What does the future look like for business schools and aspiring MBAs? In this episode of The mbaMission Podcast, host Harold Simansky and mbaMission Executive Director Jessica Shklar sit down with Joshua Margolis, who is the James Dinan and Elizabeth Miller Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School (HBS) and Unit Head for its Organizational Behavior Unit, to explore how AI is reshaping the MBA experience, why business schools remain essential, and how to define leadership in an age of rapid technological change.
Joshua also opens up about his nonlinear path to academia. Coming from a family of professionals, he stumbled into organizational behavior through a research assistant role at HBS, drawn by the question of how ethical concepts play out in real organizations where decisions cannot wait for perfect information. The conversation among Joshua, Harold, and Jessica covers such topics as the case method as a forced growth experience, the tension between AI as a learning tool and AI as a shortcut, and the ethical stakes of using AI in business school. “You are dedicating two precious years of your life to this,” asserts Joshua. “Get out of business school what you came for.” He also argues that the more complicated aspect of AI adoption is not the technology itself but the people side—getting organizations and individuals to adapt. That, he says, is exactly why business schools matter.
The episode closes with a rich discussion of mentorship and reverse mentorship, highlighting how the best leaders learn in all directions, not just from those above them in a hierarchy.
New episodes of The mbaMission Podcast are released every Tuesday on all major streaming platforms, with full video episodes available on its YouTube channel. Curious about how your story, your experiences, and your goals align with what top business schools are really looking for? Sign up for a free 30-minute consultation with Harold, Jessica, or another member of mbaMission’s admissions team.
