A message for aspiring & ambitious MBAs……….

 The season is on for fresh graduates or working professionals to initiate their preparation for upcoming MBA entrances; which are usually held in the last few months of the year. Those who have successfully earned admissions into the B-Schools of their choice, it is time for them to step into newer environments of probably life changing learning. For some it is time to celebrate as they have earned their convocations and will kick start their dream jobs. I would like to share some of my thoughts and advices for the aspiring ones, those aspiring for MBA programs, those with newer jobs and those ready to usher their journey into B-Schools.

I would present the ideas as pointers, which would be easy to contemplate and remember. The list is not exhaustive, neither is approved by researches; it is just the gut feeling and the edge towards learning curve and the little varied experience I have that makes me write the article.

 

• Board the team with high spirits: You are already on a high by getting that best job or by joining that famous B-School. Keep the confidence levels sustained. No one wants soberness and solitude reflections while you work in teams/with peers. Have that inspirational sense in you and keep motivating yourself.

 

• Take that attitude off your shoulders, be humble: Even if you are from the best of the best background, B-School, etc, keep your profile low and do not carry the brand umbrella even when there are no rains, in short, it is not required to always show off your profile background. Because, you would get unnecessary attention and will allow peers to form opinions about you too early.

 

• Unlearn all that you have learned: During induction period, you cannot sit to challenge the training and development programs or publish your own philosophies. Real world is much different from what is taught at School, even if the school is pre-fixed with ‘B’. Actual scenarios at field, workplace, management skills, handling attitude, all of it matters when someone is inducting you to a newer environment. Learn with your hearts and mind kept open.

 

• Do not show groupism: Even though you may have likism towards the ones with similar profiles, who are either smart, or sober, but the golden rule is to interact with everyone. The administrative person or that maintenance guy might be of great help, or even might be a dynamic person, with great networks. Not everyone is flamboyant enough at expressing their possessions and strengths.

 

• Respect the seniors: Do not start to find faults with seniors too early, if the earlier staffers or students have bore them, there is definitely a reason or strings in the hands of the senior person, that makes him tolerated by others. Besides, you cannot change the place or the organization in a matter of little time.

 

• Take efforts to understand the system first: Understand the system, how things works, why the processes are like that, do not be in hurly-burly, instead take your time. Even when you presume you know it, there might exist a gap which you would realize as you know more of the system, its people, and its leaders.

 

• Do not fear: There might be tyrants in the form of Deans/Boss/Team Leader/Manager, etc. Do not tie yourself up in modes of suppression out of concerns or fear. Be an open person. It is okay to make mistakes, besides, no one is perfect right? It is good to learn from others mistakes, but you learn more from one’s own.

 

• It is good to be stupid at times: The rule is not to act like an over smart person at all the times. Be naïve; learn from others, even a peon or staffer might know things useful to you.

 

• Do not get lost in the hype: The great job, the excellent culture, amazing infrastructure, or the skyrocketing pay package might blind you from the sheer hard work or realities that would come up in your journey of a new job or a B-School. Stays focused and keep recalling your earlier experiences. That might help you develop a better insight into your own abilities, weaknesses, strengths and accordingly bank upon the opportunities.

 

• Do not become complacent: Do not be satisfied, you have just reached uphill but it does not mean there are no higher mountains beside. Your previous successes might take you to cloud No.9, and that mind filled with mist of ‘already achieved’, will not help you drive better! Instead urge for betterment and more challenges in life. Better is yet to come, push yourself, so that others do not take away your opportunities. Discipline, Sincerity, and competitive edge are like ever-green requirements.

 

• Be ready to accept failures and rectify: Feedback is one of the best ways to learn about you and correct yourself. Take feedbacks constructively, yet be careful of people who pick upon cunningly to put you down and demotivate you. Remember pointer 1!

 

• Motivate others: Help others learn and add value to the team, instead of spoon feeding or doing it all on your won. A candle loses nothing of its own by lighting another candle.

 

• Sometimes being straightforward hurts, learn those strategies: As you learn about the system you would also need to get that edge of getting work done and be appreciative at the same time. Keeping the above pointer in mind, do not develop enemies in the system; also do not let all your secrets out to the close peers. Remember it’s a competitive world out there.

 

• Excelling in a few parameters does not guarantee long-term stability: Applauded by awards and certificates, ranks, scores, past success stories, have definitely helped you become a better person, but these are not resistance certificates to Deterioration. There have been cases, where even employees from the best of the schools have been thrown out or asked to leave. Performance is the key my friend.

 

• Key is to continue learning like a naïve: learn, analyze, unlearn and repeat the process!! There are a myriad of things besides what the B-School taught you

 

• Show some self-respect: keep yourself dignified for right reasons, a. As the saying goes, MBA’s are supposed to know everything.

 

• Do not crib: Do not play the blame game and learn to take responsibilities for your actions. Lead a humble and worthy life.

thnks …………….