My sojourn in LBS as an EMBA participant has been both interesting and challenging. I cannot speak for all my colleagues, but I am quite sure my feelings resonates with that of the group. The grumbling and groaning get louder each week as requirements and deliverables pile up. I expected the program to be challenging but this is on a different level. We are stretched to our breaking point. Some have quit while others are considering the option.
From the start, we recognized that representation was key. We appointed a shadow class governor within the first week. He quit the following week and we appointed another in his place. The new representative of the people took up the role and performed his duties creditably. Unfortunately, he also quit the program the following week.
Now, two people appointed as class governor had quit in a succession. It felt like a spell on that position. So we slowed down on the proclamation of executives for awhile. Meanwhile the grumbling only grew louder.
Call to serve
Several weeks later, we received the class council election timetable from the program manager. We had to elect four officers within three weeks. The positions following positions were available: governor, deputy governor, financial secretary and social secretary.
For a group that was so eager to appoint governors from the start, you would have thought we would jump at the chance. It was not to be so.
No one raised the issue on our social media channels. That week, we had multiple group and individual assignments, and they took precedence over the elections. We came around to it after our final class that week. We selected ambassadors to represent the class within a few minutes because no one had shown interest during the week. Some well-meaning class mates, who wanted the due process, stopped this. They want to carry the whole class along. We agreed and appointed an electoral officer to kickoff the process.
A call for nominations came out the following day and within a few minutes of it, the first declaration. The first person declared intension to contest for social secretary. Another person declared intension to run for the financial secretary and yet another for governor.
Close to the end of the nomination, the electoral officer accepted a nomination had to step down. The transition went on smoothly, as we appointed a new electoral officer immediately.
Seeing double
The list of nominees was finally released and I was surprised to see myself nominated for financial secretary. I was happy that some of my colleagues will place me in such high regard. On the other hand, I had limited accounting skills. The only thing I had done to real accounting was during the past few weeks of the MBA program. I clearly did not have the capacity to perform in such an office. Initially, I approached the electoral officer to remove me from the ballot; but I was refused. I therefore went directly to my colleagues to graciously pull out of the race.
The campaigns were good. Campaign managers were posting flyers and video on behalf of their candidates. There was a clear increase in excitement around the elections.
Election Day
Election day was exactly one week after we made up our mind to elect our class council. At a presentation session, candidates made speeches to all. One candidate stepped down and campaigned for another who could not make it to the session.
The election started after the session. Many people complained about technical issues while trying to cast their ballot; this was expected for medium used.
A little over an hour later, the results was announced to both the excitement of some and disappointment of other. The losers congratulated the winners and the winners celebrated with their thanks to all.
A new chapter has opened for EMBA27 with the election of the class council. No one know what the future holds but be certain I will be here to inform you.
#emba27
…Not again!!!