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This might be the single most used equation for business school satisfaction. Not by everyone obviously. And not necessarily by people ten years after graduation because sometimes their priorities have evolved. But during business school and right after graduation, I propose the idea that a lot of people measure satisfaction by the jobs they get. And then they compare it to what they wanted or expected before business school.

Under the formula, unhappiness means that the difference between the two numbers is quite large. You hope for one job in a competitive industry and don’t get it. In fact, in some cases you don’t even come close. And you end up working in an industry or role where you don’t place nearly as much value on the experience.

On the other hand, happiness thereby must occur when the difference between the numbers is really low . So they aim for a certain job and get it, or at least get something really closely aligned. Whether same industry but different role, or same role but slightly different industry.

But here’s the problem. Theoretically you can adjust the first variable (job you hope for) and aim lower to decrease the risk of the outcome. But the problem with that is that a lot of people wouldn’t be happy. Because smart people don’t just want to be positively surprised, they want really good outcomes and to get really good jobs. Jobs that are not only prestigious but also pay highly. So instead, smart people tend to amplify the first part. A lot. They shoot for the stars and they aim big.

In some ways, business school teaches you not to do that. It teaches you to “hope” for the right things. To segment and target appropriately. And to chase after things that are achievable and that concurrently helps to optimize the school’s recruiting numbers.

On the other hand, eternal optimists would say that business school has it all wrong. They’d propose that you forget targeting appropriately. Target higher. No higher. Go higher than even the highest targeting MBAs in the world. They’d say keep reaching for the stars and figure out how to eventually get there. And to do it despite the risk. Because the greatest riskin life is not taking one.

Eternal optimists then, would have a lot of unhappiness under the formula in business school. That is, unless they hit the jackpot.

So which theory is correct? Which one do you believe in?

What if I told you that you had to only choose one?

Are you passionate about education? Has education changed your life in ways we could even imagine?  Or have you seen education change someone else’s life that you know? If so, then I want to hear from you. We’re working on an innovative education project and would love to have your voice heard.  We want to hear more about your story and get some of your biggest ideas? So it that’s you, then please contact us with your name and email address via the contact form. You can also leave a comment here on this website. We look forward to hearing from you.

Just a few weeks ago, I was asked to write an article for Kellogg’s newspaper: the Merger. There were a lot of good articles submitted, some about Ski Trip, others describing the Photo contest and others about DAK. But like most editions, I was tapped to write something a little more serious. I was asked to write the inspirational New Years article. So I considered possible topics, pondered New Years resolutions and surveyed the past few months to come up with ideas. And upon reflection, I propose that 2012 will be the year of movements.

See below for my article.

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Three years ago, I HAD A DREAM. I was about to submit my application to Northwestern and I had just talked with a friend about his successful City Council campaign. He told me how he leveraged momentum from the Obama election to build a movement himself. As an aspiring social change agent, I was in awe and wanted to do something similar. I dreamt that I could also start a social movement. In fact, that dream nearly took me away from Northwestern to his school.

Then the following year, I watched an even bigger movement take place when my friend built a social network and then ran for Congress in Los Angeles. He brought together a great team, raised a lot of money, and created more buzz than anyone thought was possible. And I realized that with the right planning, it was possible to be part of a movement despite being a single person.

Inspired by these movements, just last year I pitched an idea to a local foundation to build a social platform to campaign for the importance of education. One pitch turned into a few meetings with volunteers and advisors. It also led us to find a prominent website developer, submit a few applications for funding and seek out a campaign manager. And today we have a full-fledged idea and nervously await as we hope to launch our project in the upcoming weeks.

But for now, more important than my idea is that 2012 is shaping up to be the year of Movements. The year people mobilize around issues more than ever before. The year that we can reach considerably more people in significantly less time. And year that even a single individual can do something that matters.

But don’t take it from me; take it from the Movements taking place all around the world today. The Occupy movements which started as a single blog post before making their way to New York City and then to nearly 100 cities and countries around the world. The It Gets Better Project which started as a YouTube video by a single blogger but today that has more than 30,000 uploaded entries, with more than 40 million views. And most recently the SOPA protest, which started as a single petition before dozens of organizations joined it, collected millions of signatures, and eventually got support from companies like Google and Wikipedia.

And how interesting that SOPA comes right after MLK weekend, which celebrates one of the biggest movements of all time. One that started with a dream but ended up changing hearts and making history. And that movement took place without the Internet.

Now more than ever, the world needs us to have a dream. A dream about how to make things better and about how to use our skills to make it happen.  Fortunately, getting an MBA Kellogg equips us well to do that. The classmates we have access to. The professors that want to help. And our training not just on business principles but also organizing and leading teams. They can all be priceless resources.

