Crack the GD @ Great Lakes Institute of Management

While I can give you a run down of all the topics for a group discussion, in all probability, none of them might be asked.

So this is what I am going to do. Following are the tips that I think you need to crack the group discussion @ Great Lakes Institute of Management.

First, take a note pad. It is very likely that you will try and remember all the points from everyone in the room but guess what! you're wrong about your memory. You have been given a set time slot so that you "break under pressure". Having a notepad helps. Write down all the points and always refer to the person who mentioned the point in the first place. I know you are a nice guy. This allows the coordinator know as well.

Second, listen to the topic VERY carefully. If you need any clarifications about the topic, ask for it at the very beginning. Think about it. How would it be if I ask you your name after speaking to you for 20 minutes. Exactly!

Its not even funny to know how many times someone clarifies the topic in the middle of the GD. Yes, the topics can be unclear at times and may lead you away from what is asked. Do not fall for it.

Third, answer what is asked. Nobody wants to know about your fairy tale life. Get to what needs to be answered ASAP. "Uhhh!! I think..." is a BIG NO for a start to your opinion.

Start by writing (on your notepad) what the topic is asking you in your own words.Once you've done that, you are going to sail smoothly from then on. Coordinators always give brownie points to the person who has the ability to simplify the problem.

Fourth, recall why you are there in the first place. You want an PGPM/ PGDM. Look at the problem from a macro level. Don't cling on to trivial points.

Also, adapt if you are proven wrong. Learn to look at it from a different perspective. It always helps. If you have made an absurd judgement, correct it. It shows integrity. Do not love your opinions, you'll be shooting yourself in the foot.

L-R - Rithvik, Yogesh and Ranjith

Fifth, you do not have to dive-in to start. For some of them, it comes naturally, let them do it. There is a fine line between being pro-active and looking like an "enthu-cutlet" (Bangalore lingo for a hyper active person a.k.a idiot).

Unless absolutely necessary, I would not dive in because I tried it once and I realised that all the people who give you gyan that it is awesome to start, they do not know you like you know yourself. If that isn't your forte, you dont want to test it on a day you'd be judged for it. FACT!

Sixth, do not Bullshit. Speak facts and figures only if you know it. Yes, you need to know current affairs that you may have to relate for two reasons. One, you are eager to know whats happening around. And two, you are disciplined (There is thesis to prove this point but truthfully, I know you don't care. haha)

Seventh, do not interrupt someone when they're making their point. It is easily one of the worst things you can do in a GD. Although having said that to a billion people, nobody seems to bother. So I'd suggest you intervene and say "Please, lets hear his/her point out... blah blah.." IT WORKS LIKE A CHARM.

Eight, always summarize. PERIOD.

Hope this helps. All the best!

Cheers!
-Yogesh Babu
(www.fb.com/yogesh87)

Tips to crack an interview @ Great Lakes Institute of Management

I've been getting a lot of calls for this topic. So here goes.

Tips that I think you need to crack the interview @ Great Lakes Institute of Management.

First, be yourself. Interviewers have the experience to see right through you. Don't try to be someone you are not. If you are from a remote region of the country and you did your under-graduation in the UK, you cannot say "I have been raised in the UK". That is just stupid.

The reason I put this as Point #1 is because it is that important. You must have come across the phrase, "a person takes less than 10 seconds to judge you." Its famous for a reason. You do not want to mess it up with your accent training sessions from the office you have worked with earlier.

Second, don't beat around the bush. Interviewers HATE and I mean HATE it people beat around the bush to answer a question. If you are unsure about the answer, say that you are unsure about what you are going to say. If do not know the answer, just say that you do not know the answer and move on. (It worked for me).

On speaking with the professor who interviewed me. He said that he appreciated the fact that I was honest so he gave me a few brownie points for it. However, do not say it more than once. You better be prepared with data. And by data I mean HARD FACTS.

