The live story AIESEC Bucharest

Friday, March 23, 2007

Football .... Sunday 18th March

Now it's cold in Bucharest and you can hardly believe that Sunday 18th about 20 AIESECers went out to play football in the park. But indeed, a lot of us went there and had 2 hours of fun, not only boys but also girls. By the way, I'm John and I just love playing football though I'm not a big talent at this sport.

But enough about me and let me tell you about the real talents that went out of a sunny Sunday: there were about 20 people active members but also alumni.There were a lot of "duels" during the

match and Alexu vs Bizonu (something like Henry vs. John Terry)was just one of them as you can see. We tried the system with 4teams but due to injuries or lack of energy some of us prefered the "bench" after just one hour. After coming back to the system with 3 teams we had the ball making us use all of our resources till the end. Not everyone was "connected" to the match but the "road-runners" did as usual make a lot of effort at the fun of the others. Paul Ghita (in the photo waving at his fans) was again one of the most active players always giving everything for his team

but with a technique not so extraordinary. For the moment the new AIESEC members aren't big football fans but hopefully things will change in the near future. All in all, we had a great time and I personally hope that from now every Sunday afternoon will mean to the AIESECers "football time". (and the weather will be always great). As an ending I can say I can't ommit Titus for the way he managed not to receive a goal from many penalties though for that day , Bizonu' was my favourite player for the way he just ran on and on again all over the football field. I am sure the others may have done better and I hope they will all come next time too. In the end, Radu Andronic and Bogdan Pode, another 2 players expected next Sunday to come again.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

The new EB Team - 2007/2008

Yesterday I have posted the presentation movie of the EB team 2006-2007, but today it's the time for the new team. As you will notice, the new team has kept some characteristics:
- 4 boys
- the President, VP External Relations, VP Outgoing Exchange are males

And has new ones:
- the VP Finance is a "she"
- the VP PD is a "he" :)

And many other small things, that you will get to know from the post.

At the beginning of the year, 5th-7th of January we had the Local Committee Conference, where each year we elect the team that takes the lead of the organization. This year, we went to Zarnesti (the first time we did the elections outside of Bucharest in the past 4-5 years).

The magical part of it was that the site of the conference was the starting place of our teambuilding (back in march 2006) - "Cabana Gura Raului".

Right in front of this cabin, the EB team 0607 started the first experience together (the first from numerous ones), where we had as facilitators Oani & Tibi (the picture in the far upper right corner - yep, that's us), Gabiza (who was elected President of AIESEC International, few weeks ago) and Nicu (local mountaineer).

The site was decorated by the Organizing Committee [Andrei - president, Iolanda - finance, Sinziana - reception, Oana - reception] of the (picture left), and was pretty easy to be observed from the surroundings (right picture):

There were 13 candidates:

From the left to the right:
Candidates: Alexu (LCP), Andi (VP ICX), Iris (VP ICX), Alexa (VP ICX), Alex (VP ER), Adina (VP ER), Oana (VP Comm), Cata (VP OGX), Radu (VP OGX), Moru (VP Fin), Emil (VP PD), Rral (VP PD),
* Due to health problems, Andra was unable to come to the first day of the conference but managed to come for the selection interview.

The team elected was:

Local Committee President: Alexandru Gal

Vice President Incoming Exchange: Alexandra Velescu
Vice President Outgoing Exchange: Radu Bosa
Vice President Communication: Oana Toiu (joined the team 1 month later)
Vice President External Relations: Alexandru Ciungu
Vice President Finance: Alexandra Morut
Vice President People Development: Emil Huzu

They are the ones that will take the story of the EB leadership teams in AIESEC Bucharest further :)

Mugur

ps: Maybe someone from the team can upload a picture? :)

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

The presentation movie of the AIESEC Bucharest 06/07 Team

THe presentation movie of the AIESEC Bucharest Executive Board Team, 2006-2007.

Enjoy :)

Today, it's our anniversary :) 14 months of Leading AIESEC Bucharest.

On behalf of the 0607 Team,
Alexu, Anca, Crisa, Cosmin, Raluca, Vlad and Mugur

Thursday, February 23, 2006

Diversity and first mistake.. written during a Vivaldi concert..

