Prague, Czech RepublicWe started our journey with a week in our capstone course, followed by Strategic Management and Decision-Making in Textiles. Here, we bonded as a team that was going to be living every moment together for the next couple of months. We reflected on the Thunderbird Global Mindset Assessment, Halo Theory, and Belbin's Team Roles. We had site visits of Kontoor and Skoda, where we learned about the inner workings of distribution and manufacturing centers. The second half of our month in Prague was taught by Czech professor, Svec Vaclav. His teaching philosophy was not to hand us the lessons we were to learn, but to guide us through, allowing us to realize themes and conclusions by ourselves. We did simulations to learn about the economy, competition, and strategy, and Vaclav encouraged us to learn through our blunders. Outside of the classroom, the group explored together and stumbled through cultural exploration, planning, and decision-making.
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London, United KingdomWe spent a short two weeks in Leadership and Supervision in Recreation learning about the internal workings of various tourism and recreation industries. We split into team to visit smaller companies, where I was able to pick the minds of those working at The Stafford London. There, I saw the authenticity and work put behind their motto, "People, Passion, Purpose," and learned about the tools and strategies they use to be successful. We also met with EY, Paul Blanchard of Team England, and Sally Berry of the Special Event Company. This leg of the trip gave me insight into what makes a strong team, the competencies leaders should have, and solidified why I want to go into HR. While it was only two weeks, my time here was jam-packed with invaluable opportunities and experiences.
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Reutlingen, Germany
After bustling through big cities, we arrived to a smaller, quieter part of Germany. The course Teamwork in Organizations emphasized the acknowledgment of cultural differences, effective communication, and consistent reevaluation of team effectiveness. We also visited Mercedes, and reflected on the differences in goals and strategies they had compared to Skoda. Here, we also had a Reutlingen professor, Hazel Grünewald. Dr. Grünewald
has multiple cultural backgrounds, and over the years has lived in many places, so she was able to share with us her insights on navigating as a global leader with cultural sensitivity. Unfortunately, our time was cut short due to COVID-19, and the group had to make their way back to the US. While it was frustrating, I felt that we had gone through thick and thin together already. This was simply another obstacle we had to face, and instead of panic, we supported each other as we slowly made our way home in small groups. |