Third, aim for the moon but don't come across like you're arrogant. You are a dreamer, a leader and you will make it in life. You know it and that is a fantastic thing. However, do not come across like you have a billion options which undermines the purpose of your PGPM. Humility is key. Heavy headed people come across and arrogant not assertive. So be mindful when you speak.

Remember, you are not on the other side of the table. If you were, would you take a student like you? Answer that over and over to yourself. And when you reach a "yes" after consulting with your peers, you're ready.

Fourth, be prepared. Always come across as you want it. People who do not prepare enough about the course or college or alumni or anything related to Great Lakes come across as uninterested. You do not want that.

How is this course going to make you who you want to be? Make sure you record your answer to know where you stand. You will be shocked, trust me.

I'm the fifth one from the left

Fifth, know what you want. Not only do you need to know what you want as your short term and long term goals but also know what specialization you want and why? A clear thought process is what I think is necessary. If the interviewer prompts you for other options, tell that you are open to considering other options after getting more details about them and whether it helps you achieve your eventual goal (Atleast speak like you know it)

Sixth, learn to answer the most important question. "Why... ?". You will not believe the number of people who choke with this question. More often than not, interviewers will not ask you this directly, it will be implied. You need to "be in the conversation" to know when that happens. And when it does, be sure to "imply" that you got what they're asking while answering the question.

Its obvious that you need to know why. If you answer is going to stop at "Better job prospects / Return on investment" and their likes. Make sure you go to the nearest Shawarma roll joint and buy yourself seventeen rolls to "feed your sorrows" because those are the worst possible answers you come up with. (There are worse, I'm just trying to be dramatic)

Seventh, take some time off before you answer. I call it the DEAL MAKER. I do not speak for any other college when I say this but at Great Lakes, professors want thinkers. Not some nerd who has been getting straight A's right from school or got a 99 percentile in CAT or XAT. So pause, think, gather information from the interviewer to answer their question, only then answer. If you were the champ of Bournvita Quiz contest in school where you knew the answer before the complete question was told, good luck. This is for those who are normal.

The approach to the answer is as important as the answer itself. And sometimes, even more important than the answer. If you can come across as a thinker and an innovator with your answers, you by default are malleable, which is what Great Lakes looks for in students as they want to learn newer ways.

Eighth, don't get too worked up. Its not worth it. Why? because if you are worked up, all you are going to do apart from perspiring like you were in the "sauna" with a suit is stammer, choke and most importantly, come across as anything but confident.

Take a deep breath. Have a sip of water when you get stuck. And tell your brain that you can do this. You shall pass. (Drama is back)

And Finally, never prepare on the day before the interview (Works for me). Last minute preparation is a BIG NO. While it works for some, it doesn't for many. I always stop my preparation atleast a day before the interview because I want to get my rest or cool off before I face the music.

What do I do? I usually catch a movie or go out for dinner the night before. I would suggest you not to drink because it's very unlikely that you will stop when you need to and end up having a hangover in the interview room. Not sure if you want to look wasted. Save the party for the day of the interview where your emotions about the interview would be the actual truth. haha.

Hope this helps. All the best!

Cheers!
-Yogesh Babu
(www.fb.com/yogesh87)

Satya Nadell's first letter to the employees of Microsoft as CEO.

Today is a very humbling day for me. It reminds me of my very first day at Microsoft, 22 years ago. Like you, I had a choice about where to come to work. I came here because I believed Microsoft was the best company in the world. I saw then how clearly we empower people to do magical things with our creations and ultimately make the world a better place. I knew there was no better company to join if I wanted to make a difference. This is the very same inspiration that continues to drive me today.

It is an incredible honor for me to lead and serve this great company of ours. Steve and Bill have taken it from an idea to one of the greatest and most universally admired companies in the world. I've been fortunate to work closely with both Bill and Steve in my different roles at Microsoft, and as I step in as CEO, I've asked Bill to devote additional time to the company, focused on technology and products. I'm also looking forward to working with John Thompson as our new Chairman of the Board.

