If this internal dialog sounds familiar, you’re not alone.  Sticking to a diet while in residency is tricky.  So I reached out to our own health guru Kari Severson for her recommendations on what to look for on the dinner menu.   She has provided a list of foods we often see on the buffet that we should load up on.  So here they are!

Kari’s Top 10 Vitality Foods:

1. Greens to the rescue: try to hit up plenty of leafy greens from the salad bar, the darker, the better – spinach salad is perhaps the most healthy option
2. Lean, not mean, protein: as tasty as that hamburger or steak might look, you’re better off opting for lean protein like chicken, turkey or fish
3. Fishing for seafood: Speaking of fish, either fresh fish or a fish oil supplement is a great addition to the diet – providing essential omega 3 fatty acids. Beware of large mouthed, salt water fish as they contain high levels of mercury and should only be eaten once per week. Small mouthed, fresh water fish (like WALLEYE, yes I’m in a Minnesota girl) are your best option
4. Beans are wonder food: Bring on the beans! Black, pinto, kidney – it doesn’t matter. This affordable, simple food works wonders for the body.
5. The joys of soy: an expert panel  at the Mayo clinic has concluded soy may prevent cancer and help cognition (it also helps menopausal symptoms, but thankfully we don’t have to worry about that just yet) Try a glass of soy milk to get you started – pouring it over cereal might make it easier to palate
6. Whole grains are holy: Whole grains is the way to go, always. White, starchy bread is the equivalent of sugar. The way your body processes it, you might as well drink a soda. Make whole grains the healthy, default choice.
7. Crusade for crucifers: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, cress, bok choy, make it happen.
8. Berries are beautiful: The brighter, the better. Aim to add a handful of blue, black, straw or raspberries into your diet each day.
9. Go Nuts Over Nuts: Not too crazy, now. We’re not talking a full jar of Planter’s Peanuts, but a handful of unsalted almonds will work wonders.
10. Get Friendly with Flaxseed: Some call flaxseed one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. Full of omega-3 essential fatty acids, lignans and fiber, studies show it can reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Try adding some to a protein shake or fruit smoothie.

And if you’re looking for more health tips from a Minnesota girl, then Kari recommends Eat Clean with Kate.  Kate provides healthy tips daily about your favorite food products to help you pick the right foods for the right reasons.  If it’s a question about MSG or diet sodas, Kate is your girl.

Here’s to a healthy and happy term!

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Minnesota Girls Don’t Get the Munchies is an article from The Fuqua Experience, THE place to find out about the daily life of a Duke Cross Continent MBA student

By just doing a quick review of our class Facebook page I’ve come up with some unscientific  numbers.  Out of the 156 students, 24 men are fathers and only 3 of the women are mothers.  I don’t believe this is a problem at an organization level that is creating this phenomenon.  What I believe is that when women become mothers they take on what is a second and sometimes a third job.  All the doctors’ visits, the carpool pick up lane, the parent teacher meetings, play dates, birthday parties, soccer games, bath times, bed time stories, dinners, and so much more are added to the daily to do list of even the most successful woman.  While it’s true fathers have that same list of to do’s added, what our demographics show is that for most women it’s hard to add on the additional task of self-investment.

So on this Mother’s Day I want to take a brief pause to thank all the wonderful mothers who have made the CC-MBA possible.

• To the mothers in our program, you have taken on yet another full time job of gaining your MBA, in addition to your career and in addition to your job as a mother.  You are showing all of us, and most importantly those mothers considering an MBA, that it can be done.
• To the wives of the men in our program, you have taken over many of the to do’s your husband would take on as a father for these 16 months so your husband can pursue his degree.  The bed time stories you tell while he is studying for a Finance mid-term and the Skype calls you make to him with the kids during residency, you do so your family will one day benefit.  We as classmates recognize your contribution to our program.  We thank you for loaning your husbands to us as classmates so that we can learn from them, and after seeing so many of them turn in strong deliverables while missing their family, we know that the sacrifice you make during these 16 months will be worth it.
• To the mothers of each CC-MBAer, who instilled in us the values of hard work and drive for something greater.  The foundations of global leadership started long before we arrived at Duke.  So thank you to each of the mothers who believed that we were leaders of consequence long before a degree ever proved the point.
• To all the hopeful CC-MBA mothers thinking of applying and wondering how you can manage yet another set of responsibilities, I want to encourage you that the Duke family and in particular the CC-MBA program, is full of people who support you in your endeavor and are anxious for the opportunity to learn from women of your caliber.

