The Boston Bing

A poll was taken at HBS.  A poll entitled “Are We Happy at HBS?”  While 79.4% of students either agree or strongly agree that they are happy with life at HBS, 51.6% agree or strongly agree that they are stressed out more often than not at HBS.  Interesting to think about how that’s possible, huh?  Because, I don’t know about you, but being stressed out more often than not doesn’t exactly equal happiness for me.

“Happy” is a funny word.  It rhymes with sappy and pappy.  But, it describes what so many of us are after.  What we try to experience every day.  What we stress ourselves out trying to achieve.  The Founders even wrote about this pursuit in the Constitution.  The definition: characterized by or indicative of pleasure, contentment, or joy.  Sounds awesome to me.  I want some happy.  I think my experiences over the past week gave me some…

• Monday – Walking out of my Technology and Operations Management class after submitting my final case exam.  My first class at HBS officially complete.  Seems like yesterday I was finishing the GMAT – now I’m finishing courses at HBS.  That makes me happy.
• Wednesday – The fourth installment of the Ashton Family Dinner.  Brian Kenny, the Chief Marketing Officer of Harvard Business School, joined us.  So did Brett McGurk, who served on the National Security Council staffs of President Bush and President Obama, handling matters relating to U.S. policy in Iraq and Afghanistan.  And so did some other impressive classmates.  We talked about our favorite Holiday memories.  It was a happy time.
• Thursday – I had dinner with a good friend and the guy who sits right next to me in class, Munyar (pronounced “MOON-YAR”)  Munyar is from Zimbabwe, and he shared his powerful story of how he came to the United States.  A happy reminder that God does have bigger plans in store for us than we can even imagine.
• On a dare, my roommate Rob Wheeler ran a raffle to win a date with Rob Wheeler.  He raised $100 for charity and made one particular lady very happy.  
• Friday – Six of the greatest girls we know at HBS joined the 9 Ashton guys for dinner.  Though we planned on cooking, we realized what a disaster it would be so we ordered Bertucci’s instead.  Delicious food, great conversation, and an impromptu dance party…everyone left happy.
• Last night our house hosted the Section B Christmas Party, which turned out to be a big success.  A key discovery compliments of Dary: http://www.fratmusic.com/.  It had been at least 2 weeks since I last belted out Don’t Stop Believing at the top of my lungs.  And, if Journey doesn’t make you happy, then you could be destined for perpetual discontent.

If you ask me, the last 2 days of classes have been the climax of the entire semester.  In Leadership, our entire class of 2011 was required to write a memoir, as if we were looking back on our life at our 10-year HBS Reunion.  A clip from mine:  “Now that I’ve settled in Atlanta, I’ve been able to get involved in the local community.  I teach Sunday School at church, coach high-school basketball, and I attend every one of my son’s t-ball games.” Ambitious, I know.  But, what a powerful exercise.  Though you certainly can’t plan out life, a powerful thought hit me while listening to my classmates describe their personal vision of happiness: The decisions we make today determine who we’ll be ten years from now.  Want to know who you’ll be in ten years?  Look at the decisions you’re making today.

Which brings me to the most powerful class I’ve ever experienced at HBS.  For FRC (Financial Reporting and Controls) class, we read a case entitled, “Letter from Prison.”  In it, a sales executive from Computer Associates recounts (with very little remorse) the unethical decisions (manipulating revenue recognition) that landed him in jail.  He cites the pressure to hit end of quarter sales targets, the aloof Board of Directors, and the uneducated institutional investors.  He even used the “everyone else is doing it” excuse.  It was a troubling look at the selfish nature of human beings.  And, after a powerful discussion around what drove the Exec to such poor decisions, Professor Ramanna closed with an amazing quote.  A quote that shook me to the core.  A quote that made me realize I’m as susceptible to bad decisions as anyone else.  A quote that made me question my own motivation for happiness.  A quote from one of the most brilliant and spiritually insightful men of the 20th Century, CS Lewis:

“To nine out of ten of you the choice which could lead to scoundrelism will come, when it does come, in no verydramatic colours. Obviously bad men, obviously threatening or bribing, will almost certainly not appear. Over a drink, or a cup of coffee, disguised as triviality and sandwiched between two jokes, from the lips of a man, or woman, whom you have recently been getting to know rather better and whom you hope to know better still- just at the moment when you are most anxious not to appear crude, or naïf or a prig- the hint will come. It will be the hint of something which the public, the ignorant, romantic public, would never understand: something which even the outsiders in your own profession are apt to make a fuss about: but something, says your new friend, which “we”- and at the word “we” you try not to blush for mere pleasure- something “we always do.”

And you will be drawn in, if you are drawn in, not by desire for gain or ease, but simply because at that moment, when the cup was so near your lips, you cannot bear to be thrust back again into the cold outer world. It would be so terrible to see the other man’s face- that genial, confidential, delightfully sophisticated face- turn suddenly cold and contemptuous, to know that you had been tried for the Inner Ring and rejected. And then, if you are drawn in, next week it will be something a little further from the rules, and next year something further still, but all in the jolliest, friendliest spirit. It may end in a crash, a scandal, and penal servitude; it may end in millions, a peerage and giving the prizes at your old school. But you will be a scoundrel.”