So today, as many of us are spending most our time thinking about recruiting I propose that in 2012 that we also think about the movements we want to support. And as we have dreams about landing top marketing and consulting jobs, we should also continue dreaming about pursuing our other passions. Whether building the next great social startup. Volunteering in rural communities abroad. Raising awareness around an issue you care about. Taking part in the upcoming Presidential election. Or taking a stand in the education conversation to say that Education Matters. Because in today’s Internet driven society it’s easier than ever before to have your voice be heard.

Now more than ever, we have an opportunity to create a movement. So while the rest of the world is paying close attention, let’s leverage the rest of our time at Northwestern to start one.

What is your dream for 2012? I know what mine is.

After weeks thinking about the storytelling platform I’m working on, I’ve recently started looking around online at other platforms that exist. They span across industries, geographies, business models and schools. Additionally, some platforms don’t resemble typical storytelling platforms today. Instead they do things that are much broader and much more multidimensional than they originally envisioned. I propose the idea that this is proof of the power of good stories not only to inspire people but also to help them take action and create change in the world.

One video about storytelling that I really like is the TED video by Jessica Jackley, Poverty, Money and Love. Watch the video below to see the power that both young people and MBAs can have by following their passion and believing in great stories. In this case, Jessica explains “that Kiva is really about stories. It’s about retelling the stories of the poor.” (see 9:30 for this part).  The core values that mattered to Jessica were struggle, progress, hope, respect, and optimism. Jessica called for us all not only to listen to the stories of others but also to take part in them.

And she ends with an enormously compelling two minutes, including a statement where she comes to tears at the end:

“For me, the best way to be inspired to try is to stop and to listen to someone else’s story. And I’m grateful that I’ve gotten to do that here at TED. And I’m grateful that whenever I do that, guaranteed, I am inspired — I am inspired by the person I am listening to. And I believe more and more every time I listen in that that person’s potential to do great things in the world and in my own potential to maybe help. And that — forget the tools, forget the moving around of resources — that stuff’s easy. Believing in each other, really being sure when push comes to shove that each one of us can do amazing things in the world, that is what can make our stories into love stories and our collective story into one that continually perpetuates hope and good things for all of us. So that, this belief in each other, knowing that without a doubt and practicing that every day in whatever you do, that’s what I believe will change the world and make tomorrow better than today. Thank you.”

Storytelling is not only my interest but also my passion. This was also the main theme of Jessica’s talk. I hope you’ll consider watching.

The stories that we tell each other are of the utmost importance. They matter not only in business but also in law.  The stories we tell in our MBA applications and law school applications. The stories we tell in our interviews. And the stories we tell about our careers. We can inspire people behind us and inform others how they can succeed themselves. As such, I propose that one of the best things we can do is learn how to become better storytellers.

This quarter I am taking a class on public speaking. In short, we spend the entire time giving short talks and speeches in front of a group of about 15 other students. And then we spend the rest of the time helping evaluate classmates who give their talks and speeches. As you might imagine, this is one of the hardest skills to perfect. Not just because it’s tough but also because it’s something every one of us fears. At least at first.

The first thing we learn in the class is that public speaking is the thing people fear most.  In fact, we learn that the order goes: (1). Fear of public speaking (2.) Fear of death and (3). Fear of spiders (Arachnophobia). But this doesn’t come as a surprise. After all, nearly everyone I know got a bit nervous about speaking in front of crowds.  And the same is true for most of the people in the class. And these are some of the smartest, and most accomplished people across the US.

My goal today is to become a better public speaker and more importantly a better storyteller. Imagine how you feel when you go to an inspiring talk. Imagine how you left inspired and with more insight than before you heard it.  And then imagine how you feel when somebody shares the details in a compelling way. Maybe they’re smiling. And maybe they discuss the nuances of the story and keep you on the edge of your seat. And in the end, you feel like you took part in their story, not just listed.

I propose that the ability to do this is one of the most important things we can learn. In the business world, we can tell great stories about our companies to investors to get more funding. And we can tell stories to recruit top employees to work with us. In the public sector, we can tell stories about our visions to inspire people to work on our campaigns. And we can tell stories about the future, not only to get more funding but also to build our constituent base. And in law, we can tell stories about our clients. And we can compel the judges and juries to see the merits of our side.

The ability to do this is what we’re all working toward in the class.  And its also the ability that differentiates great leaders from good ones.

So what’s your story?

