By Ernesto Altahona
Full-time MBA student 2014/5
I started to live my dream the day I arrived to the classroom; I strongly wished to be here because I felt some time ago that there was a “glass ceiling” blocking my career development. Somehow the path was obstructed and I knew I was missing the tools for breaking it, in order to develop my full potential, and I expected the One Planet MBA would give me the instruments to do this. Knowledge is the main argument for undertaking a MBA; you know that the teachers will guide you through a variety of disciplines and areas, in which you know beforehand you lack strong pillars. I expected a demanding level of evaluation, and these expectations were fulfilled. Many nights without sleep to deliver presentations, slide decks and essays are now in my luggage.
What I didn’t expect was the challenge of working in such a multicultural team, where perceptions of the world are as diverse as a rainbow. Having discussions with my Tanzanian teammate under time pressure required development of a new set of skills, completely different to the ones I would use in handling discussions with my Chinese colleague, for example. These aren’t all the challenges; coming to live for a full year in Europe was on my bucket list because I come from an equatorial country (Colombia) and aspired to experience the four seasons. I arrived in the UK in autumn, when the day has only a few hours of sun. This required a remarkable degree of effort, as I am used to 12 straight hours of sun every day! I thought I handled the English language comfortably, because I felt I had communicated very well in my travels around the world. However, when arguing under time pressure, with a colleague from the UK who held the opposite point of view about a company, I required a level of English I had never ever considered.
The academic challenges, plus the multicultural diversity, the different environment, and developing a deeper knowledge of the language has represented a tough challenge, and if we take into consideration the career progress, this makes the recipe for the perfect storm.
What has made the One Planet MBA extraordinary for me is the optional eight-week mindfulness training with highly skilled professors in the area. This has added a remarkable amount of value for me. Over eight weeks they gave me tools to successfully handle the amount of stress I am experiencing right now. The mindfulness sessions have trained me in a new set of unexpected soft skills for managing pressure. I was able to connect with myself and this extraordinary skill has been key for the stressful moments (nevertheless, I am just scratching the surface); especially for job interviews or negotiating my salary with my future boss. It will make a real impact (financially-speaking) in my career and future.
The One Planet MBA definitely goes the extra mile for the students with this mindfulness training. Is a skill that adds value, especially for breaking the glass ceiling.