Not An MBA

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Not An MBA is enrolling soon for July 2026! Keep an eye out.

Not An MBA is an eight-week leadership course turning busy leaders into savvy strategists since 2021. It is a unique strategic programme which provides a safe space to challenge the status quo, learn new perspectives and connect with other ambitious leaders.

Not an MBA has transformed the lives and work of hundreds of leaders across New Zealand and Australia from government, business and NFPs.

If you know you could be enjoying your work more, suspect you shouldn’t be so overwhelmed and you’re ready to think differently, this could be the program for you.

The Not An MBA difference

Traditional executive education is boring, stuffy and pretentious. We don’t have time for that sort of carry-on. Not An MBA asks you to flip the narrative, ask better questions, and tell better stories.

By the time you become a senior leader, your strengths, overused, are often your greatest weaknesses. Your real power lies in leveraging the things you used to think were weaknesses.

When you harness those – magic happens.

How Not An MBA works

Not An MBA is self-led, collaborative and action-focused. Reading and learning is done in your own time, so that we don’t waste our together time with lectures. Instead, we use our learning sprints to discuss, debate, dig deep and make meaning from the lessons in the curriculum.

Every week comes with an online curriculum module, learning sprint and assignment to complete.

Most students need between 5 and 8 hours of dedicated time each week. Weekly, that means:

Watching the video module ahead of your learning sprint
Completing assignments on time and to the best of your ability
Reading the text and reflecting on the lessons and takeaways therein
Attending and participating fully in learning sprints.

We also recommend you take comprehensive notes and check them at the end of each week.

Course format

A digital course platform and social network hosts our video curriculum and supplementary resources, and we hold weekly 3 hour learning sprints on Zoom to facilitate action learning and discussion amongst the group.

All students are required to complete eight practical assignments, applying what they've learned to change the way they work immediately.

The format has been optimised for maximum application in minimum time. Read your book, watch your curriculum, attend a three hour live learning sprint and complete short, impactful assignments each week.

Learning approach

Not an MBA is quite different from other executive education programs. All things point to action, with lots of space for discussion and debate amongst your community.

We structure our program to inspire curiosity, challenge and creativity and ask our students to do rather than memorise. There's no such thing as a stupid idea at naMBA, and we learn as much from each other as we do from the course content.

Collaborative learning sprints

Students tell us their three-hour online learning sprints quickly become the best part of their week.

After some nervousness and trepidation, students find themselves connected, laughing and rooting for each other. When we harness the collective intelligence and diversity of our community, we learn more, faster.

It’s rare to find a tribe as committed, clever, and interesting as Not An MBA students, so we recommend you show up fully and lean all the way in to make the most of it.

Remove yourself from any distractions or outside communication during sprints.
Be present, listen carefully, share your thoughts and questions, respect everyone’s contributions, and keep an open mind.

Assignments

You will complete a practical assignment each week, to apply your learning immediately. Taken seriously, these projects have transformative potential over the course of your learning.

All eight assignments must be submitted in order to receive your graduation certificate.