Good Luck Dimitry!

I have come across my first Russian friend through Blogging Dimitry Linkov

Dimitry is currently studying in Moscow for a Masters Degree and he needs comments to help him. I have added Dimitry’s blog to my Blog roll today and you can visit his ecellent Blog at this link. http://www.dmitrylinkov.com/

I am sure Dimitry will be grateful to receive comments from regular visitors to Simplicity Blog to help him on his course of study.

Good luck Dimitry!!

Those of us who have gone through the pain and hard work of studying for and then obtaining a Masters Degree know that we need all the help we can get!

I well remember calling that period of my life in the mid 1990’s ‘three years of hell’ as I tried to balance a full time very busy senior management job in the NHS with day release and hitting all deadline for 30 Assignments in the first two years and then the big one - a 20000 word Dissertation and all the associated research with that in my final third year.

The feeling of relief and elation when you hear the news that you gained the Masters is well worth all the agony although it doesn’t seem so at the time!

Let me be clear - I am not saying that qualifications make anyone a better person!

I often muse to myself whether in fact obtaining the Masters in Health Care Management made me a better manager.

I am certain it forced me to read more widely and it certainly taught me the need for discipline, focus and determination. Did it make me a better manager? … Mmmmm ...I’m still not sure.

I tend to think the best management training I ever had as a manager was actually managing. In other words, what I would call learning on the job.

Having said that I would never decry qualifications and it does frustrate me sometimes that people may say things like the greatest learning is in the 'University of Life' – or the 'School of Hard Knocks' as if any other form of academic learning can be dismissed.

True, a few people display annoying arrogance when they obtain a qualification but to me qualifications are simply about personal and professional development.

Mind you, it could be argued it is equally arrogant to say the greatest learning is in the University of Life or the School of Hard Knocks.

I actually think it is really about individuals and how humble they can be regardless of whether they have or have not got qualifications.

I always remember someone saying to me

“All that passing exams means is that you are good at taking exams.”

Pretty profound and yet very simple.