I've got good news, I passed the exam for Managing People and Performance, one quite difficult as many of experienced colleagues said. For me it was very interesting as I am cultivating a special focus on managing people and how to increase the team performance. Anyway, the time spent on assignment was quite extensive and I was involved in reading and analysing a lot of theoretical articles. It was interesting also because of the psychological effect, going into human resource strategies and how these can affect the people and productivity. Once can say that MBA is very practical, but it is more the way how you can apply the theory into practice. This is why I would recommend at leat 3 years of managerial experience before to go on on such a journey.
Now looking forward to the next assignment and today I started the preparations. Even I did not have the chance to join my team in London last week (I was stucked in airport because of bad weather), I got to confirmation that I can join the next intake of the same course in Munich, this month. Good news and also interesting to meet my MBA colleagues from Germany.

Astazi s-a asezat piatra de temelie a noii aplicatii (nou domeniu de business) marca HRH. Este vorba de o platforma de brokeraj care va permite utilizatorilor sa acceseze servicii financiare pe bursa romaneasca. Va contine diferite aplicatii de reporting, stiri recente de pe cele mai urmarite site-uri de profil, cotatii online si tranzactionari in timp real pe Bursa De Valori Bucuresti (bvb) Este un join-venture cu cativa dintre cei mai de success brokeri din Romania. Siteul este in lucru (http://stocks.hrh-group.ro) si va fi gata in decursul anului curent - poate fi accesat prin linkul anterior sau din meniu de pe prima pagina a grupului.  

The second journey was related to managing people and performance, one of the hottest but very lovely topics inside organisations. On the other side, I was very happy to see again my buddies, to discuss interesting things and to make some team exercises with my learning team. I got to meet my tutor also. A nice person, we had a discussion and she provided us good tips how to succeed and how to approach learning for an MBA. 
Dr Ann P. - Workshop professor- presented us a very structured material, with a lot of interaction and very actual cases during the 2 days workshop. It could be easy seen, she knows what it means dealing with people and performance every day. During the lunch, I had a very interesting discussion with her about performance in different organisations and the role of HR in promoting it. She made me proud when she told me that my company (she worked with) is very open and concerned in engaging people and promoting processes in improving performance.
I got back home with a lot of thoughts how to deal with the assignment. Because of a large context and many theories, I have to think wisely how to approach the work. I think I will take the first step to read the material and structure the knowledge on a separate paper, maybe commenting the main theories, afterwards taking care to draft the ideas for assignment. As elective, I have chosen the "Highly Effective Teams" because during my normal work I lead teams and I am interesting how can I exceed the expectations. About the idea of the assignment, I have some thoughts about it and I think I will deal with motivation, HR development strategy and globalization to one of my clients, all three factors that brought the company on the wrong track for further development in dealing with economical competitiveness (a fundamental problem for which I will propose drastical solutions). 

It is a lot of work but I need to plan it wisely to finish it in time and to bring it to the required quality. I feel I can do a good work here for which I can be proud also because the material and the very good explanations from inside can not invite you very much to do it wrong. I have just to give some attention and impose me some discipline, especially that the current MBA work has to find some place (besides normal business) among so nice winter holidays that are approaching. 

P.S. I have decided to prefix all titles with Henley, where are articles about my current MBA.

My first assignment which, in fact, oficially declare the start of the journey. It was an useful experience because there is already some time since I have done my last assignment and I have lost a little bit from my "exercise". Never matter, I have to prepare and together with the feedback that I will get from the examinator, I want to say that I will improve myself to a level that should enable me a nice and useful journey.
There is some time since I made my reflection upon my career and set some objectives for the future. The role of this assignment was exactly this. And I can say, made me some thoughts in which direction should I go for long term. Of course, overall I made some thoughts but this exercise forced me to establish also some plan how to achieve it. I really enjoyed it, and the support of my learning team was gorgeuous. I also oficially thanks Patrick Galig for his advice how to structure my work  (http://www.galig.ch/blog/) based on his experience by Henley.
Just some learning points that I have developed as I worked for this assignment and which I should take care for the future:
1. Be sure that you understand exactly which are the requirements. Here, a discussion with the tutor or learning team can really help
2. Make your thoughts, ideas (mind manager?) and try to get some draft of text out of it. Structure your text until you get a main format which you will develop later.
3. Put a cover page, table of contents, header, pagination, exec summary, intro, conclusion, bibliography, etc.
4. Link every concept from the requirements text to a concept from theory. Try to develop it based on theory and, where possible, try to critisice it.
5. Use graphics as much as possible, it would help your examinator to understand your ideas better and for you to structure your thoughts.
6. Do not forget to declare the source of text where others sources are used: references are very important to be separate declared at the end
7. If you are not a native english - as me, cross-check your writings with a native speaker.
That is for now, eager to meet again my team at next workshop that starts already in 3 days :). See you, guys, in London.

