Andres Ferraro » MBA

University of Liverpool in the USA

Andres — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:04:13 +0000

The University of Liverpool launched their “University of Liverpool in the USA” nonprofit foundation today. Nice video on their website. That’s where I got my MBA – I just wish I could have gotten some of the cool Harry Potter accent with it too. Every time I try to fake the British accent I end up sounding Indian – Indian Harry Potter is pretty lame.

Call me Doctor, Doctor.

Andres — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 22:51:59 +0000

Walden University now has a partnership with the University of Liverpool, where I did my MBA… Sent me an e-mail. These guys are probably the only game in town for mostly-online Ph.D. The real ones, not the “University of Desktop Publishing” style of degrees.

They give Liverpool Master’s graduates 20% off on tuition. Waive up to 56 credits (how did they get this number?). Streamlined admissions without ECE (credential bullshit) and TOEFL. I didn’t contact them, but guesstimating from their tuition page, even with the discount we’re talking about a 40K program. Plus all the coffee you have to drink to get though it bumps it to about $45K.

Doesn’t seem too far out from the norm for a doctorate. But wait a minute… Where is all this money going? Stephen Dubner from Freakonomics tells us colleges and universities have been doubling support staff while getting only 40% more enrollments – and hiking tuition at double the inflation rate. Nice – “The True Cause of College-Tuition Inflation?”

Then Sir Ken Robinson articulates brillantly on the death of creativity in education and more to the point of this post, the process of academic inflation – where by as time goes on you need higher degrees to achieve the same that could be done with a minor degree before. His talk is brillant, and throws a monkey-wrench into doing something like calculating the Net Present Value of a degree based on projected income – which also fails to factor in the fun that can be had in your early 20s, instead of spending your life locked in school until you get a PH.D at 27 and die of brain rot the following year.

Back again!

Andres — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:49:52 +0000

Oh. Yeah.. Another year went by! I’m back. I was super-busy with my MBA classes. I’m simply DELIGHTED that on Saturday 19th at 8PM central time I submitted my approved dissertation. I’m waiting for a grade but that’s all – At this point I know its going to be either A or A+… I did bust my butt on it… 150+ pages! I’m done! After submitting it I dove into the pool and stayed there until I was totally wrinkled, and then stayed for another hour…

MBA: Leadership Journal – The Plan

Andres — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 21:30:00 +0000

What a present – a plan for self-improvement in leadership!

I’m going back on my notes from January 31st of my Dark Side traits according to Hogan Assessment Systems (Hughes, Ginnet, Curphy, 2006 pp 169-173). There is a change now. While reading my company’s leadership and management pages I came upon a strange piece of advice regarding developing improvement plans based on feedback gleaned from management surveys. The advice states that I should focus on areas where I am actually best at, and make them even stronger. It also states that I should not lose time attempting to cure deficiencies, but I should try to use the talents of someone on my team. Here is a short excerpt text, maybe at present time I am misinterpreting it and a subsequent look at it will reveal something different:

“Research suggests it is more beneficial to work on strengths than try to overcome weaknesses. The impact you will have on business results is more likely to be enhanced when you improve your strengths than when you try to improve in areas in which you have less inherent talent. You should try to find some way to manage your shortcomings in talent. For example, if you find that you are not talented in a particular area of expertise, you may be able to use the talents of someone on your team to make up for your lack of talent in this area. This does not mean that it is impossible to overcome weaknesses, or that you should never do so. In fact, many of the leadership characteristics represent behaviors that are largely a matter of the will. For example, you can, and usually should, decide to “establish breakthrough improvement as a business priority.” In other words, this characteristic is largely under your control. However, a characteristic that demands creativity is closer to a talent than a skill — something that is much more difficult for us to improve once we are an adult. It is especially important to build upon strengths when dealing with characteristics that represent talents. If certain competencies, or leadership characteristics, are vital to the successful accomplishment of your particular job, and if it is not possible to rely on others to fill those gaps, then, of course, you must either learn to perform effectively in those areas or seek another job.” (Company, 2004)

Just what research we are talking about here is never mentioned. I can’t find a relevant research paper pointing towards what they say here. There is one salient point here, they seem to be making a covert distinction between a skill and a talent – with a talent something that is so complex that it is next to impossible to learn, whereas a skill is something that can be developed by applying willpower. I have to disagree with the distinction of talent and skill as being separate tracks, as I believe that a talent is taking a skill into the “genius” level.

