My learning objective coming to the Lagos Business School’s Executive MBA programme was enlightenment and stimulation. It is essentially another way of saying, “I am just happy to be here, open minded and excited to learn as much as I can.”
Below are the 5 things I have learnt in the first month.
- You Can Learn to Think: Some of the first course materials were focused on thinking. Making a conscious effort to think; recognizing barriers to effective thinking; contextualizing, understanding and analysis. Perhaps one of the most important elements of thinking that fascinated me is the importance of questions and more particularly, the central role that question framing plays in the process.
- Mutual Respect: An important lesson I have learnt is how much respect the facilitators have for both their colleagues and the students. The facilitators always ensure that they use only allotted time, nothing more, nothing less. I found a particular statement by one of the Professors profound. He was only about four minutes over his allocated time when he remarked, “this is not acceptable, I should not be going over time like this.” He was only four minutes over a three-hour class and he was over because he was answering questions from the class and no one was pointing out the time.
Apart from the personal accountability which greatly impressed me, in that moment it was clear to me how much respect the facilitators had for the students’ time as well. - Utmost Commitment: Discipline, time management and commitment are not modules in the programme, but going by the design and delivery of the courses, it looks to be a primary learning outcome. I joined the programme with the thought that it was a part time endeavour, that I could go about my daily activities as usual and only “give thought” to the programme over the weekend. That thought was quickly dispelled, the programme requires everyday preparation and commitment.
- No Group, No You: I am not sure it was clear to any of us during the orientation when the facilitators were emphasizing the importance of group work. I certainly thought I could “defy the odds” and essentially get through it on my own, that the group would be secondary. I could not be more wrong. The volume of work required and the variety of the modules means I must lean on my group members and the entire class. I am certain that my reliance on the group will only grow as the programme progresses.
- Total Education: It is called business school, but I have quickly realized that it is actually focused on making one better as an individual working within a group rather than just teaching about the mechanics and elements of business. It is more like “total human” school. Granted, many of the scenarios and cases are drawn from and focuses on business scenarios and problems, but the learnings are intended to permeate the “student-being”.
I am sure this is just the tip of the iceberg. Greater learnings are still ahead and I just look forward to being ‘stimulated and enlightened’.
