What they do not teach you in an MBA Program
One can not help but think of things that one learned in a safe environment, and then there are so many things that one learns only when one moves from the shallow end to the deep end of the pool.
The Case Study format of MBA programs is fantastic to learn to debate and arrive at business decisions. In real life though — a case study will not be handed out to you, data will not be available easily, and the accuracy of data will always be a big question.
The team members taking a Business Decision are equally likely to be driven by their personal agendas, as much as, their motivation to ensure business objectives are met. Arriving at business decisions is a game of personality dynamics in the team as well, and the ability to persuade (or let’s say manipulate) one another — be it a boss, a peer, an external party, or a junior — will factor in significantly in one’s own success. Essentially — you will be negotiating and convincing people every day.
Hypothesis Testing: Well, one may take courses on operations research or probability and statistics, but testing out an idea on business, product, product feature, marketing, or anything else under the sun is what turns an idea into a solid business strategy. Markets shift quickly these days, thanks to venture capitalists, and hence — the bookish knowledge does not hold its ground anymore.
Animal Kingdom: A young google may have been the perfect workplace for many liberalists, but even a mature google turns itself into a moderate as it grows. While top-down culture has worked well in many industries, especially, in large MNCs, and it may limit the ability to innovate and act upon wild ideas, the reality is that the world will always be an animal kingdom. One needs to learn to deal with the good, the nice, the bullies, the selfish, the dominating, the manipulative, the works.
Reputation: A good start is helpful, but what matters is that you start strong, you stay strong, and you finish strong. This is what builds one’s reputation of being a marathon runner, and not a sprinter. The world becomes really small as one meets more and more people in personal and professional life, and personal brand or reputation precedes one’s self as one tries to find a place for themselves in the world. This is especially true in the digital world where one can access resources and tools easily.
What is it that you learned most recently?
