María Ángeles Tajuelo: "The company is something alive due to its dynamism and the challenges it presents"

The business world has changed significantly in recent years. Concepts such as soft skills, empathy, or emotional intelligence did not have a real application in the business landscape until recently. However, they are now seen as a necessity to ensure a company's success.

María Ángeles Tajuelo is the director of the Permanent Training MBA Executive Master's at Fundesem Business School. This master's provides a global and cross-sectional perspective of a company's operations, as well as the interrelation between its different areas. Business plans, innovation, business creativity, or the implementation of digital models are just some of the concepts its study program delves into.

Tajuelo talks about everything this master's can offer, the evolution experienced by the business ecosystem, and new forms of leadership.

-Firstly, tell me broadly what a person who takes this master's will gain.

-The person who completes the Fundesem MBA gains a combination of specialized knowledge and practical skills necessary to take on a managerial role in today's business world. They will gain in-depth knowledge of all business areas and learn to maximize the resources of each area that makes up a company. They will acquire managerial skills such as leadership, team management, decision-making, and negotiation. They will develop entrepreneurial skills and the ability to detect business opportunities. They will achieve a boost in their professional career, as having completed an MBA elevates the professional profile. Sometimes it is even a requirement to access certain high-level management positions. They will expand their sphere of influence through networking and the opportunity to connect with other professionals from different fields and sectors, as well as professors and experts, allowing them to create a diverse network of contacts that can be key for future job opportunities and business.

-What would you say are the keys to a company functioning well, beyond the profitability of what they do?

-Although many factors influence a company's good functioning, and it is something alive because we are in a dynamic and challenging business environment, in my opinion, beyond the profitability of its activity, the keys are related to internal and management factors that ensure sustainability, efficiency, having the necessary talent, and the ability to adapt to a changing environment.

In my opinion, for a company to function well, it is essential to achieve a combination of these factors: strong leadership and strategic vision, positive organizational culture, social responsibility and good governance, solid financial management, customer focus, constant innovation, and the ability to adapt to changes.

Likewise, an effective talent management strategy that puts people at the center is essential to create a safe, attractive, and satisfying work environment. Having the right people and ensuring they are motivated and committed is key to any company's success.

-What type of profile is suitable for taking this master's?

-The suitable profile for taking this MBA is a professional with experience in relevant positions (minimum 5 years), professionals who have recently been promoted or are already in management positions and want to update themselves. Also, entrepreneurial people who are thinking of starting a business or already have one.

In general, any professional interested in updating themselves, continuing to learn, and acquiring new business management tools and skills, strategies, and business models, as well as expanding their network of contacts.

-The company and leadership have changed a lot over the years. Now soft skills are valued, and the figure of the boss is conceived differently. How has the business ecosystem changed in this regard?

-Over the last decades, companies have undergone significant change processes, creating uncertain and volatile work environments. In this context, traditional leadership models need to be reexamined. The figure of the "boss" as understood in the past no longer works; instead, we must evolve towards other leadership styles that produce positive effects on teams, authentic and inclusive leaders who manage to connect purposes and lead positively. We must sensitize and accompany companies to achieve a healthy organizational culture and achieve business success as well as the well-being and high performance of work teams. Soft skills are so powerful that they are now called power skills. These are transversal skills that are fundamental for professional success and adaptation in any work environment, increasingly valued by companies, as they contribute to success in leadership roles and the construction of a positive work environment. That is why, in the MBA, we dedicate a specific module to the development of Leadership and Executive Development skills.

-The master's deals with real cases with real topics after each module. Tell me about this.

-Another way to put into practice the knowledge acquired in each block of the master's is by attending different activities such as Round Tables with entrepreneurs and experts who will present real cases from their organizations, as well as In-House cases, visits to companies where students will be presented with a challenge to solve associated with one of the topics covered in the module.

-You also propose activities outside the classroom, Outdoor Training. What does this consist of?

-During a day, we change the classroom for an unforgettable experience. This training methodology allows turning experiences into learning, generating a transformation in the person and the team. Through simulations, games, and dynamics, participants experience situations that generate emotions, allowing them to remember for much longer everything "discovered" during their training. These activities are facilitated by specialized instructors who, in addition to guiding the activities, carry out an evaluation and analysis of the experience, relating the dynamics experienced with the challenges of the work environment. Outdoor Training is a powerful tool to develop key skills such as leadership, decision-making, and communication, foster team spirit, and enhance personal bonds. By taking teams out of the usual environment and confronting them with new challenges, significant learning is generated that is then applied in daily work, improving their performance.

-What opportunities can a person who takes this master's have? Where can they end up working?

-An MBA elevates a person's resume to another level. It provides a global vision of business management and a valuable network of contacts. It allows access to relevant positions in a wide range of sectors and types of companies. For example, someone with a technical profile taking the MBA can develop management and business skills that allow them to access roles of greater responsibility. Beyond learning, we are committed to connecting talent with organizations in the province, which is why we also offer the possibility of directly accompanying our students in the process of competency development and professional orientation. A large number of companies seek talent at Fundesem. Studying an MBA is undoubtedly an investment that provides a wide range of job opportunities, such as taking on management positions, changing sectors, starting a business, etc.