Kjell and I just came back from an inspiring weekend in Lisbon, where Kjell´s Class of 85 at IMD, Lausanne had its 38th Reunion.
IMD Business School (International Institute for Management Development) runs a one year MBA program. From the 61 students in 1985, 17 students and 13 partners joined for the Lisbon event.
This occation was yet another successful meet up with lots of fun and inspiration. A big thank you to the organizers!
I feel inspired and blessed after having experinced this grande event, and in my mind I summarize it as:
FOOD, FUN & FUNDAMENTALS
FOOD
Kjell and I arrived in Lisbon late Thursday, in good time to join the meet up after lunch on Saturday.
We all stayed at a small hotel by Avenida da Liberdade, the "Champs-Élysées of Lisbon", which is covered with Designer Fashion Shops.
Great starting point for an early study of Lisbon´s fashion market. And the perfect additional handbag for my specific needs was located! You ladies know what I mean… 😊
Then food time! The hotel had already recommended us the close by Restaurante A Gina, with Portugese kitchen. So off we went for lunch.
It turns out to be a relaxed place, and in no time we where seated and got recommendations on what to eat. "Today´s fish is grilled Seabass (Havsaborre), delivered from the fishermen this morning". It was delicious!
When the servant plated the fish he saw that one part the fish was not quite done, and he send it out for some more time on the grill.
Guest sending out food yes, but I have never seen the service staff do it. Cudos to A Gina!
Sunday lunch was with pretty much the whole group. And the local Portugese of our group declared that we should all go to A Gina, a very good loca place. Yes – no problem for us!
So our group of 18 guests turned up unannounced to A Gina. No worries, it took the staff 5 minutes to get us all sorted. Our Portugese allumni quickly discussed and ordered an amazing meal for us all. Perfecty managed, thank you!
Food and drinks where flying out of the kitchen. For starters different shared plates of grilled different shellfish and sallads. Loved the shrimp and clams grilled with garlic!
For main course came large plates to share with several kinds of grilled fish or grilled meat.
Yet another wonderful meal!
If you are traveling to Lisbon – remember Restaurante A Gina!
FUNDAMENTALS
As usual there is also an element of inspiration and learning during an IMD Reunion. This year one of the alumni had succeed with a great "catch".
Based on her long-time relationship she managed to enroll a "Seasoned star of Business Development, Academia and Learning".
Please note that these are my words only 😊.
However, to me they summarize what I think we experienced during three hours of inspiration from Derek Abel, who was Dean of IMD during the years around 1985. He also has held previous positions as professor at both Harward and Instead Business Schools.
Anyway, Derek Abel comes across as a supersharp, friendly and funny man in his eighties. Derek talked to us about the seven chapters in the new book he is working on.
The working title is something along the lines of:
"Seven Pillars of Practical Wisdom".
Did I get your attention now? Well check out the outline for chapter titles below and let me know what you think!
For sure, we were totally engaged. You should have seen us. All of us more or less 60+ and many taking notes like we were students again. And loving every minute of it!!!
Below you find the tentative Chapter Titles – enjoy the wisdom fundamentals, by the inspiring Derek Able.
1. Putting values, purpose and vision upfront
This means purpose before vision (what you would like to create) and values above all, acting as "guiding lights".
2. Understanding oneself and where others in the big world are coming from
Understanding oneself under stress is essential.
3. Seeing the big picture
Big picture is about many things, such as:
· Science & Technology
· Meaning, Philosophy & Humanities
· Action – how to turn it into action
· Both minds and hearts
4. Getting to the essential
Sometimes the essential is "outside" of what you see as the big picture.
The management process is about the ability to see/conceptual things, to understand them and solve them.
5. Thinking and acting strategically on multiple time horizons
· Today for today
· Today for the upcoming/foreseeable future
· Today for the truly tomorrow
· Thinking about the future of others – sustainability
6. Exercising balanced judgement
· Balancing me vs me and my group/my organization/society at large
· Balancing Risk/Reward
· Balancing Short/Long term..
7. Navigating the way forward and making it happen
Being aware of the state of how things are working out. There are always people "crying". The question is how much and what to do?
No small thing to understand, embrace and act on! Maybe impossible? But nevertheless great food for thought!
FUN
After the more serious "fundamentals", time to finish off with a surprisingly, superfun event on the agenda.
It was the so called "Hippo tour" with an amfibievehicle that started as a tourbus, to become a tourboat in the Lisbon harbor.
This may sound like a boring turist trap. Not!
We started off by waiting for the bus. And then more waiting for us to clear the traffic jam in the city center.
However, within 20 minutes we heartedly enjoyed all the silly jokes, and engaged in the "mantra to keep us all happy" – according to the tour guide! In between the jokes, our guide also talked about the history and city planning of Lisbon.
Whenever the guide finished a joke or felt we needed some cheering up he suddenly shouted "HIPPO HIPPO" and we would answer HOOORAAA!!!
By the time we went into the water with a big splash, we were shouting ever more.
Sounds realy weird I know, but it seemed perfectly normal, as we where having so much fun!
So there you go!
Great food, serious inspiration and thinking is good, as well as silly jokes and laughter!
Great to see you all in Lisbon. May the force be with you!
All the best from
Anna Karin
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