The standings went a little like this:
First: Section B & C
Third: Section A
Fourth: Section E
Fifth: Section D
As the athletics rep for Section D, it's a bit disappointing to come in last for the first Darden Cup event of the season. Though I would change a few things in the future, I thought the overall organization went well today. I'm caught somewhere in between well organized and slightly neurotic. I crafted a spreadsheet and tentative teams to make sure we had 2 full rosters for every game (total of 4). As SYs showed up, I simply inserted them into our holes. There were two teams and I tried to balance capabilities as best as I could with no prior knowledge as to most people's level of experience. I'm not exactly sure it worked.
D-1s record was 2-1-1 and D-2 suffered an unfortunate 0-4. We played different teams so I can't say if there was a difference in the level of competition. Given what little knowledge I have of team D-2, I feel I was more organized than whoever the interim appointed captain was. It definitely proved beneficial to simply have the batting line up on paper. Plus, I tend to be loud and let people know who's on deck and who's in the hole.
Personally, I made a couple great plays. With some help from my teammates, I started swinging and hitting better. It was a very fun day!! I just hope we get a little more participation support from the section. I know people are busy and have obligations, but there are those that want to win.
Awards for today's effort:
KP - 3 run homerun over the fence - BEAUTIFUL!
DR - Playing outfield, dropped his glove, jumped for a fly ball, caught bare handed then rolled in the air to land on the ground
ECC - Last at bat - hit a single and after a couple batters, made it around the bases. YOU GO GIRL!
EB - Hurt his toe during the first game - managed to find a pinch runner and bring a couple in. :)
KK - Great pop up foul ball catch for someone who said she "sucked"
Team C commentator - I swung and missed the ball, he said, "I expected a lot more from you". Suppose it LOOKED like I knew what I was doing
My two lady Js - Thanks for playing, I know neither of you had the intention, but you saved us
And to all of Section D that participated, THANKS for coming out, I couldn't do it without you!! :D
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Diversity: The Real Deal
If you haven't figured it out by now, Darden is known for interactive thought provoking learning and that is what today was about. We worked together to recognize and attempt to breakdown our biases, stereotypes and prejudices of those around us. CSW Global works with companies (and top business schools) around the world through theatrical presentation to challenge the way we think about diversity. When you're in an MBA program of vast diversity, you almost fail to recognize these difficulties. Gender, race, sexual orientation and socioeconomic class are just a few topics that were touched today. Being at Darden, we all have a common experience and thus, I think it's easier to empathize, but when you're at work, what then?
When the boys are going to play golf and a female associate is excluded, what are the implications? Is this simply inclusion/exclusion? What's the best way to make the situation "fair"? Is the premise as to whether or not work will be "conducted" a reason to invite everyone?
A top performing candidate of color does not receive a promotion because of fit. Is it racial bias? Are we projecting our own self abrasions on the circumstance? Is it too much to ask the managing committee as to what fit means? Why do we tiptoe around these issues instead of addressing them. It's a fact that most lawsuits on discrimination are filed because someone DIDN'T say anything.
A teammate's sexual orientation is homosexual. Should the other members on the team be briefed to avoid potential conflict? Or do you let the teammate decide when and to whom it is appropriate to disclose this information?
A person from a different culture who speaks English as a second language has problems communicating with you. Do you say huh three times and turn away? Or do you engage and settle on the understanding that you both have your own difficulties interacting, but will try to continue building a relationship anyhow? What if this person is a co-worker? More importantly, what if this person is a client? In the back of your mind do you think these people should simply return to their native countries where they understand the native tongue? Or is that NOT being part of this global world?
Finally, a student is perceived to be wealthy when in fact, their schedule is packed with a balance of school and work to simply survive. What sort of socioeconomic implications are there? To continue, what if this person is in fact wealthy, should we treat them differently because they can afford things?
The thoughts and implications of these statements and questions are endless. There are no "right" answers. As we discussed these scenarios in class, everyone had their own opinions based on the perceived abrasiveness, controlling and passive acts of the characters. I think the only conclusion that most of us agreed upon was trying to put effort into people. Understand where they're coming from, what they're about and don't be afraid to ask the hard questions.
