Self-confidence rises on business school curriculum
This contribution is by Jonathan Moules, the Financial Times newsletter editor and author of The Week Ahead. He also writes about business education and entrepreneurship and hosted the FT’s Start-Up Stories podcast, which ran for five seasons.
Survey puts developing self-confidence second on list of what prospective master’s students expect from their degree
George Wells had a good start to his career. In his first job after graduating from the University of Southern California, he quickly rose to lead a team of more than 100 technicians and engineers, responsible for the installation, commissioning and delivery of one of Amazon’s largest warehouse robotic systems.
He was one of hundreds of employees laid off by Amazon
But in March 2023, just a year after starting work at the tech company, the American was one of hundreds of Amazon employees laid off in a rapid Covid-era mass hiring purge. “It was crushing,” he recalls.
This summer, Wells graduated from the Master of Management (MiM) at the University of Edinburgh Business School.
His main motivation for taking the programme was to gain a better understanding of artificial intelligence
which he sees as vital for getting back into management roles, especially at big tech companies.
But he was also drawn to the support the Scottish school offered him to help him regain his self-confidence
He saw it as a stepping stone to getting back into fast-track management roles, but now believes such character building is essential for good leadership.
“I was managing huge teams of people, many of whom were older than me, from all walks of life, and most of the job was telling them what to do, and if you’re not confident in yourself, you can’t do that,” he says.
Wells isn’t alone in seeing business school as a place to develop inner strength
This year’s Tomorrow’s Masters survey of prospective business school students, conducted by educational consultancy CarringtonCrisp, found that self-confidence came second only to leadership in the ranking of skills and traits aspiring graduate students want to acquire.
“It feels like a hangover from COVID, when students weren’t able to socialise on campus during their undergraduate degrees or have opportunities for internships where they might have developed self-confidence,” says Andrew Crisp, founder of CarringtonCrisp.
The University of Edinburgh Business School offers tailored coaching sessions to new master’s students to develop core skills and, in many cases, help them transition from education to the world of work. “The key is the tailored approach,” says Rona Doig, an executive MBA coach at Edinburgh.
Rona Doig is a coach at the University of Edinburgh Business School
The challenge of developing self-confidence has also become more obvious for the current generation of business school students because of the insecurities of the digital age, according to Franck Gavoille, associate professor at the Grande École programme and director of master of science at the Essca management school in France.
“This is a generation that is dealing with a lot of information, which makes the decision process [about what they will do next] more difficult,” he says.
“The need for self-confidence is becoming more important, because they feel the need to make the right decision.”
More openness about mental health has helped self-confidence become a topic of conversation among students, Gavoille adds. “It is no longer taboo to talk about the need to have self-confidence.”
Essca is experimenting with a range of alternative approaches to help students build their self-confidence, including yoga meditation, music therapy and a pilot programme known as “equi-coaching”, in which participants interact with horses in a process that can help them interpret changes in their own emotions.
Students are encouraged to bond with a horse, learning traits from animals such as being grounded and content with oneself.
Essca has experimented with ‘equi-coaching’ to build confidence
Essca MiM graduate Maxence Jouannet, a 24-year-old amateur fencing competitor, is among those who have tried equi-coaching.
He came third at the French fencing championships in 2021, having had to train on the street and in parks during the Covid pandemic, but had struggled from winning more tournaments.
Jouannet says he realised he needed to “face himself” as a student
Facing the disappointments of not being as successful as he would have liked in his sport, as well as insecurities caused by the pressure of postgraduate studies.
“My results dropped a lot because it was so difficult to cope with things,” he recalls. “I couldn’t talk to anyone to cope with my mental illness. I didn’t know who to talk to.”
Jouannet was keen to take part in the horse riding, meditation and yoga programme at Essca. “The hardest part was opening up to talk about my fears, my weaknesses, but during these sessions I found the strength to talk about these things.”
Jouannet began meditating daily, focusing on appreciating the positive impact of his achievements to replace the negativity he felt about not achieving the best results in sport or in his studies. “It has proven invaluable,” he says.
Maxence Jouannet says this approach has been “invaluable,” along with meditation
Other business schools have tried a variety of methods to build self-confidence.
Iéseg in France organizes two types of experiential training to work on self-confidence: seminars and drama classes.
“These seminars aim to help students develop their relational intelligence, in particular their ability to assert themselves while respecting themselves and others,” says Ingrid Bierla, professor of intercultural communication and coordinator of the personal development course at Iéseg.
Bierla says this approach improves self-awareness and team performance by making students aware of their own perceptions, understanding the role of emotions and underlying needs, and learning how to give and receive feedback. “Students learn to express themselves and listen to others in a group setting with mutual respect,” he says.
London Business School uses professional actors
to teach its MiM students about the importance of presence when communicating with others, being aware of their body language and what they say. This is complemented by personalized coaching and interview preparation using an AI-powered training tool called Attensi.
Oliver Ashby, director of the LBS Masters programme, says: “Most of our students exude confidence on the surface, but self-reflection and perseverance are something you need to keep working on because you never know what can happen to you in life.”
3 Ways an MBA Program Can Help Foster Your Personal Growth
The following contribution is from the portal of the WU Executive Academy, the business school of the Vienna University of Economics and Business, which brings more than 100 years of experience and an excellent reputation to the field of executive education.
What you can learn on the path to an MBA degree
In addition to the many professional benefits, an MBA education can also foster personal growth and development.
Much is made of the prestige of an MBA degree and the opportunities it offers to help graduates advance in their careers. However, it could be said that too much emphasis is placed on the destination and not enough on the journey.