It could be my first post in english; but for sure not the last. The idea is that I would like to keep an e-jurney related with the experience to Henley MBA, for me and for my colleagues that are, maybe, following my posts. I would like to transform it into an usual habit where to put my thoughts and to structure a bit my fresh ideas from the seminars.
What about Henley? Yes, indeed, how let me out to choose such a serios journey?
The idea came to me long time ago, I would say. If I am truly remember the beginning, it could be already 5-6 years ago. At that time it was only like an impression but with the time was becomming more than a temptation transforming at the end into a fact: I am enrolled in an MBA. Yes, myself, engineer thinking analytically to fight all those big guys from management. It could be my next projection fot the future. Yes, I want to enter into this battle field more strongly than now and more confident that I can win. And, anyway, as I think, at the end, it is all about confidence and a little politics, nothing more. The work will keep the same basis, only the battle field will be another one, maybe with another repertoaire and another auditorium. But I will not let me intimidated because I can win, I feel it.
So, my first workshop was amazing: in a splendid location, near London, called Henley. Till to University Campus was taking me 2 hours changing 2 traings, one bus and one taxi. But the weekend was full of fresh ideas and new friends (80% british): my intake for the next 3 years, I hope. A lot of open-minded people, very bright and filling top management positions into their companies. Thus, bringing, a lot of energy and fresh ideas from their domains. Non managers or beginners in management could be less than 10 percent. But who cares there, we were all friends and colleagues, spending some good times together which I hope will be for the next workshops the same or even better.
One photo with the campus and back to work, my first assignment is waiting already for me. Come back soon....
As info: Henley is one of the 20 business schools in the worlds that received triple accreditation (AMBA, Equis, AACSB) and the oldest MBA school in Europe. The focus is on general management and strategy.

Super. Am ajuns in acest an si la IAA 2011 in Frankfurt. Era un vis mai vechi al meu pe care nu am vrut sa-l mai aman, mai ales ca aveam treaba in zona. Si s-a meritat din plin: modele noi, standuri impecabile si idei promitatoare. Cuvantul de ordine este masina electrica. BMW a prezentat un show separat acestui concept, impreuna cu un model care va fi curand produs in serie; AUDI de asemenea s-a orientat spre E-TRON - conceptul electric. A fost lume multa, agitatie mare dar parca cel mai frumos tot la AUDI a fost. Cateva impresii in pozele urmatoare 

Am participat zilele trecute la prima mea manifestare sub egida Bizcamp, workshop pentru tinerii absolventi la inceput de cariera. S-au discutat concepte legate de brandul personal sau au avut loc diferite workshopuri ale firmelor participante. Este foarte interesant sa-i urmaresti pe cei tineri cum analizeaza lucrurile si pe ce pun accent in cautarea unui job sau in consolidarea brandului personal. A fost o experienta interesanta si imi doresc sa mai particip (la urmatoarea, promit sa si iau cuvantul) la astfel de evenimente. Multumesc firmei mele, filiala locala Bucuresti, pentru sprijinul acordat.

"es ist soweit....", cam asa se zice pe aici prin frankfurt, cladirea Pollux, la etajul 14 (unde am biroul),  despre unul dintre cele mai mari proiecte de migrare bancara din Europa. Dupa ce Commerzbank (a 2a banca din Germania) a preluat Dresdner Bank (a 4a banca din Germania), integrarea sistemelor IT se apropie de punctul culminant, migrarea reala a tuturor clientilor dintr-un sistem in altul.
Au fost deja rulate 2 migrari test si rezultatul a fost excelent, adevaratul GO va fi exprimat oficial pe 14 Aprilie. Daca se va decide GO, adevarata migratie se va produce in weekendul de Paste.
Sa fie intr-un ceas bun si de succes ca sa putem privi cu optimism spre o noua posibila fuziune in viitorul apropiat: Deutsche-Bank cu .....???? Surprise.

si care sper sa va placa si voua....in cinstea Zilei Nationale a Frantei!

Obiectele de arta se dovedesc niste investitii deosebit de profitabile. Valoarea unui tablou se poate dubla chiar si pe timp de criza, de la an la an, trebuie doar sa fii un fin cunoscator si sa participi la licitatii. Nu degeaba multi oameni bogati devin pasionati de arta, si nu o fac doar de dragul artei, ci si de dragul castigului. Vedem foarte bine ca investitiile in imobiliare sunt fluctuante si depind de saturatia pietei, iar cele pe bursa riscante. Operele de arta sunt singurele care castiga in valoare pe masura ce timpul trece. Specialistii considera ca o investitie minima intr-o opera de arta care sa aduca castig ar trebui sa fie de la 50.000 de euro in sus. La acest pret se invart multe dintre lucrarile maestrilor romani, gen Stefan Luchian, Nicolae Tonitza, Grigorescu, Pallady.