While we have seen great success, we are hungry to do more. Our industry does not respect tradition - it only respects innovation. This is a critical time for the industry and for Microsoft. Make no mistake, we are headed for greater places - as technology evolves and we evolve with and ahead of it. Our job is to ensure that Microsoft thrives in a mobile and cloud-first world.

As we start a new phase of our journey together, I wanted to share some background on myself and what inspires and motivates me.

Who am I?

I am 46. I've been married for 22 years and we have 3 kids. And like anyone else, a lot of what I do and how I think has been shaped by my family and my overall life experiences. Many who know me say I am also defined by my curiosity and thirst for learning. I buy more books than I can finish. I sign up for more online courses than I can complete. I fundamentally believe that if you are not learning new things, you stop doing great and useful things. So family, curiosity and hunger for knowledge all define me.

Why am I here?

I am here for the same reason I think most people join Microsoft - to change the world through technology that empowers people to do amazing things. I know it can sound hyperbolic - and yet it's true. We have done it, we're doing it today, and we are the team that will do it again.

I believe over the next decade computing will become even more ubiquitous and intelligence will become ambient. The coevolution of software and new hardware form factors will intermediate and digitize - many of the things we do and experience in business, life and our world. This will be made possible by an ever-growing network of connected devices, incredible computing capacity from the cloud, insights from big data, and intelligence from machine learning.

This is a software-powered world.

It will better connect us to our friends and families and help us see, express, and share our world in ways never before possible. It will enable businesses to engage customers in more meaningful ways.

I am here because we have unparalleled capability to make an impact.

Why are we here?

In our early history, our mission was about the PC on every desk and home, a goal we have mostly achieved in the developed world. Today we're focused on a broader range of devices. While the deal is not yet complete, we will welcome to our family Nokia devices and services and the new mobile capabilities they bring us.

As we look forward, we must zero in on what Microsoft can uniquely contribute to the world. The opportunity ahead will require us to reimagine a lot of what we have done in the past for a mobile and cloud-first world, and do new things.

We are the only ones who can harness the power of software and deliver it through devices and services that truly empower every individual and every organization. We are the only company with history and continued focus in building platforms and ecosystems that create broad opportunity.

Qi Lu captured it well in a recent meeting when he said that Microsoft uniquely empowers people to "do more." This doesn't mean that we need to do more things, but that the work we do empowers the world to do more of what they care about - get stuff done, have fun, communicate and accomplish great things. This is the core of who we are, and driving this core value in all that we do - be it the cloud or device experiences - is why we are here.

What do we do next?

To paraphrase a quote from Oscar Wilde - we need to believe in the impossible and remove the improbable.

This starts with clarity of purpose and sense of mission that will lead us to imagine the impossible and deliver it. We need to prioritize innovation that is centered on our core value of empowering users and organizations to "do more." We have picked a set of high-value activities as part of our One Microsoft strategy. And with every service and device launch going forward we need to bring more innovation to bear around these scenarios.

Next, every one of us needs to do our best work, lead and help drive cultural change. We sometimes underestimate what we each can do to make things happen and overestimate what others need to do to move us forward. We must change this.

Finally, I truly believe that each of us must find meaning in our work. The best work happens when you know that it's not just work, but something that will improve other people's lives. This is the opportunity that drives each of us at this company.

Many companies aspire to change the world. But very few have all the elements required: talent, resources, and perseverance. Microsoft has proven that it has all three in abundance. And as the new CEO, I can't ask for a better foundation.

Let's build on this foundation together.

Satya

-Yogesh Babu
(www.fb.com/yogesh87)

The Ultimate Motivational Clip - Rise & Shine!

We all need motivation once in a while. Ofcourse, I dont expect you to see this before you crucify your breakfast but you know what I mean.

I love great motivational videos. Especially before I set up to do something really important.

I just found this on youtube and just HAD to share it,

Bottom line : Keep going. No matter how far, how tough or painful. You will be where you want to be only if you try hard enough.

-Yogesh Babu

(www.fb.com/yogesh87)