During my first year of studies in business management, my personal and professional development grew even beyond my expectations. Not only did I learn the fundamental principles and practice of accounting and management, I also learned about essential management topics such as leadership, marketing, and how information technology impacts management. Leadership, in particular, was a valuable study. Although management requires excellent leadership, many schools do not address leadership except at a cursory level. In my program, we learned about the characteristics of a leader, how a leader impacts those around him, and the importance of casting vision for those who must follow. Instead of just learning how to balance books and make out work schedules, I learned how to mobilize teams, inspire and motivate people, and engage in team building. These are all vital to effective management, just as the mechanics of management are. A particular emphasis was on diversity, which is an issue that virtually every manager needs to know how to address in the globalized environment. Another emphasis was decision-making, wherein I learned how to make decisions with a view to strategic purpose and tactical goals. I learned that the context of an issue is a key factor in what decision to make about it.
Developing knowledge and expertise in the functional areas of management was also part of my studies, and I learned how to plan and organize work activi
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