Trust the process. And listen for insightful understanding. Two phrases that continue to echo in Adele’s heart and mind long after she completed her Postgraduate Diploma in Management Practice at the UCT GSB
“Everything is either a win, or it's a learn,” she explains. “If you trust the process, whether it’s a win or a learn, either way you're going to succeed. If you’ve made a mistake, you need to trust that you’re learning and growing from whatever it is that you're experiencing. Because learning is by definition an opportunity for improvement.”
Listening for insightful understanding, says Adele, is about avoiding the default position of ‘listening to respond’ or entering into a conversation with a specific objective in mind – usually aimed at getting the other person to agree with your point of view.
“With enough practice, you’ll be surprised at how often what we hear is not really what the person may be trying to tell us,” says Adele. “This has allowed me to have not just better conversations, but better relationships. Now I'm having conversations that I never thought I would have. I'm asking questions that I would not have asked.
The RPL path to the GSB
Like many others, Adele was intimidated by the impression that one needs to have a degree to study at the GSB. Most people are unaware that you can also apply with a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) certificate for most of the programmes at the School.
With enough work experience or other relevant qualifications, candidates can apply with an RPL in lieu of a university degree. This option gives talented and passionate people the opportunity to further their studies at Africa’s premier business school.
Adele began her career as a financial advisor, progressing to a sales manager and team leader before moving into a marketing role, where she now oversees campaigns and drives business growth through strategic planning, execution, and project management. “My expertise has really deepened my understanding of customer centricity and the impact of various marketing strategies within the digital space,” she says.
Adele’s manager, Sihle Mhlongo, quickly recognised her potential and encouraged her to study further in order to take her career to the next level. She was initially reluctant because she thought that she wasn’t sufficiently qualified, but Sihle was insistent.
“Liberty prides itself in being an organisation that creates a workplace environment where people can thrive and excel,” says Sihle. “Part of this commitment is ensuring continuous development of employees. We have found it beneficial to the organisation's growth to ensure that employees are mentally stimulated and continuously learning new things. This, in turn, is a great benefit as employees have become advocates of what we do and have mutually benefitted from being part of a progressive and successful organisation.
It proved to be the sort of life-changing encouragement that distinguishes a manager from a leader. [Game clearly recognised game here! – Ed.] Adele applied with an RPL and not only was she accepted, but she completed her PGDip in Management Practice with distinction.
“The RPL process gives you an understanding of where you were, where you are, and where you aspire to be,” says Adele. “I realised that there were certain roles that were close to my heart and those were more in the leadership space.”
Immediate organisational benefits
The PGDip in Management Practice is a modular course, with students learning while they work – and applying what they learn immediately to their organisations. From values-based leadership and business acumen to a much deeper understanding of doing business in a dynamic and complex emerging market, the course is designed to set future leaders and their organisations on the path to success.
“I went in with the approach that whatever happens, this is an opportunity to learn,” says Adele. “I was inspired by the diverse perspectives of group work; having that exposure broadened my understanding. The journey does require discipline and commitment. But the support from the GSB is exceptional. They provide invaluable resources for your success. So while it wasn't easy, I had the support – from the GSB, my colleagues, my family – and it had a significant impact on my personal and professional growth.”
“Adele was a key player in our team, which led to her selection to be part of the GSB PGDip in Management Practice,” says Sihle Mhlongo. “Our EXCO saw her playing a more prominent position in managing our department’s strategy and way forward. Since enrolling in the programme, she has not disappointed.
“We have seen projects become clearer and moving faster under her stewardship. I have relied on her recent expertise to implement new ways of assessing and evaluating our work, crystalising the value that our Marketing and Digital team brings to the business, and she has been central in accelerating our customer value management initiative, which has meant better customer engagement and experience in our department.”
Adele says that she has now added an extra line item to any task that she tackles at work. “It says ‘value add’,” she says. “I don't just mark a task complete because I've done it. I always ask what value I've added for the next person, for the organization, for whoever I'm handing it over to. If I have not added that value, then I haven't completed the task.”
Going the extra mile
Since completing her PGDip, Adele has also become involved with several other initiatives. She has joined the UCT GSB’s Women in Business Club, is a mentor for the PGDip programme at the GSB, and is involved with a music group called Little Giants, which is supported by the Institute for Music and Indigenous Art Development (IMAD). Her face lights up when she talks about the impact that Little Giants and IMAD are having on their youngsters. In fact, one of the Little Giants has grown significantly and was enrolled in the MBA programme. “He’s a big Little Giant now,” she laughs, “but it’s amazing the effect that both the IMAD and the UCT programmes have had on him. He’s been abroad, and he is currently doing a PhD in music at UCT.
“People ask me, ‘Where do you find the time?’ But I tell them that this is not work for me. I'm enjoying phoning corporates and emailing corporates. I want to see our kids having opportunities that they might not have had.”
Yet again, we can see that doing good and finding time and energy are a virtuous cycle. Adele is the type of person who doesn’t just relish success; it fuels her to do more. The more she trusts the process and listens with insightful understanding, the more she moves through the world with confidence and wisdom. The more she gives, the more she receives.
And although she’s recently graduated, she’s only just begun.
“As I reflect on my journey, I am excited to leverage my skill to not only advance in my career but also create opportunities for others in our communities, proving that growth is best shared.”
“I need to learn more. I need to do more. I am a work in progress and I'm constantly learning, whether it's from an academic, or older generations – I'm somebody that will have long conversations just to grasp how they conceive things. I find it amazing,” she says.
“I have started my application for my EMBA. The Graduate School of Business has sparked this desire that I never knew I had. And I've become a champion of the University and the programme. I tell people: it doesn’t matter if you only have a matric [NQF level 4] or you've got your NQF level seven [non-university certification]. That shouldn't stop you from reaching for your goals or applying yourself. Because if it can happen for me, it can happen for you.”
