Today I am once again participating in the orientation of new MBA students at The University of Nevada, Reno. For last year’s orientation, I wrote the post “My Advice To New MBA Students.” My three main points from last year, which are still my three main points today, are 1) assume full responsibility for yourself, 2) hold yourself accountable for your results, and 3) be remarkable by doing things your peers are not willing to do.
Way too many students think it is my responsibility to make them learn, they blame me when they don’t get the results they want (e.g. an A on every assignment), and they settle into the comfortable morass of mediocrity by patterning their expectations and behavior off of their peers. This is a mistake for a student at any level, but for an MBA student it is simply unacceptable.
If you spend two years in an MBA program and never change your behavior, you have cheated yourself and wasted your time. Don’t think for a minute that your MBA program is going to change you – only YOU can make that happen. The MBA program can help if and only if you are willing to discover your own wisdom.
Use your MBA program to help you improve your ability to learn how to learn. Sustainable competitive advantage will always belong to those that can learn faster than their competitors; these folks raise the bar and force others to play catch-up. Competitive parity belongs to those with only enough courage and capacity to copy what others have already done.
If you have the attitude that you already know it all, then you have nothing left to learn. The primary barriers to your success are self-imposed. It’s what’s between your ears, how you think and how you think about how to think, that either set’s you apart or holds you back.
As you begin your new MBA adventure, take a good look in the mirror. If you see a big gap between where you are and where you think you need to be, and you can learn to hold creative tension while you work on closing that gap, then you are in good shape. I look forward to meeting you if you find your way into one of my classes. I will do my best to help you empower yourself.
If you don’t see a gap, that’s bad news, not the good news you think it is. Good luck to you.
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ACT Change: Recognize Hypocrisy And Patterns Of Self-Deception
Give Yourself Permission To Be Excellent
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Well expressed, Bret, and vital advice for not just your new MBA students but any post-secondary student. Your most important piece of advice, in my opinion, was the more subtle reference to your helping students empower themselves. Too often we read or hear about employees being empowered by their managerial leaders. In reality, we can only empower ourselves, even when we have the fortune of being in the presence of effective leaders.
In an academic setting the same principle holds. You, as a teacher (professor) can serve as a catalyst to your students’ learning, encouraging them to be curious and to engage in regular inquiry and reflection, as well as presenting new ideas and perspectives. However, it is always up to the individual to be responsible for their attitude and behavior.
It will be fascinating to observe how Gen Y integrates into the workforce and especially as it assumes greater leadership and managerial roles in the private and public sectors. As many of my contemporaries head for the retirement exit, I’ve watched as thousands of new grads have been hired into the Government of Canada. So far I’ve been very impressed with their intelligence, eagerness to learn and their strong networking skills. Only time will tell, however, what influences they will have on organizations, not to mention how they, themselves, will lead Gen Z.
Thanks for a well-timed post…J
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
August 15th, 2010 at 5:50 pm
It will be interesting to watch, Jim. Our responsibility is to do everything we can do to help. In the end, as you confirm, it’s up to them. Thanks! Bret
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Bret, I’m struck by your notion of “minding the gap” between where I am and where I want to be. I haven’t reflected on this gap as a concrete thing before, but I’ve always feel a gap and been comfortable with both its existence and want to erase its existence. Fascinating food for meditation.
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
September 5th, 2011 at 12:07 am
Welcome, Matt! The only way to continue to grow and thrive is to develop a degree of comfort with creative tension. The gap is tough, but it’s our friend. Thanks for sharing! Bret
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