CAREER
The MBA journey of self-discovery Taking you out of your comfort zone
Te prestigious Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree has been an important contribution to career develop- ment over the past century. It has gained a sound reputation beyond the corporate world in almost every professional field and industry and across every continent. With corporate talent recruiters focusing
on leadership, soft skills and emotional in- telligence for managerial positions rather than just mastery of business knowledge, business schools have become quite cre- ative in helping MBA participants develop the full potential of their personality. What can you expect and are you ready to plunge into self-discovery during your MBA studies? Te MBA provides a healthy balance in
teaching both hard and soft skills. Apart from the traditional teaching methods such as lectures, class discussions, group projects and case studies, these skills are developed by various forms of experiential learning and simulations. Business schools have adopted creative approaches to building the soft skills and leadership potential of their MBA students. MBA programmes are invaluable for their action-based learning
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experiences for self-awareness, personal de- velopment and leadership growth. Tese forms of untraditional but transforma- tional learning are centred on direct action and experience. Placing students under au- thentic levels of stress and uncertainty forces participants to step out of their com- fort zone and exceed their personal limita- tions, stimulates quick thinking and smart decisions, highlights team roles and reveals authentic leadership.
Personal, leadership and career coaching
Personal, leadership and career develop- ment coaching is becoming a standard ele- ment of MBA programmes around the world. Te MBA programme at IMD Business School (Switzerland) develops technical competence, self-awareness, and moral judgement. Tis business school of- fers a comprehensive set of services com- bining classroom and off-campus interactions. MBA participants’ self-discov- ery comprises psychoanalytical coaching, peer reviews and individual reflection, and this enables them to improve their skills to navigate organisational contexts, explore
leadership issues surrounding group per- formance and understand how their own moral compass impacts decisions. In addi- tion, the career stream of the MBA at IMD provides coaching on personal devel- opment goals, career planning and recruit- ment strategies. Business schools have differing ap-
proaches for leadership development and this part of the MBA learning experience is worth exploring on its own, in addition to the curriculum, as it can make all the difference during your MBA studies.
Ethics and philosophy
With regard to adjusting the moral com- pass of business leaders, business schools challenge their participants to look at busi- ness from very different perspectives. For 12 years, EDHEC Business School (France) has offered courses in philosophy for its MBA participants. “Te initial idea was to give a ‘humanistic’ dimension to the MBA, alongside very down-to-earth courses on formulating a strategy or analysing a balance sheet,” said Michelle Sisto, associate dean of graduate studies in 2017. Beyond the classes devoted to phi-
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