Getting My MBA at 48

Oath

Just a short post about the MBA Oath

The MBA Oath started at Harvard Business School by a group of students who graduated this year. To read more about them and the Oath go www.MBAoath.org.

There is an article about which direction this can go “The Students Who Swear by a Business School” by Michael Skapinker of the Financial Times. The Financial Times has the most articles about business schools around the world that I have found.

p.s.

I talk to a couple of our upper management today an told them about the oath.

Also I am just waiting for my essay results, I start my new semester 1 July 2009, so I am already starting on my next class Cases in Advanced Management and Strategy

Tags: online university

Life always changing your expectations

Continuing from my last post,

I wanted to catch the 3:00 p.m. flight, on Monday since I did not have to be to work till 7:00 p.m. Since you can never predict the weather in and around San Francisco, I got up early Monday morning and looked out the window, clouds lots of clouds. Not Good. That means ATC delays at SFO, so I skipped to plan B, catch the flight at noon arriving around 2:00 p.m. find a cozy spot at the Starbucks at the airport and do some studying. Thinking that this isn’t to bad of a plan B, getting some good studying time is well worth the effort of getting to the airport early. Ok, I know that they are only expectations and mine at that, but they are again shot, because people (this time Flight Attendants) don’t know there own work rules.

Sounds strange right, that people don’t know their own work rules, but it happens though it shouldn’t.

So here is what happened to change my study time from 6 hours to almost nothing. I knew the flight was full so taking the jump seat is a good option since can I get on and the gate agents are able to accommodate more revenue and non-revenue passengers. At 1 hour prior we are allowed to sign up for the jump seat, I hand in my form and another Flight Attendant hands in hers to the gate agent. No problem there, the aircraft has 2 extra jump seats so we both can get on.

(Another brief note we have 2 groups of Flight Attendants at our airlines with slightly different rules)

Everything is fine till another Flight Attendant that works for our company comes up to the gate agent an ask for a jump seat form. Now she is checking in at 40 minutes prior where we, the other Flight Attendant and myself checked in at 1 hour prior.

We have a first come first serve rule, so you wouldn’t think there would be any problem. This is of course if  you know your own rules for stand-by flying on your own airline. I had already put my bags on the aircraft and the Flight Attendant who came last starts telling me the gate agent said “It is by seniority not first come first serve, and I have to get off”.

“Really” I say wait a second, go into my bag and produce the rules by which we, both Flight Attendant groups can jump seat. I talk to the working Flight Attendants and the Captain (since he is the Pilot in Command, and is his ship his decision). I then go back and talk to the Flight Attendant that signed up last. First she starts trying to spout off it is by seniority then she is try to say it doesn’t matter since we (her and I) are in the same work group we get to fly on the aircraft and the other one doesn’t get to jump seat because she is in the other group.

First, I tell her she is incorrect on both accounts, and here are the rules so read them. Now, I am the only one going to work, commuting in, the other two are just traveling on there own time. Also both other Flight Attendants have been working at the company over 23 years, you think they would have this rule memorized by now after 23 years or at least carry them when they are traveling. Most think that since they have been in the company so long they know all the rules, and if not they try and force the seniority issue on you (I am entitled because I have been here longer than you)

I told the Captain and the working Flight Attendants that I would get off and wait 3 hours for the next flight and they (the two senior mama) could ride. They were telling me no it is fine you stay, I am not one for confrontation when the flight is going to be delayed because 1 senior mama does not know her own rules about jump seating or even bothers to look over the rules before she travels. So the old military in me, get the flight out, get the passengers to where they are going, work first, customers first and I will wait for the next one.

I got off the plane, called scheduling to inform them of the situation and then waited 3 hours for the next flight.

So now my plan B is now just blimp is some distance past and studying today nonexistent. By the time I got to PHX airport I had just about 1 hour till work started, lots of people around and nowhere quiet to study. The day is now gone and I got no studying completed.

I tell this because so many times in life, life happens. Like the Flight Attendant that does not know here own work rules. Seems to me that is what has been happening out in the business world all to often. Employees not knowing the rules, choosing not to know the rules, or making there own rules using the ME principle.

It also seems to me like such a simple concept, know your work rules at least have a good working knowledge of them and if not at least, like the Ms 23 year Flight Attendant then you should carry them with you (it is only a couple of 8×11 pages of paper)

They say knowledge is power, so what is the ignorance of knowledge called?

There is an old saying about “Anything worth doing is worth doing well.”

After losing some study time on Monday, I spent most of the day on Tuesday making up the time. Hitting the study questions for chapters 1-10. Today I am going finish up the questions and work on some Skillsoft modules

I really believe now after months of going to an online school and you decide to choose this path. That you must adhered to the United States Marine Corps of “Adapt, Improvise, Overcome.” It it will serve you well as I am learning.

