Management students tend to carry an illusion about what life is going to be after their coveted MBA. Real life in organisations tend to be different from hypes built around MBAs. This ppt aims to bring in a sense of realism among MBAs and aspirants so that they are more in tune with the real world when they choose MBA for a career or even during their MBA program. Such realisation would make them well grounded, be more successful in job interviews, reduce dissonance, disappointments and frustration from their initial years of organisational experience. This presentation has been used as a preparatory to placement activities in management insitutes

1. MBA to manager
The transition dilemma

2. •MBA programs presuppose capitalistic / free
market economy of the west. India is an emerging
transitional economy with imperfections of a free
market. Apply the MBA knowledge with care,
diligence and application of mind. eg. Global
investment meltdown, Lehman Brothers, sub prime
lending – derivatives and investor advisors
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3. •Management is a multidisciplinary subject, need to
distil problem from symptoms, know what to apply,
how, when, where, at what rate, by whom,…
•MBA degree not a passport to success / recognition –
May help entry, but to stay you have to prove yourself
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4. • No special privileges for an MBA, value to be
earned from effective contribution to achieving
organizational objectives
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5. • Need to prove yourself, high expectations,
initial benefit of doubt but to continue the
privilege / edge over others, you need to
exceed expectations
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6. •Organizations not designed on the lines of
functional specialties/ subjects in MBA
program, for mechanical application of
knowledge.
•Need to mentally model real organization and
its problems on certain frameworks, to apply
your knowledge judiciously
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7. •Real organizations operate in a dynamic real,
not carved out for application of theory.
•Need to analyze and understand the real orgn.
To intelligently decide on tools, techniques,
knowledge to apply, how to apply unobtrusively .
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8. • Capability is not what is rewarded but its demonstration
in holistic problem solving and effectively contribute.
•Orgns. work in teams, U have to learn to, enjoy team
work, respect others and be able to command respect of
others, by your conduct and contribution.
• Earn respect, not demand it, doesn’t come free
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9. •Data analysis – you would have learned data analysis
methods and draw inferences to apply in management.
•In real world, no data is given / come to you, you have
to get it, data may not be complete/relevant/ accurate/
perfect to meet your requirements.
• Difficult job is what and how to do, doing it, making
things happen. Getting relevant data is a challenge.
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10. •Most organizations spend enormous senior executive
time / resources to gain access to needed data. Most
of the time, to work with incomplete, inaccurate
imperfect data.
•Data is not nos. in table / excel form ready for
analysis. Includes informal data gathered in informal
situations, observations, obtained through third party
sources, surrogates, perceptions, best judgment….
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11. •You still have to work with it and deliver.
•Management is not mathematics or deterministic.
Management decisions, inferences, strategies and
actions are just the most probable outcomes expected,
based on possible analysis of available information and
best judgment, as people are involved and the operating
environment is open system and dynamic.
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12. •Organizations are open system subject to all external
influences, not designed for mechanical application of
theories.
•Theoretical applications and analysis help see a
situation within a framework and understanding, but dont
help arriving at solutions directly.
•Tools and techniques help analysis, guide in decision
making, they don’t translate directly into decisions
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13. • Successful managers are not necessarily
MBAs
• Start up CEOs, what made these people
managers, entrepreneurs and leaders?
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14. •People don’t behave on the expected theoretical lines
of OB, as assumptions of other things remaining
constant are never realistic.
•Other things are never constant.
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15. •Knowledge doesn’t guarantee result, but appropriate
actions in the context. Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices,
Actions > Results,
•More important - emotional maturity, judgment,
attitudes, determination, focus… and less is knowledge.
• Easy to acquire knowledge resources, but not people
with the right bend of mind to generate outcomes.
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16. • Need passion, grit, confidence, killer instinct,
persistence, risk taking ability to succeed, knowledge
comes lower in the hierarchy.
•Some of these attributes have to be acquired and
practiced
• Success once does not guarantee success next time,
it has to be worked towards every time.
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17. •In real life no pass marks, be 100% first class all
times.
•Clients and customers don’t accept nor can you sell
anything less than the best, as you are charging them
for 100% and best in class
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18. • No real level playing field (as clamored for by industry
associations).
