Promises Promises
So I was going to finish my overview of P1, but then I went off and had lots of time to think about things and put things in perspective. And for those that know me that can only mean lots of pontification which is probably not that exciting for the busy bite-size-entertainment seeking audience this blog works so hard to maintain.
So instead I'll talk about my first lecture of P2 - "Strategy", which happened this morning shortly after I wrote down my new 80 point to do list. Amazing how much crud piles up when you go away for 3 nights.
As someone who specifically left strategy consulting cause it wasn't my cup of tea, I knew I was in trouble the second the professor asked an open question "What is strategy?" to the class. I managed to hold out for a good two minutes while the usual answers about winning wars and blah blah unfurled. And then I could stand it no more and went in with "...a carefully laid plan to convince the masses there is a semblance of order in what is ultimately complete chaos". Which the sharp tongued Russian professor summarises as "You think it is Bullshit".
Now I don't like to be put on the spot as much as the next man, but when a man is standing in front of me and nicely saying the point I was trying to make but couldn't out of politeness I kind of have to agree. But then this is the first impression I make to someone who will present me with 20% of the grade of the course based purely on class participation. "I think your course is about Bullshit" is probably not the best first move one could make in this situation, at least from a strategic perspective (boom boom). Mental note to self: Must learn to control that mouth.
In hindsight though, this is not going to be a course I like. We then spent the entire session steadily convincing me that my views on the whole matter of topics being discussed varied so largely from the commonly held view that there was very little I could add to the whole discussion other than just appearing to be contrary for the sake of it.
For example, we spent a huge amount of time defining Ikea's strategy. Apparently, this involves selling low cost furniture while getting the customers to do the assembly themselves. Selling a whole range of furnishings in one store is a key differentiator. And on and on. At one point, it was even mentioned that they sell Swedish meatballs in their stores, which differentiates them from the rest.
Well, after 45 minutes in this direction, still, not a single person made the comment that IKEA is IKEA maybe because, just maybe, they are able to make furniture people actually like at a price they're willing to pay. And that they are willing to do this despite the pain in the arse it is to drive for 2 hours and then have to wind your way through a swedish furniture rat tunnel, congested with bargain hungry shoppers to the point of insanity. I was flabbergasted. By this point I was so pissed off I was not really able to make a coherent contribution. So so far, the way the wind's blowing I think I'm going to be writing off this course. Oh well. There's 5 more to go though, so I'm sure there'll be something good in there. Right now, my hopes are riding high on Corporate Finance II - The Return of the Bond Trader....
PS. Here's photie I took in Copenhagen that I'm rather pleased with
So instead I'll talk about my first lecture of P2 - "Strategy", which happened this morning shortly after I wrote down my new 80 point to do list. Amazing how much crud piles up when you go away for 3 nights.
As someone who specifically left strategy consulting cause it wasn't my cup of tea, I knew I was in trouble the second the professor asked an open question "What is strategy?" to the class. I managed to hold out for a good two minutes while the usual answers about winning wars and blah blah unfurled. And then I could stand it no more and went in with "...a carefully laid plan to convince the masses there is a semblance of order in what is ultimately complete chaos". Which the sharp tongued Russian professor summarises as "You think it is Bullshit".
Now I don't like to be put on the spot as much as the next man, but when a man is standing in front of me and nicely saying the point I was trying to make but couldn't out of politeness I kind of have to agree. But then this is the first impression I make to someone who will present me with 20% of the grade of the course based purely on class participation. "I think your course is about Bullshit" is probably not the best first move one could make in this situation, at least from a strategic perspective (boom boom). Mental note to self: Must learn to control that mouth.
In hindsight though, this is not going to be a course I like. We then spent the entire session steadily convincing me that my views on the whole matter of topics being discussed varied so largely from the commonly held view that there was very little I could add to the whole discussion other than just appearing to be contrary for the sake of it.
For example, we spent a huge amount of time defining Ikea's strategy. Apparently, this involves selling low cost furniture while getting the customers to do the assembly themselves. Selling a whole range of furnishings in one store is a key differentiator. And on and on. At one point, it was even mentioned that they sell Swedish meatballs in their stores, which differentiates them from the rest.
Well, after 45 minutes in this direction, still, not a single person made the comment that IKEA is IKEA maybe because, just maybe, they are able to make furniture people actually like at a price they're willing to pay. And that they are willing to do this despite the pain in the arse it is to drive for 2 hours and then have to wind your way through a swedish furniture rat tunnel, congested with bargain hungry shoppers to the point of insanity. I was flabbergasted. By this point I was so pissed off I was not really able to make a coherent contribution. So so far, the way the wind's blowing I think I'm going to be writing off this course. Oh well. There's 5 more to go though, so I'm sure there'll be something good in there. Right now, my hopes are riding high on Corporate Finance II - The Return of the Bond Trader....
PS. Here's photie I took in Copenhagen that I'm rather pleased with
posted by The Apprentice at 1:23 PM
3 Comments:
Pumpkin pie, pefection of planning is a sympton of decay according to the historian C. Northcote Parkinson. Think he might have had a point. Hence I studiously try to avoid planning too far ahead. So here's a novel thought. How about an entry about all of the things you DO like about the MBA roller-coaster, enchanted forest, wonderful country of France etc? xxx
That picture...what pleases you exactly? Is it the whole phallic thing or just that it's completely surreal?
Well, I think it's because it's the first time my photography has been able to take a miniscule step in the direction of telling a story. For me this is what makes a really trully excellent photograph, and is something which I've struggled how to do effectively for ages.
And while this photo is by no means perfect, there is a semblance of a slilghtly quirky question/story being told - namely the people looking for something interesting in one direction while the interesting thing is actually directly behind them.
And I'm not trying to oversell this - cause it's not that good a photo. But for me it's quite a big step from ahything I've been able to do before.
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