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Alumni stories: the 10 things I wish I had done (or done a bit more!) during my Manchester Business School MBA
Hola a todos from México!
The best Brathay team, in 2009. MBA Class 2011
How are you doing? I know that it has been a long time, but it is until now that I have an interesting story to share with you. Recently, I met a group of Mexican candidates for the MBA programme 2015 (yes… I feel like an old veteran just by thinking of that date), and they asked me the following question: What are the things that you wish you had done during your stay in Manchester?
To be honest with you I could not reply that question without giving it proper thinking. It is very tough to look back and find the opportunities that I missed from 2009 – 2011. Still, I think it is a very relevant question that could help current and future MBAs during their time in Manchester Business School.
So, without more explanations, here you have the 10 things that I wish I had done (or done a bit more!) during my MBA in Manchester Business School:
1. Expanding the network outside of Manchester Business School: the MBA is REALLY busy and demanding; however, I know that I could have met more locals by joining sporting or cultural clubs out of the MBA circle. I was lucky to meet a few footballers through Zalan, my Hungarian friend and classmate, but I think I could have done more. Part of the excitement of being abroad is to make more and more connections.
2. Learning a new language: I am sure I could have learned portuguese alongside my MBA studies. Perhaps trying Russian would have been very challenging, but I would advise MBAs to give a try to a language that is similar (or belongs to the same “family”) to your native language. The more I develop my career, the more I realise that languages are key skills in your curriculum.
3. Doing community service: something I have realised is that you get to know more of a place when you actually give back to the community. While the programme has got an exciting Not-for-profit project, I guess I could have done some extra charity work through ONGs or charitable associations. As I described in “The Business” magazine in 2011 (in Manchester): “this is not about the amount of things I can gain from an experience; instead, this is all about the amount of things I can do and give to others”.
4. Perfecting a hobbie: I am really happy to share with you that I just recently presented my photography in a local gallery in Mexico. It went really well and many of the photos got sold. Manchester has got a fantastic offer of courses for people interested in sports and arts. I am sure that I could have joined a few courses and mastered my photo-skills back then.
5. Eating with moderation: this is a very important point and I will keep it simple. Despite of the amount of work and stress, please be careful with your heating and drinking habits. I returned to Mexico with a few extra kilos and now I wished I had controlled my apetite for fish n´ chips!
6. Travelling!: this is a bit difficult if you don´t have much spare money during the MBA. Still, there are excellent opportunities to travel around Europe on a budget scheme. I was so into work that I guess I missed the chance of visiting Greece, Turkey and Russia. (Anyway, I am sure I will go very soon, hehe).
7. Connecting with my classmates beyond the expectation: this point is a bit hard to explain, since I consider myself a social Mexican and I had a rather positive relationship with most of my classmates. I guess when I look back I wish I had understood more about some of the very distant and diverse cultures represented in my class. It is tough to find the time, and you usually get drowned into the social group that you conform by afinity; however, we are paying a lot of money to learn, and learning from others is a unique opportunity that is present during the MBA. More importantly, it is important to keep in touch after the MBA (thank you Facebook because you make this point easier 
)
8. Reaching more alumni: another point that is complex to explain, since I was a natural networker. Alumni are key to career, social and entrepreneurial opportunities. It was until the last part of the MBA that I became really active in Alumni relationships, ones that have been critical in the development of my own career. I guess that this is an opportunity that has to be explored since day 1 of the MBA. Currently, I am an active member in my alumni network and in the Global Alumni Council.
9. Pushing myself to the limits and beyond: this is a slightly philosophical point and it depends upon every individual. The main message here is that this is the time to learn (do not forget that you are paying serious money to do so). Be not afraid of crossing the boundaries (the right ones!, of course!) and pushing yourself to the limit. The only consequence if you fail is that you will learn!