When the boys are going to play golf and a female associate is excluded, what are the implications? Is this simply inclusion/exclusion? What's the best way to make the situation "fair"? Is the premise as to whether or not work will be "conducted" a reason to invite everyone?
A top performing candidate of color does not receive a promotion because of fit. Is it racial bias? Are we projecting our own self abrasions on the circumstance? Is it too much to ask the managing committee as to what fit means? Why do we tiptoe around these issues instead of addressing them. It's a fact that most lawsuits on discrimination are filed because someone DIDN'T say anything.
A teammate's sexual orientation is homosexual. Should the other members on the team be briefed to avoid potential conflict? Or do you let the teammate decide when and to whom it is appropriate to disclose this information?
A person from a different culture who speaks English as a second language has problems communicating with you. Do you say huh three times and turn away? Or do you engage and settle on the understanding that you both have your own difficulties interacting, but will try to continue building a relationship anyhow? What if this person is a co-worker? More importantly, what if this person is a client? In the back of your mind do you think these people should simply return to their native countries where they understand the native tongue? Or is that NOT being part of this global world?
Finally, a student is perceived to be wealthy when in fact, their schedule is packed with a balance of school and work to simply survive. What sort of socioeconomic implications are there? To continue, what if this person is in fact wealthy, should we treat them differently because they can afford things?
The thoughts and implications of these statements and questions are endless. There are no "right" answers. As we discussed these scenarios in class, everyone had their own opinions based on the perceived abrasiveness, controlling and passive acts of the characters. I think the only conclusion that most of us agreed upon was trying to put effort into people. Understand where they're coming from, what they're about and don't be afraid to ask the hard questions.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
The Gazogle Game
The best aspect of the case method is the level of interest the discussion commands in class. The best part about Darden, they never want you to lose interest and thus today, we played with Legos.
The Gazogle game took the place of Operations today. In this game, you are tasked with completing a certain number of Gazogles, which is a finished product likely consisting of approximately 10 Lego pieces, stacked in a specific array, four high. Each "manufacturing plant" had 2 customers, 2 procurement, 4 handlers, 4 assemblers, 2 shipping and 2 observers to begin. The tables started in the shape of a diamond and for the first 4 rounds, lasting 1 minute each, workers had to assemble product in a designated order, an ineffective order at that. As the other observer put it, it looked like a spaghetti chart.
The goal of the exercise was to make the exact demand from the customers, which changed each minute. After the first round (approx. 4 min), changes to the production line/order could be made with minimal boundaries (including firing people) to increase productivity and cut down on "muda" - non-value-added work. At the end of each round, the customer tallied the completed products, the amount it cost to make the product (ie. 1 worker cost $100) and the cost of the supplies scattered around the production floor (work in progress). This combined created a bottom line profit (loss).
I had the task of observer which was quite entertaining. Of course, on the outside, it looked ridiculous and chaotic, I wonder if it felt that way on the inside. The group I watched missed a few key steps in my opinion. They were far too nice and never fired anyone - sometimes an unfortunate must in a lean system. During Kaizen events, this team was so worried about separate groups that they never combined to find the problems root. They may have even failed to recognize the problem. It seemed to be procurement and shipping, which essentially influences how the parts are distributed. They continued to ignore the fact that someone needed to know how many products were being produced. Finally, the communication never improved and as product designs changed (specific colors required), many people continued to work on the old product instead of the new. Leaving mass confusion to reign.
To some, these buzz words may not make a ton of sense, but just writing this means I'm done with Ops homework for tonight, so I hope you can bare with me and perhaps understand a little of what this was trying to teach. Identifying the muda is not always easy from the inside especially when a set person is not in charge. However, in order for production to be effective, it's a necessary evil and for this reason, consultants have jobs. (Perhaps the last point is simply my interpretation.)
