The Journey

It all began on the 1st of October 2012. I came into warwick. all alone, my whole family back at home. I could say I was a naive girl regards so many things that I now know. I was scared and at the same time so excited to experience the British culture, and especially the weather and how it was like to live in a developed country. I looked forward to the teaching and lectures and basically how it was to study in the UK. I have to admit my journey has been one amazing one.

I remember the first question Paul asked us was what was our greatest fear and mine at the time was failure. Surrounded by very intelligent classmates, I wondered whether I would compete favoroubly and whether I would match up to what was exoected of me. Slowly as days went by, I changed my attitude about education. It was not so much a competition anymore, but making sure I get as much as I can from my classmates and tutors and warwick in general. This would allow me to help and seek help whenever possible and to just enjoy learning.

Like my undergraduate degree, I realized pretty soon that it is very easy to graduate with a distinction and it all depended on one's effort and how bad they want it. I agree that sometimes things just don't go as one plans them to, but as long as you give it your all, you know you have no regrets and you will leave warwick proud of all your achievements.

Everything went well, all the lectures, my classmates, everything went welll. I admit there were some modules I wish I did more than I did and there are those that were somewhat boring, but all in all, I loved every experience I got.

What I can advice new students is to make sure they study hard and take seriusly each and every module they take. Even if they may be boring, each tutor has something to say and its funny but you will more or less remember lectures or what was said as much as you remember something you read on your own. Its the effort that counts. I know everybody can get distinctions and it is very very possible to get them. Everything is possible, it depends on what you want ot get.

Expect a lot of team work tasks that will either make you a better person or break you. Be prepared to deal with people from different cultures and walks of life who think very differently from you. Sharing knowledge and information will go a long way. You cannot survive as a loner and you have to make friends and be accomodative to all. Be prepared ot work very hard and long hours sometimes but the rewards are great. When you get that distinction, it will be worth it. I guess there are times you will wish you did a different course, but for me I did not. But it will get tough, especially during the dissertation. Start early and you will finish early.

I developed team working skills, critical thinking as this will either make or break your life at warwick. You have to learn to be critical and I am still learning by the way. Reading and note making skills and I would strongly recommend you to attend the skills portfolio ward scheme. It will build you as a person and broaden your skill set to being assertive, speedy reading, career etc. This workshops may be time consuming but they helped me gain a lot from warwick and I recommend them fully. Just plan yourtime table well to be able to fit this in as it takes two terms to complete. You get a certificate in the end so uts worth it. And if you can volunteer, please do. It is so rewarding to help and volunteer with warwick volunteers and you get to braden your team working skills further and depending on how much time you give to volunteering, you get a certificate. I am happy I got a certificate for volunteering more than 20 hours and a certificate for the skills portfolio award. Do as many things as you can as this will help build you. I am proud ot say I will leave warwick with 4 certificates. Now that was one great year I tell you.

It will be one great fantastic year for you guys as well and for anyone doing whatever they may be doing.The road may be tough, but in the end, you will look back and actually feel sad its all over and wish you could do it again, I know I do. MBE is not hard, but neither is it easy. It will be as hard or easy as you make it..the choice is yours.

For me it ended on 12th September after my viva, which in my opinion was sort of tough but the results were amazing! I look back at that year and I made so many friends, learnt alot, gave alot as well, was stressed at times, happy, tired, etc but all that made my year one year I will never forget. I wish you all the best and I know you will all make it successfullly. Being a christian, I cannot forget to say, I could not have done it without God. For me, my success is all because of God. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. You may not agree with me but even if you don't agree, just know the ony way you can make it is with God's help so I dare you to trust Him as you start or continue.

Paul is one amazing, awesome tutor who will not push you or stress you. He will help and listen to you when in need. I will actually miss him alot. All the tutors in MBE are amazing so look forward to each of your modules.

I will leave you with this saying that is very very true, " if you think you can, or you can't, either way, you are right"

Maureen Wandati : 19 Sep 2013 14:51 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

The End!

It all ended last week Thursday after my viva. One year passed so quickly it was in a blink of an eye, I ceased to be a student. In so much as I was looking forward to finishing, I am sad I am not studying anymore. Now the corporate world beckons me and unfortunately it is so had foning a job both here and back home. I have come to realize that the life of a student is so so much easier and care free...all you do is study and eat and sleep. Now, thats all gone. I am ready for the next stage of my life, working. I however miss having nothing to do apart from reading, even if it was stressing, hard, tiring, etc.

I can only say that my life at warwick was one great fantastic year and I would do this all over again, even if not right away but I definitely would.

The best thing I can say is enjoy being a student while you can because once its gone, thats it. Enjoy and do all you can do while a student. Time wasted can never be recovered.

Maureen Wandati : 19 Sep 2013 14:17 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON!

I have realized that progress, no matter how little is still progress. Writing my dissertation, there were days I felt I could just cave in and give up. There was absolutely no progress. I had a lot of fear of the unknown. My personality is that of perfectionism and the fact that I could not see how it all works out in the end drove me crazy. A classmate of mine warned me to not dwell so much on the finner details, not to insist on making it very very perfect as that limited my progress.

Now as I continue with it, a month later, I am happy with my progress. In fact I am delighted with my progress. Its when your supervisor gives you good feedback you feel like you have finished it all. I thank God through it all because I would not have made it this far without Him.

I have learnt that it does not matter if I write one sentence, or a paragragh, or a page, or 10 pages, as long as I am not where I was yesterday, that is progress. There is this adage in swahili that says "haba na haba hujaza kibaba" in English I guess it goes something like "small things plus small things add up to something big". The point and lesson here is that as long as I ensure that I do something each day, progress will get me from wher eiam now to where I will be on the 29th. Progress will get me to the finish line. We have to keep calm and carry on...we shall finish in good time and enjoy the remaining summer if it shall be there. So my wish to you all in the same boat as I am....KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON!

Maureen Wandati : 15 Jul 2013 20:35 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Last PMA

I am really tired of PMA's. I have one more to go and the challenge is to finish with a bang. With my dissertation begging for my attention, and this PMA as well, I feel some kind of pressure but I am glad that the road so far has been great with lots of learning. I have learnt that the hardest things turn out to be the things you do best at, or grasp better, or generally turn out better than expected. My greatest challenge is to embrace change, and cease to be my greatest limitation to greatness.

Oh how I cannot wait to be done with all this. I look at the end and that has become my motivation to do all I can while I still can as there will be no chance to do this again. At least I am still learning new concepts that indeed will keep me going forever as learning is a never ending cycle. The day I stop learning, is the day I will stop living, and I trust that is a far far far day from now, God willing.

Maureen Wandati : 02 Jul 2013 22:48 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Focus group

On saturday, a colleague of mine and myself carried out a focus group and I must say it was so much fun and it was indeed a success. We did laugh and some pretty good discussions ensued form it all that will help in data for our dissertations. A big thanks to all those who helped us. God richly and abundantly bless you all.

The task ahead of transcribing was daunting. I actually began transcribing it today and in as much as this may be strage to say, transcribing is fun. Writing down the whole converstation is tasking and a lot of work but fun. Hearing what was discussed takes me to that day and I just laugh remembering how fun that day was. Since it is still fresh, I can vividly remember what some people said exactly but I know this work will take me day since I am not doing it continuously.

That said, I have learnt that the work I so much thought would be difficult turned out to be not so bad. I am not saying I now transcribe for fun..hahhaa! No. I Have learnt to embrace all the challenges that come along my way so that on that very long awaited day of August 29th, when I hand my dissertation in, I shall jubilate knowing I finished it all successfully in Jesus Name! Amen!

