Thursday, July 9, 2020

My MBA in Dubai A Learning Revolution

Its been eight months since I left Accra, Ghana to begin the MBA program at Hult. In another four months I will be home again, in sha’ Allah. I miss my family and my friends. I miss my weekend morning karate training sessions with my Sensei. And I miss Sunday breakfast at La Galette, in the Spintex community in Accra, while counting all the Mercedes Benzes that are only driven on Sunday mornings. I made the decision to attend Hult because I had reached a point in my career where I needed to develop more muscle for business management, given I’d come from a marketing and stakeholder relations background. Hult offered me a powerful blend of knowledge and expertise, and an innovative approach to teaching and learning. But, business School is hard. Period. It ranks high up with some of my most challenging experiences yet. I consistently have to improve skills, which means enhancing processes, being ruthless with my time, working better with my teammates, and mastering the fine art of bilingual swearing. Through deliberate practice Im sharpening my work ethic, a value I am learning is a key aspect of grit, a critical skill for surviving in our world today. Ive done some cool, non-school related things, too. I took a Thai kickboxing class a few times—until I learned that constant muscle soreness and the race to meet deadlines dont mix well. Ive done yoga in an art gallery with incredible views of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest man-made structure in the world. Ive also had some of the most interesting conversations about the most mundane things with people from all over the world (who also have the most exotic accents). Ive had lunch with Kiran Shaw, Chairman and Managing Director of Biocon, a Biotechnology company. And Ive seen Alicia Keys in concert. One of my friends asked me what Ive learned so far, and whether the huge financial investment to attend Hult has been worth it. I answered yes. Im having a learning revolution here. The Dean remarked, earlier today, how she’d seen me attend almost every single Master Class offered since I started my program. She was right. Those supplementary sessions are amazing because seasoned business leaders from various industries provide a high level view of a business area I may not necessarily be familiar with, in just a three-hour session.   It may be a long time before I find myself in an environment like Hult again, so I’m determined to make the most of the experience. When I’m not in school, I’m taking extra sessions in areas that are of interest to me. For example, I learned a new skill today during a session on branding for start-ups off campus. I had the opportunity to work, briefly, during spring break with a local photographer who has covered every single World Cup series held in this region. Im learning things about myself I didnt know before.   Here are a few important things I would like to share:    Ive learned that nothing is ever clear nor will ever be. That my success may be measured by how I handle ambiguity. That there is something called power and I dont have to be the hardest worker to have it. That stamina is important, so eating well and exercising is as important as drinking water. That I should continue to assault the commonplace each chance I get with my incredibly beautiful blazers, classy African print dresses and hearty smile (when I choose to). That kindness pays. That five-year-olds have so much perspective. That being coherent, humble, genuine and open are strengths, not weaknesses. That living your truth takes real courage. That trying to grow market share is a fruitless venture. That I need people. Heck, we all need people. That Ill be more cool if I fail and bounce back. That Laura Mercier makes the most amazing oil-free tinted moisturizer for dark skin. That taking time to reflect as well as having fun is important. Its been a bumpy, funky and all-around fascinating last eight months—fueled by ambition, passion, lots of caffeine, bouts of self-doubt as well as crippling loneliness, sometimes. As the end of Module C dawns and some of my classmates prepare to rotate to other campuses, I can’t help but wonder what the next few years will be like for us.   What I do know is that I’m excited about the future and I’ve never felt more prepared. Sarah Mills is an MBA student at Hult, Dubai, rotating to Shanghai in Module E. She is a doting aunt; a dangerous telekinetic; a believer in karma and lover of bright nail polish.   She is also hardly ever impressed by reality; she goes for intoxication instead—but not of the alcohol variety. Kickstart your career in a state-of-the-art innovation hub by studying at Hults Dubai business school. To find out more, take a look at our blog Lessons in leadership – U.S. Ambassador and MasterCard President visit Hult Dubai. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .

Thursday, July 2, 2020

Sexism, Free Essay Sample

Sexism Sexism is prejudice, discrimination, or stereotyping, generally against women, based upon sex. Sexism is a cynical retort to a threat which is neither real nor imagined. Nowadays, sexism has a distinguished role mainly concerning image, and conceptions regarding how women are depicted across Media and life. The media contributes significantly as it has an authoritative role in sexism against women. The media has established fixed standards regarding the desired appearance of women. Women then found their presumption of civilization and more eminently of themselves, based on what they view around them. We all absorb media in numerous ways, and the media portrays imagery that we subconsciously or consciously consume, and imprint images in our conscious of â€Å"reality,† the manner we deem things should be. These further affects women since certain expectations are established on which they must adhere to. The media, educational institutions, and entertainment icons collaboratively promote and exhibit gender assimilation, even though specific yardsticks that women must meet are already established. The media together with entertainment icons particularly hold a powerful persuasion on women’s perspectives of themselves, specifically teenage girls undergoing awkward shifts of adolescent to womanhood. For illustration, Britney Spears is a worshipped pop icon playing a persuasive role in adolescent girl’s lives worldwide. While she is generating money from touring combined with selling albums, Britney is persuading the susceptible minds of women and young adults and their view of themselves. Additionally, she is establishing paradigms in her teenage fan base perspectives as they glorify her. Adolescent girls begin obsessing over her image and strive to take after Britney Spears. They then purchase similar clothing and continually monitor their weight because Britney Spearsâ⠂¬â„¢ photos as conveyed in magazines portray her as slim. What the adolescents cannot apprehend is that quite often, individuals whose pictures are depicted in magazines are ninety-five percent airbrushed to perfect the flaws an individual possesses. Therefore, girls acquire an unrealistic perception that they must resemble the individual promoted by the magazine. The brains behind the publicity of Britney Spears’ ranking are the directors heading the record company. Seeing as young women are increasingly susceptible to the reality that their self-regard is easily swayed by another’s actions or image the directors feed on this. They know for them to garner money off of Spears; they must mold her into a classic young adult; therefore, teenagers easily relate to her as an individual and an image. Clothing styles along with fashion trends, in particular, considerably assist gender’s social structure, especially women. The sheer existence of a yardstick for the valuation of beauty automatically appoints a specific group to govern the other. This makes individuals constantly judge each other to ensure they exist in the approved gender classification. Stylish, fashionable clothing is designed for a particular, minority women group, which is, small-breasted, narrow-hipped, skinny and tall. The pressure into fitting theses cl othing styles is unrelenting and produces faulty self-perception and insecurities. Adolescent apprehensions are not uncustomary and can end in eating disorders, suicide, and depression. Self-esteem is fundamental in both sexes as it aids them to define who they are individuals (self-identification) physically and mentally. High standards depicted in media makes women self-consciously cognizant of how they should look like. The modern diet fads example the zone, Atkins diet, and the south beach diet are forcing women to feel like they need to shed weight to have the ‘perfect’ appearance. Additionally, new technologies have been crafted to lengthen youthful appearances. This further places a perception of society that it is not correct to age. Aging and diet aside, youthful and thin pop icons/celebrities meet the supposed â€Å"beauty standards† of contemporary society conveys a message to women and adolescents that it is â€Å"wrong† being a particular size or own a specific image. Consequently, this quickens the process of women and young adults to develop eating disorders or even dejection because of low self-worth. Most media forms force this upon women, and as they absorb the portrayed information, they form a distorted mentality of themselves. Individuals lacking in self-esteem are vulnerable to influences of flawlessness when there exists nothing like perfection. Images of women as the media depicts them are usually thin, young, and highly attractive. Seeing this, young women strive to imitate what is portrayed; many become wretched by so doing. Normal bodily changes-body features like getting older, adding weight, leg and underarm hair, and face pimples are all shown as highly unwanted or even unusual. These body enhancement procedures are sometimes mortal and end in death. A person should not have to undergo matters concerning life and demise to alter a trivial imperfection about them. Constantly, women are made to feel as if they are lacking and that they should take body altering procedures to improve their bodies and themselves to be nearer to the norm. This can end in emotional and psychological harm and also eating disorders in especially in women obsessed with altering their natural bodies to look pleasing and feel â€Å"accepted† by society. The public starts to acknowledge media-set-norms and assimilates them into their morals. Furthermore, the individual then believes what media portrays and what they deem right. This is when sexism is birthed. Media utilizes unrealistic and impractical standards against other individuals and begins judging them based on their appearance. Women are considerably affected by this because they must cope with the existing social p eers. For them to fit in, they try perfecting themselves and alter/modify their appearance by following latest values and trends. Unfortunately, currently, people still pass judgment on others based on what media portrays as desirable and accurate. Women should not regard irrational standards that will ultimately cause their lives to be wretched. Despite the public’s and media’s perfection standards, an individual should be content with their appearance despite how they look. Rather than aspiring to fix small flaws by undertaking extreme measures like starving yourself to remain thin or considering cosmetic surgery to keep an attractive and youthful appearance; it is wiser for women to accept their imperfections and remain content. The society has established standards to define women. At times, these paradigms are formed to set stereotypes on genders to mark their individuality. I firmly believe such standards should not exist. Additionally, each individual should live based on his/her standards, not standards set by others.