subway security to break up the fight.
Whether it’s a stymied class discussion, a group project meeting, or even an exceptionally hazardous scuffle, I not-so-quietly acknowledge my extroversion and tell myself, “You! Go first.”
ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors
Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE Great leadership includes the ability to write in a way that inspires and fosters teamwork. In collaboration with the Gotham Writers Workshop, students in the Kelley MBA Leadership Academy have produced a series of blog posts to demonstrate these skills.
Wouldn’t it be great to share your ideas so effectively that your mentees genuinely use them for their professional development? One of the most gratifying feelings a leader can have is helping a colleague or mentee succeed through effective and proper coaching. Even more gratifying is seeing mentees pay it forward by helping others because they felt inspired by your ideas.
Being able to inspire as a coach has been the most valuable experience I’ve had during the Coaching Track within the Kelley School MBA Leadership Academy. I accomplished this by following three simple, yet crucial, rules. These three golden rules can be mastered by any leader that wants to really inspire others.
1. Become an active listener.
Why do we always want to give the same advice to everyone that comes to us seeking guidance? No one person has the same goals as others, just as no one solution fixes all problems. No matter how skilled or experienced you are, always tailor a solution based on the needs, wants, and skills of each individual. The only way you can effectively accomplish this is through active listening.
Many problems also have many multiple potential solutions. Listen closely to understand the challenges to be able to provide good guidance on the best possible solution.
2. Build trust and credibility.
You might be great at active listening, but, if your mentees don’t value your credentials as a coach then they may discard your guidance.
Building credibility creates trust between you and your mentees. That trust is critical to ensuring your mentees genuinely see that you have their best interests in mind and the experience needed to provide valuable guidance.
3. Understand the difference between guidance and advice.
And, be able to use the right one at the right time. To guide means to provide a clear path for your mentee based on your mentee’s goals. Give your mentee a clear set of instructions or tool set that he or she can use to reach their goals.
Giving advice, on the other hand, means to share what you would do if you were in your mentee’s shoes. Advice does comes with a certain bias. The ways you might act may not be the best ways to act for your mentee. So, it is very important to separate these two concepts and be able to provide valuable guidance, while only giving advice when it is requested.
Normal 0 false false false ES-MX JA X-NONE When you genuinely practice these golden rules, not only will you contribute in the development of your mentee, but you might also inspire a leader to carry on with your ideas and help others achieve their own successful development. That is what I call going from moment to momentum.
ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors
Ashley Sprawls Not only is the Kelley MBA program among the top in the world, so is our location—Bloomington, Indiana. A top college town with an amazing college campus, Bloomington boasts natural beauty, a low cost of living, and is nationally noted as a best place for food, theater, music, and adventure.
In our ongoing #BtownAudit series, Kelley MBA students share some of their favorite things in Bloomington. Enjoy these top picks from Ashley Sprawls, MBA’16.
Vibe Yoga
I love yoga. It gives me energy, diffuses stress and is one form of exercise I actually really enjoy! Vibe Yoga Studio is my favorite place for yoga in Bloomington. Vibe offers a variety of classes – Vinyasa and Hatha styles, heated and non-heated, Pilates, yoga sculpt and meditation classes. And, the instructors are excellent. With such a busy schedule, I appreciate that the studio offers classes throughout the day (6 a.m. to 9 p.m.) as well as student discounts! Studio M Salon and my hair has looked wonderful ever since! Located downtown, the salon has an urban-chic atmosphere and several stylists who are exceptionally talented. Studio M Salon is definitely a one-stop shop with everything from cuts to color, styling to make-up. They also sell a variety of hair products and brands.
Lucky’s Market
Attention all foodies: Lucky’s Market in Bloomington is the place for you! Lucky’s Market is my favorite grocery store in Bloomington. They carry fresh produce, organic, specialty, gluten free and branded food items. The store also has an incredible selection of wine and craft beer. Lucky’s is great when I am in a hurry (which is always) with a full-service butcher shop, salad bar and made-to-order sandwich counter.
ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors
Cying Wu Not only is the Kelley MBA program among the top in the world, so is our location—Bloomington, Indiana. A top college town with an amazing college campus, Bloomington boasts natural beauty, a low cost of living, and is nationally noted as a best place for food, theater, music, and adventure.
In our ongoing #BtownAudit series, Kelley MBA students share some of their favorite things in Bloomington. Enjoy these top picks from Cying Wu, MBA’16.
Red Restaurant
Looking for an authentic Chinese food, Red Restaurant is the place to go. The restaurant does not have a noticeable sign outside. Most people would drive right pass by it. It'sa nice cozy restaurant that hides many delicious dishes. The diverse menu at Red Restaurant can definitely satisfy every flavor that you are craving that day – from braised fish with tofu, sautéed greens, and beef with hot and spicy cumin sauce to the hot pot, fried rice, and Asian sweets. If you have not had a chance to travel to China, Red Restaurant would certainly bring out the authentic Chinese vibe through their delicious food and welcoming staff. Santa Claus, IN when I interviewed a candidate for the GLOBASE Vietnam team. I have never been to Santa Claus, IN. But, I would like to visit there one day. I believe it would be a great place for kids to adventure – visiting the Santa's Candy Castle, exploring Santa Claus Museum & Village, and stopping by the one and only Santa Claus Post Office. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to visit while I was here. But, this is on my bucket list for when I come back and visit.
Lil Bub
If you asked me what animal I would want to be, I would tell you a puppy or a kitten that never grows up. Most of the time, people would tell me there is no way for this to happen. Lil BUB, she is actually the cutest kitten that makes me smile. Lil BUB was born in Bloomington, IN in July of 2011. Since then, she has become one of the most famous cats on the planet. BUB was born with a multitude of genetic anomalies, which all add up to one of nature'shappiest accidents. Looking at her YouTube clips online, it is hard not to notice her that she is full of wonder, always calm, and surprisingly comfortable and at peace in just about any situation. Her videos always keep me thinking that if she can overcome all her disabilities and troubles, there is no reason for me to stumble by my challenges in life.
ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors
Dan Pickering Not only is the Kelley MBA program among the top in the world, so is our location—Bloomington, Indiana. A top college town with an amazing college campus, Bloomington boasts natural beauty, a low cost of living, and is nationally noted as a best place for food, theater, music, and adventure.
In our ongoing #BtownAudit series, Kelley MBA students share some of their favorite things in Bloomington. Enjoy these top picks from Dan Pickering, MBA’16.
Memorial Stadium
Feeling the sun on your face on a crisp fall Saturday watching college football is a great experience, and Indiana Memorial Stadium is as good a spot as any to enjoy this. Don’t get me wrong, Hoosier fans definitely put basketball first, but they also love their football. The tree-lined, grass tailgate fields are full hours before kickoff, the team is on the upswing, and Coach Kevin Wilson has the team playing with record-setting offensive explosiveness that is really fun to watch.
Wapehani Mountain Bike Park is one of my favorite places for a quiet peaceful walk with my wife and dog. Serene hilly trails surround a lake that is beautiful in all seasons, but perhaps most of all in the winter when frozen and covered in snow. It’s been a unique spot for us to connect on the day-to-day and dream about the future.
IU Golf Course
Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE The IU Golf Course is the perfect retreat to get outside and enjoy a few hours with friends. With a lighted driving range for late evenings, a par 3 course for beginners, and a championship course that is rarely crowded, the IU Golf Course offers something for all types of players and occasions. My favorite part? Bring your student ID and walk the course for just $15.
ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors
Kendell Brown By Kendell Brown, Associate Director of Alumni Career Services
I’m often asked, “What should I be doing now to prepare for my career in the long term?” Time after time, my response is “networking!” Staying in touch with colleagues, friends and classmates to catch them up on what’s happening with you and learn about what’s going on with them is the single best thing you can do for your career.
No matter how you network—email updates, lunch chats, Friday phone calls—touching base keeps you and your skills top of mind with your network. Simply put, networking is the best way to prepare for an advancement opportunity or overcome an unexpected job loss.
website for event updates, archived webinars, worksheets and career management tools. If you are interested in discussing your personal career plans, please contact me.
ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors
Scott Mautz Guest blogger Scott Mautz, MBA’94 is an award-winning keynote speaker and 20+ year veteran of Procter & Gamble, where he currently runs the company's largest, multi-billion dollar business. He is also the author of the book Make It Matter: How Managers Can Motivate by Creating Meaning.
There is a silent, guiding force in your life that has more influence than you can imagine. We instinctively know the impact that friends and family have on how we live our lives. We know how powerful our dreams and aspirations can be for affecting how we carry on. We know how our desire to be healthy can affect our habits or how our romantic interest in someone can affect our behavior. All are forces in our world as seen and felt as a driving rain.
