From gardener to graduate

At 54, having recently graduated from Henley Business School’s Advanced Diploma in Management Practice (ADMP), Peter Mashaba proves that it’s never too late to level up your game. His story isn’t about overnight success; it’s about having a long-term vision and an upbeat attitude that has turned every experience and conversation he’s had along the way into a lesson.

Starting from the ground up

When Peter first started working as a gardener at a Randburg company, he could have simply focused on keeping the plants alive. Instead, he treated the workplace like his personal university. He chatted with drivers about logistics, picked the brains of technicians about problem-solving, and learned from administrators about business processes.

Growing up in rural Hammanskraal – where his father worked in the mines and his mother supplemented their income through domestic work and selling traditional beer – he learned that opportunities don’t always come knocking. Sometimes you have to create them yourself.

The transition from gardening to logistics wasn’t accidental, he says. ‘The time I spent working at De Beers opened my eyes to how international businesses operate, giving me a front-row seat to global supply chains and cross-cultural business dynamics. These weren’t just job experiences – they were building blocks for bigger things.’

Today, as Facilities Manager for Grundfos in Germiston, he’s responsible for complex logistics operations across challenging terrain. But his role goes beyond traditional management. He’s become the kind of leader who doesn’t just give orders – he develops people.

Investing in knowledge

Deciding to pursue formal business education in his 50s might seem unconventional, but Peter considered it essential. The ADMP gave him the tools he needed: systems thinking, emotional intelligence, and strategic frameworks that he could apply immediately.

And the results speak for themselves. When faced with a persistent logistics challenge at Grundfos, Peter used his newly acquired systems thinking approach and delivered a 40% improvement in delivery efficiency. ‘That’s real money and real customer satisfaction, not just academic theory.’

The course has also elevated his approach to leadership. His leadership style, he says, is grounded in ubuntu, the fundamental interconnectedness between people. ‘For me ubuntu is not just corporate speak, it’s how I actually manage people. I believe in authentic communication, team cohesion, and the idea that vulnerability can be a leadership strength.’

It's a refreshingly straightforward approach: share what you’ve learned, create an environment where people feel safe to grow, and lead by example. ‘I run regular learning sessions for my team, covering everything from effective communication to customer service excellence. As a result some of my team members have been inspired to pursue their own skills development programmes,’ he says proudly.

The numbers don’t lie. Beyond a 40% delivery efficiency improvement, Peter’s leadership has resulted in higher team engagement, reduced staff turnover, and improved customer satisfaction scores. His mentoring approach has created a ripple effect: ‘When team members see their manager investing in education and sharing knowledge, they’re motivated to do the same.’

Education, says the man who has now set his sights on an MBA, is an ongoing investment rather than a one-time deal.

Beyond the day job

Post ADMP, Peter isn’t putting all his eggs in one basket. He’s applying his business education to family property development ventures, using the strategic thinking and planning skills from his studies to build additional income streams and create generational wealth.

This diversification shows sophisticated thinking about risk management and long-term wealth creation – concepts that would have been foreign to him in his gardening days but are now second nature.

Peter understood early on that success requires more than hard work; it requires continuous learning, authentic leadership, and the ability to see opportunities where others see obstacles.

For business schools, students like Peter bring something invaluable: real-world experience, a genuine hunger for knowledge, and the willingness to test academic theory in practice and share the results.

His journey demonstrates that the most effective leaders can come from unexpected places, bringing diverse perspectives and real experiences that can’t be taught from textbooks alone. In many ways, he represents the heartbeat of Henley’s leadership development approach – practical, authentic, and results-driven.