If I apply the rationale of diminishing returns to learning, it seems I should focus less on the skills I’m already good at, and most on the ones that I am worst at. I would say I need to find the situation and followers that allow me to unleash my talents in a focused manner, but at the same time find the discipline and willpower to work on areas that need improvement that may be contributing to derailment factors.

I previously identified my potentially worst two personality traits as Excitable and Leisurely. Their definitions follow:

“Excitable – Leaders with these tendencies have difficulties building teams because of their dramatic mood swings, emotional outbursts and inability to persist on projects.

Leisurely – These passive-aggressive leaders will only exert effort in the pursuit of their own agendas and will procrastinate or not follow-through with requests that are not in line with their agendas.” (Hughes, Ginnet, Curphy, 2006 pp 171).

Out of the definition of Excitable I feel the “inability to persist in projects” is my problem (no mood swings or emotional outbursts). Without the mood swings and emotional outbursts I am not sure this really qualifies as Excitable, but it all intersects with the segment on Leisurely where it says that I will not follow-though on requests that are not in line with my agenda. Now that I analyze this more in-depth I’m finding that Excitable is not an issue here, as my inability to persist in projects is not due to excitement, but rather due to a misalignment of these projects with my personal agenda. Thus I am concluding that I do not have a problem of a Dark Personality trait in Excitability, but concretely a problem in being Leisurely.

So here comes the big question? How do I solve this one? How do I become less Leisurely? What life experiences am I missing? Any training I could do?

Lets have a look at my own diagram of Logical Levels to figure out where the problem might be hiding and if I can rise one level above it to dissolve it.

Logical Levels – Diagram by Author, idea source unknown

If I think back to Logical Levels (Source unknown) for an answer on where to focus my energy in trying to improve, I am getting a clue of where the problem resides. I can barely see the problem, indirectly, so it must not be at the levels of Situations, Techniques, Skills, or Understanding, but one step higher. I can consciously see some of my values, and I can spot the beginnings of this right there, however this is likely rooted in some beliefs that I have which are shaping those values. I know what I need now. I need a role model. I need to gain exposure to an identity that embodies the opposite of leisurely and be able to think to myself “What would xxx do?”
I don’t think my current mentors at work fit this bill. I’m going to have to find someone else to model my behaviors after – someone that exudes the opposite of leisurely and uses that quality as the quality that makes them successful.

While I’m trying to find someone it would be beneficial to start working on my beliefs. This is as hard as it gets – this is what psychoanalysis is all about as I understand it – except I don’t have $20,000 dollars and five years to spare. I’ve been able to modify beliefs in the past with concerted hard work and focus. I will have to do just that, but focusing on this area to discover what my beliefs are, which ones are not useful anymore and then use some techniques to get rid of them. Writing about this is so much easier than doing, I’m getting some anxiety just thinking about it. I should probably review The Procrastinator’s Handbook (Rita Emmett, 2000) to give myself a boost before I attempt this. Then I will attempt to map out the beliefs in a list, then go though a few steps to try to disprove and reprogram the ones that are not helping.

So there’s the plan:

Review Procrastinator’s Handbook (Rita Emmett, 2000)
Define and write out what non-leisurely behavior is and how it manifests itself
List beliefs associated to my purpose, my work, my future, other people
Review list for limiting beliefs
Craft a list of replacement beliefs to replace the limiting ones
Review all the books in my library from Miguel Ruiz and especially Ray Dodd to refresh the practical belief-rewriting techniques in them.
Take one week to work on one belief at a time, attempting to disprove, rewrite and establish the new one
While this is going on

keep an open eye and search for a good role model that succeeds mainly by their non-leisurely behavior as defined by my own writing. Attempt to map and review their belief system.

MBA: Leadership Journal – Leadership Everywhere

Andres — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 21:18:00 +0000

The lessons on leadership we have been studying are beginning to have a profound effect in how I think about everyday events. For example I was just watching a cartoon titled “Barbie: Rapunzel” and I was watching as the “evil mouse king” was yelling at a servant for bringing him bad news. I could her the following in my head:
“Shooting the messenger”
“He is discouraging valuable feedback from taking place in the future; that lack of information in the future can be fatal”
“He is exhibiting some seriously bad dark personality traits. Can’t control his emotions”
It is really interesting to experience the change in myself, where I am so immersed in the leadership subject that I begin to see everything through its lenses. I do plan on continuing to learn about it from different textbooks, its fun!

References:
Hurley, O. (2002), “Barbie as Rapunzel”, Lions Gate Studio, USA

MBA: Leadership Journal – Dark Side Strikes Back

Andres — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 21:15:00 +0000

Lets analyze my own Dark Side traits according to Hogan Assessment Systems.

