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Advanced Leadership Training Pursue an MBA or Other Advanced Degree?

R. Kevin Grigsby, MSW, DSW

KEYWORDS Leadership Management Organization Executive Development Graduate degree

KEY POINTS

Advanced leadership training is available in many forms. Before engaging in formal advanced leadership training, you should engage in a careful and thorough assessment of your motivation for pursuing another credential. You should have a clear understanding of the outcome and impact you desire. There are many options, informal and formal, for advanced leadership training. Informal training through mentoring, professional development seminars, and certificate programs will help you to gain leadership knowledge and skills. However, only formal graduate de gree programs offer a bona fide academic credential. Before enrolling in a graduate de gree program, exercise due diligence to be sure this course of action will result in the outcome you desire. Selecting your best option should include consideration of cost, financial and personal. Consider the cost of lost opportunities, because pursuit of a graduate degree requires sacrificing your time, effort, and energy. Ask yourself if the potential return on investment (ROI) will be reasonable. Enlisting a neutral third party to assist with calculating the ROI is recommended. Check references before enrolling. Speak to persons who have participated or are partici pating in specific programs before committing to enrollment.

INTRODUCTION

Many articles offer information about basic leadership skills development. This article offers concrete guidance to psychiatrists considering advanced leadership training. Typically, psychiatrists assume leadership roles as they participate in graduate

Disclosure Statement: The author and his family have no direct financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in the article or with an organization offering a competing prod uct. The author is solely responsible for the opinions and content and do not represent the views or opinions of the author’s employer, the Association of American Medical Colleges. Member Organizational Development, Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), 655 K Street, Northwest, Washington, DC 20001, USA E-mail address: kgrigsby@aamc.org

Psychiatr Clin N Am 42 (2019) 439–446 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2019.05.005

psych.theclinics.com

0193-953X/19/ ª 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.