Vu Nguyen, Former Head of Customer Acquisition & Retention at FrieslandCampina Vietnam, MBA Talent Class of 2022, shares, “MBA Talent has brought about significant changes in me. The most notable change has been in my attitude toward listening and being open to new knowledge.”
Discover his MBA Talent journey in the article below!
Firstly, what motivated you to join the MBA Talent program?
Previously, I had aspired to pursue graduate studies abroad. However, after weighing factors such as finances, family and career, I decided to seek educational opportunities in Vietnam. While searching for a suitable graduate program domestically, I was fortunate to be introduced to and nominated for the MBA Talent program by my company.
MBA Talent has left a profound impression on me regarding the quality of the Board of Committee, lecturers and fellow participants. I believe that an in-depth program like MBA Talent will provide me with invaluable knowledge to advance my career. For me, the decision to participate in this program was a wise choice.
How do you feel about the lecturers, fellow students and the program at MBA Talent?
First and foremost, I was impressed by the university’s willingness to invest in bringing in an exceptionally high-quality team of lecturers. A prime example is Professor Howard Nicholas, who teaches Economics for Business. He is among the most distinguished economists globally today. The professor continuously questioned the economic knowledge we had learned before. Indeed, much of what I studied in college no longer fits today’s reality. By embracing new economic theories and daring to challenge old concepts, I have expanded my perspective and gained deeper, fresher insights.
MBA Talent is not only a place to learn from top-notch educators but also an ideal environment for participants to learn from each other. The participants at MBA Talent are not only experienced professionals but also high-level managers and directors in various departments.
Additionally, the MBA Talent curriculum has provided me with many practical, applicable skills. For instance, I could immediately apply the knowledge gained from the Contemporary People Management course to my team: Improving workflows between teams, managing performance, etc.
What challenges did you face during your MBA journey? How did you overcome them?
I encountered two significant challenges during my “race” in the MBA Talent program.
The first challenge was time management. My work at the company consumed the majority of my time. Additionally, I needed to allocate time to care for my small family with two children. Balancing between study, work and family became a challenging puzzle, sometimes leading to excessive stress.
From August to October, I needed to plan the budget for the following year at my company. Annually, budget planning for a business demands considerable time, effort and dedication from almost all employees. At the same time, I was studying the Integrated Business Experience module and often stayed up until 1-2 in the morning to complete assignments. My time was nearly depleted, leaving me with little time for family. Faced with this situation, my wife and I discussed and found solutions to balance our lives.
The second difficulty arose from the teamwork process with colleagues and friends at MBA Talent. In the program, we frequently rotated and worked in teams with various individuals differing in backgrounds, working styles, communication methods, etc. This required us to quickly adapt to the working style of a new team and efficiently complete assignments.
I believe the optimal solution to this issue is to agree on the team’s goals. Each time I joined a new team, I always asked about the team’s goals and each member’s objectives for the module. From there, we collectively agreed on the team’s goals to best suit the members. The teamwork process became much smoother once the team reached a consensus on the goals.
What changes has MBA Talent brought to you?
MBA Talent has brought about significant changes in me. The most notable change has been in my attitude toward listening and being open to new knowledge. By listening openly, I’ve realized that I can learn greatly from lecturers, subjects and my classmates.
What message do you have for those planning to join MBA Talent?
The essential thing is to accumulate practical experience before participating in the MBA Talent program. A period of 5 to 7 years is sufficient for learners to experience various situations and challenges in their work, thereby learning and developing the necessary skills to succeed in pursuing the program.
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