Karla Davidson-Brown
Head of Procurement, Landcorp
Class of 2022
“It's practical and applied knowledge. You're not reading case studies.”
A new senior leadership position meant Karla Davidson-Brown was looking for executive education. On Not An MBA, she got exactly the kind of support she needed.
“It's practical and applied knowledge - you're not wading through a textbook, you're not reading about case studies that don't feel relevant to you and your work. I can come away and use the skills straight away - but also be much more deliberate about where I add value into a business.
I don’t think there’s many courses that help you think about how you show up at work everyday.”
The Not An MBA learning journey is designed to leverage the expertise and insight of everyone in the group, creating an accelerated network effect.
Karla was blown away at how much she learned, not just from the curriculum, but from the group of smart, curious leaders that enrol in Not An MBA.
“This format has forced us to work alongside everyone in the group and there's been nuggets of gold to gain from everybody. It's been a fantastic group of people.
And some of those people who I made snap judgments about have contributed the most to my learning! It's been a really good format.”
All Not An MBA students are encouraged to share what they’ve learned. Karla grabbed the challenge with both hands.
“Each week, I'll try and share with my peers or my team some of the learnings from the session that week. And everyone goes: ‘Yeah, I get that! It's been gold.”
Karla describes how her confidence has improved since taking the course, thanks to an ability to be more deliberate, intentional and clearer about her value and contribution.
“I feel more confident. I feel more deliberate and purposeful. I’m taking the time to think about my secret sauce, what I bring that no-one else around me can do, and how I make sure that I’m spending most of my time doing that."
“naMBA would suit people who are ready for something a bit different. People who are in middle management and either have moved into a senior role, or are ready to. Also: people who are willing to be a little bit cheeky with their learning and do some things that are a little bit outside the square."