Top Ten Tips for Potential MBA'ers

After my first year I have given some thought for things that people considering to do or are about to do an MBA should keep in mind. So enjoy and keep in mind that they are just my opinions - do what you will with them.

1. Experience - Experienced or not, you will be overwhelmed with the tools that an MBA gives you. Your work experiences will serve as the context that you can make these theoretical lessons practical. This will enhance your learning experience.
2. Network! - An MBA program is much more than the classes. The people that you meet during this time will be resources that you can draw from as you pursue your career. Also, love it or hate it, you will need to network to get ahead - so why not practice in this low risk setting?
3. Represent - How you represent yourself in this program will last well after school is over. When you reach out to your fellow classmates, they will remember how you represented yourself and make a decision if they want to put their reputation on the line to help. So don't constantly show up late for class, make an ass of yourself at school events, not deliver work that you promised, or miss team meetings. If you are not ready to commit to being professional, you probably not ready to pursue your MBA. Sure, you will likely get your degree, but you will also carry a big black "X" beside your name in the minds of your classmates.
4. Breathe - There will be times that the school work appears to be piling on. Relax, take a breath, break it up into to little pieces and just attack each piece until they are all done.
   
5. Call - As a corollary to 4. Don't be afraid to ask for help. An MBA is about teamwork and getting the work done. I once had a client who told me that it is a good thing to ask for favors and be in someones debt. It gives you an excuse to contact them and try to repay the favor.
6. Communicate - One of the great skills that business schools teach you is communication skills (I wish law school had put more of an emphasis on these). So, don't be afraid to communicate your personal goals with your teams. Once aware, they will try to help you achieve those goals.
7. Step-Up - Just because there are people in your groups with more leadership experience than you does not mean that they should lead. This is the time to gain leadership skills in a low consequence environment. You may be surprised to learn some of those leaders want to improve their following skills and would welcome your leadership and invest in your development.
8. Prioritize - Don't be the person who can't say no and finds themselves over-committed to too many tasks. While people appreciate those who are helpful, one bad experience where you cannot deliver what you promise can tarnish all your other good work. As a piece of advice, try not to commit to more than an average of 4 hours of extra-curricular per week. If you are over that limit, just say no.
9. Globalize - I know that it isn't a word, but it fits for this lesson. There is some much going on in your program that you can forget that there is a business community outside of the school. Use your education as an excuse to interact with these people. Do class projects for companies that you would like to know better; interview leading executives for class work; attend networking events; perform community service. People are generally more willing to help people pursuing educational goals than when that person needs a job or a sales contact. By establishing relationships in this more open phase, you can improve the odds that they will help you in the future.
10. Understand - People assume that they will get their MBA and businesses will line up to offer them big money and respect. They fail to understand that the MBA is a tool kit. And just like we don't hire the plumber with the best set of tools, businesses (in the long run) will not hire you because of your MBA. Your pursuit of an MBA should be a commitment to conduct your business affairs with the highest levels of professionalism; employing every day the team building and communication skills that you learned in this program. It is then that you will see the compensation and respect.

I completely realize that some of my views are idealistic, but I always shoot for the ideal because if we don't how will we know it is impossible?