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06 Oct 2019, 23:56
01 Nov 2019, 05:02
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: Neuro Leadership: Knowing oneself to lead better |
By: Prajakta Coming from an emerging market like India, when I decided to do my MBA it was definitely for a lot of the usual reasons - building my toolbox, sharpening the edges after over a decade of working, making a career switch, and learning from a diverse class in an international and developed economy. But these reasons could have made me apply to any good business school across the globe. So, why did I decide to do my MBA at Copenhagen Business School? Everyone familiar with the MBA market would promptly mention the focus on sustainable business practices and sustainability as the reason. My classmates and I agreed with this up until we started the program. The curriculum introduced us to another subject – theLeadership Discovery Process, or LDP for short. We knew LDP to be a key pillar of the Copenhagen MBA since we had heard and read about the mysterious week-long outdoor stint in Sweden, but we did not really gauge the significance of the course. It has been one and a half months since we embarked on our MBA journey and I can confidently say this: Copenhagen Business School has two unique propositions; Sustainable Business Practices and the Leadership Discovery Process. The Leadership Discovery is a personal journey designed to define our personal effective leadership style. While all of us have, in some form, displayed as well as experienced leadership in our careers to date, the LDP will introduce us to the detailed theory behind effective leadership and translate this learning into concrete action and behavior, especially in demanding situations. It is a first and foremost a journey of self-discovery, because only when you know yourself well can you lead others towards a shared vision. Neuroscience introduces us to an interesting leadership proposal: Getting to know ourselves better, first as a person (how we perceive ourselves as well as other), then as a leader so we can guide and coach from a place of self-awareness. Because the biggest roadblock in our journey of leadership discovery is SELF. NeuroLeadership helps us identify the obstacles and systematically work on overcoming them. Our brain and biases  The two sides of the brain according to Daniel KahnemanIn his book ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’, Daniel Kahneman describes two sides of our brain. System 1, the oldest part, is responsible for all that is prerecorded over millions of years of evolution. This part of our brain manages quick responses, snap judgements and intuition, relying largely on instinct. System 1 is also emotional and unconscious which makes most of our daily life easy and effortless. Imagine if you had to learn to do basic math like 3+4=7, react to a horror movie scene ordrive on an empty road every single day? It would have been exhausting. Thank God for the System 1 brain! System 2, on the other hand, is very new in our history of evolution. This is where most of our daily work happens, whether it is solving a tricky analytical question, searching for an address in a locality or parking in a tight space. Since the old brain is so well-trained, we most often rely on it to do most of our work, even tasks that might require some of our thought process. Since we might have faced a similar situation in the past, we consider it for a brief amount of time and draw from our earlier experiences very quickly. This approach could help in the performance of routine tasks, but most often than not, this method might draw from our biases. Merriam-Webster defines bias as ‘an inclination of temperament or outlook especially; a personal or sometimes unreason judgement’. Wikipedia lists over 100 of these cognitive biases that affect our sound judgement and actions. Different people look at things differently and might have completely different ways of doing things. Our biases make it tricky to make impartial decisions. Motivations  Perceived threat or reward response model developed by David Rock and adapted from Evian Gordon This figure shows how we react to a perceived threat or reward. Both of these circumstances create chemicals in our body that either make us resist or engage with a particular situation. A brain-based model – SCARF, developed by David Rock, can explain the domains of social experience that might influence the threat and reward perception. Status is about relative importance to others. Certainty concerns being able to predict the future. Autonomy provides a sense of control over events. Relatedness is a sense of safety with others, of friend rather than foe. And Fairness is a perception of fair exchanges between people.1 Labelling and understanding these driver help us design interactions to minimize threat as well as activate a reward response to motivate others more effectively as a leader. The field of Neuroleadership is a definitely at the intersection of neuroscience and management and has much to offer by making behavior more predictable. While it might be perceived as soft science, it is definitely based on some hard data and defined metrics. Being a good leader need not be termed as a trait for only the charismatic orator. In fact, with fields like neuroscience, leadership can be learnt, practiced and imbibed through a leadership discovery process. |
