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FROM The Oxford Comma: What Every Body is Saying by Joe Navarro |
Joe Navarro is an ex FBI agent who was a founding member of the FBI’s Behavioural Analysis Program. He was a body language expert who he used his ability to successfully identify suspects who were lying or attempting to conceal their involvement in any wrongdoing. In this book he draws from his years of experience to list the various ‘tells’ that different part of the human body exhibit and why they do so. I enjoyed the ‘why’ much more than the ‘what’ and therefore my summary is all about the ‘why’ but I think it’s worth a quick read if you are interested in understanding non verbal behaviour. Why ‘Tells’ Exist: When our ancestors encountered danger they were typically a few standard responses. Most of us are familiar with the first two – flight or fight. The third response – freeze is unfamiliar but actually the most common response to perceived danger. The modern incarnations of these responses and ‘pacifying’ behaviours that accompany them are the reason that these tells exist. Freezing is a mechanism that our ancestors deployed to make themselves less visible to perceived predators. Today we use it when we make ourselves small or perhaps unnoticed when we feel uncomfortable or threatened. The reverse is true, we make ourselves large to show dominance. Flight is another way to escape danger. While today, we cannot run away when uncomfortable, we try to cope by blocking behaviours such as looking away, closing our eyes, placing barriers between ourselves or leaning away from people. The feet are excellent indicators here – feet pointed towards exits or preparing to leave are clear signs that the person wants to end a conversation. Fight is the final option when facing a threat. Thankfully, it’s becoming quite rare and people tend to restrain or limit themselves. Pacifying behaviours are those that people deploy to calm themselves when they are agitated. Common pacifying behaviours include massaging the neck or touching their face. Since these behaviours are employed when a person is agitated, they provide valuable clues about their state of mind. |
FROM The Oxford Comma: Emotional Design by Don Norman |
I’m a big fan of “The Design of Everyday Things” by Don Norman so I picked up the sequel. When the author wrote DOET, he was was frustrated about the lack of importance given to behavioural or functional aspects of design. Therefore, that book is entirely composed of functional design critiques and advice. However, he received criticisms that he ignored the other aspects of design that he then addressed in this book. There are three aspects of design – visceral, behavioural, and reflective. Visceral is how a product looks, behavioural is about usability, and reflective is how it makes you feel. Take the teapot above for example. The author notes that he loves it, even though it’s hard to use. The unique look (visceral) and satisfaction (reflective) that it gives him more than make up for its behavioural deficiencies. Reflective: It’s the third component of design that the book spends most of its time on. Norman uses the example of souvenirs to highlight the role that emotions play in our attitude towards products. For e.g. souvenirs that look cheap and have little utility value are loved as they are usually associated with fond memories. Humans have an intrinsic need to create a sense of identity. They often purchase products that reflect their identity. This is reflected in the demand for branded goods that are often similar to cheaper generic versions. Brands exploit this by attaching emotions to their brands through advertising. Hence a brand such as Rolex will associate itself with top athletes to signal high class and success. Prior to reading this book, I had been puzzled by some of the design decisions made by Apple. For example, the mouse pictured above is usually panned for the fact that the side buttons are in fact not buttons but for design alone. After reading this book, I understood that the designers made a conscious decision to sacrifice functionality to appeal to the visceral and reflective aspects of the buyers. They went too far in my opinion, but I now understand why. Overall, the first few chapters were interesting, but the second half of the book that goes deep into the role of emotion bored me and I skimmed over most of it. It’s not a must read in my opinion. |
FROM Sheiquiroga: Before, During, and After I Land in Toronto |
Today's topic is about my plans on what I'll do to get equipped with Toronto life. Before I fly to Toronto, I have to make sure to do the following: 1. Print a detailed list of all the goods I'm bringing with me. We need to include the brand, item, qty and estimated price of each product. Tip: Use Excel for easier computation. 2. Prepare a hardcopy of contact list with Canadian address and other important info. 3. Bring a book or an e-reader, powerbank, and earphones to keep me sane during the flight. Don't forget to download series or movies beforehand! 4. Be sure to check all the travel documents. Put all the important ones for the border security in a separate folder: proof of funds, proof of housing, proof of mandatory work for internship, proof of my study, admissions letter etc. Arrival at the Pearson Airport 1. Be sure to not look nervous and suspicious in front of the officers. Act natural. 2. Answer Customs Form, Declaration Card and E677. Be sure to declare money if traveling for more than $10,000 CAD. There will be no taxes unless you fail to declare them, in which they will seize ALL your money and you have to pay them to get it back. https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications ... html 3. Don't exchange money at the airport. Some upper years warned us that the airport's exchange rate is around 5-10% higher than the actual market rate compared to banks' 2.5% exchange rate. 4. Get a student and work permit 5. Get SIN at the airport. 6. Travel via Uber using my home country's credit card. [Because I didn't change my money!] Arrival in Downtown Toronto 1. Get keys from Campus Coop. 2. [UofT Students] Get documents from SGS office with letter of acceptance, student permit, and passport. 3. [UofT Students] Get T-Card from school at Koffler Centre (214 College St.) 1st Floor behind Second Cup. 4. Deposit money in bank. Apply for a credit card. 5. [UofT Students] Set-up Laptop with UofT's IT department. 6. [UofT Students] Purchase a meal plan. https://ueat.utoronto.ca/meal-plans (You'll get useful vouchers too!) https://www.theexchangecafe.ca/ 7. Get an Ontario Photo Card, a useful government issued ID for official identification. https://www.ontario.ca/serviceontario 8. Buy a TTC card. 9. Buy a phone plan at Fido. 10. Buy a Zero water filter jug. 11. Buy home-related/everyday materials. 12. Buy books and a printer. 13. Buy groceries at No Frills -- one of the most affordable places to buy grocery items. 14. Register for Wushu (my personal sports) at Bamboo. Places to Shop A. Books 1. Campus Book Rental - Rent your textbooks! https://www.campusbookrentals.com 2. UofT Bookstore - https://uoftbookstore.com/textbooks/ B. Clothes: 1. Artizia 2. Wait for Cyber Monday in November for great discounts 3. Winners C. Everyday materials: 1. Amazon - They deliver the next day! 2. China Town Dollar Mart 3. Dollarama 4. Get an SPC card for discounts: https://www.spccard.ca/deals 5. Honest Ed's 6. Ikea 7. Metro - 10% student discounts during Tuesdays and Wednesdays D. Gadgets 1. Wait for Black Friday! https://shopbot.blackfriday/when-is-blac ... 017-canada Black Friday Upcoming Dates: November 24, 2017 November 23, 2018 November 29, 2019 November 27, 2020 Store Traffic During Black Friday Photo from: https://shopbot.blackfriday/when-is-black-friday-2017-canada Note: Many retailers start earlier! Line up as early as 5AM! E. Groceries: 1. Bulk Barn - 10% student discounts during Wednesdays 2. Chinatown - One of the Cheapest 3. Costco - You need a membership card and a car! 4. Gofresh - One of the Cheapest 5. Kensington Market 6. Loblaws - For premium shoppers 7. Lucky Moose Food Mart - For low carb alternatives 8. NoFrills - One of the Cheapest 9. St. Lawrence Market - Fresh but expensive Tips to Keep in Mind 1. Check out this site for free stuff! https://www.freestufffinder.ca 2. Don't bother to bring any kind of food to be sure. But if you do, be sure to DECLARE EVERYTHING. If not, you will surely face charges if the officer find some! Don't bother bringing any kind of meat, milk, and plant-based food. They will just get thrown into the international garbage. https://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/inform ... 9648516990 3. For restaurants, be sure to tip 15% before taxes and 13% tax. Again, the menu prices doesn't include taxes yet. 4. Grocery prices should be computed Price x 1.13, which means taxes are not yet included in tag prices. 5. No need to buy excessively thick comforters if your room has a heater. 6. Watch a lot of Border Security Videos so you know what to expect and you don't appear like a criminal bringing prohibited items with you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmR6Yxz9HB4 |
FROM Sheiquiroga: My Rotman MBA Interview |
I should have done this a long time ago, but since it's MBA recruitment season, here's my experience with the Interview. Timeline October 10, 2016 Submitted my application October 27, 2016 Ms. Tara Egan Wu invited me for an interview November 10, 2016 (12:00 PM) Interview day December 2, 2016 Tara internationally called me to let me know I got accepted with scholarship. How I prepared for the interview Clothes/Appearance Have a go-to outfit for all your interviews, so you worry one less thing every time someone invites you for one. 1. A nice black dress 2. A blazer I wore this even though it's very hot in the Philippines because I still need to project a professional impression. 3. 3-inch black satin high heels I'm a very short person. I'm actually a bit scared of standing beside my North American classmates. Ha! Ha! 4. Light to moderate make-up 5. Tied my hair into a bun 6. Nice bag that could fit all my important documents 7. Silver watch 8. Silver Necklace 9. Extra flat shoes for change after my interview! My Go-to Outfit for All My Interviews Interview Preparation 1. If you still have time, I suggest you create a set of MBA questions and answers to review. This really helped me because it made me confident that I could answer a lot of questions. I tried to memorize them, but I constantly reminded myself to not deliver the answers word per word during the interview to avoid the robotic presentation. Visit this article to prepare for the interview: 125 MBA Interview Questions 2. Know the school's website fourfold and read the student's blogs (Such as mine! Teehee!). You don't want the interviewer noticing that you never fully researched about the school. 3. Do a mock up interview with your friend. It's awkward, right? But it's going to feel a lot more awkward in the actual interview. So push yourself and overcome! 4. Prepare to bring your resume, ID, and other documents in a nice folder. 5. Enjoy the interview and SMILE!!! :D Remember that Tara won't invite you for an interview unless she sees that you are really great. The Interview Tara interviewed me in-person at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. We ended up conducting the interview at the lobby/cafe of the area because the conference rooms were being used by QS MBA for its preparation. I must say that Tara visiting me in my country made me 30% more nearly sure to choose Rotman. We communicated via E-mail to meet up with each other, so prepare your mobile data! When I met her, I gave her a firm handshake and thanked her for this opportunity. I asked her how is she and how she finds the Philippines so far. Moreover, I also suggested some places for her to visit the next time she comes back here. She ordered a cup of tea, but I passed because my mind is so focused on the interview itself. There were a lot of questions, but what I remembered were the following:1. She let me introduce myself first. 