10. Enjoying every day… every minute… as if it were the last!: wait people… I truly enjoyed my MBA and I still find it one of the happiest times in my life, but there is always room for more (as the tittle says, things I wish I had done – or done a bit more!). Many days in the MBA are busy and tough. Stress is definetely the enemy of the XXI century. Studying an MBA in Manchester Business School is challenging and demanding. I believe that it is until you finish the programme that you realise that a few projects could have been more relaxed and that learning should be fun at all times. I guess that more than a wish, this is my advice to all people doing an MBA in Manchester. Put things into perspective, and rescue what is valuable from every project and experience. Avoid getting into gossip, conflict and negativism. The MBA has been a life changing experience for me, and I wish I was still there living the journey that began in 2009. Why? Because I was truly happy.
The 10 commandments of a Manchester Business School MBA Alumni
Dear readers, applicants, fans, MBAs, family, friends, etc…
Sorry for being far away from all of you these last months. Joining the business world after completing an MBA from Manchester Business School is an exciting experience that requires time and effort. Getting used to making new networks, meeting new people, living real Britain, chasing THE girl (well, the one you think is THE one at that time), working crazy hours, etc… all that has kept me away from my blogging spirit… but here I am to give you my traditional (oops, I did it again!) top 10 commandments of a Manchester Business School MBA… ALUMNI version! (drums, please, bring ´em on!):
1. LOYALTY: once MBS, always MBS. I don´t like tattoos, but sometimes I feel that I´ve got a purple stamp wherever I go. Becoming an MBA from Manchester Business School is one of those things that will remain with us during our professional life. The more we do for our alma mater the more we contribute to developing our MBS brand and increase our value.
2. CAREER FOCUS: developing a career is like keeping fit and beautiful after your 20s. It requires a lot of hard work on a daily basis. Yes, you can read it again… slowly… it requires H A R D work EVERY… E-V-E-R-Y DAY. This is not about getting the ´dream job´. The more you get the more you want. Just like keeping fit… the best advice is not to kill yourself in a single training; it is, in fact, working hard following a strategy and realising that results are achieved with time. Actually, it never ends. Please MBA colleagues… never stop ´fighting´ for your careers!
3. MENTORING: this goes both ways. Get yourself a good mentor. Also, become a mentor. You can´t imagine how much you learn just by listening and giving / receiving advice. In Manchester Business School it is possible to becoming a mentor through the Gold Mentoring Programme. Nowadays, I have a Portuguese mentee called Joao. He is really cool and I am sure that we both have learned things about our personality and career interests. Also, it is a new way of making friends.
4. SUPPORT YOUR MB-MATES!: ok… I call my MBA friends my MB-mates. I have got so much support from my MBA friends these days that I can only be grateful for remaining in touch. My advice to current MBA students is to develop these relationships from within the classroom. Later on they will be very helpful. Only remember that in order to receive is important to give, too.
5. LEARNING SPIRIT: the MBA is just the starting point of an exhaustive learning experience. Well… life itself is the most complex learning journey; however, you know what I mean when I say that we must keep our eyes and spirits open to keep on learning and studying different topics. Competition in the business world is tough. I believe that education is a strong differentiating factor and that the more we ´know´ the more relevant we could become to an organisation and community.
6. ETHICS: this is very simple – ALWAYS work following positive ethics, principles and values. This is the only way we will create a positive environment in the business world. Perhaps I sound like a dreamer, but I do believe that we can be profitable and sustainable in the same time. Anyway…. If you decide not to follow this point then you have my authorisation to erase me from facebook, twitter, linkedin, etc… I can´t stand unethical behaviour!
7. AMBASSADOR: similar to a previous point. A good MBA from Manchester Business School is a good ambassador. Regardless of where you are, there is always an opportunity to showcase your talents and the values acquired in Manchester. It could be by promoting the University in different events, inviting people to apply to the MBA programme, WRITING A BLOG (hello!), etc.; there is always a chance to promote the brand!