06 Nov 2019, 07:02
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: A survival guide to the MBA galaxy |
ByOlafur A glimpse into the day of a typical Copenhagen MBA student: both the classroom and the packed calendar. The first days of the Copenhagen MBA are intense, and you will spend a lot of energy taking it all in. How to survive this onslaught of new impressions, academic pressures and rigorous demands on your time? By managing your energy levels wisely. I am now in my eighth week of the MBA and, to be honest, my energy levels fluctuate up, down, and sideways. Some days the energy levels are high and other very low. This is normal, and our people (meaning the administration) at CBS have experienced this phenomenon many times with previous MBA candidates. I have never heard about any MBA candidate that didn’t survive this one-year program, so don’t worry; it will be an amazing journey. One of the biggest challenges is how to organize your time and what tools to bring out to tackle this task. To that end, I am going to share with you how I organize my time and how I prioritize. Here are the tools you need to bring with you to the Copenhagen MBA; what I like to call the 8Ks: 1. Know yourself 2. Know how you recover your energy physically and mentally 3. Know how to listen to your body and soul 4. Know your limits 5. Know how to disconnect 6. Know how to tell your brain positive stories 7. Know how to work in teams 8. Know how to be nice If you already possess these tools in your toolbox, then you are more than ready for the MBA journey, sit back and enjoy the ride. We all know that there are only 24 hours in one day, so how do we get the most out of these 24 hours? Let’s explore a normal day at the MBA. 1. Recommended sleep: 7-8 hours 2. Travel time to and from CBS: 1 hour 3. MBA classes: 7 hours 4. Teamwork or group studies: 1 hour 5. Reading preparation for class: 2 hours The Copenhagen MBA will consume 10-11 hours of your day, so my advice to you is to use the remaining 5-6 hours well, and prioritize your time as best you can to add value and achieve quality of life. Then there is always the weekend to catch up with friends and family and enjoy Copenhagen. |
02 Dec 2019, 09:02
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: Yes we can: How to manage corporations sustainably |
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By [url=https://copenhagenmba.tumblr.com/ning]Ning[/url] [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/44b2fc6c1e510d9bf73fad1b2abd484f/1ed81469ef3a3c26-8c/s540x810/1180c38ed7bd269612f52b297cc8e362188190bf.jpg[/img] The designations Managing Sustainable Corporations (MSC) and [url=https://www.cbs.dk/en/executive-degrees/mba/the-copenhagen-full-time-mba/your-mba-experience/sustainability-in-business]CorporateSocial Responsibility (CSR)[/url] seemed like foreign words to me before applying to the Copenhagen MBA, yet they turned out to be very exciting fields to explore. Three months into my MBA journey, new pieces of knowledge as well as new perspectives on CSR and sustainability are now firmly planted into my mind, and are becoming a new way of thinking. Here, I would like to share some of my new learnings. With globalization happening, the concept of CSR has been evolving. It has been critically examined and discussed in the literature and it has been tested and challenged in the real world. Nowadays, CSR is a field possessing a high degree of complexity, and simply doing philanthropic activity is no longer enough. However, like the two sides of a coin, CSR also provides opportunities for us. Throughout our readings, discussions, case studies, and interactions with external experts, we MBA students have gained a multitude of knowledge in this field. My learning was greatly intensified by critical discussion where I could open myself to new perspectives and share ideas. [b]I have learned that in the complex CSR field, there is never a single answer. We need to develop critical thinking and explore the opportunities for the evolving business we work for.[/b] Stakes are high. The UN proposes to achieve seventeen global goals for sustainable development by 2030, and companies have started exploring the “Circular Economy”. Issues around those topics have existed for many years. Now is the time to aim big and bold. However, in reality, things are never as easy as on paper. Companies and societies are constantly struggling with issues, such as how we can avoid a false sense of sustainability by greenwashing, what the steps are to reach the sustainable development goals, and how a company can be truly sustainable. Achieving those goals will be a long journey but working together will get us far. [b]It is everyone’s responsibility. [/b]Everyone needs to take individual responsibility whether as a household member, an employee, or a global citizen. We all need to work together to make our home sustainable. In our MSC class, we learn from each other, challenge each other, and listen to each other. It is a great way to understand and learn about complex issues, because we are all different and complement each other so we can achieve a 360 perspective to our thinking. In the real world, CSR is complex, and companies should learn from each other by sharing experiences, collaborating and building partnerships. Kalundborg Symbiosis is a great example, showing how it is possible to collaborate among companies. By maximizing the utilization of the present resources, these companies try to reduce industrial waste, and further reduce negative environmental impact. We know the system is not perfect, but we need to explore and learn from practice, little by little. Novo Nordisk and the Red Cross started a partnership to deliver insulin to the areas needing it the most. It is a complicated process, and there is no prior example to learn from. However, both parties gain tremendous experience through this process and this partnership. It is not an easy journey to achieve CSR. [b]I believe that to succeed in CSR in the future, companies, government and society have to work together supporting and complementing each other.[/b] CSR is certainly a complex field. As future leaders, let us embrace the challenge and complexity of CSR, and let us lead consciously on this long journey. Let us work together both as individuals and organizations to achieve our goals and make our home sustainable. |
03 Dec 2019, 04:01
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: A Survival Guide to the MBA Galaxy |
|
By[url=https://copenhagenmba.tumblr.com/olafur] Olafur[/url] [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/149b9cee319b62dab61998f5c4b2546e/266a023ea3d4d962-a0/s540x810/aad453f30609c35bc4d6233b9a30f1798eeb9354.jpg[/img] A glimpse into the day of a typical Copenhagen MBA student: both the classroom and the packed calendar. The first days of the Copenhagen MBA are intense, and you will spend a lot of energy taking it all in. How to survive this onslaught of new impressions, academic pressures and rigorous demands on your time? [b]By managing your energy levels wisely.[/b] I am now in my eighth week of the MBA and, to be honest, my energy levels fluctuate up, down, and sideways. Some days the energy levels are high and other very low. This is normal, and our people (meaning the administration) at CBS have experienced this phenomenon many times with previous MBA candidates. I have never heard about any MBA candidate that didn’t survive this one-year program, so don’t worry; it will be an amazing journey. One of the biggest challenges is how to organize your time and what tools to bring out to tackle this task. To that end, I am going to share with you how I organize my time and how I prioritize. [b]Here are the tools you need to bring with you to the Copenhagen MBA; what I like to call the 8Ks:[/b] [b]1. Know yourself[/b] [b]2. Know how you recover your energy physically and mentally[/b] [b]3. Know how to listen to your body and soul[/b] [b]4. Know your limits[/b] [b]5. Know how to disconnect[/b] [b]6. Know how to tell your brain positive stories[/b] [b]7. Know how to work in teams[/b] [b]8. Know how to be nice[/b] If you already possess these tools in your toolbox, then you are more than ready for the MBA journey, sit back and enjoy the ride. We all know that there are only 24 hours in one day, so how do we get the most out of these 24 hours? [b]Let’s explore a normal day at the MBA[/b]. [b]1. Recommended sleep: 7-8 hours[/b] [b]2. Travel time to and from CBS: 1 hour[/b] [b]3. MBA classes: 7 hours[/b] [b]4. Teamwork or group studies: 1 hour[/b] [b]5. Reading preparation for class: 2 hours[/b] The Copenhagen MBA will consume 10-11 hours of your day, so my advice to you is to use the remaining 5-6 hours well, and [b]prioritize your time as best you can to add value and achieve quality of life.[/b] Then there is always the weekend to catch up with friends and family and enjoy Copenhagen. |
03 Dec 2019, 04:01
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: Yes We Can: How to Manage Corporations Sustainably |
|
By [url=https://copenhagenmba.tumblr.com/ning]Ning[/url] [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/44b2fc6c1e510d9bf73fad1b2abd484f/1ed81469ef3a3c26-8c/s540x810/1180c38ed7bd269612f52b297cc8e362188190bf.jpg[/img] The designations Managing Sustainable Corporations (MSC) and [url=https://www.cbs.dk/en/executive-degrees/mba/the-copenhagen-full-time-mba/your-mba-experience/sustainability-in-business]CorporateSocial Responsibility (CSR)[/url] seemed like foreign words to me before applying to the Copenhagen MBA, yet they turned out to be very exciting fields to explore. Three months into my MBA journey, new pieces of knowledge as well as new perspectives on CSR and sustainability are now firmly planted into my mind, and are becoming a new way of thinking. Here, I would like to share some of my new learnings. With globalization happening, the concept of CSR has been evolving. It has been critically examined and discussed in the literature and it has been tested and challenged in the real world. Nowadays, CSR is a field possessing a high degree of complexity, and simply doing philanthropic activity is no longer enough. However, like the two sides of a coin, CSR also provides opportunities for us. Throughout our readings, discussions, case studies, and interactions with external experts, we MBA students have gained a multitude of knowledge in this field. My learning was greatly intensified by critical discussion where I could open myself to new perspectives and share ideas. [b]I have learned that in the complex CSR field, there is never a single answer. We need to develop critical thinking and explore the opportunities for the evolving business we work for.[/b] Stakes are high. The UN proposes to achieve seventeen global goals for sustainable development by 2030, and companies have started exploring the “Circular Economy”. Issues around those topics have existed for many years. Now is the time to aim big and bold. However, in reality, things are never as easy as on paper. Companies and societies are constantly struggling with issues, such as how we can avoid a false sense of sustainability by greenwashing, what the steps are to reach the sustainable development goals, and how a company can be truly sustainable. Achieving those goals will be a long journey but working together will get us far. [b]It is everyone’s responsibility. [/b]Everyone needs to take individual responsibility whether as a household member, an employee, or a global citizen. We all need to work together to make our home sustainable. In our MSC class, we learn from each other, challenge each other, and listen to each other. It is a great way to understand and learn about complex issues, because we are all different and complement each other so we can achieve a 360 perspective to our thinking. In the real world, CSR is complex, and companies should learn from each other by sharing experiences, collaborating and building partnerships. Kalundborg Symbiosis is a great example, showing how it is possible to collaborate among companies. By maximizing the utilization of the present resources, these companies try to reduce industrial waste, and further reduce negative environmental impact. We know the system is not perfect, but we need to explore and learn from practice, little by little. Novo Nordisk and the Red Cross started a partnership to deliver insulin to the areas needing it the most. It is a complicated process, and there is no prior example to learn from. However, both parties gain tremendous experience through this process and this partnership. It is not an easy journey to achieve CSR. [b]I believe that to succeed in CSR in the future, companies, government and society have to work together supporting and complementing each other.[/b] CSR is certainly a complex field. As future leaders, let us embrace the challenge and complexity of CSR, and let us lead consciously on this long journey. Let us work together both as individuals and organizations to achieve our goals and make our home sustainable. |
10 Dec 2019, 08:02
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: Why Learning Danish will Enrich your MBA Experience |
By: Kevin In a city where English is nearly universally spoken as a second language, it’s natural to question whether it’s worth it to add Danish classes on top of an already packed MBA schedule. Throw in the Danish language’s notoriously difficult pronunciation and it’s tempting to conclude that steering clear of Danish is your best bet. However, as I wrap up my third Danish class, I would argue that taking Danish classes is one of the best possible uses of your time and can lead to a substantially more fulfilling experience in Denmark. For starters, Danish classes are a great place to meet new people, build friendships, and establish a network outside of the MBA program. The class I’m currently taking is full of other CBS students (pictured above) and, through them, I’ve learned about events happening at CBS and other Masters programs offered by CBS, leaving me feeling more connected to the university as a whole. From a professional perspective, studying Danish is a great way to convey to potential employers that you are committed to staying in Denmark. It shows that you are working to integrate and are interested in learning more about the country, which can help open doors for you professionally. It can also help you literally open doors since – in Danish – ‘træk’ (pull) and ‘tryk’ (push) look quite similar. Finally and perhaps most importantly, learning Danish alters the way that you can connect with the world around you. Whether it’s signs on the street, local news or menus, being able to read Danish makes so much additional information available to you that enriches your understanding of your surroundings in small but meaningful ways. Even when conversing in English, your Danish studies can be a great conversation starter when meeting Danes. In addition, I’ve found it to be a fun personal challenge to speak Danish in day-to-day situations like ordering at a café since, while it can be difficult, it’s very gratifying when you’re successfully understood. For these reasons, I strongly, strongly encourage you to get out there and register for Danish classes. You won’t regret it. |
08 Jan 2020, 08:02
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: A Midwinter Night’s Tale: Copenhagen and Hygge |
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By: [url=https://copenhagenmba.tumblr.com/ankit]Ankit[/url] [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/56f3231228a7ce151d107a87dda95646/31eb40dbbfe4baf4-7f/s540x810/f45c3ee9378587ded85ac1924f4cf952a1fdd878.jpg[/img] iStock.com/svetikd Surviving winter in Copenhagen as a first timer is no joke! And the task gets daunting if you are accustomed to a warmer climate. Getting through a Danish winter means surviving more than four months of temperatures often sinking below zero, endless weeks without sunshine, long nights with daylight lasting for just eight hours, icy winds literally biting into your skin and rain or snowfall as icing on the cake. In short, you need more than vitamin D supplements to survive the long Danish winter. Through my own experience in Copenhagen,[b] I have found some truth in the famous Danish saying ’There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing’. [/b]It is important to wear warm clothes in layers and keep a pair of gloves, cap and a rain jacket. With proper clothing, you can venture out fearlessly to immerse yourself in the Danish culture on Cultural Night, and visit museums and palaces. Around Christmas, city markets light up and the air is infused with an aroma of cinnamon. Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen is a must visit around this time. However, the weather is not always benign. Cold, snowy days in January and February can be a good excuse to spend some extra time in bed and cozy up with your family and friends by taking inspiration from ‘hygge’, an age-old tradition which also makes Danes one of the happiest people on earth. [b]Hygge encompasses everything from ‘the art of creating intimacy’, ‘coziness of the soul’, to ‘taking pleasure in the presence of soothing things’ and ‘cocoa by candlelight’.[/b] It is a state of mind created with a warm and comfortable space for indoor relaxation, alone or with friends and family. Candles, along-with food and drinks, are an important part of hygge designed create a warm and cozy atmosphere. [b]For me, hygge is about enjoyment and finding comfort in the simple things in life in the company of family, friends or even pets.[/b] One could always invite friends over for lunch or dinner and prepare a meal together while sipping hot tea, mulled wine or gløgg. [b]So rather than perceiving the long winter in Copenhagen as a challenge that we have to survive, we can warm ourselves up with hygge, food, drinks, and festivals, to thrive in the cold and dark Danish winter.[/b] |
27 Jan 2020, 05:01
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: Looking Beyond the MBA Horizon: Post-MBA Career Plan |
By: Santiago Sometimes, during our busy lives, we don´t have time to consider where we are going, and we can only focus on the next step forward. Taking a year off and dedicating it to an MBA is not only a good way to acquire knowledge and meet new people, it is also a fantastic opportunity to take a step back and look at our careers from the outside. Understanding ourselves and defining our professional and personal goals can be a very challenging task, and it requires both patience and work. These are the three main elements that are helping me as I go through this process.
MBA and there are still many steps to take and things to figure out, but I already have a multitude of new ideas for the future. |
05 Feb 2020, 13:01
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: A Crucial Coffee Meeting |
By: Kevin Kevin’s coffee meeting with an Admissions Manager played a key role in his decision to apply to the Copenhagen MBA . After developing a general understanding of the Copenhagen MBA through the information available on CBS’swebsite, I still had some lingering questions about my specific situation and interests. Among others, the questions on my mind included:
MBA, reached outto let me know that she was in town and available to meetfor coffeeand discuss my professional objectives. This turned out to be a fantastic opportunity to have an open and honest conversation about my aspirations and I left increasingly confident that the Copenhagen MBA was a great fit for my background and career objectives. Fatima also connected me with an MBA alumnus and let me know about the opportunity to sit in on a class during an upcoming trip to Copenhagen. This experience provided personalized input, connected me to additional resources, and put a face to the program. Looking back, it was an invaluable meeting that played a pivotal role in my decision to pursue an MBA at CBS. As you consider your options for MBA programs, be sure to reachout to the admissions team to find out when they’ll be in your city or available for a phone conversation. |
21 Feb 2020, 08:01
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: Money Matters: 2020 Venture Capital Investment Competition |
by Alistair, guest blogger and part of the winning VCIC team “Pushing the boundaries of our own capacity and expanding them was what we all choose the Copenhagen MBA for”. Alistair, fourth from the left, was part of the winning VCIC team. Venture capital is a famously intense world, and the venture capital investment competition (VCIC) that ran last week at CBS is no different. Three start-ups, six teams of MBA students and ten venture capital judges spent Saturday in due diligence meetings, preparing term sheets, defending investment choices and negotiating with investment targets as the culmination of a venture capital simulation that began several days earlier. Late nights, early starts, a lot of coffee and even more learning, was what the process was about – for those with prior venture capital experience as well as those without. All team members brought their unique knowledge and skill-sets in order to drill down into the investment opportunities, present the choices to judges and persuade the companies that this was a deal they couldn’t pass up on. Everyone