Completing a top-tier MBA degree can be a tremendously enriching and rewarding experience in itself, and can help students grow as leaders, as professionals, and as people. These are just three ways an MBA can foster your personal growth and development.
Improve your self-awareness while developing leadership skills
Developing your leadership skills at business school isn’t just about examining effective strategies and how to implement them.
Understanding your strengths, weaknesses and leadership style is also critical, which is why students undertaking a professional MBA at WU Executive Academy undertake a self-assessment as part of the programme.
This allows them to identify the areas they most need to improve, while also giving them insight into their behaviour patterns, social skills, ability to manage conflict and their behaviour under stress.
That increased self-awareness helps to develop strong leadership skills. What’s more, this new understanding can also benefit your personal growth.
Increase your self-confidence at business school
Confidence is key in many different areas of business. Senior executives need to be able to be assertive in important negotiations, deliver confident and compelling presentations and demonstrate calm and decisive leadership to their employees. Professionals who are low on confidence can often find that this holds them back in their careers. Self-confidence is essential in the business world
However, nothing builds confidence more than knowledge and experience, and that’s where an MBA program can help.
Students can fill gaps in their knowledge through a comprehensive curriculum that covers a wide range of business concepts and challenges.
They will also develop their problem-solving, presentation, and management skills by participating in practical projects and exercises in a supportive and encouraging environment. Armed with this experience, graduates can return to the professional world with full confidence in their abilities.
Develop Greater Cultural Awareness During Your MBA Program
Part of what makes an EMBA program so valuable, both professionally and personally, is the networking opportunities it offers.
Throughout your studies, you will meet and connect with colleagues from diverse industries and backgrounds, allowing you to gain fresh insight and learn from different perspectives.
But more than this, an MBA allows you to connect with other professionals from around the world. 73% of WU Executive Academy students are international participants.
An MBA introduces you to professionals from a wide range of cultures. Greater cultural awareness can provide many professional benefits, such as the ability to work with diverse teams, expand into international markets, discover new growth opportunities, and more.
In many ways, these benefits can also extend to your own life and foster your own growth, as you develop friendships around the world and gain a greater appreciation for different cultures.
How Practical Learning in an MBA Boosts Your Confidence to Lead
This contribution is by Maitane Zarate who studied at the University of Deusto and holds a double degree in Business Administration and Law. With over five years of experience as a writer and content marketing professional, she is now also a writer for MASTERGRADSCHOOLS and MBAGRADSCHOOLS.
Explore how the MBA program at RIT Saunders incorporates practical learning to prepare its graduates for the business world.
Lindsay Connelly’s journey from MBA student to founding her digital marketing company shows the power of combining theory and practical learning.
Contents
– How to translate learning
– How to gain practical experience and build confidence
– The benefits of stepping out of your comfort zone
– How to prepare business leaders for the real world
– How to translate practical learning into real-world success
In the world of business and technology, learning is most effective when combined with practical experience.
At the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Saunders School of Business, it’s all about learning by doing. Experiential learning is the cornerstone of its Master of Business Administration program.
RIT Saunders students become active participants in their education through hands-on learning experiences, making its graduates stand out in the real world. That’s what drew Lindsay Connelly to the program.
“I didn’t just want to study, but to do. And RIT has a very deep history of creating doers,” she says.
Lindsay credits the MBA program for helping her become the president of her own digital marketing company, Linden Digital Marketing. The experiential learning from the program at RIT Saunders helped her gain a new sense of confidence.
“The biggest change I saw in myself before I got the MBA and after was probably this boost in confidence,” Lindsay notes.
Two examples of how students get hands-on experience are the co-op program and the Simone Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Let’s explore what these programs entail.
Gaining practical experience and building confidence
Lindsay cites RIT Saunders’ co-op program (cooperative education) as a prime example of its hands-on approach to learning.
The co-op program connects students with employers to gain practical experience. The employer benefits from the student’s unique skills and up-to-date knowledge of the subject matter. In return, the student has the opportunity to do paid work that is relevant to their career development.
The co-op program enriches students’ learning path, increases their professional connections, and enhances their knowledge, skills, and experience. It also instills in them a new sense of confidence.
RIT Saunders supports students who want to work while completing their studies because they know they benefit. Lindsay could work while pursuing her MBA, taking a few classes at a time, which allowed her to start her own business while completing her studies.
These hands-on learning experiences give students the confidence that they can take on real-world obstacles. This sense of self-confidence will be crucial to overcoming future challenges in their career path.
The Advantages of Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
Another key element of Lindsay’s career growth path was the fact that she was continually pushed out of her comfort zone at RIT Saunders.
She especially appreciated the Simone Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which helps entrepreneurial students achieve their goals.
“RIT does a great job of pushing their students to work harder and enter situations that would normally make them uncomfortable,” Lindsay says. (01:45)
Students can join programs that simulate the high-pressure scenarios they face after graduation to prepare for real challenges in the professional world.
“I was thrown into situations where I had to pitch my business idea to a group of CEOs on 48 hours notice,” Lindsay recalls.
“You’re just thrown into really tough situations, and your professors and mentors have complete confidence that you’ll be able to do it.” (01:29)
By exposing students to situations outside of their comfort zone, you cultivate highly resilient and agile problem solvers. These are the indispensable qualities of any successful entrepreneur in today’s fast-paced business environment.
The Importance of Networking in Business
Lindsay also appreciated the opportunities to network with her peers and professionals happy to share their experiences. Through her MBA, she realized the importance of authentic networking and how it can positively impact business endeavors.
“Something I learned through the networking that RIT allowed me is the importance of kindness