The Gazogle game took the place of Operations today. In this game, you are tasked with completing a certain number of Gazogles, which is a finished product likely consisting of approximately 10 Lego pieces, stacked in a specific array, four high. Each "manufacturing plant" had 2 customers, 2 procurement, 4 handlers, 4 assemblers, 2 shipping and 2 observers to begin. The tables started in the shape of a diamond and for the first 4 rounds, lasting 1 minute each, workers had to assemble product in a designated order, an ineffective order at that. As the other observer put it, it looked like a spaghetti chart.
The goal of the exercise was to make the exact demand from the customers, which changed each minute. After the first round (approx. 4 min), changes to the production line/order could be made with minimal boundaries (including firing people) to increase productivity and cut down on "muda" - non-value-added work. At the end of each round, the customer tallied the completed products, the amount it cost to make the product (ie. 1 worker cost $100) and the cost of the supplies scattered around the production floor (work in progress). This combined created a bottom line profit (loss).
I had the task of observer which was quite entertaining. Of course, on the outside, it looked ridiculous and chaotic, I wonder if it felt that way on the inside. The group I watched missed a few key steps in my opinion. They were far too nice and never fired anyone - sometimes an unfortunate must in a lean system. During Kaizen events, this team was so worried about separate groups that they never combined to find the problems root. They may have even failed to recognize the problem. It seemed to be procurement and shipping, which essentially influences how the parts are distributed. They continued to ignore the fact that someone needed to know how many products were being produced. Finally, the communication never improved and as product designs changed (specific colors required), many people continued to work on the old product instead of the new. Leaving mass confusion to reign.
To some, these buzz words may not make a ton of sense, but just writing this means I'm done with Ops homework for tonight, so I hope you can bare with me and perhaps understand a little of what this was trying to teach. Identifying the muda is not always easy from the inside especially when a set person is not in charge. However, in order for production to be effective, it's a necessary evil and for this reason, consultants have jobs. (Perhaps the last point is simply my interpretation.)
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Athletics Rep
It's another, what did I just get myself into? Last week each section (of which there are 5) spent 2 days nominating section reps and then 2 days voting for them. I was nominated for both Social Chair and Athletics Rep, though I had to choose one. I knew I wanted to do something for the section, but the initial choice was weighing of pros and cons. I finally decided athletics rep, it SEEMED like less of a time commitment, though I know I have skills for both.
This Saturday kicks off the quest for the Darden Cup with Softball. Each section will have 2 teams. Each team must have 10 players on the field - 3 of which must be female. Needless to say, I've started the recruitment process. Each section receives points for an overall win of the combined teams, participation points (playing and supporting) for each of these groups - most number of people from a section, most SY participants and most faculty participants. Needless to say, I'm working on my networking and persuasion skills to get EVERYONE out there. Although outlook is great for scheduling, I fear the slew of emails I will receive in the morning.
The SYs have lent a lot of support - helping me with ideas to better facilitate connection and communication. Some have also agreed to come help us on Saturday. I want them to remember, that if they partake in these events, the cup will be as much theirs as ours. Now that I've officially "wasted" 2 hours on non case prep, perhaps it's time to begin my casework.
Work hard, play harder! Let the games begin.
This Saturday kicks off the quest for the Darden Cup with Softball. Each section will have 2 teams. Each team must have 10 players on the field - 3 of which must be female. Needless to say, I've started the recruitment process. Each section receives points for an overall win of the combined teams, participation points (playing and supporting) for each of these groups - most number of people from a section, most SY participants and most faculty participants. Needless to say, I'm working on my networking and persuasion skills to get EVERYONE out there. Although outlook is great for scheduling, I fear the slew of emails I will receive in the morning.
The SYs have lent a lot of support - helping me with ideas to better facilitate connection and communication. Some have also agreed to come help us on Saturday. I want them to remember, that if they partake in these events, the cup will be as much theirs as ours. Now that I've officially "wasted" 2 hours on non case prep, perhaps it's time to begin my casework.
Work hard, play harder! Let the games begin.
