(Post) MBA Blog

I stopped into A. E. Clothier today (yes, I too am amazed they have a website) to try and find a decent dinner suit for the upcoming Christmas party at Sir Paul Judge's pad in London ("overlooking the Thames", was all we were told) as well as assorted college balls.

Not as easy as it sounds. My first call was Moss Bross on the way into the Judge Inst., but I felt the manager there was a little too eager to sell me what seemed a reasonable outfit although I wondered just how many times the suit had been hired out before. (What!? You want me to buy a brand new dinner suit?? But I'm a stoodent!)

Later on I decided on A.E Clothier on Pembroke Street. It was much smaller than Moss Bross but you felt you were in safe hands there. A couple of old chaps looked down at me over the rims of their glasses and proceeded to fit me out.

And they even managed to sell me some Magdalene cufflinks! Who says you can't buy class?

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I paid my first visit to the Graduate Union tonight, after the talk by Yoshi (below). The food was expensive, the dining hall concrete and the lifts confusing but the company was pleasant .

The point is, I suddenly realised it was the most conspicuously modern building I've been into for weeks! God the change did me good. There is such a thing as too much medieval splendour you know.

Oh, to see a high-rise London tower block once more - my heart yearns!

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We were privileged to have Mr Yoshio Ishizaka, Executive VP of Toyota at the Judge today to speak on the leadership principles of himself and Toyota. He was accompanied and introduced by the black-shirted one himself - Mr Kevin Roberts, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi. Mr Ishizaka was more laid back than I thought he would be, always willing to poke a little fun at himself, which makes a nice change.

Somebody wanted to ask Kevin Roberts why Saatchi & Saatchi ditched the Cobra beer account under pressure from some big brewing clients, but they thought better of it!

Right guys, you know the drill, this is a run down of what he said...

The key traits of being a good leader:
1. The leader needs to be visionary; the leader needs a clear vision of what is required and also a clear mission for the team and the firm.

2. The leader needs to be a great communicator. He mentioned early attempts at internal online forums he promoted at Toyota, which seemed to be a great success, as well as the twice yearly Town Hall meetings he would have, where anyone could raise issues.

3. Yoshi's eight rules of leadership:
i) Keep an open mind and a develop a love for travel
ii) Communicate as much by listening as by talking
iii) Pack a positive attitude; everything can be worked out. Eliminate negative thinking
iv) Invest in your mind and body. Not too many late nights, not too much rich food. Keep time for yourself & family
v) Be a student for life
vi) Respect others at all levels
vii) Believe in building an entire team, not just your own position
viii) Know how to have fun and be a likeable work colleague!

On a final note, Yoshi encouraged us to try to bridge the gap between different cultures, since the world was getting smaller every day. Here here!

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