Duke MEMP
9
Q: What was your aim in life as a teenager?
A: I always wanted to an Astronomer. There were only 700 astronomers at that time and there was a cap on it, so I had to wait for some of the astronomers to retire. I did not have formal education in astronomy. This made it more difficult. But, I have a telescope at home and enjoy viewing the stars and galaxies. My life took a different path as an entrepreneur, guest lecturer, mentor, and now a professor.
Q: What was the most difficult thing that you had to do?
A: The worst thing that I had to do was to lay off people. As a manager at IBM, I had to deliver the bad news personally to more than 12 team members about losing their jobs. This was very difficult to do as people lost their jobs through no mistake of their own. I picked up a lot of courage to deliver the bad news. This is something which I would never want to do again in life. However, I am still good friends with many people whom I laid off.
Q: How do you cope up with stress?
A: I love cooking. I love to try out different recipes from different cuisines. This relieves me from stress and helps me have a work-life balance.
Q: How do students describe you?
A: Every class is different and fascinating and it gives me the motivation to teach Competitive Strategies every semester. My students would (hopefully) describe me as a friendly personality! I connect with students before and after Comp Strat class and we discuss on the various latest technological and business advancements. After the semester is over, I still keep in touch with students through the Comp Strat Facebook page. Students ask me to write recommendations for them. This gives me a sense that I have been a reliable and credible teacher.
A Q&A with Professor Greg Hopper
-- Professor Greg Hopper