Guest blog written by Molebogeng Amanda (Tshoma) Mazibuko
For five years, I have had a vision to help a specific group of people; a relegated and prejudiced gender with immense potential to create positive economic impact.
I have written strategic documents and struggled to match them to executable plans; either because of authority or know-how related challenges. As noble my intention was to help, I just did not have the know-how and had no idea of how to accumulate it.
My ‘laundry-list’ approach led to an aggregation of factors to a point where the real root cause was hidden under a symptom.
During my journey on PDIA through the Leading Economic Growth with Harvard Kennedy School I identified multiple flaws which implied that my level of know how was a limitation to advance the project’s intention. PDIA made me question formerly held principles in understanding and driving change. I managed to identify key functional asymmetries and learnt to measure progress via functionality-legitimacy practical framework.
My project and its scope of work has significantly changed and the desire to make a positive impact through my focused agenda, has been reignited by the obtained ‘know-how’.
Many sit with great ideas, fueled by passion but cannot craft their own luck because of limited know-how.
I continue to learn the practice, the art of PDIA, because it is necessary for the change that I believe to be eminent for complex beings and situations needing a reorganization of the existing social contract; like my own Women-Community: Women like me!
This is a blog series written by the alumni of the Leading Economic Growth Executive Education Program at the Harvard Kennedy School. 65 Participants successfully completed this 10-week online course in May 2021. These are their learning journey stories.