The concept of the tipping point is more important than ever before. Internet companies need it to spread the word about their new ideas. App builders need it to get people download their applications from the Apple store and Android Market. Political campaigns need it to get people thinking more about what they are working on. And REALLY big ideas need it. Not only to catch on but so the world can hear exactly what the founders have in mind.  So what does it take to create a tipping point?

That is the million dollar question that every one us wants to know. What does it take to hit the tipping point and create a world class movement?  How do we convince millions of people to look at what we’re doing. And once they look, how do we compel them to take an interest.

A number of things come to mind. Getting started early. Laying the ground work. Being organized. Dealing with roadblocks. And perhaps most important, passion for what you’re trying to do.

In a blog post I read by Seth Godin, he says, “Good ideas didn’t spread because ‘important’ people endorsed and promoted it. It spread because passionate people did.” And Malcolm Gladwell said the same thing in his book. That you should not obsess about the A list media people. Worry instead about people with passion and people with lots of friends. You need both for ideas to spread.

The idea of the tipping point that at some point along the way, after a lot of hard work and struggle you can finally achieve a critical mass of people involved and the threshold number before it finally takes off.  The point where everybody cares and wants to participate. The point where “ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread like viruses” according to Gladwell.

And the interesting thing about viruses, is that people don’t even want them and they still spread; and quickly. The same is true for some ideas in the world today. People don’t always want to hear about things, but sometimes they need to. Sometimes they near to hear about a revolutionary product or service. Sometimes they need to hear the truth about an up and coming political candidate. And they usually need to hear about the importance of education. That Education Matters. Especially in disadvantaged communities.

But other times, they are things that people want to hear about, you just have to figure out how to spread the word. How to leverage the media. How to create buzz at precisely the right time.  And how to convince the right people e.g. the ”connectors, mavens and salesmen”.  That’s what we’re thinking about now with our Education campaign.

What are you thinking about as you try to hit your tipping point?

Have you ever considered applying to a JD-MBA program but weren’t quite sure because you didn’t know what it entailed? Have you ever wondered what the differences were between the joint programs and MBA programs? I bet some of you have. I certainly did when I was applying to graduate school. Well if you’re pondering the differences today, or simply want to know a bit more about the joint program, then check out my recent interview with MBA Crystal Ball.

See below for a snapshot of the article and a peak at two of the questions, And CLICK HERE to read the article in its entirety.st last week, I had an interview with MBA Crystal Ball. In the interview I discuss some of the nuances of the joint JD-MBA program.  While we couldn’t cover every possible question we did get some of the basic questions: why did you choose the program, how is the program different from MBA programs, do you “need” both degrees, and what I plan to do with the joint program.

http://www.mbacrystalball.com/blog/2012/01/25/jd-mba-program-kellogg-school-of-management/

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What are the pre-requisites to get into a joint-degree program (and specifically Kellogg)?

There aren’t generally any pre-requisites to get into the joint program. Just like MBA programs look for a diverse class, the JD-MBA program also looks for a diverse set of students from different walks of life to fill the class. Likewise, just like MBA applicants have to take the GMAT, JD-MBA applicants must also take the GMAT. However, one thing that differs at Northwestern is that you don’t have to take the LSAT. While some JD-MBAs do take the LSAT exam, others tend to have very high GMAT scores, which would alleviate any concerns on ability to score well on both exams. And finally, while not a pre-requisite, it is helpful to your application if you have a good reason why you want both degrees. In fact, the JD-MBA program recently added a specific question to ensure students address this.

What are your career plans after completing the program?

In the short run, I’m interested in both business and law, and see myself working at a law firm and in the startup world. In fact, I’m currently working on launching an Internet-based nonprofit in the education sector. So keep an eye out for our Education Matters Project over the next few weeks. Over time, I plan to do more blogging, speaking and writing, which is something that I’m already working on. And in the long run, I’m interested in the public sector. I not only want to work in business, but I also want to give back to my community and help improve the country.

I live by the motto, the greatest risk in life is not taking one. So I hope to take some pretty big risks early in my career after graduating and see what comes of it.

… on Facebook today. I did. In fact, I wrote it for five people. I wrote slightly different messages for each person, and especially customized my messages for those I know the best. On the other hand, for those I didn’t know as well, my message was much less custom. I didn’t have anything funny or exciting to write. And finally, there was one person whose wall I didn’t write on yet. I told myself I’d go back and figure it out later.  So what does this all really mean?

Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about happy birthday message on Facebook. This is especially true in business school, where the number of Facebook friends is higher than ever before. Not only do you get “Friends” from classes but you also find alumni, significant others, professors, and friends of classmates who become friends. And then you mix in the JD-MBA program.

