BUSINESSWOMEN’S ASSOCIATION Regional Business Woman of the Year Awards 2018 PROMOTION Meet the 3 finalists in the corporate category
Account Manager at MTN Business What do you value in people?
I value personal integrity, authenticity, tenacity drive and urgency. What drives you?
I am driven by the deep desire to find and fulfil the reason I am on this planet. I wake up and aim every day to not only survive but to bloom and blossom as the most ambitious expression of life. What are your qualities?
Being unashamedly positive, following what works in my life and acting quickly to take advantage of opportunities that arise in daily life. I have a bias for authentic communication and find it easy to create meaningful connections with people. In my job this translates to an ability to see the strengths of others and facilitate collaboration in a way that brings great results.
What were your biggest challenges?
Believing in myself and realising the hero is me, trusting that inner voice and standing by my truth. In business the obstacles I overcame presented in the form of change in the business landscape with regards to legislation, and internally in the form of change in organisational structures.
What difficulties have you faced as a woman in business? I am fortunate to work in an organisation that supports women and seeks to accelerate women’s participation in the ICT sector by celebrating and rewarding female professionals who have made a significant contribution.
How do you balance work and family life?
I live in the most idyllic place on earth. East London allows for one to have the hastiness of business fused with the joys of family because it is just the right size with the right proximity to the beach, schools, etc… It’s the best of both worlds. How do you relax?
My family and I love to play wether it is meandering for hours in the dunes, building sand castles or getting on a swing – we play a lot and tickle each other often as laughing is relaxing. Every now and then I get to instruct secret sunrise dances geared towards embracing our inner children and connecting with nature. I watch the sunrise as often as possible and meditate. I’m also fortunate to have an outlet in the form of my radio show Soul Dive with Lebo on
it relaxes me to think of adding value to my listener’s lives.
What is your favourite quote? “Just Show up, bring Joy,” it’s my own personal motto.
Anything else you would like to tell us?
It is important to be holistic in ones approach to life. Work is part of our expression of our higher self and an avenue to fulfil our life’s purpose. Trusting yourself is key to success. You are here because you are unique, necessary and have something valuable to contribute. You are enough Regional manager, Retail and Business Banking, at Nedbank
What do you value in people?
Sincere friendship and authenticity, I encourage people to be themselves and to live according to their values.
What drives you?
The willingness and ability to excel and succeed in everything that I do. I am a perfectionist and I don’t give up. What are your qualities? Fairness, transparency, focus, consistency, attention-to-detail, resilience, effective communication and working well under pressure. Leading a team of dynamic people intent on ensuring people ‘see money differently’ keeps me on my toes and I need to have a consistent approach at all times. What were your biggest challenges?
I choose to see life as a sequence of events and change is inevitable, it is how you react to the change that is important. I am in charge of my destiny, if there is a hiccup on the way, I have the power to overcome or change direction. I am a positive person and believe that everything happens for a reason. What difficulties have you faced as a woman in business? My journey began 29 years ago when leadership was predominately male dominated. In the early days, I felt the need to prove myself but as I was able to demonstrate my abilities as a money expert, I transcended through leadership with a greater feeling of immense value.
How do you balance work and family life?
At times this becomes blurred so I try to integrate as much of my day-to-day activities as possible and record them in my diary regardless if it is work or private as this allows me to have a single view. I am also fortunate in that my job allows me an element of flexibility, it’s about give and take. I have a very supportive family and this has definitely played a crucial role in my success.
How do you relax?
My husband will probably tell you I don’t know how to relax, I am always looking for something to do, when I am not working, I will be chatting, baking, sewing, cook- ing, going for a walk, gardening, cycling, fishing or being creative in our home.
What is your favourite quote? “Life is a journey, not a destination, learn to enjoy the ride.” My sons will relate to this one: “Failing to plan is planning to fail,” Benjamin Franklin – the father of time management. Regional Director – Public Sector Banking Eastern Cape
What do you value in people? Honesty, integrity and accountability.
What drives you?
I dream of a South Africa where there is a promising future for not only my children, but all children of this beautiful country. I am very fortunate that my role at FNB enables me to work at this dream every day. I deal with local government and we are involved in various initiatives to improve municipal governance and fiscal management, which in turn will hopefully have a positive impact on service delivery. I am also involved in a programme with Partners for Possibility which aims to address the many challenges faced by public schools. The knowledge that my work will have
● a direct impact on our future makes all the effort and long hours worthwhile.
What are your qualities?
If something is worth doing, it is worth doing well and I will see it through to the very end. Tenacity comes in handy when dealing with government, where things tend to happen slower than in private sector. I am an efficient planner and live by to-do lists – proper planning and organisation is essential to the success of any project. What were your biggest challenges?
When we relocated to the Eastern Cape in 2004, I had to take the only position available locally, in King William’s Town, at the time. It was particularly tough not only from the perspective of taking a three year step backwards in my career, but also working 70km from home with an 18-month old baby.
Balancing work and family life – being a full-time working wife and mother pursuing a career and personal development, whilst raising young children. It was particularly tough when they were younger to balance work and family responsibilities, as my role at the time required significant travel and I was studying part-time. What difficulties have you faced as a woman in business? I had to overcome a lot of bias and perceptions about women and our ability to successfully hold leadership positions whilst also having family responsibilities.
How do you balance work and family life?
I maintain strict boundaries between work and family time. I start my work day at 7am to avoid working at night. My husband is my rock, and without his support I probably would have lost the plot a long time ago.
How do you relax?
When I get the opportunity, I love reading, potting around in the garden or going for walks with my husband and our dogs.
What is your favourite quote?
I love this quote by Desmond Tutu: “Do your little bit of good where you are. It is those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
Anything else you would like to tell us?
I have a strong bond with animals and love my feathered and fur babies. Please support our local animal rescue organisations.
Always adopt, don’t shop.