Saturday, November 17, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - Finish Strong

Nick's videos has been a source of great inspiration to me personally, and I use them a fair bit for my motivational speeches.  

As I come to the end of my program, I am inspired by this message - finish strong.  I have had nearly a week of no sleep - because I have been working on the dissertation at night, due to work commitments in the last quarter.  Having work almost every day till the 13th of December, and not wanting to wait until the very last minute, I started working from 8.00pm - 3.00pm on week days and almost a full day on Sunday to finish off the dissertation : and yet, with all this, I am not a 100% happy with the end result...

For everyone who is doing the dissertation with me, good luck - and may I see all of you along with myself at Graduation in November 2013 !

Finish strong guys !

Friday, September 28, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - The final countdown...

63 days more - and I have barely begun !  The dissertation is becoming a true challenge - and I am all in knots !  I have all of the ingredients I need - but the cake seems to not want to bake !  Somethings missing - and I don't know what - and I can't seem to write !  I have done the research, I have the outlines done - but no matter what I do, I ma finding it so hard to sit down and piece it all together !

63 days more !!!!

Back to work !!!

Monday, September 10, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - A bug and a heart attack !

Bugs - oh my - they truly DO give you heart attacks !!

Imagine my horror in getting a mail stating I have failed my Dissertation Proposal.  Came two days back and I am still reeling !

Apparently it was a bug in the system - rather than saying I am to go check my marks, it said I had failed - and oh my did I panic !  I had already started on my dissertation work based on the feedback given, and I must admit, for all my optimism and positivity, I sank really low - not for a moment did I think that it was a bug in the system !!!

Here's the reply I got for my inquiry - and I must admit, it is a GREAT example of being able to turn a mistake into a moment of inspiration !

Dear Vidusha,

An erroneous email about failure in this module was sent a few minutes ago. Please disregard that information, which was caused by a system bug.

What the system really meant to tell you is that your proposal grade and feedback is accessible through the Gradebook.

Thank you for your understanding and we hope this short lived scare will only give you a spike of adrenaline towards completing the dissertation!

Best regards,
RKC Studentcare

Monday, August 6, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - Oops !

I am generally very methodical and organized - but... as they say, every dog has his day - and I had mine on the 30th of July.

I had completed my Dissertation Proposal and blissfully waited till the 31st to upload it as I had thought the deadline was the 1st of August !  Imagine my sheer horror when I realized it was the 29th !!!  In blind panic I uploaded it - and wrote to the professors about the honest mistake, and waited for two agonizing days for the 'all clear' to come !

A word of caution for all MALIKs - NEVER wait till the last minute.  ALWAYS check the deadline date - and ensure you give it on time.  It is really sad to lose marks purely out of missing the deadline !!!

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - The Long Kiss Goodbye !

The dissertation proposal is almost done - and with it, starts the long kiss goodbye...

The dissertation will be a long hard slog - and I am bracing myself for it.  I managed to pass all 4 subjects in one sitting - and sincerely hope the dissertation will be a pass too...  I must admit I am not looking forward to the copious amount of reading I will have to do - not to forget the chasing I will need to do to get the interviews done, along with the rather ambitious survey !

However, the dream of coming back to York for graduation keeps me going...

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - The jitters !

The euphoria of the residency is only a faint memory - fast going to oblivion with the immediate panic of submitting a project proposal for the dissertation in two weeks.

I thought I had it nailed when I came from the residency : and that sense of triumph and jubilation soon disappeared when I started collecting content and writing the proposal.  All the things George and Alistair warned me against are coming true : and I have realized that the original topic I decided on was far from being realistic : given the work load and the honest acceptance that I knew nothing about the area I had trying to do my dissertation on..

A mail from a fellow MALIK Residency student (William) truly cheered me up - and in this moment of despair it was truly lovely to know that you were not alone in this moment of challenge !

So it starts : with sheer fear and desperation...

Monday, June 25, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - Love at first sight !