8. STYLE: ok… I am going to be careful with this point because people might think I am a Mexican snob. The only thing I am going to say is that, unfortunately, first impressions are still very important in many places around the world. An MBA from MBS should… must… is required to look and dress to impress! This does not mean that you have to wear Zegna head to toe… it is more about style and getting it right. Trust me… the right style will help your (should I say ours… I still have a long way to go) careers.
9. GOOD SENSE OF HUMOUR: at the end of the day MBAs just wanna have fun, right? Keep it cool all the time. Having a difficult business day? Your career is not moving in the right direction? Still not earning enough?… well… keep it cool, assess your skills and opportunities, build a strategy (yeah, we learned that during the program) and work, work, work to get things right… always with a smile on the face. Nothing personal, just business! Keeping a positive attitude makes a massive difference during the good and not so good times.
10. VISION: perhaps one of my favourite points. An MBS MBA Alumni has a strong vision about the future and works hard to get it. An MBS MBA Alumni knows that life is a journey that requires consistency, discipline and hard work. We never give up and we find opportunities during challenging times. An MBS MBA Alumni is ready to make a difference. We are not afraid of success!
I promise I won´t take 6 months to write again… in the meantime, keep well and enjoy winter!!! I´ll be back!
It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over
15.July.2011, 6.00 am: ´I wish I had gone to bed earlier last night´ It was fantastic meeting my friends yesterday , particularly when I have not seen them for 3 months after they left Manchester to follow their personal and professional projects, yet, I can´t stand the alarm clock telling me to go to the gym.
At the gym, I keep reminding to myself about the way she told me how she preferred the ´previous version´ of Alejandro, the one with 6 kilos less and shaved head. Anyway, swimming is such a complete exercise that I am confident I will achieve my target in a couple of months.
Then, I find myself running out of the gym to go home and get ready for a working trip. It is all about keeping good relationships with client “X”. This simply can´t go wrong… my mind is very busy trying to find the strategy to retain this client and the best way to complete a couple of re-branding projects.
At my destination, time goes flying… to the extent that I missed my meeting with Elaine and Lynne. I send them an apology e-mail, still, I am aware that I have to be back in Manchester at 3 pm.
The moment I hop on to the train back to ´Manchy´ I feel a strange sensation. It feels like something is coming to an end, yet, I know that it ain´t over ´til it´s over. I close my eyes, to open them again when I reach Piccadilly station.
Minutes go flying, I change to my grey suit, collect my tickets and all the items necessary for the event. Once I reach University of Manchester and see my friends everything makes sense. Here we are together finalising our MBA project… should I say, our MBA dream. I look at my mobile phone … she has not called yet.
We enter a very nice room; we have not seen it before. There, everything moves quickly, they tell us to sit down in specific places. I speak with some friends: Jennelly, Maitrey, Luisma, Toyin… everybody´s is the same, yet everybody´s got a new story to tell! I am sweating and a bit nervous, my mind was not prepared for this moment… suddenly, the event starts and after a speech they are calling our names.
I hear they say ´Manuel Alejandro Cruz Dominguez´ in a foreign accent, and I go up. I smile and identify professors and staff, and after those seconds I get a paper that says MBA. The event finishes quickly, and I go back to work. I look back to my mobile, and I decide to write to her. She replies back congratulating me for the event. I smile. Also, she tells me that she´s been working a lot today. Apparently, I am not the only one who has been busy!
After a couple of hours, I go back for dinner with my friends. The evening is amazing, I am laughing a lot and enjoying the presence of the people I love. Suddenly, my parents call me from Mexico! They are the proudest parents on earth. Then, my friends decide to go partying, but I am exhausted by this time. I go home.
At home, I realise that today is my last day as an MBA student. Right now, sitting down in the living room, a summary of memories and experiences go through my mind and my heart. This is the end of the 18 months that, in fact, can change a life time. Even better, this is the beginning of a new journey… and I am sure it´s gonna be successful!