But how can you write happy birthday to all of them?

That’s the million dollar question. Today it’s still “fairly” easy with my current set of “friends” but it’s not seamless. And at some point, it might get difficult. One day, maybe impossible. And if I want to ensure that it’s not impossible then I’ll have to become more standard and less creative. It’s the only way you handle 25 birthday messages in a day, let alone 30 or 40.

On the other hand, what if you don’t write on their Wall at all. Does it matter? Will they know you didn’t write and secretly remember in person. Will they decide not to write on your wall if they see you on your birthday? And even worse, will they de-friend you on Facebook?

I don’t know the answer to these questions. In fact, I hadn’t thought of any of them until today, while I was writing this post. But what I do know is that Facebook is becoming busier than ever before. And the average number of “Friends” is increasing more than ever before. At some point, we’ll all have to decide how busy we want to become. And when we should unplug? Or perhaps even pull the plug entirely?

The more friends you have, the more likely it is to eventually happen.

Hours ago, 18 high school students in Chicago were honored for their academic excellence. All were high school seniors, most were accepted to great schools, and some had quite lofty professional ambitions; probably loftier than ours when we were that age. Likewise, most of them had pretty great backgrounds, not just academically but also community service and extracurricular activities. It was an honor to see them get the good news yesterday and to serve a profession resource for them after school as a member of the Hispanic Heritage Fondation advisor network.

Just hours ago, my colleagues at the Hispanic Heritage Foundation and LOFT Institute awarded 18 students scholarships after a tough application process. They Applied with nearly 10,000 other applications, and yesterday we celebrated their achievements. There’s still a long road ahead and a lot of hard work to be done, but for just one day they were able to celebrate.

One question come to mind during the event: Will they remember the event weeks from now? And will they remember me one year from now? After all I did give them a business card and congratulate them all individually as the advisor at the event. I even met many of their parents.

My guess is that many of them won’t. After all, I didn’t remember everyone when I was their age. In fact, I didn’t even realize that it was important to remember anyone.

I propose the idea, that more important then getting remembered, is that we are all there to support them along the way. To clap when they do well. help them make informed decisions about school and their careers. And most importantly, to pick them up when they fall.  That’s why I was happy when I found connections with many of them – I saw one Cristo Rey student (I sit on the board of Cristo Rey), one student going to Stanford (I am an alum), one student that wants to go to law school (I am in law school), and another who LOVES storytelling (I am building a storytelling website). Finding connections, so that if one of them has a question, they are more likely to call and ask for help.

Thank you sponsors for making this happen. Thank you HHF for putting on a great event. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, thank you to those that sat in the audience a decade ago when I was got my award …. even if I didn’t call you back. Without you, last night would not have been possibl.

Just an hour ago, much of the world tuned in to the 2012 State of the Union address delivered by Barack Obama. No matter which side you relate to most, it’s likely you still considered tuning in. Not only was it a chance to hear one of the great orators of our time speak but it was also a chance to hear his view on what the state of the country is. And this is especially important now, as the economy is a topic of debate, the Republican primaries are heating up, and the education conversation is more heated than it’s ever been before. In this talk, Barack not only discussed these topics but he also honored Gabby Giffords for her service to the community.

Just an hour ago, Barack delivered the State of the Union address here in the US. His talk was long but many consider it to be good. As usual, there are a lot of Fact Checks as well as videos and text transcripts online. In fact, many were out there before the speech was even over (according to TV time).Below is one part of the state of the Union where Barack made a good quote. He said, “”Higher education can’t be a luxury, it’s an economic imperative that every family should be able to afford” as he told the world that Education Matters.

Below is a great video of the President honoring Gabby Giffords at the State of the Union Address. This was a great moment to watch tonight no matter which side of the isle you belong to. Especially because tonight is the eve of Gabby’s last day in office. But don’t take it from me, take it from Congress who gave Giffords a standing ovation as she entered the House chamber.

And finally, below is a list of Tweets provided by the White House during the actual talk. And see just what Barack was discussing during his 2012 address as well as a few of the hashtags and URLs with the underlying sources.

