Education
An MBA To Break The Glass Ceiling?
Inequality is everywhere, and while there have been great strides forward in improving it, women are still 15 percent less likely to get a promotion when there’s a male in the running for it. So what can women do about it? A lot, read on.
There is a saying: work twice as hard to be considered half as good. It’s mostly associated with racial prejudice. However, it’s also been used often over the past few decades to fight against the male-female pay gap. Charlotte Whiton coined this version of the phrase back in the ‘60s:
“Whatever women do, they must do, they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily this is not difficult.”
Some may take offence to Charlotte’s version, but we believe it was coined to provide women with empowerment.
Smash The Glass Ceiling
Hillary Clinton’s ‘smash the glass ceiling’ campaign, during her run for the 2016 US Presidency, continued the inequality fight.
Gender equality is very low in some countries and industries, yet women are nonplussed with the challenges ahead to right the wrongs. They want equality everywhere in the workforce and where there are strong women the fight will continue. Women want equal pay for equal work. They also want fairness, i.e. the same consideration, as their male counterparts for promotions and roles usually exclusively given to men.
So what can women do now to get an edge in the workforce? Focus on what they personally, can control i.e. improving their knowledge via academia.
Climb the Corporate Ladder
To climb the corporate ladder into higher levels of management in most industries, women know a bachelor’s degree is not enough. They need to step up and continue with further education, i.e. masters like an MBA.
For corporate leadership roles, the benchmark in achieving a high level of academic performance, and not just women, but for everyone. An MBA and, in some industries, a doctorate is a prerequisite for consideration for a ‘chief of’ role.
MBA without a Bachelors Degree
Securing a ‘Chief Operating Officer’ (COO) role without an MBA would undoubtedly be challenging. We’re talking about the number 2 role in the business. It’s one step down from the CEO. What’s interesting, though, is getting an MBA without bachelors degree is doable, so even if you didn’t have the best start early on, that could be overcome with another type of experience.
Work experience counts as part of the pre-qualification requirement for most MBA programs, and online courses have lower costs, thus making the course so much easier for everyone. However, according to JCU, preparation for an MBA is vital for getting through it with a pass rate. It’s one thing to get in. It’s another to be up to the task of passing the grade! So like with everything, training is a must.
Preparation is Key
Applicants taking on an MBA, without first completing an undergraduate degree, need to learn how to study, research and present information for the markers. What do you need to do and have in place before you commence your MBA?
- Study Schedule – allot time to study. Block out time every day on a calendar
- Study Area – a quiet place with desk, chair, computer, Internet
- Support Network – peers to study with, seek help from
- Mentors – check your progress, steer you in the right direction
Summary
Inequality is everywhere. It’s not so much about women needing to smash the glass ceiling to achieve equal consideration with males in the workforce, but how we can set ourselves up for success no matter what obstacles are in the way. Leaders can aspire to greater heights with a business coach – see this article on using a coach.