What I realized while listening to this quote in my second row seat, near the end of my first semester at HBS, is that too often my happiness is driven by what other people think about me.  My motivation defined by trying to remain in the “Inner Ring.”  My decisions primarily influenced by garnering the respect and praise of my peers.  This realization scares me.  Because it makes me just as likely to end up in prison as the sales Exec in the case.  Or, even worse, just as likely to live a life going after empty happiness.

Instead, I want to pursue the happiness that comes from true Joy.  Because being in the “Inner Ring” will never satisfy.  Money, fame, or fortune?  All temporary.  The respect and praise of others?  Won’t last.  I’d rather live for an Audience of One.  Of One who loves me unconditionally. A good friend once told me that joy is the fruit of a deep-seated confidence that God will come through.  And, at the end of the day, it’s having this confidence that really makes me happy.

It came.  And, I wasn’t at all ready for it.  Sitting in Finance class on Wednesday morning, I was trying to blend in with the rest of the class.  Surely, with 93 other students in my Section, this shouldn’t be a challenge, right?  Wrong.  Professor Lucy White can sniff out lack of preparation.  I’m pretty sure it’s a sixth sense or something.  And, so it came.  The infamous cold call.  I was like a deer in headlights.  Like the Patriots secondary against Drew Brees last week.  Like someone caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar.  No excuses.  Nothing to say.  Just a blank look of horror and confusion on my face and a baseball-sized lump in my throat.

Our case was on some oil company trying to calculate the net present value of their future cash flows blah blah blah blah blah.  Really fascinating, let me tell ya.  I didn’t prepare like I should have, which really drove home the lesson.  HBS (and life) is all about priorities.  You sacrifice some to focus on others.  And sometimes you get burned.  Opportunity costs.  Tradeoffs.  Despite my brilliant, insightful, “I’m not sure” response in Finance last Wednesday, maybe I did actually learn something…

It was really cool to come back from Thanksgiving break and reconnect with all the friends I’ve made up here.  Of course, the classic question was swirling around campus.  ”How was your break?”  I’m willing to bet that a majority of the time that question gets asked, the person asking it isn’t really listening to the response.  I know I’m guilty of it.  Just expecting the casual response and then giving cursory acknowledgement.   So, last week I tried to implement a simple piece of advice.  Advice that can help you genuinely show how much you care for others.  Advice that would probably set you apart from the pack.  The action? “Ask the next question.” Try it.  It’s amazing what you’ll learn about people.

The most interesting case discussions took place in my Financial Reporting and Controls class (FRC, aka Accounting) this week.  We discussed the different accounting systems that exist in Europe and the United States – IFRS and GAAP.  Ok, not interesting yet, I know.  But, the biggest difference in the systems is that one is based on rules and the other on principles.  Rules vs. Principles.  And that was the big debate.  Which is better?  Control through rules or principles?  It made me think about my own life.  What motivates me?  Why do I live the way I do?  Because of rules or principles?  Rule being “don’t eat multiple jelly-filled Dunkin Donuts in one sitting.”  Principle being “Be healthy.”  Rule being “don’t kick a stranger in the chest.”  Principle being the Golden Rule.  I was tempted in class to offer up my dad’s advice/command to me in high school, a genius combination of rule and principle in one simple statement: “Don’t do stupid things.” If only everyone would follow that…

Also had a great case on Jack Welch this week.  I guess he knows my professor personally, and he typically comes to speak on the day of his case, but he wasn’t able to join us.  Either way, I walked away with some great leadership nuggets:

• Bask in the glory of your people.  As a leader, it is no longer about you.
• Get a vision.  Make it clear.  Repeat it a zillion times.
• Engage your people.  Don’t let them say, “You paid for my arms and legs.  You could have had my mind for free, but you never asked for it.”

Big highlights last week included Section B dominance in Dodgeball.  We swept Section C in a best of 7 series.  We played last Wednesday, and I felt like I might need Tommy John surgery the next day.  We also had a day of 68 degree weather, followed promptly by a huge snowfall on Saturday night.  A group of friends were together for a White Elephant party, and we took advantage of the opportunity: snowball fight…awesome.  So, in summary, my week was defined by throwing stuff at people.  Of course, I won’t forget Friday night, which may have been the most fun night of the year.  We had our winter formal, aka “Holidazzle”, and it was a big time.  Laughs, dancing, and great time with Sectionmates.

I’ll close with a big takeaway from my Leadership class this week.  We did a case on the leadership styles of Coach Bobby Knight and Coach K.  It was an interesting class discussion, even though I had stop myself from blurting out points about how John Wooden is really the greatest coach ever or how Bill Self will lead the Kansas Jayhawks to another National Championship this season.  But, shortly before class ended, this is what I wrote down:

“We inherently believe that we can only reach certain points in life.  We can only go so far.  But, great leaders and coaches blow the lid off the limits we set for ourselves.  They demand we know and understand that we can go further and accomplish more than we ever dreamed.  And, when we start to put the lid back on our potential, they blow it open again.”

