MBA Degrees Boost Women's Success

In a 2004 article for the Los Angeles Business Journal, Rita Steel highlights the management skills of women, and asserts that the skills of an MBA promote teambuilding and retention rates in the workplace.

By Karen Lawson
karen.lawson@mba-business-schools.com
MBA Business Schools Columnist

Women and men increasingly share management responsibilities in all phases of industry and business. Do men and women share similar management techniques, or does gender influence management style?

In her article, “Play to Your Strengths as a Female Manager,” Rita Steel highlights skills common to women which can translate to effective management techniques. An MBA degree can enhance inherent skills and provide training in important aspects of management.

MBA Skills Key to Employee Satisfaction

Not surprisingly, employees surveyed suggest that recognition and understanding of their needs and accomplishments directly influences morale and retention. Steel cites the following as managerial strengths common attributed to female managers:

• Interpersonal skills such as listening, empathy and mentoring
• Communication skills
• Teambuilding and achieving rapport among staff
• Including staff in decisions affecting policy and performance
• Critical /strategic thinking
• Conflict resolution
• Multitasking

Steel asserts that women solve many workplace programs through these strengths but cautions women to avoid problems that can be caused by these qualities.

Bumps in the Road: Avoid Problems with an MBA

Many women acquire useful management skills outside of the workplace. What mom doesn’t know how to do several things at once while refereeing family arguments and balancing the checkbook? Steel cautions that although a valued skill, overdoing multitasking can result in average performance in many tasks as opposed to excelling in fewer areas. Women also report problems with maintaining professional distance from their employees. This can cloud your judgment in employee performance issues and mentoring. An MBA program can help you sharpen management skills such as employee relations and strategic planning. If you’re interested in improving your management skills, an MBA degree can supply the knowledge and tools you need to maintain employee morale and performance.

About the Author

Karen Lawson is a freelance writer whose interests include topics in postsecondary education and the humanities. She holds BA and MA degrees in English from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Posted on March 5, 2007 at 2:00 PM

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