2. What accomplishment on your resume are you most proud of? 3. In what extracurricular activities were you involved during college? 4. What do you do exactly in your position? 5. I told her I convinced my president to increase the marketing budget in the company, so she asked me how I did that and what specific things I did. 6. What are your strengths and weaknesses? 7. What are your hobbies? 8. I think she also asked what my family does. 9. Why do you feel you need an MBA now? 10. Why do you want to study in Canada? 11. What specifically about our program attracted you to it? 12. What are your motivations and career goals? 13. What are your future plans immediately after MBA? Will you go back to your country or stay in Canada? 14. Will you continue to operate your business while having your MBA? 15. What schools did you applied to? (I enumerated them but said, "But my top choice is Rotman because _____." 16. Give me 3-5 words to describe yourself. 17. What is missing between who you are now and the CEO you want to be? How are you developing these traits? 18. Why is teamwork important? 19. How will you contribute to Rotman? 20. Anything you want to say to AdCom? 21. How are you going to finance your MBA? (I think she asked this because of the scholarship.) 22. Any questions? Prepare 3-5 questions because one question feels so awkward when you are in the interview itself. Tara is very kind in my opinion, but you could really feel her professionalism, of course. I was so nervous the whole time because I don't really do great in interviews since I don't like talking about myself. Thankfully, I still got accepted! Later that day in the afternoon, I joined QS MBA fair and talks. Tara conducted her talk too. Both Rotman and Schulich presented their MBA offerings, but, at that time, I was convinced that Rotman is the one that I want because of Tara's presentation. During the fair itself, I intended to talk with her more, but she was so busy talking to other interested students that I just bid a sweet goodbye to her and told her again how thankful I am for the opportunity. Thank You Letter When I got home, I started creating my 'Thank you Letter'. Do reiterate the highlights of your interview and your magic points, so she could remember your more distinctly! 10 November 2016 Ms. Tara Egan Wu Rotman School of Management University of Toronto Dear Ms. Tara, It was a great pleasure meeting you today. Again, thank you so much for inviting me for this interview and for giving me a vivid idea of how my life would look like at Rotman. Your personal advices about the jacket and the clubs that I could join and possibly set-up gave me a clearer path to take if given the opportunity to attend Rotman. Lastly, learning more about the school during your talk at the fair gave me further insights and better perspective about Rotman's culture. I am pretty convinced that Rotman is the best school that fits my needs to succeed. As a whole, our conversation furthered my interest in joining this institution and I'm really excited to hopefully begin my journey in this innovative school, which would greatly hone my skills and confidence into designing a company that would solve our country's biggest problem. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am looking forward to meeting you again in Toronto! Best Regards, Sheila Quiroga +639353018411 When Tara called me that I got accepted, I was speechless. I really did not expect it. I'm a very pessimistic person, and I was really panicking that I might not get into an MBA for 2017. I attended my church meetings more frequently after this to thank the Lord. Finally accepted! This treasure made me so happy. Two weeks later, as I opened our gate, I thought I saw another bill inserted. To my surprise, I received another sweet gesture from University of Toronto. Very touching move and much appreciated! Thank you! Happy holidays everyone! So that's it! Good luck everyone and feel free to ask me questions. I'm not a professional MBA counselor, but I'll be more than willing to share my experience because I know how it feels to be so helpless! Love, Wondersuite |
FROM Sheiquiroga: Rotman Pre-MBA Schedule |
Time flies so fast, and I think someone put my July into Fast-forward mode just like that! It's only 10 days til I fly to Toronto! In preparation, I started to do Rotman's online video courses. At first, we had some problems in buffering the videos because they were in Ultra HD quality! (Okay, maybe it's not really Ultra.) And say hello to the Philippines' fastest average internet speed of "UP TO" 1 to 2 MBPS. A lot of students reported it to Rotman's IT desk, and they were quick to change the server into Youtube, in which we can easily adjust the video into a lower quality version. This is Professor Mikhail Simutin teaching the basic of Finance. My favorite courses in the pre-MBA were Finance Methods and Concepts in Finance. My background is purely marketing and I was really longing to understand more about Finance since I know it's extremely important even if I'm not going into that track. Back in college, we took some Finance courses, but I really did not get a full grasp of what the professors were teaching. However, in the Rotman videos, the professors explained the topics crystal clear! I just fell in love with Rotman more! To those who are not a fan of online videos (those who will just fall asleep because of lack of human contact), Rotman still got your back! They prepared a wide range of in-class Pre-MBA courses including co-curricular activities, such as the Self-development Lab, Heavy Data Analysis using Excel, Resume Workshop, and Business Writing. Note: You are discouraged from taking these courses if you did well in the Self-Assessment Test or if you finished the online courses. The courses are exactly the same with the online videos. However, I'll still join here because I'm so excited to meet and mingle with my classmates! This is my August Pre-MBA schedule! Take note that Bamboo Kungfu is not part of Rotman. Click on the image for better quality! It was a challenge to mix and match the sections in order to match my schedule while still joining all of the pre-MBA courses! If you have not enrolled yet here, here's my section schedule that would allow you to join every single course here: Section 1 SDL: Voicing Yourself (10 AM) Admin Session (Aug 8, 12:10 PM) Finance Method (10 AM) Industry Driven Seminar Business Writing (1 PM) Section 2 Business Math (1 PM) SDL Self Management (3:30 PM) Statistics (1PM) Section 3 Foundations of Accounting (6:30 PM) Concepts in Finance (10 AM) DA & BM Level 1 (6:30 PM) Business Writing (6:30 PM) Section 4 DA & BM Level 2 (10 AM) Resume Workshop (3:30 PM) More on actual pre-MBA courses soon when I arrive there! Love, Wondersuite |
FROM Sheiquiroga: Actual Experience at the Port of Entry - Pearson Airport |
Hooray! I made it to my room in Toronto! I'm going to tell you about what happened when I landed at the Pearson Airport. I did not take pictures of the process because I'm not sure whether it's allowed. First impression of Canada: EXTREMELY DIVERSE! In our line, there were Mexicans, Chinese, Indians, Koreans, Americans, and Filipinos. The scene was so beautiful! Right after we landed The stewardess gave us a Declaration Card before we landed. I filled it up and ticked "NO" to all the questions. However, I ended up not using this card because the technology in that airport is so advanced that they have their own machine just for the declaration card. We had to fall in long lines along with different people from different countries. When a machine turns "Green" (meaning "Available"), we could proceed to use it. Please prepare your passport because you have to scan it on the machine. Then, the machine will automatically adjust to take your photo. Get the receipt and don't forget to claim your passport! Afterwards, you have to fall in line again and show the receipt to the officer who will ask you questions about what you are doing in Canada. I told him that I'm an MBA student at UofT. He, then, instructed me to proceed to the immigration first at the left side of the hallway. Keep the receipt because you have to give it to the officer before you leave the premises. There were two lines in the immigration. If you are on a student visa, proceed to the other side of the room and fall in line. The immigration officer would call you if it's your turn. Please prepare your important documents, such as passport, offer of admission, Canadian address, proof of school deposit, proof of financial capability. I heard in another counter that the officer is asking about the work plans of the student. "Do you plan to work for 10 hrs a week? 40 hrs a week?" Just prepare to answer these kinds of questions just in case. But try to relax! On the rightmost side of the room, there lies Service Canada, where you could get your SIN number. A woman will give you a small form to fill up along with your number. Just wait for your number to be called and show your documents to the person. Then, exit the room to claim your baggages. At the end of the exit, submit the declaration receipt to the officer. I tried to use the airport's internet to book an Uber, but I could not connect properly. So, I ended up going to Exit F to grab a cab for $65 + $5 tip. Exchange rate of USD to CAD is at 1.09 at the airport. Bank of Montreal's exchange rate is at 1.25. What did not happen -Officers did not manually check the contents of my bags. -Officers did not request for the list of contents of my bags. -Officers did not check whether I have money and funds with me. |
FROM Sheiquiroga: First Day of Rotman Pre-MBA |
