Do you prefer in depth explanations of topics or just outlines?

In other words, do you like marathons over sprints?

There are times when a quick outline may do the trick.

However, there are those times too when you need the full monty.

What I mean is that outlines have their own place.

However, often, you want to dive deep for a comprehensive explanation on a topic.

Know the why, what, how, where and when of a topic.

This is the reason PDF downloads are so popular on the internet.

They allow you to get hold of a PDF document and read it like a short form book.

I will take you behind the scenes to lay out a case for Ultimate Guides.

In particular, I will point unique benefits of Ultimate Guides from Financial Skills Academy Membership that are getting prepared.

And why they are critical for your professional development.

Benefits you will not find in other so called in depth guides.

Let’s jump right in.

This Blog Post will cover

Philosophy of a Guide

What does the word “guide” suggest to you?

A quick and dirty impression?

Or something detailed that will show you the way?

The dictionary meaning of a guide says: “showing the way.”

Showing the way cannot be achieved by an outline.

It requires explanation of how to follow the way being shown.

That can only be achieved with an in depth discussion on a topic.

And so guides are most times comprehensive explanations about a topic.

Often, you could be:

• taking decisions,
• investing money,
• hiring people,
• starting a project

based on a guide.

Ultimate guides are the crown jewels of content on a topic.

The purpose is to provide you every kind of information on a topic.

Ultimate Guides are meant to be like a trusted reference document.

As you go through a project, you refer to the guide to direct the way.

Do all Ultimate Guides turn out to be good references?

Possibly not.

Before finding out why not, let us understand the foundations of a guide.

Why is In depth important?

We live in the age of shrinking attention spans.

People are looking for instant gratification.

Rather like Youtube Shorts which are less than a minute.

However, in this shrinking attention span world, we are making a huge sacrifice.

We are losing out on key details.

Outlines do not give you the full picture.

At best, they give you a glimpse.

In depth, on the other hand means detailed explanation of concepts.

Where you can go through examples of the topic being discussed.

Let me illustrate.

Say, you are talking about break even analysis.

An outline may quickly define what break even analysis means.

You may have bullet points on what the formula is for calculation.

However, it is unlikely that this outline will be able to cover everything.

It is only in an in depth discussion that you will find out some difficulties in calculating break even.

That the principle may not operate in certain circumstances and so on.

Moreover, mastery of a topic cannot be achieve by mere outlines.

Not to mention, you cannot take huge decisions or launch big projects by merely reading an outline.

For that, in depth coverage is the only way.

It is crucial to realize that we should not sacrifice important factors because we favor instant gratification and outlines.

The devil is in the details of In Depth

There is a saying that goes: the devil is in the details.

It means what we superficially see may not be as simple as it seems.

If we dig in, or go in depth we may discover things that may never fit into an outline.

In particular, in the knowledge or information management space in depth is vital.

Of course, it can be supplemented with an outline.

Outlines are at best summaries or a synopsis.

The full monty is in depth coverage.

As far as possible, try to use outlines to quickly glance at a topic.

If the purpose is for it to be applied to a big project, an in depth reading will be critical.

Outlines tell you What, In Depth tells you Why

There is another factor which separates in depth from outlines.

At all times, whatever we do must have a why to it.

This is basically the reason we do things.

You could call it:

• goal,
• objective,
• purpose,
• mission

and so on.

Getting a firm grip on the why is not an option.

It is a necessity for the success of the project.

In this context, outlines are broad bird’s eye view of things.

Often, they tell you briefly the what of a topic.

However, in depth explanation is needed to go into the why.

Considering that why is more critical than a what, it is proof of the strength of an in depth approach.

You could also throw in a bonus for the in depth approach.

The How of a topic can only be explained in depth.

By the nature of detailed steps involved in a How, in depth explanations are the only choice.

Outlines will not work with How’s.

We have thus far understood what guides are and what ultimate guides are supposed to be.

Let me introduce you to a special version of Ultimate Guides.

Ultimate Guides of Financial Skills Academy Membership.

Unmatched Benefits of FSAM Ultimate Guides

One of the principal sources of learning and professional development in Financial Skills Academy Membership are Ultimate Guides.

These guides are special in many ways.

Ways that are different from other ultimate guides.

• First, they do not just throw tons and tons of boring text and words at you
  • They are visual with images and related videos anchoring them
  • They are often accompanied by full color infographics
• Second, they do not just spout theoretical knowledge
  • They are anchored to real life hotels (often to Paradise Hotel) and examples
  • All explanations are with reference to Paradise Hotel
  • As you manage the hotel you are learning concepts
• Third, they are not detached from a typical hotel operation
  • they are based on typical problems you will face in a hotel operation
• Fourth, they do not end in mere knowledge consumption
  • they are action oriented, as in, you will take actions during learning using the Paradise Hotel example
• Finally, they are not just generic topics
  • they are tailored to your unique learning needs as a member

Financial Skills Academy Membership Ultimate Guides are cornerstones of your professional development journey.

Role of In Depth Ultimate Guides in FSAM Membership

Apart from the uniques benefits of Ultimate Guides laid out above, they have a key role to play.

Ultimate Guides serve to solidify basics of a topic.

One of the shortcomings of many online courses and ultimate guides is bypassing basics.

Learning the ropes is key to any skills development.

Financial Skills Academy has a library of Ultimate Guides focused on just basics of a topic.

They can be called Ultimate Beginner Guides.

For example, Ultimate Guide on Hotel Balance Sheet Basics is a comprehensive discussion on this key financial statement.

Our Ultimate Guides build strong basics on topics that you can use in your own operation.

These Ultimate Guides are also a great addition to our short form content learning.

I can say that these ultimate guides are key professional development tools for you as a member.

Ultimate Guides & Your Professional Development

What are the key ingredients of professional development?

• You learn solid fundamentals of any learning
• You acquire new skills like
  • problem solving
  • decision making
  • people management
  • influencing hotel business results
• You develop confidence as a hotel middle manager
• You begin to believe in yourself.
• You are promoted based on your consistent professional growth
• You aspire for higher leadership positions and responsibilities

It will not be exaggeration to say that Ultimate Guides (along with other tools) support all these professional development objectives.

Why Ultimate?

So, why are these called Ultimate Guides?

In this age of information explosion, it is important to be discerning in your learning sources.

Understanding a topic from A to Z is important.

That is broadly the purpose of these types of guides.

Financial Skills Academy Membership considers itself the Ultimate Learning Hub for hotel finance training.

It is this objective and mission that is the spirit behind our ultimate guides

Want proof?

Sign Up for the FREE Ultimate Guide on Business Model Disruptions in a Post Pandemic Era.

It is your bible to knowing and responding to radically changed business practices post covid-19.

Your professional development in current times requires you to have this in depth look at business model disruptions.

What do you think of Ultimate Guides?

Have you downloaded one and checked it out?

Comment below on your thoughts.

I will see you in the next Behind the Scenes post on Financial Skills Academy Membership.

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