multple vision

A few weeks into the course, the different temperaments and motivations are becoming apparent, and it makes for interesting watching.

The guys in my syndicate are essentially spread along a spectrum, ranging from the extremely driven to learn, to the extremely driven to finish early. Most of us are packed in the middle, waiting to be swayed by one side or the other as circumstances dictate.

By some weird coincidence, we've been able to get things done really fast most of the time, because the aims of the these two extreme characters merge. That is, the guy who wants to excel usually discusses things with the guy who wants to get things done fast, and the two of them come up with stuff while the rest of us variously work, watch or while away the time. It's a happy case of opposite aims producing converging interests.

Personally, this course hasn't been rich in 'academic' interest. What has been interesting, though, has been learning about group dynamics. Like how people use different means to achieve their ends: one may holler and intimidate others into submission, while another may show more finesse and employs persuasion and reason. Some people respond well to the alpha male, king-of-the-jungle type, while others prefer the softer treatment. The reactions are fascinating.

I believe the main reason why there's such diversity in behaviour is the differences in motivation. Broadly speaking the motivations of the people in my syndicate can be classified as follows:

- 'I want to win' . One or two people are out to do as well as they can, sometimes regardless of how others do. They probably think that others should be motivated enough to keep up, and if they aren't then it's their own problem. These are the people who try to do as much as they can so they will be able to get the most experience and presumably perform the best when they need to. Mostly regulars.

- 'I want everyone to win'. These are the people who are very keen on discussion, group work, disseminating their experiences and talking to others about theirs. Also often provide pointers/notes for sharing. Again, mostly regulars, probably because they have loads more experience than NSFs.

- 'I want to have fun'. A lot of people in my syndicate fall into this category. Usually, these people will do what they need to, or what they have to, but no more. They don't look beyond the next requirement, and often have a laid-back attitude towards doing well. That's not to say they don't do well at the crunch; some of them are really good at this. Both regulars and NSFs pack this category.

- 'I want to get out/ORD'. Again, not too many people belong here. It's a fine line between this category and the last. The difference is probably in the attitude towards the course: instead of trying to make the best of being on course, people in this category view it as a chore or an obstacle before they finally taste freedom. Undoubtedly, NSFs dominate this category.

To me, the real value of the course has to be observing all this interaction taking place. I'm really glad that my CTC results don't have any bearing on (most of) my future, because it frees me to just sit back and watch. I doubt I will ever have such a learning opportunity again.