Photo from Rotman Website August 8, 2017. Today is the day we've all been waiting for. After series of painful school admission process and nerve-wracking Visa waiting times, we've all made it to the No. 1 Business School in Canada, the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto! I. Welcome Breakfast For the coming batches of 2020, and so on, arrive a little bit earlier if you want to eat more food! You won't have the time to actually eat because you will be so busy meeting everyone in person! And once the program starts, it would feel awkward to grab food into your mouth! Quick recap: What happened in this program was that those Kira video questions that we were asked for the admission were asked towards the AdCom. Then, we answered the same questions in our table. We finally met the 6 Squad in person as well, and they gave us tips and more information on the upcoming battle that we're about to face. II. Quick Recap and Outline (August 8, 2017) 1. Self-Development Lab: Voicing Yourself MAIN POINT: Your thinking, breathing, speaking and body must all be connected. Many intelligent people are disconnected from their bodies, but the body should not be disconnected. We became silenced by technology thru text, headphones and always sitting on chairs in front of the computer. Speaking is based on breath. You hold your breath to protect, in which your muscles become tight. To communicate well, your whole body including your spine and other bones must be a part of you. Bodies know how to read bodies. They know what you are feeling. They know when you are lying. Sensation travels body to body. Yup, that's right, we don't have our shoes on. We are not even supposed to wear skirts and belts. Speech can override the body. We can lie and articulate something else that brings about more separation between thinking and body. In your body, there is your experience. Stand in front of people and truly explain yourself. Let fear go away. Be effective and creative. There will be fear in job interviews. However, there are tools you can use without being corroded by the nervous system. We all learn from each other. Actors need this training (SDL). We (Rotman students) also need this because we are all human beings. There's no sound in outer space. There's only sound in the Earth. There's no same voice. Something is lost if you don't voice yourself. You need a good kind of training (like this session). You don't want to be like a monkey training in a circus. Thoughts are in the spine, arms and legs. THINKING EMOTIONAL BODY, ACTION, WILL Speaking - we could put them into one. When you speak, you feel fulfillment. To create a good argument, you have to have all three of these. She asked us to answer the following questions: 1. What's the difference when I speak when I mean what I say versus when I don't mean what I say? 2. When I lie and don't speak my experience, what does it feels like versus when I speak my experience? 3. There are ideas about thinking and body. Are they connected or not? If yes, how are they connected? 4. When were all still children, we could voice out and express our feelings freely. As we went on with our lives, there were "Shut up Judges" that we've encountered. They could be your parents, family, society, and culture. Who are they in your lives? List their names down. 5. Who does my voice copy? What do I want my voice to sound like? 6. What is presence? What is charisma? TIP: For women, don't use high heels for presentation. Use flat shoes, so you will be more connected to the ground and be solid with the ground. The instructor let us feel our breath in all parts of the body. (She let us imagine that our feet are also breathing.) She also instructed us to feel the vibration of our voice in all parts of the body. We stood on chairs for different kinds of exercises. We also practiced speaking by humming a lot of times. "Hummm, hummm, hummm, humm maaa, humm meei, humm miii, humm mou, humm mu, humm ma, humma one, humma two, humma three, humma red, humma blue, humma green, I am here." We pushed our cheekbones, then released it. And pushed it again, now more towards the ears, then released it again. We read two passages and the take away is that you have to be relaxed and kind of sleepy. Open your mouth, don't let your jaw locked when you speak, soften your knees when speaking, and don't stand with your shoulders all arch backward because people won't listen to you when you look so proud. 2. Business Math Me with Andrew and Rene! <3 (Photo by Ronald Replan) If you are a little rusty in math, it might be a good idea to get this course because the professor tackled other parts of the subject that weren't discussed in the online video session. We discussed about Linear, Quadratic, Exponential and Logarithmic functions. All of the notes were printed in the handout that they gave us. 3. Self-Development Lab: Self-Management i. Who decides? With regards to position of power? -Authority given by those for whom you work. With regards to personality/character? -Authority given by those who work for you. ii. Executives as leaders Alexander the Great was followed by soldiers for 10 years. (Had character and power) iii. Personality Characteristics You develop the ff. characteristics; they are not an inborn attribute. However, there can be unstable moments of leadership. For instance, Alexander was not followed after 10 years because he changed. Instinct - Personal Mastery / Self-Management Charisma - Personal Mastery / Self-Management Courage - Choice Architecture Integrity - Choice Architecture Vision - Choice Architecture These characteristics are not stable. They change. iv. Mind, emotion and will a. Models of Mind -The trouble with mind: Garbage in, garbage out. b. Mind: Experiential Model Random thoughts that occupy a person that makes him not use his 100% brain capacity: 1. Performance anxiety 2. Debt 3. Worries about health 4. Spat with your partner 5. A new career move 6. Your past Because of these things, there is less space for the important things. You have to work with more of your mind. c. Structural Model We have multiple minds. The main three kinds are the conscious, unconscious and the meta-mind. 1. Conscious Mind The magic number is 7 +/- 2 (Read as seven plus or minus two). This is the capacity of your short term memory. A person cannot process more than 7 things at the same time. You can memorize cellphone numbers that are more than 7 if you group them into chunks 416 555 5555 (There are three chunks, so they are not 10 things. You consider "416" as one unit.) 7 +/- 2 - Chunking - Limited capacity - 40 bit of info - Not for survival - Only for solving - Great with numbers - Effortful - takes a lot of energy - Linear Processing - You are just moving at a faster rate 7 +/- 2 (things that may occupy) -Regrets -Worries -Perception -Motivation -Goals -Plans -Skills 2. Unconscious Mind - Collecting info with focus of conscious mind without any effort. - We can't find the capacity. There's a potentially infinite capacity. - 11, 200, 000 bits / s-40 - Effortless - Parallel Processing - Inaccessible - Atemporal - One thought will repeat many many times. If you have a To-do list, it will keep messaging you because we don't do it. If we know that our mind will remind us just once, we'll probably to it immediately. We feel like we are doing something when the mind reminds us; thus, relieving our anxiety. Relieves anxiety - Does not understand numbers except for this "instinct of numbers" from traders/ investors who have a lot of experiences. Unconscious Mind (things that may occupy) -Preoccupation -Goal -Motivation 3. Meta-mind - in between the conscious and unconscious mind. It's partially conscious and partially unconscious. It acts when there is some kind of trouble. For instance, when you are dancing or having an interview, there's this little voice that says in your head, "Oh, no! OMG! Why am I here? What did that facial expression mean??" -Automaticity -High cost of cognitive control -Leakage when stressed, tired, or intoxicated -"I didn't mean to say that." (You actually meant what you said, but you try to keep it down.) d. When is the conscious choice better? - Unusual condition - New situation / new data - More time - Doesn't matter - Other people - Being in the moment - Emotional - Overwhelming - Priorities/values - Distortion/biases - Value (Can be both conscious and unconscious) e. Is the unconscious always better? No Boundary conditions: 1. Limited vs. self-paced time - Unconscious is better for little time. 2. Magnitude vs a number of binary attributes 3. No data 4. A distorted unconscious f. Emotion - signalling to ourselves We have very few positive emotions because when we are a very happy person about everything whether we had a good or bad decision, we tend to not reach our goals because we don't care. This is bad for you. Negative emotions will tell you that you are not going to your goal, but you have to go to the root of your emotion. You should either ignore or suppress emotion. Function of emotion is that it provides incentive and energy for action. g. Aspects of Emotion 1. Perception 2. Appraisal (You have to pause after appraisal.) 3. Action tendency - might misinterpret 1 and 2 and lead to bad consequence. h. Mystery mood - When emotions are prompted by unconscious motivations and goals, we tend to come up with reasons for the emotions. i. Others When you list pros and cons, you already know the answer that you want to choose before you list them down. You just want your choices to make sense and provide reasons. Thought is different from thinking. 4. Data Analysis and Business Modelling - Level 1 (Excel course) Photo by Gian Nicola Botto You have to download the files from RWorld. It's hard to describe the lessons in this article because you really want to put it into practice, but the professor gave us a lot of cool tricks in Excel. Samples of what Conditional Formatting can do for you: MAIN POINT: The important thing as MBA students is that we know how to analyze data instantly for our clients. Other people from different functions will be the one to gather the data and even create algorithms. However, what we are paid for to do is to get meaningful insights out of these data! Disclaimer: Main contents of this article were all from Rotman professors. Sorry in advanced if you find that the lessons are not that clear in here. III. Admin Session Like what another alumnus blogger said, these are the most expensive tumbler and bag I'll ever purchase. Costs me a hundred dollar grand. These are what the inside of the bag looks like. It can hold your tablet and another 15-inch laptop. (Perfect for mine!) What I've noticed about the building is the tremendous number of lockers! As an MBA student, we are all eligible for "free" lockers to use. They are quite spacious and height is good. You can even hang your formal business suits. However, the lock was a pain to figure out. Dan Ger, my classmate, said, "This is even harder than the GMAT itself." Ha! Ha! My locker is located on that black "wall". IV. Welcome Rendezvous! Photo by Gian Nicola Botto At 5:30 PM, we had this event, in which we were offered with a lot of food. I was sooo hungry because I wasn't able to take my lunch and I had a half-eaten breakfast early in the morning. The upper batch was really sweet because most of them asked their employers to let them leave their office a bit earlier just to chat and mingle with our batch. They offered us a lot of great insights and tips. So that concludes our first day at Rotman! Hope you enjoyed reading this! Love, Wondersuite |
FROM Sheiquiroga: Entering Through Another Province of Canada (Sasketchewan) |
by our Filipino guest writer from Rotman 2019, Ronald Replan Congratulations, you have received your student visa from CIC! The next step is planning how you will get to Canada. Normally, your point of entry is the city where the business school is located. However, in some cases, you might enter through a different province because of the following reasons: 1. You will visit friends and family or to go on vacation. 2. The cheapest flight you found has a layover in a different airport first. In my case, I wanted to visit friends in Saskatchewan before heading to Toronto so my point of entry was Saskatoon. Your point of entry is important because this is where you'll deal with the immigration officer, the authority in-charge of deciding whether you are clear to enter the country. DOCUMENTS Besides your student visa, you will be asked for additional documents at the Immigration so have the following ready: 1. Acceptance letter 2. Proof of funding 3. CIC's letter of student permit approval 4. Immunization certificate (if applicable) 5. If you don't have a connecting flight to your final destination yet, tell your story and what you will do there in the meantime. Show the officer where you will live and when you plan to fly out. 6. Printout of important e-mail related to your schooling These are pretty much every file you submitted for your visa application. CUSTOMS TIP: If you want to simplify your entry, do not bring items that you will have to declare to customs (see below). These items are: a. Firearms or other weapons (e.g. switchblades, Mace or pepper spray) b. Commercial goods, whether or not for resale (e.g. samples, tools, equipment). c. Meat, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, plants, flowers, wood, animals, birds, insects, and any parts, products or by-products of any of the foregoing. d. Currency and/or monetary instruments totaling CAN$10,000 or more * One person had to give up flower bulbs (so yes, take these things seriously!) STEPS Here is the blow-by-blow of my experience at the Saskatoon Immigration: 1. After the plane landed, I walked to the Immigration booth and I immediately said "Here on a student visa. I will take up my MBA at the U of T but I am here to visit xxx for a few weeks" 2. Immediately, the officer asked me to move to the side (I expected this because student visas are processed differently and the process takes much longer than a tourist entry). On my way to her office, I picked up my luggage from the carousel. 3. She asked me for my passport and supporting documents. It will be beneficial to you to have as many supporting documents in your carry-on as possible. I prepared everything even those they may not ask for. 4. The waiting time was about 45 minutes after which the officer came back with two pieces of paper- my student permit and my co-op work permit. These two sheets of paper are as important as the visa on your passport. You will need them to get your Social Insurance Number and when you re-enter Canada. 5. She asked what's in my luggage and I told her they were just books - then I was good to go! Love, Ronald Replan |
