Thursday, October 11, 2007
Monday, September 17, 2007
Learning to think
When I started with it, I wasn't too sure....maybe it was way too soon for me to pursue a second MBA or so I thought. The logic of it was clear in my mind but somewhere there was too much apprehension because I wasn't too sure how I would manage. I mean getting married , moving to a foreign country , moving homes and then starting off with an MBA can be pretty over-whelming even for the most adventure seeking souls...and all that in a month's time! Not to mention the finer aspects like learning to drive on the other side of the road and learning to cook!
But today I look back I'm glad I had the guts to do it...to start off this education while I am still free from the social responsibilities that come as a way of life..
But most of all I am glad that I started it because it's so damn exciting! My previous MBA was an eye-opener for me....being from a non-commerce background I understood how businesses work and sustain...it was an awesome 2 year experience filled with good learning , the apprehension of living away from home for the first time and an opportunity to form strong friendships . It also gave me my first job...and opened the wonderful world of banking to me.
But this one is teaching me...i mean really teaching me to think. I've read books based on lateral thinking, out-of-the-box thinking, etc....but never really saw it happening to me…yet.
Indian education is good, and I am convinced about that, but it really prevents you from developing critical thinking...being able to argue and criticize theories...logically thinking out things in your mind before accepting solutions....or knowing that there can many times be more than one right answer...
This American one is doing that for me.
In our classes when we're on a case study all of us have different answers...including our Professor! In my earlier experiences of sessions like these I was shocked to find students criticizing, arguing or even haggling with teachers to prove themselves right....and the teachers taking it with respect....but now I am increasingly getting used to it...and love participating!
Every case study involves different ways of thinking, analyzing problems and finding solutions....and many a times there is no right or wrong....it's all about how strongly you can prove yourself right without leaving even the smallest space for another argument.
I remember the all too famous story of Galileo who was stoned for believing that the Earth was not the centre of the Universe, but it was infact the Sun and dared to fight the geocentric belief of the Catholic Church .
And so I’m thinking.... that more often than not…there is no right or wrong….it’s mostly how you logically you think and how well you can conceptualize the problem. And this insight gives one the freedom to explore and reach deep within their mind…to get creative….and get those grey cells working hard and come up with solutions that revolutionarize and reinstate the obvious.
But today I look back I'm glad I had the guts to do it...to start off this education while I am still free from the social responsibilities that come as a way of life..
But most of all I am glad that I started it because it's so damn exciting! My previous MBA was an eye-opener for me....being from a non-commerce background I understood how businesses work and sustain...it was an awesome 2 year experience filled with good learning , the apprehension of living away from home for the first time and an opportunity to form strong friendships . It also gave me my first job...and opened the wonderful world of banking to me.
But this one is teaching me...i mean really teaching me to think. I've read books based on lateral thinking, out-of-the-box thinking, etc....but never really saw it happening to me…yet.
Indian education is good, and I am convinced about that, but it really prevents you from developing critical thinking...being able to argue and criticize theories...logically thinking out things in your mind before accepting solutions....or knowing that there can many times be more than one right answer...
This American one is doing that for me.
In our classes when we're on a case study all of us have different answers...including our Professor! In my earlier experiences of sessions like these I was shocked to find students criticizing, arguing or even haggling with teachers to prove themselves right....and the teachers taking it with respect....but now I am increasingly getting used to it...and love participating!
Every case study involves different ways of thinking, analyzing problems and finding solutions....and many a times there is no right or wrong....it's all about how strongly you can prove yourself right without leaving even the smallest space for another argument.
I remember the all too famous story of Galileo who was stoned for believing that the Earth was not the centre of the Universe, but it was infact the Sun and dared to fight the geocentric belief of the Catholic Church .
And so I’m thinking.... that more often than not…there is no right or wrong….it’s mostly how you logically you think and how well you can conceptualize the problem. And this insight gives one the freedom to explore and reach deep within their mind…to get creative….and get those grey cells working hard and come up with solutions that revolutionarize and reinstate the obvious.
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