Who’s been that leader/coach for you?  Who are you being that leader/coach for?

One of the books I read over Thanksgiving break is A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Don Miller. In it Millerwrites, “A story is a character who wants something and overcomes a conflict to get it.”  It’s got me thinking a lot about my story.  Getting into HBS was a big story for me, but what’s my next one?  What is my next big “want” that I’ll have to overcome a conflict to get?  What’s yours?

In case you’re wondering, holiday breaks from school are as satisfying at 26 years old as they were when I was 10.  And, yes, I still counted down the seconds during my last class on Wednesday…it’s amazing how slow that red second hand moves when every ounce of you is rooting for it to go faster.  I must say though, our LEAD class on Wednesday was one of the most interesting we’ve had all year…

We were given a case called “Carter Racing.”  The basic premise: we own a race car that’s having some engine issues,

At Starbucks, drinking a Starbucks while reading a case about Starbucks.

and we must decide whether or not to enter tomorrow’s big race.  Not racing costs us a lot of money in sponsorships, some pride, and potential prize money.  Racing (at temperatures at which the engine has historically been faulty) risks our engine blowing, our driver being in danger, and the livelihood of the business.  After a lot of intense group debate, new data presented, and more debate, we finished the exercise.  Despite overwhelming evidence that the engine would most likely blow, about 20% of the class was determined to race.  We talked about group dynamics, influencing, entrenched positions, minority opinions, and listening to others.

Then, the twist.  Our professor told us that the case was based on the decision to launch the Challenger in January of 1983.  Despite significant evidence pointing to possible complications and a strong (albeit minority) view to postpone the launch, the decision was made to move forward.  Unusually cold temperatures caused the O-ring on the space shuttle’s right rocket booster to fail, and the Challenger exploded…on national television…and seven crew members died.  The point hit home hard.  Leadership matters.  Team dynamics matter.  Listening to others matters.  They all combine to form our stories…some inspiring, some tragic.  Pretty heavy, huh?

Most of my Thanksgiving break was spent doing one of three things: watching movies, reading books, or just hanging out with my family.  Well, and eating a lot, of course.  I spent Wednesday night – Saturday morning down at the beach in Palm Coast, Florida.  Great weather!  And Saturday night I had the great pleasure of watching the Dawgs wreck Georgia Tech.  Season redeemer!

A big thought hit me over break.  It came from the movie Seven Pounds with Will Smith. Without giving away anyspoilers, Smith’s character (Ben Thomas) spends his “story” lavishly blessing others.  He looks for people who have huge needs – from heart transplants to homes – and then he comes through for them.  At one point he comes across a Hispanic lady with 2 kids who is horribly mistreated by her boyfriend.  She ends up calling Thomas and asking for his help, for a way out.  And, Thomas gives her more than she could have imagined: title to his huge beach house, far away from the lady’s terrible boyfriend.  Dumbfounded, the lady reads a message from Thomas, which says (paraphrased):

“If you’re wondering why you, then stop, and honor my request: live life abundantly.”

Reminds me of what God does day in and day out to bless us.  It’s easy to feel unworthy of His gifts, easy to feel guilty and undeserving of His love.  And, I’m not God (disclaimer), but I think He’d rather us honor Him by living life abundantly.  So, that’s what I’m going to do.  And, I think my story will be better because of it.

I’m thankful.  I am.  Truly.  And not just because it’s the week of Thanksgiving.  Although, Thanksgiving is a great excuse to reflect on what you’re thankful for.  Really, it’s probably healthy to have Thanksgiving once a week (emotionally, maybe not physically.)  So, here’s what I’m thankful for, most of which has taken place in the last week:

I’m thankful for having the opportunity to hear Wyc Grousbeck, the President and Owner of the Boston Celtics, speak.  I’m thankful that he offered great insight on building a championship organization.  I’m thankful that he was actually humble, giving most of the credit to his staff.  I’m thankful that he talked about taking risks, setting huge goals, and never fearing failure.  I’m thankful I was able to touch the NBA Championship trophy after he spoke.

I’m thankful for my roommates.  Thankful for the fact that we look out for one another and constantly challenge each other to get better.  Thankful that we hosted our 3rd 9 Ashton dinner this past week.  Thankful that our guests offered up the best advice they’ve ever received:

• “It will benefit you greatly if you learn to speak less and listen more.”
• “Tough times don’t last.  Tough people do.”
• “Just getting the job done doesn’t matter.  Getting the most out of the people around you does.”
• “People won’t remember what you do or what you know…only how you make them feel.”

I’m thankful for some of the best advice I’ve ever received: “in 10 years you will be defined by two things: the books you read and the people you associate yourself with.” I’m thankful that I associate myself with David Salyers, a great friend and phenomenal leader at Chick-fil-A, and also the man who gave me this advice.  I’m thankful that we were able to spend time together during his trip to Boston this past week.