• The White House  President Obama’s State of the Union just concluded. Watch a live panel with WH officials now: wh.gov/sotu Ask Qs with #WHChat
• Obama: As long as we’re joined in common purpose…our future is hopeful & the state of our union will always be strong #SOTU
• Obama: This nation is great because we built it together. This nation is great because we worked as a team. #SOTU
• Obama: When you’re in the thick of the fight, you rise or fall as one unit, serving one nation, leaving no one behind. #SOTU
• Obama: Michelle & Jill Biden have worked with American businesses to secure a pledge of 135,000 #jobs for #veterans & their families. #SOTU
• Obama: Above all, our freedom endures because of the men and women in uniform who defend it. #SOTU
• Obama: America remains the one indispensable nation in world affairs & as long as I’m President, I intend to keep it that way. #SOTU
• Obama: The renewal of American leadership can be felt across the globe. #SOTU pic.twitter.com/nMwX3v5S
• Obama: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon & I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal #SOTU
• Obama: We will stand against violence & intimidation. We will stand for the rights & dignity of all human beings #SOTU
• Obama: I can do a whole lot more with your help. Because when we act together, there is nothing the USA can’t achieve. #SOTU
• Obama: With or without this Congress, I will keep taking actions that help the economy grow. #SOTU
• Obama: I believe what Repub…Lincoln believed…gov’t should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves & no more #SOTU
• Obama: I bet most Americans are thinking the same thing right now…nothing will get done …because Washington is broken. #SOTU
• Obama: if you make under $250,000 a year, like 98% of American families, your taxes shouldn’t go up…You’re the ones who need relief #SOTU
• Obama: we need to change our tax code so that people like me & an awful lot of Members of Congress, pay our fair share of taxes #SOTU
• Obama: Do we want to keep these tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans? Or do we want to keep our investments in everything else #SOTU
• Obama: People cannot afford losing #40dollars out of each paycheck this year…Pass the payroll tax cut without delay #SOTU
• Obama: Our most immediate priority is stopping a tax hike on 160 million working Americans while the recovery is still fragile #SOTU
• Obama: A return to the American #values of fair play & shared responsibility will help protect our people & our economy. #sotu
• Obama: Today, American consumers finally have a watchdog in Richard Cordray with one job: to look out for them. #sotu
• Obama: I will not go back to the days when health insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny you coverage #sotu
• “Worth crying over spilled milk” -Obama on outdated regulation that classified milk as oil & cost farmers 10k/yr #SOTUpic.twitter.com/FGWgjlO1
• Obama: Millions of Americans who work hard & play by the rules every day deserve a government & a financial system that does the same #SOTU
• Obama: @deptofdefense, the world’s largest consumer of #energy, will make one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history #SOTU
• Obama at #sotu: I will not walk away from the promise of clean #energy.
• Obama: This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American #energy. #SOTU
• Obama: we should support…every risk-taker & entrepreneur who aspires to become the next Steve Jobs. #SOTUpic.twitter.com/D0GkbJdz
• Obama: You see, an economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent & ingenuity of every person in this country#SOTU
• Obama: We should be working on comprehensive #immigrationreform right now. #SOTU
• Obama: It’s time to turn our unemployment system into a reemployment system that puts people to work #SOTU
• Obama: Our workers are the most productive on Earth & if the playing field is level, I promise you – America will always win #SOTU
• Obama: Tonight, I’m announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged w/ investigating unfair trade practices #SOTU
• Obama: Tonight, my message to business leaders is simple: ask yourselves what you can do to bring #jobs back to your country #SOTU
• Obama: We bet on American workers. We bet on American ingenuity & tonight, the American auto industry is back #SOTU
• Obama: Tonight, I want to speak about how we move forward & lay out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last #sotu
• Obama “American manufacturers are hiring again” -President Obama #sotu
• Obama: In the last 22 months, businesses have created more than three million #jobs. #SOTU
• Obama: What’s at stake are not Democratic values or Republican values, but American values. We have to reclaim them #SOTU
• Obama: Think about the America within our reach…An economy built to last, where hard work pays off & responsibility is rewarded #SOTU
• Obama: For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country. #SOTU pic.twitter.com/wD1abq1H
• Obama: We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer & more respected around the world. #SOTU

Every now and then we are fortunate to hear some really inspiring stories. On my site you often find some of these stories from the business and legal worlds. But often times, I like to share great stories from other industries. Well there’s a recent story that comes from the political arena. Just yesterday Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords made an announcement to the US and served as a great inspiration for those who watched.

Just yesterday, Congresswoman Giffords announced Sunday that she intends to resign from Congress this week. Gabby announced that she plans to spend her time concentrating on recovering from the assassination attempt last January.  More important than her actual resignation is her story of struggle, courage, and bravery.  Representative Giffords uses the video to show how far she’s come since last year and that she’s still working hard to get better. Hopefully her story will continue to inspire people to work together.

See below to watch this inspiring video.

