5 Ways a DBA Can Make You a Stronger Professional

The benefits of a DBA, or a Doctorate of Business Administration, seem straightforward at first. World-class research skills, industry credibility, career growth and a nice ‘Dr.’ prefix to your name. But the truth is, pursuing a doctorate degree in business administration can enhance your Soft Skills in a way nothing else can. UniAthena is also offering one of the best online dba programs out there, allowing you to pursue your doctorate degree flexibly and affordably.

Benefits of Doctorate in Business Administration:

• Ability to Take Constructive Criticism:

  • Constructive Criticism refers to actionable and well-intentioned feedback that is intended to help a person improve. The ability to take constructive criticism well is crucial to be successful in the professional world.
  • As a DBA Learner, you would be presenting  a Research Proposal. You will also likely be receiving constructive criticism from your supervisor and approval committees.
  •  While criticism can be hard to hear, especially if you are deeply attached to your ideas, doing a DBA degree gives you the opportunity to learn how to take constructive criticism well - and even welcome it.

• Dealing with Failure:

  • While failure is an inevitable part of life, it can still be hard to stomach. When pursuing an online dba course, you will encounter several instances where you falter, from struggling with self-discipline to missing deadlines. 
  • The rigorous academic journey of the DBA will teach you to accept failure as a part of growth, and even bounce back from failure. These skills are crucial to make it in the professional world.
  • DBA programs also teach you how to self-reflect on failure - this means to look back at what went wrong, what mistakes you made and how this information can guide your actions in the future.

• Developing Scientific Thinking:

  • The Doctorate in Business program is a research-oriented degree, unlike an MBA or a Masters program. That means you will develop crucial skills, like critical and analytical thinking, reasoning abilities and creative thinking. 
  • In a world driven by innovation and disruption, these skills can be the difference between success and failure.
  • Developing the habit of looking at things from a scientific lens will help you approach problems and make decisions that are objective, reasonable and backed by data.

• Perfecting Time Management

  • As a full-time Professional with personal commitments, Time Management skills will be the first soft skill you perfect in your DBA degree program. Don’t believe me? Take it from our Learner!
  • “Combining work with learning is not an easy thing ...most people give up because they cannot balance the two [work and studies].”, says Dr. Sammy King Baiden, UniAthena’s DBA Alumni.
  • “You need to commit [to] it,” agrees Dr. Jules Dumas, another fellow UniAthena DBA Alumni. So what helps you to balance your responsibilities and support your focus and commitment to your DBA? A solid plan to manage your time, of course!

• Patience & Perseverance for Long-term Projects

  • During your online DBA course, you will work tirelessly, be calm in the face of unexpected challenges and learn to push forward to complete your research. This is not an easy process, but the result will be sweet.
  •  “My main advice is..stay focused…some friends of mine started but stopped on the way…starting is easy, but ending is always hard..”, says Dr Sammy. 
  • “Be patient,” advises Dr. Jules, “Without commitment…it would be very difficult to achieve this,” he adds. Perseverance is the key to success - and you can sharpen this skill on your DBA journey.

As a Professional, your technical skills may help you enter your industry - but your mindset and soft skills will determine whether you succeed there. Doing a DBA for career growth is smart, but the soft skills you earn will be invaluable. By perfecting these skills, you can rest assured that you will overcome all the professional challenges that await you.