The importance of relevant role models

A week ago, I was lucky enough to find myself sat in the 10th row of a speech given by former President Bill Clinton at American University in Washington DC. Clinton touched on a number of topics in his 90-minute address and Q&A, but his over arching theme (and his reason for being there) was to communicate the need for young professionals - future business leaders - to acknowledge and act on social, economic and climatic changes: to take responsiblity for the present and future state of the world and the people who live in it.

Thinking about this afterwards led me to wonder of the importance the presence of relevant speakers, faculty and contributors play in higher education, and in particular in an MBA experience. Are prospective students influenced by the type of network that a program can provide them, and how much weight do prospective students place on their exposure to relevant role models?
 

Much has been publicised about President Clinton’s work since he left office, in particular the success of the Clinton Foundation in not only increasing the profile of long-term dangers brought about through climate change, income inequality and effects of natural disaters – but actually putting in place plans to combat them.  As business schools have in the past 3 years digested their own contribution in developing the people who have overseen a global financial crisis, (and also their non-contribution in developing other social and technology business leaders such as Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerburg, Jimmy Wales and Clinton himself - none of whom hold an MBA) – they have embraced the need for change in the what, how and why graduate business education is taught. This is a good thing. And what was clear from hearing him speak, is that at a time where we expect to see a transformation in MBA programs around the world to ensure business schools continue to produce the most technologically and socially aware, business-ready, relevant MBA graduates, exposing students to the thinking and experience of leaders such as Clinton will only help.