• “We can do so much more by working together.” – Gabby Giffords

Today the business and legal worlds are more intertwined than ever before. As a senior executive, it’s absolutely impossible to escape high-stakes complex legal issues. Similarly, if you’re a leading corporate lawyer, you consistently run into business issues, not only at your firm but also at the firms of your clients. That’s why in 2009, two school joined Northwestern by creating a formally integrated JD-MBA program and in 2010, two more schools joined the cohort. Well, Northwestern is taking the lead once again and in February we’re launching the first Business Law Conference at a business school in the US.

The Kellogg School of Management is proud to host its inaugural Business-Law Conference. Whether forming a business, raising money, restructuring, or even making apparently simple business decisions, today’s manager faces many legal challenges. In recognition of this growing intersection of law and business, the conference will explore critical business issues which have substantial legal implications. Attendees will learn how to make improved business decisions with a clearer understanding of the legal implications of their decisions.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Legal Challenges in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Ownership” and will focus on issues particularly relevant to entrepreneurs and business leaders who want to supplement their business acumen with a legal perspective. The conference will be keynoted by Lawrence Eppley, partner at K&L Gates and former general counsel for Potbelly Sandwich Shop.

The first panel, “Working with Lawyers,” will address the inevitable situation when business leaders work with attorneys.  Topics will range from billing to using time efficiently to communication.

Panelists include:

• Roger Stelle, Partner, Meltzer, Purtill & Stelle
• Henry Krasnow, Partner, Krasnow, Saunders & Cornblath; Author, Your Lawyer: An Owner’s Manual

The second panel, “Selling and Marketing in Cyberspace,” will discuss the most pressing issues these companies face when doing business on the internet, including privacy and data collection policies, copyright and trademarking and legal regulations with email marketing and spam.  Panelists include:

• Gina Durham, Partner, DLA Piper
• Gregg Kirchhoefer, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis
• Desiree Vargas Wrigley, CEO and Co-Founder of GiveForward.com
• Ross Kimbarovsky, Co-Founder of crowdSPRING
• Moderated by Professor Esther Barron, Northwestern Law & Co-Founder of Elezar Handbags

The conference will take place from 1:00pm to 5:30pm with a networking reception to follow.  If you have any questions please contact us.

As you might imagine, not many people at Kellogg suffer from talker’s block.  Ask anyone a question. Seriously, ask them one. Ask them about a class. Or ask them about recruiting. I bet they can probably talk to you about it for hours. But I bet if you asked them to write about it, you’d get a slightly different response. That’s because just about every person I know experiences writers block. So I’m curious. What’s the actual difference between the two?

Some psychological theory suggests that we get writers block because we’re unorganized and overloaded with information, and because we can’t get our creative juices flowing. As a result, when we have to write answers on an exam or come up with novel paper for class, we don’t have words and often times we can’t even pick a topic.

On the other hand, no one at Kellogg walks into a class but discovers they don’t anything to say. They don’t sit in meetings with groups and meet with admits and get tongue tied.

Perhaps one reason is because MBA (and most people) are in the habit of talking. A lot. In fact, probably too much.  We talk to each other every day. We speak with prospective applicants. And we make our opinions known in class. Sometimes with substance, but often times we make things up and pull stuff out of thin air. Sometimes it depends on how prepared we are.

But over time, we get better. We start get some things right. We become insightful. And eventually we sound profound.

Maybe writing can work the same way. That at first, writing is hard. But if we practice writing, over and over (and over and over), we’ll get better. Soon we’ll get some things right. And eventually, we’ll start to sound profound.

I propose the idea that just like talking, we should get in the habit of writing. Write more frequently. Work on becoming better. And do it publicly where people can judge us. Because it will force us to improve.

One way to do that is by starting a blog. Another way to do that is by writing articles. We can also take more classes that require writing. Especially in grad school.

In sum, most people talk too much but don’t write enough.

Today, most of my MBA classmates are spending a lot of time thinking about recruiting. What industry they want to work in. What roles they want to have. And how much money they need to make after graduation. So they pursue roles at consulting firms, banks and companies who market products well.  And I get why they do it. These jobs not only pay well, but they also set you up to have a pretty great career afterward. But in today’s age I don’t think that’s the right mindset for everyone. Instead, I propose the idea that in 2012, for some it’s time to go out on the ledge.

Today more than ever before, it’s the time to walk out on the ledge.  No, not there. Go further. Take one more step.

It’s time to go where it’s risky and where the big falls are. Because where there’s more risk, there’s more reward. That’s why the entrepreneurs go there. They go as far out as possible, even when there’s limited space. And they suppress their fear falling.

