How would you feel if you met all these folks, shook hands with them and asked them podernign questions on future?
Well, this is what Oxford can do. Prepare the 27-year (alas, I turned 28 last week!) old non-so-popoular figures and make them meet with industry figures you cannot even imagine.
CEO of Amgen:
http://www.amgen.com/about/leadership_team.html
Mr. Kevin Sharer, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Amgen, Inc. visited Said Business School on for the introduction speech. Amidst the crowd of 300, I stood up and asked, "Do you really use any MBA tools and techniques in your day-to-day life? What is your advise on how we treat this academia?". He laughed, looked at the new Dean, smiled again and said, "The best thing that your MBA does to you is to shape YOU. You guys really do not know how important it is to get an MBA from Oxford. You sure are gifted. If you walk upto my company's door and introduce yourself as an Oxford graduate, we are gonna hear you just for that".
Founder of Apple:
http://www.woz.org/
Steve Wozniak, the co-founder of Apple (Yeah, the same apple from Forest Gump) visited Oxford a couple of weeks back to promote his new book. He seemed too technical (Steve Jobs apparently was the business mind behind Apple?), a born-genius kind. The speech was very motivational and informative. Apparently, he is very proud of his accomplishments.
Managing Director and McKinsey
http://www.mckinsey.com/ideas/wef2005/biographies/dominiccasserley.asp
Dominic Casserley, head of McKinsey in the UK, Ireland and the Middle East, talked on "What will the Global Company look like in 2020". The corwd was a selected (yeah, me included!) 40 folks. 20 of them (Yeah, yeah, me included) were selected again to go further for a formal dinner with him. To be honest, I did not realize his power (greatness?) until I came back to home that night and looked up the internet! hmmm.. I need to keep on top of events - so some research before the event. Why leave an oppurtunity for question - I asked him his opinion on India and China becoming the newer markets in 2020. He mentioned the developing countries are posing a threat, but will nto replace US/EU. "What is your opinion on consolidation? WOuld we be left with 4 big companies in each sector by 2020?". He answered, "No. As companies merge and acquire, there will be more players entering the market."
Obviously these answers were not exact to the word. My understanding and language are mixed in the above text.
Go Oxford!!!
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
The best motivational speech ever
Al Pacino's Inch By Inch speech from "Any Given Sunday "
Are you a lecturer of organizational behaviour at any business school and need to show video at your class (like they do in SBS!)? Are you a corporate manager needing to bring in motivation team? Well, I present to you the great Al Pacino
Here is the transcript of the greatest motivational speech ever:
"I don't know what to say really. Three minutes to the biggest battle of our professional lives all comes down to today. Either we heal as a team or we are going to crumble. Inch by inch. Play by play, till we're finished.We are in hell right now, gentlemen. Believe me and we can stay here and get the shit kicked out of us or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb out of hell. One inch, at a time.
Now I can't do it for you. I'm too old. I look around and I see these young faces and I think I mean I made every wrong choice a middle age man could make. I uh.... I pissed away all my money. Believe it or not. I chased off anyone who has ever loved me. And lately, I can't even stand the face I see in the mirror. You know when you get old in life things get taken from you. That's, that's part of life. But, you only learn that when you start losing stuff. You find out that life is just a game of inches. So is football. Because in either game life or football the margin for error is so small. I mean one half step too late or to early you don't quite make it. One half second too slow or too fast and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They are in ever break of the game every minute, every second.
On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear ourselves, and everyone around us to pieces for that inch. We CLAW with our finger nails for that inch. Cause we know when we add up all those inches that's going to make the fucking difference; between WINNING and LOSING; between LIVING and DYING. I'll tell you this in any fight it is the guy who is willing to die who is going to win that inch. And I know if I am going to have any life anymore it is because, I am still willing to fight, and die for that inch because that is what LIVING is. The six inches in front of your face.
