7/13/2016

TheTenMostDangerousThingsBusinessSchoolsTeachMBAsForbes

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TheTenMost
DangerousThings
BusinessSchools
TeachMBAs
Eric Jackson, CONTRIBUTOR
I write about technology and media. FULL BIO
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

Wereconstantlytoldbycollegesandgrad
schoolsthattheunemploymentrateis4%
forthosewithcollegedegreesandover
14%forthosewithonlyahighschool
education.

(Photocredit:Wikipedia)

Werealsotoldthat,ifsomeeducationis
good,moreisbetter.So,ifyouaresmart
enoughtograduatewithacollegedegree,
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/08/26/thetenmostdangerousthingsbusinessschoolsteachmbas/#357a29acf823

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TheTenMostDangerousThingsBusinessSchoolsTeachMBAsForbes

youmustbeevensmarterifyougetagrad
schooldegree.
Ofcourse,therearelotsofgradschool
degreesyoucantake,butmostofuswould
saythatMBAisprobablyyourbestbetto
maximizeyourfutureincomestream.A
wholeindustryofbusinessschoolsandtest
preparationcompanieshavebeenbornto
helpyougetthatcovetedMasterof
BusinessAdministration.
Butisitworthit?Listen,IhaveaMasters
degreefromColumbiaBusinessSchool.I
lovetheschool,theprofessors,andthe
friendsImadethere.However,theresa
lotofdangerousstuffyoucanpickup
alongthewaytogettingyourdegree.Here
arethe10mostdangerousthingsyour
professorsandfellowstudentsmightteach
youwhileyoustudytogetthatMBA
degree.
1.ThatYouMatter.AlotofMBA
studentsstarttothinktheyreallthatonce
theygetacceptedintoBSchool.They
thinktheyreevenmoreimportantonce
theygraduateandgetthatfirstjobpost
MBAandstarthavingtorubshoulders
withallthenonMBAsoftheworld.
However,speakingasaguymorethan10
yearsoutfromBSchool,letmeburstyour
bubblebysayingthatyourfirstjobpost
MBAisbasicallythesameasajobworking
inthemailroom.Youreaglorifiedpaper
pusher.Youropinionwontreallybetaken
seriouslybyanyoneinyourcompanywho
matters.Dontsweatit.Justworkyour
tushoffandyoullgetachancetomatter
later.

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2.ThatYoureTheBestofTheBest.I
thinkIrememberbeingtoldthisshortly
afterIstartedatBSchool.Idont
rememberiftheDeantoldmeoranother
student.But,similartopoint1,yourestill
anobody.EveryonehatesanMBAwitha
bigheadespeciallywhentheymissall
thesubtleaspectsofacompanysculture
thateveryonewhosworkedtherelonger
thanacoupleofyearsiswellawareof.If
youthinkyoureanobodyandkeepan
openmind,youllavoidgettingabighead.
3.ThatYouMadeaGood
Investment.SeveralMBAsIknew
createddetailedspreadsheetsshowingme
andthemselvesthattheydhavepaidoff
theirMBAtuitionandtwoyearslost
incomewithinaveryshortperiodoftime.
TheysawgettinganMBAasan
investmentinthemselves.Iwouldsay,if
youwanttolearn,youcanlearnalotfrom
the2yearexperience.Buttherewillbe
lotsoffolksouttherewhoneverleavetheir
jobsandprobablymakemuchmore
moneyovertheirlifetimes.Therearelots
ofMBAswhoarestilltryingtofind
themselvesoverthetwoyears.Notthat
theresanythingwrongwiththat.Just
dontkidyourselfthatyouremakingan
investmentinyourself,whenyourejust
cluelessaboutwhatyouwanttodowith
therestofyourlife.
Recommended by Forbes

89BusinessCliches
ThatWillGetAny
TenThingsThey

MBAPromotedAnd

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TenThingsThey
Don'tTellYouIn
BusinessSchool

TheTenMostDangerousThingsBusinessSchoolsTeachMBAsForbes

MBAPromotedAnd
MakeThemTotally
U...

4.ThatYoureSmarterthanthe
AverageBear.AlotofMBAsthink
theyreverysmart.Learninghow
competitiveitisjusttogetintoBSchool,
theythinktheyreevensmarteroncethey
getthere.Inbusiness,generally
everyonessmart(orverygoodatplaying
officepolitics).Ifyoustartgivingpeople
theimpressionthatyourebrilliant,theyll
startquietlyworkingtoshowyouupasa
completeblowhardinfrontofothers.
Dontmakeenemieswhenits
unnecessary.
5.ThatYoureGoingtoBecome
MoreEntrepreneurial.Ialwaysgeta
kickoutofitwhenIseemoreandmoreB
Schoolsemphasizingthattheyvegota
focusonEntrepreneurship.So,ifyougo
there,youregoingtobecomeabetter
entrepreneur.Please.Youregettinga
MasterinBusinessAdministration.So
youregoingtobeabletoorganizethe
officefantasyfootballleaguebetterthat
anyoneelse.Butyourenotgoingtolearn
tohavethegutsortobecrazyenoughto
startyourownbusinesslikeareal
entrepreneur.Itsanoxymoronthat
youregoingtobeanEntrepreneurMBA.
Ifyouwanttostartabusiness,startit
now.
6.ThatYoureGoingtoGetTools
ToFigureOuttheWorld.MBAslove
tools.Theyinherentlywanttoanalyze
somethingtodeath.Andtheygetlotsof

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toolsespeciallyintheStrategyclassesin
secondyear.FiveForces.SWOTanalysis.
Industryanalysis.Theyreallfine,but
noneisasilverbullet.Andnoneofthemis
asubstituteforsoundbusinessjudgement.
Andsadlytheydontgenerallyofferany
classesinthat.
7.ThatYoureOKIfYouveTakenan
EthicsClass.AfterWorldcom,Enron,
andParmalatblewupinthemiddleoflast
decade,therewasabitofacrisisof
confidenceatBSchools.JeffSkillingat
EnronwasaHarvardMBA.Theother
successfulcompaniesalsohad
managementteamsfilledwithMBAs.
Howcouldthatbe?BSchoolsstarted
makingitarequirementthattheir
studentstakeoneethicsclassovertheir
twoyears.Problemsolvedoratleastso
theBSchoolshoped.Reallythiswasa
movetocoverthemselvesjustincasethey
hadafutureJeffSkillingintheirmidstat
themoment.Theydalwaysbeabletosay,
hey,wemadehimtaketheethicsclass
outofourhands!Therealityisbad
appleswillalwaysbebadapples.Itwould
beniceiftheBSchoolscoulddomoreto
keepthemoutorreprogramthemthere.
8.ThatMakingYouWorkonaTeam
MakesYouaTeamPlayer.AllB
Schoolsstresshowtheydontjustmake
theirstudentsregurgitatetextbooks.They
believeinactionlearningorsomesilly
termthatforcesstudentstoworkasa
team.So,theymustbegreatteamplayers
aftertwoyearsofthatright?Wrong.Inmy
experience,thoseexperiencesweregreat
atteachingyoutoplaypolitics,undercut
yourteammates,hangthemouttodry,

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etc.Buttherewerenttoomanyrahrah
teamplayersafterthefact.

9.ThatYouShouldPutYourMBA
onYourBusinessCardAfterYour
Name.Justdont.
10.ThatYoullNowBeAGreat
Communicator.Youdogetalotof
chancestospeakasanMBA.However,
haveyoueverwatchedsomeofthetalking
headsonCNBCorBloomberg?Just
becauseyouhaveanMBAdoesntmean
youwontbeasdullasdishwaterwhen
youstartopeningyourmouth.Practice
makesperfect.Youvegottoreallycommit
toimprovingasacommunicatoronyour
owntimeifyouregoingtobegoodatit.
YoucanstilllearnalotfromanMBA
justlikeyoucanlearnalottakingatripto
Nepalorcaringforyourdyingmotherby
herbedsidefortwoyears.Itsnotthebe
allandendallofyourlife.
Enjoyit,butkeepitinperspective.
***
Readmore:
10ThingsTheyDontTellYouIn
BusinessSchool
89BusinessClichesThatWillGet
AnyMBAPromotedAndMakeThem
TotallyUseless
The10BiggestLiesOfBSchool
23

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