I’m thankful that Section B has four values that we will strive to embody during and beyond our time at HBS: Humility, Unity, Fun, and Encouragement.  I’m thankful for the acrostic they form: HUFE.  I’m thankful that I got to introduce them to the Section on Wednesday.  Thankful for God’s grace when I don’t embody these values myself.

I’m thankful for the Kong.

I’m thankful for finally learning how subprime mortgages ruined our economy.  I’m thankful that I don’t work in Real Estate.

I’m thankful for “The Game.” Thankful that, with 2:30 left in the 4th, Yale’s coach tried a fake punt on 4th and 22 from their own 26 while leading 10-7.  Thankful that it failed miserably.  Thankful that I was there to see Harvard score the winning touchdown moments later. Thankful I got to celebrate the victory with some great friends.  Thankful I wasn’t at the Georgia game instead.  

I’m thankful for my family.  Thankful for my dad, whose birthday is on Thursday.  Thankful for his leadership of our family, his commitment to my mom, and his devotion to Jesus.  I’m thankful for my brother Tim, who would have turned 22 yesterday.  Thankful that he fought cancer with all his might.  Thankful that his life blessed and still blesses so many people.  Thankful that I’ll get to see him again in Heaven.

I’m convinced that you can look at any circumstance through one of two lenses: Gratitude or Entitlement.  Appreciation or Expectation.  I’m grateful or I’m entitled.  I’m thankful or I’m deserving.  It’s all about who you think deserves the credit.  Looking back at my life, I would be a fool to feel anything but sheer gratitude.  God has blessed me in countless ways, come through on my behalf so many times.  He’s deserving of the credit, not me.

That’s why I’m thankful.

Short weeks are awesome.  We had class off on Wednesday to celebrate Veteran’s Day.  And, it was probably the most special Veteran’s Day I’ve ever celebrated.  Because I have four roommates and three Sectionmates who served in the military.  In fact, one of them, my roommate Rob Wheeler, just received orders to Afghanistan last Tuesday.  He’s appealing the decision, attempting to delay his service until the end of the school year, but he won’t know for another month.  His situation gives me a whole new appreciation for our soldiers.  Men and women risking their lives so that I can be living my dream at HBS.

I attended the Veteran’s Ball on Wednesday, a celebration for all the HBS students and alum who have served in the military.  Here’s a picture of the 9 Ashton Men enjoying the festivities:

After a couple busy 3-case days on Thursday and Friday, I attended the Ekta show on Friday night.  It’s the annual HBS South Asian cultural show.  Complete with dancing, music, drama, and of course, Bhangra!  (Think Slumdog Millionaire credits.)  Three Sectionmates of mine, Minal, Nupur, and Indy, stole the show with big-time performances.  And, of course, Ashwin, who was the most intimidating bouncer I’ve ever seen (picture below).  It was awesome

After a couple parties at our house this weekend (yes, again), and enjoying a big-time victory for the Dawgs over auburn last night, it’s Sunday night, and I’m ready to start another week.  But, I’m ready to start this week with new perspective…

A classmate of mine said something pretty insightful last week.  Something I haven’t forgotten.  Come to think of it, it wasn’t the actual statement that was as insightful as the truth behind it.  I ran into him in the locker room (where all earth-shattering commentary takes place), and we exchanged pleasantries.  You know, typical guy in the locker-room talk:

“What’s up, bro?”

“Not a whole lot, man.”

“Cool.”

“You believe it’s November already?”

And then he said it: “Hard to believe.  Things get so busy that we seem to just put our heads down and charge forward, and before you know it, entire weeks have passed.”

My friend is onto something.  We have a tendency to do that, don’t we?  Things get busy, life gets tough, so we just “put our heads down and charge forward.”  We live for the weekend.  Live for when things will calm down again.  We live for the light at the end of the tunnel, often missing out on the joy that exists inside the tunnel. I don’t think that’s how life is meant to be lived.  What do you think?

So, instead of putting my head down, I have decided to look up.  Look up on my walk to campus and see the sun peaking through the clouds on its way to the Charles River.  Look up in class and realize I’m surrounded by 93 Sectionmates from all over the globe.  Look up from my desk and see pictures on my wall of beloved friends and family.  Look up from my iPhone and into the eyes of those I’m spending time with.  Look up from the busyness of life and enjoy every passing second.  Look up from my own worries and fears and understand that God has it all under control.

I think we were meant to live life looking up.

“There’s nothing half so pleasant as coming home again.”

I’m turning the corner.  Rounding second.  Marching toward the red zone.  On my flight back to Boston from a weekend visit home in Atlanta, I feel like I’m in the stadium tunnel, ready to emerge onto the field after halftime.  It was a wild first half of the semester – big plays, tough calls, frustrations, and triumphs – and, I am grateful to have had a breather.  My trip to Atlanta was a powerful halftime speech (See: Miracle).  And, now I’m ready to jump back in at HBS, hit the internship search trail, and knock some more cases back (Case Studies, that is.  Come on, be responsible.)

