Developing Leadership in Yourself and Others
Thandi Ngwane heads emerging markets for Allan Gray Proprietary Limited, the largest privately owned asset management firm in Africa. On first hearing about the impact of the HBS General Management Program (GMP), Ngwane was skeptical, but the experience lived up to the hype. Her new leadership skills, broader cultural knowledge, and ability to think like a general manager are expanding her contributions to the organization.
What is the value of GMP?
GMP is a time of self-discovery. The program gave me the space to step away from my busy life, look inward, and really think about what drives me. I love the business I'm in, but somehow I feel I should be doing something bigger, something more important. In South Africa, we have problems with unemployment, education, and other issues. This program gave me confidence that will allow me to contribute to addressing such issues over time.
How did your living group enhance the GMP experience?
The living group is a team of individuals who can give you advice and guidance. We shared our challenges and learned from others' experiences. That was enormously valuable.
Our living group comprised people from all over the world. That global perspective was extremely valuable—it shifted the way I think. The cultural learning was also priceless—for example, I learned a lot about the Japanese way of doing business.
On the first day of the program, we were told, "This is going to be a transformational experience and you will make lifelong friends." We were saying to ourselves, "Yeah, right." But now I know that this is true. I left GMP with very strong friendships.
Which aspects of the curriculum stand out for you?
There's so much you can take out of this program and implement in your business. I really appreciated the guest speakers who shared their experiences. How often do you have the opportunity to tap into some of the most amazing leaders in the world? The strategy sessions were also enormously valuable for me because they offered frameworks and the opportunity to practice strategy development.
I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to examine and test my own leadership capability. If people hadn't given me an opportunity, I wouldn't be in the position I am today—so I believe very strongly in developing the next leaders within my business. I've learned how to be more aware of how my actions affect others, how to provide specific, actionable feedback, and how to be an effective coach.
How did the program's modular structure strengthen your learning?
The gap between modules gives you the chance to go back to your organization and look at it with fresh eyes. You can incorporate the tools and frameworks you have learned into your everyday work. For example, between Modules 2 and 4, I focused on applying what I'd learned in our leadership sessions and became much more confident as a leader.
How has the program changed you?
GMP made me a better leader—someone who seeks to make more of an impact. The program challenges you to understand why you do the things you do and prompts you to remember your core value and ethics, as well as how your personal story affects your leadership journey. Even though I'm not at the helm of my business, I now think about whether I step up daily and make decisions as if I were leading this business. In the past, it was very easy just to let things go. Now I want to challenge more. I feel confident that voicing my views will lead to a better result for our business.