MEMBA which stands for Modular Executive Master of Business Administration, was created to give opportunity to business executives to do an MBA on a part-time basis. By design, participants in MEMBA are busy with their primary jobs and they cannot afford to shut down for a full-time MBA. With this understanding of MEMBA, one would expect that the pressure from MEMBA activities should be less, but this is not the case. Many case studies are usually given to the extent that, sometimes, you would struggle to remember some of them. This leads to many group meetings.
In the early stages of the programme, I complained and severally asked the question about what was executive in the MEMBA programme. Do they not know that we work? Do they want us to shut down and face an MBA? Why did I pay so much for MEMBA and yet they would not consider that we have other important engagements? These were some of my questions then. One day, I decided to analyze what I spent time on. I couched an expression that time is the greatest enemy of leadership. This implies that leaders have so much to do within a very limited time and any time that has passed, cannot be recovered again. I then decided to spend time only on things that truly matter. From my analysis, I spend so much time on social media and WhatsApp group activities. I also realized that I was not delegating enough responsibilities to my subordinates. Immediately, I removed myself from any WhatsApp group that was not compulsory. I muted the notifications from all noisy groups. I avoided contributing to any discussion that will not add any value to me. I restrained myself from worrying about things that I cannot change. My access to social media was limited to 30 minutes a day and that happens immediately after dinner. This has helped me a lot.
With the change in mindset, I now appreciate the pressure MEMBA forced us to experience. As MBA graduates, we are expected to spend quality time on research and studies that will help us always make the right business decisions. We should be thinking about the next big move. We should be ahead of our competitors. These cannot happen if we do not, deliberately, plan for them. Replying to every tweet on X or comments on Facebook, will not add any value to my business. I can now understand why most top business executives cannot sit and listen to any unproductive discussion. Some do not keep their phones with them. They make it the responsibility of their PAs to manage. Now, I delegate roles that I thought could not be delegated in the past. I have also learnt to focus on things that matter instead of beating about the bush.
I therefore conclude that the pressure created during the early stages of the MEMBA programme is to prepare us on proper time management and not to punish anyone. I know that it might have discouraged some people and caused them to withdraw from the programme, but if you can withstand it, you will be better for it.
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MUSIC: A GLOBAL LANGUAGE