FROM NandoParrado: Final musings |
I am starting this final blog post on a plane from Italy to California, ready for my post-MBA job at Netflix after a long summer vacation. It’s unreal to think that two years at Stanford already flew by! At the … Continue reading → |
FROM Sheiquiroga: First Survival Month with Rotman Pre-MBA Courses |
Pre-MBA courses looks chill, right? Nope. I took all the courses offered for Pre-MBA because of the following reasons: I wanted to maximize my $5,000 deposit, I was so excited to meet my classmates, and I need a refresher in all of these subjects. However, I found myself extremely exhausted this month. I had classes until 8:30 PM. I had one 6-hour Excel class during a Sunday, and I constantly found myself in social/networking events in the morning and at night. Honestly, I have no idea how we all survived up to this date. For future Rotman students, if you do not have anything to do while waiting for the pre-MBA courses, start improving your Excel capabilities and start reading books! (Books to Read Before Your MBA) If you are targeting consulting and has a GMAT score of lower than 700, it might be a good idea to start reviewing for a retake. (Yeah, I'm so sorry to be the one to deliver this bad news.) Also, be prepared to do a lot of networking events. You'll eventually find yourself becoming more of an extrovert as time passes by. I. Self-development A. Self-development Lab: Voicing Yourself If you want to have fun while improving your presentation skills, I recommend that you take this class. 1. Various Exercises on the Floor Can you find the girl in navy blue checkered shirt? That's me lying down on Rotman's floor. Photo by Ronald Replan a. Lie down. Lift up one leg towards your chest. Then, move your leg sidewards. Bring it back to the center; then, throw it away as you bring it back to the floor. b. Lie down. Lift up two legs towards your chest. Move your legs sidewards. Then, stretch your hand above your head on the floor. And rotate your hand like a helicopter's rotor blade. 2. Sound Exercises Imagine a/an a. jewel on your b. body part and try to emit the c. sound using that body part as a resonator. Focus the vibration on that body part. 1. a. Ruby b. Belly Resonator c. Uuuuu 2. a. Gold b. Solar Plex Resonator c. Oooooo 3. a. Emerald b. Chest Resonator c. Aaaaaa 4. a. Purple crystal b. Head Resonator c. Iiiiii Now, imagine a hot potato inside your mouth. Raise the root of the mouth. This is how you produce a loud voice. 3. Things You Should Pay More Attention to a. Feet b. Hand c. Back Rib d. Rotating your hand e. Rib Massage f. Reaching up the pipe g. Breathe easier h. Soft knees i. Eye Contact j. Jaw release k. Pelvic tilt l. Root of the mouth = more volume, more sound 4. Rhythm and Vocalization We also did this crazy rhythm marching that we enjoyed. We were assigned specific numbers: 4, 3, and 5. Let's say I was assigned 4. On the first count, 1, step your right foot forward, let your left foot stomp on its current place, bring your right foot back, and stomp your left foot again. Repeat the cycle. At first, we all cannot do it properly because it was too funny when you try to do it, especially together with your classmates. We had a series of practice, and everyone improved so fast. When we were able to do it properly, you could just see the joy in every person's face. It was one of our unforgettable experience as a class team. Afterwards, we had another voicing activity using the following chants: Va Room Ba Va Room Ba Ley Va Room Ba Ley Tush Va Room Ba Ley Tush Ka Va Room Ba Ley Tush Ka Pu No Sey *Bring your hand up and slowly throw it down while speaking the last part of each line. No Sey Rebeley Tush No Sey Rebeley Ka No Sey Ra 5. Literature and Presentation Jason Chin speaking one line from Hamlet The latter parts of the class were always dedicated to some literature. We read aloud parts of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and Hamlet and whispered them to people with their eyes closed. We also tried to become lawyers defending why or why should not Hamlet kill himself. Just little kids listening to their teacher attentively Our professor also told us an extremely tragic myth that she divided into multiple parts. We were supposed to print our own image in our mind as she told the story. She said that it was a very important training to make picturing as a skill and that education tends to wipe it up, but it is like a plant that needs a little bit of watering to bring it back. She asked us to retell the story to our partner and try to recall a time when we experienced the same situation/tragedy in our lives. The conversations between each partners became so intense and people got caught up. Some were still staying at their place to continue to hear about his/her partner's story even though the professor was already calling us to gather again to listen to the next part of the tragic story. 6. Other Key Takeaways:
B. Self-development Lab: Self-management As a first year MBA student, have you noticed that the school hardly gave us personality tests to answer? The professor here explained that doing these tests will easily put you into a box, such as introvert or extrovert. She said that if you're in a box, it would be hard to get you out of the box. Rotman wants you to change and improve for the better, and putting yourself in a box would make it harder for everyone else. In this SDL session, the professor gave us a lot of psychological insights that allow us to learn more about how our mind works and how to release the inner leader in us. For future students, I highly recommend you to take this class. It will surely be your lost if you don't attend this class, unless you came from a psychology background. The professor taught as a lot of techniques for change. One example is writing about incidents that you constantly remember in your mind. You can write about any unresolved issue, trauma, situations that you were bullied, and even times when you were at fault. You have to do it for 15 minutes a day for four consecutive days. However, you need a new way of looking at it for you to make this exercise work. Also, this thing works because there is always a child inside our mind who still view things in a child's perspective. Henceforth, you need to act as an adult who tells your child/sibling the right way of looking at/handling a certain situation. Next, another example is the deathbed exercise, in which you just lie down like a dead person. Imagine that you lived a long life and things ended up just as planned. Then, write any regrets, and list "I wish I had" as many as you can. Other key takeaways:
C. Resume Workshop Vmock Example Before you meet your career coach, you are expected to edit your resume into the Rotman template. You have to register in this website: https://www.vmock.com and get a grade of at least 70% before you meet your coach. You only have a maximum of 10 attempts to do it, and it made me a bit nervous while doing it. This website will teach the important things that you need to observe in order to improve your resume, such as the quantification of your impacts in your workplace. In the first half of the Resume Workshop, the professor discussed the important things that one should put in the resume, such as using good action verbs. The career director also joined us and provided some insight on how Rotman's resume bank works. For the other half of the session, we just reviewed the resume of one another. D. Business Writing a. Business Writing for Non-native English Speakers b. Business Writing for Native English Speakers If you do not want to die out of boredom, please just attend one business writing class. I've attended both and they had the same points. The native one used deeper and technical words while the non-native one is much easier to understand for my background as an international student. Please do not be misled by the title, "Business Writing", since they mostly talked about proper e-mail etiquette and how to make effective e-mails, and not whatever it is that you are imagining. Key takeaways
E. Rotman Write Now Speaker: Christopher Buccella Thanks to Christopher Buccella, a freelancer, who helps MBA students plan and edit their resume, cover letters, and even their papers. According to him, he is just an additional eye to your paperworks and is not affiliated with PSO/Rotman. However, you have to book a schedule with him 24 hrs before the date at rotmanwritenow.setmore.com. Email: buccellachristopher@gmail.com F. Academic Integrity This will be uploaded in the edX video site that we all visited before coming to Rotman. You have to spend 2-3 hours to listen to the videos. In each section, there are short essays, quizzes, and additional information that you need to ensure you won't commit offenses, such as plagiarism. There is also a final quiz at the end of the program, in which you need to get a score of 8 out of 10! I'm not sure what will happen if you fail, so pay attention to those videos! G. COMPASS McKinsey Consulting Workshop What better way to spend your time than starting your Foundations Term with a McKinsey Case Workshop? Yes! That's right. McKinsey consultants visited us to help us prepare our analysis and recommendations for Non-Profit Organizations, namely, Evergreen, Stopgap Foundation, and Right to Play. The consultants taught us how they handle a certain case and what techniques they usually use. We had less than a day to come up with good and useful recommendations while applying all of their consulting techniques. We then presented in front of our classmates and McKinsey consultants, in which we voted for the top two groups to present to everyone at the Fleck Atrium. Our representatives from Evergreen! After two days, we all received the comments/feedbacks of different groups regarding our presentation. All the comments were honest and helpful in improving our presentations! II. Subjects I've taken both the online courses and the actual courses in order to give you a holistic review and finally answer the question: What is the difference between the online and the actual!? My answer is that there are a lot of similarities in their presentations and topics covered. However, it was much more engaging to study them in class setting. The professors were able to explain certain topics deeper versus somewhat having a script for a video. Naturally, the professors delivered the topics livelier. In addition, you can ask a lot of questions from them and even learn from the questions of your classmates. A. Business