Thursday, November 06, 2003

It's alive: www.inseadlogoff.com Kudos to Nabil for a job well done. 10:05:27 PM    comment []

The class: Power & Politics.  The problem: the sudden introduction of attendance sheets in the fourth session. The situation: interesting on so many levels... like a Jonathan Swift novel... has Lucky learned anything at school?  How good were his P1/P2 OB professors? The challenge: read below.  The response: anxiously awaited... -----Original Message----- From:   GOLDSTAR Lucky Sent:   Thursday, November 06, 2003 5:09 PM To:     ALVAREZ JoseLuis Subject:        Attendance sheets in P&P Greetings Professor Alvarez- This is a brief note to express my appreciation for the Power & Politics class, as I have been enjoying it very much so far, and to express my concern about the use of attendance sheets in class to encourage people to show up. Certainly, your issues with balanced sections are valid.  I have attended classes with 10 people, and classes with 75, and I much prefer the former to the latter.  If you have had classes where there were not enough seats for the students, I could better understand your request, though not having seen such a situation, I sense (perhaps) that your motivations are otherwise. You have constantly urged us to develop our own views on leadership and organizational behaviour.  I have been exploring my own (often implicit) views throughout this year, and one of my beliefs is that if you treat people like children, they will behave like children; treat people like adults, and they will behave like adults.  The taking of attendance in class, reminiscent of my days of primary education, raises some concerns vis-à-vis this view of people that I hold dear. I have very much enjoyed participating in your class thus far and look forward to participating in the rest of the period.  I write to you in hopes that you will understand why I prefer not to sign the attendance sheet in class, and that I understand any consequences that this may have. Again, please allow me to express my appreciation for the class, and I look forward to challenging dialogues with you in the remainder of the course. I thank you for your time and consideration- Best regards, Lucky ____________________________ What would you have done?  Signed the sheet, or passed it on?  Said something to the professor, or nothing? Most importantly, what is your theory of human behaviour?  How well can you articulate it? 9:39:48 PM    comment []

It's on. The entire January promotion is focused on jobs.  Almost every conversation begins with, "How's it going?" and the question means only one thing: do you have an offer you would take?  People are interviewing at a feverish pace - some are barely on campus once a week.  Every day there are people walking around in suits.  Every day you can't help but think how nice it would be to have The Offer, and be able to enjoy the rest of the weeks at school. But fear not.  If living in France has taught you only one thing, it should be a certain sense of sangfroid.  And it needs to be put to use, now, so when people ask you The Question, you can say with a glint in your eye, "I'm closing in on the perfect job... and I'm going to get it.  Any day now."  So be calm, cool, and collected.  Know yourself, know what you want, and then go get it.  This is your future, and this is your mantra. 9:28:28 PM    comment []