•Every field is uneven, need to take advantage of the
uneven terrain and compete (USP, competitive
advantage of nations, core competency – CK Prahlad).
•Competitive advantages - many times contextual and
unique to individuals and organizations.
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19. •Politicians generate competitive advantages for
themselves by strategizing for long term.
• Never know true intent; always a hidden agenda.
•What appears innocuous would have been the result
of deep rooted thinking, analysis, strategies and plans.
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20. •They completely change the established rules of the
game, as politics is the game of possibilities.
•External environment management is equally or more
important than intra orgn. management.
•At lower levels technical skills are imp., at middle levels
technical and people skills and at top levels strategy,
env. mgmt capabilities are most imp.
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21. •People in boundary mgmt. are most powerful
• Distinguish between short term gains and long term
success and sustainability.
•Good organizations look for qualities in their employees
who work for long term and not short term.
•Honesty and courage most important in any orgn.
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22. •Don’t be afraid to be different, if you have a logic from
careful application of mind.
• Give unsolicited inputs if you are convinced of its value
• Know your orgn. – industry, objectives, priorities, who is
what, env., competitors, what is happening in the ind.
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23. • Lose a battle to win a war
•You will always have detractors, don’t get distracted
• Sense of humor, human relations very imp. in orgn.
•You cannot work in isolation and isolate others from
you by your behavior, that is why there is an orgn.
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24. • Be bold to share your thoughts / knowledge, no
fear of being taken away by someone.
•None can take away what is really yours.
•If you share, others will share too.
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25. •A manager may be designated, but a leader emerges
•Leadership is more than management, leaders stand
up to their conviction, beliefs and carry others;
managers manage others.
•A manager maintains, a leader creates
•Silence is also a response as much as a verbal one
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26. • Don’t have to win everywhere, you have to develop your
competitors too !!
•Competitors not your enemies, they help you to do better,
by challenging.
• Customer complaints (feedback) - best source of
information to improve your product / service.
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27. •Don’t discourage / put off a customer who comes to
you with a complaint on your service / product
• Keep your eyes, ears and mind open and be tuned
to inputs from the env.
•Formal reports not necessarily the best source of
useful information.
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28. •A mind is like a parachute, works only when it is
open
•Even the junior most emp. has something to
contribute, don’t create a scary situation around you
and drive away people
•Respect others as much as you want others to
respect you and your time
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29. •Cultural sensitivity most important in management
as you always deal with people or diversity.
•What is right and admired in one context may be a
not done, taboo and even crime in another place;
even within the country and outside. Eg . dress code
for various occasions (Mumbai, Bangalore, Kochi,
Kolkata and Delhi in India, …)
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30. • Manners, greetings, communications, social
etiquette.
•Drinking is a offense in some muslim countries, but
an expected social etiquette in the west
•Be sensitive to and comply with organizational
policies on smoking, use of organizational resources
such as transport, stationery, IT infrastructure, tour
expenses, travel guidelines
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31. •Qualities desired : Reliability, punctuality, honesty,
team work, collaboration, flexibility, learning, social
skills, acceptable behavior, stress management,
communication, efficiency, internal and external
mktg., accountability and taking on responsibility,
enterprising, working towards results, guiding and
motivating others, carrying the team, lead from the
front, delegate, trusting others but with verification,
responsible conduct
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32. •Today’s needs - etiquette, negotiating, learning,
results, dress sense, telephone and email etiquette
accepting criticism and failures, stress handling,
•Give credit to those to whom it is due, diligent
application of mind and not mechanical behavior,
working around obstacles, cooperative mentality
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33. •Respect authority, but also be alert to limits
and trigger points when to question.
• Can’t be a blind spectator to undesirable
happenings.
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34. •You have a societal responsibility and can resort to
questioning and whistle blowing
• Difficult to draw mechanical / logical instructions to
handle all situations.
•Individual judgment, thinking on the feet and
mustering courage to handle a situation is expected
in higher management
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35. Fate, flight or fight?
If you think you can , you will
Can do and have done!
Hunger and thirst for success / results – push
from within
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36. Mission orientation, winning streak
Personal hygiene, feeling good
Don’t do what you don’t enjoy
Have the courage to explore, you can change
the rules of the game
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37. Thank You
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