Assumptions
I'm writing this in a coffee shop somewhere in the Fort. This week, our batch(or as our Professors put it, COHORT) has been divided into 2 groups. So far, only our systematic management analysis class has been split. Meaning besides that class and schedule, we're all still attending the same schedules. Last Tuesday was my SMA class, and today is my day-off, or the other group's class schedule for SMA.
So far so good is what I can say with my stay in AIM. I still remember how my grandma gave me some encouraging words. She said, "you'll be entering a school where most of your classmates are probably top of their class or are honors and you're just one of the regular guys." Hahaha come to think of it, are those really encouraging words...? Well I guess looked at differently, they are.
We've been all told that we are a group composed of people who are at least of equal caliber compared to our predecessors. I do not know if I should look at it as a good thing or as a bad thing, but what I'm quite sure of is that we are a diverse group- in personality, if not in race.
And now comes the main idea behind this entry.
During SMA class, we were grouped into 6 groups. We were to discuss a case assigned to us beforehand and identify the problems and possible solutions we can formulate to solve them. I knew a lot of my classmates we're very competitive but I never expected to encounter this early on.
In the group discussion, I acted mostly as a listener, giving out comments or raising questions every now and then. This I think was okay then, because our group wasn't really lacking with people who raised their ideas. From here, we had a meeting of different minds so to speak. Each person was trying to get their point across. Thankfully, we still maintained our composure and were still able to listen to our other group mates.
What can we learn from this experience?
One highlight of that session was raised by our professor and that was to rely less on "assumptions" and focus more on the facts of the case.
He had a very good line with this actually. When you want to assume, make sure you do it good or else you will end up making and ASS of U and ME. Hehehe....
I think learning to listen, to observe, and to try to get to know where the other person is coming from is one of the most important skills that we can learn in our 16 month stay here. To go beyond assumptions and initial perceptions of others, and get to really know the other person because, after all, we are all together in our journey here.
I remember a comment made by a classmate of mine when I told him my name. "I'm having a little difficulty with remembering your names because they were unfamiliar to me" To which I said, "It is the same with us."
Get to know the other side and learn to challenge your perceptions and stereotypes of people and soon things won't seem to be too different and more look like they're the same.
CHINO
So far so good is what I can say with my stay in AIM. I still remember how my grandma gave me some encouraging words. She said, "you'll be entering a school where most of your classmates are probably top of their class or are honors and you're just one of the regular guys." Hahaha come to think of it, are those really encouraging words...? Well I guess looked at differently, they are.
We've been all told that we are a group composed of people who are at least of equal caliber compared to our predecessors. I do not know if I should look at it as a good thing or as a bad thing, but what I'm quite sure of is that we are a diverse group- in personality, if not in race.
And now comes the main idea behind this entry.
During SMA class, we were grouped into 6 groups. We were to discuss a case assigned to us beforehand and identify the problems and possible solutions we can formulate to solve them. I knew a lot of my classmates we're very competitive but I never expected to encounter this early on.
In the group discussion, I acted mostly as a listener, giving out comments or raising questions every now and then. This I think was okay then, because our group wasn't really lacking with people who raised their ideas. From here, we had a meeting of different minds so to speak. Each person was trying to get their point across. Thankfully, we still maintained our composure and were still able to listen to our other group mates.
What can we learn from this experience?
One highlight of that session was raised by our professor and that was to rely less on "assumptions" and focus more on the facts of the case.
He had a very good line with this actually. When you want to assume, make sure you do it good or else you will end up making and ASS of U and ME. Hehehe....
I think learning to listen, to observe, and to try to get to know where the other person is coming from is one of the most important skills that we can learn in our 16 month stay here. To go beyond assumptions and initial perceptions of others, and get to really know the other person because, after all, we are all together in our journey here.
I remember a comment made by a classmate of mine when I told him my name. "I'm having a little difficulty with remembering your names because they were unfamiliar to me" To which I said, "It is the same with us."
Get to know the other side and learn to challenge your perceptions and stereotypes of people and soon things won't seem to be too different and more look like they're the same.
CHINO
Comments
What's SMA all about? I think that's a new subject. :P