Math We tackled exactly the same topics in both online and actual class. The difference between the classes was that there were more practice questions during the class. The advantage of the online course here is that you can increase the speed of the video. The professor purposely covered the lesson in a slow pace for all the beginners to catch up; thus, math geeks will tend to get bored in this class. WINNER: Actual Class B. Finance Methods In this subject, the professor covered more in the online videos. He was able to discuss more about coupons, which he did not in the actual classes because he only had 3 days to cover this Finance class. WINNER: Online Class C. Concepts in Finance If you have no idea what bonds, coupon bonds, and stocks are and how they work, take this class because the professor here makes complex concepts look so easy. WINNER: Actual Class D. Statistics If you've taken statistics courses and still remember them, I don't recommend you to attend the first 2 days of this course because the topics covered here were extremely basic, such as relative frequency, histogram, and descriptive statistics. The online courses also covered extremely basic statistics. So the difference lies on the third day of class, the professor covered different kinds of distributions, such as Poisson, Binomial, and Normal Distributions that were not explained in the online courses. He covered these confidence interval, z-values, and probabilities that you might have heard before in your previous Statistics classes. Also, the slides were all provided in Rworld. WINNER: Actual Class E. Foundations of Accounting The professor here was way much more engaging in the actual class. The online course covered basic accounting and fewer in analyzing. However, in the actual class, there was much more analysis of the cases. The professor was able to explain to us the reasoning behind the accounting formats and equations. I believe a lot of our classmates really enjoyed his sessions and learned a lot even though some knew accounting before. I even had classmates who were unhappy that they will not have this professor to teach their sections. WINNER: Actual Class F. Data Analysis & Business Model (Excel Course) If you think you are extremely proficient in Excel, please try to lower your pride and come to this class. The professor is extremely good! I would describe him as someone who can teach like there's always a camera recording him. He rarely stutters and commits mistakes when speaking. When I was listening to him, I was thinking that I was watching a post-edited educational Excel video. And true enough, Rotman was recording his class through a motion-sensitive camera built-in our classrooms (Yeah, that's how cool Rotman is. And you might want to be more careful in your actions in class since it might be always recording us!). I also watched this Excel online class even after the actual class just to compare. As a review, it was harder to follow the course online. The Excel view lags and skips certain portions. For instance, the professor might be clicking in one sheet and then decided to make some change in another sheet. I noticed that the mouse pointer would remain in one place in the first sheet, so you won't be able to know how he did certain steps. For the content, he will teach you useful shortcuts that will make your life way, way easier. He will also teach you how to present data in way that will be easy to look at. He will also teach you how to be a good data analyzer. WINNER: Actual Class III. Social/Networking Events Highlight Photos A. August 12, 2017 1. Color Run Toronto Photo from Veronika Marsland 2. Evergreen Brick Works We visited this site for McKinsey workshop. 3. Taste of Danforth 4. Rivals Sports Pub Sorry, I forgot to take pictures for Danforth and Rivals because I was enjoying them so much. I mostly met and talked with my classmates during this event! B. August 15, 2017 Tipsy Tuesdays at the Pilot C. August 19, 2017 McKinsey Post-workshop Event D. August 20, 2017 Rotman Pinoy (from the Philippines) E. August 22, 2017 Asian Welcome Reception IV. Others A. Master's Student Lounge It was on my 4th day of classes that a classmate told me about this amazing place to relax. This place has a TV, Wii, Foosball, guitar and a massage chair! This place makes me forget that I'm still in school! Toronto's food prices are really steep, so many students cook/bring their own food. Luckily, we also have a refrigerator, a microwave, kettle, and a sink in this very comfortable room. B. Exchange Cafe You might have heard of this famous Exchange Cafe; however, the prices here are a bit expensive given the quantity/amount of the food itself. Also, this is where most people gather and eat their food together. Since a lot of us are in a budget, we just bring our lunch or buy our food outside. I've recently discovered this Chinese food truck near Hoskin Ave. that sells Chinese food for $8 in huge amount of serving that lasts for the whole day or even two days! The taste is great, and it has a lot of vegetables that are healthy for students like us! V. Bonus My First Toronto Visitor! I want to mention that my high school classmate/good friend visited his brother and I in Toronto! I was so happy to see him again, and I showed him around our awesome building! Left to Right: Brian, Sheila, and Justin That's all! I'm not sure when will I post again. I really hope I could find time! Thank you to all people who read this blog. I've received so many compliments, and they really made my heart feel warm and happy! Love, Wondersuite |
FROM The Oxford Comma: Agile Transformation |
Last year, Freshdesk underwent an Agile transformation. Some of the changes that we adopted were as follows:
Agile borrows heavily from the lean methodology in manufacturing and aims to avoid waste. Waste could be due to picking up features that not required, inefficient processes, communication overhead, quality issues etc. During the initial training, I recognised several similarities to concepts that I has learned during the Operations Management MBA course. My squad (teams in Agile are called squads) has made several improvements over the last year which have increased our development velocity. While some of the changes (avoiding handoffs, iterative development) came part of the process, others (continous integration, test automation) were a a result of the squad embracing the need for continous improvement. Here’s how we went about it. MAKE WORK VISIBLEWhen I began my first job, I was confused about how little I was saving. I was earning a decent amount and not making any large purchases, yet I was saving very little. I took the advice of a personal finance site and started using budgeting software to keep track of my spending. Once I did this, I was able to see exactly where my money was being spent and I was able to make the necessary changes and start saving. Agile does something similar to drive improvements. It makes work visible by ensuring that large features are broken down into bite sized user stories and tracked using a too such as JIRA. The sprint ceremonies also a vital role in in improving transparency.
INSPECT AND ADAPTThe agile principle “Inspect and Adapt calls for squads to come together at regular intervals to reflect on how to be more effective and adjust their behaviour accordingly. This is achieved through the sprint retrospective. Sprint Retrospective – During the retrospective the squad identifies what prevented them from achieving the goals. This feedback is then prioritised and we figure out the best way to address it. It was feedback that led us to embrace continious integration, mock testing, and increased test automation. One important point here is to keep the number of features taken up each sprint down to a minimum. Only features that you think will be shipped should be taken up. Why? First, it reduces multitasking which is a known productivity killer. Secondly, “Inventory is Evil”. Having buffer, prevents you from identifying bottlenecks in the process. In lean manufacturing, inventory is compared to a lake that hides sharp rocks underneath it. Imagine that your code reviewer falls sick. If you maintain a buffer of code reviewed features, then the QA engineer would never waste time waiting for a new feature to test. This seems good in the short term, but may hurt you at a critical time. In Agile you face the delay and then introspect on how to prevent this. For example, you could set up a process to ensure that there are multiple engineers who can code review a feature. The retrospective is critical as transparency by itself will not drive change just as keeping track of you expenses by itself will not make you save more. You need to act on the information and make changes i.e. Adapt. |
FROM Sheiquiroga: 6-Day Rotman Mandatory Orientation |
"Look at the mirror everyday and tell to yourself that that person is your competition. If you compete with everyone, no one will want to help you. If you compete with yourself, everyone will help you." -Niki da Silva This article is for everyone who is wondering why the Mandatory Orientation is usually held for 6 days. Our batch had been thinking about it, so I'm here to give you a glimpse on what's going to happen in your own orientation. Please see this link for our schedule: https://rotmankickoff.com/#home Before coming to Rotman, we met up in our own countries to shoot our Diversity Video that was initiated by my good friend, Andrew Seepersad. We started this orientation by playing this video: https://youtu.be/bRCt_EpvTpc Hope you enjoy my classmates' awesome moves! (So you see, you have to be an amazing dancer to be accepted into Rotman!) This is the back of our name tag. It would be helpful to take a photo of this tag when you receive it, so you'll still know your room assignments even if you forget to bring it. Business Ethics Our batch were all expecting for the courses to start on September 5 (Foundations Term). In the previous years, they combined Business Ethics, Model-based Decision Making, Integrating Models and Data and Managerial Economics in one month. I've heard from upper year students that they complained a lot because it was extremely hard to manage these subjects along with the club events, networking events, coffee chats, workshops, etc. In this year, we all took our classes during the 6-day orientation to lighten up the load in September. Our Ethics professor, Richard Powers, a lawyer, is a really great professor. He delivered his lectures exactly as it was on his schedule. He talks a little bit fast but that kept us awake and engaged with the ethical cases. Moreover, he even invited Walter Pavlo, a convicted felon, to deliver a presentation about his own ethical experience! It was really interesting to learn about the perspective of someone who was convicted and changed his way of thinking that gave us a warning on our future decisions. Back in undergrad, I did not find Ethics courses that interesting, but this course really kept me engaged and challenged and made me aware that I have to always think of the long-term consequences of my actions. Requirements: We were required to deliver a case presentation, case written report by group, and an individual reflection paper. Speakers In this orientation, Rotman invited a number of speakers to motivate and to give us advice on how to tackle and handle this two-year MBA program. I'll be sharing below some of my takeaways and important notes: Leadership, Change and Innovation - Michael Hyatt
Reciprocity Rings - Bill McElvy We practiced the concept of Reciprocity Ring by filling out papers of our requests and telling them to our group. Then, people would answer another paper and write down the things that they could help with or volunteer to do.
