By Snehal (MBA2025), Co-President, Retail, Luxury, and Consumer Club and Sr. Marketing Officer, Student Association
If you think an MBA is a break from work, let me stop you right there – it’s anything but.
In many ways, it is a full-time job, sometimes even more demanding. It is, after all, working on your life’s most personal and entrepreneurial project: YOU. The days are long, and the workload is heavy, but what about the experience? Absolutely worth it.
Everyone approaches their MBA differently. For me, it was all about hands-on leadership. So, I ran (and won) elections to lead not just one but two major clubs in my second year: the Retail, Luxury, and Consumer Club and Student Association Marketing. Managing 35+ people isn’t easy, but having Co-Leads makes a considerable difference – bringing me to my first lesson:
📌 Leadership IS a team sport
Trying to do it all yourself is a fast track to burnout. The best leaders don’t just delegate; they build teams that balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses. My co-presidents and I have different responsibilities depending on expertise or interest areas – this keeps things structured and balances the workload. Leaning on your co-leads is not just wise; it is necessary. Also, having people celebrate wins (or vent to) makes the journey way more fun!
📌 People skills and communication
With the club exco juggling classes, recruitment, and personal lives, getting everyone on the same page is difficult. In addition, most of us have considerable work experience; hence, giving instructions to peers is a new challenge. Transparent and frequent communication becomes essential. Managing a club teaches you that people management, especially with volunteers, is an art. Without financial incentives, motivation comes from creating ownership and purpose. Celebrate small wins; they do wonders in keeping the morale high (for the team and yourself).
📌 Expect chaos and roll with it
Running a club means organising major events – panels, company treks, networking events, and conferences – all within the constraints of a tight student budget. If there’s one thing I have learned, nothing ever goes 100% as planned. Guest speakers drop out at the last minute, venues get double-booked, and logistical headaches appear out of nowhere. The key? Always have a backup plan (and a backup for that backup). The ability to pivot under pressure separates good leaders from great ones (still learning).
📌 Momentum over perfection
Momentum is often more valuable than perfection when leading a student-run club. With limited time, budget, and fast-moving priorities, waiting for the “perfect” event or initiative can lead to missed opportunities. Instead, launching quickly and iterating based on feedback allows for continuous improvement. Execution drives engagement, and small wins help build credibility and energy within the team. Momentum sustains a Club’s impact far more effectively than meticulous planning with no action.
📌 The unexpected perks of leading a club
Beyond the resume boost, leading a club opens doors you never saw coming. You get direct access to industry leaders, shape key conversations, and build deep relationships with people you might never have met otherwise. More importantly, you gain leadership skills to serve you well in any career (or life in general). You learn to navigate diverse perspectives, influence without authority, and drive meaningful impact, all while expanding your network in ways that can open unexpected opportunities down the line. And meeting incredible people who are interested in the same subjects as you!
Leading clubs at London Business School has been a crash course in leadership, project management, and people. It is exhausting but exhilarating and one of the most defining aspects of my MBA experience.
If you ever get the chance, go for it. It is a challenge that will change you in ways you never expected.