Gaining confidence as a leader: Alum discusses positive effects of Foster’s Technology Management MBA Program
Bhaskar Dutt, Senior Technology Lead, Expedia, Inc. Technology Management MBA (2012)
Bhaskar Dutt didn’t always see himself as a leader.
A decade into his development career, Dutt decided to pursue an MBA via Foster’s Technology Management MBA Program. “The thing I valued most about my professional life was the flexibility I attained by intentionally diversifying my development experience,” says Dutt. “Going forward, I wanted to broaden my view of the organization and enterprise, but planned on staying close to what I was used to.”
He was used to being a successful developer at Microsoft. Having a bachelor’s degree in math and computer science, as well as a master’s in the latter, Dutt had a terrific technical background. His plan was to complement his skillset with a rigorous business education, graduate and see where it could lead.
“Two-thirds of the way through my MBA I realized that the program had become so much a part of my life that I was no longer worried about making a job change while continuing my studies,” says Dutt. “I had the support of my student team, I was learning a lot and I was gaining confidence.”
Within a month of looking at new opportunities—in the time he had between classes—he received four offers for program manager jobs at Microsoft and chose the most promising. During the interview process he found himself talking about marketing frameworks and could envision having an impact in leading a team in a new role. He thrived as a program manager for several years before asking what’s next.
What’s next turned out to be a combination of his passion and his new skill set. As Senior Technology Lead at Expedia, Dutt is again playing in the development sandbox—but this time as a team leader where his vision, communication, and leadership skills are at the forefront.
“Beyond all of the great things I learned,” says Dutt, “it’s impossible to overstate the value of the network at Foster.” He is also quick to point out the learning that goes beyond the classroom, including everything from building a highly functional study team to honing presentation, organization and negotiation skills.