The following lines contain my first big mistake as Local Committee President and what I felt and thought of during a Vivaldi concert that has been played in our LC wednesday evening (thank you Elena:).

I made a very close person to me cry and feel miserable just because one thing.. she was sincere.

"How to make your people start the road when everything seems to be obvious but it is still uncertain at every step that you do and you don't know what exactly can you do in order to make the others start.

If I am uncertain on what I have to do this year then the people around me are going to be uncertain also..if I don't know what is important for me for sure I cannot help them find out the answers to their questions and uncertainties.

We are listening to a Vivaldi concert in the trainign room.. and I realise in this oasis of silence that I've escaped from all the crazyness outside. Is this what I should want and strive for?..I don't really know.. I run after results and fame and glory, but if the people around me do not feel that they are moving forward.. why should I do it?

What great things can a man do while playing the violin, filling so many souls that are listening with happiness and peace, only by playing a single instrument. In AIESEC we are using tools more and more complicated, complex and difficult to handle, telling to ourselves that this will make us STRONGER..yes.. they will make us STRONGER, but we do not need this to "play the violin" called AIESEC.. it is not about the physical strenght but the mental one, of understanding what we feel, what we think and in the end of what we do.

I ask for forgiveness to the person I have hurt, for asking too much, for asking for STRENGHT and not so much for MASTERY...because I realise day after day that this are the people I want around me, people that use what they have to do better, to create magical things out of insignificant ones.

Today I saw a man crying... due to one question, a question that maybe was not supposed to be asked by me. Should I stop asking?

I don't know.. but for sure I should stop writing and start listening to the concert..

Mugur "

After a short time of listening to the concert, I was struck by some amazing feelings and storm of thoughts.. and here is what came out.

"On the other hand I've changed my mind... AIESEC should not be like a Vivaldi symphony. Because nobody can dictate how things should go, how a Local Committee should be lead. AIESEC is the place where everybody can bring what he/she has best or discovers along the way... and ideally we are and should strive to remain a culture of diversity, in which a man should "play the violin" (with grace, an exclusivist culture and music) while in the other side of the organization somebody is DJ-ing the latest track of Armin van Buuren (hard, fast, modern).

A culture of white collars and formality should represent everything but AIESEC. A culture in which everything is run by a band master and everybody follows the notes written on a scale, in which if somebody misses a note everything wrong... is a nightmare for AIESEC.

... We are and should remain diverse because diversity is the future and the people that are around us should be and in the same time inspire and encourage diversity...

..of feelings

..of being

..of believing

..of creating"

Just be..

Mugur

Friday, February 10, 2006

Why doesn't managing school cope with managing AIESEC?

I was reading the other days a book that I have borrowed from Co$min (Stephen Covey - "Time Management or How to establish Priorities") and found 2 really interesting concepts that I have thought about before but never put in a coherent manner: principle based personal leadership and the Law of Farming vs Law of "Dealing with School".

Principle based personal leadership:

AIESEC Bucharest is a high performing LC in the AIESEC network (17th place Globally out of 800 offices). We are running a high number of exchanges, we have a recruitment and selection process recognized at global level, our budget goes over 30.000 Eur minium per year (last year it was over 40,000)... but still we are not using a "Regulament de Ordine Interioara" (Internal rules that say what you should do in different situations).

Why so?

The explanation I have found:

"..the method itself does not contribute in any way to the quality of life...the only way of doing that is if we put value on our PRINCIPLES of life. An essential element is that we have to be humble enough to recognize that there are things in the world "that trully matter" independent from our will. The quality of life depends on how much do we really take this "things that really matter" and have the strenght to put them as our top priority. We must understand and accept that a quality life isn't made entirely by "me" but by "us", since we are living in an interdependent reality enriched with a potential that can be fullfiled only if we interact with the others in an authentic synergy.

All the wishes and all the work in the world, if not fundamented on valid principles, won't lead to a life filled with quality. It's not enough to dream. It's not enough to try. It's not enough to set goals and reach objectives. It's not enough to value something. The effort must be based on practical realities that lead to results. Only then can we allow ourselves to dream, set goals and work confidently in order to reach them.