was challenged, everyone made mistakes, and everyone was corrected and improved as a result. I may still not know, for example, all the intricacies of term sheet preparation, but VCIC pushed me to figure it out, and I now certainly know much, much more than I did. These new learnings are important and satisfying, of course, but the experience of working on them under pressure as part of a team was what made the VCIC ride fun. An understanding of the venture capital process from the inside will be invaluable to the numerous MBA students who choose to follow a start-up route in coming years. For those that don’t, the issues that were addressed are still extremely relevant for a general business education, and the pressure of working to tight deadlines is something we will all have to deal with again. These kinds of intense learning experiences are a large part of what an MBA is about, for me – you push the boundaries of your own capacity, and the boundaries expand. That’s what we all chose the CBS MBA for, and VCIC is a great bitesize example of the process, the pressure, and the payoff. |
04 Mar 2020, 07:01
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: Me and My LDP Mentors |
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By: [url=https://copenhagenmba.tumblr.com/olafur]Olafur[/url] [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/2fe7657ef8b73c301cd3d18644c6a583/fc30946b1844244e-b7/s540x810/fe84ee3a0d342b4b7234e3667513b046ffc14490.jpg[/img] The[b] [url=https://www.cbs.dk/en/executive-degrees/mba/the-copenhagen-full-time-mba/your-mba-experience/leadership-discovery-process]Leadership Discovery Process (LDP)[/url][/b] is an amazing journey that runs throughout the [b][url=https://copenhagenmba.cbs.dk/]Copenhagen MBA[/url].[/b] The LDP will take you completely out of your comfort zone in so many different ways. As part of the LDP, you will be assigned to a group of four to five classmates and matched with two mentors. The mentors are [b][url=https://mba-alumni.dk/]CBSMBA alumni[/url] [/b]that voluntarily supply us with information and support throughout the LDP. We meet every six weeks over the course of the program. My mentors’ names are Thomas and Cristina, and both are wonderful warm professionals.[b] The first thing on the agenda in our first meeting was to establish trust between us all and create a safe space to talk and communicate our views as we move forward in our MBA journey. [/b] I must say that both Cristina and Thomas are very skilled in leadership as they were able to create trust and psychological safety within the group already in the very first meeting, and I imagine that the Copenhagen MBA played a big part in bringing out their innate leadership skills. Every meeting is different. [b]My mentors are very much on top of what we are experiencing in our MBA journey, and they always seem to know when we require a talk about something other than the MBA. [/b]For example, before the Christmas exam period, they took us to a traditional Danish restaurant where we had some Danish Christmas food and warm Christmas glogg/wine. We have also enjoyed dinner together at our group members’ homes, where we had some interesting conversations about everything from raising children to corporate finance. [b]I learn something new and useful every time we come together.[/b] And it doesn’t matter how tired or stressed I am when we meet because afterwards I feel energized and ready to take on the next challenge. A one year MBA can, at times, be very stressful with its fast pace and its constant need for soaking up learning. [b]The methodology of the LDP mentors in the program is well-executed, and I know from this experience that the mentors add value to the Copenhagen MBA experience.[/b] [b]Thank you, Cristina and Thomas. [/b] |
11 Mar 2020, 04:01
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: Time for an MBA: Juggling Business School with Life, Motherhood, and Everything in Between |
By Sabina As both a Copenhagen MBA student and a mother of two, Sabina has a lot on her plate, but she has some tips and tricks for getting everything done. Juggling the Copenhagen MBA with general life commitments is quite a challenging task. The program is intense, there are a lot of reading assignments, deadlines to meet, exams and final papers to deliver, peer commitments, group working sessions, discussions and paper hand-ins. Meanwhile, at home I have a 2-year-old and a 10-year-old-schoolgirl who both need as much attention as the MBA program, and somewhere in between I need to allocate time for myself in order to stay focused and sharp and replenish my energy levels so I can cope with everything. So, what’s my recipe for how to handle it all? I try not to think about how difficult it is and I try not to feel sorry of myself and, instead, I just focus on doing whatever needs to be done. In fact, the less time you have, the more productive and efficient you become, since you cherish every minute of your time and your resources. Here are few insights that detail how I manage this journey: 1. Delegate and share. Get domestic help or help with children if you can. Without help, it would have been much harder, maybe even impossible to cope with all the tasks as I am in Copenhagen without my partner. Also: Don’t be shy to ask for help with your studies. I have a wonderful class and my peers