My MBA journey was full of twists and turns. When I applied to business schools, my goals were to work abroad for a multinational company and improve my soft skills. LBS has the curriculum and infrastructure to help me achieve both of my goals, so I turned down a full ride at a top 20 US school and instead took my place in the LBS Class of 2024. I came prepared with a list of clubs and classes that I wanted to take and had a plan for the next 21 months. However, during the end of my first year, I decided to pursue not just one, but two, concentrations (Change Management and Technology and Analytics). This meant taking classes that at first did not seem applicable to my future career or my MBA goals.
The first one of these was Customer and Marketing Analytics with Professor Bruce Hardie. I did not think that learning about market segmentation was very relevant for corporate finance, so my initial LBS plan did not include this class. However, it went beyond the marketing basics. It required clear and concise arguments with data proving every point. I got my worst grade ever… not just at LBS, but ever. Nevertheless, this class was one of the most instrumental at LBS. My papers were returned with comments on every paragraph. He set aside time to help students, including myself, understand the root causes and rationalisations behind marketing decisions. I learned a new way to address problems.
The other class was Paths to Power with Professor Jose Areilza. We learned about how different leaders rose to leadership and what caused some of them to lose their positions. The first lecture compared and contrasted Angela Merkel with Margaret Thatcher to show that different personality types can ascend to the top positions if the person embraces their individual strengths and weaknesses. In the final few lectures, we discussed the dark side of power. Here, I learned the importance of trusting your gut instinct and what to do if a problem with a leader arises. Ideally, I will not need to use the lessons learned from the last few lectures in my life, but it is important to be prepared in case there is a blocker to one’s happiness or career progression.
Had I not decided to pursue a double concentration, I would not have taken classes outside of my original plan. These are just two examples of the many LBS classes that gave me different perspectives which I will take forward into my role as a Finance Business Partner. In the end, I achieved my original career goal and am working in London after graduating. Additionally, my soft skills have improved through a mix of classes, clubs, and volunteer work. Prior to the MBA, I was shy and felt awkward talking to new people. LBS has made me feel comfortable reaching out to colleagues or talking to people in the break room. As I embark on a new role, meeting people around the organisation will make work both more enjoyable and easier. The LBS MBA was great for my transition into London life.
Find out more about the value of the MBA classroom experience from Clare Hyde’s Blog: The Value of the classroom experience: how it’s applied in the real world and builds your skills as a future leader