What was your most significant challenge that you faced doing a doctoral degree and how did you overcome it?
Yeah, I think one of the most challenging things I faced was the preconceived idea or notion that I can do my doctorate within a record time. That is normally the kind of challenge that I believe we as students do face, and that opened my thinking towards the idea that, well, it is not a qualification that you should do within record time. The aim is to understand how a qualification can shape your thinking. That, for me, was one of the most challenging things I faced in my initial journey.
Considering your work experience, do you think there was a need for you to study for a PhD?
You know, PhD to me is like a comrade. It is a marathon. It is a journey that you, as an individual, must embark on. It is a lifetime achievement. I think one of the most challenging things one faces on this journey is getting that injury from your Achilles heel, as an example.
Because on this journey, it is not, you know, it is a literal, like, emotional roller coaster. There are days when you feel that you would like to finish this thing, and there are days when you just leave your books. I think for me, from a career perspective, this journey was important. It is a needed journey, as well as based on my past, being from banking, telecommunications, as well as healthcare.
And currently, I am the CEO of the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa. I think this has benefited me a lot.
What advice would you give to an incoming doctoral student at The DaVinci Institute based on your experience?
For me, one of the critical things I will give from an advisory perspective is that I will recommend that you give yourself time, you allow yourself the opportunity to grow. Give yourself the latitude or the palatability for you to embrace other information or knowledge and do not be afraid to ask. And something critical that I have learned on this journey is that this journey will shape your thinking and it will humble you. You get to discover how little you know.
In a few words, can you describe your journey to completing your qualification?
In a few words, my journey has been interesting. When I embarked on my journey, my biological mom was still alive. And today is an opportunity for me to celebrate this lifetime achievement in her absence, but also to dedicate this day to her and these qualifications to her. There is now a complete focus and appreciation for the journey that I have embarked on and what it will mean for our family, because in my family, I will be the first to earn a doctoral degree.
The world is evolving quickly. Do you find the TIPS™ Framework relevant?
I think TIPS™ plays a critical role from a technology, innovation, people, and systems perspective because organisations need to innovate. Organisations need to embrace the new change. When we look at the year 2030 and beyond, what is relevant or what was relevant five years ago will not be relevant 10 years from today. I believe TIPS™ plays a critical role from a technology perspective, innovation, people, and systems.
Because you cannot operate an effective or manage an effective organisation without understanding the TIPS™ framework. By embracing the TIPS™ framework, I believe listed companies globally, regionally, or even nationally, will be able to enhance their current processes, be it processes, financial modeling, or even from a profitability perspective. Technology plays a critical role because that is where the systems come in.
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