When it comes to wanting to pursue a degree in business, the standard choice has usually been to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). In today’s rapidly changing environment, however, many companies and organizations are looking beyond the MBA and are looking for personnel who have a Master’s in Leadership.

Different Skill Sets

Those with MBAs can speak directly to the numbers and statistics found in financing. On the other hand, those who have a Master’s in Leadership have a broader skill set when it comes to dealing with the individuals within a company. Those with degrees in leadership can see the big picture. The average individual with an MBA degree tends to focus on single elements within the company.

The person with an MBA might detect production numbers are down but someone with a degree in leadership might be able to ascertain why the production numbers are down and come up with creative solutions on fixing the situation. When it comes to implementing change, the MBA degree holder might come up with a new strategy designed to assist in making a company more productive, but it is up to someone with a degree in leadership to put the plan into action.

Leadership Can’t Be Taught

It’s important to understand that simply possessing a Master’s in Leadership does not guarantee someone can be a good leader. There is no textbook available that can guarantee that reading its contents will make someone a leader. Strong leadership isn’t something that can be easily taught in a classroom environment. By the same token, someone who has a Master’s of Business Administration might have superb leadership skills, thereby making this particular individual a strong asset to a corporation or organization.

Servant Leadership

One of the ways that a Master’s in Leadership differs from a Master’s in Business Administration is the focus on servant leadership. This is an area where the leadership of an organization focuses on the people within the organization and developing a strong dialogue with them. While this is vital to maintaining a healthy workplace environment, it has very little to do with the actual finances of an organization. A good example of someone who might be practicing solid servant leadership would be a personnel manager with a Master’s in Leadership.

Relevancy

With the cost of schooling being prohibitive, some question whether a degree such as an MBA is even worthwhile. A Forbes column questioned whether or not having a Master’s in Business Administration is necessary for today’s marketplace. However, as pointed out by U. S. News and World Report, there is an increasing need for MBA graduates in the health care sector, which is growing at an exponential rate.

Regardless of whether an individual chooses to get a Master’s in Leadership or go for the traditional route of obtaining an MBA, any expert will point out both paths lead to obtaining financially rewarding careers.

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