What Leadership means to me...

This week has been the week of checking off....checking off to dos, checking off courses/exams/projects.

The fact that i'm now +25% done with the LGO program is a sad thought. It's also sad to think about how our Leadership class with the legendary Don Davis has also come to an end.

During our last class today, each class member was asked to prepare a 2-3 minute speech on what "leadership meant to them" - there were lots of interesting stories/poems/mantras, but my favorites by far were those by Kacey and Steve. Kacey, in proud motherhood, brought in a children's book and appropriated the kid's story into a story about LGO "kittens" and read it to the class. It was an awesome idea and i'm bitter that I didn't come up with it.  :-)    Steve put on a skit that replayed a key moment in his life that made him think about leadership.

My thoughts?  I picked some pictures/images that really personify leadership in my mind. I'll outline them below:

1. A Foundation

Caption: Family photo following my sister Jasmine's portrayal of the Virgin Mary in a church play

A leader must be grounded, have the ability to create and maintain relationships, and care about something or someone (or multiples of either or both).

2. Characteristics

Caption: Me as an undergrad at MIT "finding a way" to get things done!

A leader must have a sense of purpose, must have drive/motivation, and must be RESILIENT!

3. Uncertainty

Caption: " "

A leader must have awareness - awareness that she/he sees only part of the picture and that there are a lot of TBD factors.  A leader must have courage to face the unknown.  And finally, a leader must be flexible - must be able to wake up each day, evaluate what the light reveals, and adjust accordingly.

I pity the foo'

I'm feeling the guilt of a long absence from this blog, but hope to begin writing again more frequently once the term is over.  The last few months have been amazing - classes, workshops, trips, case competitions, the internship whirlwind, and now finals!

I've been whining for several days about how much work I have over the next 2 weeks, so I thought i'd take this week (the week after Thanksgiving break) and outline deliverables so that those close to me can shoot me an understanding glance (not pity, just some love!).

Allow me to reiterate the fact that us LGOs are taking 7 courses, plus a seminar totaling 67 MIT units.

It sounds crazy, right? It totally is. Above is a legit snapshot of my current registration for the fall semester and it's not much different than the schedule of my 46 LGO classmates.

On to the good stuff - deliverables:

Mon 11/30

• 15.810: Team case analysis & write-up due
• ESD.61: Individual assignment #3 due
• ESD.61: "Actionable projects" due in support of semester-long project

Tue 12/01

• 15.010: HW#6 due
• 15.515: Case discussion
• 15.280: Presentation on semester-long project

Wed 12/02

• ESD.61: Presentation on semester-long project due
• 15.665: Journal due

Fri 12/04

• 15.515: HW#8 due

Having written all of this out, it suddenly doesn't look too bad....deceiving!

Let's not forget committees and committee work, part time jobs, family, organizations, etc.

How do we do it? By working together, by adding sanity-enabling activities to our schedule, and by taking it one day at a time.

I love this place.

Fall, 2009 Courses

Several of my LGO classmates have written about their Fall Classes and the general Fall orientation experience, so I thought i'd do the same, but also check out what Brad, Kacey and Tabassum have to say.


I'll outline the classes I'm taking, a blurb from the syllabus, and most importantly, a quote or two from each professor so that you get a sense of what the class is/will be like.


15.010 Economic Analysis for Business Decisions
From the syllabus:

"15.010 is the Sloan School's core subject in microeconomics. Our objective is to give you a working knowledge of the analytical tools that bear most directly on the economic decisions firms must regularly make. We will emphasize market structure and industry performance, including the strategic interaction of firms. We will examine the behavior of individual markets -- and the producers and consumers that sell and buy in those markets --in some detail, focusing on cost analysis, the determinants of market demand, pricing strategy, market power, and the implications of government regulatory policies."

Professor's quotes on the first day of class, some paraphrased from memory:

"It's like AA rents babies to sit in coach" -- so as to get the delta premium for 1st class seats


When talking about price-matching businesses and how they are often mistaken as having a sincere interest in customers -- "He appears as a whiz jolly good fellow...but he's a bastard, that's what he is!"