There are those moments when one falls in love : at first sight.  York as a city, and St John as a campus was to me just that : love at first sight.  I came to York on Sunday - and no sooner I got out the station what I was greeted with was a gust of cold win, and a breathtaking city.  I love history, and knowing that York had a history stretching as far back as the Romans made it very appealing, and seeing the city dotted with alleys that seem to come straight off a Harry Potter movie !

The campus with its iconic building stood out - and somehow was able to blend the heritage of an old city with the minimalistic post modernism without jarring the eyes.  LOVED the aesthetics of the entire campus, and reveled inside the bunker type interiors !  It certainly was not everyone's cup of tea : but for me personally, it was thrilling, and very very appealing...

I told my wife that I had a wide grin on my face throughout my stay - which would certainly have looked comical to the passing on looker : but it was impossible to hide my joy !!!



Monday, June 11, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - Surreal encounters with the earthly kind...

It was truly surreal to meet those you know only online in person.  Many of the preconceptions one has about individuals change drastically once you meet them : and this respect, the residency truly ads value to the entire experience.  Meeting lecturers whom you see only on videos, and tutors you only know by name and fellow MALICs you only meet in the forums was truly rewarding, and in many ways, inspiring.

I learnt a lot from their experiences - and I will post a series of posts on the whole residency in the next couple of days because I do believe this is probably one of the  most rewarding experiences of the whole program...

A few too many ciders to sit and write for too long - and a few personality profiles are to be done as homework - so will write in detail from tomorrow onwards...

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - The Lecture Panel

Lecturers make all the difference - specially when doing programs through distance learning.  Even when we were in school, you either loving or hating a subject had a lot to do with the teachers you encountered.  Needless to say, for older students like me, getting back 'to the groove' is tough going - and with RKC, the fact that the lecturers/tutors were accommodative proved to be a huge plus.

We don't know any of our tutors personally - so my perceptions of each tutor is just that - my perception.

Dr Radu was the first tutor I came into contact with.   Out of all the tutors I have had during the program, he proved to be the most easy going, and the most 'chilled out' which was probably the best for the first class I was to take.  He was very accommodative - extremely friendly and very very appreciative and empathetic about my plight as a student who had not taken formal studies for nearly 15 years.  He was very helpful in finding reading material - and his feedback at the mid point of the session helped me immensely.  Even though my transcript was bad (I know it was !) he did not make me feel small, rather, encouraged me to look at things differently, and do what it takes to get a good result.

Prof. Duffil seemed more formal in comparison to Dr. Radu - he was my second tutor.  However, even Prof Duffil was friendly and accommodative - but there was no doubt in my mind that he 'meant business'.  Prof Duffil was thorough.  Uncompromising about the content.  Quick to respond to anything that was sent to him, and extremely detailed and pointed in the feedback (which if I had taken to heart a little more, I would have ended with a better score !).  He reminded me of my grade 5 math master !  Prof. Duffil's thoroughness about the subject is to be truly appreciated - if one actually reads the transcripts he corrects, there is no reason to ever get anything less that 65+ !

Dr. Benson too was a 'no nonsense' type.  He was sharp, to the point, thorough and extremely knowledgable.  He reviews were a reflection of his preparedness and breadth.  Doing the topic I probably enjoyed the most in the program, Dr. Benson offered it a poignant touch, and an astute critique.  I have changed much of the paradigms I held about leadership under his tutelage, and believe students can gain a lot from him if they engage in the forums.

Dr. Damry was probably the tutor I enjoyed the most.  His wit and humor - and razor sharp critique, blended with the affability of a loving grand dad was a queer combination.  He was a living paradox : tough, yet extremely encouraging at the same time.  I loved the comments he made in red on our posts, and basked in the warmth of his glowing tributes when we did well.  Again, if you are to make the most of him, you need to truly immerse in the topic - and contribute avidly to the forum.

Overall - I wish I had tutors like this for my Undergraduate Studies too - I hated most of my tutors during my UG studies - and actually skipped some of their classes !  It was refreshing to have tutors who truly knew their work - and was also committed to seeing us through the program - not merely 'lecturing'.

THANK YOU to all 4 of my tutors.  You have taught me much - and for all you have done, my gratitude and thanks.  If I got low marks, it is a reflection of my poor effort - not their standard of teaching, focus or encouragement.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - Oh 'Appachchi' - your marks are not good enough !

