If you're looking to become indispensable to your employer, short of marrying into the boss's family the best strategy is to improve your professional education.
Many consider a Master's degree to be the 'gold standard' qualification, but unless you have upwards of ten thousand dollars lying around, and a couple of years to do an MBA, it may be beyond your means.
This is where 'The 30 Day MBA' by Colin Barrow comes into its own, providing a thorough grounding in key subjects covered on the top MBA courses for Bahamian managers and aspiring leaders. Educated at the world renowned Sandhurst Royal Military Academy and Cranfield University, Barrow has written more than 30 books in the fields of entrepreneurship and business management, including ten books in the Dummies series.
'The 30 Day MBA' is a well-presented and concise book offering a clear overview of each key concept and compliments this with numerous invaluable websites and online resources. The 12 chapters cover the essential core disciplines in a top MBA program including: Accounting, business history, business law, economics, entrepreneurship, ethics & social responsibility, finance, marketing, operations, organizational behavior, personal development and quantitative & qualitative research and strategy. However, be warned, you will need to be organized and motivated to complete this program in 30 days.
This is because the book also provides invaluable access to business information on markets, competitors, research data and case studies, as well as hundreds of free business tools to help you carry out effective analysis. This treasure trove is underpinned by an impressive array of web links to Harvard lectures and tips on how to get onto the alumni of some of the world's greatest business schools to exploit a potentially priceless career development network.
Although you won't be able to add 'MBA' after your surname, once you've completed the program it will allow you to take part in strategic decision making on an equal footing with MBA graduates. Most importantly, it demonstrates that going to business school is not the only way to acquire an MBA skill set to enhance your career progression (this from someone with 20 letters after their name) and that there are ways to gain the same knowledge, while saving both time and money.
o 'The 30 Day MBA' by Colin Barrow. Published by Kogan Page and available from www.Amazon,com.
o Keith Appleton JP, BA (Hons), N.Dip.M, MInstLM has extensive experience within an academic, managerial and strategic leadership role. He is a member of the UK Institute of Leadership & Management and can be contacted at KeithAppleton@Hotmail.co.uk or follow him at twitter.com/WritingRightNow.
Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian
