Before we officially started the MBA program at the Broad College of Business (Michigan State University), we went through an incredible onboarding process. It was thoughtfully designed, full of powerful moments that shaped our journey before classes even began.
One of the key activities was taking a personality test — specifically the DISC assessment.
I remember getting my results and seeing very clearly that I was a D: Dominance.
Decisive. Competitive. Daring. Direct. Innovative. Persistent. Adventurous. Problem-solver. Results-oriented.
All the things that I truly am.
Naturally, I thought — well, of course, in an MBA program there would be many D-types, right? It made sense to me. But on the very first day of class (which happened to be my 29th birthday), a slide flashed up on the screen: only two of us in the cohort were D personalities.
Just two.
At that moment, I paused.
I realized that while I knew who I was — direct, assertive, driven — I also had to consciously reflect:
How would I carry myself in this environment?
How would I be both fully myself and fully cohesive within a collaborative, diverse community?
It wasn’t a fear. It was an awareness. A gentle call to be intentional about leadership.
(In the spirit of full transparency and reflection, I am sharing my full DISC leadership profile below for those interested in understanding the layers of my leadership evolution)
As I sat with this assessment and my personal thoughts around it, my life outside the MBA program was also shifting dramatically.
I had come into the MBA from a different world — one where I was constantly keynote speaking, working on international stages, running ventures, influencing spaces back in Malawi.
I had been moving fast, leading openly, confidently.
Now, I was stepping into a space where I would need to challenge myself differently.
Looking deeper into my DISC report, I reflected even more.
Beyond just being a D, the report outlined more dimensions of me:
- Seen as adventurous, a risk-taker, direct, and forceful.
- When it came to people contact: introspective, a little quiet, even pensive and suspicious.
- On consistency: composed, deliberate, steady.
- In analysis: diplomatic, sensitive, tactical.
It showed a fuller spectrum of who I had become — not just the outward, assertive persona, but someone thoughtful and deeply analytical as well.
I realized that my natural style — once purely assertive, competitive, determined, self-reliant — had evolved through entrepreneurship, my work with the UN, and broader professional growth.
Now, I was someone who was also introspective, deliberate, diplomatic, composed.
It wasn’t just about leading loudly anymore.
It was about leading wisely.
My natural “D” score in the DISC was a 60.
Over time, my adapted style increased even further — my dominance rising from 62 to 73 or 74 — but alongside it, my steadiness and conscientiousness also rose.
Only my influence (social charm, people contact) decreased slightly, making me even more grounded.
In short:
I became a stronger leader—but a quieter one.
More decisive, yes. But also more composed, more thoughtful about my impact.
When I reflect on why I chose MSU in the first place, it makes even more sense now.
After working at the United Nations — an environment that, by its nature, can be very anxiety-inducing and complex — I knew that for my MBA journey, I wanted more than prestige.
I was searching for belonging.
I was searching for community.
I toured incredible schools:
- The University of Rochester.
- Harvard University.
- NYU in New York.
- Columbia University.
All beautiful, impressive institutions.
But something about Michigan State felt different.
It felt real.
I fell in love not just with the campus, but with the people.
There’s something about this community you can’t bottle, you can’t replicate, you can’t fake.
I remember going back to New York and telling my friends:
“I’m moving to Michigan for my MBA.”
They asked: “Why? It’s not the highest-ranked school. It’s the Midwest.”
And I just told them: “You have to be there. You have to meet the people.”
Choosing MSU was not about rankings.
It was about anchoring myself in a community where I could belong—and where I could grow.
And then, slowly, I built my anchors.
People who love me for who I am.
People who celebrated me quietly and genuinely — not for the titles I held, but for the heart I carried.
As I have grown professionally, my father always reminds me:
“In life, you will go far — but only if you find places and people who anchor you.”
Anchoring, he said, wasn’t about limiting yourself.
It was about finding the strength to soar without losing the ground beneath you.
And truly — this community anchors me.
It reminds me that leadership isn’t just about forward motion; it’s about having a place to land, a place to belong.
That brings me to the award.
And the surprise of it all.
I am — by all definitions — impossible to surprise.
I pick up on everything.
I am observant to the point of it being almost inconvenient.
And yet—
I didn’t know there were awards happening that evening (I missed the email detail).
I didn’t know nominations had been made.
I didn’t know my name was on anyone’s list.
When William called my name for the Leadership Award, it caught me completely off guard.
It wasn’t staged. It wasn’t anticipated. It wasn’t even imagined.
It was a moment of pure, humbling gratitude.
Because this community — the MBA Classes of 2025 and 2026 — saw me.
Not just as someone who is flying between cities or taking on big roles.
But as someone who belongs.
As someone who leads not for accolades, but from the heart.
And beautifully, on the very same day:
- My students at the College of Engineering received the Most Sustainable Award at Design Day.
- I received the Leadership Award from my MBA peers.
Two wins.
Two moments of impact.
Proof that leadership is not measured only by your own rise, but by the rise of those you lift along the way.
I want to end this reflection with a commitment:
I have been selected as the incoming President of the Black MBA Association at MSU.
I am so incredibly grateful for this opportunity, and I am energized to pour even more into this community that has poured so much into me.
I want to thank the admissions team, the leadership, the faculty, and my classmates — every single person who has been part of this journey.
I would not be where I am without you.
As much as you have anchored and poured into me,
I am committed to anchoring and pouring into others.
I am forever proud to be a Spartan, and specifically a Broad Spartan. Go Green! 💚🤍
in Service of You,
Ntha
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