My daughter was considered as a 'weak' student when she was in grade 3.  The teachers were extremely concerned with really low marks (as low as 30 for Math) and summoned my wife for a pow wow !  Roons (my pet name for my wife), as all mothers, was anxious, and had many a sleepless night over it.  I glossed over the issue : back in my day, no one really cared for marks in class - and 'learning disorders' were not invented yet - so during my school days, even with rather low grades myself in certain years, I escaped unscathed.

However, by the second term of Grade 3 things came to a head : when I too was summoned and 'lectured' about the 'importance of education' and how I should 'take a more active interest in her studies'.  I must admit I was rather amused - and assured the teachers she had no learning disorder : even though many believed she had.

Thus started 'Mission Shaakya' - a concerted attempt to make sure she catches up - and is not felt to be a 'loser'.  The biggest challenge was to give her the confidence to believe that 'anything was possible'.  To this end, I took some bold decisions - and took her rafting, rock climbing and abseiling with me - and also devoted time to sit her down and teach her the basics which I believed she lacked understanding of.  True enough, her grades picked up - and now, if she does not get her 9 or 10 out of 10, she comes to me and berates herself for 'careless mistakes'

When I took on my studies, Shaakya was thrilled to see me 'studying' too : and she would constantly inquire about my work - and ask me 'when the exams' are...  She is a little too young to still discern between assignments and exams - and when I took my first two assignments, watching me work long nights at a stretch, Shaakya would often keep me company, studying late herself.  When my marks came in, she chided me (as I did her some time back) - 57 and 68 is just not good enough Appachchi - you must study harder !  I could not help but laugh - and promised her I will certainly try harder !


She is now eagerly awaiting my marks for the second two subjects - and heaven forbid if I have flunked !!!

Robert Kennedy College - Love and Hate

I love books.  I love reading.  I love analysis.

I hate studying !

There in lies the eternal issue.  I have no problems reading all the material given - but when I know I have to study it and I am instantly put off - making it so much more difficult to get my head around to getting through the voluminous work !

So, I decided I was NOT going to study for the assignments : and decided I was going to simply read, and ensure I have the required knowledge and insights which is what I signed up for in the first place.  This simple mindset made a HUGE difference in both enjoying the program, as well as putting things into perspective.  I have often told myself that a qualification is only a piece of paper unless one actually KNOWS the content.  I did not want a qualification without the knowledge - and being able to see it this way reduced the anxiety and pressure tremendously...


Monday, May 28, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - York at Last !

Got my visa in today !  Sigh !!!  What a relief !!!!

So... York - here I come...  The final lap - the final leg - the last push.

Downloaded all the material, and started reading it with earnestness and joy !  A heavy dose to take I must admit.  Still at a loss as to what to choose as a dissertation topic - but will get there eventually !

Now for a beer to celebrate !

Cheers !!!

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - Shit Happens !

If astrology is anything to go by : I was born on the same time Murphy was born on !!!  If anything can go wrong - it certainly does !!!

I was so looking forward to the residency in York in April.  All of my friends from the program were going to be there - and I made all the preparations - including reading the case studies and the material given.

I gave the visa application in a month before - and imagine my absolute shock when the thing did not come back for over a month !  Our visas now go to India for processing - and nothing I did materialized - and I had no option but to pull out of it - since even after the program had begun my visa had still not come in !

What can I say - shit happens !

I sincerely hope that my visa is now processed - and look forward to the residency in June...  Hated twiddling my thumbs for three months - and itching to start the dissertation - the final lap for me !!!

Robert Kennedy College - Leadership reading material

A few articles and other material that came in handy...


The Drucker Foundation : The Leader of the Future, 1996, Jossey-Bass Publishers
Senge PM, “Leading Learning Organizations : The Bold, The Powerful and the Invisible”
Blanchard K, “Turning the organizational pyramid upside down”
The Handbook of Leadership Theory and Practice, 2010, Harvard Business Publishing
Conger, J A, “Leadership Development Interventions”
Chatman J A and Kennedy J A, “Psychological perspectives on leadership”
Guillen, M F, “Classical Sociological Approaches to the Study of Leadership”
Javidan M, Dorfman PW, Howell JP and Hanges PJ, “Leadership and Cultural Context : A theoretical and empirical examination based on project Globe”
Lorsch J, “A contingency theory of Leadership”
Porter M E, Nohria N, “What is Leadership : The CEOs role in large, complex organizations” 
Zupan M A, “An Economic Perspective to Leadership”
Harvard Business Review on Breakthrough Leadership
Goleman D, Boyartzis R, MsKee A, 2001, “Primal leadership”
Collingwood H, 2001, “Personal histories : Leaders remember the moments and people that shaped them”

Harvard Business Review on Motivating People, 2003, Harvard Business School Press
Herzberg F, 2003, “One more time : How do you motivate employees ?”
Manville B, Ober J, 2003, “Beyond Empowerment : Building a company of citizens” 
McClelland D C and Burnham D H, 2003, “Power is the great motivator”
Nicholson N, 2003, “How to motivate your problem people”
Harvard Business Review on The Mind of the Leader, 2005, Harvard Business School Press
Maccoby M, 2000, “Narcissist Leaders : The incredible pros, the inevitable cons”
Coutu D L, 2004, “Putting Leadership on the Couch : A conversation with Manfred FR Kets de Vries”
Zaleznik A, 1977, “Managers and Leaders : Are they different ?”
Kellerman B, 2004, “Leadership - Warts and All’
Goleman D, 1998, “What makes a leader”
HBR’s 10 must reads on Leadership, 2011, Harvard Business School Publishing
Kotter J P, 1990, “What leaders really do”
Collins J, 2001, “Level 5 leadership”
Ancona D, Malone T W, Orlikoswki W J, Senge P M, 2007, “In praise of the incomplete leader”
Goffee R and Jones G, 2000, “Why should anyone be led by you”
George B, Sims P, McLean A N, Mayer D, 2007 “Discovering your authentic leadership”
TED Videos
Fields Wicker-Miurin : ‘Learning from leadership's missing manual’  http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/fields_wicker_miurin_learning_from_leadership_s_missing_manual.html 
Simon Sinek : ‘How great leaders inspire action’ http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action.html 
Stanley McChrystal : ‘Listen, learn ... then lead‘  http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/stanley_mcchrystal.html  
On Line Magazines
Knowledge @ Wharton
Useem M, 2011, “Mission Critical: 15 Principles to Help Leaders Meet Their Toughest Challenges”
Adam G, 2010, “Analyzing Effective Leaders: Why Extraverts Are Not Always the Most Successful Bosses”, November 2012
Deloitte CEO Barry Salzberg on “Leadership as 'the Norm, Not the Exception'”, May 2011
MIT Sloan Improvisations
Ginka Toegel and Jean-Louis Barsoux, “How to Become a Better Leader”, Spring 2012
McKinsey Quarterly
Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer, “How leaders kill meaning at work”, January 2012
Joanna Barsh, Josephine Mogelof, and Caroline Webb,”How centered leaders achieve extraordinary results”, 2010 
Other online documents and reading material
Dr. Jon Warner, Using a Performance and Potential Grid to Guide Coaching Interventions, Warner Results Coaching http://www.linkageinc.com/thinking/linkageleader/Documents/Jon_Warner_Using_a_Performance_and_Potential_Grid_to_Guide_Coaching_Interventions.pdf 
Tennabaum R and Schmidt WH, 1973, ‘How to Choose a Leadership Pattern’ Harvard Business Review downloaded from http://www.elcamino.edu/faculty/bcarr/documents/How%20to%20choose%20a%20leadership%20pattern.pdf 

Robert Kennedy College - Leadership and Lollypop Moments !

Leadership is probably the most hacked topic in Management.  However, traversing the many angles is a joy !  I must admit I have often wondered whether we blow this whole thing out of proportion, and subscribe too much to it - and to this end, I found one particular video awe inspiring !

The perspective that leadership is very much an 'everday' thing - and that we all can and ought to be leaders - and that it takes nothing more than a small word or deed to impact on someones life (what Drew Dudley calls Lollypop moments') made such a profound impact on me that I thought of sharing it with you all...

