Producing leaders who can adapt to today’s rapidly shifting workplace environment is crucial for the future of the business world. The ability to respond to change with a toolbox of different skills and approaches has become an essential component of effective leadership, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Organizational agility requires skills like strong management, communication and interpersonal skills, which are at the heart of the online Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Interdisciplinary Studies – Integrative Studies program from Northern Kentucky University (NKU). With the opportunity to build up a broad base of knowledge across multiple fields, graduates are ready to step into a leadership role and execute day-to-day operations in a wide variety of industries.
Essential Leadership and Management Skills
Often, the most influential leadership skills are some of the simplest. An analysis of academic research and a survey of nearly 200,000 people in 81 organizations found that four types of behavior account for 89% of leadership effectiveness. Those traits include being supportive, solving problems effectively, seeking different perspectives and operating with a results-oriented approach.
Students enrolled in NKU’s online B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies – Integrative Studies Track program can pursue the Leadership and Management pathway and design their own degree plan. Students complete a minimum of 36 credit hours in three areas of study, allowing them to explore different career options while still staying on track to become a manager upon graduation. In the Leadership and Management pathway, one potential plan of study includes coursework in organizational leadership, communication studies and psychology. Other areas of focus include marketing, sociology and management.
As Forbes points out, effective leadership comes from the ability to motivate others, inspire trust, give specific feedback and think strategically to form long-term plans. Each NKU course offered in the B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies – Integrative Studies Track program provides a chance to develop those key skills, especially when prioritizing tasks, thinking beyond the short term and using critical thinking to formulate solutions. Mastering those productive behaviors will lend itself to a successful career path and potential postgraduate education opportunities in the future.
Students also have the opportunity to tailor coursework to the skills and knowledge they need to gain most. If they struggle with public speaking or clearly communicating with others, they might focus on communications courses that build their abilities to get their point across in written reports, emails and speeches. If students have less experience in the business environment, they will look to organizational leadership courses to teach them how to effectively manage employees and solve problems within the workplace.
Leadership and Management Career Opportunities With a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies
Completing the Leadership and Management pathway positions professionals for success in many career fields, from business and management analysts to corporate trainers and operations managers. Business analysts, also known as management consultants, provide specialized advice to business owners on increasing profitability. Professionals in this field often conduct research on an organization’s problems, analyze financial data and recommend new internal systems and procedures to improve performance, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Analysts earned a median annual salary of $95,290 in 2022.
A B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies – Integrative Studies Track also lends itself to the role of corporate trainer. Working across a variety of industries, trainers are often responsible for creating curricula for new employee orientations and on-the-job training. They ensure that employees complete required certification programs and also collaborate with management to evaluate the effectiveness of workshops and training sessions. Trainers earn an average of $65,126 each year, according to Indeed.
The program is also ideal for prospective operations managers who develop organizational procedures, ensure quality control, oversee budget reports and establish methods to evaluate and improve employee performance. Specializing in areas like project management, human resources or logistics, operations managers bring in $73,045 each year on average.
Finding a Path to Leadership With Northern Kentucky University
Leadership and management are two of the most in demand and useful abilities for professionals of today. Upon completing NKU’s online B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies – Integrative Studies Track program’s Leadership and Management Pathway, graduates possess a toolbox of strategies to effectively manage teams and find employment in their desired field.
Learn more about Northern Kentucky University’s online Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies – Integrative Studies Track program.