15.515 Financial Accounting

From the syllabus:

"An intensive introduction to the preparation and interpretation of financial information. Adopts a decision-maker perspective of accounting by emphasizing the relation between accounting data and the underlying economic events generating them. Class sessions are a mixture of lecture and case discussion. Assignments include textbook problems, analysis of financial statements, and cases. Restricted to first-year Sloan master's students." 

So, on the first day of class, as students were streaming in and finding their seats, the professor asked everyone to find their seats and put their namecard out in front of them.  A few MINUTES later, students were done pouring in, and it was 10:25am, start time.  The professor asked us to bring down our name cards, and he proceeded to recite the first AND last name of each and every student in the class -- i'd estimate there were at least 50 people in the room, from all over the world!  It was an extraordinary demonstration of photographic memory and it was a totally awesome way to start the class.

To add to that, here are some quotes, also somewhat paraphrased from memory,

"You'll do a lot of things once you get your MBAs, but don't forget all you've done to get here."

"My wife is a high school teacher.  She treats me like a high school student -- this has 2 consequences -- I never feel old, but I never feel very smart."

15.810  Marketing Management

From the syllabus:

"In this course we seek to:

• Introduce you to key marketing ideas and phenomena, especially the core theme of delivering benefits to customers

• Develop your skills in marketing analysis and planning

• Familiarize you with the tactics of the marketing (product strategy, IMC [promotion], and distribution [place], and price -- 4 P's) and enhance your problem-solving and decision making abilities in these areas

• Develop a clear understanding of key related topics in marketing like branding, CRM and retailing

• Provide you with an essential appreciation for marketing and arm you with the key tools and concepts for your career ahead

• Deliver a world class learning experience, superior in quality and insight"

The first lecture for this class was held today and it was phenomenal.  I dig this professor.

For your own taste of the material, you can visit the professor's website at www.marketingritson.com

Some quotes I remember:

"Shut up"  

"That's just bullshit"  

"The marketing word for that is shit"

15.665 Power of Negotiations

From the syllabus:

"The course will cover three major areas of negotiation to address the above diagnoses: 

1. Basic negotiation methods: The 7 Elements of Negotiation. (Weeks 1 – 4). This segment of the course provides a background about integrative and distributive aspects of negotiation and exposes participants to the basic processes of adversarial and interest-based negotiation. 

2. Dealing with emotions: The Core Concerns Framework. (Weeks 5 – 7). 

This segment of the course focuses on how to foster emotions that build trust and help parties reach mutual gains. 

3. Multi-party negotiations: Putting it All Together. (Weeks 8-12). This segment takes the 7 Elements Framework and Core Concerns Framework and considers their application to negotiations involving multiple people and teams."

What is notable about this course is the professor, who directs the Negotiation Program at Harvard.  Check out some more info on him here.

15.972 Leadership, or Special Seminars in Management

This is probably my favorite class this fall.  I found myself giddy in class, and couldn't stop staring at the professor -- couldn't stop looking at his style of dress, his expressions as he spoke, and the sincerity with which he spoke to us.  The professor is Don Davis, an 88 year old ex-CEO of Stanleyworks, where he spent 40+ years of his life.  Don's lessons have to do with life itself as much as they do with business, and I can't help but see him as the loving and all-knowing grandfather archetype.

Some of the things he shared on the first day include:

"Visualize power as being in a bucket.  Each time you use it, picture yourself removing some of it with a ladle; power is finite."

"I drink Dr. Pepper to pep me up."

"Trust your gut."

 Don also shared his leadership mantras (qty 24).  Some I particularly like:

"The number of effective styles of leadership is limitless. Be yourself."

"Selfship is the enemy of leadership."

"Most everyone can set through manipulators and game playing. Don't do it."

15.280 Communication for Managers

From the syllabus:

"Writing and speaking skills necessary for a career in management. Students polish communication strategies and methods through discussion, examples, and practice. Several written and oral assignments, most based on material from other subjects and from career development activities. Schedule and curriculum coordinated with Organizational Processes class. Mandatory weekly one hour recitation in small groups. Restricted to first-year Sloan graduate students."

15.311 Organizational Processes, or OP
From the syllabus:

"The ability to act with skill and creativity in organizations begins with the development of multiple perspectives on organizations.  As you are no doubt aware, humans habitually settle into fixed perspectives, unchallenged mental models of how the world works, unconscious filters determining what we pay attention to and what we ignore....We will probe some of the psychological and social processes that make it likely that managers will fall into unchallenged patterns of action and thought.  We will then turn to a more in-depth treatment of the strategic design, political, and cultural perspectives on organization...."

ESD.61 Integrating the Lean Enterprise

From the syllabus:

"This course addresses some of the important issues involved with the planning, development and implementation of Lean Enterprises. People, technology, process and information dimensions of an effective lean organization will be addressed in a unified framework. Particular emphasis will be placed on the integration of these dimensions across the entire enterprise, including product development, production, and the extended supply chain. Information requirements and technology and process enablers for achieving enterprise integration will be addressed. Analysis and implementation tools as well as future trends and directions will be explored. Outside speakers and industry practitioners will be utilized."

MBA Pet Peeves Part 1

Despite all the positives about Business School, there ARE some aspects that irk me. Let's make this an "organic", or growing list, but here's the first bunch for starters:

1. PARTICIPATION
There are lots of classes in which "participation" comprises a significant chunk of the grade - 10%, 15%, 20%, 30% and even 35%. In order for participation to be counted, Teaching Assistants (TA's) sit through lecture, and monitor hand-raising and comments from the crowd. The process goes a little something like this:

[Little Johnny in the back raises his hand]
The professor says, "Yes, Johnny".
[TA reacts to professor's voice, and looks around the room for Little Johnny. TA looks through Excel printout or computer for Little Johnny and assigns Johnny either check-marks or points based on the comment made]

Below is an excerpt from one of my syllabi - the class shall remain nameless:

"You will be assigned the following points for in-class participation:
2 Points:
Truly insightful comment or question that impacts the class and potentially enhances the topic;
1 Point:
Good comment or question that complements what is being taught.
The class participation part of your grade will depend on the total number of points you receive
throughout the semester."

2. CODE OF CONDUCT RULES
Recently, the Sloan school updated its "rule book" from "Professional Standards" to "Values @ MIT Sloan". This document is analogous to ethical standards in any corporate environment. The Sloan document is actually a work of art and i'm happy to see the Sloan school focus on integrity, ethics, respect, and creating principled leaders. The document's excerpt on "Avoiding Distraction" has been reproduced below:

Please silence all wireless devices while classes and presentations are in session. To avoid distracting others, please refrain from using laptops or PDAs while classes and presentations are in session, unless this has been specifically permitted by the instructor or presenter. Side conversations should be kept to a minimum, as they can distract your colleagues and can be considered disrespectful of instructors and presenters..."

Just a tad bit militant, but not too bad. However, Sloan's standard operating policy is also that each professor OWNS his/her classroom and they are free to add to the requirements/limitations. Some exercise this liberty freely and welcome us into the classroom with:

"All cell phones and pagers should be turned off during class. You should not leave and re-enter the class. You should avoid engaging in side conversations after class has begun."

or

"Serious medical excuses and deaths in the immediate family are the only acceptable excuses for missing class and, even in these cases, prompt notification is expected."

It's beginning to feel like a military academy, right?


SUMMARY
I'm all about respecting rules, but, feel that the rules don't exactly support my role as a parent and don't provide the balance that my life requires at this moment. So, like clockwork, about 2pm each day, you'll catch me glancing at my cell phone/PDA looking for a text message from my daughter indicating that she's about to start her walk home or to her after-school activity. A few minutes later, you'll see me glance again, ensuring I get the "I'm here" text message. And, undoubtedly, I'm bound to execute several additional glances throughout the day to ensure the status quo (safe environment at school, no earthquakes back home, no major emotional breakdown w/ my mom) remains. If I receive a phone call from a number that's important, or looks like it could be important, I'm going to leave the class to take it.

LIFE HAPPENS and we should all be trusted to uphold high standards of conduct, while at the same time, maintaining balance and upholding our personal responsibilities -- to ourselves and to our families.