About business in constructions, in times of crisis, and the help provided by an EMBA program
We woke up on a Thursday morning in another world. With deserted streets, with other rules, with people with fears and anxieties they we could not have imagined a few days before. Nothing was the same anywhere.
In constructions, usually no day is like the other. Nothing is repetitive. This time … I had no idea what was working and what not. Stock markets were falling everywhere, in Italy it was a continuous tragedy, the countries were closing one after the other, the international shipments were being canceled one by one, we could no longer rely on anything.
And then we went back to basics, to pure theory, lessons learned, books, and business cases we worked with during the MBA program. We went back to school, basically. I knew from Laura Mays that: “I should keep the airplane flying before everything” and from John Millar that: “The worst thing you can do is nothing”. We all know that “the elephants can be eat by slices”, but it’s important to know how to “slice” and that’s what I learned at Tiffin University.
I don’t know why in the first part of the crisis the”Death on Everest” business case kept coming to my mind. I resumed the notes and discussions from eight years ago, from class. I realized that we are coming out of the current crisis somehow, at some point, but we are certainly only coming out if we know how to communicate clearly and neat. And that’s what I did. I communicated with my colleagues, customers, suppliers, I put aside the entire formalism and I communicated clearly, directly and open.
Oh, I was forgetting one of the most important things! If, 8 years after graduation, in this kind of crisis, a former MBA colleague calls you and says, “Just as I would always rely on you to help me, know that you can always rely on any help you would need! ”, means that what happened there, during classes, on those long weekends, was real and had such an effect that will last for many years.
The decision to pursue an Executive MBA program was rather a bet with myself, a personal ambition “encouraged” and actively supported by my boss from that period. As time goes by, after 20 years of experience in sales, you tend to believe that you know everything, that nothing surprises you anymore and that your success is guaranteed. And you enter that comfort zone that does us the greatest possible disservice. Until you realize that things change faster than our power of reaction, that the business depends on the technology, and that the new reality is about permanent change, adaptation, speed of reaction, multifunctional capabilities, and perhaps most importantly, that the people and teams you have built and led need a new leadership model.
This is why I decided that I need a reset, that I need to start over, and that the best way I can do this is to pursue an EMBA in General Management.
After graduating such a program, you cannot consider yourself an expert in all the disciplines you’ve studied, nor being able to specialize yourself in all business areas, in two years of study. But you will definitely have a better understanding of the general, local or global context, you will improve your structure, discipline, Team Work, Communication and Presentation Skills, Decision Making. Last but not least, you will identify new perspectives in the areas of Human Resources and Leadership.
When I chose my business school and started looking at the offers from the Romanian market, I set three must-have criteria, without excluding the options from the other European countries, that I could have reached in a maximum of 2-3 hours, traveling by plane. It was important for me to be a business school that already has a prestige and a very good image, to be locally accredited, in Europe, as well as in the U.S.
The procedure of recruiting/accepting the candidates was also very important. The stricter the acceptance criteria, the higher the quality and level of the colleagues you will interact with.
Another criteria was based on the study method and the curriculum. I excluded from the start the programs that are based on individual study and I chose only the options that follow a learning by doing in the class methodology. In addition to the business knowledge gained, I considered that the interaction with the colleagues and the professors, the teamwork and the exchange of experience on real business situations are also very important in such a program.
And, the third criteria that we must take into account, is the cost, the duration of the program and, very important for me, to be able to study mainly during weekends. Based on these criteria, two programs remained on my short list, one outside Romania and Tiffin University in Bucharest, the last one being the one that best suited my needs.
The Executive MBA program is the safest way to quickly climb a few steps on the self-development and individual improvement scale. They say that excellence in any field is reached in over 10,000 hours of intense training or further studies (Outperformers, Malcolm Gladwell), and Tiffin Executive MBA certainly covers several thousands of these hours. In addition, a prestigious EMBA program comes with a structured way of learning, which has been constantly improved and guarantees a substantiated way of work and inspiration from teachers and students from previous cohorts.
I recommend Tiffin Executive MBA, a program fully supported by teachers from the U.S.A.; it combines an impressive experience in both the academic and the business area. Students are thus exposed to a different cultural experience, which requires more powerful interactions between them and their teachers.
In this system, teachers not only share business knowledge, but also life experiences and relationships are designed to carry on even after graduating the Executive MBA program.
