15 Years After Getting an MBA: What Was Actually Useful?

15 Years After Getting an MBA: What Was Actually Useful?

Immediately after graduating with my MBA, I thought, "This is going to change my life."

In class, I studied corporate strategy, finance, marketing, and organizational theory, and in case studies, I engaged in repeated discussions with brilliant classmates from all over the world.

However, 15 years after graduation, strangely enough, I remember almost nothing of the case content I studied so desperately at the time.

"What ever happened to that company?"

That is the state I am in.

So, was the MBA a waste?

My answer is "no."

Now that 15 years have passed, I can finally see what I truly gained from the MBA.

The first thing is the "habit of thinking about the structure of a problem."

When working, it is easy to get caught up in the problems right in front of you.

Sales have dropped.

The project is behind schedule.

The organization is not running smoothly.

However, in an MBA program, you are thoroughly trained to break down the root causes behind problems and think structurally.

I thought it was common sense at the time, but in practice, this makes a huge difference.

The habit of thinking about "what the real cause is" rather than reacting emotionally when a problem occurs has been useful throughout my subsequent career.

The second thing is the "common language of finance."

Whether in business development, M&A, or corporate planning, decisions are ultimately made based on numbers.

It is not enough to just talk about the appeal of a business.

Is it worth investing in?

Where do the risks lie?

What about capital efficiency?

Being able to discuss these issues in the same language as management and investors was a great asset.

The third point is 'realizing that the world is vast'.

MBAs bring together people of various nationalities and backgrounds.

Even regarding the same problem, their ways of thinking are completely different.

Through that experience, I developed the habit of questioning my own common sense.

This was more important than I imagined when working abroad.

And finally, 15 years later, what I think was most valuable is that 'I no longer have any resistance to continuing to learn'.

An MBA was not the goal.

It was, rather, the start.

Since then, I have continued to learn about new industries, take on new jobs, earn certifications, and work abroad once again.

Looking back, I feel that the ability to learn things I didn't know was far more valuable than the knowledge I gained in the MBA program itself.

People considering an MBA sometimes ask me, "Was it worth the investment?"

To be honest, you cannot find the answer just by calculating the tuition fees.

However, even 15 years later, it remains the foundation for my way of thinking and how I approach my work.

Thinking about it that way, perhaps for me, the MBA was not just a qualification or a degree, but something like an operating system that has supported my career ever since.