Tags: online university

Flying all weekend

Let me give you a run down of the last two days

Saturday Morning 13 June 2009, up at 3:30 am to get ready and catch the 6:00 am  flight to Phoenix, (basicly it is a 2 hour flight) Start work at 9:16 am, my flights for the day PHX-YVR-PHX-ABQ( Phoenix AZ to Vancouver B.C 3 hours, Vancouver B.C. to Phoenix 3 hours, Phoenix AZ to Albuquerque NM 1 hour) that is not counting sit time or boarding times. We got to the hotel at around 9:30 pm (8:30 pm AZ time) So I spent a good 12 at work that day but if you count the commute in and travel time it was a good 18 hours.

Needless to say not much study time.

Sunday Morning got up at 5:30 am (4:30 AZ time) to get ready for work. ABQ-PHX a 1 hour flight then had to wait till the 10:20 flight back to San Francisco SFO, which was delayed 1 hour because of ATC (Air Traffic Control) and they like to control the traffic coming and going, so you can, and do get delays.

So again on the flight PHX-SFO I got some studying done. By the time I got home after stopping at the gym, the super market, and to get some gas it was about 4:30 pm. So it has been another good 12 hour day.

As I ate I have been reading the news sites for any good information to pass along.

The only one of interest is “Top Notch, MBA Advice” By Rebecca Knight in the Financial Times. Rebecca talks about how some companies are going to the Business Schools and hiring the students for fresh perspectives at a rate of $12-16 per hour. They are hired as consultants and work as a group. It is a nice ideal for students to be able to get real world experience, make some contacts in the business world, plus make a few dollars at it.

It is getting late and I have to get up do some laundry, and study before I have to catch the 3:00 pm to Phoenix AZ to work at the airport 7:00-Midnight. Planning on some extra study time. (but won’t set my expectations to high about time to study) because you are sitting at the airport, it is busy, always a lot of people coming and going and you are there just in case they need you because of a late flight, or if someone call out sick, so you just never know.

Tags: online university

Great interview, Sounds like a good book to read

I was sifting through the articles on the BBC when I came across an article “Matters of Degree: Inside Harvard Business School” by Peter Day. Now this isn’t just an article it also has a recorded interview, Peter Day interviews Philip Delves-Broughton for 23 minutes about his book “What They Teach You at Harvard Business School” (title for the rest of the world) and “Ahead of the Power Curve: Two Years at HBS” (the title in the USA)

After reading the article, I suggest reading the article first, then listen to the interview. I was very much impressed with Philip Delves-Broughton, an the moment I get some free time I shall pick up a copy of his book and read it.

Harvard Business School starting teaching business students in 1908 and last year celebrated 100 years of teaching business, the oldest school in the USA to teach business students is Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College started in 1900.

He talks about the practices, the language of business, the professors, and change that is needed at business schools. Without spoiling to much of the interview it is interesting to have someone who is originally from a different country give his perspective on HBS after attending 2004-2006.

I would very much be interested to know if anyone has read his book and what they thought.

Tags: online university

Mismanaged

This post is because of my mismanaged time (or I guess) or my perception of what should have happened and did not happen.

I spent most of the morning and early afternoon getting things done so I could commute home. It was my 4th day on stand-by, Friday is going was to be one of my days offs this month. My stand-by shift today was from 3-11:59 p.m.

So after finishing the things I wanted to do I headed off to the airport figuring I could get released around 8 p.m. Then catch the flight home, 2 hour flight should give some study time and a little more before getting some sleep. Then tomorrow get up hit the gym and spend the remainder of the day studying.

Well that was all based on them (scheduling) releasing me (me assuming). Please keep in mind if they needed me to work they have to give me a call 2 hours before I start work. So the earliest then that they used me would have been 10 p.m. and have me back by Midnight. So I thought my time management for the day was working. Guess what, they said they couldn’t release me from duty.

Now since I wasn’t released from duty to commute home. I had just spent a good 6 hours of time, (getting ready, going to the airport, waiting for the flight) that now I can’t get back, and to top it off I still need to fly home in the morning. Just to fly back on Saturday morning for a 2 day trip I picked up on my days off, for extra money.

Now I submitted my essay yesterday, but I still have some study questions and modules to finish. Basically today is a total wash for studying. I don’t wish to get behind on studying and days like this make it a challenge to keep up.

Now I could be really angry that I wasn’t  released, blame it on the schedulers wanting to control your life, or mismanaged resources by some manager, or have taken the chance risk getting in trouble and hopped the flight home. I did get mad some but that was because of my own expectations of what I had planned for my day.

Yes with going to an on-line University, I am able to adjust some of my study time, but you can’t put off studying or it will really pile up on you. Believe me when I say I feel the pressure of deadlines for assignments more so than when I was in a regular classroom. Because they are self induced, I don’t want to fail, this chance given to me to increase my knowledge, get my M.B.A. and upgrade my career.

You have to be a self starter to do this kind of studying. Discipline its tough sometimes. But it is all you. In between work, family life, chores at home and studying your plate is full. But it is a good plate I made, and I will make it.

Tags: online university