are just amazing! They are all very helpful and we share ideas, discuss concepts, study and prepare for exams together. We talk about challenges we encounter, we encourage and coach each other. Remember that you are not doing the Copenhagen MBA alone, and we all go through the same experiences. It helps a lot to talk about it. 2. Time management. Use your spare time smartly. For example, when I take my daughter to afterschool sports, I’m reading course materials while I wait for her, or sometimes network with other parents (yep, chatting with parents is networking ?). Team up with parents to use your time more effectively; maybe somebody can take your child to sports with theirs. In my case, I have a wonderful neighbor who takes my daughter together with hers to sports while I’m at CBS. Change your habits and be disciplined. For example, it was really challenging for me to be on time for class in the morning, because I needed to take my child to kindergarten on the way to school. So, I’ve made a small change in my perception – instead of thinking that I need to be in class at 9.00 am, now I need to leave the house no later than 8.00 am. That helped! 3. Remember yourself and your own needs. Always allocate time for yourself and do sports. You might even skip doing some readings and ask your peers to give you a summary of the book chapter later, favouring keeping yourself healthy emotionally and physically instead. I try to go to the gym regularly, do running, and swim. Sport helps to keep my spirits up and fills me with energy. And, as they say, happy mom – happy children, not vice versa. ? Doing sports helped me a lot. 4. Set a routine. Our brain loves routine and it saves energy. Wake up early, go to sleep early. Exclude or drastically minimize time killers (Facebook, Instagram, chats, surfing the Internet…). Stay focused. The MBA is just for one year and time flies! 5. Don’t be too hard on yourself and stop telling yourself that you are bad mother. There is no such thing as a bad mother. I use a principle of quality, rather than quantity. I can’t spend a lot of time with my children, but when I do, I focus only on them. We have a ritual of play for an hour before going to sleep, building Lego towers, reading books, singing songs. That helps me to think about something else than my studies and lets me enjoy being with my kids. |
31 Mar 2020, 06:02
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: Putting the MBA to work in the Advisory Board |
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by [url=https://copenhagenmba.tumblr.com/kevin]Kevin[/url] [img]https://66.media.tumblr.com/4ca67a16cc614f4daa594ae65d682609/f5942ccb17e19406-cf/s540x810/f1d85772bc863377116e67b90ecc15349ab73f91.jpg[/img] Kevin and his teammates were paired with an agricultural startup in the Advisory Board, which proved to be both a challenge and a great learning opportunity. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. With the [url=https://copenhagenmba.cbs.dk/]university temporarily closed due to the Corona virus[/url], we’ve transitioned to online instruction and meetings. It certainly comes with its own set of challenges, but [url=https://copenhagenmba.tumblr.com/post/188124427979/my-whole-life-has-changed-dramatically]our class[/url] has approached it with a positive attitude and a desire to make it work. From meeting classmates’ children over Zoom to getting a sense of their personal aesthetic through glimpses of their home décor, it has been an interesting way to get to know everyone better. This past fall, [url=https://www.cbs.dk/en/executive-degrees/mba/the-copenhagen-full-time-mba/your-mba-experience]armed with knowledge gained from classes ranging from economics to human resources management[/url], I was itching to apply what I had learned to real business challenges. Fortunately, [url=https://www.cbs.dk/en/executive-degrees/mba/the-copenhagen-full-time-mba/your-mba-experience/the-advisory-board]the Advisory Board (A-Board)[/url] was just around the corner with exactly that opportunity. When I visited [url=https://copenhagenmba.cbs.dk/#video]Copenhagen Business School[/url] a few years prior, I sat in on an A-Board team meeting as they prepared to advise a firm launching a refrigerated coffee drink. This small peek inside of the A-Board process left me excited for my chance to experience it and exceptionally curious to find out with which firm I would be paired. At long last, it was revealed that my team would work with a company that produces an organic soil enhancer. My teammates and I lacked any agricultural background, which was both a challenge and a great learning opportunity. In our first meeting with the entrepreneur, we were surprised to learn that he too was brand new to the agricultural sector, meaning we were all learning on the fly together. His passion for the product was contagious and, through exhaustive research and by applying our diverse professional and academic backgrounds, we were able to develop an understanding of how the industry operates and advise the firm on its growth strategy. Our recommendations revolved around which markets they should expand into after Denmark, how they should structure their distribution network, and how they should design the new roles in their growing organization. The most valuable outcomes from this experience include how A-Board: [list][*]Brought me much closer to my fellow team members;[/*][*]Allowed me to apply what I’ve learned through the Copenhagen MBA curriculum to real-world business challenges;[/*][*]Introduced me to the start-up scene in Denmark;[/*][*]Helped me better appreciate the role and importance of corporate boards;[/*][*]Gave me the opportunity to deep dive into a completely unfamiliar industry;[/*][*]Most memorably, allowed our class to ring the closing bell on the Nasdaq Copenhagen stock exchange.[/*][/list] |
