fesanco (pdf) - Babson College

Miguel’s high school years, from 1969 to 1973, were a period of great social and
political upheaval in many Latin American countries, including Chile. Miguel became
deeply introspective and for a time lost his religious faith. He wondered why there was
so much hatred and intolerance in the world. He decided that in such a chaotic
environment, the only way to achieve success was through hard work and integrity.
Toward the end of 1973, a military government took over in Chile and ruled until 1998.
Miguel began studying for a degree in mechanical engineering at the Pontificia
Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso in 1974. He was the first member of his family to
have the chance to pursue a professional career.
At this time, Miguel (like other students in Chile) was focused only on his studies. But
by his fourth year at the university, he felt that some of the classes given by his
professors did not address his interests, and he decided to take the initiative, with the
consent of the school’s administration. Miguel and some of his classmates created the
Professional Extension Group (PEG). Their goal was to develop a roundtable forum in
which undergraduates could create workshops and discuss new topics and issues related
to mechanical engineering.
The dean warned Miguel that group activities at universities, especially political ones,
were forbidden, and that starting PEG would be risky. Miguel responded that he was
well aware of the restrictions. He knew it was a risk both for himself and the university,
but he believed the school should trust him. He said, “Our purpose is professional, but it
is also cultural. People are made up of body, mind, and spirit, and all these dimensions
deserve attention. This initiative is a good way to add value across those dimensions.”
Despite the negative predictions of his classmates, Miguel received permission to start
PEG at the university. Miguel and the other founders were extremely enthusiastic. They
invited entrepreneurs and executives to their conferences and seminars. They also
organized professional workshops where undergraduates analyzed new projects and
watched films about mechanical engineering and specialized foreign documentaries.
PEG became well known at the university, and soon professors also joined PEG and
became active in discussion forums.
The following year, the dean asked Miguel to become the president of his class, but he
said no because he had been appointed to the position rather than elected by his
classmates in a democratic election. In the end, however, he accepted the responsibility
because his fellow students wanted him as their leader and pressed him to take the job.
As president, he created teams of students that enthusiastically developed programs, and
he invited students to participate in social and spiritual reflection activities.
Early jobs
Miguel graduated in 1980 and began his first professional experience at Flexshoes, a
small company that made shoes. Miguel was in charge of machinery maintenance, and
in his free time he talked to workers and learned about their problems and goals for the
future. After thinking about how to better manage employees, Miguel said to his boss
one day, “I’m convinced that the only way to achieve success in business is to develop a
motivated team of workers who are totally focused on quality.”
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