Use Design Service Thinking to Make the Most of Your MBA Program

As I went through the MBA program at Hult International Business School, there were times when I would listen to my fellow students discussing our classes and think, â€Å"Did you expect to just show up, read a couple of books and get ‘MBA’ stamped in your passport to management? You have to actually DO something.† Occasionally, the person I was thinking about was myself. My point here is that once you’ve plunked down a hefty sum for an education, it’s easy to take the attitude of a customer in a restaurant and think, â€Å"I placed my order. Please bring me my degree, now.† And I’m here to say that in this pressure cooker, one-year MBA program, you will get so much more out of your experience if you make the effort to avoid slipping into indifference. Now, I have observed that educational institutions everywhere set up structures with the intention of effectively and efficiently delivering education—but this can backfire by breeding a passive attitude in some students. For example, if there’s no slack in a program’s schedule (understandably, a one-year program can’t really afford that), it can cause some students to be less proactive about owning their education. They might start to see limitations and constraints everywhere, even where there are none. That’s why there’s a bit of dissonance here, not least because most people pursue their MBAs in order to advance their careers. And what employers absolutely want is managers who are go-getters, not sit-and-waiters. There’s a constant tension, which has existed for a long time, between how education generally is delivered and the results that are expected after that education. How, then do you, specifically, make sure that you get the most out of your educational experience? Design it yourself. Yes, you read that correctly. Your school has designed your curriculum, but you don’t have to just sit (in a classroom) and have your education done to you. You actually do have a lot of say in how it goes. If you were to apply some very basic principles of Design Thinking and Service Thinking to create intentionality around your business program, I assert that your experience and the results that you produce will be dramatically different. The key here is the Empathize/Define step. Usually, this involves interviewing and observing users/stakeholders in the product or service that is being designed. In this case, that’s you (and maybe your family or significant other). You need to be honest with yourself about how you want your educational experience to be, and what results you want during the program, as well as afterwards. So, ask yourself open-ended questions (questions that cannot be answered ‘yes’ or ‘no’), and answer honestly. What do you want out of your education? What results will that produce for you when the program is over? Why are you getting your master’s degree? Then, you create a â€Å"problem statement†. This is essentially a question that will lead you to solutions to your â€Å"problem†. It should be broad enough to allow you to come up with at least 50 ideas. Admittedly, you walk a fine line with your problem statement because you want it to be broad, but not too broad. â€Å"How can I maximize the professional benefit of my MBA program while maintaining my health and sanity?† is a good problem statement. â€Å"How do I get a job in Investment Banking?† may be on your mind, but is not broad enough for a good problem statement. Once you create your problem statement, you can start writing down ideas about how to fulfill that goal. Again, you should be able to come up with at least 50 ideas. Don’t neglect obvious ones. Write down everything. In the example above, you may focus on the part about â€Å"professional benefit,† and begin to break it down: â€Å"What does that look like? Is it simply an increased salary? More responsibility? A new function?† When I first went through this, I sat at my desk for about an hour, sweating it out until I hit 50 ideas. It was worth it. I saw for the first time that I thought I already â€Å"knew† what it meant to be an MBA. From there, I was able to design a process of discovering what it is to be an MBA based on the goal (and subset of goals) I had set for myself. The next step is prototyping, which is the easy part—start implementing your ideas. Test them out on people. Testing is where the surprise value is. If you’re talking about this with people, sharing what your objectives are and how you’re trying to accomplish them, you’re going to get feedback. People want to help, and it’s important to be open to the feedback you get (make sure you reciprocate by giving feedback when you’re asked for it). In doing so, you’re co-creating and co-evolving your design—two key components of Service Thinking. Keep in mind that you’re not stuck with any of this. That’s the iteration part. The graphic above is a bit simplified: this is not a strictly linear process, and you can iterate at each and every step. For instance, if your prototype involves going to one networking event a week and you discover that isn’t fulfilling your needs, don’t throw out networking events. Maybe you just need to test a different type of event. That’s one of the beauties of graduate school—you have one year to conduct experiments to see what works and what doesn’t. You won’t have time like this when you’re out in the real world and in a real job. Because here’s a reality check: it’s pretty likely that your goals and requirements will change as you go through your program. So don’t think of your design as fixed. Think of it as more of a tool to keep you focused on the ultimate goal. Any graduate program is a challenge. An accelerated, one-year program is going to be even more so. It can be hard to see the forest for the trees when you have three exams and four major projects due in a six-day stretch. But keep your eyes on the prize. It’s my wish that going through this exercise will give you the opportunity to take a step back, remind yourself of your big picture goals, and keep in mind how each and every action you take is related (or not) to that big picture. And along the way, maybe you, too, can discover what it means to be an MBA. Guy Larkin is a recent MBA graduate of Hult International Business School looking for opportunities to apply design thinking and service thinking to business problems. He is also the father of two curious and ravenous children. Picture courtesy of Joachim Schlosser. Grow your leadership capabilities with an MBA in international business at Hult. To learn more, take a look at our blog Hult Global MBA makes impact in Latin America, or give your career a boost with our Masters in International Business. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself. Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .