Work on sharpening up the softer skill set! (aka the UCD Smurfit MBA Leadership Development Programme).

They say time flies when you’re having fun. It also seems to fly when you’re up to your neck in project work. Well, perhaps more accurately, when you feel like you’re up to your neck in project work. In fairness we’ve had a relatively balanced distribution of fun and hard work to date. A bit of hard work is good for us.

Everyone in the class had something of a shock when we each listed out all of our assignment deadlines, put dates against them and sorted them into date order. In reality the work load, while heavy, is very manageable with a group. It actually feels good to be dealing with a heavy workload again. Yesterday I found myself booking rooms and sending mails that related to meetings and work that will be done two to three weeks down the line, knowing that I needed to get those tasks done now to facilitate the future work. Of course that’s the normal way of things when you’re busy in a job and it was good to feel back to having that sense of purpose and drive.

Given the workload, some people in the class have been challenged and frustrated by the amount of time that is scheduled for personal and team development (Leadership Development Programme) but I feel this is one of the best elements of what we are experiencing. Having come from large, tiered and management driven organisations I’ve seen how important it is for teams to work well. Without the teams functioning, an organisation doesn’t function. The teamwork development aspects of the MBA will certainly stand to candidates when they get back out into the real world. The course is a great opportunity to take time to develop and reflect on team and interpersonal skills in a supportive environment where you can get feedback from peers and experts. Don’t get me wrong, when there are grades on the line in a class of achievers, temperatures rise and tempers fray but that is exactly the emotional live-fire environment needed to work on sharpening up the softer skill set.

I’m looking forward to getting involved with the Thought Leaders and Entrepreneurs Clubs and putting together some interesting events. While club activity will keep me busy, my other project commitments outside of the course are reducing so I’ll even have a little time for sports in the coming weeks. I’m going to do my best not to pack on the MBA pounds that we’ve been warned about. Or at least that’s what I keep telling myself!

The Team 5 Massive has survived our first few projects and has grown as a team from the experiences. Our first presentation is coming up next week so it will be fun to get the team up and present to the class. Fun, tough, exhilarating and nerve-racking no doubt. Of course, that’s what this experience is all about; getting stuck in and doing our best. Speaking of which, my 8.30 lecture is about to begin…

Liam Doyle.

FT MBA 2014