What is Organizational Leadership?
Alaska is one of our most sparsely populated states here in the US. Much of the state is under ice and snow for most, if not all, of the year. However, it manages to still make a big impact on the US and world economy. Much of that impact is due to Alaska's mining, quarrying, and oil/gas extraction industry, which ranks 9th in the nation. However, Alaska is more than the sum of its geological resources.
Other top industries in the state include real estate, transportation, social services, business services, and construction. These industries help create a robust and growing economic landscape that requires a diverse workforce. Alaska's educational system, including post-secondary education, is constantly working to satisfy the needs of the business and government community.
An organizational leader is a businessperson who guides their organization with a vision that encompasses multiple factors. They know how to properly utilize and structure the talent on their team and how to catalyze change, all while taking culture and other factors into consideration. Organizational leaders seek to not only hand down edicts for efficiency and profitability, but they consider each department as part of a working whole. Organizational leaders encourage each department, and even each employee, to work in greater harmony with the organization as a whole.
Organizational leaders seek to motivate their employees by identifying their talents and helping them improve and make the best use of their abilities. They may focus on individuals, teams, or managers who need attention. The goal is to attain a broad view of the organization in a way that includes its component parts. Then goals and projections can be communicated to each in a way that is effective and empowering for each.
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Online Leadership Education in Alaska
One large part of the Alaska's educational systems' effort is spent developing business management departments and business college programs. The management portion of these academic departments is vital because all organizations need sound leadership to help guide them to success. Department faculty seek to constantly improve their own work in the field of management by reading and writing cutting edge papers on the subject. They also strive to recruit academic management experts from around the nation and world.
To that end, business degree programs seek academics who have done the most cutting-edge work in emerging fields, including organizational leadership. Since organizational leadership is a very hot topic in both boardrooms and MBA departments, Alaska's undergraduate departments are working hard to keep pace so that their students are the best prepared for success in graduate school.
Alaska's business degree programs also seek out management and organizational leadership experts from within the state. Since each industry has its own features and challenges, it's vital to have organizational leaders from the industries that drive the Alaskan economy. For instance, an organizational leadership expert who is used to motivating teams of workers in the oil fields and other departments in their organization, can bring something special to the classroom. After all, business can be studied and analyzed but it's also a series of human actions that occur within certain circumstances. Seasoned managers who rely on organizational leadership can relay specific incidents to their students and inspire and enlighten in ways that a purely academic professor cannot.
Online Associates (AS)
An associate degree in organizational leadership from an Alaskan community college is a great way to get started in the world of business. These schools teach management approaches that are cutting edge and will give degree holders a real boost in the employment marketplace. Further, the decision to earn an associate degree as a first step in one's career can be a great financial choice, costing less than a bachelor’s, giving you access to the work force, improving incomes overall, and more.
An associate degree not only provides fundamental knowledge in one's primary subject area, such as organizational leadership, but it has other benefits, too. Community colleges require that their students complete the core college curriculum as part of their associate degree program. This gives every student a fundamental knowledge base as well as soft skills in writing and oral communication.
An associate degree is also cheaper on a per-credit basis, especially when earned at a community college. Students who start their academic journey with this steep discount may come out far better in the long run because their debt burden will be that much smaller. Since students can use their associate organizational leadership degree to land an entry-level position, their employer may offer tuition reimbursement once they see how strong of a leader their employee is.
National Rankings - Online Associate in LeadershipOnline Bachelors (BS)
Most jobs in business administration require a bachelors organizational leadership degree. Employers like to see that students have cleared a four-year academic hurdle and can take their wealth of knowledge into the working world. During the course of a bachelor’s organizational leadership degree program, students are able to dive deeper into the subject than their cohorts in a community college organizational leadership degree program. They can also broaden their view with courses in related subjects.
Since organizational leadership students are usually aiming at a career in business, a wise choice for a minor concentration would be a subject such as finance, marketing, or economics. Students might also be well served by taking courses in computer science, accounting, statistics, or other fields in which they have a specific interest. When an organizational leader has a broader base of business knowledge, they can better relate to their employees and bring a more informed view to the table.
National Rankings - Online Bachelors in Leadership National Rankings - Best Campus Organizational Leadership SchoolsOnline Masters (MS)
Professionals who practice an organizational leadership approach are often seen as better qualified when they hold a master’s degree. In fact, the world of business is increasingly expecting organizational leaders to hold master’s degrees, including MBA’s, which are incredibly popular in the upper ranks of business professionals. Those who are interested in practicing their organizational leadership skills from a C-suite office would do well to pursue an MBA. Many MBA degree programs offer organizational leadership as a concentration for the second year.
Yet another option may be a dual MBA. This is a popular option in which students can study organizational leadership for their master’s degree while simultaneously working on an MBA that may have another concentration altogether. Since a dual MBA only takes three years to complete, many students take time off from work to dive into one of these intensive degree programs. Pairing a strictly business-related field with an MBA is an especially good idea since employers like to see more focus in their candidates.
