Laziness sets in

I was planning to write a short synopsis of my experience at Procter & Gamble's Marketing Camp, but fellow brand camper Tak seems to have done it for me.

I did have a couple of things I wanted to add though:

Procter & Gamble: Ever since I read "Built to Last," I knew P&G was a special company. The week-long experience simply reaffirmed it. The success of the company has been built on it's strong relationship with it's employees, and this bleeds through in every aspect: strong company culture, absolutely dedicated employees, commitment to training, etc...

Recruiting: Holy garlic-crusted steak Batman, did the stops get pulled out for us. It feels like we were on an all-expenses paid "best of Cincinnati" tour. There were steakhouses, sushi bars, martini clubs, and game nights; the company definitely spared no expense in making sure we had a good time. Obviously there was ulterior motive here; it is in their interest that we feel fondly about not only P&G but also Cincinnati (their worldwide HQ) but it was certainly an enjoyable week. I had forgotten that even as we as students compete, primp, and prepare to land a plum job, companies are also competing with each other to nab the cream of the crop.

MBA Preparation: The flip side of being wined and dined was a lot was expected of us as well. The schedule for the days of the week inevitably started at 7am sharp, and none of the days ended before midnight. It was a pretty good simulation of what b-school will be like, and definitely a kick in the pants that I needed to get back into gear. While there were many sleepless nights at the beginning of our startup phase, I'll admit the last few months after I submitted my notice were uneventful, as I mainly transferred work off my desk and maintained status quo. In Cincinnati, as we juggled scheduled events, mingling, case study, group work/presentation, and interview preparation I was reminded that the next 2 years will be flying by at a frenzied pace, and I need to be prepared for it.

A. G. Lafley: I still have a hard time believing that the (ex) CEO (but still current chairman) of one of the largest companies in the world took time out of his day to speak to 40 people who may or may not work for his company. It wasn't so much of a speech, as a back and forth discussion on leadership. He was very low key, yet undoubtedly a great leader and manager; I think I admire him more for being not the outspoken, charismatic stereotype, but instead quiet and even introverted (his words, not mine). In case you are interested, here are the 8 points he touched upon.

1. Know yourself.
2. Change is inevitable.
3. See things as they are.
4. Respect your consumer as boss.
5. Power of choices (strategy & execution).
6. Leaders develop and select co-leaders.
7. Leaders communicate.
8. Be yourself. Be comfortable. Be confident.

I don't think there's anything groundbreaking there, but it was obvious this man not only believes in but practices those 8 missives, and thus has found the success he has. It was very apparent that the head of P&G has internalized and then executed these fundamentals, as they pervade the entire company. Two of the key things I took away were 1) Between 1 & 8, it is much easier said than done, and yet there is nothing more important... always keep at it. 2) A plan is no good until it is executed.

Tomorrow will be my last day in Los Angeles; I fly Tuesday, so the blogging may be a bit sparse until I ... well, find a place to live, for starters.