But do we ever stop to really consider how the assumptions we make shape and mold our actions, behaviors, and our lives? The impact is profound. Our assumptions can derail dreams, stop progress in its tracks, self-impose limits, create self-fulfilling prophecies, distort motives and harm relationships, kill creativity, and lead us down unwanted paths. Some assumptions we make with great awareness, many are on autopilot running our lives and guiding our decisions like a subconscious consigliere.
ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors
By Jonlee Andrews Faculty Chair of the Kelley Full-Time MBA Program Kelley School of Business As a Kelley MBA alum, you are a valuable part of the Full-Time MBA Program and our Kelley network. Your success is our success, and vice versa. Our commitment to your future—and your relationship with Kelley—continues long after you receive your degree.
In this letter, I will tell you about some recent changes to the MBA program. I hope it will give you a new perspective on the program and what’s happening in Bloomington.
My Goals My goals as chair are to bring in and train the absolute best MBA students; to support them while they’re here at Kelley; and to continue the relationship once they graduate. Our biggest measure of success is the success of our alumni—like you. These goals have resulted in a number of positive changes to the program (and many wonderful traditions remain). I’ll tell you about two of them below.
About 70 percent of first-year MBA students participate in a GLOBASE trip. It’s a global experience where students work directly with small businesses and nonprofits all over the world. This year, student teams worked in Vietnam, Ghana, Guatemala, India and the U.S. (with Native Americans). I’m sure those of you who participated in GLOBASE will agree that it’s a valuable—and eye-opening—leadership experience. We’ve also continued our business study (KIPs) trips. This year we visited companies in Paris, Brussels and Berlin. Next year, we head back to China!
Me, Inc., the brainchild of our Graduate Career Services coaches, enables our students identify their strengths and clarify their career goals, even before classes begin. Remember your first semester in the MBA program? It was intense! Without Me, Inc., when you got to internship interviews in January, you may not have had the time to learn how to best tell your story. Like many of you, most of our students are career switchers, and they need to know how to say, “Here’s what I used to do, here’s what I want to do in the future, and here’s why I’d be good at it.” Me, Inc. prepares students for those conversations with prospective employers.
There’s so much going on here! I look forward to sharing more updates about the program, our students and our alumni. Please contact me with any ideas. I’m always eager to listen.
With Kelley pride,
Jonlee Andrews MBA Program Chair Clinical Professor of Marketing and Nestlé Faculty Fellow
ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors
The ability to inspire and foster teamwork through writing is a trait of great leadership. Students in the Kelley MBA Leadership Academy, in collaboration with the Gotham Writers Workshop, have produced a series of blog posts to demonstrate these skills.
Jared Goldsmith Don Draper was a big part of my life for several months while I powered through eight seasons of Mad Men on Netflix. The drama of his messed-up personal life made me cringe on a regular basis, but I loved watching him at work. Whether he was motivating employees through means of unnecessary force or delivering a solid pitch to potential clients, I loved every minute of it.
Although I could probably write a novel titled, “Things to NOT do like Don Draper," there are some powerful lessons and words that he delivered that have helped me become a better leader and motivator.
“If you don’t like what’s being said, change the conversation.” I like this for many reasons, the first being action. How many times can we look back at situations in our careers and think of how we would have done things differently? The hard part about this is that we probably knew at the time that we should have taken action but instead settled for complacency.
Returning to business school was a difficult career decision, but looking back it was one of the best I have made. As I look back now it was a surefire way to “change the conversation.” I had reached a ceiling at work and wanted to get some official leadership experience. I had numerous leadership opportunities where I performed well, but when it came down to moving into an actual role I was having a hard time with my lack of official experience. (It’s so hard to get out of these circular patterns.) I knew I had to do something drastic, and that is how I ended up in the Kelley Full-Time MBA Program.
“You want some respect? Go out and get it for yourself!” I remember when I started my first “real job.” I had been through a pretty rigorous licensing period for a couple months and on my first day I thought I was the bee’s knees. I had a newly minted set of licenses and precisely zero hours on the job. I figured people would be knocking down the doors waiting to get my professional advice. Day 1 ... Day 2 ... and so on. I talked to people, but I wasn’t being treated like the professional that I certainly thought I was. I realized at that point that if I wanted to make myself better I had to do something to differentiate myself from the other license carrying people in my industry.
