Working Wonderwomen’s dinner
The Working Wonderwomen dinner saw more than a hundred women come together to discuss how to thive in business and life.
Time is not the enemy. The problem is that, as women, we tend to put everybody else’s needs before our own and we struggle to make time for ourselves without feeling guilty about it.”
These were the words of leading lifestyle practitioner Lori Milner from Beyond the Dress at the CFO SA and CHRO SA Working Wonderwomen dinner. More than a hundred women business leaders and mentees from the finance and HR professions came together at the Radisson Blu Sandton on 1 August to enjoy fine cuisine and discuss how to better thrive in both business and in their personal lives.
In what was clearly a much-needed evening of ‘me time’, the attendees were fully engaged, nodding in agreement with almost every sentiment expressed by the speakers.
Addressing the real workplace issues
Sponsored by Workday, the Working Wonderwomen dinner involved discussions around the worries and fears women have about the impact their careers have had on their personal lives and vice versa. Mondelēz International HR director South & Central East Africa Cebile Xulu, executive coach at Connected Coaching Debbie Ransby, Clinix CFO Elisa Mkhize, and Afgri Group CFO Rivasha Maharaj sat on a panel discussion during which
“mm-hmms, wows, and that's so trues” rang out from different corners of the room as they each told their tales of triumph over self-doubt, burnout and discrimination in the workplace.
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Cebile spoke about being passed over for a promotion because she did not look feminine enough after having changed to a more natural hairstyle before the interview.
“If it happened now, I probably would have sued the company. I am a ‘girly girl’ but I don't want to be dictated to. I want to be able to wear lipstick and get my nails done because it is what I want to do and not because I have been told what to look like.”
However, the MD did eventually apologise to Cebile and has since become one of her biggest cheerleaders.
Debbie talked about her time as finance director of Takeda Pharmaceuticals where she experienced burnout. The company was going through a tough business cycle and it had taken a serious toll on her without her even realising it.
“We had a traumatic incident in the family that impacted my daughters’ health and I took them to a child psychologist as a good mother would do. And, after a couple of sessions, the psychologist said to me ‘your children are fine, but you need help’.”
A-ha moments
Elisa realised the importance of balance when she considered cancelling her Christmas tradition of cooking up a storm for her children because there was too much work to get done before year-end. She eventually decided to drop everything at work and put her family first to continue a tradition that would surely become a special memory for her children one day.
It was one of the best decisions she had made in a long time, not only because she had chosen to prioritise her family but because it re-energised her to be able to better execute her role at work.
“You need to take time out for yourself as soon as you need it. If you don't you will end up walking around like an empty vessel. You will be crushed in a board meeting and that will lead to you going home feeling frustrated and unloading on your children,” said Elisa.
Rivasha’s a-ha moment was the realisation that she is not in control of everything.
“Because we, as women, tend to let things that are not in our control affect our emotional state to such an extent that it impacts our mental wellbeing and our ability to show up for the people we care about and the things that are in our control,” she said.