Leaders are a vital part of our economy and everyday lives. Not only do good leaders help expand their company, but they also inspire others to excel. Any experienced and successful leader will admit that they are still always learning. As the world changes, leaders change along with it. Although he wasn’t able to deliver his last speech, John F. Kennedy had planned on telling America that “leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” This is why earning a degree in Organizational Leadership is so important.
STU strives to educate the leaders of tomorrow in a way that promotes lifelong learning and adapting to challenges. Read on to learn more about organizational leadership and what this unique degree program involves at STU.
How Leadership Has Changed
While leadership has always been important, there has been an essential change in how leaders help businesses thrive compared to years ago.
Power-Based Leadership
Even 20 years ago, most people saw leaders as those who could dominate a crowd. They could call to order the situation and give commands on how to be successful. In many ways, the leaders of past generations looked a lot like drill sergeants with an army of employees. Leaders were in a position of power, which therefore commanded respect and ultimate authority.
People-Based Leadership
Currently, leaders look quite different from their historical counterparts. Successful leaders in today’s economy focus more on the people who work with them rather than follow them. Today’s leaders choose to lead by influence, example, and understanding rather than commanding dominance.
These leaders understand that there is a quiet power in working together as a team and being open to suggestions. While people-based leaders aren’t afraid to call the shots, they are more apt to lead in a less dominant fashion.
Organizational Leadership Degree Overview
Students earning a degree in organizational leadership are those who understand how to set goals as well as motivate others.
Characteristics of Organizational Leaders
There are many values and skills that students will learn when earning their degree in Organizational Leadership.
Excellent Communication Skills
Organizational leaders must be able to speak with a wide variety of people within the business. They often need to understand generational differences as well as backgrounds and cultures to communicate with everyone within the company effectively. Organizational leaders know how to remain impartial in heated situations and can see both sides of the coin.
Ability to See the Big Picture
One of the key characteristics of successful organizational leaders is the ability to see the big picture. Not only can these professional leaders care about the details of a matter, but they also know where that detail fits into the grand scheme of things when it comes to company success.
Set Vision for the Future
Organizational leaders cast a vision and set goals that align with company values and goals as well. They have a good idea of where the company is going growth-wise and can help motivate and inspire employees to work together to reach that goal. Organizational leaders are great at seeing how an employee’s skills can one day transform and benefit the company long term.
Organizational Leadership Program Studies
Earning a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership at STU offers nontraditional students an online learning experience. Students learn about the important aspects of leading others in today’s competitive business world.
Admission Requirements
This nontraditional online program is only available to those students who have completed 12 or more semester hours of credit from an accredited institution. This program is geared towards working adults who are at least 23 years old and have at least 3 years of full-time work experience. Students must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale for program work prior to applying for this program.
Earn Your Degree Quickly
Earning your degree quickly is just one of the many reasons why students choose to pursue a degree in Organizational Leadership. Due to the unique nature of this program, students can apply up to 45 credits of past coursework and life experience towards the needed 120 credits to graduate.
This is an excellent opportunity for busy adults to finish their degree in as little as 15 months. A reduced amount of coursework also means a reduced cost to earn your BA degree!
Coursework Examples
Organizational leaders must be well versed in a wide range of courses. This includes a good mix of business organization, psychology, and communication classes throughout the program.
Business Organization Classes
No matter what industry you choose to work in after graduation, every company can benefit from an organizational leader who is knowledgeable in business values and common practices. Students will take Business Ethics as well as Staffing and Employee Development.
Organization-focused classes within this program make up a large part of the coursework. Students will learn about laws within the workplace as well as strategic policy and planning to help grow a company to its full potential.
Communication Classes
Simply put, communication can make or break your career in the business world. Communication is key to not only sharing your thoughts in an understandable way but also in leading others. Students at STU will take important communication classes that focus on communicating within the professional world as well as how to approach conflict and conflict resolution.
Career Opportunities With an Organizational Leadership Degree
The sky’s the limit when it comes to the many different career paths available with a degree in Organizational Leadership from STU. Every business needs a good group of leaders who can help motivate employees and grow the company. Due to their excellent leadership skills, many of our Organizational Leadership graduates work in top management positions like managers or directors.
Human Resources Manager
A natural career path for many students with an Organizational Leadership degree is in the human resources department. Leading groups of employees and communicating well are vital factors of a successful HR manager. These roles are critical for the success of any company in their ability to manage conflict, motivate others, and create a team of employees working together toward a common goal.
Public Relations Manager
Communication is vital to those graduates going into a public relations career. Every business needs some spokesperson who can accurately speak on behalf of the company while knowing when to divulge information. Understanding how people in the workplace interact as well as how to talk to employees effectively is a significant part of the job as a public relations manager.
Executive Director
Plenty of smaller businesses or non-profit organizations offer executive director positions. These professionals enjoy working with a smaller amount of people working towards a common goal. Executive directors enjoy leading teams of employees and volunteers and cast vision and goals.
Earning a degree in Organizational Leadership is an excellent opportunity for busy professionals to finish the degree that they once started. While leaders have and will always be important in the workplace, organizational leaders understand that leadership roles evolve and require constant learning over time.
Our graduates are those that are excited about motivating others and are willing to expand their leadership knowledge as the business world continues to evolve.
Consider enrolling today to start earning your degree in as little as 15 months at St. Thomas University!
