We all know the economic benefits of an MBA. But, how do these programs help you grow as a person? Maggie Hamerly, a graduate of the International MBA at EADA Business School, shares the myriad ways the course changed her life.
Claiming there is just one reason why people choose to pursue an MBA is like claiming the courses are aimed at just one personality type. People’s motivations are vast and varied, ranging from personal development and network-building to becoming your own boss and making a career switch.
However, there are those – like Maggie Hamerly – who simply have itchy feet and can’t stand the thought of plateauing. As Maggie says, “For me, continuous learning is a very important part of life and growing.” (00:36) An MBA is no mean feat, so people like Maggie get a huge sense of achievement alongside their new career opportunities and business perspectives.
The International MBA at EADA is perfect for those restless minds who want to make a noticeable change in their careers. To achieve this, the program covers diverse areas, such as:
Maggie wasn’t the first in her group to go to EADA Business School. A friend and former EADA student had only great things to say about her experience and confirmed Maggie’s decision. However, as Maggie recalls, there was one specific area that stood out. “She talked a lot about the leadership development portion of the program and that was something that really piqued my interest,” she reveals. (01:54)
Going into more detail, EADA’s Leadership Development Program focuses on four types of leadership:
The program teaches soft skills and self-awareness through four two-day modules at the EADA Residential Training Center Collbató. Some of these are classroom-based, such as learning about giving and receiving feedback, how to manage unexpected situations, and how to communicate openly in a team.
However, students also get active with challenges. Maggie explains, “We’re doing things like rope courses up in the trees and those sort of things where you’re having to push yourself to jump off a very high point.” (04:16) The objective of these activities is to break down mental barriers and fears that so often hold people back.
Initiatives like the Leadership Development Program set the International MBA at EADA apart from other courses by focusing on personal development, rather than sticking to traditional hard-skill teaching methods.
Programs like the International MBA at EADA are, by their nature, general degrees. This means that while you might focus more on one subject than another, the course is designed to expose you to all areas of business.
This is perhaps discouraging in the sense that the more you know, the more you realize you don’t know. In what could be seen as a humbling experience, you’ll be alongside experts in areas with which you are completely unfamiliar. Of course, you’ll develop your skills throughout the course, but you can’t expect to be the best at everything.
However, being thrown in at the deep end, surrounded by a strong cohort of students, can only help you improve. Maggie reflects, “During the program, I definitely realized where my strengths lied and where my weaknesses lied and was able to convert that into where I’m looking to push my career.” (02:26)
A broad understanding of many subjects is a huge career boost. It helps you spot hidden opportunities, while accepting that some areas are best delegated to others.
Classes on the International MBA at EADA are made up of diverse minds that are all experienced in their field. There is an unmissable opportunity that lies in this fact. Two universal truths about business are that collaboration is key and human relationships are essential. EADA’s program puts you in a position where you can hone your people skills with a group that can help you later in your career.
Maggie realized that the sooner you open up with others, the sooner they will open up with you. As she tells MBAGRADSCHOOLS, “Our class was able to get really close during [the Leadership Development Program] and it was very meaningful for us to all open up and be honest and real with who we were with each other.” (02:57)
You don’t have to wait until after your MBA for your contacts to come in handy. Identifying professors or classmates who know how to get a message across makes life much easier during your course. “If you can find the right person to teach something, it makes a world of difference,” Maggie says. “I personally had other students who were better at things than I was and I would kind of lean on them when I wasn’t understanding something.” (05:44)
Looking back on her experience, Maggie says, “Honestly, the MBA has changed everything. I definitely came in thinking that I was one way and had one thought path.” (06:48)
It’s not uncommon for MBA graduates to come away from their course feeling they have grown as a person. Specifically, graduates of the International MBA at EADA invariably point to the program’s focus on both hard and soft skills as what really sets the course apart. Learning how to leverage Excel, SEO marketing, systems, and processes is of course an indispensable part of any MBA. However, by balancing it with self-understanding, communication, conflict resolution, and management techniques, EADA creates leaders for the real world.
“Being able to develop both my hard skills within the regular courses on the program as well as the soft skills is what really developed me as a leader,” Maggie concurs. (05:22)
Interested in hearing more about what it’s like to do an MBA? Contact our Student Ambassadors who will be happy to share their experiences.
