It's easy to think an online MBA is all about sitting alone in a room
with a computer, but it's really about relationships. Ask Kristina
Krajca, a learning and development coordinator for consulting
firm Booz Allen Hamilton. Krajca says her early courses in Capella
University's MBA program taught her a lot about strengthening her
professional relationships.
During her first course, Krajca participated in the 360-degree
feedback tool that's part of the MBA curriculum. What she learned
about her own work style was vital, she says, "because you get the
feedback from people that you work with. You see how your boss
sees things as opposed to how you see things. So in your first class,
you're already learning how to critique yourself at work. A lot of
people don't get that feedback; they have no idea."
As part of another course, Krajca was assigned to mentor a coworker.
She and her mentee met about once a week and worked together
on a problem on an internal Web site. "We ended up with a great
solution," she said.
Her MBA program has also piqued her curiosity about her own
organization. Since many of her Capella assignments are workrelated,
she has explored Booz Allen Hamilton's business beyond
her immediate job role.
Krajca has appreciated the experience and insight of other
professionals in her courses. "You're getting an outside perspective
to help with issues at work that you might not otherwise talk about,"
she says. "It's just amazing the relationships that you form online."