National Rankings - Online Masters in LeadershipOnline PhD (PhD)
A PhD in organizational leadership may not be a top priority for many employers these days, but students who earn this top academic credential will likely find great rewards in the job market. After studying leadership in such depth and detail, a PhD can pursue many different avenues with their organizational leadership degree.
One of the more popular applications of a PhD is a career in academia. Organizational leadership experts are qualified for tenure-track positions with colleges and universities. There they can teach undergraduates as well as graduate students. Organizational leadership faculty may also work as researchers who generate funds with grant money in return for their research.
Another option is to work in consulting. Since many corporate managers are seeking new approaches that will propel their firms into the future, someone with a PhD in organizational leadership will be a great help to them. Organizational leadership experts can conduct training sessions with top management while also assessing their firm's needs.
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Become an Organizational Leadership Professional in Alaska
To become an organizational leadership expert in Alaska, students need to start with a firm foundation that will support them. As young people, those who take on leadership roles in their lives will probably carry that on into adulthood. Youngsters can earn leadership roles on their sports teams, special-interest clubs and organizations, or by being elected to leadership on their student body council. This first-hand experience with leadership will surely serve them well.
College admissions counselors love to see students who have leadership positions listed on their applications. They strive to recruit a student body that is full of motivated and capable students who will energize the campus culture. Likewise, students need to see course offerings that will support their leadership goals.
In high school, students should start looking at online Alaska colleges and universities that have strong business degree programs. These larger business schools are more likely to offer courses, or degrees, in organizational leadership. Students should then assess the course offerings and even compare them with other similar organizational leadership degree programs. Once they have narrowed down their choices, they can do the final bit of due diligence.
That is, they need to ensure that their top business school choices hold at least a regional accreditation from a CHEA-approved agency. This ensures that the degree will be honored and rewarded in the marketplace or graduate school application. Another option is to find a business school that holds accreditation from either AACSB, ACBSP, or IACBE. These agencies are nationally recognized for excellence by both schools and employers alike. Their credentials are only given to the very best business-related programs, including organizational leadership degree programs.
When students are in their third or fourth year of an undergraduate degree program, they should start looking for a graduate school. Since a graduate degree is increasingly expected in the C-suites it's a good idea for students to transition directly into graduate school upon completing their bachelor’s organizational leadership degree program. Again, students should evaluate each graduate degree program to ensure that the curriculum and faculty suits their view of the field. They should also look for the same accreditation credentials as an undergraduate program as well as any indications of alumni success.
Potential Careers for Graduates
- Training and Development Manager:
These management professionals help to keep employees current in the latest procedures and policies. In larger organizations they may supervise a team of trainers who do the actual training. A large part of this job entails staying current with developments in one's industry and determining what changes will have the best impact on the organization. - Chief Marketing Officer:
To earn this position, marketing executives need to gain years of experience in the field of marketing. Most employers will also want to see an MBA with a concentration in marketing, or an MS in marketing. Other possible degrees or MBA concentrations might include leadership or data science. - Chief Operating Officer:
This C-suite position requires close attention to the daily operations in the firm. A COO position often requires an MBA in organizational management or leadership, on top of at least five years’ experience in operations management. COOs frequently enjoy very large salaries, but they also put in long hours every week in order to earn that compensation. - General Manager and Operations Manager:
A general manager is one who acts as the chief management professional in an organization. They often oversee the operations and business of a branch within a larger organization, as in the general manager of a restaurant or retail store. These managers have departmental managers who report to them on a regular basis. The GM often aggregates reports from their management staff, makes suggestions, and sees that new corporate rules and regulations are implemented in a timely fashion. - Supply Chain Manager/Logistician:
These professionals are in high demand during times in which supply chains are constrained. A supply chain manager is responsible for ensuring that packages are shipped to or received from the appropriate parties in a timely manner. They may also oversee how products are manufactured. To succeed in this position, a degree in supply chain management is often required, though you could also earn an MBA with a concentration in logistics. - Chief Financial Officer:
These finance professionals work to ensure that a business spends and generates cash in the most efficient and effective ways possible. A CFO oversees their firm's accounting department while also receiving financial reports from other managers. In the time of a merger or acquisition, the CFO is called upon to oversee that transaction, thus reviewing all relevant financial documentation from the target of the deal or the purchaser. CFOs most often hold a CPA credential, and many have an MBA with a finance concentration. - Chief Information Officer:
IT professionals who master their specialty area and then return to graduate school for a master’s information technology degree, if not an MBA with a concentration in information technology, can rise to this C-level position. CIOs oversee their firm's IT resources including the databases, servers, and networking technology. The various IT managers report to them and the CIO then hands down new plans for upgrades or tech expansions.
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