Thursday, May 28, 2009

The Dynamics of the China Trip (Part II)

[Part I]

The other critical aspect of the trip was the breadth of viewpoints from the group. Composed of 35 students from 5 different MBA programs (in Winston-Salem and Charlotte), the group had very interesting dynamics.
  • The spread in age between the youngest and oldest was 25 years.
  • The mix of men and women was probably 60/40.
  • The mix of groups was fairly evenly divided amongst the five programs, so there was a level of familiarity but also a desire to meet the other members.
  • The backgrounds were diverse - Bankers, Accountants, Architects and Engineers. Consumer Products, High-Tech and Higher Education. Small Business Owners, Non-Profit Adminstrators and Real-Estate Developers.
  • Parents, Husbands & Wives, Expecting Couples and Students heading off to Internships.
With all these viewpoints, there was never a lack of questions, opinions, disbeliefs and curiosity. The older exec students hasseled the younger full-time students about their lack of experience, and then expressed sentiments of jealousy or remorse at how easily they could move their lives to China (if desired) in a heartbeat, without the responsibilities of families or children. The entrepreneurs were constantly taking notes, looking for an angle or an opportunity to engage in these incredible markets. And the professors repeatedly provided a mix of learning, experience and wonderment as they took in new experiences for themselves.

35 people. 35 experiences. All being shared in real-time, all being processed with confusion and wonderment. The diversity of the people was the other critical element to making this such an incredible journey. Those 35 people now have a new bond together, and a foundation for a lifetime of possibilities. What we all do with those experience will each be different, but I expect that we'll all look at life (here in the US or elsewhere) in a new light because of this trip.
blog comments powered by Disqus