So with that, I wish everyone a Happy Mothers’ Day!

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A Thanks to All the CC-MBA Moms is an article from The Fuqua Experience, THE place to find out about the daily life of a Duke Cross Continent MBA student

This week we’re all undoubtedly working on something we call “pre-reading”.  This post isn’t about our school work, it isn’t about our travels, and it isn’t about work-life balance, it’s about something small in that one phrase that we take for granted…reading.

As I’ve mentioned before, I grew up in a rural town in North Carolina.  More specifically I grew up on a farm 30 minutes outside of a town called Roxboro, about an hour from our beautiful Duke campus.  I guess you could say life growing up was simple.  My younger brother and I had lots of options to entertain ourselves, like fishing, weeding the garden, jumping our bike off of a bolder, and swimming in the lake.  But what I remember most about my entertainment on those long summer days was going through my mother’s library of books and sneaking one out to the barn so I could read at the top of the hay stack.  It was the best of all possible worlds for me.  There in the barn I could smell the sweet aroma of the alfalfa hay, catch the cool breeze coming across the fields and day dream about adventures in far- away places.

“Oh, to be the heroine in this novel or that.  Oh, to get to see  faraway places.”  Those were dreams and seemed so far away, but with each turn of the page I felt that world slowly became more real.  When the novels ran out it was history books, when the history books ran out it was the Merck manual, or old National Geographics.  Whatever I could find I would read.  It was through my love of reading that I saw doors open that would have otherwise been closed.

It’s years later and all those open doors and windy roads have brought me to Duke.  But they’ve also taken me to some countries where children who were born into the same situation as me, just a little farm girl, do not have the opportunity to learn to read.  I was 18 the first time I realized the blessing we have in our education.  It was in Andros Island in the Bahamas.  The largest island in the Bahamas, Andros is also the least populated, with only 300 residents.  The school house was located in the middle of the island, and children no matter how far away walked barefoot just to get a sixth grade level education.  Life after “graduation” meant success for 2-3 students a year when the entire community pitched in to send them to a community college in Nassau or if they were lucky Miami.  I was expecting a tropical paradise and everyone lived just like us, but with a beachfront property.  That was my first wake up call.

Since then I’ve been to Thailand where I’ve seen a child prostitute bartered off by his adult caretaker to a European man.  I’ve seen refugees run across the border from Myanmar with all their earthly possessions in a wheelbarrow.  I’ve seen mile upon mile of shanty town outside the airport in beautiful Cape Town.  All these things I’ve seen because I have received an education that has allowed me to travel to see them.  But how could I change these tragedies?  What caused them in the first place?

There are lots of answers to those two questions, but it was in India that I first became convinced of one of the best solutions for how to truly make a difference.  I was in India for work, and we were given Easter Sunday off.  After an adventure to an Easter Mass I will never forget, the driver drove me to see the sites in Mysore.  It was at a temple overlooking the city where I was greeted by a young boy who looked to be in his early teens.  He offered me a set of postcards for only a few rupees.  “Please, ma’am, it’s for my tuition.  For my school.”  I had been approached all day and was overwhelmed with the need I saw, but this boy gave me a reason, more than just begging.  I bought a pack of post cards and after I left the boy greeted me again at the exit.  “Ma’am I know the capital of every country.  Give me a country I will give you the capital.  I learned it in school.  I am a good student.”  I admittedly do not know very many capital cities so I threw out countries I thought impossible to know the capital of.  Whether he was right or wrong, I didn’t know, but I always acted impressed.  As we walked along the boy pointed down to a building that seemed crude in construction.  “That is my school.”  I said, “You learned all those capitals in that tiny school?”  “Yes, ma’am.”, he replied.  “Well you must keep going then.  You are very smart.”  I don’t remember how much more I gave him, but I left feeling like that small amount for someone’s tuition might make a difference beyond just one meal or one pair of shoes.