I looked forward to this past weekend ever since I booked the flight.  It was my first trip back home since moving to Boston, and it’s exactly what I needed.   It was a breath of fresh air – reconnecting with great friends, enjoying the beautiful Southern weather, and seeing my beloved Georgia Bulldogs.  Yeah, I ate at Chick-fil-A a few times too.

Before I go into my awesome weekend at home, I have to mention one of the coolest nights I’ve had in Boston yet.  Six of the girls from our class (3 of which are international students from France, Germany, and Columbia) got together to cook my roommates and I dinner.  Caroline, a good friend from my Section who lives next door to us, organized it, and we had a great time.  Somehow, the men of 9 Ashton continue to get lucky.  We provided the flowers, candles, classical music, and overall classy atmosphere, but we were outdone by the unbelievable food.  I think it was the first home cooked meal I’ve had in months.

Now, my weekend in Atlanta: My former roommate, Brett Younker, got married on Saturday, and I came in town to enjoy the festivities.  The rehearsal dinner was on Friday at Pappasito’s in Atlanta.  Rehearsal dinners are great – a bunch of different people gathered together, all connected because of their love and support of the couple getting married.  I guess that’s what makes weddings great too.  Shameless plug – Younker is a remarkable Christian Worship Leader.  Check out his website here. The ceremony was awesome on Saturday – Younker’s pursuit of Aynsley is classic love story – guy chases girl, gets girl, gets dumped by girl, chases girl again, and marries girl.  Louie Giglio, Aynsley’s uncle and gifted church leader, did the ceremony, and as he described Brett’s pursuit “To get her” leads to “Together.”  Creative, huh?

Guys get emotional over sports.  It’s true.  I know because I almost wept watching the Georgia Bulldogs storm onto the field to take on overmatched Tennessee Tech on Saturday.  After spending week after week trekking to the UGA Alumni bar in Boston, the only one in all of Cambridge wearing red pants, one of the few dedicated to watch the Dawgs every Saturday, it was absolutely beautiful to be surrounded by 80+ thousand in Sanford Stadium, barking and cheering and, yes, many wearing red pants.  Better than that, I got to watch the game with the three biggest UGA fans I know, Jim Lott, Michael McCluney, and my brother Matt.  In fact, Saturday was Jim’s 101st consecutive UGA game.  He hasn’t missed one since 2002 – home, away, or bowl game.  I don’t care who you are – that’s impressive.  Thankfully, the Dawgs took care of business with ease, and I left Athens with a full heart.

You ever have a day when you get more and more grateful as the day goes on?  On Monday I got the chance to head back to the Chick-fil-A Home Office, the birthplace of my professional career, to spend time with former coworkers.  I spent all day walking around the office, saying hi and giving hugs to all my old friends.  It’s hard to believe that I resigned 4 months ago.  But, seriously, with every person I sat down to meet with or ran into in passing, God gave me a greater realization of how blessed I have been.  The people at Chick-fil-A completely shaped me both professionally and personally.  As they say, “you become like the people you surround yourself with,” and I’m grateful I was able to surround myself with the people at Chick-fil-A for nearly 4 straight years.  So much more than just a Chicken Sandwich.

So, I’m back in Cambridge now, armed with a re-realization that life still exists outside this place.  Equipped with incredible love and encouragement from friends back home.  Refreshed by the gratitude I have for God’s work around me.  And renewed with my purpose for being at Harvard Business School.  As Jeff Henderson, my home pastor and great friend said in his message at Buckhead Church on Sunday, “The purpose of your life at work is to show God at work in your life.”

Six weeks left in the toughest semester at HBS, and my batteries are fully charged.

November?  Seriously?  How did that happen?  Days seem to last long and weeks fly by.  We’re officially halfway through the first semester at HBS, and I’m not quite sure where it went.

I’ve got a new company I’m fascinated by.  Zappos.  Yeah, the online shoe company.  We had a two-hour class to discuss the case this week.  Three different professors – Finance, Leadership, and Operations – facilitated the discussion.  We picked apart everything from the financials behind Zappos acquisition by Amazon to Zappos’ online ordering system, to their unique culture.  Several Zappos’ staff members sat in on class and offered perspective at the end.  So cool.  Some of the values of Zappos: Deliver WOW through service, create fun and a little weirdness, build a positive team and family spirit, and be humble.  Here’s a quote from one of their leaders that gives you an idea about the kind of company it is:

“We only hire happy people and we try to keep them happy.  Our philosophy is you can’t have happy customers without having happy employees and you can’t have happy employees without having a company where people are inspired by the culture.”

Speaking of values & culture, it was a busy week in my role as Leadership & Values Rep for Section B.  On Tuesday I facilitated a conversation with my classmates about what we want our Section Values and Norms to be.  Though it may seem a little intense, it’s actually been extremely beneficial.  When you have 94 people from completely different backgrounds, experiences, and views on the world, it’s helpful to establish some common ground.  To come up with some things that we can all agree upon and hold up as a guide for how we interact with one another.  So, we literally talked about everything from values like support, humility, and fun to norms like don’t interrupt one another in class or raise your hand before speaking.  Quite interesting.  I’ll be working with a team this week to finalize our Section B Values.  Stay tuned.

