Top Ten Things I've Learned in the Ivey MBA

Wow; it’s been a tough week. Lots of ups and downs but I feel like things are moving in the right direction. I’ve been looking for a boost lately…anything to lift my spirits and get me kick-started and energized again. I think I’ve got that finally; partly from my wife and partly from school. Geeta (my wife) really has a way of understanding me and I feel like she’s filled in the void that I’ve been feeling lately; she always knows what I need. I got my marks back for Module 2A today. I was quite sure that this term was not nearly as good as the last, especially in Strategy and in Accounting. To my surprise I did far better in all subjects and I’m very happy about the results. I feel more confident about my multi-tasking abilities and my ability to be productive even when faced with a shortage of time.

On a side note; Hurricane Ike blew through Texas on the weekend. I always wanted to be a meteorologist and I enjoy tracking weather and hurricanes as one of many of my weird hobbies. I feel for all the families that were affected by the storm, but I must admit that I’m always wowed by the power and strange beauty of these storms. I thought I’d enclose a radar picture of Ike slamming into the Texas coast line….I think it’s a fascinating picture; a balance of beauty and destruction.

I promised in my last entry that this one would be about the top ten things I’ve learned in the MBA thus far. I hope it’s helpful especially for all of you incoming students who have started reading my blog. Here it is.

Top Ten Things I’ve Learned ~Advice for Incoming MBAs

Sacha Gera, MBA Candidate (May, 2009)

#1: Take a chance; put yourself out there

You’ll learn more if you take chances. Put your hand up during class even when you’re unsure of how ridiculous your answer will sound; chances are that 1/3rd of the class is thinking the same thing! Don’t worry about your ego being bruised; a wrong answer is just as valuable as a right one and you’ll earn participation points for it too! In fact wrong answers often earn higher participation points then right answers. Furthermore, your colleagues and your professors will respect you for taking chances. MBAs graduates are often successful because they take chances and are not afraid to go against the grain in the board room; test drive this philosophy in the classroom!

#2: Make it collaborative, not competitive

In a class full of type A leaders, it is all too easy to fall into the trap of being competitive with one another and to lose sight of the long term picture. The power of an MBA often surfaces many years down the road when you are more likely to leverage your network. Too often, students take a short term view with the goal of out doing their colleagues for that first post-MBA job that everyone wants. Competition will always be a part of the MBA experience and you will compete for jobs, but do your best to promote a collaborative environment where helping each other is a common practice. It’s surprising how helpful my class colleagues have been, and I’m finding that the more we help each other the more that behaviour gets encouraged.

#3: It’s a marathon not a race!

The one year Ivey MBA program can get intense at times to say the least. Burning out is a constant risk that we face especially at the start of the program when we are learning the ropes with respect to how to study and manage our time, and during recruitment season. Be sure to pace yourself and to give yourself a break once in a while. Although it is tough to avoid, don’t worry so much about how many hours your colleagues are putting in; concentrate on being yourself (the same person that got you into this great school).

#4: Alumni power

You hear about the power of the Ivey alumni, but you won’t know it until you try it. As an MBA student you’ve got access to a database of 20 000+ Ivey HBA and MBA alumni, which is hugely powerful! The database allows you to search out contacts by industry, location, and company. In my experience, there appears to be a strong Ivey culture instilled in all graduates whereby Ivey alumni make great efforts to help current students and promote the Ivey brand. Reach out to the alumni and you may surprise yourself on how helpful they can be in guiding you and helping you with your job search.

#5: Staying healthy takes effort

Expect to have tough weeks with little sleep, and expect to get stressed at times. I’ve seen many of my fellow students adapt to the MBA life in both positive and negative ways. I’ve found that getting a good amount of sleep and exercising regularly are keys to staying healthy both from a mental and physical perspective. Leading a healthy lifestyle will help you keep your immune system up at those critical times. Remember that there will be times when you can’t physically do all the required work; know when to draw the line and call it quits.

#6: Remember the importance of networking and socializing

Expect to make 70 new friends instantly when you join the MBA program. Your classmates will form the basis of your professional network for years to come. Developing relationships and bonds with your classmates is important, and making the effort to attend MBA outings will help you achieve that. Don’t expect to attend all the events, and don’t feel pressure to go to them all. Pick and choose based on your schedule. If you’ve got a spouse or partner in town, be sure to bring them out and have them join the Ivey Circle (social group for spouses and partners); make them apart of the Ivey MBA experience!

#7: It’s a work hard play hard environment

Expect to work hard, but also take comfort in knowing that there is time to relax, socialize, and visit friends and family even in a one year program! I thought I was going to be pigeon-holed for the year, but surprisingly I find the time to take the stress off. Often times I find myself needing a break during the middle of an intense week, and I’ve learned to create time for myself even when it appears to be a bad idea. It’s important to work hard, but equally important to take time for yourself when you need it.

#8: The power of diversity

Coming into a classroom of accountants, engineers, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs and others is stimulating to say the least. Coming into a classroom with students from all over the world is even that much more stimulating. As we discuss and debate a case in the classroom, expect to hear many different and diverse perspectives on issues. Have an open mind to what others are saying. Listen hard and you’ll find yourself learning from your peers and thinking in new and unique ways.

#9: You can lead without being the leader

We are all effective leaders; it’s why we were selected to be here in this program. We are all eager to lead in some capacity or another. Learning to lead without necessarily being the leader is a very powerful concept. Challenge yourself to figure out how you can help your peers and make a positive impact in the class. Be there for your colleagues when they need you most, and share your talents and gifts; doing so will earn you respect and increase your influence in the classroom.

#10: Represent the Ivey brand

We all represent the Ivey brand, and we’ve all invested in it heavily. It’s important to represent the Ivey brand externally and internally at all times through the good times and the bad. Expect there to be hiccups, but they will be far outweighed by the positives of the program. Negativity is contagious but so is positivity; so make a conscious effort to be positive and to be an Ivey ambassador at all times!