Martin Czyž
Student at Silesian University in Opava, School of Business Administration in Karviná
I am a student of Public Economics and Administration, I never wanted to start a business or lead a company. I wanted to have my little cosy office, an official stamp and eight hours a day to work on developing spine scoliosis. However, I could not miss the chance to take part in the two-week intensive program in Germany. I knew it was not just about the two weeks spent in Wildau, but also the process of creating new ideas at our home university.
I keep my entire studies, from the nature of my field of studies, within the exact limits of the law and regulations. There are no exceptions, there is no will, there are no dreams. But all of a sudden I sailed from the austere port of the state bureaucracy to the open, wide ocean of creativity. The ocean, which has no width or depth, where we can fall and ascend as we wish. Do you want an ostrich? Keep an ostrich. Do you want to sell sugar wool? Just do it. Do you want to build a snowman? Come on let’s go and play. The only limitation is we ourselves.
ECMT + taught me how to achieve my own goals and at the same time to abandon my own goals. It is not just about being part of a team, you have to know when to stand up for your opinion. On the contrary, our opinion may often be our enemy, if you do not see behind your own words. I have never been a fake person. I say what I think and I do not use euphemisms, but this directness was my greatest weakness. This has changed due to IP. I am more empathetic and I can listen more. Sometimes it is easier to just sit, smile and nod your head. If we are in a business environment, we need to be more interested in what can be done than what can go wrong. At the beginning I wrote about my studies, and why do I mention teamwork now? If you are not a lone woodcutter in Alaska, you will work with colleagues. And maybe you will even have to lead a team of people. To lead them for one vision, to determine missions and to head towards success together. However this will never happen if you are not able to deal with people, often with people of different opinion, who have grown up in different socio-economic conditions, with other priorities and different work ethics. Strangely like these two weeks in February and March 2018.
Did we change the world? I do not know. More water has to pass by in the river so we can judge it. One thing is certain, that the ECMT+ program changes every participant. And I am convinced that this is for the better.