Click on the link to see Drew's speech on TEDx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVCBrkrFrBE

Robert Kennedy College - No pain No gain !

One of the things I learnt quite fast into the program was that it certainly was a lot more demanding that I expected it to be.  The age old saying 'no pain, no gain' came to mind - and I must admit, I did not quite expect the levels of sacrifice I needed to make to make a success out of the program.

Apart from the lectures and the reading, I resorted to a lot of different things to broaden my level of understanding and appreciation for the subjects : and thought of sharing some of the ones that gave me a lot of benefits with you :

  1. I started discussions on the various topics discussed on the 'lectures' with my team.  I ran the slides, and got them to ask questions - enabling me to ensure I knew the material well enough to speak of it to others.
  2. I kept a a file.  I know that printing stuff is old school but it helped me tremendously.  Whenever the lecture went on the screen I scribbled notes, and also made footnotes on the kind of research required.
  3. I started building a video library - mostly through TED (www.ted.com) which helped me get some really awesome insights which helped in the assignments
  4. I started having small group discussions with students of various MBA programs, and started cross referencing some of the material they were subscribing to
  5. I made post it notes on all the books I read - and kept a list of it in the PC - so that when the time came for assignments, I had material ready
  6. I subscribed to the HBR - the magazine really helps !
  7. I also took printouts of articles I read, highlighted key areas, and had them on file with each relating lecture note - this helped tremendously in ensuring I could piece the assignments together.
  8. Sought help from a few lecturers in local universities to discuss key concepts, and test whether I had correctly understood the key principles
All told, these little things helped.  Above all, it helped to have great tutors - I recommend you not make the same mistake I made by not putting enough posts - make use of the forums - and the tutors will be of great help !

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - Saved by the book

As I wrote in one of my previous posts, finding books that are listed in the program is near impossible in Sri Lanka.  Amazon does not ship to Sri Lanka either, making it near impossible to source them, unless you actually fly out to the UK or US and buy them !

Browsing through some book shops, I came across this life saver.  It has almost all the theories related to Leadership, and also has material from almost all the authors listed on the modules.  Wish I had seen it before, but at least for the second semester this truly became useful.

Hope it helps you too !

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - Bibliographical Conundrum !

One of the biggest problems I had - and still have actually, was that of finding the correct bibliographical rendition.  I must admit, to me, the guidelines offered were a little confusing, and try as I might I struggled with getting it right.  Every assignment I did, I knew some of the citations were not according the the standard set, and that I will have marks deducted for it.

The biggest challenge was that of compilations.  I bought a lot of HBR compilations (which were hugely helpful, and I recommend them thoroughly) which has a host of articles under one common theme.  An article from these books proved to be a problem to cite - as they were neither an article by themselves, nor a book (as it had articles from multiple authors and was not edited by anyone - as such, the 'book' itself did not have an author !)

My only sanity was a fellow student called Pius - who ended each of his posts with a beautiful bibiliography which we got spot on !  So, I followed his lead and thanks to him, at least got it right for the most part - thanks Pius !

Sit down and get it right.  It is important - and honestly, it will make all the difference between an A and a B sometimes !

Robert Kennedy College - Difficulties, frustrations and sighs : and some helpful advice !

I have never been the 'studious' type : though I have always given my studies pride of place, and taken them very seriously.  An avid reader from my early childhood, I have devoured books with the same relish as I would wolf down on Triple Beef Burger at McDonalds !  However, reading and studying are two wholly different ball games - and studying I must admit is difficult.

Anyone undertaking any on line course I think will go through their fair share of frustrations : and I thought I will jot a few of mine - and a few things that helped me : with the hope of offering anyone who braves the course a few helpful pointers.

1. Block your time judiciously !  : We all work.  Most of us have families.  We ALL have a life outside the self learning portal - and it is certainly extremely easy to put watching our Dearest Prof. Boak on the back burner !  So, when you commit to take the course, block the times you will commit on the calendar and guard it like Hades guarding the under world !!!  NEVER break your time with your studies, and in some hopeless situation you do, immediately block that time on another day.

