Strathclyde MBA: perspective, resilience, and career confidence – Lee Ken Seng

LEE KEN SENG
MBA with Distinction, University of Strathclyde 2023
Deputy General Manager at BAUER Equipment, Malaysia

I’m glad I did my MBA with University of Strathclyde because it equipped me with the skills and knowledge needed to be engaged in continuing my career in my current company. The MBA programs, experienced lecturers and global perspective provided me with a solid foundation in business management and strategic thinking.

If I could go back in time, I would tell my younger self that I made the right choice in selecting the University of Strathclyde. The timing was perfectly fit for me to pursue my MBA and it has been a valuable decision for my personal and professional growth.

I decided to further my studies in 2019 because I felt that I was not able to move fast and lacked of confidence in making decisions at work. Most of the time, I needed my senior to guide me, providing comfort and interpretation of situations to aid in my decision making and setting reasonable measures.

My cohort is McNicol and my classes for the first semester were delayed due to the Covid-19 lockdown. Emotionally, I was experiencing the effects of culture shock after leaving my last formal school 18 years ago. The transition into a new study environment with different norms and expectations was challenging. It led to high level feelings of uncertainty and discomfort which affected my studies and works.

I shared these struggles with my program administrator and she relates my experience to rubber bands stretched to their maximum, emphasizing how this rubber stretching process in making us more flexible, adaptable and resilient as managers. This perspective helped me understand that the challenges I faced were not just obstacles but opportunities for growth and development.

This MBA course has provided me with the knowledge and tools necessary for my daily work in my company. I able to relate and apply most of the frameworks to my work. The courserequires a lot of self-reflection which has helped me better understand the issues that arise and identify areas for improvement. This has significantly enhanced my confidence and management skills.

I work for a multinational company that manufactures construction equipment related products and heavily involved in our daily manufacturing operations including material planning, sourcing, purchasing, fabrication, quality control and logistics. The core subjects of my MBA program have changed my perspective on these responsibilities, helping me in adapting and overcoming the challenges that arise.

I’m glad to meet a group of good and understanding teammates along my MBA journey. We complete our journey together by attending our graduation ceremony in Glasgow! Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who have guided and helping me in completing this wonderful journey.

For further queries about the Strathclyde MBA Programme, please visit our website at www.cdc.edu.my or email at enquiries@cdc.edu.my