Do not sacrifice yourself while facing global challenges

The University of Kelaniya MBA programme is one of the most competitive programmes of study that includes an internship at one of the top companies in the Asian region that attracts the top sixty business professionals in the country.

Athukorala as the keynote speaker at the University of Kelaniya MBA inauguration in his address warned that while being competitive is key and the Kelaniya MBA programme being one that gears people for top performance, it is mandatory that a balanced life be practiced with absolute discipline - if not you will be skilled but not fit for the grueling challenges the world throws at the business world.

Sharing some thoughts with the MBA programme’s new entrants, Athukorala identified four areas that gives an executive in today’s environment a cutting edge. The first was physical capacity training which will help an individual continue working long hours at peak performance. This can be achieved with a 45-minute brisk walk three times a week. The objective is to get your heart beat up to 120 beats per minute.

The next building block was emotional capacity of one’s self. This is where a close relationship with a human being is a must during a working day. All it takes is a two to three minute telephone call where an intense closeness has to be achieved, so that certain positive hormones get drawn out.

If this is not done, Athukorala stated, research reveals that there can be emotions that get into the system such as self-pity and boredom that elicits negative emotions which are very harmful to one’s health. Unfortunately, most high performing corporate executives feel that giving into one’s emotional side is a feminine trait or more over, a weak characteristic that should not be exposed to others.

The third skill that should be developed is called knowledge management, which the MBA will take care of, commented Athukorala and then went on to highlight the fourth building block required called spiritual capacity training.

It is not about one’s religion but understanding the deep values which makes a person tick. The challenge is to find out the deeper reasons for your behaviour that motivates and excites you and then making sure you keep yourself motivated whilst addressing the challenges the new world is throwing at you, he concluded.