On the block !! Get set !! ...

Hello Blogosphere, now that I've clarified my need for a global MBA, for over the next half year or so, you will get to deal with my histrionics as I...

- run-up towards the GMAT
- constantly second-guess my decision to only apply to my top 4 favorite schools, against everyone's advice to hedge my bets a little more and encompass 10 or so schools
- actually start applying: filling out application forms, getting transcripts, etc.
- draft essays, agonize about how to differentiate my essay from the large herd applying this year, re-draft essays...
- figure out who and how and when to ask for recommendations, the most painful part
- develop several dozen ulcers as I worry about interviews (or worse, wait for invitations)
- endeavor to network with other global MBA aspirants, students or alumni through blogs and forums

Why a blog? Well, I can't think of a more interesting way of sharing my experiences of getting dumped, de-friended, and excommunicated than boring everyone I know with stories of raw application agony. Plus I'd like to think that your collective wisdom and opinions will turn a potentially stomach-churning 6 months into a fun, crazy roller-coaster ride.

That said, welcome to the ride. First stop: GMAT Land.

My target B-Schools

Having already clarified my need for an MBA at this point of my career, the following is the studied and whittled down list of Schools with either an inherently strong General Management focus or the high flexibility to tailor one to my preference from a vast array of majors / electives. While I do not anyway devalue the standing of the US schools, the study of the Top-50 list against my preferred criteria has naturally produced a list of schools with an European bias. I have also attached a clustered priority to this list and I would like to minimally see 2~3 of the bold-fonted options materialize into an admission. However, Insead and IMD are quite a catch with their 12 month options and would be my first(A+) loves, with the rest of the Schools following.

Insead - 12 months (A+)
IMD - 12 months (A+)
London - 15 months (A)
Said - 12 months (A)
Harvard -18 months (B+)
Kellogg - 22 months (B+)
IESE - 19 months (B+)
Judge - 12 months (B)
ISB - 12 months (B)
NUS - 17 months (B)
IIMA - 12 months (C+)

I look forward to visitor comments and insights into my choice so that they can be re-calibrated as needed.

The Global MBA versus I !!

For a Business Excellence professional with 11 years of Sourcing, Manufacturing and 6 Sigma flavors already in my experience, the decision to go the MBA way was pretty easily facilitated. I see two ways going from here while pausing at a career junction in my endeavour up the ladder. One is to contemplate lateral or vertical moves to attain soak time in other functions and broaden my domain knowledge. The other, is to go through an accelerated MBA program with high General Management focus which would also likely deliver a similar effect. There are 3 primary areas of comparison, among others that helped me draw my logical conclusion in favor of an MBA.
- both provide experiential learning (one in the real world setting while the other in a simulated learning environment)
- both help building the desired competencies (one needing probably 10~20 drawn-out years while the other needing 1~2 super-challenged years)
- both could pave the way to the top (one on the basis of painfully garnered experience while the other on the basis of it's brand equity opening doors at will)

So the battle has in a way just begun. The study of the Top 50 Schools for fit has already been accomplished and the scope narrowed down to the few target Schools based on a composite set of preferred criteria (see below).
- Total Cost Implications & Affordability
- Brand Equity
- General Management focus & Flexibility
- Program Duration
- Post-program Earnings Capability
- ROI / Pay Back period
- Diversity / International Focus
- Network / Alumni breadth
- Surviving the Rigors of the Program
- Balance with my other extra-academic passions

Before everything, a primary affordability check has been run and the results are delightfully positive and the 5 next actionable steps have been captured, beginning with the GMAT. GMAT preparation to notch a 700 thereabout score has just been launched and honing is underway on my Quantitative skills. An amazing discovery is that I am not dumb as I thought I am and haven't lost my acumen yet. My confidence in the Verbal piece will be upped over the next month or so and a few full-fledged Practice Tests later, will have my GMAT sitting in Mar08. Trying times ahead given that it's been ages since I have laid my mind on rudimentary Mathematics and Grammar and worse still, writing a serious test.

I have also started greasing-up people in my Networks for Reco-readiness and treading a sensitive note here since it involves a few corporate biggies and movers and shakers in my present company. This sure is a long drawn process and calls for the fine art of butter-smooth planning and execution. Everything else about me seems fine, but for the usual adversary .. the lack of sustained focus. Nevertheless, I have lived through this experience a few times earlier, so, I think I can make this tick. I will share insights about my comprehensive plan of action / schedule in a later blog.

Why is December always so special ?

