Why an MBA?

(in response to this post at Philantopic)

I am a current MBA student whose life’s vocation is to be a nonprofit management leader. Let me contribute my perspective:

The real issue here is not whether MBAs are the silver bullet your organization has been looking for (they’re not). Rather, the issue is whether an MBA program develops a potential nonprofit leader in a more effective way than other programs for the challenges a nonprofit leader must face.

From my perspective the answer is a resounding ‘YES’

The mission of my school is “To Educate Leaders for Business and Society.” In its curriculum (my first-year classes are listed below), it provides more opportunities to learn the things a nonprofit leader needs to be successful, more so than any other program of which I am aware. These courses, and the ones I will take this coming year, will prepare me more than any other graduate degree to manage an organization effectively.

Many of these are also the skills, as it happens, that nonprofits are admonished for not having. As nonprofits become more responsible to respond to ‘market forces’ (donors), accountability and effectiveness matter. And MBAs receive more significant training in this area.

When I am in a position to hire, I will never hire an MBA blindly. I will hire based on the skills of the person.

But with all else equal? I think someone with an MBA is a better bet.
(bias acknowledged)

2008-2009 Courses
Managing Groups & Teams, Basics of Accounting, Data & Decision Analysis, Basics of Economics, Interpersonal Dynamics, Problem Framing, Careers, Intro to Negotiation, Competitor, Customer, Investor, International Experience: South Africa & Namibia, Sourcing & Managing Funds, State & Society, Employee, Innovator, Operations Engine, Integrated Leadership Perspective, Strategic Management of Nonprofit Organizations, Global Social Enterprise: Colombia, Financial Reporting I
Managing Organizational Politics, Law for Executives & Managers of Nonprofits