My PGDip: the ultimate career catalyst

Before starting his Postgraduate Diploma in Management Practice (PGDip) at Henley Business School Africa, Executive Director of Dwalalam Projects, Lwando Tsembeyi, was concerned by the trajectory of his career and professional life. For a decade, he’d been thinking of transcending the professional services profession to leadership and a more impactful role in the governance of organisations and the nation. He just needed a push! Then along came Henley’s PGDip, complete with a support network and ‘genius design’, which gave him not so much a push, but a turbo boost to a whole new level in his career outlook. From where he is now, the view is ‘fantastic’, he says. Read his story in his own words here: 

After the first assignment during my PGDip, I told my lecturer I was dropping out. I had too much going on in my personal life and my then unfulfilling job, I thought I just couldn’t manage. My lecturer told me: OK … just finish and submit this assignment, and let’s talk again after. So, I did it. I knew as soon as I successfully submitted that I had it in me to carry on. That was the first little win in my journey!

That decision turned out to be one of the best of my professional life. I’d worked in professional services for over twenty years as an employee, mulling over the idea of stepping into leadership as an opportunity creator, a problem solver, a collaborator and a market shaper. I knew that my leadership capability was misplaced at the organisation I was serving at the time, but I continually put it off. The PGDip ended up being the ultimate catalyst for the bold move I’d been putting off.

I realised as my PGDip studies intensified, that I needed to move on to a more compelling career trajectory, in line with my deepest desires. So, during the programme, I changed careers. I look back on that and think to myself, that decision was among the scariest decision I’ve taken to date, yet the most fulfilling.

I currently serve as an Executive Director of Dwalalam Projects, a professional services firm that specialises in translating organisational strategies into executable programmes and high-impact project delivery. At Dwalalam, I lead initiatives that enable client organisations to unlock operational clarity through process engineering, project management as a service (PMaaS), and business transformation support. Our work is deeply collaborative; we don’t just deliver solutions; we co-create with our clients to ensure alignment with their strategic objectives. It’s fulfilling work that blends analytical precision with human engagements. The communication, leadership, and team development competencies I refined during my time at Henley have been instrumental in shaping the way I lead and partner with our clients and teams today.

I’ve adopted a renewed approach to both work and personal life. One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned is the importance of perspective, especially of taking the helicopter view in strategic conversations. In the past, I was eager to contribute quickly, to demonstrate what I knew. Today, I practise more restraint. I’ve learned to listen first, to understand the full context, and to engage with humility and intention. When I don’t have an immediate answer, I’ve grown comfortable with saying, “Here are my thoughts for now, let me reflect further and we can continue the conversation at later date.”

That shift is rooted in the personal mastery studies, which have become foundational to how I lead. True leadership starts with leading oneself, and that journey isn’t easy and never ends. It demands deep introspection, something I had avoided for years. At first, it was uncomfortable, even intimidating, to look inward. But it became the most liberating part of my development. I realise how superficial one’s self-honesty might have been and I went deeper. And through that depth, I’m transforming. I gave myself permission to bring my value to the world, in the fullest sense I can master. I can say with conviction: I like the person I’m becoming, and I believe in the value I bring to the marketplace and society at large.

I’ll genuinely miss the learning environment at Henley. Being surrounded by people who resonate with many of my core values, where every lecture session was a shared journey of discovery. It wasn’t just academic; it was a human and learning experience in a sincere, and energising sense.

I was humbled by the experiences and backgrounds of some of my classmates; many carried personal burdens, ill-health, job loss, divorce and all that could have been an excuse not to show up, yet they showed up, engaged, and gave their best. Witnessing that kind of resilience made me far more thoughtful and empathetic in my interactions with others. I also carried my own load and learned to navigate hardships with resilience and compassion as well as triumph with humility and mindfulness. When someone responds in a way I don’t understand, I pause and remind myself: I don’t know their story; I can only show up as the best version of myself at that moment and avoid degenerating the engagement on perception and biases. These are lessons few textbooks can teach; they come more so from lived experience and active participation in the collective consciousness.

I’m deeply grateful for the support I received from my family through my studies, especially my wife and children, they were extraordinary. When things became intense, they stepped in, took on extra responsibilities at home, and gave me the space to focus. My schedule during that period was what I called “organised chaos,” but we made it work.

I believe the design of the Henley PGDip is nothing short of genius. They understand the real-life complexities we face in balancing careers, family, health, and personal growth and they’ve structured the programme to stretch you without breaking you. Instead, they equip you to manage those challenges with greater competence and resilience.

Fortunately, my Henley journey isn’t over, I’m coming back for the MBA soon. Now that I’ve been bitten by the study bug, simple questions and situations spark a level of curiosity, need to explore, learn, and understand many have forgotten. I’m building on everything I’ve learnt and experienced, and from that vantage point, the horizon looks expansive. I don’t see retirement in my future, only continued purpose, passion, and progress!