Action is the necessary key to getting respect. I had to be proactive and learn about people and put in the work before I could possibly gain respect. As I became more proactive and showed respect to the people that I wanted to be my clients, I became much more successful. Eventually after lots of action and learning, I had gained respect and people were seeking me to learn how I could help them improve their business.
I want to reiterate that there are numerous things about Don Draper that you shouldn’t pattern your life after, but he was a man of action. If Don wasn’t happy with a situation, he acted. He didn’t complacently sit around and wait for it to change. In our careers, and our lives, action is what drives us forward. At the time it may seem difficult to answer a call to action but it will pay serious career dividends in the end.
ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors
Rhea Mahato Great leadership includes the ability to write in a way that inspires and fosters teamwork. In collaboration with the Gotham Writers Workshop, students in the Kelley MBA Leadership Academy have produced a series of blog posts to demonstrate these skills.
“Go make us proud,” I heard my mom say as she bid me farewell at the airport. Going to live in a completely new country and pursuing an international MBA was as enthralling as it was intimidating. As my flight landed in Chicago and I looked outside the window, I realized “No going back now.” In India, I thought I was going to live for two years in a small city and I was preparing myself for a hectic two years of academic rigor.
Dream the impossible and plunge in its pursuit. I wanted to be a leader affecting sustainable economic and environmental change in the world. When I was packing to come to the Kelley Full-Time MBA Program, I believed the global exposure and business learning at Kelley would give me the skills to be able to do that after I graduate.
And boy—I was so right.
My leadership journey started right from the minute I walked in these halls.
Me, Inc. and learned that we first need to discover who we are and what we really want, and then train for it accordingly. Being a computer science engineer, all this business talk about strategy, accounting, finance, operations and marketing seemed like talk from another planet altogether. Amidst the myriad group and individual assignments and projects, I picked up the pieces and got a sense of the rigor of the MBA education.
I participated in the events and projects for my Consulting Academy and met corporate representatives over the numerous networking nights. Learning to recruit in a new environment did take me time, I must admit. But with the training I was getting, I learned to make my way through. It did seem pretty daunting in the beginning, but one must keep pushing through. Plunging forward is a life skill I used extensively in other pursuits as well, most memorably when I was training for the Hoosier Half Marathon.
At the end of the first semester, I received the Kelley Values Award for Collaboration amongst the first year class and I was left handsomely amused. The close-knit environment here made me right at home and I felt I had arrived.
Using the knowledge
And then came the mayhem of the student body elections. Our team got elected to represent the MBA Association. Being an international student, I was thrilled to work as the Vice President of Globalization & Inclusion. I was able to participate in important decisions that affected the student life and the different clubs at Kelley. I was so proud to lead the process of facilitating the inclusion of the international students and gearing them up with the right skills. Throughout the year, exchange students came to Kelley from across the world and I had to manage their integration into the Kelley environment in a short period of time. It was, almost comically for me, like a test of how well I was able to live up to the Indian saying, “Atithi Devo Bavah” (Guest is like God). Deciding how to promote diversity in the student body, not just through events but more importantly by helping to break stereotypes, was a big task for me and I believe it gave me the biggest learning opportunities.
Then came the GLOBASE trip. Working for a real-world business halfway across the world in Botswana was an experience I will cherish forever. Unlike the cases I had worked on before with big case studies and clear information, this was a small-scale firm that needed our help immensely and my team had very little to go forward with. Here we were trying to define our own path and our own challenges to solve the problems for our client, even some they didn’t know they had. This was a true test of our knowledge and leadership.
Taking the plunge
Often along the way, I stopped to question a few things happening around me. Trying to understand how this country worked was a herculean task in the beginning. But after participating in the Business & Policy Program in Washington D.C. and being able to meet the congressman from Bloomington, it was a rewarding experience for me. Working amidst students from different schools across the country, I could distinctly appreciate the leadership skills and confidence Kelley instills in us.
When we came back from our summer internships, it was time to pay it forward—helping the new class of MBAs settle in and help them wade through the challenges we were undertaking just a couple of months ago. During my conversations with my mentees, I often reminisced at how much I had learned in the last year working in so many different teams. Before Kelley, working as a scrum master in a Fortune 100 technology firm, I had experienced a flavor of leadership from bottom up in a corporate environment. But here at Kelley, I realized that leading amongst your own peers is actually not easy. Leadership opportunities come in different forms, phases and times—some direct, some indirect. What we need to do is be ready to take the plunge!
ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors
Kyle DeLapp Over the course of my two years in the Kelley Full-Time MBA Program, I've seen many examples of why this is a world-class program. The best example of this is the Global Business and Social Enterprise (GLOBASE) program.
I was fortunate enough to be involved as a participant and as a leader for GLOBASE Guatemala. It was one of the major reasons I came to Kelley and both years I found myself learning more about the world, how business works in different cultures and geographic regions, and how I fit into the mix. Here are a few things I took away from my experiences:
As a participant:
Business is UbiquitousBefore Kelley, I owned a perfume and fragrance business. Throughout my time there, I built relationships around the world and ran a supply chain spanning from China to the U.S. that ended to Dubai and Moscow. While in Guatemala, I was able to bring much of that expertise to the table and applied it to challenges my client was having importing products from China, Brazil and Spain. Interestingly enough, whether it's being practiced in a New York High rise, a developing nation, or in a volcanic crater, business is pervasive and instilled in every part of our lives. Sure, every business has unique attributes that create different challenges and opportunities, but the core operations span oceans, nations and cultures.
We live in a very low context culture where we’re solution driven, often self-starters who may have many relationships but few close ones. In Guatemala, the culture is very high context and relationships are the crux of interaction. During our first meeting, we focused as much as possible on building a relationship. We made small talk, asked about their families, their interests, and anything that might help establish familial, societal or economic connections. We may see this as a little too personal for our first meeting in the U.S. but it’s crucial to establishing trust within their society. Guatemala is a prime example of why it’s so important to understand your audience and how communication shapes relationships.
Be MECE (Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive)After I earn my MBA, my peers and I will be expected to solve complex, challenging problems. Oftentimes we will be expected to do this with little information and/or time. Many consultants practice the MECE principle and GLOBASE participants learn from a former Accenture manager and professor, John Wisneski, about how to identify root causes and issues so that the teams can focus their time and resources where it matters. I worked with Food Machine, an importer and distributor of commercial grade food machines, both years. With only seven weeks, my team was hard pressed to sift through different challenges faced by our client including working capital scheduling, variable demand and supply and inventory management. By using the MECE framework, my team was able to identify inventory management as the most significant root cause and provided updated inventory management systems and processes as well as historical and lead time analyses.
As a leader: It’s Difficult But Worth Every Second GLOBASE is one of the premier leadership development opportunities offered at Kelley. In collaboration with a faculty and a staff advisor, student leaders plan and execute all aspects of the GLOBASE course including developing course content, selecting and managing participants, selecting clients and scoping projects, assigning project teams and coaching participants, managing course budgets, and managing logistical aspects of course execution and travel. This wide range of responsibilities provides a unique, integrated leadership experience with the opportunity for substantial professional and personal growth.
Understanding Team Dynamics is Essential I led two teams, one dealing with internal customer identification and one with compensation structures. Starting off with a team charter, each team was able to identify their strengths and weaknesses, goals, priorities, and roles and responsibilities. While this can be a sensitive conversation, it helped set expectations and opened each participant to communicating with each other. Each team was unique in their own way and had vastly different team dynamics yet each built processes to manage conflict and identify and build pathways to success.
Good Leaders Shape Teams, But Team Empowerment is Key to Success There's always a healthy balance between leading and managing. Throughout the seven weeks, both teams walked through different frameworks to identify issues and opportunities with each business. Sometimes these conversations would happen organically and sometimes, as a leader, it was important to highlight certain elements that the team may have missed in their research. It was essential that both teams felt empowered to think differently and comfortable enough to explore the road less traveled. By creating an atmosphere where everyone’s voice can be heard, it can bolster a team’s creative power and enable a more complete and versatile solution.
ForumBlogs - GMAT Club’s latest feature blends timely Blog entries with forum discussions. Now GMAT Club Forums incorporate all relevant information from Student, Admissions blogs, Twitter, and other sources in one place. You no longer have to check and follow dozens of blogs, just subscribe to the relevant topics and forums on GMAT club or follow the posters and you will get email notifications when something new is posted. Add your blog to the list! and be featured to over 300,000 unique monthly visitors
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