Mind Over Body

These have been long days here at this course. We start early and power through a demanding schedule over a long day, interrupted only be a buffet for lunch in the hotel which has consisted of peas, carrots, new potatoes, a fish swimming in a pale yellow sauce (that smells nothing like Bearnaise), a bit of overcooked lamb swimming in some kind of au jus, cold salads (think cucumber and beet) fresh fruit and some kind of pudding (the English version, not the stuff Bill Cosby used to hawk). Fortunately, the schedule has consisted of hands on workshops, problem solving, situational team dynamics and business course objectives. These have involved interaction, movement, exchange and outcomes so it's contributed to a genuine feeling of accomplishment. I've been learning things that I can use in my business.

Today, we had a full day course devoted to creating and measuring organizational and shareholder value. While that sounds esoteric and conceptual, it was in fact taught by an economics professor and accountant who measures assets and organizations for sale or acquisition. Thus we launched into a full day of financial strategy, investment diversification and the like, most of which are predicated on theories and mathematical graphing and equation. We spent an hour alone discussing P/E ratio and values. Now, we have skilled analysts in the organization to assume the work of these tasks on a corporate level, however, I do believe in the value of having an understanding of these logistics so they can be intelligently referenced in the course of an acquisition or sale. I dutifully read the analysts reports that were the required reading before the class (awright, I only read half of them but I got the gist of the assessments) so I had a premonition of what the day held.

When we got to the room this morning, I sat with a few people I wanted to know better--of course, this was at the very front of the room right in front of the professor. I haven't slept much this week--I've say 4 hours a night average--so my head was heavy with sleepiness and the small cup of Nescafe coffee that was my breakfast was not helping start my brain. He launched into the presentation and I devoted my full attention. And then, that moment. Oy.

You know what I mean. When the fatigue you've been stockpiling for weeks takes comfort in the hot airless room, the low lights and the dulcet English accent of the professor. Your eyes start fluttering and it takes every conscious effort to keep them open. You feel parts of your body lapsing into sleep and he twitch them involuntarily to rouse them. There may even be a moment when your eyes do close and you start yourself quickly and nervously glance around to see if anyone has caught you. Being in the very front under the nose of the professor made the resistance completely necessary and utterly hellish. When they called the first break, I went straight to the coffee service and chugged down three cups of black coffee as quickly as I could.

This pattern repeated itself throughout the course of the day. The professor was so involved in plotting apex charts and graphs on a white board that I don't think he noticed the mental wrestling I was doing all day. I hate to say it, but in my very alert moments, I saw a few other people doing the very same thing. Sadly, once the course had concluded, the coffee kicked in and I'm now at 110% energy. So wrong.

We're going out for Indian food and beer tonight. Maybe I'll finish the course reading to ease me off for a decent night's slumber.