IT'S NOT ABOUT METHODS. Confrunted with difficulties, we tend to search security in methods (this internal and strict rules - specific ways, settled) of doing things. We are concentrating on methods and not on results. "Tell me just what to do. Show me the path that must be walked!". We can achieve positive results in some situations, but if we try to apply the same methods in other situations, we realize that they are not functioning anymore. When we encounter cases for which we don't have methods prescribed, we feel lost and don't know what to do."

And the most important:

"The power of principle based leadership is in the fact that they are universally true, eternal. If we understand and live our lifes based on principles, we will adapt easely; we can apply them anywhere. Teaching our kids with principles not with systems, or showing them the principles that stand behind the methods and systems, we will prepare them to face successfully the new challenges they might encounter. Succes comes from understanding that a method can solve a short term challenge, but a principle can be an efficient solution for the future challenges..no matter how many they might be!"

This is why AIESEC Bucharest doesn't have this rules system and never will, because we are striving to develop individuals that can take decision based on principles. Principles that come from each individual and are universally true, and not from a guide of rules that we show to our members when they have done something out of the "Book of rules".

One example happened this week, when Iris one of our new members, and a really high potential and one of the most motivated ones in her generation, applyed for an international OC at International Exchange Conference in Poland without announcing the top management team. There is a procedure that you must follow in order to apply for an international position in AIESEC Bucharest (you must express the will to apply in an Executive Board meeting,and get the answer in one week). This procedure is meant to give us as top management the ability to have an overview on human resources, financial incomes and expenses and investments.

Using principles we realised that it is firstly our mistake because we didn't expressed clearly the procedure of applying for organizing committee's, we only did it for the delegate role.

Our decision?

We have decided that Iris can go to Poland and has all our support. We are confident that together with Adina, Mysty and Catalina (delegates at that conference from AIESEC Bucharest) she will represent AIESEC Bucharest in the best way she can. We strongly belive that Internationalism in AIESEC is one if not the only single most important experience and individual has to take.

What was her reason for not telling us?

She wanted to surprise us.. :) (we appreciate that Iris :D)

What would have happened in a strict rule system?

She would have probably had to stay in Romania, get a warning and on the long term be under observation for such behaviour.

And the second concept:

"Law of Farming" vs "Law of Dealing with School"

"In agriculture, we can easely understand that laws and principles governate the work and are directly influencing the harvest. But in social cultures, organized, we think that in a way, we can ignore the natural processes and cheat the system, winning one more day. And there are a lot of evidences that seem to prove this."

Well.. we call this "getting the pork fat in the last day" - or to put it even simplier, laying around one semester and then spend all the night long before the exam trying to fill your mind with all the classes you have missed during the semester.

But this doesn't work in farming, does it? How would it be: to forget planting the seeds in spring, sleep all summer, and in autumn suddenly to remember about the crops, and do all the things in one month hoping that you can get back the time that you have lost, and having the crops done over night.

"Getting the pork fat" doesn't work in a natural system, like AIESEC. This is the fundamental difference between a social system and a natural one. A social system is based on values, a natural one is based on principles. In School, studying in the last second might give the impression that it is a system that works on the short term, and from the social point of view. You can deal with quick made up tehniques, obtaining what seem to be successes.

But on the long term the "Law of Farming" has impact on all the domains of life. We are getting our diplomas but still we are lacking so much from our mishaps in education. We can get this diploma and credit for finishing an university... but what about character? Can you develop one in few weeks, becoming suddenly an integer person, courageus and generous?

As in AIESEC.. since we have our leadership terms lasting maximum one year (only the AIESEC International Finance and Information Systems positions of 2 years), we can deal successfully by adopting quick and temporarely solutions. We will impress and charm the ones around us. We can develop manipulation tehniques - whom we have to talk to, what do we have to talk about, what button do we have to press in order to get the wanted reaction? But on the long term we will realise that this doesn't work in our life... and that we cannot fool the "harvest".

As a President of AIESEC Bucharest, I am keeping this in mind, because it will be impossible to harvest good results if we are not following the "Law of Farming". We were recognized today for our recruitment and selection process in the DAAL files. In order to keep our level of innovation high, we must keep on working and following our principles... and we will find answers to all our questions.

On sunday we are leaving for the EB Team Building with a training company owned by an AIESEC Alumni. Whether we are ready to become a team or not, I will have to see, but I am sure it will be something to remember. Aaaa.. we are making EB Polar's, last week we (Crisa and me) went searching for models, so next time we'll post also a picture with the new cool polars we have.

Until then, a quote that I find really inspiring:

"Between stimulus and reactions, there is a space.
In this space there is the space of choosing the reaction.
In our reaction actually lies the maturity and freedom."

All the best,
Mugur

LCP 2006-2007
AIESEC Bucharest

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

And so, the first Team Days went by..

And it was "Team Days"..

"Team Days" represent a 2 days event in which usually the EB comes together to give feedback and solutions to existing strategic problems and most of all to plan the quarter up ahead (as in taskforces inside the EB team, ways of working between the EB members and functional areas).

This "Team Days" was really special, since we had both EB teams together (05-06 and 06-07), the outgoing ones having their last Team Days and the new comers having the first glance of what would be the quarterly "Ho-Ho-Ho Days" as Tibi called them.

I, as an LCP elect, had low expectations towards it, being used to what planning means. But, what I didn't realise was that in a single room,for 2 days, 13 minds, 13 people with different background, values and beliefs are coming together to be united in one direction... and soon I came to realise that it is not as easy as it might look at the first glance.

The agenda of the meeting had a well planned structure (thank you Dodo) in which the following topics were included:

- EB transition plan presentation:
- Matrix Structure (what are the connections between the functional areas in AIESEC Bucharest?)
- Task Force Presentation and TaskForce establishement

This were 3 main focuses that the agenda had. At first it looked as if the 2 days would be more than enough to cover them all, but we soon realised that the lack of deep and through discussions on Global Concepts, AIESEC Experience alignment, LC Outcomes lead to different perceptions on how to split responsibilities between the functional areas so as we encourage our members to work together not only by telling them to do so, but more to role model the way and be the examples ourselves.It made us realise that synergy comes from the top and not from the bottom, that we must have a clear picture before creating a clear structure.

The EB transition plan went pretty smooth, with Dodo (LCP 05-07) presenting us the established EB plan. The most funny part was the moment in which we had to set the dates for the EB preparation.. when everybody took out their agenda and started checking the proposed dates (and now we realised what EB vs Functional Area really means, when you must move a training because you already have a planning settled for a day, in which weekends are the only days that are available but still, you need them to relax and have your own time). Starting with AIESEC Identity, AIESEC Bucharest History in which the EB 06-07 team will meet with AIESEC Alumni that can create a link between external and internal reality at certain points. This will help us understand our role as continuers of what have started not 2 years ago, but 16 years ago.

We made some small changes in the transition plan (trainers, possible trainers for AIESEC topics and external ones).

Then we took a brake..

Well.. actually VLD (VP ICX Corporate 06-07) continued his endless search for SN's in Insight while playing Need For Speed (being super-vised by Sorin Albeanu VP ICX 05-06 aka McWhite.The others were enjoying the "African Queen" or I don't know what's the name of that song, but it haunted us in the 2 days, at every break we took, somebody was playing it, until we got African Queenized.

We got back to the Team Days agenda, starting the discussion over the matrix structure. Each VP elect and current had a discussion and made flipcharts that were answering a question "How/When am I interacting with the other functional areas?". Efficiency was not our characteristic for the 2 days, but for sure challenging ideas was. It was really cool to see how people strive to think from the EB point of view but still considering more the functional area...this is how a great team is done and people understand the role and challenges we will face as EB. Every functional area presented their opinions, questions were asked and answers were given or digged for in the past or present, but better yet the ideal future.

Due to an external help Dreea (Alumnus AIESEC Bucharest) we had the chance to challenge and come up with some ideas and inputs on a more efficient structure of the LC.

My personal opinion is still that synergy is the challenge of our organization. What I came to realize is that we are really performing as separate functional areas and it takes only so little to make us perform even better. During our discussion I had in my mind the great generations AIESEC Bucharest has in the organization now.. 2003,2004,2005 combined, each one of them with good or not so good skills, qualities, characteristics (call them as you wish) but in the end, perfection comes from diversity. We must embrace this diversity and put it together in order to have what we expect from the next years.. AIESEC Bucharest to remain the number one organization for students and not only in the economical university but also in others.

