Carpe Diem

Most lecturers over their careers meet literally thousands of students. It would be satisfying to think these lecturers could positively transform the lives of all these students. Equally, it would be good if each meeting could positively add to each student’s knowledge and personal development. However, in reality transformative educational experiences are not commonplace, but this makes them even more special when they occur.

How social is networking?

I was talking to one of my MBA colleagues this afternoon about networking.  I asked her whether people are organising meetings any better now than they did 20 years or so ago (not that she is old enough to address that question exactly but that was the comparison I was wanting to make).

I remember when a group of us established a branch of the Institute of Marketing (as it was at the time) in Cambridge.  We were all young, the city was quite small then and the viability of the branch was a little fragile so we had to do everything we could to keep people coming to meetings.  We had several people who had the specific task of greeting people and introducing them to someone else.  Nobody was left on their own.  As a committee, we tried to know everyone.  We weren’t a bunch of mates meeting up but a welcoming, professional team running a welcoming, professional event.