Nigel Godde (ILF2011)

Coming to Adelaide after an eight year stint working in China, I was eager to continue to grow my management and leadership abilities through further study. For some time I had wanted to attend The Advanced Management Program at Mt Eliza, the premier course of the Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne. I was recommended by a friend to apply for the Industry Leaders Fund. The process of applying for the grant was a great experience and was handled very professionally at each step. I was very impressed by their approach and drive in creating South Australia’s next generation of leaders. I am extremely grateful to the Industry Leaders Fund for making it financially possible for me to attend.

The Advanced Management Program ran for twelve consecutive days on site at the beautiful and historic Mt Eliza campus; the days and several nights were packed full of sessions that were intense and challenging. Participants were limited to sixteen, predominately from within Australia, with three from Hong Kong and one from New Zealand. The high calibre of the participants brought another dimension to the course and also greatly expanded my professional network going forward.

The quality of the presenters was first class, with a number flying in from around the world including Europe, UAE and the UK. Leaders in their field, they covered a wide range of topics from Strategic Finance, Marketing, Strategic Thinking, Innovation, Strategy Development, Enhancing Inter-cultural Intelligence, Enhancing Leadership Presence and many more. My personal highlights were Peter Collins – Director of Peter Collins and Associates; Marco Blankenburgh – Director of KnowledgeWorkx; Dr Marc Stigter – The Critical Management Group; Radek Sali – CEO Swisse Vitamins; Associate Professor Marketing Don O’Sullivan – Melbourne Business School; and Associate Professor Marc Jones – Futurist and Clarence Da Gama Pinto Program Director Mt Eliza Executive Education. We were privileged to have extended time with the presenters over lunch or dinner each day and from completing the course can access them through the Mt Eliza network.

There was a focus on personal leadership development including personal development guides such as the 360-Degree surveys that were completed before attending the course. During the course, speakers gave in-depth analysis and sometimes brutally honest feedback that really made you think about yourself and your leadership style. From a personal development stance the theme that I took away was that success comes to those who know themselves, their strengths, their values, and how they best perform.

The presenters and the directors of the course continually challenged me, extending me beyond my comfort zone, and tested many of my long held views of the business world and how to lead. I came away with some amazing tools that I am able to put into practice in my workplace, making me a much more effective manager and leader.

Since returning from the course, I am more focused in what I want to achieve in my work and personal lives. I have re-examined where I should be spending my time in the business, less in the day-to-day and more in what will create long term sustainable value for the company.