–Gordon Daman, ’19
As I entered mid-career in a time of complexity and disruption, I had a gnawing sense that I required a few more “tools in my tool box”, even after the completion of two undergraduate programs and a professional designation. For me, the investment in an MBA program was not about a bigger paycheque, but rather how these additional tools would help me remain energized as I entered into the latter part of my career. After much research, consultation with colleagues and friends, and most importantly, the support of my family, I decided to apply for the Collaborative MBA program in spring of 2017.
The Collaborative MBA is centered on the common good with a clear commitment to recognizing the need to balance people, planet and profit for leaders seeking organizational sustainability within our current economic paradigm. Informed by the faith perspective of the four universities that steward the Collaborative MBA program, this balanced approach is not only relevant, but critical in a time of growing social disruption, environmental distress and shifting economic realities.
Nearing the halfway point of the program, I realize my experience is a time of “sabbatical”. The bonds made during the initial residency, which launched our cohort’s journey, make our weekly online classes a community that is enriching and inspiring. Our cohort of friends not only learn together, but truly walk alongside each other in a shared experience that I believe will last a lifetime. Learning from the various experiences of classmates from across North America strengthens our understanding of the material we are digesting week to week. The professors from the various university settings engage with our cohort in ways I have not experienced in previous learning environments – creating space for mentorship that is both surprising and encouraging. There is a breadth of experience I don’t believe I could find in another setting.
While the workload is robust, the online synchronous learning environment provides the needed flexibility to remain actively engaged in my profession. In fact, I have been able to bring classroom topics and observations into my workplace numerous times over the past year. It is extremely exciting and rewarding to apply insight from our courses to real world situations that have advanced the common good of the communities I serve.
In the context of disruption that our world is currently enveloped in, an MBA program committed to the common good is one that not only refreshes the soul, but helps re-imagine the possibilities of doing business sustainably in hopeful and life-giving ways. I am, simply put, humbled and deeply grateful to be on this collaborative path.
— Gordon Daman is the President of Red River Group, an appraisal company in Niverville, Manitoba. He also has significant involvement in local political leadership.
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Thanks for sharing your story, Gordon. I, too, found that every class I took in the CMBA had some practical application to my work and that our cohort made all the difference in the quality of my learning.
Blessings as you continue to study and grow through your “sabbatical.”