To me, December has always been special for various reasons of which I wish to ramble about a few.
Firstly, it heralds the closure of another hectic year at work and my mind is preparing itself gradually to slip into stand-by mode before being re-booted next year. Secondly, there is nothing more that I can accomplish that will matter within the same year to count for my performance appraisal, that is, there is no more time for damage control .. my destiny is already to the large part determined, thus removing uncertainty from the air. Next, it's a great time to introspect about my personal successes and failures, understand how much of a gap lingers between "targets vs actuals" and chart new courses of action going forward. This applies not just to the professional space but more so to aspects of my private-spiritual life as well. Lastly, it makes room and time for me to pay visits and call-up folks to refurbish relationships, revive and mend ties, develop new acquaintances and networks etc. In summary, it's a great time to square-up things, shake-up the old and prepare for starting-up anew. Here's wishing all readers another memorable December.

An ode to my trusted cellphone !!

I've easily gotten bored by the many tech-gadgets that I have bought over time, but if there is one that stuck with me for about 3 years and makes me swear by it, it is my trusted cellphone. For laughs, you won't believe me ... it's so inseparable that I once slid under my shower oblivious of still wielding it. Made by none other than the tech-numero uno with many firsts-to-market to it's credit, Sony, the phone boasted when it penetrated the market, of some of the best and comprehensive features compacted into a single hand-held gadget which is now made common-place by the technology followers.

For example, it came with a crisp 2.0 Meg camera, a 2.0 Gig extended memory facility in which I could save our full-length church sermons, the best sound quality and headphones, a camera flash that doubles as a handy torch during suburban Chennai's blackouts, an FM radio that helps stay tuned with the Indo-Pak cricket "war", a feature for quick recording of meeting calls for later replay, an enviable teleconferencing facility, a GPRS feature and so on. In summary, it was the one gadget that clarified Thomas Friedman's definition of "digital convergence" to me, that is now all set to rule the world.

Given that I find it so handy and am used to it's elaborate features, it is growingly difficult to wean it from me. For now, I well understand why oldies of yesteryears swore by the Bajajs, Ambis, Batas and IOBs and made it their world and would still like to. But, even as you finish your read here and have by now concluded that I'm nuts, allow me to demystify my trusted aide to you. He is .. the "Sony 750i". I'll love you mate...until death do us part.

Elephants cannot dance !! - A hypothesis proven to be true once too often.

The elephant, my metaphor for a large Corporation, is probably one of the most insipid creatures that ever existed. Working in a large foreign Corporation is a constant learning experience, but, I have grown to dislike them for a few reasons.

Firstly, with sheer size come limitations in manouvrability, accessibility and flexibility that cripples speed and accuracy of decision making. Secondly, a profession with such, is akin to investing in a mutual fund than in a raw equity...which means, there is no doubt reduced risk exposure or improved job security while the trade-off is diminished returns or a state of flux in career growth prospects. Thirdly, a labyrinth of "hallowed" work standards, common processes and business models create rigidity and interlocks in the system thereby inducing resistance to change. Further, throw in those differences in culture, language, geography etc. commonly seen in wide-reaching corporations which is the breeding ground for confusion ... and by now you better be giving your employer a closer look, else you are just about setting your career up for slow and steady atrophy.

Therefore, to me, size does not matter, but speed and being savvy does.

When your profession check-mates you !!

It is just astounding to think about what life centered around a well profiled profession could yield in return. Well, these were their unsolicited bonus or bumper issues to me .. things that I did'nt ask for but came by as freebies. It made me gracefully heavier by a few kgs, rewarded me with those "beautiful" semi-rings beneath my eyes, added mental stress which replaced my dream jaunts to heaven with the occasional nightmares, dislodged my eating habits beyond restoration etc. ... and it was at a point when it began encroaching into my private spiritual priorities that I had a rude awakening ... speaking to myself inwardly, I said ... aha !! this needs to be dealt with.

Then I switched on my Dad's words of counsel in my mind and decided to give it serious consideration. So, on Tuesday this week an elliptical cross-trainer became mine own, swore to my dear eyes to provide them exposure more to books than to my pc notebook and began stocking my fridge with nutritious food to straighten-up my diet. Well, I would like to think that this is just part of a mid-life course correction.

Now, working on sustaining the correction is the real key and could be fodder for possibly a new blogpost sometime later.

Ranjith's maiden blog-venture !!

It is a cool and murky day here at Chennai .... and come on !! its simply not a day meant for work for the kind of guy that I am. And, I had already decided to chill-out for the day after a hectic bygone week that had wracked my brains and body. Therefore, there I lay on my bed .. lazing around, fending off all thoughts about office when Solomon (my coolest sleep-walker pal) trudges in .. and engages me in an interesting and empty chat about his office pranks. Then, even as our exchange meanders into diverse provinces, an empty thought flashes across my mind about fiddling with my notebook. So, I power it up and idly run my mouse across some Google links and quite surprisingly land up in their "blogger" territory. Then, all of a sudden this assumes a serious note. Solz and I, peer together at the screen even as we decide and start clicking-away to establish my blogspot account. And just an hour later .. voici !! .. and the world adds another venerable blogger to its list.

So much for now ... stay tuned for more.