While MBA students have often been very successful before they take the MBA, others have chosen to take the course because their career is not progressing in the way they want. Indeed, they are not taking the MBA because they fit the stereotype of the last paragraph, but rather because they do not. People who already fit that stereotype arguably don't want and don't need to come to business school.

The diversity is one of the very rewarding things about teaching MBA students. Collectively, they have a breadth of knowledge and experience that you won't find in many other classes. Many different disciplinary backgrounds are found in an MBA class. Also, of course, full-time(note 2) MBA classes tend to be highly international. The beauty of this is that if you pick an example from a particular industry to illustrate a point, the chances are that at least one student will have experience of working in that industry, or experience as a customer of companies in that industry. Moreover, they will want to share that experience with the class. Already you have something to draw on which would be rare with many other students. Moreover, they generally show a very high degree of motivation. If you can make the most of their diverse experience, determination and motivation, then you should be able to create a great learning experience.

However, this diversity also brings some further challenges. It is difficult for an MBA teacher to be all things to all people. For one thing, experience in economics varies widely. I ask each class in the first lecture how students would categorise themselves:

(a) have studied some economics formally at school and/or university
(b) have not studied economics formally, but read economics articles in the Economist, Financial Times, etc.
(c) would answer "no" to (a) and (b)
The class often divides about one third (a), one third (b) and one third (c). Almost inevitably, therefore, MBA courses in economics are limited to a basic introduction. This is OK for (b) and (c), but can be frustrating for (a).

For another thing, I doubt that there is a single teaching style that is ideal for all the many types of MBA students. Some like "dynamic" presentations with slick repartee, while others see the professor as a "sage". Furthermore, mathematical ability varies very widely. Those with a background in the arts tend to be thrown by mathematical models in an economics course, so these have to be used with caution. But the MBA class may also include students with a PhD in physics who long for a more mathematical treatment of economics.

Attention to Small Details
My view is that for most teachers, an essential component of success with MBA students is attention to small details. That may seem surprising, but the justification for my assertion comes in the non-linearity of the student complaint function, as described above. If you pay attention to all the small details, then students will forgive the odd lapse or a less than enthralling style, because you are still within the "good will threshold". But if you do not pay attention to the small details, then they will not be so forgiving of other mistakes. Only those who can win over the students with sheer style or charisma can afford to take chances with the small details.