How to succeed in Australia's number one MBA program

MBA Academic Director Nam Tran provides advice to students to get the most out of the number one MBA program in Australia.

There’s a reason why Melbourne Business School is considered the best in Australia, says MBA Director Nam Tran.

“It’s because the program will challenge you, and that’s a good thing,” Associate Professor Tran said.

“It’s for people who are capable, motivated and committed. By definition it has to be challenging.”

However challenging doesn’t need to equal overwhelming.

For those who are about to take the plunge and begin their MBA journey, Associate Professor Tran shared his advice on how to set yourself up for success get the most out of the MBA experience.

Get loved ones on board

One of the more challenging aspects of doing an MBA is not assignments, it’s spending less time with people you care about.

Associate Professor Tran said partners, friends and family members might not understand why you’re so excited to go to school each week.

“We often tell students that it’s not just you that’s doing an MBA. Your whole family is doing an MBA with you so it’s important to have the support of your family,” he said.

He recommends bringing your other halves to the MBS Family Day and other school events. Let them see what you are up to and meet the people you are studying with so that they can understand what you’re doing and feel part of your journey.

“You’re all busy professionals, so every bit of support counts. Make it a team effort, and the MBA journey will be more enjoyable and rewarding for everyone.”

Flip the classroom

Unlike a traditional classroom, an MBA classroom is flipped, you’re expected to do a lot of preparation and knowledge acquisition before coming to each class.

“We flip the classroom because we want you to arrive ready to dive deeper, not just sit and listen,” explains Associate Professor Tran.

“Instead of coming to class to get the basics, you come prepared, so class time can focus on discussion, debate, and application.”

This approach means you’ll bring your own ideas, interpretations and questions to every session, making the learning richer for everyone.

A good rule of thumb: for every hour you spend in class, plan to spend about three hours preparing outside it. That’s what makes the MBA experience so rewarding, you don’t just learn from your professors, but from your own preparation and the diverse perspectives of your peers.

Consolidate your learnings

In class you’ll have the opportunity to consolidate the learnings and apply this knowledge to real world situations.

You class time is the chance to ask questions, clarify any confusion you have and build upon ideas and concepts.

“You are going to look at the same problem from different angles,” he said.

“By sharing your ideas and discussing with other students you’ll see a more complete picture.”

The benefit of doing a part-time MBA is you can also apply your learnings to your day job immediately.

“Whatever you learn on Monday night you can go to work on Tuesday morning and apply the technique to test it immediately.”

This not only keeps you motivated, it also helps you internalise the knowledge. “It forces you to really understand the framework and decide what works best in your company and industry.”

Put your hand up in class

You might look around the room and think how knowledgeable everyone else sounds.

Associate Professor Tran stresses the importance of putting your hand up even if it’s uncomfortable.

“You’ve heard it before, the only silly question is one that’s gone unasked,” he said.

This can be especially challenging for the introverts among us.

“I see it all the time, students who produce brilliant work but stay quiet in class. It’s such a waste because they have so much to share.”

He said the number one reason people hesitate to put their hand up is a fear of being wrong.

“That fear is usually exacerbated. You shouldn’t worry because the purpose of you coming here is to learn and to improve yourself. You’re not here to prove yourself to anyone,” Associate Professor Tran said.

And if you need evidence to put your mind at ease, the “Spotlight Effect” suggests we tend to overestimate how much attention other people pay us. People pay far less attention and judge us far less harshly than we think.

“This is a safe environment to learn, share ideas and grow. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn just because you’re worried about how you look.” 

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