I wanted to do an MBA to have the right qualification and be on the same NQF level as my colleagues. My undergraduate degree was in programming, but I was working in banking as a manager and my counterparts had CAs, master’s degrees and the like, and I felt the need to skill up.
The first thing that attracted me to Henley was the fact that it offers a ‘family-friendly’ MBA that allows you to find a balance between the various elements of your life. For me this talks to the wheel of life, a visual tool that was introduced to us in Personal Development, and which helps you assess and understand balance and fulfilment in various areas.
The Personal Development modules have been the absolute highlight of my degree. In the first Personal Development module we did the iceberg exercise – where you consider an iceberg in relation to yourself. The part of the iceberg you see above the waterline – the so-called tip of the iceberg – is what is initially apparent to others. But it is when you do a deep dive into those things that exist below the waterline – characteristics that are not apparent to others – that you come to understand yourself more holistically. The exercise helped me to see that my decision to do the Henley MBA had less to do with a desire to be promoted at work, and more to do with my need to fit in. My (self) diagnosis was that I was suffering from imposter syndrome, but once I realised that development of the self extends beyond academic achievement, I was able to find my purpose.
At Henley although you work in syndicate groups there are no group assignments, which was a massive plus for me. In my experience (from when I did a postgraduate diploma in business administration at another business school in 2000), there is always that one person who lets the team down by not pulling their weight. I also love the fact that at Henley assignments are less about academic theory and more about the practical application of what you have learned.
The person who had the greatest influence on me was my best friend’s father who passed away in a car accident in 2017, shortly after obtaining his PhD. I grew up without a father and it was my friend’s dad who took me under his wing, supported me by coming to watch me play sport, and guided me towards IT when in Grade 9 we had to select our subjects for matric. He was such an inspiration, and I am honoured that he played such a pivotal role in my life.
The quick Q&A
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like to watch movies. Especially now while I am studying when I have a two-hour break, I can watch a movie and be done with it. Maybe once I have finished my Henley MBA and have a bit more time to play with, I will get back into series!
What is your passion in business or in life?
I am focused on helping the less fortunate both at work and in life. I am passionate about education too and will do all I can to impart that passion to others and inspire them to keep studying.
What areas of your character need work?
I wish I was more able to live in the present, and I think my wife wishes it, too. I am overly ambitious, an overachiever, always looking out for the next big thing but I’m trying to practise being content. Some days I get it right, some days I don’t. But I really want to get it right.
What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?
I would tell him to concentrate on growing his career rather than chasing money in a hurry.
What is the best book you have read and what effect did it have on you?
My reading habits have taken a nose dive while I’ve been doing the Henley MBA – it took me two years to finish Stephen Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People! However, last year I finished reading Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl, which is about how people can survive and even thrive in times of suffering.
What advice do you have for others who are considering doing an MBA at Henley?
They must consider their ‘why’. One of the things that is said about an MBA is that it is a divorce course. So your ‘why’ matters.
Timing – the ‘when’ – is important, too. I think part of the reason why I have enjoyed my time at Henley so much is because I was already a senior manager in my organisation when I registered; I had instant access to executives like my CEO and his Exco which might not be the case if you start the programme at a much more junior level. Also, all our assignments have been about finding an opportunity or finding a challenge, and when you’ve been working for some tim, or you have been at your organisation for a while you will already have some ideas around that.
Then there is the ‘where’. It is important to choose a business school that works for you as Henley has done for me. If you want to balance work, study and a home life, Henley is the best. My son was born while I was busy with my dissertation – there was no sleep to be had in my home between studying and caring for a newborn – and without the school’s support and understanding things might have turned out less successfully for me.