I propose that 2012 is the year of the ledge, not just for entrepreneurs but for more of us.  You could see it shaping for the past year. The Occupy Movements. Viral Internet campaigns like It Gets Better Project. And now policy movements like SOPA. You can see people taking a stand about what’s important and going to the edge to make something happen.

Today, more than ever before, the world needs you to go further out. To take a stand. And to risk falling to do something great.

Today, very few people do it, but tomorrow I guarantee you it will catch on. And soon the edge will no longer be the edge because a lot of us will be out there. So it will be common ground again.  When that happens, we’ll all have to go out further to the new edge.  And soon, we’ll all pause and glance back together, and we’ll see how far we’ve come.

So what are you waiting for? Go.

Hi Everyone, just passing along a recent blog post from new Law School Dean Dan Rodriguez. Recently the Dean wrote a post about the collaborations of the law school and business school here at Northwestern. He specifically mentions the alignment of the business and legal world and discusses the JD-MBA program and how it’s at the forefront of the business world today.  The article is short, but given it’s relevance to the JD-MBA and MBA world, I wanted to repost it here.

See below for the blog post:

Kellogg School of Management: kudos and collaborations

Have you ever had a meeting only to find that you could have contributed a lot more if you had a few more minutes to prepare? Or that with a few more minutes of prep you could have cut your meeting time in half?  I’ve had both experiences, and I’m sure you have as well. I propose the idea that one way that we can figue out how to avoid these experiences by thinking more about transition time.

I think the concept of transition time is critical, especially for people that lead busy lives. In business school, our schedules booked with events, filled with meetings, and packed nonstop with classes and recruiting events. In law school, it’s similar, except there’s a lot more reading and work to get done for class. So in hopes to get everything done, most people work up until the last possible minute before hurrying over to their next scheduled meeting.

But there are two problems with this. First is that we continually leave ourselves too little time to prepare. And second, it would then suggest that we’re always making schedules that are impossible to keep. After all, how can we end a meeting at 3pm and start the next one at 3pm? Even if they’re just phone meetings, there’s no way you can dial that fast. And if you throw in a bathroom break in the middle, you’re basically admitting that impossibility beforehand.

Take one second and think about it:

• How many meetings have you been in where where you begin to wonder, what’s the point?
• How often have you thought: this 2 hour meeting should have been 1 hour?
• How many times have you been on a phone call and found yourself surfing the web?

Chances are you were right.  Your meeting probably could have been 30 minutes if you had done the right planning. And surfing the web was probably more productive.

So I propose that scheduling more transition time would be helpful. In business school, it would gives us time to come up with more questions, think about the bigger picture, and formulate our plans. In law school, it would allow us to think about more issues, come up with better arguments, and think about ways to approach problems.

And in the end, not only will it make everyone else in the room happier, but it’ll also create a more of an efficient outcome, which was your original goal in setting back to back meetings anyhow.

In short, think more about transition time. Schedule it. And then use it to maximize your outcome. Because in the end, everyone will be better off.

In some professions, such as banking and consulting, taking a GMAT prep course is a given for prospective M.B.A. students. For those students, the question is never “should I take the GMAT but instead, which one should I use. With so many companies and tutors competing for your attention, it can be difficult to choose which to use. But for others, the decision to take a GMAT class can be tough. Not only because the cost is high but also because you don’t know how much to actually study. Well, in a recent question on BeatTheGMAT I received a question about just that.

In a recent question on BeatTheGMAT I received a question about taking a GMAT class. Because the person had gotten bad feedback on an LSAT class, they were uncertain if they should consider taking a GMAT one.

See below for the question, and below that for an adaptation of my response.

—-

APPLICANT QUESTION

Hi Jeremy,

In preparing for the GMAT, would you recommend prep class or private tutor? I heard one experience from an LSAT prep class that classmates slowed things down since everyone was from different levels/backgrounds. Wondering if it’s similar or different for the GMAT.

(Name)

—-

MY RESPONSE

Hi (Name)

Thanks for your question. I think the answer is different for everyone. Some students have different priorities when applying to MBA programs so may decide to spend more or less time on the GMAT.  And others can sometimes thrive in different environments, where in some cases that environment is a tutor and self study, and other cases it is a formal GMAT class. That said, it is true that far more people take a GMAT class than use a private tutor.  And for those who use a private tutor, many of them have already taken the class and are using a tutor to sharpen up their skills in the weeks leading up to the exam date.

Because in general, the GMAT class should help you get through all the basics you need to do well. The curriculum for “good” classes is up to date, the instructors are top notch (though probably better at some places than others) and the pace of the class is appropriately spaced to get you through everything in the 10 week period (length may vary depending on class).  Further, the class will help give you a structured schedule with a consistent routine to help learn the information and will give you more resources than you would have on your own.