I personally blocked out half days on Saturdays and Sundays (from 6.00pm to 1.30am) as this worked best for me.  Weekends are precious - and having spent time with the kids, I would lock my self out for this time - and not yield until my sessions were done.  I also carved out 2 hours every other day for research on the topics covered for that week.  One of the toughest challenges I had was to stick to it : when I did, it was great - when I did not, I really felt lost when the work had piled on !

2. Buy the books early ! : Buy the books early - as it allows you to really dive into the subject.  Sadly Sri Lanka did not have most of the prescribed texts - so I had to supplement most : but buy the books - it is money well spent !  If you are able to read stuff on Kindle or any other new fangled e platform, then get yourself a hand held (or whatever they are called) and buy the e version of the books.  Ofcourse, if you can read them through the e library then you are blessed.  I HATED IT - and found the interface hopelessly cumbersome and unhelpful.

3. Do research every week : Don't let it pile up.  I made this mistake for one of my subjects initially and was overwhelmed with the quantum of work I had to cover when the assignments came along.  Do your research and further reading weekly.

4. Make citations and keep for reference : Whenever you read, paraphrase it, and keep the citations done.  Once again, I learnt the hard way, but for the second set of subjects, I judiciously kept notes and the citations - and it was immensely helpful when the assignments came along.  I had enough material piece things : and it was a true joy to know you knew where the stuff came from.

Read a wide variety of journals, periodicals and material.  Don't stick to only  the books prescribed.  This always comes handy when writing the assignments.  However, always remember to write the references and keep.  I was lost for one subject as I did not do this - and found it near impossible to remember where I had got the material from !

5. Use the forum - for ALL the sessions : The forum is brilliant.  This is the biggest regret I have of the program - that I could not get involved in the forum as I should have done.  It is wonderfully enriching to read the posts and practical experiences of others : and it truly supplements for face to face discussions in a traditional class.  If you really get involved in the forums you will realize that you actually have a lot more depth on the subject, and that you actually get a lot more than a standard lecture in a class room !

Need to run for a meeting - more tomorrow !

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - Innovation : a fresh look

One of my colleagues, Fayaz, took on a 'walk' with Dr. Anil Gupta and nearly 50 others to walk to the remotest villages of India with the mission to find 'grass root level' innovations.  Fayaz heads our publication division, and puts out a monthly magazine 'Perspectives'.  The magazine is rather unique : in that every month we explore a different aspect of Management : with a view to look at fresh perspectives. Soon after returning, Fayaz did a issue on Innovation which you might find interesting.

If you want to subscribe to the Perspectives (it is free) write to Fayaz on fayaz@highfiveconsultancy.com

The magazine is a PDF - but it is also on a blog - which you can visit for the articles on innovation

http://www.high5perspectives.wordpress.com/2012/01/


Robert Kennedy College - Innovation ?

One of the first modules I undertook was Leading Innovation and Change : which introduced me to Innovation.  Being a consultant and a trainer, innovation and change  are topics I had a HUGE interest in and it was truly wonderful to be able to explore the academic content on the topic of innovation.  I have always been an avid reader, and I managed to collect some wonderful articles and videos around the subject which came in really useful for my work as a trainer.

Here are a few links that may help you (may not be for the assignments specifically - but for a wider appreciation of the topics):


Charles Arthur - the Guardian Technology Blog
Dr. Edward De Bono - Serious Creativity, The Journal for Quality and Participation; Sep 1995; 18, 5; ABI/INFORM Global
Edward B. Dean - ‘Creativity and Innovation from the Perspective of Competitive Advantage’
Infed - ‘Peter Senge and the learning organization’
Kyung Hee Kim - ‘Can We Trust Creativity Tests?’ 
A Review of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) pages 3-14
Creativity Research Journal, Volume 18, Issue 1, 2006
Rune Todnem - ‘Organizational change management, a critical review’
Published in Routledge's Journal of Change Management
Stephen R. Grossman
from Innovative Leader Volume 8, Number 12, December 1999
‘Does Logic Stifle Creativity?’
Anil Gupta: ‘India's hidden hotbeds of invention’ on TED
Harvard Business School video - Innovation at Procter & Gamble - an interview with A G Lafley
Sir. Ken Robinson - ‘Schools kill creativity’ on TED
Steve Johnson - ‘Where good ideas come from’ on TED




Robert Kennedy College - One or two ?