I had lunch with my FRC (Financial Reporting & Controls, aka Accounting) professor on Friday with a small group.  He had a great quote: “Accounting is too important to leave to the accountants.”  No offense to the accountants out there, of course.

Dunkin' Donuts, from last week's Section B Scavenger Hunt

So, of course, Halloween was yesterday.  I went to two different Halloween parties – one on Friday and one last night.  On Friday I employed the last available costume at Target: The Vampire Prince.  It was nothing short of ridiculous.  Jake and Indy, two guys from my Section, hosted us at their places on Friday night.  We played Rock Band, laughed a lot, and I spent good time with my new Brazilian friend Gustavo, making plans to visit Brazil in January.

Last night I decided to go with a more masculine costume (that may or may not have had something to do with mycostume the night before) so I borrowed my roommate Brett’s Army Ranger gear.  It was the first time I’ve ever gone to a party and legitimately believed I could fight and win against anyone there.  Well, maybe the first time since I dressed up like Michaelangelo (the Ninja Turtle, not the artist) when I was 10.  Oh yeah, and my buddy Paul dressed up like me for Halloween – Chick-fil-A shirt, tie, Cow, and red Georgia pants – he kept walking around saying, “My pleasure.”  Creative, I know.

The biggest highlight of the weekend has been the visit from Steph Slaton and Matt Fredenburg, two good friends from home.  It’s been awesome to share my experiences with them.  Feels like worlds colliding a little bit.  The anti-highlight of the weekend was, of course, the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party yesterday afternoon.  I had a big group of people over to watch the game, and unfortunately, the Dawgs were disappointing.  But, no matter what, Florida can’t take this away from us: UGA/FL 2007.  And I’m still so much happier to be a Bulldog.  

On a personal note, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the concept of rest.  It’s something that I don’t seem to get much of these days, at least in the way I’m used to thinking about it.  But, I think rest is more than how much sleep you get at night.  Rest is a state of being.  It’s completely a heart thing.  When circumstances seem like a tornado around you, when there’s always more to do than time to do it, can you still be at rest?  While it’s not easy, I do think it’s possible.  Because rest is born out of an assurance that God is working on your behalf.  An assurance that everything doesn’t depend on you.  An assurance that even if you aren’t perfect, God still is.  As Jesus said  in Matthew 11:28 (from The Message):

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

That’s the kind of rest I want.

“If at first an idea doesn’t seem absurd, then there is no hope for it.” -Albert Einstein

Maybe Einstein was right.  I mean, my idea to come to Harvard Business School was completely absurd when I first thought of it.  Completely.  Absurd.  And, maybe it was the absurdity of the idea that actually gave it hope.  Maybe the crazier and weirder the ideas we have for the future are,  the more hope exists that they will come to be.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  But, maybe.

That quote also forms the foundation for IDEO, the world’s most renown product development organization and a company we completed a case on this past week.  Based out of Palo Alto, California, IDEO’s genius exists in it’s out-of-the-box, creative, no-idea-is-a-dumb-one, positive, team-oriented culture.  Notable clients include Apple Computer, AT&T and Samsung…ever heard of them?  ABC’s Nightline did a special on them a few years back.  If you have a few minutes, it’s interesting to watch. Their brilliant brainstorming model is based on quotes like, “Fail often to succeed sooner”, “Enlightened trial and error succeeds over the planning of lone genius”, and “Encourage wild ideas.”  Studying the case made me further realize the power that exists in a well-functioning team.

Remember the Truth Campaign?  You know, the one devoted to raising teen awareness to the dangers of smoking.  If you remember, they had some pretty powerful, image-rich ads. Jeff Hicks, CEO of Crispin, Porter & Bogusky, the Ad Agency behind the campaign, came to speak in our Marketing class after we studied the case on Wednesday.  It was fascinating to hear how they catered the campaign to teens, by making enemies out of the tobacco companies, and not the tobacco itself.   Also, when describing how his agency decided to walk away from business because the client wasn’t treating his employees honorably, Hicks provided some powerful perspective: “Not all revenue is created equal.” Sounds like what Truett Cathy thinks about revenue on Sunday.  And, finally from the agency: The Pizza Tracker from Domino’s Pizza. Brilliant.

So, midterms started on Friday.  We had our Leadership midterm from 12:30-3:30pm on Friday, and then I spent two hours in a Technology & Operations Management (TOM) Review Session.  Friday was a long day.  My brain was so fried by the end of the review session that my thoughts were something like this: Cycle the throughput capacity to link performance to outcome and advocacy the Little’s Law inquiry and Johari’s Window the common information effect but continuous flow process and tell and sell the direct labor content (I don’t expect you to understand or appreciate this, by the way.)  Thankfully, a few classmates of mine got together and avoided utilizing any more brain cells by watching Zoolander.  Surprisingly, it was the first time I’d ever seen it.  And, it was as hilarious as expected: “What is this?  A center for ants?!”