Legally tan… and MBA!
I strongly support green initiatives and I am against the whole global warming thing, but if there is something positive about it is that Manchester is getting sunnier… which means that I am recovering my Mexican skin colour!! I just arrived from a trip to Mexico and people asked me all the time where I got the tan. My answer was: sunny Manchester!
with Yolanda at MBS MBA Ball 2011
The last months have not only seen a change in weather season, but also have seen us becoming MBAs. Our MBA Ball was organised by Michael Vachon, the new social VP, at the Monastery. The night was intense and emotional. It was the first time I had to say goodbye to an MBA friend but also the opportunity to welcome the new elected MBA Council. I am sure that all of them will do an excellent job. Also, I handed over presidency to Tarun, our first president from India.
Life as MBS alumni is good. After analysing several offers I got the opportunity to join ID Support Services (IDSS) as Board member, which has enabled me to create value and to put into practice all lessons learned during the MBA. This chance came during our International Business Project, when IDSS was our project client. When I look back in time I realise of the importance of real projects during the MBA programme. I knew that I wanted an MBA where I could apply the knowledge I was gaining in the classroom in order to improve and take my skills to the next level. Fortunately, this ‘academic’ experience brought what is now my current job. Also, I am based in Manchester, which is a fantastic place to live post-MBA. While most of my colleagues in London are spending all their money trying to live in the city I manage to save some quid!
Finally, I could not leave the place without my – already traditional – top recommendations for the last bit of the MBA programme:
1. Spend a considerable amount of time choosing your peers for the International Business Project: all these people will become your family for the last 3 months of the MBA. Make sure you can have fun with them as well as keeping work focused.
2. Despite of lack of sleep, push your job applications 1000%: self-explanatory. Mind all relationships you’ve made during the MBA.
3. Join dancing / salsa lessons: you will use them during the MBA Ball. Remember: it is all about hips!
sunny Manchester and friends
4. Become an alumni ambassador: by the end of the programme, both Elaine and Lisa Samberg will request you to become ambassador and keep in touch with the business school. My instruction to you is: DO IT! Even if it does not make sense now just DO IT! (haha)
5. Get yourself a proper bathing suit / bikini: the sun is coming at the end of the programme (in a literal way), so you might consider getting a tan, too!
Hasta la vista, babies!
10 things I like about my Manchester Business School MBA
Two weeks ago I presented to a group of potential candidates for the class of 2013. It was very exciting to see new people and to share the experiences that I have lived during the Manchester MBA. Also, I had the opportunity to have lunch with some other candidates and to further explore their interests and comments about the MBA programme. I guess this is the time when experience gives me confidence to speak about Manchester Business School, which also means that the time to fly away is moving closer.
After ‘thinking hard’ about the things that I have enjoyed the most in the last 16 months, I came up with this list. I hope you find it useful during your course search!
1. Brathay: there is nothing like a good programme start. We spend 3 fabulous days in the Lake District and had the opportunity to meet our new colleagues and to work as a team. I still remember my ‘though times’ with Vishal and how we both wanted to lead the boat exercise… and I truly appreciate that ever since we became good friends.
2. Not-for-profit: I had a a tremendous team to work for the ‘Make Manchester Proud’ charity. We needed to help them find better ways to promote their project within Manchester. This charity is looking to find volunteers to build houses in South Africa. It was the first time that we were doing an MBA consulting project, and in the same time, Patrick was a fantastic client.
3. Strategy and PMO lessons: this is a very personal choice, but I truly enjoyed these lessons. They pushed me to think beyond my usual limits and understand that the underlying issues in organisations require a lot of analytical thinking and looking at structures / people / processes from different angles. What it might seem to be a marketing problem could in fact be a strategic issue!
