I'm Still Here, I Promise

Far out!  It has been a very long time since I posted anything on my blog and I have received feedback that people are concerned I've stopped all together.  Rest assured, I have not.  It has just been a very busy year, which has seen me enter into a new kind of learning journey - my MBA.  This is my first year of a two and a half year journey and although it is definitely challenging, it is enjoyable and very fulfilling.

So to give some context, I enrolled in the University of Waikato and chose to study with the programme delivered through Waikato-Tainui College back in February this year.  My cousin Marian had enrolled in the last class, and she inspired me to take on the challenge.  In fact, if I am to be totally honest with myself, she asked me to enrol with her, and like many others given that choice, I took the “I’m too busy” option.  Two years later, I am listening to Marian deliver a speech at the annual Raupatu dinner, feeling so proud of my cousin’s achievements, when it hit me.  “Idiot! I should have done it”.  Over the next few days, I reflected on that decision and was overwhelmed by another decision I made, over the same journey.

18 years ago I was given the same opportunity from my manager at the time to complete an MBA.  At that time I struggled with the concept of investing in myself, over investing in my family and it definitely wasn't an easy decision to make.  My wonderful husband has always been very supportive of my career and development, but costs at that time was enough for a deposit on a house with additional means to decorate.  After careful consideration I felt the best decision for my family was to get our first home, and to date, it is a decision I have never regretted.

Reflecting on my second decision to postpone my MBA journey, I came to a cross road again.  Sometimes it is easier to brush off a huge challenge with the reason of “being too busy”.  Although my life was VERY busy when Marian asked me to join her on her journey, I came to the conclusion that if I am truly living, loving and learning throughout life, then my life will only get more demanding as the years go by. In 2016, the cost is still enough for a deposit on a first house, although in today’s economy, it won’t be in Auckland, Hamilton or in Ngaruawahia for that matter.  I just needed to bite the bullet and decide whether this is something I truly wanted to do and if so, just do it!

To date, I am thoroughly enjoying my new challenge.  Particularly deciding to study through the Waikato-Tainui College, and especially given that this programme demands the delivery of indigenous learning concepts.  This presents its own challenges for a MBA programme which is traditionally built around mainstream concepts and research.  There is an interesting debate on whether these concepts are relevant in today’s world, and my belief is that they are.  The maori population continues to grow and the maori economy will only get larger as time progresses.  If we, as a people, truly take our future seriously, we need to understand what that means today and tomorrow, then implement our own business concepts that are relevant to us.    They shouldn’t be copied from ideas and structure that is based through a non-maori lens.

I have formed some great friendships with my fellow colleagues taking the same challenge.  We have quickly shaped into a whanau who feed off each other in order to succeed.  More importantly, when times are tough, they provide me with the motivation to get over myself and get the job done.  What truly fascinates me, is seeing the evolution of knowledge and the growth occurring, not just for me, but within my fellow classmates and our tutors.  The environment that we are in at the college helps me tremendously to enable that to happen, because to me, it is an inspiration to always challenge myself to learn more, even when I may think I already know everything.

 

The view from my room when I'm in MBA study

Although I am not finished my MBA journey, I do feel compelled to shout from the rooftops.  If anyone is thinking about an MBA, then I highly recommend looking to do it at the Waikato-Tainui College.  The journey is absolutely 150% challenging and definitely tests your critical thinking, but the enriched learning you receive is truly uplifting.  When comparing feedback from people who are studying their MBA through the Waikato University campus, quite a few have stated that had they known about the college, they would chose that programme because the environment provides a sense of belonging and purpose.



Now when I reflect on my decision to decline the offer to study with my cousin Marian, I believe I still made the right choice.  It has empowered me and my cousin to create our own success and experiences as individuals, and although she has completed her MBA journey, mine is still on track. 

Happy learning peeps!