On Friday night, The Thunderdome (9 Ashton Place) had another party (pretty standard, really) to celebrate my roommate Rob Wheeler’s birthday.  We decided on a Ski Theme, and the attire people were decked out in did not disappoint.

Then, on Saturday, around 20 people from my Section went on a Scavenger Hunt throughout Boston.  Some of my favorite tasks included:

• Sing “We Are the Champions” in a chain restaurant, which we did in Burger King.
• Yell at the people at Harvard Gardens for false advertising…”It’s a bar, not a garden!”  This one got a few looks from the other customers.
• Eat three kinds of Dunkin Donuts…this wasn’t even a task, except for having to choose something different than 3 jelly donuts.
• Have a wheelchair race at Mass General Hospital…I won.

And, so it’s Sunday again.  Another week down.  One week closer to a Harvard MBA.  To be honest, it’s been flat out hard.  Each week is grueling.  Wall-to-wall with class, case prep, meetings, seminars, etc.  I’m typically on campus from 7:30am until 9:00pm, only to go home and work until bedtime.  Emails tend to pile up, and everyday is a lesson in time management.  Because the reality is that I can’t get everything done.  I can’t prepare every case perfectly, attend every seminar and social event, or answer every email/phone call in a timely manner.  So, I try and walk with God, asking Him to show me where to spend my time.  And, instead of being anxious about what’s ahead, I try and remain grateful for the current moment.  The speaker at the Christian Fellowship gathering this past Wednesday offered a great quote when speaking of the challenges we face in life:

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

MLK was right.  And, Einstein was right too.

Halloween hasn’t even hit yet, and it’s snowing in Boston.  Real snow.  Big, white flakes, falling from the sky.  I laid down to take a quick power-nap this afternoon (in the midst of preparing a Marketing case on Suave shampoo), but I woke up to my roommate’s realization of the unexpected weather.  The first snow is always really exciting (I’m speaking from my experience living in Michigan, not Georgia, of course), but I have a feeling that it could get pretty old pretty fast.  Until then, I’ll enjoy it.  Reminds me of Christmas…

We had our second Ashton Place dinner this past Tuesday, and it was a big hit.  We had a crowd of around 15-18 people.  Guests of note included Ron Peracchio, the HBS Co-Director of MBA Student and Academic Services, and Steve Nelson, the Executive Director of the MBA Program.  Wheels (Robert Wheeler, roommate to my right) hosted, and we enjoyed Thai food and great conversation.  It’s been an awesome way to connect with different people throughout the HBS community, and an unexpected benefit has been what I’ve learned about my roommates.  When asked about his proudest moment, my roommate Jake shared a personal experience during his time as a Marine in Iraq.  He was partly responsible for the arrest of Iraqi terrorists involved in the Jill Carroll (freelance reporter from the Christian Science Monitor) kidnapping. Pretty cool, huh?

On Wednesday, I attended an extremely powerful seminar on White Collar Crime.  Hank Shea, former Asst. US Attorney in the District of Minnesota & Harvard Law Grad, facilitated a conversation between Nicholas & Carolyn Ryberg, a married couple and convicted felons after stealing $1 million from Koch Industries.  They shared their powerful testimony, how one small bad decision led to the next which led to the next which led to their conviction and time in federal prison.  Click here to read more. (They did a similar seminar at Dartmouth.) My biggest takeaway?  It can happen to anybody.  Anyone is capable of making multiple, seemingly insignificant, bad decisions, which can snowball into a whole lot of trouble.  Honesty in every decision, situation, and conversation is way underrated.

On Friday night my good buddy and fraternity brother, Miles Garrison, made his way to Boston.  It’s always great to have visitors (this is an open invite).  We enjoyed dinner with some people from my Section on Friday night before going out.  It was great to have a friend from back home spend time in my world up here.  In trying to explain to Miles the intricacies of Skydeck, cold calls, L&V and the Kong, it made me realize how different my life is now than it was 2 months ago.  Kind of feels like a different planet.  And, it made me realize that I miss home.  But, nevertheless, Miles and I had a great time.

This weekend the Head of the Charles Regatta has been going on in Cambridge.  I think it’s the closet I’ll come to a tailgating experience in Boston.  I was a little disappointed though.  Turns out the rowers don’t race each other in the boats side by side – they race against their own times.  So, the actual races were pretty relaxed, but everywhere around the river was packed with people.

The class highlight of the week was certainly in LEAD.  We spent two class periods (Thursday & Friday) watching the movie, 12 Angry Men, starring Henry Fonda.  It’s about a jury deliberating on the case of a teenage boy accused of murdering his father.  Professor Gulati would pause it occasionally, and our class would go back and forth, discussing the group dynamics and how Henry Fonda’s character influenced the others toward his point of view.  I won’t spoil the ending for you, but I think it has something to do with “not guilty.”  Of course, I could be wrong – our professor didn’t let us watch the very end. One thing I wrote down in response to our class discussion: “When and how you say something is equally as important as what you actually say.”

