As many of you may know, I was part of the Baruch College team, which competed in the ALPFA/KPMG National Case Study Competition on August 5th. Although we did not win, it was a great experience. I made new friends (and future Sigmatees); I showed great leadership, created new job opportunities and got a free trip to Disney.
As is customary of SigmaVPSpeaks, I would like to talk about and share my many encounters and the lessons I took away during the four months of working with my teammates.
Way back in February I was asked to participate in this event by one of my accounting professors. I will tell you sitting in the front of the classroom and participating keeps you fresh in the mind of professors when something like this comes up. I did have to also apply with a resume and interview. Ultimately, I was placed on the team and in April I met my teammates and was given the case for the competition. Upon first meeting my teammates, six of us total, we went through the usual feeling out process. Everyone seemed pretty smart, but I couldn’t quite figure out who was going to be cool to hang out with. With my previous competition experience behind me, I kind of took the lead during our first meetings. I told the group, in true prophetic form, that by the end of the competition we would be tired of the case but totally in-love with one another. I told them we were going to have so much fun and that we will become extremely close. So off we went on our quest to solve the accounting case that was assigned to us, “Accounting for Sabbatical Leave.” That’s all I am going to say about the actual case. Didn’t you just hear me, I am sick and tired of it and don’t want to see it again, unless someone is paying me.
As the weeks went by and our meetings became more frequent, (from once every other week or two to two or three times a week), my prophecy begin to reveal itself. Ok. So not everyone will fit the mold. First off, we lost one teammate before we even got the case, we lost another after about a month and another teammate had “other priorities.” Don’t we all. Just so you are clear, we wound up with four team members. In any case there were two teammates Sharday and Jay, who seemed pretty cool. I mean Jose was also cool and definitely functional but always busy. Aren’t we all? Anyway, like I was saying, Sharday, Jay and I became really great friends, Jose too, but more on him later. My first one on one encounter was with Sharday. She is as smart as they come 3.9 GPA (sorry for putting you on blast), extremely professional, organized and prepared. We went out for coffee prior to one of our meetings. She was so shy, but in a different sort of way. Her shyness does not deter her wittiness. She is very confident, and always ready for a challenge. I mean those mental challenges. I love it too. Reminds me of myself. Anyway, I think her shyness is the kind of social shyness, I mean she will converse if spoken too but I don’t see her as the type to approach a total stranger and strike up a conversation. This much she admitted. She often complimented me on my ability to socialize with both familiar and unfamiliar people. For me, I think it’s a matter of being comfortable and confident with yourself and once you are then you can talk to anyone. I have attended several networking events, and the people who don’t put themselves out there are usually the ones that are not known in the circles they want to be known in. Do you really think that my attending and socializing at these events and getting to know several Big 4 professionals and recruiters had nothing to do with some of the opportunities I received? It had plenty to do with it. And ask any professional if continually skipping the after work drinks and other non-work socializing events, doesn’t have a negative impact. Forget about the reasons why, no-one cares, just know the perception is you don’t like them or you’re personal time is more important than theirs. And as we all know perception in business is usually reality in business, being isolated from the majority is not good. Some of the best and most capable people have lost their jobs to lesser and less effective people because of big bad perception. Anyway, as I told Sharday, just do it, get your self out there and be noticed.