One of the critical questions I had to answer for myself was whether I wanted to take one topic at a time or whether I wanted to brave two subjects at once.  Being rather confident by nature I thought I will take up two - and should I fail, resort to do one each !

Looking back, I regret this decision.  The lectures and the forums were so lively and absorbing, but I could not really do justice to any subject because of this.  I completely mis judged the time commitments required, and paid dearly for my arrogance.  No, I did not fail (I don't know the second set - but the first set I did manage to get through) - but what I regret is not being able to truly immerse in the subject and the content.

Each of the topics are discussed in depth, and the reading of other material is what truly adds colour to the subject.  The forums are superb - but one has to immerse and engage - and be willing to commit the time and the focus required to make the most of the subjects.

My recommendation to any student who is not looking to simply pass is to take one subject at a time, and make the commitment to have atleast 15 hours or so a week as a minimum to seriously commit to the subject.  Work is a common problem for all of us : and work really got heavy during my second semester, and I rarely had the time to give enough to my studies.  Had I taken one subject per semester I would have been much richer in content !

Robert Kennedy College - First Impressions

My first introduction to RKC was not a positive one.  Having paid up in April I found out to my dismay that I had to wait till June to commence the program - and that all I could do was the orientation.  Being extremely gung-ho about all of it - and rearing to go this was a let down - and I must admit I was forlorn and annoyed !  However, the age old saying that 'everything happens for the better' proved to be correct once again, and this initial three month period proved to be an excellent opportunity for me to meander through the self learning platform and orient myself for the work ahead without the pressure of deadlines and assignments.

It was a difficult adjustment.  Working on line was not my cup of tea.  I was a 'books' person - and loved to sit on my ancient chair (passed down the family for three generations) and read - not be at the computer 'flicking' through an imaginary book !  The more I worked on the PC the more I began to be frustrated : and internet speeds did not help either.  Our internet service providers suck here in Sri Lanka - and without proper bandwidths the whole thing became monstrously difficult to navigate and maneuver.

The only thing that made it 'tolerable' was the immense support I got from Mitra and all the others whom I would have been a bother to.  The team at RKC were extremely customer centric, and patient.  They probably had my 'type' before : and I must admit I hated being such a pain - but I honestly had no other options either.

Slowly but surely, I started to get the hang of things, and I must admit, it started growing on me : and by the time the lectures hit - I was ready...

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Robert Kennedy College - sanity suicide !

After 15 years of waiting - why do it now ?  Now that's a good question.  The answer was on that day : that fateful day sanity was suicidal, and insanity took over...  This is the story :

My mom and I have always had a very confrontational relationship.  Don't get me wrong - I love her to bits - and I am certainly the center of her universe (being the only kid helps !!!) - but she and I completely differ in our view points on most things.  Being passionate creatures - we both have a no holds barred go at each other...  As you would guess, she being so much older does not help - and her uncanny ability to know what I will say makes her a deadly opponent !

April is New Year for us in Sri Lanka.  Whilst having a small get together in the family, the topic of 'loose ends' came up - and my mom got on my case again - ranting over the fact that my Masters was one of my biggest 'lose ends.'  Having being ever so mildly high - and pouring myself another Bacardi and Coke, I mused that I was ready to any Masters - if only I was rich enough !  My mother retorted 'you know you have the money - that is such as lame excuse' - for which I quipped 'Oh Ma - I am poorer than you think.  My entire life savings is being saved up for Shaakya's dowry (dowry is quite common in Sri Lanka - though neither I nor any in the family ever subscribe to it) !  My mother took the bait (or so I thought) and boy did she give me an earful.  I simply laughed - and my dad gave me this knowing look to say 'that's enough now' - and after a few more rounds of witty repartee and me getting a little too intoxicated for coherent rebuttals, my mother withdrew - but I knew the battle was far from over !

