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06 Apr 2015, 12:00
| FROM IMD Admissions Blog: Mother power (Part I): Sophie Shilimindri |
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Being a mother changed my life forever. I believe that I have become a stronger and more balanced person after giving birth and raising two wonderful kids. I see things differently and have different priorities in life. Being a mother has given me enormous power to face the ups and downs, and this power is supporting me in my daily work in IMD. We have several mothers in our class this year either with or without their families in Lausanne during their MBA. Being unable to see their children and family regularly or at all, how do these mothers cope with their emotions and the challenges from the intensive program? I am very interested to know more about these powerful women, and have decided to find out more. In the next couple of months, I will share my discovery with you. First I would like to introduce Sophie. She is a woman full of energy, and her energy is contagious. You can hear her laughter from miles away, and it lightens up your day immediately. Let’s see what she said about her role as a mother during her MBA. 1. Tell us a bit about your family. How many kids do you have and how old are they? I have a lovely two-year-old daughter called Marianna and a wonderful husband called Fabien. We are a multicultural and multilingual family. I am from Cyprus and my husband is from Switzerland. We are living together in a town nearby Lausanne. 2. Who is taking care of Marianna while you are doing your MBA? For the working hours, we have adopted a strategy similar to most families in Switzerland. Marianna goes two days a week to a kindergarten close to our home. The other 3 days she goes to a “mamman du jour” which in English means “mother of the day.” She is a mother herself who takes care of children in her house. Out of working hours Marianna is with my husband and her grandparents. As I have to leave early to come to class, Marianna takes her breakfast with her grandfather. 3. What is the biggest challenge being a mother studying MBA at the same time? The IMD MBA is a demanding program and is totally worth it for self- and career-development. Since it lasts only one year, the program is very condensed and intense. Everybody needs to work hard this year. My biggest challenge is not the workload. It is the fact that I don’t see my family enough. It is a challenge both for me and for them. We miss each other very much. 4. Anything you want to tell Marianna? I tell her every day that I love her and she is an amazing daughter. 5. What advice will you give to those mothers who are considering doing an MBA in IMD? Just go for it! Going back to school in my thirties was not an easy decision. I chose not just any MBA but the IMD MBA because I will be only one year away from my career. I wanted something that will bring me high value. And I have to say so far it has brought me a lot. But in order to survive this year and get the most out of it, we all need to put in long hours. This is something not only for mothers but for everybody else too. From my side here are a few things I learnt along the way: [*]You need a support network. I could not have been here without all the support I get from my husband and his parents. While I write this I am in the classroom during a coffee break on a Sunday morning. My husband is giving breakfast to Marianna and he just sent me a video![/*] [*]I got organized with trials and a lot of errors. One example is the organization of my schedule. In the first month I was staying in the dungeon (study room in IMD) until I finished my assignments. Soon I realized that Marianna would not go to bed until I was back home. So I now try to go back home for bedtime and continue working after she falls asleep.[/*] [*]Get help from classmates. I cannot stress enough how valuable the support from my classmates has been. Help comes in various ways. From giving me a ride to IMD in the morning, to understanding if one night I could not deliver my project work or even just talking and supporting each other emotionally. [/*] [*]Work hard and have fun. I tell that to myself when my negativity creeps up in the mornings when I did not have enough sleep. The good thing is that there are always enough people to make fun of. Sorry guys:-)[/*][/list] It was good to know about Sophie’s experience, especially to know that I was not alone going through my emotions. I totally agree with her that we as mothers cannot do it alone without any help. We need to organize ourselves, and leverage all the support we can have from our classmates. It is amazing to see how many people are willing to show their good will and understanding! Stephanie  Sophie and Marianna  Marianna studying finance |
13 Apr 2015, 11:00
| FROM IMD Admissions Blog: Part 1 is over! |