For my next one on one with my teammates came Jay a.k.a. Jomalier Villegas. Jay and I just kept bumping into one another around campus and each time we talked a little more. Which is cool for students to develop friendships although some of us speed to our classes like we will get a prize for arriving first. Well anyway, one night after work I called Jay and invited him to come hang out with me and some friends at one of my new favorite spots. Without hesitation Jay came through. Now let me talk a little about this fellow philosopher. Jay too, is another smart as they come person. Extremely focused, and thinks through almost everything. He is very sharp, has great ideas and has a great insight into people and situations. I like that about him. But what is it with some of us intellects, Jay too is a little on the quieter side in social situations, I mean no where near Sharday but still a little bit of shyness. But in his case, I think it’s calculated, cause we done hung out one-on-one and compared notes on growing up, that boy got a wild side or least has hung around it a bit. I guess it’s a good thing, I mean he and I just became friends and do you really want to let yourself totally go in front of someone you hardly know. In communications class they call this a self-monitor, being aware of how others perceive you. So we put our best foot forward in front of others, which is actually a good thing. Some people fail to realize how their behavior looks to others. I definitely am guilty of this as are many people. But then again, its part of why I am able to socialize so easy, I’m comfortable with myself and know when I should act in a certain way even when others misunderstand my actions or intentions, and wind up talking about me like a dog, due to their own envy, player hating or just plain old stupid-ness. Sometime I should keep my mouth shut. We have already talked about perception. And yet some people, my ex in particular sees it as being a bit phony a.k.a. not pukka. BS. We all have multiple selves, one at work, one at home, one in school, one with friends, one with our mates, etc. Who is always the same? Maybe that’s the ultimate goal in life. Let me know how it works for you? As for Jay, don’t get me wrong, he can definitely hold his own and then some. He did a phenomenal job during the actual presentation.
As time went on during our case study, the three of us talked more and more and hung out several times. Jose became the odd man out. He missed out on our nights on the town having drinks and making fun of the case and sometimes Jose. There goes that whole isolation and perception thing working at full strength. We chatted online almost every single day, during the week, we truly enjoyed each other’s company. By the time we got to Orlando, we were like brothers and sisters and one stepbrother named perception, I mean Jose. We all had this image of Jose as this busy, anti-social, too important to hang out with us; Jose interned at a Big 4. So lets get some things clear on Mr. Jose Mendoza. Jose is not lacking behind any of us intellects. Why would a Big 4 hire him? Jose is very smart, and while not always present at meetings or extra-curricular activities, when the time came, he did his thing. I love someone like that. Someone who steps up when it counts most. But lest we forget the little things. They are equally important. In fact, its what separates great from greater. But anyway, Jose wasn’t all that anti-social. Quiet yes, but there are ways to overcome that. We won’t get specific, but he definitely overcame his quietness. Nothing illegal either. Jose and I actually hung out one night together and talk and drank for a few hours; I was pleasantly surprised that he had this other side that was willing to let go a little. While this was late in the game, probably two weeks before the actual competition, nonetheless, it was something I wanted to happen. We actually had a good time. I mean there is still this little weirdness about him, but then again who isn’t weird. Up to this point my relationship with Jose was through Sharday and he was known as “your boy.” When we got to Orlando, it was with Jose that I actually had the most “non-competition” adventures. After officially being eliminated from the competition we went out for celebration. I mean we were glad to get it over, but there was also a kind of sadness, at least on my part, that we wouldn’t be together as much as we had been. So off we went to City Walk, anyone who knows Orlando, CW is bars and restaurants. Jose and I indulged a little, enough that we were reminded of some of our actions the next day. Damn Jose, he told me to meet him in his room before we actually went to CW, only I didn’t know that a bottle with a worm was also there, And anyone who knows me knows that I am an intellect and I only drink wine. Yeah right, not on that night. Paid for it too. Jose and I also had another adventure the very next night, this time it was just he and I and we went to Pleasure Island, sort of picked up where we left off the night before only this time, I stayed true to myself and only did wine. Needless to say, there were no blanks the next day, however, I will not speak of the un-speak able deeds of my comrade. Take that is neither bad nor good, just leave it be. Only my teammates will ever know, as long as Jose keeps paying me. Just joking Jose.
Anyway, I am really tired of writing and I know this is an extremely long blog. Deservedly so. So I will publish the full story in a two to three part blog. This being part one.
And now this fellow philosophers brings this cummunicado to an end. I hope that you have heard the messages and lessons that I have intended to include in this writing. As philosophers like me and explorers seeking knowledge I am sure that there is something for everyone. And if not, maybe next time. Until then………………………..Carpe Diem
