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By Vicki Salemi
It's easy to appreciate the allure of eLearning -- fitting
school into your schedule -- but what do business leaders
think of the alternative to brick-and-mortar educational
endeavors? For these CEOs, online learning was the key to
propelling their professional potential.
"It may also be a great driver of future success," says
Paula O'Callaghan, director of Syracuse University's iMBA
online program and author of the foreword to The Complete
Idiot's Guide to Getting Your MBA Online (Alpine/Penguin,
2005), "One of our recent graduates told me that by earning
his iMBA and implementing new ideas, revenues increased by
38 percent, profits by 40 percent. That's an investment
result worthy of any CEO's attention."
More and more, the eLearning bug is catching on with
high-power players. Just ask Randi Reich, director of
Strayer University Online. "Years of workplace experience
plays an important role in professional development.
However, formal academic training at the bachelor's or
master's level for any executive provides the necessary
training to gain a competitive advantage in today's global
economy."
A Viable and Valuable Education
As the globe-trotting chief executive officer of Prometheus
Performance Systems, which provides workforce planning and
management, strategic alignment, and organizational
governance services, Michael Fritsch admits earning his MBA
online wasn't only a viable option; it was his only option.
"My job was very global in nature with a demanding travel
schedule. There was no way I could have earned a degree in a
traditional way and performed my work duties." Since most of
Michael's travel occurred on short notice and over weekends,
a compressed MBA weekend program in technology management
wasn't feasible. Neither was taking a two-year hiatus from
work to pursue a degree in a traditional classroom. He chose
to work toward an MBA from the university of phoenix.
"The online option was the only one to support my demanding
work and travel schedule."
The educational flexibility wasn't the only advantage. The
successful workplace/human resources/operations expert
applauds the communication aspects of eLearning,
specifically the fact that it mirrors today's business world
communication methods of e-mail, Web conferencing, and file
exchanges. "Earning an online degree and leveraging
technology made for a superior learning experience," notes
Michael.
Not to mention that by applying class projects to real work
challenges. Michael developed his technological prowess.
Solving actual business problems with online colleagues and
instructors was especially effective, he adds, "since all
collaboration was online."
Navigating Today's Virtual Workplace
Among other things, Tim McMahon, CEO and founder of McMahon
Marketing LLC, which specializes in corporate branding and
strategic communication, says that eLearning taught him how
to better navigate technology in today's rapidly changing
world.
"The learning exchange allowed for flexibility with time
management while preserving meaningful interchange among my
learning team and instructional team members," explains the
former head of marketing and communications at a FORTUNE
1000 company.
According to Tim, classes such as Leadership Communication
Strategies' and Diversity and Globalization through Seton
Hall University's online master of arts in strategic
communication and leadership program evoked constructive
feedback in an open way. It provided clarity regarding team
dynamics in a way that helped his business philosophy.
"Under normal circumstances there are team dynamics to
figure out -- getting together, scheduling a meeting time,
and understanding roles and strengths. In a virtual
environment, I was able to get a better understanding of how
teams form, storm, norm and perform."
The Classroom of the World
Master's and MBA students aren't the only execs reaping the
benefits of eLearning. For Dr. Sharon T. Freeman,
entrepreneur, author, and global change agent who promotes
global growth and export development for small, minority,
and women-owned enterprises, deciding to earn a Ph.D. in
applied management and decision sciences from Walden
University was a no-brainer.
"I chose Walden because it's fully accredited and [because
of] its mission to prepare social agents," she explains. In
fact, the nature of the school's rigorous Ph.D. curriculum
lent itself to the savvy businesswoman's schedule; running a
global consulting practice. At the time she pursued her
degree, she was living in Bosnia (one of more than 100
countries she's worked in), helping develop economic
strategy.
"As technology has developed, there are more robust tools
used to communicate, and more knowledge about this [online
degree] process; it's not an unknown," she explains. Also
beneficial was the program's 32-day on-site residency
program, which, she says, provided her with a framework of
practical experience.
"It's another lens from which to understand the experiences
I've already had." In fact, the pioneer hopes to one day
help create a new distance learning program for women in
developing countries.
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