4. Latin Night and Welcome Party: again, a very personal choice. I enjoyed dancing ‘Danzon’ with my dear friend Carla Urdanivia (from Peru) and showing a bit of Latin America to my colleagues. Also, I think this was the first time that the Latin crowd teamed up to portray our values and cultural heritage. Also, the Welcome Party set a new standard for the business school. Thanks to Lynne we found a ‘WOW’ place to host this event. I am glad to see that the forthcoming MBA Ball has the same level of ‘wowness’
5. MBAT: following the previous note, I loved MBAT. Luisma (my first friend from Mexico City!) made a tremendous job organising our trip to Paris and participation in this Olympics. It was the first time when we came up as a family and ‘defended’ our MBS alma mater. I will never forget the feeling of unity and camaraderie during our days in La France.
6. Summer Internship: I had the opportunity to get an internship in a fantastic financial services company in London. Also, I met fabulous people, such as Sergio (my buddy!), Vikki, Allan, Rob, Hayley, Chris, etc… All of them gave me a lot of support and thought me valuable insights about the company and how to do strategy.
7. Electives: I could choose what I wanted to study!!!! Strategy and marketing are my thing… so… do I need to keep describing this?
8. Clubs and council: I truly enjoyed hosting the position of Class President for the 2011 generation. Also, it was fantastic to become the first Latin American taking that role. I must confess that the journey was not easy, but this was a definite added value to my MBA. I am more confident in my decision making and harder in my approach when dealing with conflict and ‘rumours’. Additionally, clubs have been a great opportunity to learn about different industries and sectors. Of course, my favourites are: Marketing, CSR, Consulting, Real Estate and Latin American Society!!!
9. International Business Project: this has been the right culmination of the programme. My team is FANTASTIC (got our first choice, won unbeaten, amazing people, and all the additional wonders) and I see all members as good friends. Our project has allowed us to explore the complexities of strategy and acquisitions from the CEO and Chairman point of view. This level of experience has taken us to the next level. The client is Mancunian and they focus on hard services. They are IDSS Group!!
10. My new friends: this is my favourite point of the list. I am confident that I will remain close to a lot of new people that I have met. I have new friends from Hungary, Italy, Peru, Georgia, USA, India, Nigeria, Bulgaria, Germany, Mexico, Colombia, Spain, etc, etc, etc and I feel blessed for that. The collaborative environment has pushed us to meet and exchange ideas. More importantly, it has allowed us to make friends for a lifetime. Beyond all the money in the world, it is all about people, don’t you think so?
The summer adventures of a Mexcunian in London
Summer is gone. Still, the great adventures of that season come back to my mind every now and then. This was a great summer, not only because I managed to get an internship in a fantastic financial services company (yeah, the one of the “green card”), but because I lived unique experiences in the British capital.
Going back to “the City” was loaded with strong memories from my childhood and professional life. This time, I decided to live in the heart of London to avoid the tube and enjoy morning walks to the office. The summer internship helped me to gain insights about the financial services world, and also to meet a bunch of new cool friends. In this country they have a special fascination about “networking” (well… who doesn’t?) so this was a great chance to increase the list of contacts for the future.
Also, the summer term allows you to do some travelling, since you gain more control over your time and projects. In July I became version 3.0 (still, it feels like the new twenties!) so I decided to spoil myself and visit 30 “amigos” from different places. Ireland, Spain, Croatia and Italy became the perfect scenario to reflect on the lessons learned during the MBA and the internship, and of course to let myself some dancing and partying.
By the end of the summer all responsibilities where coming back, such as welcoming the new MBAs, exchange MBAs, MBA Welcome Party, Manchester Canal Boat Party (thanks Nikolai for this!!!), but having a new sense of commitment and consideration in my mind. The first year of the MBA was hard but rewarding in the same time. Becoming a senior MBA has only allowed us to give back to the new MBA crowd, to teach them the do’s and don’ts and, why not, to live again this fantastic journey.
