When I saw this article title, Lionel A.Mitchell appeared to my mind abruptly and clearly, who was my global marketing teacher of EMBA at Sun Yat-sen University in 2001 autumn semester. Maybe I am off the subject, but I just want to share something on him with you.
After the final exam of that semester, Mitchell would leave for Canada, his hometown. And he won't teach in China and other countries again because of his old age. So my classmates decided that another two classmates and I guided him to Danxia Mountain, Shaoguan.
I have a vivid memory of his hard-working during the travelling now. When we were on the train to shaoguan, he was correcting the exam paper of another MBA class. Because of the English paper, students should answer in English. My classmates were talking with each other and I was watching him correcting the paper but said nothing. I found he was so hard at correcting every word’s spelling, every key point of the answers. If the students didn’t write the points, he supplemented the missing points. He was strict in every paper, so he just finished 4-5 papers in more than 3 hours. On one hand, the paper was so long, including the questions and cases’ analysis, but I thought the main reason of his “inefficiencies” was that he corrected every main point and supplemented the missing points.
I was a little curious about what he did, so I asked him at lunch why he did so. I was shocked by his answer” I wanted every student to know the right answer and know how to do a good marketing plan, as I cant’explain the paper for you any more in the next semester, but I hope when you get back the paper, you do know the answer for reference.” What a simple but moving answer! I couldn’t hurt his heart and his seriousness by telling him we wouldn’t get back the paper forever. I was in deep and complicated thought at that time.
The details are fresh in my memory although 15 years passed. I want to know what he is up now, my dear hard, considerable and respected teacher and friend.
附2010年Q空间随笔：
重拾旧诗-- In Students' Later years
In Students' Later years
In later years when life might seem dark or stormy,
Think back on the days when you were trying to learn Marketing from me, Lionel Mitchell.
The obstacles were many,difficulties large and challenges seemingly impossilbe
Yet, you pressed on ,and on,and on; and in the end nothing was insurmountable.
You traveled life's road with a strange teacher whom you did not know of him what to make.
Fearing to explore,let yourself freely go, and learning mistakes make when chance you take.
You had classmates as companions travelling along each Wednesday,Saturday, and Sunday.
Who, no doubt,helped to make clouds and darkness of the mind fade away.
Now, in their stead remaining to this day :
Are the learning experiences,friendship,and strength of caharacter
To see you through the darkest days when you could summon up
Similar courage and tackle whatever comes in unique ways.
Lionel A. Mitchell, Guangzhou, January 16, 2002 at 7:00 a.m.
昨天整理公司打包回的个人物品，看到当年市场营销老师Lionel Mitchell回加拿大时赠送给我的这首诗，其大意是勉励我在今后的人生道理上无论遇到什么挫折一定要坚持不懈，勇往直前便可渡过任何难关，重见天日。经过这么多年，特别是面临重重困难的今年，对这首诗寓意的理解更深刻了，感触也更深！恰逢中秋时节，一番伤感在心头，不知他现在还好吗？当年的我实在太忙，要照顾年幼的孩子，工作忙忙碌碌，周末甚至晚上还得去中大上课，根本无暇顾及太多，多次想给他写信总是未提笔。今天看到这首诗不禁潸然泪下，有些东西错过了也许无法重来！
备注：Lionel Mitchell是加拿大人，一生经历丰富，曾在美国、欧洲、印度、新加坡等许多国家工作或旅行过，自己曾经拥有几家高科技公司，在全球市场营销方面有很深的研究及独到的见解。任我们课时已经六十多岁了，属支教性质，每月工资才四千多，不够他的生活费，但他凭着将先进的市场营销理念传递给他热爱的中国的热情离开亲人来到中国。他为人谦逊，教学严谨，对我们做的市场调查报告的批改极其认真。当时与他闲聊时曾问及过他这么大年龄了，为什么不好好在家享福，享受天伦之乐？他的回答令我感动，他说他一生中去过很多国家，每当到那些穷苦的国度，经济落后的现状使他堪忧，他希望在他有生之年能将他所掌握的知识传递给当地的天之骄子，让他们去改变现状。他的这种想法相对渺小的个人来说确实是太宏大了，很多人也许会一笑而过。可是，他的这种奉献精神是值得我们学习的，如果我们每个人都有这种想法，且尽其所能做好每一件事，扮好每一个角色，还有什么理想不可能实现呢？！
