Tag Archives: MBA as a stepping stone

Taking The Elevator To The Top Of The Career Ladder

  By hmteam • May 10, 2016

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Once you’ve completed your undergraduate education, a master’s degree or a job seems to be the logical path. But what about the next step, or rather leap, after some years in the workforce? A quick look around you would tell you that there are a number of MBA programmes on offer and that prospective employers love the MBA degree. But at this stage of your career, you can’t just apply to any MBA programme that you see – no matter how reputable the B-school is. What you need to do is choose a programme that is designed especially for candidates who have years of work experience.

Here’s why such a programme is worth applying to.

  • Mid-Career Knowhow

When you consider a specialised programme such as the Nanyang Fellows MBA programme, you’ll find out that it is a great fit for exceptional mid-career executives like yourself. In fact, the minimum work experience in this group of students is about eight years. Think about the varied work experiences that each student will bring to the classroom, as opposed to the average MBA programme where you and your classmates will barely have any career experience to share or benefit from. Imagine how much you’ve learnt every year on the job, in your field.

  • Global Exposure

While many MBA programmes like to include a study abroad component in their curriculum, it is important to understand how differently you’ll use the time abroad when you have all those years on your resume. Somebody who has spent more time working in the corporate or non profit world will let the Fellows programme Overseas Business Study Mission in the United States push him/her toward greater success as a global, C-level executive. The current career path would have already involved travel and building communication with global offices, but this is a major step up from that because you’d be going equipped with new skills and knowledge acquired from your courses.

  • Expert Mentors

Students admitted to the Fellows MBA programme study a range of topics including business negotiation, contemporary economic analysis and cultural intelligence. Instead of focusing on too much theory, the faculty aims to prepare you for the real world. This means that you will get the chance to have professors from both the academic arena and the industry, who can certainly become your mentors during the course. Your interaction with them will bring your closer to major companies in Singapore and abroad and give you an in-depth peak into how things work as you go higher up the company hierarchy.

  • Small Class Setting

The Fellows programme is very selective. We invest a lot of time and effort to make sure that every candidate is a good fit for the programme. When we are done with the selection process, we end up with a small, exclusive group of about 25 students. That basically translates to lots of attention and interaction for you.

  • Robust Alumni Network

The Nanyang Business School’s alumni come from all over the world and they do not hesitate to reach out to each other. Whether they organise events, come down for a talk or talk to you one-on-one, they are available and well accomplished in their fields. Even after you graduate from the programme, you’ll find yourself with help, advice and friends from the network. And then you will be surprised when the future students start looking up to you too.

Does all this sound like the right key to get your elevator to the top? Then why not explore some more here: http://www.nbs.ntu.edu.sg/Graduate/Nanyang_Fellows_MBA/Pages/FAQs.aspx?

Getting Ready for a Leadership Role

  By hmteam • November 1, 2015 ,

You’ve been there, done that. And now you’re ready to transition into a new role where you’re going to create an even bigger and a better impact. Prep to move up to the C-level and be one of those leaders that you’ve always admired. Are you ready to support your company’s business strategies? Great. But there’s more to the job; a good leader has to offer his/her own insights and contribute in key decision-making. You already know the company’s vision – but what about your vision as a leader? Managing people may come easily to you, but do you know if you can lead them too?

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Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are eyeing that new title.

Personalise Your Role

Your key to success lies in understanding your company’s vision and values. It is in your hands to make them meaningful on a personal level because the leader is a role model for many. Don’t tie yourself down with ideas about how managers at your level should behave. Focus on maintaining a dedicated work ethic that lets you be true to yourself. Stick to a clear-cut plan and set goals, motivating your team to set their goals too along the way.

Communicate Effectively

Always show people the big picture. Never assume that your team members know what that picture exactly is. Instead, update them on a regular basis so that they are informed of the goals and changes. Take care of your team. Don’t forget to say thank you and praise in front of others. Playing the blame game is a strict no-no. A leader is responsible for team results. Take ownership of both the positives and negatives.

Make Informed Decisions

Today’s business globe is witnessing innovation every day, so a good leader needs to know how to adapt and be well informed at all times. Evaluate situations with the help of multiple resources because a single perspective just won’t do. And then arrive at a decision. A diversity of views shouldn’t confuse you. Just keep an open mind and listen. Learn to leverage your ideas by taking in inputs from your team members. The exchange of new ideas and feedback can lead to great results. Blocking out everybody else would be a mistake.

Be Tech Savvy

An effective leader understands how IT and business strategy, risk management and finance work together. And as you move up the corporate ladder, you’ll need to upgrade your technical knowhow, because a leader’s job involves understanding how the use of technology affects the organisation. More importantly, you’ll need to know how to exploit this technology in your industry.

Tackle Change

Change management is a relatively new area. Businesses are on the search for change drivers who can lead a transformation. It isn’t about leading change throughout the organisation as much as it is about being at ease in a state of constant fluctuation. That basically means that a leader has to keep continuous improvement on his agenda – such as building better processes and increasing the market share of the company.

The MBA as a Stepping Stone

A top class MBA like the Nanyang Fellows MBA is a stepping-stone to your leadership role. An MBA programme focused on candidates with years of experience will encourage lots of application. It will be a makeover for you. You can experience so much during the programme, in terms of work, culture, networking and a foreign business study mission that will add to your list of leadership abilities.

Are you ready to get ahead? You have to work on yourself but don’t forget the support system you’ll get from your B-school. You’ll be a part of a new, supportive community. A business school is a powerful tool for socialising. So make the most of it!