The next day, around mid day, my mom came home - with approximately US$ 5000 in hand.  I did not make the connection.  She saw my puzzled look.  'You said you can do it - now do it - and since you don't have the money, I thought I will give it to you !'  I was flabbergasted.

'You are scared aren't you ?' mom teased - in front of my 9 year old daughter - who was eavesdropping with eager glee (why ?  I will tell you later) - and that was it - the tipping point.  Ego bruised, and pride on the line - I took the dare - and registered - handing her money back to her...

That's how I ended up doing the course - that moment's lapse of sanity - which for once paid rich dividends !

Robert Kennedy College - the 15 year itch

15 years I waited - nay, procrastinated.  A demanding job, wife, kids, more work, a fledgling business of my own : they all became convenient excuses : very convincing when I tell myself 'I have no time for this !'  So, for 15 years after completing my bachelors I waited.  But... the itch would not go away.  I hungered and pined to get back to my studies : and complete my Masters at long last.  But how ?  I could not find a program that allowed me the flexibility to study - but also work at the same time.  Sri Lanka does not really have any 'self study' programs just yet - and searching for something on line - I came across RKC - so, here I was...

What gave me the final push ?  Well, that's another post !

Thought I will share a small poem I did as an introduction for the Culture and Innovation class...

Vidusha Nathavitharana is my name 
Please note I am a Sir, and not a Dame 
Fifteen long years it took - which is a shame 
For me to do my studies again, hence here I am writing this poem lame ! 

Married with two kids, a daughter and a son 
I canoe, hike and camp to have fun 
As an HR consultant my own little firm I run 
Log on to our blog ( www.http://high5consultancy.blogspot.com ) to check out what we've done 

Trepidation is what I feel 
But from excitement I reel 
One layer at a time, this course I plan to peel 
A ton of time I know I will have to steel 

The first subjects were really tough 
I guess this will be the same, hopefully, not as rough 
Still very sore, and formal learning does not come easy 
About all those citations and bibliographies I still feel queazy 

So, here I am - a warm hi to all of you 
Lively banter and healthy debate I hope will hold true 
Whatever mark I get, I have learnt a thing or two 
Which I am honestly glad about, 'cause it helps me in what I do 

Greetings and salutations - let's start our journey now 
See you all in the forum, for now, I take a bow ! 

Sunday, May 6, 2012

A little something about me...

Hi everyone !  I thought it best to start this blog with a little something about me...

My name is Vidusha Nathavitharana - from the resplendent isle of Sri Lanka (Ceylon for those who are older than I - the name we were given during 200+ years of British rule : the Romans called us Taprobane and the ancient Phoenicians, Indian and Chinese traders, Thambapanni).

I am a father of two - a daughter of 9, Shaakya, and a son of two, Jaith.  My wife, my kids and I live in Nugegoda, about 20km from the capital, Colombo.  My home town is a quaint little town called Deraniyagala - approximately 60 Km from Colombo, and the place I feel most at home.

I completed my secondary education at S. Thomas's College Mount Lavinia, a missionary school modeled after Eton (http://www.stcmount.sch.lk) and did my ALs in the Arts stream, reading English, Political Science, Economics and Greek and Roman Civilizations.  I did my bachelors in England at the University of Linoln in Hull, and completed my Chartered Institute of Marketing also during the same time.

I worked for an American company called Sara Lee Courtaulds for seven years, heading the HR function in Sri Lanka for Courtaulds Clothing, and at 28, decided to venture out on my own, and started High5 - a boutique HR Consultancy and Soft Skills Training Company.


I love to read, write poetry and to travel.  I enjoy and revel in the outdoors, and canoe and raft often.  I also take hikes.  I love dogs - and have two cockers and a highland terrier back in Deraniyagala (we hate to bring them to Colombo as they all love the great outdoors, and have a blast running around the five acre property which has a lovely little brook that flows in three sides !)  My wife is arguably the best when it comes to batter fried prawns - and as you can imagine, my near obesity is down to her over indulging me in all things fatty !  Her cheesecakes are divine too - so, I have no hope of ever having that elusive six pack back !