Energizing You and Your Team for Success - Edy Greenblatt Section 5: We submitted our top 3 section description to this website, and Creative was the top result.
We did the following activities to help us discover the things that help us relieve our stress: Purple - Solo Silent Meditation and Reflection Green - Soothing color, pictures and puzzles Pink - Chat with new/old friends Orange - Group games and puzzles Yellow - Busy hands - Bubblewrap and Play-Doh Blue - Gotta move - solo and group stretching Learning and Suceeding in a Multicultural Environment - Lionel Laroche
The Journey Map Photo from Rworld "Your best resources are each other. Have each other's back." - Neel Joshi Section Dinners These events were held at the Scadding Court Community Centre, which offers a lot of community programs for newcomers, low-income, seniors, un/underemployed, etc. One of its projects include Community Kitchen, in which you can shop, cook and share food together for almost 50-70% off than in other similar places in Toronto. It also has this Urban Agriculture Program that allows its members to contribute to community greenhouse and garden plots. Additionally, it has also converted container vans into business area for its community that the members painted artistically to appeal to its customers. I highly suggest that you visit this place once you arrive in Toronto! Learn more about them here: https://www.scaddingcourt.org Photos by Nick Fang Photo by Nick Fang Photos by Nick Fang Each section had their own night for the section dinner. We were divided according to our teams to cook different dishes, such as Bruschetta and Kebab. Scavenger Hunt Photos from Twitter: @rotmangbc Find more of our pictures on Twitter by searching for @rotmangbc Boat Cruise We had two and a half hours to complete the scavenger hunt around Toronto. We were given $5 and a TTC token each to spend around UofT, Chinatown, and wherever as we took pictures of our missions, such as #TTCLife, #DiverCity, #Needle, and #Sketchy6ix. We were supposed to finish them and arrive at 6PM at River Gambler, or else, the boat will leave us! Fortunately, I think everyone was able to make it on time! Photos by Nick Fang Full Archive of Our Photos from Boat Cruise Experience: https://www.nickfang.ca/Private/RotmanBoatCruise/n-dkHz8b/ Photo by Nick Fang "People will follow you because of what you are, not what you do." -Maja Djikic |
FROM Bschooladmit20: Matter: Reimagining Media Entrepreneurship |
I’m grateful for having the opportunity to do my MBA summer internship at Matter, a media accelerator and investment firm that supports media entrepreneurs who are building a more empathetic, inclusive and informed society. I’ve enjoyed having the chance to work with the team and Matter’s entrepreneurs on refreshing and focusing Matter’s strategy, simplifying Matter’s business model and digging into Matter’s portfolio to help them articulate their financial and impact performance in compelling ways. These are my key take-aways from this summer: It takes a village Matter’s core strength is its powerful community. I’ve been struck by the generosity of Matter’s staff. The company has built an enviable ethos and culture that is both mission-oriented and entrepreneur-first. They feel their pain and celebrate their successes as if they were their own. It’s easy to say you’re a ‘founder-first’ firm, but hard to live it. I’m grateful to have had the chance to see this community live their values, every day. I’ve also been impressed by the generosity of the teams themselves. At the same time as building a business in an incredibly difficult space, and going through an intensive design program, they are always ready to give their time to support their peers at all times. This is at the heart of what makes Matter’s community is so powerful: these people are willing to put other’s needs before their own. Capital is not the constraint: your mindset is Watching Matter’s amazingly inspiring media entrepreneurs try, fail and continue to fight and build their ventures has been an eye-opening experience. Standing out and challenging the status quo is powerful, but staying practical, action-oriented and open to feedback is even more powerful. There is no right path or answer when it comes to building a company: all you can do is put yourself in the middle of the action, start somewhere, ask for feedback on a product that’s not entirely ready, and then continuously refine it and make it better. This is why Matter emphasises creating a safe space to allow entrepreneurs to fail fast. Matter’s genius is that it encourages entrepreneurs to build great processes but stay flexible on the outcome, balance a sense of urgency and openness, prioritise customers and mission over product. Matter also builds a powerful community able to support entrepreneurs through their most difficult times.People over product: put your customers and team first As an entrepreneur, you’re constantly told that your team will make or break your venture. But what you don’t hear as often is that managing people is much harder than building a product. Your product will evolve and change; your people need to be able to grow with the company. I think you can tell early on from watching a team interact, learn, grow and struggle together whether they will succeed. On the other hand, you can have a amazing idea, team and build a great product: but unless you really understand your customers’ needs, desires and pain points, and design for them first, you cannot build a successful company. The culture of building, collecting and listening to user feedback and constantly prototyping is powerful. I’ve been impressed that Matter prioritizes ‘customer development’ coaching over ‘product development’ in its program, and only focuses on business model building + fundraising once the companies have thought through their core purpose, values and key customers. Storytelling and branding are more than half the battle: let your mission guide you Given that it is getting increasingly hard to differentiate your product, and ‘be discovered’, being proactive about reaching your customers, and delighting them is more important than ever. I’ve learned that telling a very simple and relatable story, while appealing to people’s emotions is key. Moreover, having a clear mission that guides your team, venture and customers is powerful. If you know what you stand for, and what you really believe in, and you are unwilling to compromise on your core values even if your product iterates, your stakeholders — your team, customers and investors—will always know who you are. There are no right answers My biggest take-away from this summer is that no one knows what they’re doing in this new world: nimble high-tech ventures, powerful incumbents, highly respected mentors and investors are thrown by the new normal. And yet, you can learn to do and build anything, as long as you stay adaptive. However, it’s almost too easy to continue to build out your product, without articulating your priorities. Having a strong mission and culture is not enough: unless the team aligned on a common vision and execution plan, your firm will get pulled in many directions. You will waste time and energy, lose your way and be forced to make big decisions in a hurried manner, unless you constantly re-align and prioritise. There is no right answer: strategy is about making choices. You have to decide what you will not do.I’ve learned the importance of asking hard questions, of surfacing the key choices facing an organisation at a given moment in time, and giving people the vocabulary and agency to choose a direction and roadmap. I will always be grateful to Matter for giving me the chance to put this lesson into practice. Natasha Malpani is currently an MBA student at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She was previously an Investment Director at Big Society Capital, a $1 billion impact investing firm in London. As one of the firm’s first employees, she helped build the company’s investment strategy and team. Natasha has also co-founded two social ventures. She is currently exploring the future of the media industry and is spending the summer at Matter, an early-stage media investment firm in San Francisco, and Out There Media, an adtech firm in Athens. Matter: Reimagining Media Entrepreneurship was originally published in A Matter-Driven Narrative on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story. |
FROM Bschooladmit20: An Immigrant in America: It’s Harder For Us To Steal Your Jobs Than You Think |
“Keep your head down, and work hard. Don’t attract any attention. You should be grateful to be here.” Why do we keep quiet? Being an immigrant is a constant battle. It’s time we celebrated our chequered journeys. I grew up in India, and lived in England for seven years, before moving to California. I studied at Oxford and Cambridge and am now an MBA student at Stanford. I helped launch a $1 billion impact investing firm in London. I co-founded a startup that helps immigrants develop their English language skills, in order to better integrate into their community in Palo Alto. I spent the summer at a media incubator that aims to build a more empathetic, inclusive society in San Francisco. But I still might not be able to work in the United States. Despite the increasingly toxic debate on ‘immigrants stealing jobs’, being allowed to enter the country, to legally work or study, no matter how qualified you are, is harder than you think.Applying for a student visa is a long and expensive process. Your partner is not allowed to work for the duration of your degree, which forces couples into long-distance relationships. But once you get here, you can’t start your own company, even if you’re overqualified, or work for start-ups. Your only option is to apply to large companies. And yet, if you’re not an engineer, it’s hard for them to make the case to sponsor you. Shockingly, companies that provide lip-service to their belief in a global, connected world, like Facebook, won’t even let you apply for a role if you’re an international student, even if you have a degree from Stanford or Harvard. To make the situation even more ridiculous, even if you do convince a company to hire and sponsor you, you might end up losing thevisa ‘lottery’, that you’re forced to enter. There are countless instances of professionals being forced to leave the country, even if they work at McKinsey and Goldman Sachs, relocate their families to London and Singapore for a year or two, and then move back when their application is successful. And those are just the professional trade-offs. The personal costs are often so much higher. Adjusting to new cultures takes time and patience. It’s harder to build relationships when you’re shared experiences are limited. I clearly look and sound different. I haven’t watched the same TV shows, I don’t follow the same sports teams- or even the same sports; and I don’t always laugh at the same jokes (damn, I miss dry humor). I only see my family once a year. I’m starting to feel the need to have to justify my presence in this country, as intolerance and hate crimes towards immigrants and minorities continue to rise. And yet, I’ve had it so easy. I can still go home, if I choose to. I’m not from a war-torn country. I haven’t had to sacrifice my life, or lost family members along the way, crossing borders and seas to be here. I’m not constantly lonely, trapped in a foreign country, where I don’t speak the language. I’m not being exploited, or working in minimum-wage jobs at low hours. Living abroad comes at a cost. A lot of immigrants are not here by choice. But you should also know this: living in a country shapes your personality, interests, values and relationships. I’ve had to start over from scratch so many times, that I can barely remember who I used to be, before I left India. I’m consistently seen as an outsider. I might not be American or English, but I’m not Indian anymore either.This is not my home, but it could be. |
