CEIBS Entering into My Life

By Riccardo Massaro, EMBA 2004 Class 1

I was struggling in the company start up, in the middle of 2003.

Italian, 38 years old at that time, a master degree in mechanic engineering, the last recent four years spent experiencing management in China and several years, after graduate, around the world as export manager.

Europe, Middle East, Arabic countries, Australia, New Zealand.., the memories of a time I was jumping from one airport to another looking for business in different corners of the world, were far away, as a lifetime was already past.

Discipline and independence were my leading principle, manager of my-self, plans' frame, tasks, targets, all imprinted in me, as the pattern leading the migration birds from one place to another.

Never lost anywhere but frequently alone, I was used to spend my time contacting other people of other cultures, but never having the time to rest, take a breathe and consider deeply.

I was feeling something was getting poor inside me. Human contacts were finalized to business and old friend were lost in somewhere I cannot even remember.

I was working fiercely to dominate the events in the new company, but the old endurance was fading as some reference point was weakening.

Well, the events I'm talking about are ordinary things in setting a company in a foreign country: different culture, different thinking, some barrier to demolish, the organization of the business, of the production, of the sale and many other things.

I cannot speak Chinese and despite the valid support of cooperators and my wife, who is Chinese, I could have limited communication.

I felt suddenly as the fuel of my engine was running out.

Ideas were looking unsuitable, obsolete. Studying was not a satisfactory solution and human relations were always falling into the range of the business contacts.
One day, one idea, suddenly, from my wife.

"You should open yourself, it is time to review and improve," She said.

"What do you mean? I'm perhaps wrong in something?" I knew something was wrong, but I was sure I could manage and hide.

"Why don't you try to get some kind of award? Your position is good, but you should look around with different perspective and especially inside yourself."

I didn't need any further explanation, she knew, I knew.

"I know there is a school in Shanghai, CEIBS, it is a famous business school and many Chinese  VIPs attend its classes." She continued: "You can get several advantages joining the courses: you will learn, you will meet many friends, you will have the chance even to meet some VIP...you never know. But the target of CEIBS is one: create great leaders for the future."

She continued, explaining me what I had to do to enter. The school is very selective, it cannot accept any student, but only the most qualified, it needs preparation on some scholastic subjects, it is necessary to take the GMAT..." What is this GMAT?" I never heard before, in Italy we don't use this word.

Well, few days later I received on my desk a set of books, I was invited to study carefully and make exercises. And some day later I received the subscription forms to fill in.

My wife arranged everything, including the ticket and accommodation to Shanghai for the day of the entrance examination.

I couldn't believe it! I studied in the any spare time, during lunch time, in the night, in the weekends, without even realizing time was passing.

I was familiar with all the topics, but several years later my graduation, and the freshness and the skill about scholastic test were gone feeling the brain a little rusted about it.

But it came true and I found myself sitting at a desk in the test room, velvet soundless atmosphere, pencil and eraser on my hand, ticking the answers of the questionnaires at the pace of the seconds that were passing faster than ever.

When I finished my mind was completely empty, as all my energy was put in those few pages, what I remember is that I was extremely hungry and I could not believe that a simple test could take me so much concentration.

Several days passed and I welcomed the prompt good piece of news with enthusiasm and I passed also the second interview.

Some months later, I dropped into the first day of school!

Very exciting, a lot of people from different companies, different cities, also several foreigners from somewhere else, like me, steering at each other finding something in common: no almond eyes in our face!

I found indeed a very cosmopolite environment fully immersed in the place of the oldest culture of the world.

Course by course, I realized the great idea that my wife had and the value of this chance.

A new world was open in front of me, but it was not like at the time of the university.

I could find along the days in there, not only what I was looking for, but also something exceeding my expectations.

The environment is serious but not dull at all, mature but young and fresh, most of the teachers could combine science and humor making learning imperceptible and light, the classes are a joy and in my heart I hope they never finish.

After all my previous studying, learning, experiencing, I discovered many new concepts and perspectives not yet explored before.

But the great surprise is the people I met. All of them really give the feeling they want to do their best, both CEIBS staff and students.

Especially my Classmates never stop to surprise me for their thinking, their ideas, their creativity and I believe this is a school inside the school that I will do my best to get close even after the regular courses will be finished, because every minute I spend in CEIBS it really worth and make me richer. 

The environment is magic and can do really great things in our minds, I'm sure all of us have their own good and bad things inside, problems and joys, but when we enter the class we really forget and show our best side.

We were said to be a significant part of the society and have the responsibility to for this.  We all know it and wherever our society is, we hope all of us will be able to give our personal contribution, if we look around we can see how big need there is for improvement.

In the life, examinations never end. Sometime life examinations are really tough and there may be not a professor to teach you or a class-mate to comfort you. That is another important massage brought by CEIBS: we must be ready and prepare ourselves in the best way we can, remembering to keep high the honor as members of a very important team, the CEIBS team!

I wish to thanks my wife for the great impulse she gave in my life, all CEIBS staff for the marvelous environment they are able to create, all the professors for the enthusiasm they infuse in their science and my best wishes of success to all my classmate and colleagues studying in CEIBS.