About business in times of crisis and the help provided by an EMBA program
Through our business DNA, we, Mogyi, are an organization with strong human values and not only on a declarative level, but on a real level. We prefer people’s safety before business, that’s why, in the 2020 pandemic situation, we followed a simple reasoning: the virus will pass, but the people must continue their work (post-pandemic), healthy and at maximum capacity. A professor I had, as a student at Tiffin University, said that all the resources of an organization can be equal to zero if its management platform (the people) is missing or it’s deficient. Thus, we had to redefine ourselves in terms of processes, way of collaborating with customers, in approaching the marketing strategy, etc.
Given that the consumption habits changed during the pandemic, I can say that we had the advantage of playing in a category whose consumption has increased, and this has given us the comfort of thinking more clearly during this period. We’ve orientated to micro-management in the entire structure, being an atypical and unique period for many of us, so we tried, as much as possible, not to lose sight of things that could distort the business or its financial result.
I admit, as the CEO of this company, that I have returned, frequently, to the manuals that are still visible on the shelves of my office, and I admit that I experienced again the moments when I was doing case studies on different real case situations, such as are made at Tiffin University, and so I was able, together with a team that supported me all the time, to go successfuly through this period, obtaining unprecedented performances for Mogyi Romania.
I have joined this program having a professional experience gained in state-owned companies, multinational corporations and in startup technology companies. My formal education and much of my professional experience is IT&C specialist.
When I have accessed top-management positions, I felt the need for structuring the knowledge I’ve accumulated. I joined Tiffin University EMBA program at UB especially due to its good reputation in Romania, for its well-structured syllabus and for the opportunity to make contact with American professors with relevant business experience.
The learning method based on case studies put me in the position to have at least three benefits: understanding business models of companies from very different fields of activity, finding solutions for the various challenges these companies are faced with, and development of the abilities to reach a harmonised point of view with the colleagues with whom we work in such cases. In addition, team work and role play gave me the opportunity to understand- and subsequently to apply in practice- the major role of diversity in teams functioning and decision-making.
With a full-time program, the 2 years in this program represented a real challenge to cope with academic rigours, but at the same time it also represented the opportunity to meet exceptional people, to make new friends among colleagues and to meet real mentors and role models among teachers.
Thank you Tiffin University!
Probably like many others, I’ve joined Tiffin Executive MBA program having this desire to go back to school and learn how to become a better professional, to understand what’s behind the management concepts, to share experiences and, why not, to extend my professional network.
With a wonderful and effective way of teaching, starting with practical examples to understand the concepts, Tiffin’s professors taught me even more.
Being a good practitioner and getting desired results is not always enough; the way one chooses to achieve his/her goals also matters. Even if most of us might already know this simple truth, the way these pedagogues explained and led us to judge certain situations in order to take the best decisions was very useful and very inspiring. And this new state of mind didn’t just leave me once the program was over.
I truly recommend Tiffin Executive MBA program to all of you who want to give yourselves a chance to play, discover, learn, understand, and to change a little bit of what you are!
Enrolling in Tiffin’s EMBA program was a great experience and a real investment for me.
It helped me grow professionally and personally and broadened my business perspective. The professors are experts in their fields, willing to share their rich experience and wisdom. The EMBA’s cohort class style offers a great opportunity to meet people with very diverse professional and educational backgrounds, to learn from others’ experiences and to explore beyond your comfort zone.
And although graduating while working full time requires a lot of dedication, hard work and sacrifices, if I had to start from the beginning, I would do it again.
The benefits of Tiffin’s EMBA program fully outweighed my sacrifices.
Great professors who really manage to close the gap between school and reality. Every topic discussed or practiced during the classes had an immediate application the next day, in real business and in real life.
Today’s pedagogues talk about the need for moving from learning to knowledge, from knowledge acquisition to knowledge building and to development of competences. Tiffin does it.
Their professors have a rare combination of practical business experience, strong theoretical support and use of innovative teaching and evaluation models, based on practical applications, team work and modern tools.
I’ve joined the Tiffin EMBA program after recommendations from two different friends, expecting to be challenged, to share and learn.
I’ve met successful leaders from different companies who have taught me from their own experiences in an environment in which able American Professors have fostered just this, while taking us through the curriculum.
I feel more confident, better prepared but, now that I graduated, I miss the classes.
Great people, great experiences!
