Table of Contents
Even with an intensive and inclusive curriculum, the truth is that no school can teach you everything about everything.
Business schools are no exception.
While you may learn economics, management, and technical skills, there’s a lot that remains unsaid.
So, here are some things you won’t learn in B-school (but you should):
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Emotional Intelligence & Personal Development
In the business world, individuals with higher EQ, or emotional intelligence, thrive.
A business career is unpredictable. So you must be trained to become self-aware and secure.
People with higher EQ can accommodate change better than those with lower EQ. They’re calmer and make decisions effectively. They watch what they say and are empathetic.
Your EQ helps manage your intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships.
Understanding your strengths and weaknesses will help your personal development and, by extension, overall growth.
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Entrepreneurial Mindset
Nobody is born an entrepreneur. The entrepreneurial mindset is cultivated throughout your life.
Your school may cover topics like entrepreneurship and business development. They may teach you the technical terms, business principles and strategies but you can’t quite study and memorize attitude.
A mindset is a way of life. It’s something that subconsciously affects the way we make decisions and handle issues.
But what’s different about an entrepreneurial mindset?
With this particular mindset, you will learn the habits and develop the qualities of a leader. You’ll be confident, motivated, accountable, and a problem solver.
Experiences, exploration, and exposure can help you cultivate the right mindset for success. Being in charge and making decisions will teach you these skills.
You need to be smart and think about the future of your career or business. And also learn to document and present your business ideas cohesively. If you’re not confident yet, hire business plan writers to help you with this task.
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Navigating Failure & Resilience
Business schools generally focus on success stories and case studies while leaving out the normal yet the most important bit.
Failure is a part of life. Everyone experiences it at some point. How you deal with it is what matters.
Learning school to embrace and accept failure is difficult, but it’s only the first step to dealing with it and starting over.
Success isn’t linear. You’re going to make mistakes eventually. Get used to the fact that failure is inevitable and a necessary step that makes you a stronger person. You should be able to accept criticism and view it positively. Resilience and optimism will take you far.
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Networking Effectively
You’ve probably been taught how valuable networking is and how it impacts a business.
But if someone were to ask you to help them grow their connections, would you be able to do it?
Networking makes a lot of people uncomfortable. Even then, fake it till you make it. All you have to do is to learn to love it!
Focus on the result of your networking and find your motivation.
Finding connections with shared views and interests is a core skill that will help your career or business goals.
For example, as a business owner or an employer, networking isn’t limited to befriending your employees but also making sure they’re well-connected among themselves.
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Cultural Intelligence
Your cultural quotient, or intelligence, is your ability to understand and navigate cultural differences and practice cultural agility.
Most business schools will not teach you cultural sensitivity and awareness. Even in leading business schools, students tend to form clusters based on their origin and background.
In today’s global economic climate, the benefit of integrating work and culture is a great deal.
A cultural quotient is not something that can be quantified, you either have it or you can develop it.
Work on understanding your own culture and identify and reflect on the values and beliefs. Then move on to learning about cultures different from your own.
Note the changes in lifestyle, behavior, and communication, and eventually diversify your thinking pattern.
Conclusion
Learning is a lifelong journey. Changes don’t appear overnight. Changing your mindset and developing your personality is a lengthy process BUT it’s doable.
Don’t worry about not seeing the results you want instantly. Patience is key!