Now I can't make you do it. You gotta look at the guy next to you. Look into his eyes. Now I think you are going to see a guy who will go that inch with you. You are going to see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team because he knows when it comes down to it, you are gonna do the same thing for him. That's a team, gentlemen and either we heal now, as a team, or we will die as individuals. That's football guys. That's all it is. Now, whattaya gonna do? "
Dont tell me you dont love him even now. Al Pacino is THE actor.
Are you a lecturer of organizational behaviour at any business school and need to show video at your class (like they do in SBS!)? Are you a corporate manager needing to bring in motivation team? Well, I present to you the great Al Pacino
Here is the transcript of the greatest motivational speech ever:
"I don't know what to say really. Three minutes to the biggest battle of our professional lives all comes down to today. Either we heal as a team or we are going to crumble. Inch by inch. Play by play, till we're finished.We are in hell right now, gentlemen. Believe me and we can stay here and get the shit kicked out of us or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb out of hell. One inch, at a time.
Now I can't do it for you. I'm too old. I look around and I see these young faces and I think I mean I made every wrong choice a middle age man could make. I uh.... I pissed away all my money. Believe it or not. I chased off anyone who has ever loved me. And lately, I can't even stand the face I see in the mirror. You know when you get old in life things get taken from you. That's, that's part of life. But, you only learn that when you start losing stuff. You find out that life is just a game of inches. So is football. Because in either game life or football the margin for error is so small. I mean one half step too late or to early you don't quite make it. One half second too slow or too fast and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They are in ever break of the game every minute, every second.
On this team, we fight for that inch. On this team, we tear ourselves, and everyone around us to pieces for that inch. We CLAW with our finger nails for that inch. Cause we know when we add up all those inches that's going to make the fucking difference; between WINNING and LOSING; between LIVING and DYING. I'll tell you this in any fight it is the guy who is willing to die who is going to win that inch. And I know if I am going to have any life anymore it is because, I am still willing to fight, and die for that inch because that is what LIVING is. The six inches in front of your face.
Now I can't make you do it. You gotta look at the guy next to you. Look into his eyes. Now I think you are going to see a guy who will go that inch with you. You are going to see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team because he knows when it comes down to it, you are gonna do the same thing for him. That's a team, gentlemen and either we heal now, as a team, or we will die as individuals. That's football guys. That's all it is. Now, whattaya gonna do? "
Dont tell me you dont love him even now. Al Pacino is THE actor.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Oxford Matriculation
We had our matriculation today at Sheldonian theatre. The theatre was awesome old building with huge paintings, chandeliers, and church like setting.We wore Suit, Sub fusc (kind of gown) and Mortar board (a funky graduation cap).
It kind of felt funky with this whole matriculation thing. I personally felt it was a total waste of time (day?). The University chancelor (or someone important!) read out a few words in Latin which officially enrolled us as an Oxonian!!
We will be wearing this sub fusc to the exams (Yes, all exams! I cannot believe!!). And a similar ceremony will occur when we graduate - in Sep 2007. Well, I hope to get there successfully!
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Reached Oxford..
I have reached Oxford!
The journey from India to Oxford was comfortable - though British Airways tried its ways to make a petty cash from my extra luggage, by deciding to call of the 'two hand luggage' scheme, unannounced, in the last minute to comply with 'strict guidelines' that help them monitor terrorist activity. I dunno how reducing a luggage would help them in this process, but hey, I got along!
Reached Oxford and kinda felt at home. Its a mix of Chennai and LA. Chennai - in all the practices and customs (left hand drive); LA in the cleanliness and etiquette (greener pavenments than LA).I am currently staying in Wellington Square. It is a cheap University accomodation that is in the center of the town. Business School is a just 3 minutes ride away.
I settled in quickly and managed to buy a bike from a local private guy who was noce enough to throw in his lock as well. A new bike costs around 120 pounds and my used bike cost me 49 pounds.
Well this week (Oct 2) is all about induction - sitting thru some boring (or would this be useful later?) lectures and tons of introductions - Computer center, Library, Career services, reception included!! :)Well, ciao, we have got to a long to-do list to go through..
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