What sets Tiffin program apart from other programs of its kind in Romania are the teachers who are also practitioners with management experience, hence the practical orientation of the courses. The greatest challenge and also the most useful to me as a professional was to apply all the concepts we were taught in my practical day to day activity. Nothing of what we learned in courses remained just theory. At each step we were asked: “How does this help you in your work?”
It is like when you have all the pieces of a puzzle, but you cannot imagine how they will fit together, i.e. see the big picture. This is what you win from the Tiffin EMBA program. Understanding how the parts relate to each other, how they combine, how they influence each other and what this influence is.
It is a state of mind. Once you understand this way of thinking you cannot get out of it. It is as if you have seen bidimensional until now and suddenly a 3D vision reveals itself.
You step into a completely different world and you cannot go back to what it was.
When I chose Tiffin University, I was interested in a university that was as close as possible to that particular place known for setting the models in business world and from where emerged such kind of business programs, more than 130 years ago. So I wanted to follow the original and legendary American way of investigating the business culture, further enriched and developed by the quality and refinement of American nowadays teachers. From the first classes, I had felt a benefic change that overshadowed my professional challenges of that moment – changing the industry, the town and traveling on long distance. The steady qualitative and quantitative progress, that came with classes, individual or team assignments, confirmed me that I was on the right way.
The Tiffin courses are structuring the huge information accumulated in the business civilization, while preserving the freshness and quality of the whole picture. There is a harmony between theory, case studies and daily reality.
Intensive and effective, I consider TU EMBA program is the best investment in myself, with priceless memories and moments from the class.
For anyone needing to become more self-confident, stronger professionally, or seeking to discover more of his or her own potential, TU EMBA is a successful option.
Having an engineering background, I decided to pursue a management educational program in order to structure the practical knowledge I gathered throughout my professional career, and consolidate a theoretical foundation for my management skills.
I chose Tiffin EMBA both because of its international component and the brand name on the local market. After graduating the program, it proved to be a wise choice. I appreciated most the teaching model based on experiential learning, the right balance between theoretical concepts and practical case studies and the business oriented mindset of the American professors.
I was also privileged to have wonderful colleagues in my cohort, with different industry backgrounds, who were always willing to share their point of view and the know-how gathered in their own professional life.
It was a great ride, an experience that will shape my professional future.
“It is not about business, it’s just about you” !
Tiffin EMBA Program not only made me to think differently, it pushed and challenged me to think more strategically and to see “the big picture” like a great leader.
I learned about brilliant ideas, great concepts and great methods used by successful people in different industries and different situations. I learned how I can release my full potential in order to achieve the best results. Passing through it with discipline, engagement and hard work, I have really become more confident, more persuasive and I have focused more strongly on I have to do in my job.
Two years far away for my kids and my husband, anticipating the negative reactions from them, sometimes too far away for my job, sure anticipated also discouraging of my colleagues, but I have known that this commitment of time and energy is a well – spent investment in my future and myself. I translate my ambition and my effort in a natural path to develop myself. And I was rewarded with an invaluable academic environment: the American professors and their applied and interactive teaching method that provided me a great opportunity for growth in knowledge and skills and a healthy balance of my business life.
I deeply believe that I would not have been as successful or confident launching my own company BSM had I not had my EMBA experience.
I feel stronger now in the business battlefield, having my self-esteem well consolidated, my business performances more improved and a perfect control
about all aspects of the business climate.
And now at the end of this memorable experience, I say: It is not about business it’s just about you.
Working fulltime, taking flights and studying at the same time is a very challenging task. The Executive MBA from Tiffin University @ UB had many convincing arguments in this respect:
This was very tough but efficient. I wanted “high diverse management input/output from tested strategies” – and the Tiffin Executive MBA provided me with the management tools needed to compete in a multinational job market.
Some years ago I was looking for an MBA in order to improve my business knowledge. I am an agronomist (MSc in Romania, PhD in Germany) and at that time I started to be involved in many projects not only as a technical agronomist but also as a business analyst and project developer. I visited presentation seminars of several MBA courses in Bucharest and I choose Tiffin EMBA. The reason? I wanted American professors – a very good choice.
I’ve spent many evenings to prepare for the classes and I’ve learned many things about business management. I’ve learned how to see “the big picture”.