FROM Bschooladmit20: An Immigrant in America: It’s Harder For Us To Steal Your Jobs Than You Think |
“Keep your head down, and work hard. Don’t attract any attention. You should be grateful to be here.” Why do we keep quiet? Being an immigrant is a constant battle. It’s time we celebrated our chequered journeys. I grew up in India, and lived in England for seven years, before moving to California. I studied at Oxford and Cambridge and am now an MBA student at Stanford. I helped launch a $1 billion impact investing firm in London. I co-founded a startup that helps immigrants develop their English language skills, in order to better integrate into their community in Palo Alto. I spent the summer at a media incubator that aims to build a more empathetic, inclusive society in San Francisco. But I still might not be able to work in the United States. Despite the increasingly toxic debate on ‘immigrants stealing jobs’, being allowed to enter the country, to legally work or study, no matter how qualified you are, is harder than you think.Applying for a student visa is a long and expensive process. Your partner is not allowed to work for the duration of your degree, which forces couples into long-distance relationships. But once you get here, you can’t start your own company, even if you’re overqualified, or work for start-ups. Your only option is to apply to large companies. And yet, if you’re not an engineer, it’s hard for them to make the case to sponsor you. Shockingly, companies that provide lip-service to their belief in a global, connected world, like Facebook, won’t even let you apply for a role if you’re an international student, even if you have a degree from Stanford or Harvard. To make the situation even more ridiculous, even if you do convince a company to hire and sponsor you, you might end up losing thevisa ‘lottery’,that you’re forced to enter. There are countless instances of professionals being forced to leave the country, even if they work at McKinsey and Goldman Sachs, relocate their families to London and Singapore for a year or two, and then move back when their application is successful. And those are just the professional trade-offs. The personal costs are often so much higher. Adjusting to new cultures takes time and patience. It’s harder to build relationships when you’re shared experiences are limited. I clearly look and sound different. I haven’t watched the same TV shows, I don’t follow the same sports teams- or even the same sports; and I don’t always laugh at the same jokes (damn, I miss dry humor). I only see my family once a year. I’m starting to feel the need to have to justify my presence in this country, as intolerance and hate crimes towards immigrants and minorities continue to rise. And yet, I’ve had it so easy. I can still go home, if I choose to. I’m not from a war-torn country. I haven’t had to sacrifice my life, or lost family members along the way, crossing borders and seas to be here. I’m not constantly lonely, trapped in a foreign country, where I don’t speak the language. I’m not being exploited, or working in minimum-wage jobs at low hours. Living abroad comes at a cost. A lot of immigrants are not here by choice. But you should also know this: living in a country shapes your personality, interests and relationships. I’ve had to start over from scratch so many times, that I can barely remember who I used to be, before I left India. I’m consistently seen as an outsider. I might not be American or English, but I’m not entirely Indian anymore either.This is not my home, but it could be. Natasha Malpani is currently an MBA student at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She was previously an Investment Director at Big Society Capital, a $1 billion impact investing firm in London. An Immigrant in America: It’s Harder For Us To Steal Your Jobs Than You Think was originally published in Hacker Noon on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story. |
FROM Sheiquiroga: What We Did Last O-Camp - Rotman Orientation Camp 2017 |
I. Before the Camp at 7:00 AM II. Arrival III. Cabin One of the cabins where we stayed at There are bunk beds inside. No pillows. Cold. The inside of the cabin is extremely vandalized. It has two toilets and no bathroom. You have to go all the way to the basketball court area to shower. Pro (for the shower): It's deliciously hot! (Since we kind of froze in the first night) IV. Camp Area Lake in the morning - Photo by Sheila Quiroga Lake at night - Photo by Nick Fang Photos by Sheila Quiroga V. Dining Hall Photos by Sheila Quiroga VI. Program Schedule https://inside.rotman.utoronto.ca/orientation/camp-schedule/ Other than the essentials, here are the important things that you should bring: 1. Duvet or sleeping bag that is good for 0 degrees. The temperature suddenly dropped in our first night. We were all freezing in the first night because we did not expect this. 2. Bring thick jackets, scarves, and gloves. (Or anything that will help you survive 0 degrees) And more warning: Girls, it would be a good to walk with your girl friends at night. Best to not walk alone. There are areas that are pitch-black outside the camp at night. Be safe. Woooohoo! Let's get started! Photo by Nick Fang VII. Things to do in O-Camp - There's so many that you won't be able to participate in all. A. Kick the ball backward-style Photo by Nick Fang B. Kick the ball with the latest fashion Photos by Nick Fang and Sheila Quiroga C. Basketball Photo by Sheila Quiroga D. Volleyball Photos by Sheila Quiroga E. Tennis Photo by Nick Fang F. Frisbee Photo by Nick Fang G. Spray Water for Unknown Reasons Photo by Michael Nguyen H. Paddle board - Just take it slow Photo by Sheila Quiroga I. Paddle board - Upside-down Style Photos by Nick Fang J. Hand Stand Photo by Nick Fang K. Be brave and dive! Photo by Nick Fang L. Make a Boat Photo by Michael Nguyen M. Boat Race Photos by Nick Fang and Sheila Quiroga N. Canoe Photos by Nick Fang and Sheila Quiroga O. Kayak Photo by Nick Fang P. Defying Gravity v.1 Photos by Nick Fang Q. Defying Gravity v.2 Photo by Nick Fang R. Hug your groupmates because you love them so much! Photo by Nick Fang S. Be mean to your batch Photo by Sheila Quiroga T. Play the Resistance and completely lose the trust of your mates for 2 years. Photo by Nick Fang U. Relieve Your Stress with Adult Coloring Photo by Michael Nguyen V. Camp-Wide Game Photos by Nick Fang W. Relax and sunbathe with friends Photos by Nick Fang and Sheila Quiroga X. Chill with the Celebrity Swan Photos by Nick Fang and Sheila Quiroga Y. Discover that archery is actually hard Photos by Nick Fang and Sheila Quiroga Z. Orrrr just chill like Aamer: Photo by Nick Fang VIII. General Costume Party Rekindling the love of Cho Chang and Harry Potter Releasing the Harry Potter Geeks Photos by Nick Fang and Michael Nguyen https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9OTQrXfsaVs/WcZ59sfdUZI/AAAAAAAABus/h3OA_XiL-7kZzSJmb9dII0Agzy_rfGLkQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/21457602_1522699751106184_8944748782476845898_o.jpg Party Photos by Nick Fang; Costume Photo by Sheila Quiroga X. Party's too loud for you? Go to the bonfire instead, and just sing, story tell and chill. Photo by Michael Nguyen XI. And if you got injured, just smile cuz it's totally worth it! Photo by Sheila Quiroga XII. Photographer Thank you to this awesome guy, Nick Fang, who took most of these amazing photos in my blog. Here's a link of our pictures in Rotman by Nick Fang! https://www.nickfang.ca/Private/OCamp2017/n-XPG5Q4 Photo by Nick Fang |
FROM Bschooladmit20: An Immigrant in America: It’s Harder For Us To Steal Your Jobs Than You Think |
“Keep your head down, and work hard. Don’t attract any attention. You should be grateful to be here.” Why do we keep quiet? Being an immigrant is a constant battle. It’s time we celebrated our chequered journeys. I grew up in India, and lived in England for seven years, before moving to California. I studied at Oxford and Cambridge and am now an MBA student at Stanford. I helped launch a $1 billion impact investing firm in London. I co-founded a startup that helps immigrants develop their English language skills, in order to better integrate into their community in Palo Alto. I spent the summer at a media incubator that aims to build a more empathetic, inclusive society in San Francisco. But I still might not be able to work in the United States. Despite the increasingly toxic debate on ‘immigrants stealing jobs’, being allowed to enter the country, to legally work or study, no matter how qualified you are, is harder than you think.Applying for a student visa is a long and expensive process. Your partner is not allowed to work for the duration of your degree, which forces couples into long-distance relationships. But once you get here, you can’t start your own company, even if you’re overqualified, or work for start-ups. Your only option is to apply to large companies. And yet, if you’re not an engineer, it’s hard for them to make the case to sponsor you. Shockingly, companies that provide lip-service to their belief in a global, connected world, like Facebook, won’t even let you apply for a role if you’re an international student, even if you have a degree from Stanford or Harvard. To make the situation even more ridiculous, even if you do convince a company to hire and sponsor you, you might end up losing thevisa ‘lottery’, that you’re forced to enter. There are countless instances of professionals being forced to leave the country, even if they work at McKinsey and Goldman Sachs, relocate their families