Marty Cagan recently wrote an article on the weaknesses of MBA programs.

He argues that both explicitly and implicitly detrimental values are passed on through the curriculum that need need to be unlearned in order to avoid crippling innovation.

Equating Management With Leadership

The idea that managers need to act like “the boss”. Essentially, conflating management with leadership.  

As Simone Sinek says, “No one wants to be managed. Everyone wants to be led.”

Not Knowing What You Can’t Know

Not knowing the answer can feel uncomfortable.

That discomfort is often avoided, crippling your ability to innovate. As Jeff Bezos’ defines the environment needed to invent and pioneer you must embrace failure and having unknowns – because it’s never been done before afterall.

The Role of Technology

Technology is not just a “cost”, a toxic view, but the catalyst and competitive edge for companies.

Command and Control Leadership Style

Empowered teams are where innovation comes from, not from top-down business strategy sessions.  

These are challenges that are by no means unique to MBA graduates.

The first step to unlearning is knowing what you need to unlearn – go forth and conquer.

Photo by Fernando Paredes Murillo on Unsplash.