One day old at work and it's party time!

Mentorship - How do we begin?

When we were kids, we look to our parents and to other adults for guidance and help
in the obstacles we face in our little worlds. No matter how much we have since
grown and changed, one aspect of us remains the same - we still seek help and
guidance, and look to those who serve as good examples; as professionals, we seek
mentorship.

We rely on others to teach us what we need to know to get through life because
following the advice of a good mentor can make a floundering career flourish, or even
springboard your career.

Mentors can serve a variety of purposes, they may offer us advice and guidance in
getting ahead in the world, and also give us encouragement and even push us when
we need a gentle shove. They also may simply lend us their ears when we need to
talk with someone.

The best place to look for a mentor, is right in front of you. Look around you
at work. Is there an individual who you admire and respect? Someone who has always impressed you with their insight and preceptiveness? Maybe your boss or your boss's
boss. Maybe it's a Vice President in a different division. It could even be the older
individual who isn't currently a top executive of your firm, but who you know has lots
of experience. The key is to look for someone who shows brilliance in an area in which you would like to develop.

Approach that individual and ask if they would consider being your mentor. Depending
on the individual, and your current relationship, your proposal will vary in the amount
of detail and how it is delivered. At the very least, let them know why you
have selected them and what you hope to learn from the assocation. If appropriate
for the specific individual, you can also discuss amounts of time to be commited on a
regular basis.

When it comes to building a mentoring relationship with someone you already
know, the best first step is to request a meeting or coffee date to ask for advice on a particular issue. Most people – even busy people – will be happy to share their wisdom if you make it easy for them and ask nicely. Don’t jump right into requesting a
commitment to a long-term mentor relationship. Make a great impression at your first
meeting and establish a rapport. Often, the mentor/mentee relationship develops quite naturally from there. It’s usually not necessary to have a formal “Will you be my
mentor?” conversation.

It can be a bit trickier to approach a prominent person that you don’t know
personally. You can start by trying to arrange for an introduction through a mutual
acquaintance. You can also seek out events at which you may run into your future
mentor. Once you’ve made contact, you can move forward to the meeting/coffee
date step.

For those who are bold, the mentor “cold call” approach does work sometimes.
Possible ways in is to introduce yourself in a gracious email that  oulines your
admiration for this person, and indicating your interest in learning from him. Request
for a first meeting and from there, establish a relationship.

Most people who take the time to mentor do it because it’s rewarding for them to help and they like the idea of paying forward the wisdom they’ve received from their own
mentors.

The strongest mentorship relationships are reciprocal. Let your mentor know that
you’re available to help and look for ways to give back. That might mean making an
introduction, offering objective opinions or ideas, or providing an excellent restaurant
recommendation. If as a young professional  don't have a lot of connections or
wisdom to share with youe mentor, you can offer your unique perspective from the
entry level of the organization and through the skill sets you already have.

Understand that your mentor’s time is valuable. Set goals for each session and
prepare focused, smart questions. That doesn’t mean you can’t go off on interesting
tangents, but you should plan for each meeting. You want to make every minute with
your mentor count. Your mentor will appreciate the fact that you’ve done your
homework and enjoy the more interesting conversations that will ensue because of
your preparation.

Report back to your mentor regularly on your progress and any breakthroughs or
successes you have garnered after using the advice they have given you. Show them their time with you have been fruitful and you are increasingly getting prepared to
similarly pay it forward to be someone else's mentor.

Will You Take The MBA Oath?

Author: Cynthea Lam, Marketing Manager



The MBA Oath. Hot topic and centre of heated debates. What is your take towards it?

Do you think that it is necessary for the change this world badly needs or do you think it is just a meaningless piece of paper?

After all, myriad oaths are taken every day and broken just as quickly. What is the significance of another oath, presumably taken by business minds who only have the bottom line to take care of?

The creation of the MBA oath began in the spring of 2009, when two MBA students at the Harvard Business School, Max Anderson and Peter Escher, wondered what the future of MBAs should be, and in consideration with the recent spate of world events, if a kind of pledge could be put in place as a guiding philosophy or in a heavier sense, a lifetime vow to set higher standards for business leaders in view of profits, people and planet.

The goals of the MBA oath are to:

1. to make a difference in the lives of the individual students who take the oath,
2. to challenge other classmates to work towards a higher professional standard, whether they sign the oath or not, and
3.to create a public conversation in the press about professionalizing and improving management

Like a doctor would take the Hippocratic oath before his practice of medicine, the MBA oath assigns public accountability for the inherent obligations to society of which MBAs as future leaders are bound to.

Not everyone would agree, or think an oath like this is necessary to guide his or her actions, but it would certainly allow the MBA to precisely and publicly declare his or her convictions.

We take a look at the MBA oath.

As a business leader I recognize my role in society.

•  My purpose is to lead people and manage resources to create value that no single individual can create alone.
•  My decisions affect the well-being of individuals inside and outside my enterprise, today and tomorrow.

Therefore, I promise that:

•  I will manage my enterprise with loyalty and care, and will not advance my personal interests at the expense of my enterprise or society.
•  I will understand and uphold, in letter and spirit, the laws and contracts governing
my conduct and that of my enterprise.
•  I will refrain from corruption, unfair competition, or business practices harmful to
society.
•  I will protect the human rights and dignity of all people affected by my enterprise,
and I will oppose discrimination and exploitation.
•  I will protect the right of future generations to advance their standard of living and
enjoy a healthy planet.
•  I will report the performance and risks of my enterprise accurately and honestly.
•  I will invest in developing myself and others, helping the management profession continue to advance and create sustainable and inclusive prosperity.

In exercising my professional duties according to these principles, I recognize that my behavior must set an example of integrity, eliciting trust and esteem from those I
serve. I will remain accountable to my peers and to society for my actions and for
upholding these standards.

This oath I make freely, and upon my honor.

[source: http://mbaoath.org/]

It's not the end, just the beginning!

Author: Calista N., Sweden

It is with a heavy heart that I write this blog entry. Although we keep telling each
other "It's not the end, it's just the beginning!", we all know that the bond and
camaraderie is something we will miss the most when we part ways. Inevitably, since
we have become like a tightly-knit family for the past year.

As the months and days crept to the end of Trimester 3, I knew for sure this would
be a different kind of goodbye. Most of my cohortmates are flying off for their
exchange programs, and most of them are also continuing their stints overseas with
summer programs, which span until the end of Trimester 4. Thereafter, they would
either return to their home countries or like most, continue to scour the world to build
their global careers.


We are troopers! T1 done...T2 done...T3 done!



Birds of the same MBA feather!


Here's representing America, Europe and Asia. 


A priceless momento - a memory etched forever

For me, it's very simple. I came to Asia knowing exactly how I wanted the end of my program would be. I have just secured an internship here in Singapore, with an international consulting firm, and if that turns out well, I will be offered permanent employment with the company.

While gaining some work exposure in Asia, I will also attempt to fulfill my dreams of travelling around Asia. I absolutely love its culture, rich history and learn the different ways of life. And who knows? I may even want to settle down here, get married and have kids raised in an exotic Asian environment!