Besides class, social outings, and seminars, the future career search is always a big thing on everyone’s mind.  Resumes were due this week to the HBS Resume Book, and internship recruiting starts pretty soon.  Whenever I look to the future it’s easy to get overwhelmed with uncertainty – specifically around the career and relationship fronts.  Maybe the same is true for you.  But, I continue to press on, trying to enjoy every moment in life, taking heart in the truth found in The Message’s version of Deuteronomy 31:6 -

“Be strong.  Take courage.  Don’t be intimidated.  Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you.  He’s right there with you.  He won’t let you down.  He won’t leave you.”

You ever have a week just punch you right in the mouth?  Even though you saw it coming, there was nothing you could do about it.  You sit down Sunday evening, review the upcoming week’s calendar, and prepare for what’s ahead.  But, still, at some point during the week you’re sitting there with a fat lip, wondering how much longer ’til Friday afternoon.

This past week was definitely the toughest one we’ve had so far at HBS.  It was non-stop – case after case, class after class, meeting after meeting, and then a major simulation for our Technology and Operations Management (TOM) class (picture above).  Not to mention a Finance quiz and Finance group case project.  Throw in an ongoing battle between your immune system and the Swine Flu (we had 15 people miss class on Tuesday, causing the rest of HBS to dub Section B, “The Swine Flu Section”) and you’ve got a recipe for a really challenging week.  Needless to say, it was great to make it to Friday afternoon, especially since we have Columbus Day off on Monday!

The major academic part of the week was our simulation in TOM class.  We paired up with another Learning Team (12 people in total) and were charged with the task of developing the most efficient “Process Flow Design” to build flashing circuit-boards.  (I realize I just lost 90% of you who read the blog.  For those who are still reading, thank you, and yes, I am a dork.)  It was really a way to put what we’ve been learning about efficient processes and systems into practice.  Our entire Wednesday was spent in the Shad gymnasium, building circuit-boards (sophisticated Legos, in my mind) and debating about the best way to produce the greatest output.

The exercise because a lesson in leadership and teamwork as much as it was about TOM.  Anytime you put a team together of individuals with completely diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, it’s bound to get interesting.  Really, the exercise became a smaller version of what I’m learning most during my time here – how to appreciate, value, respect, learn from and leverage the diversity of others.

So, the “Case Study of the Week” definitely goes to our Finance case on Patrimonio Hoy, an innovative communal savings and loan program aimed at serving the housing needs of Mexico’s low-incomepopulation.  CEMEX, a major cement manufacturer in Mexico, started PH to allow needy families to pool their resources and invest in cheaper resources to build shelter.  We had to analyze the program and decide whether or not it was profitable – in other words, does it make business sense to keep running the program?  Turns out it did – I love hearing about businesses making a profit while serving the community.

Heard a couple more great speakers this week.  Bob McDonald, CEO of Procter & Gamble, came to speak about Leadership and Ethics.  Some takeaways:

• Character (the ability to put the group’s needs ahead of your own) is the most important trait of a leader.
• Choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong.  If you’re doing something and it’s easy, get skeptical.
• Diverse groups of people are more innovative than homogeneous groups.  Innovation is connecting two seemingly unrelated ideas.

I also heard from Barry Rowan, the former CFO of Nextel.  He spoke at the Christian Fellowship Club and was remarkable!  A few big ideas:

• Live fully in the present moment.  Let God unfold the rest.
• The purpose of planning ahead is to bring clarity to the present moment.
• Perspective matters.  Authentic relationships matter more.  Love matters most.
• God loves us because of who He is, not because of who we are.
• We don’t derive meaning from our work.  We bring meaning to our work.

Somewhat unrelated, this may be the funniest commercial ever.  It’s from Nextel.

Other highlights of the week?  Dinner with a small group from my Section B at Dali in Inman Square – delicious Spanish food.  Hanging out at the Liberty Hotel on Friday night with some friends – it was recently converted from the storied Charles Street Jail.  And last night, we celebrated a Section-mate’s birthday in Harvard Square.  (I will conveniently avoid the topic of college football – certainly not a highlight to my weekend.)  Oh yeah, and this guy to the right.  He was out during Oktoberfest in Harvard Square.  If you can’t read it, his shirt says, “Will Cluck for Beer.”  Classy.

So, in case you’re wondering, I was elected Leadership and Values Representative for Section B.  And though it’s put more work on my plate, it is a tremendous opportunity to serve and care for the 90+ members of my Section.  And, it’s a great excuse to form close relationships with all of them.  A tremendous blessing.

So, even though this was the toughest week yet, it also happened to be the week that I grew the most.  Funny how that works, right?  My perspective on people, the world, and God continues to grow in ways I never imagined.  More than that, I’m learning to trust God and be obedient to Him in very practical ways.

I’ll close with a quote I found particularly inspiring from this morning’s message at City Life Church in Boston.  In relating our relationship with God to the “Beauty and the Beast” fairy tale, the pastor said, “Can God love us even though we’re not very lovely?  Yes, He can, because His love releases a loveliness in us that never before existed.”