7 Things I Learned After First Year of MBA
I gained some interesting clarity after a year into my MBA/MA journey, and hope they can help someone else. Here are a few highlights and related resources:
As an industrial designer with 9 years of experience bringing products to market, I found myself wanting more, despite having a great role as a senior designer. I wanted more responsibility and yearned to operate as an intrapreneur with a stronger strategic focus. However, lacking necessary knowledge, structure, and time, I made a decision familiar to many: I went to grad school. I gained some interesting clarity after a year into my MBA/MA journey, and hope it can help someone else. Here are 7 highlights.
TLDR:
More than one way to go to market. Duh! | Great leaders share the vision. | Set the stage for learning. | Collaboration is a key to personal growth. | You and your employer aligning in values = fire! | Be prepared when luck and insight hits you. | Rise above obstacles.
GTM strategy
There are many ways to go to market: one of two is to go to market at a specified time whether the product is ready or not, add updates along the way, and define the product strategy based on user acceptance. Another way is to internally test to the best result even if deployment has to be delayed and then push to market. Think Microsoft v. Apple.
Understanding the GTM strategy of the company can help designers make better and faster decisions.
Also knowing which one you align with will help you pick companies that you’ll be able to move a lot faster in.
Resource:
Startup Business Models and Pricing | Startup School - Y Combinator
7 Types of Go-To-Market - Insightly CRM
Leadership
In-line with understanding the GTM strategy, having clear dialogue between leaders and employees fosters trust, ownership, and respect allowing everyone to share in the vision. This is a principle I will both look for in future employment and aim to embody.
Resource:
Simon Sinek: Leader versus manager - Generate Insights ***
This Is What The 1% Do! | Steve Jobs - Evan Carmichael
How to Go from Manager to Director - Dr. Grace Lee
Leadership Styles - the six leadership styles - Leadershipahoy @1.5x speed
How to Learn
A key to success is knowing how you learn; practical, case study, virtual, in person? In the first few months, much of my time was spent figuring out how best to learn again. I knew case studies were the best way for me to learn, but incorrectly assumed all classes and all MBA programs taught like this. Try to figure this out early on and select the school and teachers that align with your learning style.
Resources:
6 Steps to Expertise in ANYTHING - Python Programmer ***
6 mental models to add to your thinking toolbox - Vicky Zhao
Atomic Habits summary - Escaping Ordinary
Group projects
Approaching group projects with a real-world mindset and ready to go H.A.M, I found myself in a different mode than peers who were more relaxed, so I learned to focus more on what is in my control. In addition, I learned the true value of the storm, form, and norm stages of collaboration and it provided the space to flex project management skills.
Resource:
Book: The Obstacle is the Way - Ryan Holiday
Alignment = Rocket Fuel
We have all heard the stories about how taking someone who is in the wrong environment and putting them in the correct environment can make all the difference. Taking that concept further: finding alignment with an employer’s values and goals can significantly boost career growth and open doors to sponsorship opportunities.
Resource:
Looking for a job? Highlight ability, not experience | Jason Shen - TED ***
The process works if you do; Trust your gut
Most roles only allow me to partially showcase my skillset and I have been seeking the ultimate role where I can activate skillsets across functions. After deep research, coffee chats, white-board sessions, and interviews, I recalled why I returned to school. When I focused less on the job tasks and more on a specific and high level mission, I was able to define my path with a targeted plan that leads me to venture building:
“To leverage strategic product development experience to solve customer and business problems using both internal and external strategies for long term viability and advantage.”
Resource:
You Need To Be More Valuable - Dan Martell
How To Force Your Brain To Crave Doing Hard Things - Rian Doris ***
Simple Harvard exercise to find your perfect career - Max Klymenko
Power through the fear
After gaining confidence in MBA courses and redefining my mission, I realized that what I’ve been yearning for are the responsibilities of a CEO or high level director, but the fear of not knowing how to get started beyond a business model was blocking those blessings. Like the recommendations in the book The Obstacle is the Way, I did the hard thing and got started. Looking forward to seeing where I end up in 3 years.
Resource:
Why Most Entrepreneurs Don’t Succeed - The Futur
5 Mental Models to Think Like a Strategic Genius - Anthony Vicino
First Lesson Taught in Harvard MBA in 18 Minutes | Thales Teixeira - EO
19 Qualities of a Great CEO - Valuetainment
Overall: Iterate and test your career plans by testing the market and interviewing consistently. Be bold, but rational about what you can accomplish in a certain amount of time. Network like crazy and leverage your resources (ethically). Finally, don’t discount luck; it may come when you least expect it so be ready.