Business is not rocket science!!

I have been reading with some interest the discussion raging on BW forums on why some people with extremely good GMAT's and who are apparently geniuses are not getting into Bschools. (See: http://forums.businessweek.com/bw-bschools/messages/?msg=63686)

I have wondered that myself sometimes. However, one thing we all understand (but maybe are afraid to say it): "Business is not rocket science". You dont need to be a genius to work well in Business (of course, a good head on the shoulder never hurts).

For all the geniuses out there.. there are other good graduate programs (most of which do not involve huge student loans) that will give you a chance to show your creativity, to create original thoughts, to invent new things, to publish peer-reviewed journal papers, and to write brilliant dissertations. That you are genius is not a reason enough for Bschools to let you in the door. You need to show more.. much much more!

While there is some amount of "diversity" and "class-shaping" that take place at top schools, the majority of people accepted at schools seem to have done normal things exceptionally well, rather than the other way around. In my work place, I have noticed that most of the people who have risen very fast have not always been the sharpest. They have been very good at understanding the business model of the company, never deviated from the procedures, enforced the company procedures to their reports, played the office politics very well (a.k.a "inter-personal skills"), and been very good communicators. Once again, ..not rocket science, just common-sense.

I am sure Sergey Brin and Larry Page do not sit and write the product positioning strategy whitepaper at Google. They will hire good business people to do that (which admittedly requires its own set of creativity). Meanwhile, Brin and Page will continue to do what they do best - create, innovate and be different!

So say goodbye to Einstein and say hello to Donald Trump!!