Education, and in particular reading, is the key to helping so many people.  That’s why I’ve become involved with an organization called Room to Read.  Their motto is “World Change Starts With Educated Children.”  Room to Read (RtR) focuses on two areas, literacy and gender equality in education.  They do that by building libraries, reading rooms, and schools.  They provide books written in local languages.  They pay salaries for teachers.  And they pay for scholarships for girls’ education.  Here are some facts that Room to Read has provided about India.

• 35% of the world’s illiterate population lives in India.
• 40% of students – mostly girls – drop out before secondary school (age 14)
• In 2005 it was estimated that 35 MILLION primary school children were not enrolled in school
• If this trend is not stopped it is estimated that more than 50% of the world’s illiterate population will live in India.

So I pose this challenge to those of us who are future leaders of consequence.  Let’s all do our part to help stop this trend.  Click on any of the links here or on the Facebook page where challenging our class of 150 students to raise $2,500.  That’s $16.70 each if we all donate.  And what will this do for someone in India?  For $250 Room to Read can provide a year of tuition money, a uniform, a bike, book bag, and books for a girl to go to school.  For a grand total of $2,500 the Duke CCMBA 2012 class can pay for 10 years of a girl’s education.  What a wonderful legacy to leave to someone.

Donate your extra per diem money, ask your friends, your family, your place of business.  Let’s see how many lives we can change in Term 4!

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World Change Starts With Educated Children is an article from The Fuqua Experience, THE place to find out about the daily life of a Duke Cross Continent MBA student

Where are you located? Metro Manila, Philippines

What are your top 3 reasons why Duke CCMBA should do a residency in your country?

1. Friendly and Multilingual People

Filipinos are naturally friendly and hospitable. In fact, the Philippine nation scored the highest in Humane Orientation among the 50 nations observed in the Cultural Dimensions in the GLOBE study. Filipinos are world famous for their nice smile.  “The Filipino Smile” is often a key takeaway from visits to the Philippines. It can mean several things. It can mean hello, good bye, I’m sorry, I’m shy, thank you or just plain I’m happy.   Filipinos are also multilingual.  The Americans established our education system, which is also the reason why our English literacy rate is so high.  In fact, the Philippines is the largest English speaking population in Asia with 90% English literacy rate in a nation of 94 million people. It is very easy to speak to any Filipino in English. Filipinos are natural care givers, always willing to lend a helping hand.  Care giving is one of our biggest exports in the Philippines, with all the domestic help and nurses proliferating households and hospitals worldwide.  According to the Lonely Planet, they are among the most easy going and ebullient people in the world.  These are the kind of people you want to be around with if you’re looking for a vacation of pure rest and relaxation.

2. Beautiful Unadulterated Nature

The best thing about our tourist destinations is its variety and unexploited feel to it: From tropical white sand beaches to rain forests to tall mountain environments with stalagmite caves and even sand dunes, we have it all here!  With 7,107 islands comprising the Philippine archipelago, this is not a surprise.  The only thing we don’t have is cold, bitter snow.  We only have two types of weather per year, rain or shine.   Our coldest temperature here is a cool 22 C, which we consider our “winter” season.   Our vacation spots aren’t as crowded or commercialized as other famous tourist spots like Thailand and Costa Rica, where everything seems to be completely packaged.   In contrast, there is still a lot of adventure that can be had:   A common provincial experience in the Philippines involves riding a rickety bus, a tricycle (our version of a tuktuk), a jeepney, a fisherman’s boat to get from one uninhabited beach to another.

3. Premiere Entertainment Hub

The Filipinos love eating, socializing, shopping and the night life.  In other words, Filipinos know how to have fun!   International media portrays the Philippines to be a country of backwater military encampments and overpopulated shanties. But in fact, Metro Manila is among the most cosmopolitan and busiest cities in Asia.   We have several world class malls including the Mall of Asia, the largest mall in Asia, as well as the Greenbelt shopping center, with its own beautiful outdoor park in the middle of the complex.  We have hundreds of restaurants featuring any type of cuisine. Clubbing and bar hopping is a staple on most nights.  Lastly, Filipinos love to sing. There are countless of Filipino finalists in American Idol. Almost all hotel pubs in Asia have Filipinos as singers. In fact, we are the only country that considers the karaoke machine as a staple household appliance!

If Tony O’Driscoll had to create a blog page on your country what would be the political, social, and economic tensions he would describe?

