My path is shaped by a desire to propel my country towards excellence.
IÉSEG possessed the necessary learning tools that I require to shape me into the leader I aim to become for my country and a leader known at an international level. It is the reason why I first came here. My journey began in the IÉSEG Lille Campus where I studied International Business for 3 years. The goal at the time was to open my mind to business operations at an international level and to gain insight into how national culture influences business decisions and corporate culture. I wanted to understand how cultures shape humans and, consequently, their infrastructures. After concluding my Bachelors, I decided to pursue an MSc in International Business Negotiation in the IÉSEG Paris Campus, which I am currently doing. Negotiation is the cherry on top, as I believe that this art represents my entire philosophy at a personal and emotional level: the art of collaboration and the power humans possess to create bonds, alliances and complex dynamic relationships in the face of adversity. The negotiation discipline represents to me what human social experiences should be: tactful, intelligent, diplomatic, compassionate and collaborative. In the modern world, our ability to connect with one another, to help each other and support each other is more relevant now than it has ever been. The future of humanity rests on our shoulders. We cannot bear the weight of this responsibility if we remain divided. But if we collaborate together, if we stand together, then there is no height we cannot reach. This is what negotiation means to me; the merging of minds working together towards a shared vision of brilliance for the human race and for future generations. My mind is set on fulfilling this promise to my country first. But I hope to one day reach the world, too.
Hundreds of negotiation simulations made to train you for the field.
My program consists of many different courses, each touching upon a specific aspect of negotiation: cultural negotiation, mediation in negotiation, multi-party negotiation and so much more. Each course balances theory and practice and I have the same course for the entire week or I have two different courses for the entire week.
To provide clarity, here’s an example of a week I had:
Monday Course:
-Cultural Negotiation Strategies.
From 13:00 to 17:20.
Tuesday Course:
-Cultural Negotiation Strategies.
From 08:00 to 12:20 and from 13:00 to 17:20.
Wednesday Courses:
-Business Ethics and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) for Negotiation.
From 08:00 to 12:20.
-Cultural Negotiation Strategies.
From 13:00 to 17:20.
Thursday Course:
-Business Ethics and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility for Negotiation.
From 08:00 to 12:20.
Friday Course:
-French.
From 10:00 to 11:50.
(Fridays are reserved for language classes).
Intense, right?
Anyway, for each course, I usually have 2-3 negotiation simulations to do with classmates within the 4-hour class period. Simulations are exercises where students take on specific roles/identities and are given instructions on what they must gain to succeed in the negotiation exercise. It could be negotiating for lower prices, a merger between big businesses, negotiating with a supplier, negotiating for peace in a conflict situation and more. Your objectives and interests vary according to the character you embody in the negotiation. Each role play is meant to train your mind to search for the underlying interests of the other person, to communicate effectively with other cultures and to adapt yourself to any negotiating situation you may encounter.
These simulations happen everyday and are present in almost every course. The class is given theory then immediately jump into practical applications, so the learning momentum is pretty high. While challenging, the value obtained is extraordinary because it prepares you for the real world.
Researching the latest developments in the field of negotiation.
Students are encouraged to research and discover new information in the negotiation field as part of our written assignments. I absolutely love the world of academia, so doing research on the history of negotiation, the best/worst practices of negotiation, how it works in the modern world and how it can evolve in the future are topics that truly inspire and interest me. IÉSEG provides students with an online library that is rich with academic articles, journals, books and documents which add so much value to the learning experience. This library is open at all times, so students have access to it at a moment’s notice. For me, this is one of the best parts of my studies. I’m an avid reader, so writing and reading research papers is something I have lots of fun with!
Cultivate a love for humanity and an appreciation for collaboration.
Negotiation is a people-oriented practice. It requires understanding human behaviour and psychology at a fundamental level. No matter what negotiating situation you encounter, your task will always be to talk to people, to understand them, to listen them and to work with them.
As a negotiator, your skill-level is determined by how well you can interact with people, how you create and claim value in your relationships with people and how well you function in the face of challenges and unexpected situations. Therefore, you must appreciate social interactions and problem-solving in social situations. For introverts such as myself, this doesn’t mean that you need to be a naturally extroverted personality. But you need to create in yourself a passion for engaging with others.
Personally, I enjoy seeing others happy and fulfilled. As a negotiator, my aim is to create valuable mutual benefits where all parties can be satisfied because I believe that this is what negotiation is all about. That is how my love for humanity manifests itself in a negotiating situation. You need to have a drive to see others succeed just as much as you do.
My advice for you, dear reader, is to develop your own compass for negotiation. My compass is adding value to human relationships and interactions. What is yours? Is it designing the negotiation strategy? Researching about the people you will talk to? Find your compass, find your reason and use it as your anchor. But, always remember, you need to care about others. Selfishness is not a sustainable quality in an environment that requires trust and collaboration.
Opening a university in Mozambique, my home country.
This is a project I’m extremely proud of. My eldest sister and I pursued the project as a means to fulfil a belief. It took many long years and a lot of hard work. The process of opening UTDEG (Universidade Técnica Diogo Eugénio Guilande) began when I was 16 years old. I am 22 now. It is a project that honours the words and philosophy of my late Father, who said, “Education is the weapon of the underprivileged.” UTDEG was created to help the less fortunate and to arm them with the necessary tools to navigate an increasingly complex world. It was created to honour my Father’s belief that education is the greatest tool a human being can possess. A belief that rings true to this day.
