Teamwork
Working in teams called syndicates is a key feature of the Otago MBA.
Our students are high achievers with an extraordinary desire to perform at the top of their game. In the business world, this alone does not guarantee success. Personal productivity almost always requires being part of a larger interdependent team. This means success calls for a particular set of leadership skills and attributes that address the needs of the team and not just the outcome.
Many of the key skills developed on the programme are not easily taught in the classroom. "Soft skills" such as conflict resolution, empathy, and cross cultural awareness are practised and developed as a consequence of working in syndicates. By constantly learning about how people interact, students learn experientially how to become effective leaders.Syndicate assignments include formal and informal presentations, case-study analysis and reports. Individual learning is also a fundamental part of the course. Therefore, assessment also includes a variety of individual reports, essays, presentations and examinations.
Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
During the Orientation Programme students complete the MBTI questionnaire which describes the valuable differences in personal style. Students learn where they like to focus their attention, the way they like to take in information, the way they like to decide, and the kind of lifestyle and work patterns they adopt. And they learn how to constructively value the differences in their team members.
Because they gain a greater understanding of themselves and develop their capacity for being productive and supportive, Syndicate members benefit significantly from working in teams and take the learnings from these positive experiences into their subsequent careers.
The Myers Briggs questionnaire is one of the most widely used in the world and is designed to highlight the value of differences within teams, giving weight to the adage "strength through diversity."
Syndicate Selection
Syndicates change three times per year and each Syndicate shares a study room for the duration of the Term. Syndicate members are selected by the programme management to ensure a range of backgrounds and experience is present in each group. Students are not able to self-select their Syndicates.
Debriefing Dynamics
Syndicates are debriefed at the end of each Term. The purpose of the debrief is to develop students’ skills and ability to exercise leadership in their Syndicates and to pay attention to both the task and relationship aspects of completing work as part of a team. Students are asked to reflect on what they noticed about how the group operated:
- Who contributed what?
- How did team members give and receive feedback?
- What have they learnt about themselves and others that they were unaware of before?
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