Societal: From Colonial Mentality to Filipino Pride

The Philippines has among the strong affinity in Asia for Western culture, having been colonized by the Spaniards for 300 years and the Americans for 50 years.  Because of this history of subordination, the Filipinos tend to see everything foreign to be better than what they have.  This means, tourists are almost treated like gods when they come visit the Philippines.  But lately, an emerging Filipino pride has come about, where Filipinos are becoming more and more proud to be Filipino. Budget airlines make it easier for people to explore the country and help establish a deeper appreciation for the beauty of the Philippines. More Filipinos are rising up internationally, most especially in the entertainment industry, where we have 1 Filipino finalist for every single American Idol season. Most recently, a T-shirt made by a famous Filipino designer has found its way to every single proud Filipino’s closet.  It’s a proud time to be Filipino.

As for Muslim societal tensions, these are very contained to the Southern island in the Philippines that is over 1,300 KM away from Manila and is only accessibly by plane or boat. In visiting the Philippines, you will often not see any muslim influences until you go to the Pearl market, where muslim traders proliferate the trade of these pearls.

Political: From Iron-Fist Martial Law to Corrupted Democracy

The Philippines was under Martial Law for 20 years under President Ferdinand Marcos’ era.  This was a time of great progress for the Philippines, but also a time of great human oppression.  The Martial Law was over thrown in 1987 through People Power and now the Philippines is governed by a democracy.  Since then, while the country has progressed, corruption and lack of discipline is still rampant.  Big debates arise as to whether the country really needs a democracy or an iron fist leader who can set people straight.

Economic: From Rice Basket of the World to IT Outsourcing Hub

The Philippines used to be the rice basket of the world in the 1960s. Lands are     fertile and all sorts of crops can be planted. However, there is not much interest in farmers to continue to be farmers. Also agrarian reform has deregulated the land and allowed each farmer to sustain themselves.  However these farmers lack the technology and funds to maximize the land.  This is a common reason for poverty in the provincial area.   However, a new industry is emerging that is less dependent on natural resources:  IT Outsourcing is booming in the country and we have even overtaken India as the world’s #1 call center country. Schools are beefing up their IT programs, call centers are sprouting like mushrooms everywhere. Jobs are rampant.  People are earning more, learning more and in fact, in a very recent HSBC study, the Philippines overtakes South Africa, Australia, Panama and several other nations to become the 16^th largest economy in the world.  Whether this is sound statistics is another question, but it gives Filipinos something to be hopeful for.

 To be continued …..

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My Country Is Better Than Your Country: Philippines – Part 1 is an article from The Fuqua Experience, THE place to find out about the daily life of a Duke Cross Continent MBA student

Every year as I child I remember watching “The Ten Commandments” and seeing Moses, played by Charlton Heston, work to free the Israelites from the Egyptians and walk up Mount Sanai to see the burning bush.  It was also the perfect time for my parents to remind me and my younger brother to “honor thy father and they mother.”

While the movie is entertaining, it’s also a good reminder of what some of our classmates practice and believe in their faith.  The movie tells the story of the Jewish Passover, which this year will be while we are in the India residency (April 6-14).   I’ve reached out to Andy Domenico to share more on his Jewish faith in our second installment of the Interfaith series.

1. What is your religion or faith?

Jewish

2. Were you born into this faith or did you choose to convert to this faith?  If you were born into the faith, describe how your faith was developed as a child.  If you chose to convert to this faith describe what drew you to this faith.

So….the PC way to say this is “I wasn’t always as observant as I am now”.  I went through some difficult times in the last few years, and these experiences have served to deepen my faith, and make me more aware of my obligations to God and why I am Jewish.  Nowadays, I am more observant of my faith that I was, but I’m not yet fully observant of all the commandments that God has put upon the Jewish people.

3. What is/are the core belief(s) of this faith?

One of the first things that the Bible teaches us is that man was made in God’s image.  Now, this is not taken to mean that God has a body, 2 legs, 2 arms, etc, but rather that mankind has the ability to reason and to know good from evil.  Because we have this knowledge and ability to reason, we have a responsibility to do good with our lives.  Now, there are several schools of thought within Judaism, with some emphasizing strict adherence to laws, and others seeing law as archaic, and emphasizing purely moral goals.