to London and Singapore for a year or two, and then move back when their application is successful. And those are just the professional trade-offs. The personal costs are often so much higher. Adjusting to new cultures takes time and patience. It’s harder to build relationships when you’re shared experiences are limited. I clearly look and sound different. I haven’t watched the same TV shows, I don’t follow the same sports teams- or even the same sports; and I don’t always laugh at the same jokes (damn, I miss dry humor). I only see my family once a year. I’m starting to feel the need to have to justify my presence in this country, as intolerance and hate crimes towards immigrants and minorities continue to rise. And yet, I’ve had it so easy. I can still go home, if I choose to. I’m not from a war-torn country. I haven’t had to sacrifice my life, or lost family members along the way, crossing borders and seas to be here. I’m not constantly lonely, trapped in a foreign country, where I don’t speak the language. I’m not being exploited, or working in minimum-wage jobs at low hours. Living abroad comes at a cost. A lot of immigrants are not here by choice. But you should also know this: living in a country shapes your personality, interests and relationships. I’ve had to start over from scratch so many times, that I can barely remember who I used to be, before I left India. I’m consistently seen as an outsider. I might not be American or English, but I’m not entirely Indian anymore either.The best part about being an expat is that you start to believe anything is possible. You realise there are no rules that cannot be broken; and your friends become your family. I’ve been grateful to have the ability to shape my own life, free of the societal norms and constraints that I might have had to work within. This is not my home, but it could be. An Immigrant in America: It’s Harder For Us To Steal Your Jobs Than You Think was originally published in non disclosure on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story. |
FROM Bschooladmit20: An Immigrant in America: It’s Harder For Us To Steal Jobs Than You Think |
“Keep your head down, and work hard. Don’t attract any attention. You should be grateful to be here.” Why do we keep quiet? Being an immigrant is a constant battle. It’s time we celebrated our chequered journeys. I grew up in India, and lived in England for seven years, before moving to California. I studied at Oxford and Cambridge and am now an MBA student at Stanford. I helped launch a $1 billion impact investing firm in London. I co-founded a startup that helps immigrants develop their English language skills, in order to better integrate into their community in Palo Alto. I spent the summer at a media incubator that aims to build a more empathetic, inclusive society in San Francisco. But I still might not be able to work in the United States. Despite the increasingly toxic debate on ‘immigrants stealing jobs’, being allowed to enter the country, to legally work or study, no matter how qualified you are, is harder than you think.Applying for a student visa is a long and expensive process. Your partner is not allowed to work for the duration of your degree, which forces couples into long-distance relationships. But once you get here, you can’t start your own company, even if you’re overqualified, or work for start-ups. Your only option is to apply to large companies. And yet, if you’re not an engineer, it’s hard for them to make the case to sponsor you. Shockingly, companies that provide lip-service to their belief in a global, connected world, like Facebook, won’t even let you apply for a role if you’re an international student, even if you have a degree from Stanford or Harvard. To make the situation even more ridiculous, even if you do convince a company to hire and sponsor you, you might end up losing thevisa ‘lottery’, that you’re forced to enter. There are countless instances of professionals being forced to leave the country, even if they work at McKinsey and Goldman Sachs, relocate their families to London and Singapore for a year or two, and then move back when their application is successful. And those are just the professional trade-offs. The personal costs are often so much higher. Adjusting to new cultures takes time and patience. It’s harder to build relationships when you’re shared experiences are limited. I clearly look and sound different. I haven’t watched the same TV shows, I don’t follow the same sports teams- or even the same sports; and I don’t always laugh at the same jokes (damn, I miss dry humor). I only see my family once a year. I’m starting to feel the need to have to justify my presence in this country, as intolerance and hate crimes towards immigrants and minorities continue to rise. And yet, I’ve had it so easy. I can still go home, if I choose to. I’m not from a war-torn country. I haven’t had to sacrifice my life, or lost family members along the way, crossing borders and seas to be here. I’m not constantly lonely, trapped in a foreign country, where I don’t speak the language. I’m not being exploited, or working in minimum-wage jobs at low hours. Living abroad comes at a cost. A lot of immigrants are not here by choice. But you should also know this: living in a country shapes your personality, interests and relationships. I’ve had to start over from scratch so many times, that I can barely remember who I used to be, before I left India. I’m consistently seen as an outsider. I might not be American or English, but I’m not entirely Indian anymore either.The best part about being an expat is that you start to believe anything is possible. You realise there are no rules that cannot be broken; and your friends become your family. I’ve been grateful to have the ability to shape my own life, free of the societal norms and constraints that I might have had to work within. This is not my home, but it could be. An Immigrant in America: It’s Harder For Us To Steal Jobs Than You Think was originally published in non disclosure on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story. |
FROM Bschooladmit20: An Immigrant in America: The Idea of Home |
“Keep your head down, and work hard. Don’t attract any attention. You should be grateful to be here.” Why do we keep quiet? Being an immigrant is a constant battle. It’s time we celebrated our chequered journeys. I grew up in India, and lived in England for seven years, before moving to California. I helped launch a $1 billion impact investing firm in London. I co-founded a startup that helps immigrants develop their English language skills, in order to better integrate into their community in Palo Alto. I spent the summer at a media incubator that aims to build a more empathetic, inclusive society in San Francisco. But I still might not be able to work in the United States. Despite the increasingly toxic debate on ‘immigrants stealing jobs’, being allowed to enter the country, to legally work or study, no matter how qualified you are, is harder than you think.Applying for a student visa is a long and expensive process. Your partner is not allowed to work for the duration of your degree, which forces couples into long-distance relationships. But once you get here, you can’t start your own company, even if you’re overqualified, or work for start-ups. Your only option is to apply to large companies. And yet, if you’re not an engineer, it’s hard for them to make the case to sponsor you. Shockingly, companies that provide lip-service to their belief in a global, connected world, like Facebook, won’t even let you apply for a role if you’re an international student, even if you have a degree from Stanford or Harvard. To make the situation even more ridiculous, even if you do convince a company to hire and sponsor you, you might end up losing thevisa ‘lottery’, that you’re forced to enter. There are countless instances of professionals being forced to leave the country, even if they work at McKinsey and Goldman Sachs, relocate their families to London and Singapore for a year or two, and then move back when their application is successful. And those are just the professional trade-offs. The personal costs are often so much higher. Adjusting to new cultures takes time and patience. It’s harder to build relationships when you’re shared experiences are limited. I clearly look and sound different. I haven’t watched the same TV shows, I don’t follow the same sports teams- or even the same sports; and I don’t always laugh at the same jokes (damn, I miss dry humor). I only see my family once a year. I’m starting to feel the need to have to justify my presence in this country, as intolerance and hate crimes towards immigrants and minorities continue to rise. And yet, I’ve had it so easy. I can still go home, if I choose to. I’m not from a war-torn country. I haven’t had to sacrifice my life, or lost family members along the way, crossing borders and seas to be here. I’m not constantly lonely, trapped in a foreign country, where I don’t speak the language. I’m not being exploited, or working in minimum-wage jobs at low hours. Living abroad comes at a cost. A lot of immigrants are not here by choice. But you should also know this: living in a country shapes your personality, interests and relationships. I’ve had to start over from scratch so many times, that I can barely remember who I used to be, before I left India. I’m consistently seen as an outsider. I might not be American or English, but I’m not entirely Indian anymore either.The best part about being an expat is that you start to believe anything is possible. You realise there are no rules that cannot be broken; and your friends become your family. I’ve been grateful to have the ability to shape my own life, free of the societal norms and constraints that I might have had to work within. This is not my home, but it could be. An Immigrant in America: The Idea of Home was originally published in non disclosure on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story. |
FROM The Oxford Comma: Product Leadership by Richard Banfield, Martin Eriksson, and Nate Walkingshaw |
Product Leadership is a book that distills the best practices of Product Management into one source. Mark Ericsson is the founder of Product Tank and Mind the Product and has a wealth of experience in Product Management. The book covers topics such as leadership, vision, strategy, prioritising, user research, and many more. I skimmed through this book very quickly since I found that it covered a lot of material that I was already familiar with and there was very little that was new. I’m probably going to skip reading Product Management books for a while. However, if you are a new or aspiring PM, reading books such as this one or Inspired are a quick way to get up to speed. |