· Listening: The most vital piece of learning that I take back from my MBA is the realization that it is more important to listen than to be the one listened to. People tend to trivialize the import of having exemplary listening skills but I have been reminded time and again of its benefits and cannot stress this enough: ‘active’ listening is crucial for progress – be it academic or professional.
· Economics: It is said that ‘one of the greatest pieces of economic wisdom is to know what you do not know’. Well for one, I do know that of all the different subjects I studied in management, economics was always the most revealing. The subject is not only about making one conversant with terms like GDP and the fiscal deficit – it also provides a clue to understanding and predicting all of human intent. In short, it endeavours to provide answers to the question: ‘Why does man behave like he does?’
· Peer-to-peer learning:
Being a member of an institution with over 500 other students has its pros and cons. However, there is no mistaking the fact that it makes for a vibrant and stimulating atmosphere to learn in. Working with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultural upbringing melts away a person’s social inhibitions and does wonders for one’s self-confidence. And I haven’t even started on the concomitant network effects that it brings in conjunction.
(contd.)