samirabid.com

It has been a long weekend working on PoM (Project of Management) proposals and presentations as momentum builds towards proposal submission today and the infamous “Dragons Den” on Wednesday. The picture is something I got sent over the weekend. The word on the street is that the Dragons can be pretty fierce so everyone is anxious to do an Awesome job. I am pleased to say my team is looking in great shape (unlike some of the others I have heard about) for the submissions and certainly the effort that has gone in is above and beyond the call of duty.

Still no mid-term results as yet but am sure they will be out sometime this week. It is back to “normal” this week with module lectures and all the pre-reading and post-lecture work that goes with it. JfDI turned up on Sat and already am inspired …

“Be part of the change you want to see in the world” Mahatma Gandhi

During the last couple of days we have done: Stress Management, Advanced Project Management, Time Management and had a very interesting day on Diversity; what it really means, the business implications and how it is working in practise with excellent speakers from BT, Aviva and Ernst & Young.

I am a little overwhelmed with tools, techniques – onions, 2×2′s, flows … the list goes on. However, due to the relatively small class sizes (10 at min so far) it has meant a chance to get closer to the speakers, ask more questions and listen more to their stories. Their generosity, openess and attitudes are great – happily in contrast to the “nice guys come last” mentality you often see; these are nice guys (and gals!) coming very definately first, blue chip board members and managing directors.

Just the inspiration I need and hoped for by joining this course.

The (in)famous Nick Bates – see link to his blog right – is in today to teach us presentation skills … Don’t forget your newspaper guys!!!

Links you should check out:

http://www.sykesfairbairn.com/

http://www.normanbroadbent.com/

In one of the closest and most tense ends to an F1 GP season, Lewis Hamilton won the Championship in the last corner of the last lap! Awesome stuff. I felt a little for the Massa family, as they thought they had it in the bag, only to be told (live on air!) that they hadn’t – gutting. In many ways a scrappy season but the right man won this year – here’s to Lewis now getting his McLaren F1 LM (in orange I imagine!)

MBA life continues a pace. It is projects projects projects this week while we catch up from taking time out for revision over the last couple of weeks. The lectures are focusing more on “soft” skills this week too so a small rest-bite from the main lecture subjects – do you have any “Loafers” in your teams??