But the most important thing was the change in my mind-set, I’ve got the courage to get out of my comfort zone, I’ve got confidence in my ability to solve business problems. I gave up a position in a multinational company and I have started an entrepreneurial project as Business Development Consultant in Agribusiness.
I strongly recommend Tiffin EMBA for its professors!
I chose the Executive MBA program at Tiffin University … with my soul. And I wasn’t wrong. And if I were to repeat the experience, I would probably start it all over again in a heartbeat.
I’ve met people with remarkable moral manners, colleagues who know to share experiences, and above all, an outstanding academic staff, experienced business people and teachers alike.
I enjoyed learning really important things related to running a business, things that usually one can’t find with ease; no matter how much one would like to learn and pursuit them with passion.
I almost forgot counting the pros after graduating the program, certainly however, I am much “richer”.
It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t all perfect, but it was exactly what I needed! Two years of gaining knowledge and self-awareness facilitated by the interaction with teachers and especially colleagues, from whom I “stole” life lessons.
As an HR specialist I had to learn more about managing a business, but this experience has broadened my perspective on life in general, not just in business!
When I first joined the program, I was a little reluctant due to the weekends that I had to spend at school. I think that was normal. What is not normal is that after having graduated the program, I feel that I am missing those weekends, my colleagues and the amazing American teachers. And I think these all speak about how good this program is.
My experience within the EMBA program at Tiffin at UB was extremely interesting, usefu, and thought provoking. I met wonderful genuine American teachers, trying to understand and to adapt to the European way of thinking and to the Romanian culture. I also met extremely smart and hard working Romanian managers working in multinational companies, in Romanian organizations or even in their own companies.
It was challenging to match each others expectations and mental needs – and fortunately we had enough time to manage this. I won’t recommend this EMBA program to anyone who wants to get a fast degree because she/he will be disappointed.
But for those who seriously understand that in order to achieve performance you need patience, dedication, smart & hard work, this experience will be very rewarding.
The fact that at the graduation ceremony in 2006, in U.S.A., 5 students in our cohort received medals (and in fact all were A+ students) was quite a surprise for the American teachers – but absolutely normal for us. Because, all modesty aside, we should admit that most of the new Romanian managers are extremely gifted business people.
And the things we learned within this program helped us without doubt to better understand and face the present economic reality.
I am not good on words, but I will try my best to emphasize my experience during the program.
Coming with very high expectations I easily realized that the program’s purpose is more deeply set up to show us how to approach a business issue in different ways; professional, financial, human and act as a leader in taking the right decision and proving the best solution. The business world has a long history and the program is simply learning all others experience and how to act in the right way taking into consideration every specific business case.
This great chance to be in the class has shown me how to develop an open minded personality into a successfully business. The class student’s interactions were among the most significant outcomes of the course. Meeting and working next to the Romanian business leaders has offered me the chance to develop myself, professional and personal, in a unique experience so far. In sort, I strongly recommended the program to all those that are already in a business environment, at least on a medium management position, for five (5) years. As I like to say, the EMBA program has changed my life.
Thank you, Tiffin University!
Of the many wonderful benefits of The Tiffin EMBA program I am most
impacted by being a Founding Member of Tiffin University Business Club (TUBC) designed for current and alumni students for networking activities.
Through TUBC I am able to keep connected to Tiffin and my colleagues, but moreover, the program helps all of us to connect with the business community and contribute as business leaders seeking growth and development in Romania.
When I chose this program I really wanted an American program. After I graduated, I realized that the importance given to the American teachers was too small. Beside the fact that they come with many new concepts in each taught area, they brought the American business culture, stemming from their practice. Moreover, the teaching was outstanding, all based on practical cases and group projects.
The evenings spent with the team for these projects were amazing. Although it seems incredible, I began to enjoy the Saturday mornings when I was supposed to go to school for 8 hours, even though it was hard, after a week of work.
Being part of the Tiffin family represented a huge opportunity for me on personal and professional bases, by putting me in contact with people who exceed their own limits only to prove that they are the best in everything they do.
The experience also helped me understand the lifecycle of a company by “stealing” from the experiences of my colleagues who perform in different industries and on different layers of management. It helped me understand how different cultures solved similar problems and why sometimes we act so differently although we have a common goal.
And, last but not least, I strongly recommend this Executive MBA program for the big opportunity of being taught by foreign professors who successfully combine theory with their own experience gained from practice.
