The Leadership Professor

We’re starting to adjust to the time difference – and many of us are no longer waking up at 4:00 am (which is 5:00 pm Kansas City). But the pace and the constant learning begin to take their toll about this time in the trip.

Cravings for Starbucks (usually right down the street from wherever we are) and McDonald’s (findable, but not as close as the KCF on every corner) multiply for me.  Decaf mocha latte vente skim, 謝謝 [xièxiè (pronounced like a clipped shay-shay) – thank you].

We have a day and a half left in the classroom – and some of our historic best speakers and sessions.

Today, it’s exploring consumer behavior and trends with the Beijing head of the big PR firm Burson Marsteller. Then it’s a panel of senior corporate leaders exploring future economic outlooks for China.

OK, let me brag for a second – and this has been confirmed by our partner ISP (International Study Program in Czechoslovakia) who works with EMBA programs across the globe and who helps us set up and coordinate our international residency.

Be proud, Bloch Executive MBAs – and the families and friends who support and encourage them back home. This international residency is one of the best designed, integrated, multi-level, learning experiences in the industry.  We may come home pooped; but we’ll also be much, much smarter about China, the world, our leadership, ourselves, and our responsibilities as global citizens. The world has become a lot smaller from the experience.

This afternoon is for students’ individual interviews and meetings with companies and executives for their China projects, just as they did in Shanghai – and which now seems like weeks ago. But it’s all different this time. Students are more comfortable, flexible, confident, and in control. Nice!  

Me, I’m ready to chill. Trip is winding toward the close: a few more class sessions and then some wonderful cultural events to help us decompress and integrate. Have I had enough foot massages yet?