Oh, and I almost forget. Being in England and not going to Royal Ascot is like being in Mexico and not going to the “Lucha Libre”. Seeing the Queen, the horses and a bit of the Brit poshness was cool. Anyway, it’s pimm’s o’ clock and I must go back to the reality of term 5. Hasta la vista!
SMILE! it is Latin Night!!!! in Manchester Business School!
Term 3 has gone in a blink of an eye. After arriving from Poland I had the chance of going to Washington, D.C. representing my class and Manchester Business School in the Graduate Business Forum. There, Sergey (a friend from Russia) and I had the chance to share and learn from the best practices of the top business schools in the world. It was fantastic to meet representatives from diverse places such as Hong Kong, USA, Spain, China and Canada, but more importantly, the fact of being surrounded by such an energetic and enthusiastic crowd made the experience worth the trip. Additionally, and just like it happened to Sagen in Germany, I was “forced” to stay in the Americas due to the volcanic activity in Europe.
Anyway, the point is that in my return to the land of the Mancunians I had a “Santa Claus – size” list of things to do! Not only I had missed two weeks in lessons, but also had a salsa choreography to learn for MBAT (one that we managed to complete in two weeks), a live UK consulting project and the preparation sessions for the Latin Night (all along lectures, homework, MBA Council activities and all the other normal things that you do when you are an MBA
professional). MBAT (I will not describe much about it since I know Luisma will share with us this amazing story!) passed as the most successful in the history of Manchester Business School, ranking 4th place in the overall list and then it was timeto showcase why “latinos” we are considered to be the fiesta people in the world.
Well… what can I say about Peru, Colombia and Mexico (and the rest of Latin America). It is not only the place where many of us come from, but it is a melting point where traditions, races and styles have evolved to give pace to a new series of cultures that are not afraid of showing feelings such as passion, faith and joy. This, hopefully, was demonstrated during our Latin Night that just passed the 28th of May.
The evening started with a salsa demo from the MBAT team. Later on, Diego led “el juego de las sillas” (the game of chairs) and it happened to be one of the funniest competitions ever. Then, it was the turn of Carla, Mariwi, Hermann and Tony from Peru to enlighten (literally!) us with an Afro-Latin American dance called el Alcatraz. I laughed so much looking at my friends trying to burn each other’s buns! Later, Colombian stars Juan, Catalina, Javier, Carlos, Felipe, Eduardo, Maria Antonieta, Camila and Rodrigo stepped on the stage to sing international hit “la camisa negra”. We were all with a big smile singing such a fun song! The third part of the show corresponded to Mexico. I was absolutely nervous since it was the first time that I would perform “Danzon”, the traditional dance from my region Veracruz. It came out “sexily” with the help of my Peruvian friend Carla. Then, a unique demonstration of a very niche dance called “la Guelaguetza” took place from my friends Carlos, Sergio and Evelyn (tks for becoming Mexican for a few minutes!). I think that many of us hadn’t seen in the past such a special moment. Finally, pop-star Marco took the microphone to 
sing, “charro” style, a couple of special songs such as “Cielito Lindo”. If my mind does not betray me, the closing moment came after “breaking” la “piñata” and an energetic “carnaval” parade from our Colombian “amigos”. Also, I have to say that many other latinos were involved in other activities such as entrance control, video, master of ceremonies, etc. In the end, the whole LatAm group managed to take part of this! And then, just like a dear English friend called Sara would say, “we dropped our hands in the air” to make the dance floor burn all night long.
Latin America is a region that has undergone several transformations in its political and economical environment. It is a place where there are lots of things to be done and improved; still, the house of people with enormous hearts and a big smile that can cheer even the coldest soul. We are a new force that has learned through success and failure, and we are willing, all along many other places in the world, to make a positive contribution to today’s environment. Manchester Business School “ es nuestro hogar” (is our home), and I am sure that above all individual experiences, the Latin American crowd has brought life, joy, friendship and a strong value of giving back to others. As we say: si mi casa es tu casa, Manchester Business School es tu lugar tambien! (if my house is your house, then Manchester Business School is your place, too!). Hasta pronto amigos!
