{"id":1486,"date":"2016-03-07T15:54:42","date_gmt":"2016-03-07T15:54:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.binfire.com\/?p=1486"},"modified":"2016-03-07T15:54:42","modified_gmt":"2016-03-07T15:54:42","slug":"why-mbas-are-bad-project-managers-and-six-ways-to-fix-it-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.binfire.com\/blog\/why-mbas-are-bad-project-managers-and-six-ways-to-fix-it-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Why MBA's are bad project managers and six ways to fix it"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Do<\/a>Only two of the world\u2019s top 100 business schools include Project Management as a core element of the MBA program. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>While grooming our future business leaders with a curriculum of strategy, leadership, marketing, and finance, they do not consider the experience of implementing a company-wide initiative or bringing a new product to market to be a worthwhile use of their education.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The MBA is about leadership, strategy and top-line growth. Project Management is the distant second cousin that is not worthy of the attention of Michael Porter, Peter Drucker, and the Ivy League academic world.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>At best, it is thought to be technical in nature, perhaps suitable for engineers.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>At worst, Project Management is a step above a blue-color profession, and a step in the wrong direction.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

If I am over-simplifying, it\u2019s not by much.\u00a0 <\/span>Run this small experiment:<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>ask a recent MBA to choose between an Agile or Waterfall methodology and you will likely be met with a blank stare.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>In fairness to the B-schools, they are merely responding to the demand of their customer base.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The reality is that many MBA\u2019s graduates with six-figure debt and the only feasible way to break even on their investment are to bypass mid-level management positions (read \u201cproject manager type\u201d). <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Based on my direct experience, business schools neglect Project Management to the detriment of their students. <\/span><\/p>\n

While the traditional role of executive management and leadership is still valid in hierarchical organizations, the model does not work in an environment where leadership is defined by example and reputation.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The typical Project Manager needs to engage with experienced engineers, designers and independent contributors with strong views.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>What is required is not management via decree, but collaboration<\/a> and consensus around an idea. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Art of Questioning<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Project Managers need to be skilled in asking the right questions from experts in the project domain.\u00a0 <\/span>The ability to probe and query within a collaborative environment can be difficult for the MBA leader\/warrior who considers himself or herself an independent thinker.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>To some extent, the art of asking questions requires a degree of humility that could be perceived as a sign of weakness or lack of command.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Strategy versus Context<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

MBA programs tend to teach strategy from the top-down and provide frameworks on how decision making supports the overall strategy of an organization.\u00a0 <\/span>Project Management is required to execute within the complex environment that decisions are made.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>MBA\u2019s often consider the day-to-day execution of decisions too detailed to follow and focus on the big picture\/top-line objectives.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0The Macro versus Micro View<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the course of their studies, MBA\u2019s drill down in the details of how companies make decisions and the interconnectedness between the functions of finance, sales, marketing, manufacturing, logistics, and operations.\u00a0 <\/span>Project managers view the same topic slightly differently:<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>how to best execute projects in these functional areas.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The difference in viewpoint becomes significant and can even paralyze the MBA who needs to move from high-level decision making to the consensus required to move a project forward.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

How MBAs can become the best Project Managers<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Although I am not suggesting that the MBA offers a dual PMP track, there is a significant amount that can be gained by incorporating the Project Management discipline in the MBA program. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Even without formally including Project Management coursework in the curriculum, the skill set required from a Project Manager can make a good MBA even better: <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n