Empowering women in leadership

Q: What made you want to share your study journey with others?

Women need to see other women in leadership roles succeeding, and being highlighted as a female leader in this space is important to me. It’s of huge value to see Māori women in leadership roles, and I personally believe the Executive MBA can contribute to accelerating the leadership journey.

Q: What inspired you to pursue an Executive MBA?

I was drawn to the Executive MBA because of the broad and generalist nature of its learnings. I wanted to gain insight into various areas relevant for working in a senior leadership role and I felt that this programme would provide me with the knowledge I needed for such roles and governance.

The location of the Wellington School of Business and Government was another key reason I wanted to study specifically in Wellington. The proximity to great people and having access to them through this location was hugely beneficial. I was able to learn from Dr Alan Bollard (former Chair for Pacific Region Business) and the different backgrounds of my classmates brought different knowledge into the classroom space.

Q: What was the biggest challenge you faced while studying the Executive MBA?

I came into the programme knowing that it would be challenging, but a good challenge in terms of the outcomes I was aiming to achieve. The biggest challenge was balancing work and studying, but it was a beneficial challenge.

Q: How has the Executive MBA helped you in your real-life work context?

The Executive MBA has given me a greater understanding of how organisations operate, and what is needed to operate them in a safe way. I was able to apply my learnings in the real world and bring my experience and examples back into the classroom. I work for a Māori organisation and being able to share the journey that we’re on as an organisation to re-indigenise our space gave me a greater understanding of how to apply and test certain things in my work context. It’s been a big and beneficial challenge. Studying for the Executive MBA also allowed me to take a break from work and focus on something else.

Q: Can you share any highlights of your experience while studying the Executive MBA?

A major highlight was the opportunity to work cohesively as a team with people I might not have normally been able to work with. This was a good skill to take to the workplace, and I was able to make vital work connections outside of my organisation. I also believe in continued education throughout your career and the Executive MBA is the perfect path of study as it provides several skillsets of value and use as a leader.