06 Apr 2020, 01:02
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: It is time to deliver the final project: The MBA crown jewel |
by Ning Ning and her classmates have taken on the Copenhagen MBA’s final challenge, the Integrated Strategy Project. Unlike last year’s class they rely on online meetings and virtual connection for team collaboration. While I was keeping busy with case studies for Strategic Management, studying for the Corporate Finance exam and getting ready for the final Advisory Board meeting, the MBA’s final challenge: the Integrated Strategy Project (ISP), slowly approached. Even now, four weeks after the ISP groups and cases have been announced, I still remember the nervousness and excitement I felt. I had heard many stories about this challenge and had been wondering for a long time what the ISP would bring for me. It feels like we have been in preparation mode for the past seven months and now the curtain is up. Here we are, on the stage, ready to perform and deliver the final act. The ISP gives us the opportunity to apply the theories, concepts and models we have learned to a major strategic issue in a company. Officially, the ISP kicks off in April and ends early August. Throughout the entire journey, four MBA students work as a team and collaborate closely with a matched company. To enhance our preparation, the Copenhagen MBA administration moved the ISP initial announcement and kick-off event before the Easter break this year. We could tell that the administration had put lots of effort into the ISP preparation process. For starters, the staff had worked hard picking the participating companies. There were multinational companies and there were local start-ups. One MBA team was to work on a challenge within a biotech company, another was assigned to a museum, giving us the opportunity to practice and learn via real-world challenges. It was also apparent that the MBA program staff had spent lots of time allocating students to different teams, and matching these teams to companies. They had considered the companies’ requirement, project focus, and the students’ competencies. To make sure we were prepared and ready for the challenge, the ISP kick off had been planned right before the Easter break. Everyone was excited and looked forward to it. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 global pandemic started hitting Denmark in early March, and a lock-down was initiated while we were wrapping up other MBA courses. With this sudden change, all students, MBA program management and professors had to work from home. These uncertainties made everyone wonder how we would do the kick-off seminars, and how we would approach our ISP. Despite all the changes and uncertainties, the ISP kick-off started on time, moving from a physical classroom setting to a virtual online platform. We got the opportunity to learn and practice problem-solving frameworks, presented by an experienced external consultant. Many alumni were also invited to share their ISP experience and answer our questions. Although we started getting used to working from home after one week of being in lock-down, it was still a challenge for everyone to take a two-day long seminar online. I believe everyone did their best and has been supportive to each other. I knew nothing of my ISP one month ago. Gradually, in a few weeks, I started bonding with my teammates, making connections with our matched company, understanding the learning objectives, aligning with our two supervisors, learning frameworks to facilitate problem solving for the ISP, and soaking up tips from experienced alumni. I am getting ready for my ISP journey, together with my teammates. Although we are still under the cloud of COVID-19, I am looking forward to starting my ISP journey with my teammates and putting my best learning and practice into this final project: The MBA crown jewel. |
24 Jul 2020, 06:01
| FROM Copenhagen Students Blog: The CBS MBA blog has moved... |
 We’ve moved! Follow us to our new hub for the latest CBS MBA student blog posts. You can also use our new and improved search function to find topics that interest you, view blog posts per-programme and receive insight derived from our faculty’s cutting-edge research. We hope you will consider following us on our new blog platform! (mba-blog-cbs.dk) Please note that this page will soon be deleted. |
10 Jul 2023, 10:00
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Hi Generic [Bot],
Here are updates for you:
ANNOUNCEMENTS
 Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024 11:30am NY / 3:30pm London / 9pm Mumbai Watch earlier episodes of DI series below EP1: 6 Hardest Two-Part Analysis Questions EP2: 5 Hardest Graphical Interpretation Questions
Tuck at Dartmouth
AGSM at UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE
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