The second day was more related to AIESEC Ploiesti and our strategy for the future, how will we as EB team ensure that AIESEC Ploiesti will continue growing until it reaches the objective of being a simple member of AIESEC Romania. Long discussions, regarding LC Development Responsible role, who should that person be, arguments, pro's or ideas that were just holding us from taking a decision made it one of the most intense discussion we ever had in AIESEC Bucharest (because it meant thinking a lot in the future, workload of each VP, the priorities of AIESEC Bucharest and urgent systems we need in place).

After that we went on discussing about Taskforces. For the ones unfamiliar with this term, taskforces represent a group of people from the same team that are united in a smaller team that has clear objectives regarding a task, with a determined period of time and where the chair of the task is responsible for clearing out this objectives and creating the way of working frame work.

We have established 3 taskforces:

- Growth on Exchange (Chair - VP OGX, VP PD, VP ICX Non-Corporate, VP Communication - as core team)

- Strategic Development (Chair - Local Committee President + EB)

- ER (Chair - Vice President Incoming Exchange Corporate + LCP, VP Finance -> as core team)

After establishing the measures of success in simple guidelines we went on discussing in working groups about each taskforce. At the end of the day we had some meetings established in which to continue discussing on each specific taskforce.

And that was.. roughly our first Team Days!

What is next?

It's time to put the plans into actions and perform.

It's time to create synergy.

Mugur

AIESEC Bucharest
Local Committee President 06-07

The Executive Board of AIESEC Bucharest 06-07 (in the pic from the right to the left):

Alexandru Gal aka �Alexu�
Vice President Outgoing Exchange
Alexandru_gal@aiesec.ro

Cristina Olaru aka �Crisa�
Vice President Communication
Cristina_olaru@aiesec.ro

Cosmin Asiei aka �Tazmanu�, �Bizonu�
Vice President Finance
Cosmin_asiei@aiesec.ro

Raluca Nicolae aka �Ralu�
Vice President People Development
Raluca_nicolae@aiesec.ro

Mugurel Florea aka �Mugur�
Local Committee President
Mugurel_florea@aiesec.ro

Anca Bungardean aka �Pupi�
Vice President Incoming Non � Corporate
Anca_bungardean@aiesec.ro

Vlad Isac aka �VLD�
Vice President Corporate Relations
Vlad_isac@aiesec.ro

For a better AIESEC Bucharest!
Mugur
A picture from many to come..

The beginning...

Welcome to the AIESEC Bucharest Executive Board blog!

We are happy to share with you our eXPeriences!

Good or bad, strong moments of times when we will feel like we had enough..

This is the beginning, and not all of us are “blog” fans, but this blog is not just for us…is more for the next generations that will follow, the ones that are going to think about what does “being in the EB of AIESEC Bucharest” really means… apart from the project plans, strategic meetings, individual action plans and so on.

This is for the ones that want to have a taste of our EB eXPerience!

We were elected as a the leading management team in december 2005. The elections were an important moment in the history of our LC with the first Vice President Incoming Exchange Corporate and Non Corporate elections, with the President choosing his team, after each candidate received the confidence vote from the LC.

We would like to thank the outgoing EB of AIESEC Bucharest 2005-2006:

Madalina Sava aka "Dodo" - Local Committee President
Alexandra Gheorghe aka "Ale" - Vice President Finance
Tibi Borza aka "Tatalor" - Vice President People Development
Sorin Albeanu aka "McWhite" - Vice President Incoming Exchange
Monica Costea aka "Mo" - Vice President Outgoing Exchange
Simona Rauta aka "Sim" - Vice President Marketing

And last but not least we would like to thank all the AIESEC Bucharest members and management teams, starting with 1990, that worked and put all their passion for this LC. We understand it is a great responsibility and we must build up this LC and leave it after our mandate better than we found it and with great perspectives for the generations to come.

All that ... for a better AIESEC Bucharest and for great eXPeriences!

On behalf of the Executive Board 2006-2007,
Mugur

Local Committee President 06-07
AIESEC Bucharest