I love business and have the highest regard for what an MBA programme has to offer. Before I delve into what B-schools don't teach you, let me chronicle what it does do and how it enhanced my career. I started my career as a technologist. One of my earliest childhood memories is related to my passion for numbers. At six, I declared that I was going to be an engineer! I thoroughly enjoyed the intense curriculum in mechanical engineering at IIT-Delhi and then went on to get an MS in mechanical engineering with a heavy emphasis on computer science from Washington State University.
I worked with a couple of high-tech companies before joining Accenture in 1994. As a thorough-bred technologist, my career progressed with ease. At 39, I had been promoted three times in five years and was just one year away from becoming a partner with Accenture.
It was at this stage (in 1999) that I decided that I needed to broaden my skills beyond technology and learn the fundamentals of running a business. I enrolled in a two-year Executive MBA programme at the University of Washington. Although the programme turned out to be gruelling and cost $45,000, it was one of the best investments of time and money I have ever made!
The programme gave me the confidence to go toe to toe with C-level executives from the largest companies in the world. It transformed my career from being a technologist to being a CEO.
Now, let's turn to what an MBA programme doesn't teach you. As I see it, there are four tenets to good business leadership:
Compelling vision: An MBA programme teaches you what are the key elements of a good strategy. It makes you aware of case studies of successes and failures. It does not, however, provide you with the ability to spot new opportunities in an ever-changing business environment or instill you with the creativity required to create a compelling vision and strategy.
The ability to execute: This is one area where an MBA is crucial. It equips you with concepts, tools and techniques to allow you to organise a business and execute a strategy.
Emotional intelligence: To be successful as a leader, you need attributes such as stamina; the ability to deal with ambiguity; the ability to use power wisely; the ability to convey a sense of optimism and positive energy; and the courage to make tough decisions. These are not the domain of an MBA program.
Value system: To be a respected leader, you are expected to have attributes such as integrity, stewardship, fairness and a sense of social responsibility. This, again, is not the domain of an MBA.
By its own definition "" Master of Business Administration "" the programme will teach you how to "administer a business". It will prepare you to become an excellent manager. But to be a well-rounded leader, you also need the ability to establish a vision; have the emotional intelligence and the courage to execute it; and have a good value system to inspire the people around you.
To quote former US President John Quincy Adams: "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." For this, you must dig deep and surround yourself with others that complement you and make you whole.
Sandeep Arora graduated from the University of Washington in 2001