Excitable: I don’t have mood swings or emotional outbursts. I’m very controlled in that area. However I do like new things and do find it difficult to persist on projects. Curiously enough this is one of my MBO goals for this year: to followon a couple of projects that I started last year. Challenge level: 6

Skeptical: I trust others very well and don’t question their motives needlessly. Generally I also forget if they have done something bad and a bit of time has passed. Challenge level: 0

Reserved: during times of stress I keep communicating and I get even more concerned about my people. However I can be sucked into my own world as I try to solve a problem in my head. Challenge level: 2

Leisurely: I’m not sure I agree with the passive-agressive qualification of people who only exert effort in the pursuit of their agendas. I would consider them more self-centered than leisurely. And I do have some of this – If whatever I have to do is not in line with my agenda I have been known to procrastinate about it. When my motivation is low, this is a real problem as I’ll put off important things because they’re not doing anything for me. I’ve faced this one before by reading “The procrastinator’s handbook” by Rita Emmett about four times. I should review it again as this is a true learning process. I’ve gotten much better, but I’m not there yet. Challenge level: 6

Bold: Entitlement, credit, blaming, inability to learn from mistakes due to considering myself perfect. No. This is not me by a long shot. But I do enjoy the spotlight. I should keep an eye on this. Challenge level: 2

Mischievous: Nope. I don’t get any pleasure from getting away with breaking commitments and rules; and I don’t think I can talk my way out of everything – unless I have properly covered myself I believe talk won’t work. Challenge level: 0

Colorful: Just like Bold, this one merits care, but not too much. Challenge level: 1

Imaginative: While I do consider myself creative or imaginative, not enough to come across as eccentric or change my mind on a whim. Challenge level: 1

Diligent: This is almost the opposite of Leisurely. I don’t have perfectionist tendencies, micromanage or an inability to delegate. I’m all for people helping me accomplish my mission. Challenge level: 0

Dutiful: Sucking up at the expense of my staff, and accepting unrealistic requests is not in my book. I’ll defend my function always. However, I’m not immune to trying to make the group look good. Challenge level: 1

Next up I will develop a continuing plan of action, study or mentoring to help me out with the traits I’ve noted as presenting the greatest challenges for me: Excitable and Leisurely.

MBA: Leadership Journal – Is Second-Guessing leadership too?

Andres — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 21:09:00 +0000

Somebody sends me a magazine article. A major insurance company is talking about their wonderful solution. I check the database to see if it was something I worked on, so I can pass it along to my management as an accomplishment. Checking database. Its actually a customer that a peer of mine managed. The guy is fine, though It took me a good week to calm down from the upset that I got when he got promoted and the way he got promoted. Essentially he was brought on board because he could suck up like absolutely no-one can, and do a reasonably good job at things – Not stellar by any stretch – A future member of Ye Olde Boys Club. So here I have a guy that got promoted by giving SuperBowl tickets to his second line manager and going boating with a VP of Strategy. .. I have a hard time stomaching these things. Somehow I don’t want to see the people from work over the weekend, especially not to be sucking up! Yeeek! So I gotta hand it to him, whatever he did, he did it better than I did. I looked at what his “leagacy” was when he left – what things has he improved? What were we doing different? What were we thankful to this superstar that got promoted so much, obviously due to his stellar performance and potential? Well, nothing really. Seriously, I looked hard. After being caught at the lake while saying he was out sick; after getting caught eating a 28-oz piece of steak when he was supposedly suffering from some food poisoning, after getting caught in a couple of those I think he is the leader we all want for the next Enron. I better learn something here, I can’t lick balls as good as he can…. I–must– try–harder.

So back to the dilemma. I find out that this customer was worked on by this guy. Now do I send this as “Look at what awesome job master Joe did”, further supporting the theory of his amazing greatness? Or do I let this one slip though the cracks?

My first reaction was: Drop it in the bit bucket, no-one will ever know. My second was: Show it to my management as normal, its what I should do since this is business. .. Now my third one after writing this passage and thinking about it is different. Yes, this is business, but its also personal. I’m always fascinated when someone I hear that the judge says in court for the jury to “disregard that comment..”… like it never happened. Are they machines? So my conclusion is that I should send it along to the guy himself and let him deal with it. There’s a couple of possibilities of what will happen then – they’re a little too long to write but I believe sending it to the guy is the right course of action here. So this goes back to my title question. Is second-guessing my decisions leadership too? Or am I just being politically greasy? Or both?

