What the hell is the altMBA and why are all the descriptions so VAGUE?

You might have heard of Seth Godin’s altMBA program. You might have seen it floating around on the internet somewhere.

And like me, you might have wondered: what on earth is this?

If you were really curious, you might have gone to the website to get an idea of what’s taught.

And like me, you might have been disappointed.

Why?

Because the website is vague. It tells you you’ll “level up.” Learn how to “ship.”

But what on earth does any of that actually mean? And more importantly: how on earth will it help my career and actually be worth the investment?

Let’s take a step back and reframe.

You’re a professional. You might want growth, but are unsure of exactly what that growth might look like.

Despite the uncertainty, one thing’s for sure: You want to be better.

So I ask you:

What do you get when you bring a group of people together that feel that exact same way?

When you create safe spaces?

When you open opportunities to have real discussions?

When you have a platform to be generous with your time, energy, and wisdom and receive that same generosity in return from complete strangers — people whose care you haven’t necessarily earned, but who freely give it to you anyway?

That, my friends, is magic.

That is how you…

• tear up on calls with people that were complete strangers a few days ago.
• tear up reading messages of support, of little nudges, of challenges, of faith in you and the work you’re capable of creating.
• see others have major personal and professional breakthroughs in the span of 4 short weeks.
• see others come into their own, redefine their narrative, and take major strides towards accomplishing their goals.
• collectively come to a new appreciation for the power of human connection in our lives.

Just like Seth can’t tell us exactly how to make art, I can’ tell you exactly what I’ve learned in the altMBA.

Sure, there have been some business concepts (frameworks for decision-making and evaluating problems, etc).

But more than learning — it’s about coming to new understandings, constructing a broader worldview.

As a brilliant member of my cohort once said, “It’s not about what’s taught — it’s about what’s been learned.”

I honestly thought everything seemed so vague when I was considering this program. And it certainly was.

But what I’ve realized is that — it wasn’t vague to sell me on the program. It was vague because I was going to get out of it exactly what I needed to get out of it.

I was going to gain insights that might be entirely distinct from what others gain.

But I was going to have a community to gain those insights with. A space to share those insights. An opportunity to grow.

I still can’t fully articulate exactly what I’ve learned. At least not in a way that would seem valuable along the lines of: what are the exact skills you got out of this course?

Because it wasn’t about the skills. It was never about the skills.

It was about the mindset shift. It was about the confidence building. It was learning:

You have something to say. So say it. (And we’ll listen.)

It’s about understanding how we operate in the world. Questioning our assumptions. Removing us from ourselves to see how our assumptions affect our behavior. Learning to change the narrative, to be creative, to be better. To be more human.

In an age when automation will likely take over… what do we have left?

We have those intrinsically human qualities and skills. We have gifts of humanity.

Sometimes all it takes is someone believing in us and giving us the space to finally be open and honest and reflective and hopeful.

Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to get us out of our own heads.

And I know what you’re thinking:

This is still really vague.

And despite re-discovering a love for writing though the altMBA — this is really the best I can do. It’s the best way I can explain this program.

Of course, there’s the logistical things. A cohort from around the world. Lots of zoom meetings. Sprinting to complete projects and comments and reflections. Learning to create again. Learning to ship.

But that’s not the content. That’s simply the framework to create the conditions for what Seth calls — the work.

Because the work is the emotional labor. The work is the act of brainstorming and supporting and opening up and putting something out into the world. The work is about analyzing and questioning — not as a means of judgment, but to make us all better.

Because when we elevate others, we elevate ourselves. When we challenge the thinking of others, we challenge our own thinking. When we encourage greatness in others, we inspire greatness in ourselves.

So I ask you: so what if it’s vague?

Seth says the future of education requires teaching two skills:

1. Solve complex problems
2. Lead

Those might be vague, but we can likely agree that they’re essential.

Now imagine a world where we’re equipped to apply those skills in a meaningful way.

That’s the world the altMBA seeks to create.

If you have questions about my experience with the altMBA program, feel free to comment here or email me at unstuckproject2019@gmail.com.