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It's been a busy time! Last week was exam week - we had lengthy exams in Operations, Finance, Accounting and Marketing, all of which were tough in their own way, and I was really glad when they were all over. At the conclusion of the exams on Saturday at midday, IMD put on a celebratory lunch on Saturday for all of the class and their partners, and it was a great way to celebrate having the opportunity to take some time off. The time off extended to just a day and a half, but it was incredible to have my first day off since January - and I spent the day exploring the beach in Lausanne (which I assumed was a joke - but it actually exists, and is really beautiful with the backdrop of the lake and mountains). It's been around 22 degrees here in Lausanne during the last few days, and it's been the first opportunity to explore this beautiful city with the benefit of such great weather. It's amazing how the view at IMD changes - some days it isn't possible to see the mountains across the lake, whereas today it's a full panorama of the snow-capped peaks. A great view to see on the way to and from IMD! Today also marked the end of our first study group. I have had a fantastic experience with the team, and today we all gave each other feedback about how we felt about working with one another. Since we've been working so closely as a team for the last three months, none of the feedback was a huge surprise, but nevertheless very valuable. We spent the morning giving each other this feedback, then the afternoon coaching each other for better results, and finally in the early evening I had a one-on-one coaching session with our team's professional coach. So now I definitely can't say that I've been lacking feedback! It's in the team dynamic and leadership training that IMD really sets itself apart; I can't imagine a more thorough or supportive curriculum to become a credible leader. Let's hope I can put it into practice when I return to the world of work next year! Our new courses start this week - they sound great - I'll keep you in the loop. From a sunny Lausanne, Nick. |
16 Apr 2015, 03:33
16 Apr 2015, 16:00
| FROM IMD Admissions Blog: How to haggle in a Morrocan souk? |
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A friend told me about her vacation in Marrakesh a couple of months ago. She enjoyed the city but felt quite annoyed that she needed to haggle for everything: taking a "taxi," buying a bottle of mineral water, or shopping for souveniors in the souk. Price tags didn't exist, and she could never be sure how much to pay for things. Today we had our first negotiation class, and I felt that I had the answers for her. The objective of a negotiation should be to reach to an agreement for two parties considering the interests for both. Firstly one should know how much he wants to pay for the thing. Secondly one should try to get as much information about the other party as possible. As professor Luis Almeida Costasaid, "get to know literally everything about the other party, even the color of his socks!" Then try to come to a price between two parties' valuation prices. E voila! You're done. Negotiation is completed. In real life, it is not always as easy as it seems. But at least we learned the important principles to use in a negatiation. I definitely feel more confident now when I get to do some shopping in the Marrakesh souk in the future. Stephanie  Negotiation takes place every day here...  ...and here.... |
19 Apr 2015, 09:00
| FROM IMD Admissions Blog: Module 2 |
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As you will have read from my previous posts, Module 1 was really intense, with continuous training in Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Operations, and Economics. Module 2 has a very different flavour. Now that we all have a firm understanding of the Module 1 topics, we are being exposed to Sustainability, the International Political Economy, Innovation, Strategy - and some more Finance! So far, we've had one module around Negotiation (that Stephanie explained), and some initial modules around sustainability. It's amazing to see the range and calibre of our professors, and their corporate and governmental backgrounds. Last week, we also continued our career services experience, with a half-day panel presentation from some key recruiters of IMD MBA graduates. It's fascinating to see the range of options available to MBAs on graduation - all sorts of careers and functions that I'd never even heard of, let alone considered, and whilst some of them don't appeal, I'm definitely getting my eyes opened to some new opportunities. In the context of our sustainability lecture, it's also interesting to think about the ethical implications of some careers and sectors (naming no names specifically...!!!). As ever, it's not all work in Lausanne; we had a party on Friday night, and there have been multiple trips to a nearby Jazz festival over the weekend. As with Module 1, it seems like we'll be playing hard as well as working hard in Module 2! Nick. |
20 Apr 2015, 13:00
| FROM IMD Admissions Blog: Photo blog: March |