I’m a Conservative Jew, so I believe that ritual laws are still binding (For example, Kosher dietary laws), but I have an overriding obligation to become more ethical and to be devoted to causes of social justice.  Also, I believe that laws can be updated from the original in response to changing times.  For example, Orthodoxy would not permit a woman to be ordained as a rabbi, but I am perfectly fine with having a female rabbi.

4. Do you believe in a god(s)?

Yes, wholeheartedly.  Judaism is monotheistic, meaning that we believe in one God, not a pantheon of gods like the peoples of the ancient world (See ancient Egypt, Babylonia, etc.).  In fact, the central prayer of Judaism is the Sh’ma Yisroel – a prayer affirming the oneness of God, and it is recited four times a day.

5. Do you have a concept of “salvation”?  If so, how is that obtained?

Well, there’s actually not that much in the Bible about the afterlife, so we are left to trust in God a lot on that score.  Now, there are several theories – for example, in the afterlife, Moses sits and teaches Torah (Bible) all day.  For good people, this is heaven, but for evil people, it’s hell.  Others would speculate that reincarnation is the way to go, because each soul has a purpose – to bring light to the world.  If the soul hasn’t reached that purpose, then it comes back with a bit more of God’s message until it has done its work.  Me personally?  I’m content to face God with my deeds from life.  If I live the life He wants me to, then I will take whatever afterlife there is.

6. What are some ways that believers of your faith practice on a daily basis?

The daily prayers consist of three services: shakharit (morning) mincha (afternoon) and Ma’riv (evening).  As many of our classmates have noticed, I keep Kosher.  It’s a set of dietary laws, but it goes beyond just not eating pork or shellfish.  To me, keeping kosher means that I don’t take a bite of food unless I’ve thought about God.  Keeping kosher keeps my obligation to God at the forefront of my mind.

7. What is/are some common mis-conception(s) about your faith?  Can you share an explanation to clarify this misconception?

In the Bible (Old Testament to Christians), there are a lot of references to making animal sacrifices as atonement for sins.  This was a different time in Jewish history, and after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Rabbis made a legal ruling that acts of kindness, charity and peace would forever supersede sacrifices as atonement for sin.

Further, Judaism doesn’t teach that you have to be Jewish to attain salvation.  In fact, it’s easier for a non-Jew to attain salvation than for a Jew.  The belief is that God holds Jews to a higher standard that we are obliged to uphold, while non-Jews have only to uphold the basic laws of humanity (No murder, theft, rape, etc.).  This actually presents a problem for would be converts; it’s better to remain an ethical non-Jew than to convert and be less than fully committed.  Hence, we are not a proselytizing religion.

Also, see the Family Guy episode “Wish Upon a Weinstein” for further stereotypes and for a good laugh.  We’ll see if the “Good with money” paradigm holds up when we get to Finance class. :)

8. Is there a verse or passage you’d like to pass along to the CCMBA class as encouragement for completing our degree?

 Jeremiah 22:3 “Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness and deliver one who has been robbed from the hand of the oppressor.  Do not mistreat the widow, the orphan or the stranger among you”. 

While we are in school and in relatively junior positions compared to the ones we will hold later in life, it’s easy to be ethical.  It’s easy to say to yourself “I’ll never build towers of junk bonds just to sell off slices to investors who don’t know better”, but when we reach the post-MBA career point in our lives, will we remember that?  Will we use our positions as Leaders of Consequence to mistreat widows, orphans and strangers, or will we use business to do something good?  Maybe that’s not motivation to complete the degree per se, but it is motivation to remember that we will influence the future of business and hence the future of the world when we do finish.

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Judaism – Interfaith Series – Article # 2 is an article from The Fuqua Experience, THE place to find out about the daily life of a Duke Cross Continent MBA student

Tip #1 – Always say YES when faced with a new opportunity. – from Debbie Barabe – Throughout the MBA process and in your career you’ll often be presented with the chance to do something different and out of your comfort zone.  When you signed up for an MBA you more than likely signed up to add a skill set to your résumé.  So when opportunities come along to do something that is out of the norm for you, take them.  If you’re a CPA volunteer to do a Marketing case.  If you’re a Marketer, volunteer to do an Accounting assignment.  It’s only by saying “Yes” to a new opportunity that the new skill sets you’re aiming for with an MBA will be obtained.

