Keep Rocking!

It's Rock On season! While Rock On (movie) fever is still on, our 'band of boys and gals' has also been rocking throughout the semester III of MPE.

Yesterday was last day of semester. The most exciting and learning experience in business school is working on projects and making group presentations. We presented on many interesting topics this semester:

(Subject / Presentation)

• Brand Management: 1. Positioning of Sprite 2. Hyundai i10 Product Launch in India
• Business Sustainability: Sustainable Asset Management (SAM)
• Corporate Finance: 10 Ways to Create Shareholder Value
• Macro Economics and Global Economy: Hyperinflation Crisis in Zimbabwe
• Operations Management: Application of Lean and Agile Principles in Software Development
• Strategic Marketing Management: Marketing Models of Consumer Behavior

We ended the semester on a high with an interactive presentation of Hyundai i10 Product Launch in India. Nitin came up with this idea of doing a role-play of business news channel covering Hyundai i10 Launch event. The entire team worked on preparing slides, thinking through the screen-play, assigning roles and setting up IBC News - Indian Broadcasting Corporation. In studio, we had Lakshmi as News Reader and Rajesh as Auto Industry Expert (Analyst); at the launch site, we had Nitin as IBC reporter, Anand as Marketing head of Hyundai Motors and Prachi as independent car reviewer. Anshu did a great job of shooting the entire event on Video Camera. It was real fun!

If topics were interesting and presentations were fun, the feedback from professors was immensely encouraging [except for one subject where expectations got to be modest:-)]. Some of them are quoted here...

• Positioning of Sprite: "Superb presentation... the best presentation of class...!"
• Hyundai i10 Product Launch in India: "The delivery was superb... everyone contributed... I'll give them full marks...!"
• Sustainable Asset Management: "Excellent presentation... The topic was very well brought out...!"
• 10 Ways to Create Shareholder Value: "Very good presentation...!"
• Hyperinflation Crisis in Zimbabwe: "Excellent presentation...!"
• Application of Lean and Agile Principles in Software Development: "It was enlightening presentation... very new concept... excellent presentation... it was learning experience for me as well... the time spent on listening to this presentation was worth it... very well done!"
  
  It gives us sense of satisfaction! What has been even more satisfying is the kind of support, motivation and appreciation that we have received from our class-mates.
  
  An SMS read, "Rajesh, I know im repeating but you guys totally rocked today.. Im sure u guys wud have put in a lot of efforts... Trust me it was all worth it."
  
  Thank you very much! Your appreciation means a lot to us!
  
  I must thank my entire team for running that extra mile every time to give our best! Lets keep rocking!!!
  

Sprite Team: All White, Clear Hai?!

It was Sunday morning and our group was sporting "White" to convey message of "All Clear" soft-drink. Don't know who all noticed that, but there was one thing that everybody noticed that day. And that was quality of our group's presentation. The presentation on positioning strategy of Sprite soft-drink in India was a big hit in class:-). The attitude of Sprite also reflected in our presentation - "Seedhi Baat, No Bakwaas, Clear Hai?!"

Well done, everyone! It felt very good to hear the encouraging feedback from Dr. Amit Rangnekar!

What followed was a lunch at Amar Juice and a "photo shoot" just outside NMIMS. Have a look at those picture right here right now...

Surprise... Surprise...! It's Lakshmi's Birthday today!

We managed to surprise Lakshmi on her birthday today! Though we reached her home half an hour late, it was great to see her completely surprised at 12:30AM (She was talking to me on phone, when the door bell rang, just to find Nami, Anshu, Tejal, Nayan and I standing outside)! Inspired from DCH, you know!!! By the way, Nitin was already there (just like Saif had reached earlier in DCH:-))

Check out the snaps and video of the birthday celebration...

Thanks Nami and Anshu for giving this idea! Thanks Anand for providing the direction from Bangalore! Thanks Nitin and Amit for doing a great job of not revealing the surprise!

Here is wishing Lakshmi many happy returns of the day!

Secrets of high performing teams

I am reading 'The Heart of a Leader', a book by Ken Blanchard. He sites a quote from his another book 'The One Minute Manager Builds High Performing Teams'. It goes like this...
"None of us is as smart as all of us."

Ray Kroc of McDonald's was also quoted saying something very similar...
"None of Us is as Good as All of Us"

And I completely agree with both Ken and Ray's views. It's the collective efforts, the team that enable us to do great things. In a true team, 1+1 != 2, but it's 1+1=11. So, how do you create such high performing teams?

Out of many things that may contribute to making of high performing teams, one that I have experienced in my MPE team is 'DIVERSITY'. We are a bunch of people from very diverse background.

• Anand (Telecom/MNC/Male/Travelled/Gujarati -Born & Brought-up in Maharashtra)
• Anshu (Insurance Broking /INDIAN FIRM/Female/Rajashthan)
• Lakshmi (Financial Services/MNC/Female/South Indian - Living in Mumbai)
• Namita (Insurance/INDIAN FIRM/Female/Travelled/Rajashthan)
• Prachi (Digital Media/INDIAN FIRM/Married Female/Marathi - Born in MP)
• Rajesh (IT Consulting/INDIAN MNC/Married Male/Travelled/Gujarati)

This diversity brings new perspectives, ideas and creative solutions on the table. It always helps when you don't know many things that others in your team know. It makes you be open and encourages you to continue learning. Ken Blanchard notes that "you don't have to be the only bright person in the group. In fact, admitting your vulnerability allows you to ask for help.".

What are your thoughts on secrets of high performing teams?