March was tough, with plenty of work to keep us busy and ensure many nights of limited sleep. Here are a few photos snapped during this busy period: Plenty of time was spent in the dungeons...  ...and in lectures.  We looked at how to use annual report information in interviews...  ...and how not to embarrass ourselves in front of the media  We had intensive discussions...  ...and asked many questions...  ...especially of our classmates' presentations.  The days got longer and warmer...  ...and so we were finally able to enjoy the sun, even if we could only relax for a few fleeting moments in our hectic schedule. |
21 Apr 2015, 21:06
21 Apr 2015, 22:26
21 Apr 2015, 23:00
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21 Apr 2015, 23:08
21 Apr 2015, 23:18
22 Apr 2015, 15:00
| FROM IMD Admissions Blog: Good Food, Good Life |
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"Food is the best medicine," say the Chinese. "Food is also pleasure," said Paul Bulcke, the CEO of Nestle. That's what Nestle has been dedicating to: providing nutrition to enrich people's quality of life. We were honored to have Paul Bulcke as the guest speaker today. He talked about the vision of the company, as well as the rapid-change of the world. How can a corporate like Nestle operate in such environment? Delegation is the key. He also talked about the new pillars of the business: Nestle Health Science and Nestle Skin Health. Innovation and R&D play an important role in driving future business through these new business investments. He also gave some good advice to the MBA students. He said, "play on your strength and never condition your professional career with your end station. Enjoy the journey." It gave me some fruits for thoughts when I am already thinking about my post-MBA career now. Stephanie  Paul Bulcke  Paul Bulcke in the IMD auditorium |
25 Apr 2015, 03:11
26 Apr 2015, 14:00
| FROM IMD Admissions Blog: Photo blog: Innovation |
At our first innovation lecture we really did get creative! We dumped our ideas...  ...rearranged them...  ...and created green cities. 
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27 Apr 2015, 11:00
| FROM IMD Admissions Blog: Looking to the future! |
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It's unbelievable that it's the end of April, and we are nearly one-third of the way through the IMD experience. At this point, I'm reflecting back on time that we've had, and looking to the future. I have had a fantastic experience at IMD so far; I've never worked so hard in my life, and there have been points when I have thoroughly had enough (definitely at points during the integrative exercise), but I wouldn't change it for anything; I've met fantastic people, been inspired by our experienced (and sometimes eccentric!) lecturers, all the while living in this fantastic location by the lake. Time is going past so quickly! And now, having put Module 1 behind us (but not yet in receipt of the exam marks!), the class is looking to the future. One of the topics on the agenda at the moment is the International Consulting Project (ICP) element of the course. This happens in September, and it's when we work for a company, helping them to solve an issue or problem that they are facing. There are 15 possible projects, and we've been submitting our preferences this weekend. The options are varied, and all interesting in their own way - so I can't wait to find out which one I've been assigned - watch this space! This weekend, I enjoyed some lovely drinks with my classmates down on Lake Geneva in the stunning sunshine, and today it's King's day in The Netherlands, so we're all wearing orange to class (an eyewatering sight!). It was St George's Day last week (England's national day), but embarrassingly, whilst IMD were thoughful enough to put on a special lunch to celebrate, my British classmates and I hadn't even realised that it was on that date! Today, I'm writing an essay for our International Political Economy class - it's about Israel and how the turmoil in the region has shaped the Israeli economy. Try compacting such a contentious topic into 1200 words! Until next time, Nick. |
30 Apr 2015, 16:00
| FROM IMD Admissions Blog: Travelling from China to India in one day |
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In the second module, we have a new subject called "International Political Economics (IPE)." We look at the microeconomics at country level. It is a subject that I am enjoying a lot at the moment. Within one class, we learn the economics of different countries from emerging market to the "new" emerging market. I discover many new things about a countries that I thought I knew pretty well already. The professor Carlos Braga is like a walking google. He knows all the histories and stories of the countries, not to mention also all the important figures, like GDPs, FDIs, etc. As part of the class, we need to prepare group presentations on certain topics and debate with each other. It is a very good way for me to learn and digest a new issue. Sometimes discussion can get really heated and people get so excited especially if their countries' issues were involved. It is the first time I feel that the diversity of our class is closedly connected to the subject of our learning. I am looking forward to discovering more "country issues" in the next couple of weeks! Stephanie |
04 May 2015, 12:00
| FROM IMD Admissions Blog: Labor Day |