Tip #2 – Gain perspective. Be open to new and different ideas. – from Kevin Wakefield – The Duke CCMBA program takes us to new and exciting locations, but if you go into each place looking to embrace the similarities you still only walk away with one angle.  By being open to new and different ideas you get to look at the same place with a new slant.  That same philosophy can apply to an organization.  If you only look at an organization from your team’s point of view or are only interested in following your processes you will not be able to approach the issues in the bigger picture.  Instead, try to put yourself into a “foreign land” and look at each issue from the perspective of another team or even from your customers point of view.  By learning to think like this in your MBA program you can grow leaps and bounds in the work place.

Tip #3 - Make the most of the time spent with your classmates! – from Tyler Roehm – When we wrote our entrance essay we were asked to share what about our backgrounds would benefit other students.  One hundred fifty of us wrote an essay on that and Duke thought the answer was pretty good.  So when meeting your classmates and talking to them, make the most of that time and find out what some of those reasons are.  A conversation you have today about someone else’s work may be something that becomes a door to another possibility later on.  If nothing else you’ve gained another great friend in your MBA program.

Tip #4 – Interact with as many students in your program as possible….lasting friendships. And make sure to have cocktails with your Stats professor on the last day of class…that’s nerdy stuff!! Lol –  from Ayisha Jeter - It’s very easy to get caught up in the work and assignments.  It’s also easy to find “your group”, but when you have a class full of wonderful, interesting, fun, successful, and talented people why not get to meet all of them.  You don’t have to be in someone’s section or team to make that happen.  Take some time on a coffee break to have a chat with someone new.  Sit at a different dinner table.  And you know what, if you have the chance to sit with Katherine Schipper at dinner, you should darned well take it.  Our Duke faculty is ranked number one in the class room and they’re interesting, fun, successful, and talented people too.  Get to know them outside the classroom as well as inside it.  There may be a few lessons they can teach you that go further in life than a linear regression model.

Tip #5 – Take the pre-reading seriously. Learning lessons before class begins to pay big dividends once it starts. – from Malcom Riley – You could look at this tip as only something that is applicable to school, it certainly pertains to our Duke CCMBA when The Box arrives each term.  More importantly though, think of this from the position of a leader.  Would you rather do some due diligence and go into your business decisions with some knowledge, or would you rather walk in cold and wing it?  Maybe that bet will pay off big, but will you be the leader you want others to perceive you to be?  Learning some lessons up front can not only save you from yourself later on, it can also make a statement about how you approach management and problem solving.  So if you want to get more out of your MBA program, use that pre-reading as an opportunity to fine tune this leadership skill, and also get yourself prepared to soak up all the knowledge you’re investing in.

Tip #6 – P=MBA – from Tan Chek Tee - The first time I heard this statement the Type A overachiever in me cringed.  “At no point am I ever going to accept a P.” I thought to myself.  What I have realized however is that in life, this program, or any other type of executive MBA program, we are faced with a balancing act that is much bigger than just one class grade.  We’re balancing work, family, friends, travel, and then add in our MBA classes which…oh yeah…did I mention travel.  Sometimes you have to allow yourself to succeed in one of these other areas.  Maybe you need a Superior Pass at work this week because your project is going live.  Maybe your kid’s birthday party is the same day as classes, but your family will give you a Superior Pass as a father/mother that will far outweigh being live on a Centra session lecture.  That’s when P=MBA comes in handy.  Sometimes it’s okay to just take a P and sometimes you need to go above and beyond.  Learning to distinguish that in your MBA program is a skill that can pay off later when you are finding that fine balance in other areas.

Tip #6 – Get mentors in each country. – from Ravi Bansal – The Duke CCMBA format is unique in that it takes us to 6 international locations, but when you leave there will you leave with someone who can help you continue to learn about that region or a topic of interest.  Maybe you’re not looking for business mentorship in a region, but maybe there is one person who you find is a great mentor for you in something you hope to grow in.  Foster that relationship and try to learn from that person.  It may be an informal mentorship but you’re growing with each term and that growth will expand as far and as wide as you allow it.  If you’re not a Duke CCMBA (first off you should be), then find those people in your program.  It’s not enough to get all SPs if you don’t find people that will help shape you into a star performer for much longer than the two years you’re in school.

