The first half of 2016 has been a wild ride for the MBA Full Time Intensive cohort at the University of Western Australia (UWA). We had to get through the forming, storming and norming process very quickly as it was apparent that we would be spending A LOT of time together and needed to be a high-performing team if we were to succeed. Over the last six months we have formed a tight-knit cohort and I can proudly say that no person has been left behind, despite the incredibly fast pace of our curriculum.
As I pass the half-way point in the MBA program at the UWA Business School I have found this an excellent time to reflect on the year so far. We have been educated in several vital business disciplines such as accounting, statistics, finance, economics, organisational behaviour and marketing. However, while I have read many textbooks, some of my biggest takeaways from the course so far have been above and beyond traditional MBA coursework.
Firstly, I have had the chance to build high quality relationships with so many amazing people. The MBA program offers outstanding networking opportunities and the UWA Business School has connections with many of the most distinguished business leaders in Perth. In addition, the vast majority of the students enrolled in both the Full Time Intensive and Flexible MBA programs are thought-leaders in their respective industries and have such a diverse wealth of experience that indeed I feel a lot of my learning has come from my peers.
Secondly, the UWA MBA has allowed me to take stock of my own personal development and leadership style. I have been encouraged to reflect on where my strengths lie and where there are opportunities for improvement. Most importantly, the MBA program has provided a safe environment where I continue to take some risks and test out variations on my personal style. Whilst the stakes can be high in the classroom, one thing I can be assured of is that if something doesn’t work, my fellow cohort members will be more than happy to provide constructive feedback; this has also resulted in some high-quality banter throughout the year.
Finally, the MBA Full Time Intensive has provided me with a chance to hit the reset button. It has come at a time in my career where I am looking for a step change and when I come out of the other side of the program, there is a whole new section of the workforce which I can explore. One thing I am certain of is that my career goals have changed. I have always had aspirations and ambitions; however, I now feel empowered to do more with my career than I had previously thought was possible.
So as we come to the business-end of the program (pun intended), I look forward to all of the things that I will learn in the second half of the year. Some of these learnings will come from a textbook, some from a lecturer. However, if the first half of the year is anything to go by I am sure that many will come from the amazing opportunities that arise, and the outstanding people that I am surrounded by.
