What the best MBAs know

For a young person to attend university to study management straight from high school is marginal at best and foolhardy at worst. The Master of Business Administration, or MBA as it is known was originally devised for professionals in diverse fields such as medicine, engineering and science - that is, a person with a technical education seeking the skills and knowledge to run a business.

Having owned a small business, I employed university graduates pretty much straight from school and I learned, to my misfortune that they were not adequately prepared to enter the workforce. 

Had those institutions insisted on a greater emphasis on workforce development; I would have been employing grounded personnel without the attitude and arrogance willing to undertake all the tasks on offer. 

In an argument with a staff member refusing to undertake a menial task, I pointed out I started out on the broom sweeping floors when required. His reply was that he has a degree, he doesn't need to use a broom.

To this day, I still jump on a broom or mop when required, at that time I had an Advanced Diploma in Management, not an insignificant qualification and was supervising up to 15 apprentices in my full-time employment. 

In order to keep the guys in my charge working effectively, it was more efficient for me to grab cleaning equipment whilst they finished their tasks, I could supervise effectively whilst pushing the broom around them. 

Not only did it not damage my credibility, it increased my credibility as the apprentices understand I possess technical knowledge and they saw a guy willing to get in and get the job done.

Furthermore, much to his surprise, I could discuss strategic management issues with him using business school terminology and phrases. Not the attitude to take with the person who pays your wages - many thanks to Navarro et al.

I had the fortune, or misfortune some might argue to spend some time with a Harvard MBA socially, he was arrogant beyond belief after (according to him, 250k spent on his Harvard education) but well equipped to handle most business situations.

I, on the other hand had first hand supervisory experience working my way through the ranks having no formal management education at that stage. I could do the job, at a supervisory level as was proven in my employment without knowing the correct processes or functions.

Upon my return to Australia, I was in a bookshop and the title immediately jumped out at me, I had to have this book and after paying a very modest fee had this valuable reference tool in my grasp. This was the text that gave me the confidence to undertake formal management training. 

To this day, I still reference this excellent book as it has all the major concepts and is more compact than my university reference books. While I now have a mature age bachelor degree, the time spent chatting to to my MBA acquaintance provided the impetus to get accredited. 

Much humour is now attained on my part, whilst working through the lower frontline management certificates and diplomas - it was predominately face-to-face delivery before undertaking an online university course (still requiring attendance at face-to-face examinations). 

I still face snide remarks from uni snobs at my workplace despite the fact I am their superior, that is, I have a higher position and salary, maybe it never ends short of a Harvard MBA after all.

A university education gets you the job interview advantage, however, without actual workplace experience, they are likely to comprehensively fail. A person with on-the-job experience reading What the best MBAs know is at a distinct advantage to an arrogant university graduate.