Tip #7 – Look for one thing that you can apply to your job now or your ideal job later that you’re learning in class. – from Jordan Lofton – It’s often hard to see the forest for the trees while you’re going through the program.  “I’m taking finance, what the heck does this have to do with me?  I don’t want to be a banker or a stock broker.  I want to be the owner of a successful tech startup.”  You can go through the motions to just pass the class just to get it out of the way, but try to take a step back and say, “How can I use this at work?  Who at work would use this?  Why do businesses use this?  Why would a Top 10 MBA program think this is important for me to know?”  The truth is even if you’re not the accountant you will need to know accounting.  Even if you’re not the person creating the models, you’ll need to know how to use them.  Even if you’re not a financial analyst you’ll have to make financial decisions.  So take some time to think about how you will use your newly acquired skills.  If you just have one take away from each class that may make the biggest difference for you later on.

Tip #8 – Learn to love March Madness!!! – from Jordan Lofton – If you are in Fuqua and have the Duke brand plastered all over your résumé and bragging to all your buds, and the question is asked of you, “So what do you think of Coach K?”, then it’s time to start showing some school pride.  We all come from different undergraduate schools (some even rivals of Duke….we won’t name names), but we’re all Duke students now.  So be sure to show some support for your school.  It’s not enough to rave about just the MBA program, but really embrace the culture and brand of your school.  Your school alums are passionate and proud of that brand, so try to show some enthusiasm yourself.  With that being said…GO DUKE!!!

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Get The Most Out of Your MBA is an article from The Fuqua Experience, THE place to find out about the daily life of a Duke Cross Continent MBA student

As I’ve been sitting here this morning I couldn’t help but think about all the stories I’ve heard about the prisoners at Alcatraz, and how they could hear the voices and sounds that carried across the bay.  If they were there today, what sounds would they hear?  What would be the stories they would recount as they listened in admiration of our freedom?

Here in my little café they would hear the two developers of a SMS smart phone ap discuss their design and how they can better their software.  They would hear a pitch from a start up executive to an investor going over the financial statements and making his best case to for more seed money.  Perhaps the smell of the fresh baked sour dough from the bakery would make its way all the way to the small cell of the prisoner and they would imagine themselves sitting right where I am now….just one person sitting, listening and going about my own business.

What I can’t help but be grateful for is a program that allows us the flexibility to be anywhere in the world and continue our classes.  Here I am, it is finals week, and I am in San Francisco enjoying a beautiful day and watching people network in a city famous for its startups.  I know we all love the travels that are built into the program itself, taking us to different countries and cultures.  I know we appreciate the ability to work from our own homes or locales.  But how often do we recognize the flexibility the format of the Duke CCMBA has afforded us to continue to pursue not just our interest in travels, our own professions, and an MBA, but the opportunity to go and experience new opportunities and networks in any city we visit.  The CCMBA gives each of us the opportunity to look at each new place with fresh eyes and valuing its unique potential.

Now imagine yourself all those years ago when Alcatraz was still a working facility.  Imagine yourself just as I am today, sitting in a café looking across the bay at the prison and appreciating the freedom you have to enjoy this day.  Now think about all those other  MBA programs.  Are they like the prisoner in Alcatraz listening across the bay to us in our café?  Are they jealous of the freedom and opportunity that we the Duke CCMBA class has?  Or are they content with their day to day in one location focusing on getting through just another day in their MBA lives?  Will they have the opportunity to sit in their class room in a campus in Cambridge and enjoy the networking and business opportunities that a CCMBA student will?  On this clear day on Pier 43 I’m most appreciative for the format of this program.  It may not be a quality that Business Week ranks, but it is one I’m finding priceless.

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On A Clear Day You Can See Alcatraz is an article from The Fuqua Experience, THE place to find out about the daily life of a Duke Cross Continent MBA student

For those who have left the service many are looking at the MBA as a way to advance in their new civilian career.  For those still serving, they’re looking at the MBA as a way to position them for a transition.  I have heard several currently serving members say that all this business stuff is brand new and foreign to them.

Well, that may be true.  Talking in terms of cultural dimensions or learning the Excel formula of the week is enough to keep even the most seasoned business professional on their toes.  Throw in a Schipper final exam and Statistics Online Test #4 and you have yourself a field day in MBA lingo.