Of course there are always possible downsides to everything. If you are traveling to a classroom the time investment is more than it would be with a private tutor. Likewise, the cost is greater and you don’t always have a chance to choose your teacher.

Personally, I took a GMAT class and saw a lot of others do the same. I had no problem with pace and ended up with a great instructor and would recommend Manhattan GMAT to a lot of other applicants. While I can’t promise the same experience, and don’t have any knowledge about the makeup of the classes you might consider joining, I suspect many of them would not have problems with classmates and won’t end up going to slow. Especially if you have a strong instructor.

Good luck.

I talk a lot about MLT here on my blog. Not only because I went through the program a few years ago, but also because I think very highly of the organization. They help you think about graduate school. Force you to think not just about business school but also post business school. And perhaps most importantly they also encourage you to think a lot about future career goals. Well, in a recent question during my BeatTheGmat chat series I recently got a question about MLT from one of the attendees.

In a recent chat on BeatTheGmat, I got a question about MLT. I sure was glad to see it when it came through. I only wish I had more time to talk about it during the chat, as sometimes things can feel rushed. Anyhow, see below for the question. And below that for my response.

—-
APPLICANT QUESTION
In reviewing your blog I noticed that you are an MLT alum. Can you explain how MLT helped you determine that Kellog and the JD-MBA program was the right? Furthermore, did MLT help you hone in on your career goals based on your experiences and interests?
Thanks for your insight and time!
—
MY RESPONSE

That’s correct! I am a very proud MLT alum and can’t say enough positive things about the organization. One great thing about MLT is that it ensures you spent a lot of time reflecting and thinking about fit schools and industries. Even its application questions are centered around those things. They ask, what are your post-MBA short and long term career goals? How will an MBA help you achieve those goals? And what research have you done to determine that the MBA makes sense?The great thing about the MBA application process and MLT is that it forces you to think a lot about who you are, what you’re good at, and what you want to do in your career. Outside of these experiences, it’s hard to carve out a lot of time (e.g. months) to think about these things. So in the end, I’d say that the MBA application process… and even moreso MLT are extremely valuable experiences.

For me, those experiences were valuable as they helped me determine that the JD-MBA program was the right program for me.

—-
To learn more about MLT CLICK HERE
To learn more about their MBA Prep Program CLICK HERE
To see my posts on MLT, click on the links below:

• MLT Kickoff Conference at Darden HERE
• MLT on CNN HERE 
• Management Leadership for Tomorrow in 2011 HERE
• MLT MBA Prep Application HERE
• MLT Kickoff Seminar in Houston HERE

Good luck!

Many of you will enjoy the three day weekend coming up. For some it’s time off from work. For others, time off from school. And for some, time to go home and visit friends and family. But for all of us, it’s also a day where we have the chance to recognize one of the most important days in the last half century. Because on Monday it is Martin Luther King day. And in the spirit of MLK, it’s a great weekend to give back here in Chicago.

Hi Everyone, just a quick message about Martin Luther King Day (MLK Day) and the opportunity to volunteer near campus this upcoming weekend.  This year you can combine your efforts with the larger Northwestern community and volunteer at service projects in Evanston and in Chicago.

A number of my Kellogg classmates will be there, including me. Further, a number of Northwestern Law students and students from the general student body will be there. In fact, I know a few alumni who will also be there.

So what about you  … Are you coming?

See below for information on how to sign up.

HOW TO REGISTER

STEP 1: Register after you read this email! It takes less than 1 minute www.norris.northwestern.edu/community.

STEP 2:  You can join Kellogg by entering the code: “Kellogg BMA” under Group/Student Organization.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service 2012

Date: Saturday, January 14, 2012

Time: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Place: Meet promptly at 10:00 am in the Norris University Center.

Breakfast will be provided at this time, lunch will be provided at the sites. Buses will leave for sites from Norris Arts Circle and drop off students at the same location after the event.

Note that: students must register by TOMORROW Friday, January 13th. 

Too Much Work is what we have as 1Ls in law school. We have to read 500 pages for our classes. Be prepared to get cold called. And outline for each class. We also have a lot of this work at times in business school. Tough Work is what we have in some of our third year law school (3L) classes. Just this week, we had to read an empirical paper about Renegotiating Debt Contracts, synthesize a short yet complete list of disparate ideas and create a 30 page presentation that only presented the study to the class but also kept them interested and pointed out potential flaws in the paper. And we have to do that in just two days time.