How embracing your unique story can lead to the most profound and transformative change

The joke goes, how do you know if someone has an MBA? They will tell you about it. But in fact, MBAs are far from an homogenous bunch. Some seek to climb the corporate ladder, others crave the challenge of mastering new skills, and many are driven by a desire to transform their businesses or pivot into entirely new industries.

This rich diversity of participants and experience is one of the things that makes the MBA experience so dynamic and uniquely rewarding, and the path to growth is as varied as the individuals who walk it.

Along the way people uncover unexpected insights, forge meaningful connections, and develop strengths they never anticipated. We share three experiences here that show how embracing your unique story can lead to the most profound and transformative change.

Caroline Bixby: Overcoming ADHD ‘I wanted to do it for myself’

Already established in her career as a successful HR director, a late diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in her early 50s put Caroline Bixby on a surprising new path.

Later this year, she will cross the stage, the proud recipient of a Global MBA degree from Henley Business School, an international business school with campuses in the UK, Europe and Johannesburg. It will be a particular triumph, because she’d been told her whole life that she didn’t have what it took to study at this level.

‘I’d always been told that I was not academic, that I didn’t have what it took to be successful at university – and I believed that,’ she says.

She knew she was different, sure. It had always been hard for her to fit in and meet the expectations of others. But she was desperate to shine and be good at what she did – ‘who isn’t?’ she says. So she worked twice as hard to get ahead and get ahead she did. Rising rapidly through the ranks of HR to director level.

But a lack of confidence continued to gnaw at her self-esteem, playing havoc in ways that she didn’t realise at the time.

‘I’d excel, but the amount of focus and time I had to devote to make this happen meant that I became burnt out and made mistakes along the way.’

All this changed when she got the ADHD diagnosis. Suddenly, it all made sense: the ‘scatter-gun decision making’, her ability to see patterns in complex data where others couldn’t, her cool-headedness in a crisis, the energy she brings to a room. They were all just part of who she was.

This knowledge gave her the confidence to apply for the Global MBA, a prestigious international degree with five international study immersions around the world, because she had an inkling that it would open doors to learning that she’d long thought out of reach.

‘I was at a stage in my career where I didn’t feel like I needed an MBA to prove myself; I just really wanted to do it for myself,’ she says.

Now, almost two years in, the process has helped her recognise her unique strengths. ADHD is not just part of who she is, it’s her superpower. As a neurodivergent leader in the C-suite, she brings a unique perspective and valuable talents that others can only dream of. And on the flip side, she doesn’t have to have all the answers herself. ‘For the areas that I’m really rubbish at, others can fill in,’ she says. ‘We’re not all experts at the same thing, after all. When you think of it, it would be pretty bland if we were!’

This is now translating back into how she leads. With a new role as Chief People Officer at Christie Group plc, her focus is on bringing people along on the journey with the company, giving them more agency and enabling them to do the things that they need to do to be effective.

‘It is only when we know who we truly are within a diverse group of colleagues who value each other’s differences that we can truly make our fullest contribution to the world.’

Sanele Gumede: ‘Once I realised that development of the self extends beyond academic achievement, I was able to find my purpose.’

Sometimes, the real reason behind pursuing an MBA only becomes clear once you’re deep in the journey. For Sanele Gumede, a series of reflective exercises during his Flexible MBA at Henley Business School led to a surprising discovery.

‘I wanted to do an MBA to have the right qualification and be on the same NQF level as my colleagues,’ he explains. ‘My undergraduate degree was in programming, but I was working in banking as a manager and my counterparts had CAs, master’s degrees and the like, and I felt the need to upskill.’

He was drawn to Henley because it offers a ‘family-friendly’ MBA, one that allows a person to find a balance between the various elements of their life. ‘For me this speaks to the wheel of life, a visual tool that was introduced to us in the Personal Development module, that helps you assess and understand balance and fulfilment in various areas.’

Gumede says the personal development (PD) modules were the highlight of his degree. ‘In the first PD module we did the iceberg exercise – where you consider an iceberg in relation to yourself. The part of the iceberg you see above the waterline – the so-called tip of the iceberg – is what is initially apparent to others. But it is when you do a deep dive into those things that exist below the waterline – characteristics that are not apparent to others – that you come to understand yourself more holistically.’

He says the exercise helped him to see that his decision to do the MBA had less to do with a desire to be promoted at work, and more to do with his need to fit in. ‘My (self) diagnosis was that I was suffering from imposter syndrome, but once I realised that development of the self extends beyond academic achievement, I was able to find my purpose.’

Ayanda Thabethe: ‘I felt the need to build my business acumen’

For others, the MBA is not so much about credentials but about mastering the art of building a business that lasts, one that’s rooted in sustainability rather than fleeting success. Ayanda Thabethe, who is perhaps more widely known as a South African social media influencer with 2,3 million followers, model, and successful MC and a TV personality – think Top Billing, BET A-list and Celebrity Game Night – is also an entrepreneur. And it is in that role that she had an eye firmly focused on building a future in business, when she found her way to Henley and an MBA degree.

‘Back in the day I did a marketing management degree, and an honours in marketing, but when the time came to register at Henley I hadn’t studied for 11 years and, I’m not going to lie, I was a bit nervous. Now, I can scarcely believe that I am going to graduate in September,’ says Thabethe.

The idea of picking up the books again came to Thabethe when she and her sister were launching their beauty business, Quick Face, initially in collaboration with Mr Price. She was prompted by wanting the business to succeed, as well as a need to challenge herself academically once again.

‘I felt the need to build my business acumen; I wanted to meet likeminded entrepreneurs, individuals who are doing different things in their spheres. I also wanted to find out how to run a business that is sustainable, not one that is launched one day and vanishes the next.’

Thabethe gave Henley the green light because of the school’s credibility and the flexible nature of the course. ‘As an entrepreneur your time is your money, and I couldn’t have my business affairs grind to a halt because I was studying,’ she says. ‘And as the mother of two little boys – aged two and one – I have responsibilities on the home front that can’t be ignored, nor can they simply be moved down on my list of priorities.’

With graduation finally on the horizon, she has no regrets, saying that she is grateful to the school for a positive and supportive experience.

‘I started my degree in 2021, so it’s taken me four years to finish. The reason being that I had both my children during this time. At no point did Henley put me under pressure to finish my course at a time when it was literally an impossibility,’ she says.

‘The entire experience has been so positive and so rewarding. At each stage of the programme, I received overwhelming support from the school. I will always be grateful to Henley for facilitating me as I grew my little family while pursuing the MBA, both of which are hugely important personal goals.’ DM

Author: Henley PR office