How business school makes you a better leader

Success after graduation from a full-time MBA program relies on you having gained the skills to be a strong, impactful leader.

All top MBA programs are known for providing students with the business acumen and technical skills they need to succeed in the real world after they graduate, and this is important. In order to effectively use those skills, though, you need to be adequately prepared to leverage them in a variety of situations and diverse interpersonal and cultural contexts. This is where an MBA program with a strong, foundational leadership curriculum comes in.

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Faculty and executives at UNC Kenan-Flagler believe that producing high-caliber students who are positioned for enduring career success is only possible if students develop their leadership skills. The MBA Leadership Experience at UNC Kenan-Flagler develops strong, principled leaders who positively impact the bottom line and the greater good. The program gives students a solid foundation of technical skills and core courses while accelerating students’ experiences by helping them translate technical skills and principles of effective leadership into real-life application. UNC Kenan-Flagler forms a particular type of leader — one who can deliver results with character.

Graduating from UNC Kenan-Flagler means you’ll be more competitive for jobs and better prepared to contribute. 

But why should this matter to you? Recruiters are looking for strong, competent leaders. More than that, they are looking for leaders with an understanding of why the bottom line matters, both in business and in their communities. Graduating from UNC Kenan-Flagler means you’ll be more competitive for jobs and better prepared to contribute. Here is a glimpse into what the Leadership experience at UNC Kenan-Flagler provides for its MBA students:

Real-life learning

In order to really understand what you learn in business school, you have to have an outlet for putting these principles into practice. For example, UNC Kenan-Flagler has numerous opportunities for students to practice and apply knowledge learned in the classroom to real world situations. From UNC Kenan-Flagler’s renowned STAR program to various business simulations that focus on conflict management, skills from the classroom don’t get left behind. They are instilled within you throughout your two years.

Customized curriculum

When you go to business school, you expect to become a better leader, but sometimes you aren’t sure exactly how to get there. In addition to the leadership experiences gained through the core curriculum, UNC Kenan-Flagler provides MBA students with the opportunity to develop even deeper leadership skills in the Leader for Next program.

This opt-in program delves into the most critical aspects of leadership so you gain skills that prepare you to influence and inspire others at every stage of your career. You’ll have more opportunities to practice and apply skills in experiential programs, called Leadership Accelerators, with additional emphasis on personal leadership development and executive coaching. Program participation also earns you recognition with recruiters and at graduation.

Personalized coaching

In addition to options for real-life learning and a structured path to developing your leadership skills, UNC Kenan-Flagler offers personalized coaching for all of our students. After participating in one of the many leadership assessments or simulations available, you can work one-on-one with real-world executive coaches. They will not only help you understand the outcomes of those assessments and simulations, but they will provide you with genuine feedback to help you adapt and prepare for future scenarios. The value of true, constructive feedback is unparalleled among other pieces of your leadership development and is one of the primary features of UNC Kenan-Flagler’s cycle of continuous learning.