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Last week ended with a fascinating couple of sessions on Friday, to recognize Labor Day - which is a public holiday in Switzerland. In the morning we had a delegation from the International Labor Organization (a part of the UN) speaking to us around their fight to get basic rights for workers across the globe. It made me realize how lucky we are in the western world - they explained stories of slavery and child labor, which really put all of my previous gripes about work into perspective! The delegation kindly shared half a day of their holiday to share how they work with governments and companies to try and effect change to ensure that all employees have a decent standard of work, and it was impressive to see that the team balanced a strong zeal for the rights of workers with a pro-business mentality - which is a tough balance to achieve. The delegation (unwittingly) prompted a fierce debate amongst my peers about unionization - it's an emotive topic amongst 90 individuals from 45 nationalities. In the afternoon we had a fantastic workshop and lecture from a graduate of IMD from last year. He had a fascinating story to share around the company that he had worked for prior to coming to Switzerland and his experience since rejoining the firm - unfortunately the story is confidential, but it was a fascinating insight into how your employer doesn't just pay a salary, but can become wrapped up with your personal self-worth, and can even present significant moral dilemmas. It was great to see the baton of knowledge being passed down from the class of 2014 to the class of 2015! This week is busy (as ever!), and we have a number of guest speakers coming up on the agenda - I've got a paper to write for our negotiation module due at the end of the week, and a case to prepare for Strategy tomorrow. Until next time, Nick. |
07 May 2015, 16:00
| FROM IMD Admissions Blog: Innovation |
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This week was focused on innovation, and this time REAL innovation. We did more than just talking about it in class, but needed to create something with our own hands. Each group was given an assignment to find a solution to a problem. It was about a company in Africa which was facing challenges of selling their products. The environment was hard: heat, bad traffic, crowded streets, minimal sanitation, and low-income of people. The product was quite simple and it didn't seem difficult to find a solution. Our group met after lunch time for brain-storming and we started to physically build the object which would solve the company's probem. We were quite confident that we would finish latest 8pm. Everyone was using our upmost creativity and handicraft ability. We used scissors, duck tape, paper, carton, styropore, etc trying to build up something that was simple. I was quite happy that I had sharpened my handicraft skills with my daughtors. However, we overestimated our creativity and artistic ability. We had never thought that it could take us almost 10 hours to build an object not bigger than a cooler box. The next day, we submitted our final product for the competition. We were very proud of our work, and won the 3rd prize! We learned that innovation was not only about theory, but the techniques could be applied to create a real object. We had certainly fun as well working as a team! Well-done all of us! Stephanie |
11 May 2015, 13:00
| FROM IMD Admissions Blog: Summer is here! |
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Summer is here, and IMD the official start of the season isn’t determined by a meteorologist, or even the social calendar, but rather – eating lunch outside! Today was our first day of lunch on the grass, with gourmet ice-cream for dessert. I had to try the ice cream(obviously just so I could report on the blog…) and it was fantastic, but my class participation in the ensuing lecture was fuelled by a sugar rush – I expressed vocal views about my perspective on Turkey joining the EU (which is frankly not a major interest of mine without some sugar to inspire me!) Last week brought three pieces of good news, first of all was that I was successful with all of my exams – I was so relieved to hear this, as although I loved our accounting lecturer, I can’t say the same about his subject, and I was a bit apprehensive that I might have to spend the summer proving that I really can understand various types of cashflows. The second piece of good news was that I got the International Consulting Project (ICP) that I wanted. The ICP is an opportunity for major companies to hire 5 IMD MBA students for a 7 week period to help the company solve a business issue. My project fits perfectly with my two major career interests; banking and real estate. I can’t wait. And finally – on Friday just as the class was tiring of the week, we got a fantastic gift – a personalised Lego figurine of ourselves! Thanks to our Innovation professor for the gift. Greetings from a summery Lausanne! Nick %20(750x422).jpg)
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13 May 2015, 16:40
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Hi Generic [Bot],
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