Monday, September 08, 2008
Prospective Students on Grounds
I look at the second years in awe of their knowledge and accomplishments. In that same way, I feel the prospective students look at the current Darden FYs. In truth, we’re not very different. Last year, I was the prospective student with the same awe for all the current MBAs. And here I am, supposed to be a little wiser to the process and yet, I'm just as lost as the rest of you, simply trying to put my all in what is before me.
During First Coffee, I spent most the time speaking with a prospective student and current FY. I felt bad for monopolizing part of the conversation, but I simply can't say enough about Darden. Indeed, I know I haven't hit the best of times or the worst, yet I wait patiently for both. My dilemma in talking to prospectives is how much to disclose. On one hand, I want them to get the true feeling of the school - the rigor and the grueling schedule. On the other, I want them to understand the sense of community and bonding that has happened with a smaller class. And overall, I want them to understand that at Darden we work hard, play hard. I suppose I fear that I will deter someone with my honesty. However, if this isn't what they want from the business school experience, I suppose they're not Darden material.
It's scary to think that the admissions office is now asking us for ideas to improve their process. Now that we are students, we are credible. I thought about applying to be on the admissions committee, however, I decided that I prefer to give advice to prospectives than evaluate them. Plus, I won Athletics rep for my section (can't run for both). D will bring home the Darden Cup!! Though that's a tale for another post.
During First Coffee, I spent most the time speaking with a prospective student and current FY. I felt bad for monopolizing part of the conversation, but I simply can't say enough about Darden. Indeed, I know I haven't hit the best of times or the worst, yet I wait patiently for both. My dilemma in talking to prospectives is how much to disclose. On one hand, I want them to get the true feeling of the school - the rigor and the grueling schedule. On the other, I want them to understand the sense of community and bonding that has happened with a smaller class. And overall, I want them to understand that at Darden we work hard, play hard. I suppose I fear that I will deter someone with my honesty. However, if this isn't what they want from the business school experience, I suppose they're not Darden material.
It's scary to think that the admissions office is now asking us for ideas to improve their process. Now that we are students, we are credible. I thought about applying to be on the admissions committee, however, I decided that I prefer to give advice to prospectives than evaluate them. Plus, I won Athletics rep for my section (can't run for both). D will bring home the Darden Cup!! Though that's a tale for another post.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Stunned DA Cold Call
The case study method is all about defining assumptions and then defending those assumptions. Most of the time, there is no "right" answer, however, a more right answer than its alternatives (depending on the class, of course). Additionally, the case study method has the dreaded cold call. Most of the time, this is assumed to be the ONE person who presents the case, though I've learned, it may be any person during the class period. This is part of the reason there is so much preparation for the case method - individual, learning team and class. They say, you'll will reach a certain point on your own, your learning team should force you to go further and full understanding often doesn't come until class (and even then, you may not "get it").
To start, I prepare - in both facets before class and by following the conversation in class. Last week, I was cold called in Accounting and the professor stuck with me while I struggled through principals and calculations. It was nerve wrecking, but I had the comfort of my own seat and I stuck with it. Today, was a little different. I didn't do part of the assigned homework for my DA case. The assignment was to come up with a work problem in which one must make decision based on a specific variable. The decision variable was assigned a value and a probability that it could occur. Easy enough for most people who work with products, but not for someone in operations. Needless to say, given other courses and time constraints, I let it slide last night. Sure enough, cold called today. Not only did I need to state my case, but I had to plot my points and draw the graph on the board. I somehow thought on my feet quick enough to come up with an example. Through some coaching from my classmates (ie questions) I sculpted the decision variable, made up some values and came out alive on the other side. Phew...
Today's lesson: Never lose eye contact with a professor as he's scaling the room for a cold call.
To start, I prepare - in both facets before class and by following the conversation in class. Last week, I was cold called in Accounting and the professor stuck with me while I struggled through principals and calculations. It was nerve wrecking, but I had the comfort of my own seat and I stuck with it. Today, was a little different. I didn't do part of the assigned homework for my DA case. The assignment was to come up with a work problem in which one must make decision based on a specific variable. The decision variable was assigned a value and a probability that it could occur. Easy enough for most people who work with products, but not for someone in operations. Needless to say, given other courses and time constraints, I let it slide last night. Sure enough, cold called today. Not only did I need to state my case, but I had to plot my points and draw the graph on the board. I somehow thought on my feet quick enough to come up with an example. Through some coaching from my classmates (ie questions) I sculpted the decision variable, made up some values and came out alive on the other side. Phew...
