Business Attire, Bold Ideas, and Brainstorms: The Making of Batch 10
by Admin | IITBOMBAY-WU
45 cohorts embarked on this transformative journey with a bag full of uncertainties, wondering how the program would unfold and nervous about meeting the expectations of the rigorous never-ending storm of lectures and assignments. And yes, we walked into the unknown…in business attire… and maybe a little bit of nervousness.
But just four days later, we emerged as a unified team of 45 members, strengthened by intense discussions, deliberations, and shared experiences.
In this short time, so much happened:
- We climbed the Mount Everest all while trying to develop ‘Medical Device Monitoring system’.
- We survived Arctic-like conditions in the conference room, all while helping the NIA take down a terrorist. No, we didn’t actually get to hold the guns, but the adrenaline rush was real.
- We deliberated on leadership theories, from David Fletcher’s insights to the choice of team dynamics - football, baseball, or tennis?
- We learned to find the spark in complex problems, framing symptoms, formulating causes, and ultimately settling on solutions. We embraced the idea that failing often is the key to succeeding sooner.
- We took innovative lessons from Pixar, diving deep into brainstorming and exploring new ideas.
- We went from sipping cups of coffee to consuming them intravenously as we stayed up debating presentations till the wee hours of the morning. Who knew PowerPoint could be so intense?
None of this would have been possible without Professor Markus Baer - an exceptional educator who love ‘good challenges’. Professor Baer ensured we climbed the ‘Mount Everest’ as a cohesive team, leveraging complementary skills while adhering to a common purpose. He ensured we manage the tensions that inevitably arise within teams, fostering an environment where problem formulation and solution generation became the cornerstones of our work.
The past four days were not just about studies and discussions, they were about personal growth, intellectual exploration, and the application of innovative concepts. We moved fluidly between one idea and the next, constantly challenging ourselves to think in new ways. We’ve learned to walk into the unknown, accepting that even leaders may not have all the answers.
As Horst Rittel aptly put it, “The formulation of a complex, wicked problem is the problem!”
We are Batch 10: back to the books, but this time with more coffee, more presentations, more discussions, and, of course, less sleep!
Although we didn’t spot leopards or crocodiles in this ‘Episode-1’ we found energy, enthusiasm, and confidence in abundance.
Source: IIT Bombay-WashU EMBA Batch 10