Transforming Management: The Manchester Business School Online Journal!
March was a busy month. It feels like we were taken over by Manchester Business School right after the Asian Night. Then, exams came and suddenly we were in front of a free week to relax and forget a bit about PMO, Strategy and Operations Management (I have to say, I enjoyed all the subjects of that term!). This time, I decided to spend some time in one of my favourite countries in the world: Poland. There, I had the chance of sharing some MBA experiences with some great friends. In some occasions, there was this question about the “business magazine” of our University. My obvious answer was: haven’t you checked Transforming Management? Haven’t you heard about the Manchester Business School online journal? Well, if you are like most of my Polish friends who hadn’t heard about it, here you have a hint of this amazing site:
This site was launched in the second part of 2009, and it is a “journal that seeks to promote conversations and debate amongst managers, academics and other commentators”. When reading it, people will be able to explore a huge range of topics that go from Social Responsibility to the latest marketing trends in a specific region of the world. One of my favourite quotations when I first read the journal was that: “Corporate Social Responsibility is not only a nice to have, but it is one of the most important tools that organisations can use to ensure success in the future”. The whole article is fantastic! (yeah, I am one of those who belong to the CSR Club). Then, I realised that many of the authors are not only my teachers, but also prominent alumni or business people in the industry.
Transforming Management consists of three main sections: Transforming Management Journal, Free Trade and TM Bridge. The first is a quarterly online journal where readers could find many business related articles. The second consists of a series of blogs where students, alumni, business people, professors, etc., share their views and experiences about topics of their own interest. Finally, TM Bridge represents the link between researchers of different business schools and practitioners in the “real business world”. I am about to become a blogger in the Free Trade section, possibly speaking about my views on Marketing and Strategy!
Finally, I must say that this initiative has been pushed by many people, and hopefully will become our source of cases and analysis for the MBA Class. Phil Galvin
, one of the brains behind this fantastic project, has shared with us the interest in other types of blogging and information sharing. This innovation is one of the greatest things of Manchester Business School, and I am sure that, with both students and MBS staff team interest, we will benefit from this exceptional information channel. In the end, as my previous boss would tell me: information gives you knowledge and power.
Transforming Management is a contemporary source of information, and is available for us to make the best use of it. It is one of our Manchester Business School trademarks and a synonym of collaboration, creativity and knowledge. Have a read! You won’t be disappointed. In fact, maybe next time I will be blogging about your contributions as a “Free Trader”! … just like my Polish friends say: Teraz Twoja kolej!!! (it is your turn now!!!) Pa, pa! (cheers!)
The 10 commandments of a Manchester Business School MBA Student
After speaking with many MBA applicants and candidates from all over the world, I have gained a complete different perspective about the Manchester Business School MBA program. It is very interesting to be “on the other side” and being able to ratify the many positive features that our class and program are offering to the business world.
Before I keep on going, I am sure that you are wondering: why this Mexican is meeting candidates if he is still a student??? The reason is this: MBS has a fantastic initiative called “Student/Alumni Ambassador” in which you have the chance (and responsibility) to share information about the life in Manchester, the MBS MBA program, the admission’s process, etc to all potential students. The previous weekend a group of us (Karen Brewer, Sydney Holleman “the blogger”, Matt Kelly and the author of this blog) could meet people from Spain, India and the UK and share our latest experiences.
A few minutes ago, whilst walking back home from an intense session in the gym (yeah guys… you will be doing the same thing this time of the year to prepare for the MBA Olympics: MBAT!!!), I received an e-mail from Javier Aburto, a very enthusiastic Mexican candidate who asked me about places to stay, students, etc. After replying to his e-mail, I kept thinking about what are the main values or rules that we live in our class. After a proper shower, I came up with my version of the 10 commandments of a Manchester Business School MBA student (sound of drums as background music, please!):
1. The first and foremost quality of the students in my class is ENTHUSIASM!!! This is not only about having the best and most successful business people around (which of course I take it from granted, so that is why I take it as an assumption), but about people who can inspire others and discover positive things in every situation.
