Get a coach, mentor to grow: Tuiketei
Decision making in order to grow professionally is up to no one else but you. These were words of Fijian lawyer, Ana Tuiketei during the Women In Rugby Leadership Webinar on Thursday night.
The story telling session was among Pacific women including Tuiketei (Fiji), Ashleigh Wihongi-Willis (Cook Islands), Tonia Cawood (New Zealand), and Libby Nankivell (Australia) who are all leading the way in their respective provincial, national and regional unions.
She is the only Fijian woman accredited to the World Rugby Judicial and is one of the 12 recipients of World Rugby’s Women Executive Leadership Scholarship Award that was awarded last year.
“It’s all up to someone called you,” Tuiketei said.
“Some of us especially in the Pacific or coming from the developing countries, we could use our background on issues that we have in the workplace or at home as a reason not to put yourself first or your circumstances.,” she said.
“And I’m here just to tell you that it’s not up to anyone, it’s up to you.
“The decisions that you need you do, the choices that you need to make are up to you.”
Tuiketei become the first Pacific counsel on a global roster working for the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague.
She says that having a coach, mentor and the right supportive group is important.
“It’s not like anybody else, I only had myself, what happened to me was to take that leap of faith to get nominated.
“Funny story that I did not know we should have a profile, it was a blank page with just my name, yep I got in. I got nominated by a colleague from Latin America.
“It really confirmed that for every decision I need to make regarding me I need to take responsibility for that.
“So I would encourage you to get a mentor or to get a coach for you to grow to the next level.
“Serena Williams has a coach, Oprah Winfrey has coach, most well-known people do – having a coach also helps you to deal with things that could blindside you.
“Sometimes things can get you too involved or too emotional, and if you got a helping hand, it would make things easier.
She added to always choose joy despite the challenges faced.
“I am allergic to negative people. “However, constructive criticism is important that really bring out other perspective of things. Our perspective could be based on childhood, emotions, and we should fact check our perception.
“Choose joy no matter what. People love happy joyful people.”