So what on earth have I learned?

INSIDE & OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

Never cutting corners in REP

• The definition of multi-lingual (fluency in anything below four languages doesn't really qualify)
• The feeling of monsoon rain (think bucket thrown over your head)
• That it is physically possible to live off street food served on yellow plastic chairs (for six months)
• That BORs* can be just as wild as wild boars
• That cutting corners is sometimes a necessary evil
• That we all suffer from overconfidence (yes, including me & you)
• That excellent professors can make the dullest course inspiring

Snowy Vicky recharging the batteries

• That most Germans are actually very methodical and rigorous (including Chalmo)
• That most Mediterraneans have a loose interpretation of what “on time” means (Jose, you didn't really think you were going to get away with it, did you?!)
• That behind every serious banker and consultant lies a party animal in hiding (Meik?)
• That dodgy names usually hide dodgy venues (Four floors and Findlaters)
• That FOMO** drastically increases average waking hours
• That recovery sleep can be done at any time of day or night (special mention to Luc-Vincent in A2)
• That commitment and alcohol are not good friends
• That yellow fever is not just an acute viral haemorrhagic disease (sorry, it had to be done :-P)
• That certain individuals really can make a difference in a group
• That many people find it hard to follow their dreams
• That ‘active non-directive’ listening is practically impossible
• That it never hurts to say thank you
• That one doesn't say “I love you” often enough to those that count, so there, I LOVE YOU!!!

...AND CHERRY-PICKED QUOTES

Organisational Behaviour 1 (OB1)

Emotional intelligence may be the key attribute that distinguishes outstanding performers from those that are merely adequate

Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time, and it annoys the pig.

Organisational Behaviour 2 (OB2)

The fact is culture eats strategy for lunch. You can have a good strategy in place, but if you don't have the culture that allows you to successfully implement that strategy ... the culture of the organization will defeat the strategy

Entrepreneurial Leadership (EL)

Radical innovation cannot be achieved without unconditional respect for creative minds

The bottle is half-full

Building Businesses in the Silicon Valley (BBSV)

Having nothing to lose makes the weak strong

Any idiot can give a punch. Strength is the ability to take a punch (and keep standing)

Leadership is not about knowing all the answers. It’s all about having enough credibility for people to follow you in your way to finding the answers

Quick and dirty is never quick and almost always dirty

If not now, when? 


* BOR: Break Out Room
** FOMO: Fear of Missing Out

My INSEAD in numbers




"Can we throw her out?"

• 10 months
• 2 campuses
• 498 fellow students
• 84 nationalities
• 1 section A2
• 1 group 8
• 5 periods
• 13 core courses



Dashing outfits in Singy

• 13 electives (incl. 5 minis)  
• 3 exams (13 individual papers)
• 9 house/flat mates
• 9 pet animals (3 dogs, 5 swans, 1 fat cat)
• c. 15 wild animals spotted in Fontainebleau (incl. deers, wild boars, foxes, rabbits, and a camel, don't ask)
• 1 wild Dash 
• 2 Bain & co parties



Outdoor amphi in Fonty

• 1 phone lost
• 1 BCG Olympics
• 1 basketball tournament won (IESE Spring Games)
• 1 Cabaret appearance 
• 10 National weeks
• 2 National week bidding nights
• 14 countries visited
• 1 legendary trip to Sevilla
• 1 weekend on Pangkil's private island



Rockin' it Fat Cat style

• 1 dream job
• 1 best year of my life

INSEAD 11J: An Epic Year

Bintan, Indonesia: First weekend, Singy style

As Guinness so brilliantly puts it, 'good things come to those who wait', and as many of you (i.e. 3 kind souls) have nagged me to get my act together and write a summary of my INSEAD experience, I thought I’d better get started before you lose interest entirely, simply remember this year as one which I spent nagging you with annoying Facebook updates and debaucherous photos, and / or start developing an unhealthy addiction to Guinness.

Lebanon: Last official INSEAD trip (until the next one)

So I've delayed writing for days, weeks and even months because I've never known where to start: at the beginning, at the end, somewhere in the middle? Two weeks post graduation, in Beirut with the usual eclectic mix of 20-odd INSEAD folks, I finally understood: there is no finality to the INSEAD experience. It’s such an overwhelming adventure that you’re left permanently changed, with life-long friendships, a different view of people around you, and a truck load of memories from all corners of the globe.

If Tom were an INSEAD alum

I've often likened the experience of the past 10 months to travelling on a high speed train, which you latch onto for a crazy ride, before being thrown off  when you no longer have the strength to hold on, compelling you to rest before you can even conceive of jumping back on. The experience is unique precisely because everyone jumps on and off this bandwagon at different times, thus taking away different things from the ride. There are those who come here to work, those that come here to play and the vast majority who end up practising a healthy combination of work and play (let’s just say I wasn't in the first category).

You've probably heard enough from me about the 'play' side of things, so how about the work?! Well the most common questions I’ve heard over the past year include the following gems: “What is your MBA in?” (which tops the list of the most frustrating questions out there), “Did you actually do any work?” (a resounding yes), and “what did you learn?” (how long have you got for me to explain?!).

Class of 11J @ Graduation

As I’ve discovered that we all have short attention spans, I'll be responding to these questions in three parts (apparently we also like lists with 3 items... don’t ask me why): 

(i) 'My INSEAD in numbers'

(ii) 'So what on earth have I learned'

(iii) 'You know you've been to INSEAD when...'

So keep your eyes peeled! I won’t try to claim that my experience is representative but hopefully it rings a few bells for those of you from 11J that I've had the privilege to share this year with. Thanks to all of you!

And for those of you who endured the experience from outside the 'bubble'... thanks for your endless support. I love you all very much!