2. TEAM WORK: essential for all the projects that we are managing. We are constantly working with people from different countries. My class has 36 nationalities. Should I keep writing?
3. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: you will have to provide consulting services to a local charity. Results have a real impact in the Mancunian society. Mine is: MAKE MANCHESTER PROUD!
4. STRATEGIC VISION: the Mergers & Acquisitions project (and many others) will challenge every single subject you think you know. The way you plan your career and they way you convey messages on a daily basis are building up our longer term ” personal brands”.
5. RESPECT: believe me, you will hear so many different approaches to a single problem that this is a basic principle that we practice every day. The best part is that even if we disagre we keep learning from each other.
6. SOCIAL SKILLS: networking, networking, networking. We always want to meet more people and make sure that we are constantly growing the Manchester Business School family.
7. LEADERSHIP: plenty of opportunities to demonstrate your abilities as a leader. There are more than 7 clubs, the MBA Conference and the Student Council (just to mention some options). We are looking for excellence and we demand it from the other students, teachers, staff and career opportunities!
8. WILL-TO-WIN: we all are winners and want to keep winning. Period.
9. WILL-TO-GIVE: complementing the statement above, we help each other to achieve success; otherwise, it would not be really “winning”. Many students have offered tutorials and material to the ones who are less experienced in specific topics (for example, Juan Torres from Colombia shared with us a fantastic explanation about Corporate Finance – further reference in the first blog of Sydney) During this program we are discovering the power that is generated by giving back to others, the school and society. This is a main feature of the people who will make a real change in the world.
10. GOOD SENSE OF HUMOUR: in the end of the day we discuss about the things that we have learned… and we end up with a big smile in our faces and go back home with lots of new happy stories!!
All in all, I can say the journey of a Manchester Business School MBA student is a life changing experience. And… if you think that the story stops here, you have seen nothing yet!
Leadership and teamwork: Brathay and Diwali!!!
Term 1 is over. We made it! After all this hard work we had some days off to unwind and reload the batteries for the, already started, Term 2. Before I start writing about how fabulous the Strategy lesson is, I would like to speak about two great events that happened in the previous term: Brat
hay and Diwali.
Brathay occurs during the pre-MBA part of the program, right at the beginning of the course. It consists of a series of team-work activities in the “lake district” in the north of the UK. The location is fantastic!!! There, we have to complete a series of challenges, ones that reflect the capacity of a team to work as a unit. We learned how to listen to others and how to play different roles within a group. Additionally, it allowed us to foster some friendships since the beginning of the course (well, I must say that it was not that easy in the beginning – a lot of ego shows up during several moments of the experience!). The last day of the program consists of a great competition… one that I will not describe to keep the mystery of the event.
Besides, in the middle of the term we had the chance to see some action from our colleagues from India. It was Diwali
night, where the whole class experienced a bit of the music, food, dancing and Bollywood from the fantastic sub-continent. Personally, what I found the most interesting was the coordination, discipline and team-work reflected from all the classmates from India. We spent more than 4 hours of fun and camaraderie. They have set a very high standard for the forthcoming “theme-nights” in MBS, to the extent that I decided to learn some “zapateado” from Veracruz (the typical dance of my region) and to bring my typical suit in order to meet the set standards!
I am very happy to discover that every day there are new experiences to live in Manchester and the University. I feel very motivated every time that I have the chance to challenge myself within a new team and I have the opportunity to exercise some leadership skills. I am starting to understand what the “Manchester Method” is about… and I can tell you, after these 18 months I feel that we will be able to handle any situation regardless our location. Now, let me ask you: are you ready for this challenge?
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