Damien talks about while he has been affected by things going on in his study, personal and work life, he has come to realise talking to a Kinaway member that he has a greater purpose for his being at the Melbourne Business School doing the MBA.
Damien also congratulates his fellow Managing People syndicate team members, George, Priscilla, Pauline and Fay who did a great job on presenting our mid term presentation this evening as a role play coffee table discussion.
Damien gives a quick recap of his day and talks about how he hasn’t been able to concentrate on study due to having the worry of finding somewhere to move on his mind. He also discusses ’emotional intelligence’ about how people can identify their own feelings and emotions but not able to pick up on other people’s emotions.
Damien talks about his Data Analysis mid term exam, how he felt he went and how this has made him reconsider where he puts his time into which subjects and areas he needs to focus on for each subject. He is happy with the progress of the Managing People Syndicate mid term presentation assignment and the contribution made by all of the team mebers.
Damien attended the Melbourne Business School Net Impact Club’s event where during the networking part he was able to speak with Professor Glen Hoetker from MBS around Murra and Indigenous Procurement. He also was able to speak with Emily Jenkins from EY. Damien was also able to speak to other full time students doing the MBA and speak with Emily who has completed the part time MBA. This provided insight into the difference in time commitment between the two given part time students are both working and studying.
Damien went on his first date while doing the part time MBA. While he went on the date, he was actually hoping the other person would cancel as he wanted to spend it studying after the outcome of the Data Analysis mid term exam, even though he needs to also have some element of a social life. But while on the date Damien also made it clear about his time commitment to study and what time he had to date. There is a study, be it an urban legend or not, there is a high failure in relationships with students doing the MBA due to the level of time commitment to do the MBA. This is why it is so important to communicate with your current or future partners of the level of time needed to be committed to the MBA as to dating.
Sunday Damien slept in, had brunch at Mr Tulks cafe while also attempting to do a video edit and upload of the 20191021a video. He then went shopping for new business shirts, picked up his new suit and bought some new brown shoes for the new blue suit, as well as some grocery shopping.
Damien then talks about the value of time and how much he now values his time given there is only so much time in the day and week. Damien’s former manager, Ann Murray, once asked him “How much do you value your time?”. Damien now appreciates this now in the new context of doing the MBA, as time is now such a valuable commodity to him and is the new reality. He now values his time more then ever.
Damien also talks about his new issue which is now having to look for a new place to live after receiving a text message from his housemate who he sublets from giving him 2 weeks notice to vacate as he is now moving back home to country Victoria.
Toni Scattergood is a horse and motorbike riding country girl come lawyer and social policy procurement advisor who is studying a part time MBA at the Melbourne Business School. Toni and Damien talk post Data Analysis mid term exam about her journey into starting an MBA. She talks about her work encouraging her to do post graduate studies and opting away from doing an Applied Finance course to do the MBA. She talks about the benefits of doing the MBA part time and being able to meet other students from diverse backgrounds. She talks about waht each person brings to doing Syndicate group work.
Toni and Damien also talk about their passion for social procurement where Toni works on projects around infrastructure policy. She has found herself transitioning from working as a lawyer to being an advisor around policy on social procurement to meet the Victorian Government Social Procurement targets. This conversation struck a conversation between them on a subject they are both passionate about and how new it is to Victoria commencing in 2019.
Toni talks about balancing life commitments as to segrating them into work, study and life. She talks about the commitment to doing gym sessions in the morning, work beyond the nine to five job and then studying for the MBA. Toni talks about the importance of not focusing just on the grade but the learning and applications of the MBA, something she has also learnt from her career. Toni talks about the importance of her networking and learning about social procurement and social enterprise, how social procurement adds to the value and benefit of not just the business, but the community as a whole. Toni talks about breaking down the perception that social procurement is a premium cost but look at the innovation that is coming from this.
Toni can be found on LinkedIn: Toni Scattergood
Damien talks about the last week as he hasn’t done a video since then. Damien talks about being on the back foot with studies due to not doing as much study as he needed to do that weekend. This also resulted in him not doing grocery shopping and buying microwave dinners as the quick and easy solution.
Damien on Friday drove to Ballarat for a member meeting for work and then returned to attend a Melbourne Business School Consulting Club interview panel with delegates from EY, Deloittes, Cap Gemini and AT Kinsley that was followed by networking drinks. On the Saturday he attended the Data Analysis Tutorial Assistance Help Sessions then worked with a fellow Syndicate member for the Managing People mid term assignment. He stayed until 8:30pm studying for the Data Analysis mid term exam and then returned home to watch a movie for Managing People.
Sunday he had a gym induction for his apartment complex and then went suit shopping. He then went to the Melbourne Business School to study until 11pm.
Damien also talks about his studies for Managing People that is based on emotions and feelings in the workplace and understanding ones self. He identifies how this relates to both work and personal relationships as well as with fellow students. He also tells how the word he has been hearing several times over the last week from people is ‘anxiety’ or ‘feeling anxious’.
Damien gives his debrief in the lead up to mid term assessments and exams for Managing People and Data Analysis. There is a mid term Syndicate presentation due at the end of Week 5 and the team have been progressing with this as we each contribute to the presentation. Damien and another syndicate member will contribute this weekend after the Data Analysis Help Session Tutorial Assistance session. There is also a Data Analysis mide term in class exam in Week 5 to be studied for. The topic for Managing People this week has been authenticity which has been an interesting topic.
For work, Damien has had a less jam packed week with several member and corporate meetings. He is also contributing to some marketing collateral for where he works at Kinaway Victorian Indigenous Chamber of Commerce.
Damien talks about the hints and tips he has learnt to Week 3 of the subject. These Include
Damien discusses the pressures of work has on studying a part time MBA and then also fitting in personal life. Damien’s week has been filled with work as Relationship Manager for Kinaway Victorian Indigenous Chamber of Commerce. This includes corporate meetings, member business reviews, MBA classes, phone meetings, his boss’ farewell drinks and then the Murra Indigenous Business Master Class Program 2019 Second Intake dinner. He talks about his doing the Data Analysis Help Session Tutorial Assisted class in the morning and then Managing People Syndicate work. He also relates to the Managing People readings around ‘authenticity in the workplace’ as to how that impacted him in an organisation.
Damien talks about his Monday at work where he did member Business Review. He went to the Melbourne Business School to do study. He is working with his Managing People Syndicate to start their group assignments. He also met a student who he discussed mentoring and pro bono / voluntary work with as he was a 180 Degree Consultant.
Damien talks about his weekend, starting with finishing his Managing People reading, attending the Data Analysis Tutorial Assistance Saturday morning, did a study group in the Mills and finished his Data Analysis class prep. Sunday was brunch before going back to Melbourne Business School to do more study and returned home to watch the NRL Rugby League Grand Final between Sydney Roosters and Canberra Raiders.