MBA: Leadership Journal – Leading With Values

Andres — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 21:07:00 +0000

I’ve been so busy these past months that I just don’t watch TV. I haven’t sat down and watched TV without the aid of a DVR in a very long time.This means I don’t get the commercials as much and my news all come online.
Today I was stuck in an emergency room and I watched the Cartoon Network and flipped between that and the Sci-Fi channel. With this mental distance from advertising and the last module I had on Marketing a few months back it all suddenly became very clear. We touched on the topic of the ethics of marketing to minorities and children during the module, but only now it all came into the context that I believe let me see reality as it is. I have determined that, for my value system, it is unethical to market to children or to use children to market to adults. The only ethical route is to market to adults the products designed for their children and let their adult minds decide where to go. Manipulating children’s mind is so easy, these cretins are actually shaping society bypassing parents and nearly everything. So what is a budding leader to do with this realization, considering that my MBA is specialized in Marketing? I’ve determined that I will not market to children – ever – as a matter of principle.

MBA: Leadership Journal – Leading Change Through Body Language

Andres — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 21:04:00 +0000

Last week I went to a meeting with two attorneys. We were sitting in a meeting room at the courthouse. I noticed how the other attorney was dressed and behaved. He showed signs of nervousness more than signs of readiness – his coat was buttoned, his gaze was distant (it would fix on inanimate objects even though I was right there staring at him). He held his folio close to his body. He sat down at the round table at a 70 degree angle form me, his gaze in the distance, his coat buttoned, his arms crossed, his legs under his chair crossed, the folio on his immediate space on the table. I decided to “lead” him into open-ness since it would be beneficial for the discussion that would follow. I quickly looked at my own body language – I was purposefully very relaxed, shoulders back, and with an inquisitive gaze he would not meet. I couldn’t lead him from such a ‘distance’ in terms of body posture. I then mirrored his pose: I crossed my arms, put my legs back under my chair and crossed my ankles and looked away at inanimate objects – then I counted to 50 seconds. After that I slowly led him away form his pose. I uncrossed my arms, and some 30 second later he did the same, then the legs, then I relaxed. Then I looked at him and the other (my) attorney came in the room just as I finished ‘opening-up’. We had a good meeting afterwards. Now I wonder – all the books agree that body language expresses inner feelings and thoughts, but does body language influence them back too? In my example above, does this person’s feelings and moods change based on what I led him through? I couldn’t find any studies pointing to a two-way correlation – but hey, nothing beats feeling like a Jedi doing a Jedi mind trick.

MBA: Leadership Journal – Adjustment Dimension

Andres — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 21:02:00 +0000

Looking at the Five-Factor Model of Personality on page 163 of Hughes, Ginnet, Curphy I see the dimension of “Adjustment” and the behavior of “I remain calm in pressure situations”. I’ve been surprising myself in this dimension over the past eighteen months. An extreme example was something that happened on December 28th, 2005. I had had a major surgery on December 8th and had a very large scar around my waist. Everything was fine and I was at a park with a friend – I was still in recovery from the surgery but moving about fairly well. When we came back to the house I felt wet, I went to the bathroom and a large segment of the sutures had opened. I could pretty much see my soul through the hole which was some six inches in length by four inches wide and went about an inch deep. I supposed lots of people would have lost their head with this – all I did was pick up the phone immediately and call the doctor while I told my friend “Everything is fine, but I’m going to need some help. I’m calling the doctor. I got a little problem with my sutures. Don’t worry, just bear with me here a second.” after talking to the doctor I grabbed saline solution I had bought for my nose and applied it to the area to keep it moist, then sealed it with kitchen plastic wrap. I called another friend and asked her to pick up my daughter from school. I went to surgery the following day. That night when my friend brought my daughter back home she was complaining of pain in her arm and my pain medication was wearing off – I ended up in the emergency room to straighten Sofia’s elbow – she had “nurses’ maid” elbow while I was walking crouched in pain. Fun, fun, fun. Anyway – my observation in this event and some others that followed was that I did not lose my head, but used the crisis situation to focus sharply on solutions. Since then the scar never opened again, though it doesn’t look as good in the area that it had that little “incident”. Of course I’m not made of stone and while I was telling my friend that everything was ok I was thinking to myself how in the world anyone could close that huge hole, that I needed immediate attention and it didn’t look like I was getting it, and wether the hole would keep expanding and I would literally split myself in half, then if the wound would dry what was going to happen. But even though the crisis I realized I needed to act and not be paralyzed, compounding the problem. I really don’t want to think about what people who go to war go through – I had this happen at my house, not in the middle of a jungle with people trying to kill me and animals trying to eat me while miles away from anyone – I had a cellphone!