But really, everyone in our class is very gifted and has something to bring to the boardroom.  Duke recognized that and it won’t be very long before the business world does as well.

So in addition to thanking each of the service men and women in our program for their bravery and sacrifice, I am launching this series to show how military leadership is changing the business world.  Along with the research I’ll share, several of our emerging leaders have answered a few questions to share about their own experience and the leadership skills they’ve learned through their service.

Leadership Skill Highlight-

In Sean’s notes below he talks about integrity.  This week our Duke faculty presented a new series called “Fuqua Faculty Conversations”.  The first session was presented by Shane Dikolli on “The Effect of CEO Traits on Firm Policies and Outcomes”.  What do you think one of the most important traits highlighted was?  If you said “Integrity”, you’d be right.  Here were some of the highlights on the importance of Integrity for CEOs.

• Definition of Integrity- Michael Jensen- “An individual is whole and complete when their word is whole and complete, and their word is whole and complete when they honor their word.”
  • CEO statements and actions are aligned
  • CEO corrects the situation if unable to honor his or her word
  • IBM research shows that among 1500 CEOs polled Integrity was ranked as the second most important trait.

1. Creativity
2. Integrity
3. Global Thinking

• Point was made that even if CEOs don’t believe Integrity is important for their personal role, they feel the market demands integrity.
• Why does integrity matter?

• Firms do not make decisions, people do.
• CEO traits (like integrity) affect a firm’s choices in policy, accounting, and financial reporting
• Thomas Stephen- Duke pHD Accounting student- does CEO integrity affect financial reporting

• Study measured how many causation words (because, effect, hence, etc) used in the Shareholder statement were linked to the accrual measurements in the financial report.  The theory is that if a CEO is honoring his word he the accrual will be turned into a cash flow in the future.

• Finding- A higher number of causation (excuse) words means a lower integrity score.

Military Leadership Questionnaire Response – Sean Bode

1.       What branch of the military are or were you in? Army, Infantry

2.       What were the core values or motto of your branch or team?  How did your training instill these in you?

There are multiple mottos in the Army, each unit has their own yet they all revolve around the core value of “Mission first, people always” in my eyes.  The competitive nature of all the training pushes the success of the mission above self.  While the bonding with the unit as a team solidified the value of each individual.

3.       What are typical ways that you or your leadership would overcome challenges?  This is meant to be skill set focused not process focused. 

Planning and flexibility are key.  The best laid plans never last once you encounter the “enemy”.  The message there is that it is important to develop a plan, however it is equally important to be resilient and think on the spot.  Seeing the opportunity will turn a challenge into yet another success.

4.       In your experience in the military, describe a leader you interacted with that you try to emulate and why that person’s leadership is a good example. 

There have been many mentors during my time in the Army, and there are a few consistent character traits they all possess.  Integrity is paramount, whether it is as serious as life and death situations or seemingly trivial matter your word is critical.  Setting high standards, for yourself and other, and never accepting less than the best is not being a jerk, it is being a good leader.  Always put the needs of your team first, this is not to say that you should be walked on, however it means that you should always lead by example and the team must know their leader has their best interest at heart.  Though this list could go on for quite a while, I will end with taking the time for development.  Too many people focus their resources on the now and do not invest in their team’s future.

5.       Within your CCMBA team from Terms 1 & 2, how did you use the skills you have from your military career to help your team? 

While people outside the military might not see it, there is an immense respect for other cultures and high tolerance level within the military.  Using that cultural understanding with the differences in the team proved very helpful.  Learning when to take charge and when to trust others in their fields of expertise helped.  All of the leadership in question 4 applies here as well.

6.       If you are currently in a civilian job and have seen how there is transference of skills, please share how you’ve been able to use your experience to enhance your organization and build your own brand.

The methodical problem solving, team building, hard work, integrity, flexibility, high standards, and discipline start a long list of skills that soldiers offer employers.  The small teams within the Army that understand ownership and autonomy is sought after in the civilian world.  The level of responsibility in consequential situation is rarely seen as a civilian at the same stage of life.

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Military Leadership- Sean Bode- Integrity is an article from The Fuqua Experience, THE place to find out about the daily life of a Duke Cross Continent MBA student