Today's lesson: Never lose eye contact with a professor as he's scaling the room for a cold call.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Priorities
We're all adults and thus, Darden says that we may select our own priorities. They also note that prioritization is one of the number one skills you will learn in business school. However, there are limits on how many of those priorities can be outside class - you are allowed 2 absences - unexcused, per quarter, per class. Basically, don't use them all in the same place. The list of excused absences is short, but it is because if students aren't in class and the case method is essentially taught by students, you risk an incomplete education. Not something you want for that chunk of tuition forked over at the beginning of the term.
My latest dilemma wasn't exactly a big one initially. This weekend, I am IN a wedding in San Francisco. The woman is basically a sister to me and as much as I'd love to say that I wouldn't miss her day for the world, truth is, if I wasn't a bridesmaid, I may not be here.
The accumulating days at Darden definitely got the best of me on Friday. I was a bit woozy and it was hard for me to pay appropriate attention in class. Then ask me to link Friday's cases with any of the others we've had and you're simply asking for a miracle. After a 2 hour drive from C'ville to Dulles, I boarded my flight and slept the entire trip home. Landing in SF, my ride was already at the airport and I went straight home to shower before joining the rehearsal dinner party in SF. It was extremely late on the East coast when I finally crawled into bed.
Saturday kicked off with manicures and pedicures for the bridal party, followed by lunch. I wish I had come home and worked on cases, but a nap won my attention. Last night I packed 2 more bags of winter clothes so if it does get cold, I will be covered. Finally, it's Sunday morning - the morning of the wedding and I STILL haven't touched my cases. (Understanding the theme?) My parents leave in 30 minutes as their flying through JFK tonight and head to Africa tomorrow. My flight leaves at 10:10p tonight and I must be in SF for the wedding at 11 am. Not only is that a long day, but also the only time I get to sleep before Sunday night and Monday class is a 5 hour plane flight. OUCH! Oh yeah, still need to finish my cases.
I've already figured that I WILL miss DA on Monday. I'm not happy about it, but it was the only way to make everything work. The wedding is my priority (though I'm definitely stretching myself thin).
My latest dilemma wasn't exactly a big one initially. This weekend, I am IN a wedding in San Francisco. The woman is basically a sister to me and as much as I'd love to say that I wouldn't miss her day for the world, truth is, if I wasn't a bridesmaid, I may not be here.
The accumulating days at Darden definitely got the best of me on Friday. I was a bit woozy and it was hard for me to pay appropriate attention in class. Then ask me to link Friday's cases with any of the others we've had and you're simply asking for a miracle. After a 2 hour drive from C'ville to Dulles, I boarded my flight and slept the entire trip home. Landing in SF, my ride was already at the airport and I went straight home to shower before joining the rehearsal dinner party in SF. It was extremely late on the East coast when I finally crawled into bed.
Saturday kicked off with manicures and pedicures for the bridal party, followed by lunch. I wish I had come home and worked on cases, but a nap won my attention. Last night I packed 2 more bags of winter clothes so if it does get cold, I will be covered. Finally, it's Sunday morning - the morning of the wedding and I STILL haven't touched my cases. (Understanding the theme?) My parents leave in 30 minutes as their flying through JFK tonight and head to Africa tomorrow. My flight leaves at 10:10p tonight and I must be in SF for the wedding at 11 am. Not only is that a long day, but also the only time I get to sleep before Sunday night and Monday class is a 5 hour plane flight. OUCH! Oh yeah, still need to finish my cases.
I've already figured that I WILL miss DA on Monday. I'm not happy about it, but it was the only way to make everything work. The wedding is my priority (though I'm definitely stretching myself thin).
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