Leadership experience: HOA board member or MBA

What an interesting question. A McKinsey consulting firm study would likely go straight to a cost-benefit analysis.

-- That MBA will cost you how much in tuition?

-- Will you have to forego some wages while you study for your MBA? Factor this in.

-- How much is the MBA worth after you get it, by way of increased salary and better job opportunities?

-- How much does serving as a HOA director pay? (Nothing.)

-- Does service as a HOA director enhance your professional resumé? I'd say maybe a tiny bit, but not as much as an MBA does. And this is not based in arrogance. I think the course of study that an MBA covers is more comprehensive than the nuts and bolts of running a HOA.

-- What have you learned about "leadership" in your service as a director? Maybe this is the stuff of another thread.

My understanding is that while the knowledge is useful, far more MBAs graduate every year than there are positions of leadership open for the graduates, so most don't use the skills that they have.

I concur that "HOA Board Member" is not the most prestigious title to put on a resume.

That depends on what you'd like to do with your degree after you earned it. Getting an NBA will take lots of time and energy, so if that's what you want, to for it.

This would give you a chance to find someone who would be interested in being a board member (it's usually easier for a board member to seek someone out because no one responds to general calls). Your colleagues would probably appreciate your coming up with a candidate.

You can still serve as a resource for the board, as long as they understand your time will be limited and they will have to figure out some things on their own. Good luck in your studies!

I think you guys are not giving yourself enough credit for board membership.

Being active on the HOA board provides real life leadership experience.
An MBA provides book smarts for how to be a leader, but not actual leadership experience.

For me, the real life leadership experience outweighs getting more book-smarts about being a leader.

Will you tell us,Greg, for what purpose you want "to gain leadership insight and education?" Career advancement? Personal interest & curiosity? Increase your earning capacity?

Actually in some colleges your HOA experiences (documented) can be applied to college credit. I was able to apply a year of my HOA Presidency for lieu of some credits. It applied to my degree program was pursuing at the time. It helped with my Project Management course work.

FYI: I was President of my HOA, going to college, working full time job, part time job, and volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. So I was going to get any credit I could for that experience if I could.

I highly question what added value an MBA would bring to a corporation that's not interested in making a profit.

I would bet you might need a MBA to run a charitable foundation under a 501(c) which is a non-profit.

I think a masters in finance is better too. But, it depends on what Greg values. And he won't say what his purpose is for wanting it--or not.

If it's actually "leadership" he wants to learn more about, he might want a masters in organizational behavior.

My new hero, the Lt. Gov. of PA, has a masters in Public Policy, which might be useful. It depends on what Greg's goal is. And that's a mystery.

I will say the experience of running my HOA did show me leadership and corporate understanding. It was valuable knowledge. It has helped me in other areas in my career. I do not care about getting an MBA as it adds no value what I do in life. It does not hurt to have it either in what you want.