How Online Business Degrees Help Introverted Minds

It used to be that business students were forced into going to business school, even if they didn't have the social skills or felt like avoiding groups of people altogether. Introverted business executives who could use the education steered clear, but that's not how it is anymore. Technology has made it possible to take any kind of course and get any kind of degree from the comfort of your own office. In fact, Financial Post released an article this June about how online MBA programs are the "perfect vehicle for the introverts among us." You might be wondering if it's possible for a manager or business executive to be introverted, but shy, near-executives have issues with going to big business schools and being around groups of students, no matter how experienced they are. While experts still debate on whether it's a good idea to forego getting over shyness and entering a traditional business school, others sing the praises of being able to gain an MBA education from your own home and not sacrifice any of your personal quirks.

Neeraj Shah, the chief executive officer of CureSquare, a website that schedules doctor's appointments, went to the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, and he was an introvert. He suggested that students who can afford to go to traditional business schools rather than going online, should take the opportunity.

"Learning how to interact and network with people is critical and a regular MBA school provides the best training grounds for it," Shah said.

But others have seen that business school doesn't really change their introverted personality, and in some cases, it makes things very difficult to get ahead. Jennifer Kahnweiler, who graduated from Florida State University with a Ph.D. wrote The Introverted Leader: Building On Your Quiet Strength and thinks that online MBA programs actually have been proven to work for introverted students.

"These courses play to the introvert's strengths of thoughtful reflection, writing, and preparation. In well-designed online classes, introverts can engage in focused dialogues with the professor and other students," said Khanweiler.

It's obvious why online MBA programs offer more benefits to the introverted executive. You get all of the education, personal attention, independent study, and you don't have to show up on a rigid schedule or deal with the noise of being in a giant classroom. It's also just more satisfying to those who want to work on their own and study exactly what they need to from their private offices. That's the reason why introverted business executives are excited for the new technology coming out for online MBA programs.

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