I recently received a very interesting request to talk about self-awareness. Here’s the question: Will you share some insights as to how the Chicago Booth’s culture and curriculum helps students develop self awareness through the MBA experience? How does the experience stimulate the process of looking inward and challenge students to follow paths less travelled (in their professional and personal lives), and discover new paths if old ones are obsolete?
The process of self-awareness is an ongoing process of personal discovery. The process never ends because we’re all evolving in our abilities, interests, opportunities and life stages. The MBA application itself is designed to help prospective students begin the journey and learn how include this process regularly throughout the rest of their lives. Since Chicago’s curriculum is built around the recognition that we are each unique with different backgrounds, aspirations and at different stages in our personal and professional development, Booth provides a choice-centric approach to education, putting you in the driver seat of selection across the full range of experiences (academics, career, people, etc.). In order to make choices, you have to understand trade-offs. While there are lots of places for you to get support in making decisions, learning how to regularly make trade-offs will play a large role in your life as a leader.
Another area of the curriculum that focuses on awareness building is our LEAD program. The entire premise of this course is designed to help align awareness of yourself to how others perceive you. There are modules in many different areas that help to develop this awareness (from team dynamics, conflict management, relationship building, and interpersonal communication skills, to business ethics and communication skills). Delivered by peers (second year leadership facilitators), this course is feedback rich (both in giving and receiving feedback). In your second year, you will also have opportunities to take advanced modules on topics such as crisis communication and media relations.
Every part of the MBA experience is a journey of discovery, from learning new frameworks that will guide your thinking, to learning about industries and functions that will open new career paths for you. You will be challenged by your classmates and teachers; you will be challenged by yourself as you come face to face with “chinks in your armor”. But ultimately, you will be more confident in your abilities and surer of how to navigate your opportunities. The path of self-awareness is your life’s journey.
Read the full article: The MBA — Journey to self awareness?