A solid foundation of soft skills is one of the many returns people receive from their MBA experience. With a great deal of our Boothies having insights centered around the topic of soft skill benefits associated with their MBA journey, we decided to put together a part two blog piece. Here’s what current Boothies have to say about which soft skills have added to the ROI of their MBA experience:
“So much of Chicago Booth’s MBA program is collaborative and team based—working together to solve challenges, share ideas, and connect with one another.” – Jordan Salins
Group Collaboration
“For me, some of the most impactful courses at Booth were those in the Behavioral Science concentration. Understanding psychology and how people make decisions, communicate, and interact with each other has helped me immensely not only at work, but in every area of life. We cannot go through life alone—every project, task, and decision involves a team working together. Understanding how information is gathered, how people communicate, and the biases at play when making decisions is crucial to success and reduced frustration on teams. I am grateful for learning that at Booth, both in theory and through collaboration with my colleagues.” – Ben Dymit
Group Collaboration, Interpersonal Skills, and Communication
“Being able to effectively communicate has allowed me to negotiate a starting salary and location based on my preferences.” – Ernest Kabuye
Communication and Leadership
“During my MBA, I have enhanced my listening skills. The classes are a good place to listen to different perspectives and opinions. This ties directly into the networking as well. You are put in situations where you have to make small talk and connect to other people. Lastly, many of the classes and other extracurriculars allow you to practice your leadership skills.” – Eduardo Aquije
Networking, Leadership, and Active Listening
“Networking is an invaluable skill. Not only was I able to expand my network, but I was able to develop deep friendships during my experience at Booth that last to this day. My continued connection with this group and in other aspects of my professional relationships have been crucial in my personal and career development.” – Marissa Pitterle
Networking
“Before joining the Booth MBA, I did not have much knowledge and experience in the crisis management area. For me, the development of these soft skills took place at one of the best classes at Booth, Competitive Strategy with Professor Ram Shivakumar. It showed me how to handle a crisis situation in my job to reduce the impact of sudden outage of technology infrastructure. It enhanced my skills in this area by learning crisis management principles (e.g., honesty, transparency, responsibility, what can be saved and what must be saved).
Learning about others’ backgrounds, achievements, and interacting with them is one of the unique experiences at Booth. This is the best time in life where you meet with so many unique individuals during the networking events. Learning and sharing ideas with Boothies goes a longer way than we all think. Connecting with Boothies during the networking events is very valuable!” – Dhimant Korant
Networking and Crisis Management
“From a problem solving perspective, soft skills are critical in being open to the ideas of others. For example, one of the most frequently used two words are ‘Yes, AND…’ instead of using words like ‘BUT’ or ‘HOWEVER.’ This helps with psychological safety and team members are comfortable in sharing ideas.” – Joseph Kim
Problem Solving
In celebration of AAPI Month, co-chairs shine light on how their student group involvement contributes to their sense of community at Chicago Booth.
Celebrating AAPI Month with Booth Student Groups
Booth students share how their MBA has given them an advantage in leadership.
Ask a Boothie - How have you grown as a leader at Booth?
Students who come to Chicago Booth from the military bring distinctive perspectives on leadership. Here are some of their thoughts on the topic.
Leadership Lessons from Veterans