Maureen Wandati : 24 Jun 2013 22:07 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Stress

At what point does one decide they will stop reading? I seem to be finding new journals every day and the endless cycle of reading seem sto just not end. I read and add, and read again and add, and read yet again and still add and the cycle continues. Oh boy...the area of motivation seems to have so many authors......on the up side, there are so many theories some of which I have not even come to terms with. It is a vast topic with many authors who have differing views....oh the stress of it all.

Two more months to go and oh I cannot wait to hand this research in, even if I am far from starting to analtze data, let alone gather it. But on that sweet glorious day....I shall smile and look towards Heaven and smile at Him who brought me here and tel Him thank you, and also tel Him to help me not consider doing a Phd...hahahhaha!

Maureen Wandati : 19 Jun 2013 22:51 |  Comments (2) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

The concept of Ba

Is it not amazing that many gurus in the business world are from Japan. We sure do have a lot to learn from them and how they do their thing. Kitaro Nishida developed this concept of 'Ba'. 'Ba' is a space which can be physical such as an office, room or virtual such as the internet where knowledge can be created or shared. More used as a knowledge creation center which recognizes the self as part of it. Knowledge is in the 'ba' and one must acquire it from the 'ba' so as to make sense of it. If you seperate knowledge from the 'ba', then it becomes information which can then be shared and disseminated to others. It was a totally new concept for me when I found it. It makes sense to make sure that your organization is a condusive 'ba' so that knowledge can be continuously created and shared so that the organization can transform to be a learning organization and consequently, an excellent organization.

Maureen Wandati : 08 Jun 2013 23:10 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Health and safety

Over the past few days, learning how crucial health and safety really is to an organization has exposed to the reality that this topic is not upheld with a lot of concern especially for small and medium sized companies. Since it requires some bit of capital to have a running program, some organizations shy away from implementing such programs. It is sad that many of the accidents that happen can be avoided and implementing such things as the RIDDOR can help avoid minor and even major accidents from happening. It all comes down to implementing change in these orgganizations. In as much as it is expensive to have such programs running, they in the end help save the organization lots of money in depositions, cases, etc. Its up to us as future leaders to ensure we and the workers work in a safe healthy environment and as the doctors law is.....our motto, just like them should be.."Do no harm" to employees in any way!

Maureen Wandati : 05 Jun 2013 00:34 |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Known–unknown matrix

I would have definitely argued with someone last week if they tried to tel me the johari window is not the same as the known-unknown matrixi. I was so sure the two were the same. After Management of change module, I figured I was totaly wrong though I was sure there was another matrix, similar to the johari window that potrays the known and unknown. I am glad I have finally discovered its name and what it is.

Information sources. (at the side of the matrix, there is user awareness)

The understanding of this will enable knowledge sharing. We should share what we know we know, for that we do not know, we should find out. For the knowledge we don't know that we know, this need to be developed and created and ways to do this should be devised. For the knowledge we do not know we know, this ned to be captured and shared. A deeper understanding of this know unknown matrix will enable an organization to plan and ensure all knowledge is captured, acquired and disseminated for the benefit of ll in the organization. I am still yet to fully grasp how it works fully in the knowledge management context but I am happy to learn about it from books.

Maureen Wandati : 31 May 2013 23:56 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Knowledge management practices

I am amazed everyday by the number of organizations that apply knowledge management practices and activities in their culture. It is refreshing to read about organizations that are successful and are benefiting from such practices. I have to admit a few weeks ago this was a foreign concept to me. Over the weeks as I have been familiarizing myself with the topic, I am amazed at how important it really is.

Being given the title knowledge officer sure does sound exciting and important. I have to accept and acknowledge that knowledge management is very important in organizations and if that is not convincing enough, have a look at companies such as Nokia, microsoft, GE, Viant, Xerox etc. They have successfull knowledge management practices that have done thier organization wonders.

Maureen Wandati : 29 May 2013 23:36 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem