My first weeks as a Full-time MBA

Three weeks into her Full-time MBA, Celine shares what the programme has been like so far, from modules to group working.

Introduce yourself - why did you choose to do the Full-time MBA at WBS?

Before pursuing my MBA at Warwick, I gained six years of experience providing human resources services in China. I chose to pursue an MBA to upskill myself and make a bigger impact on business. In my previous work with clients, I noticed that they face challenges not only in acquiring top talent and developing it but also in fostering cultural growth and managing their organisations. I am passionate about people and organisational growth, and I recognise the need to strengthen my skills in strategic thinking and organisational effectiveness. Also, I want to combine these skills to help businesses in a sustainable way, and Warwick is the best choice for me.

What did your first few weeks at WBS look like?

It was really nice to be back as a student and put myself in a very competitive environment to push myself forward. Sometimes I wonder how studying is busier than work, with some twelve-hour days. But it is true! Two quotes that have been shared that stick with me are:

“It’s a big luxury to have a year to think about business.”

And, “Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that.”

They are the perfect explanation of the environment of the MBA for me.

If I sum up the MBA at Warwick in three words, they would be intense, supportive, and fun! Each day I feel a sense of achievement in knowing what I didn’t know before.

You are studying with the best people and you are being supported by the best staff, who made me feel a sense of fearlessness from day one: “It will be challenging, but we will be here to help.” I would say it has been the most fruitful three weeks and has far exceeded my expectations.

Tell us about your first module

Our first module, Organisational Behaviour, began with a focus on motivation, which gave me a chance to reflect on my previous observations of some of my clients.

I’ve realised that motivating people isn’t just about financial rewards. Yes, bonuses and raises matter, but true motivation is a powerful mix of intrinsic rewards (personal growth and job satisfaction etc.) and social rewards (cultural recognition and a strong sense of belonging etc.). For motivation to be effective, three elements—extrinsic, intrinsic, and social rewards—should be combined. And motivation varies from person to person—it's an interplay of perception, comparison, and personal calculation. People always ask themselves: 'If I work hard, will I meet my target? If I meet my target, will I be rewarded? Do I find my rewards desirable?' As managers, we'd better ensure rewards are balanced (not over/under reward) and aligned with individual efforts — a clear link between behaviour, outcomes and rewards.

This week saw our second syndicate group meeting for our Organisational Behaviour assignment. Instead of choosing the easiest way—a case study—we decided to dive into a real business case to analyse the organisational issues of Company G post-M&A. We are data collectors, structure and culture designers, and storytellers. It’s been exciting to put what we’ve learned into practice step by step.

What has working in a syndicate group been like?

Throughout the past three weeks of the MBA programme, I’ve gained much more than just academic knowledge. The wisdom shared, both inside and outside the classroom, casual conversations, and, most importantly, from my syndicate group. We come from different countries and have unique personalities. We’ve worked hard to understand each other and find a balanced way to leverage everyone’s strengths. Of course, we’ve had many arguments—because we all want to perform our best—but the team goal comes first. Eventually, conflicts helped us grow, and we felt a sense of achievement every time we got improved.

Another key takeaway is the power of collaboration. Relying on yourself, you can come up with a good plan, but working as a team, you can make that plan even better! I’m so pleased to be part of the great Team 4. As we said today, we’re not aiming to be number one—we’re aiming to be the best of ourselves. Good luck to all of us!

What are you most looking forward to in the coming months?

More challenging case studies and more guest speakers from different industries. After completing the Strategic Thinking and Organisational Behavior moduless, I hope we have the opportunity to engage in real consulting projects, allowing us to apply everything we’ve learned and contribute to business growth.

What do you hope to achieve with your MBA?

I hope to gain knowledge that will benefit businesses and myself for years to come, build lifelong friendships, make each day meaningful, expand my network, and ultimately my dream job will be there for me.

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