The sky's the limit

I consider myself very lucky to have been given a place on the INSETA International Executive Development PGDip programme as an RPL candidate. There were a lot of admin hoops to jump through in the RPL process, but it was all worth it in the end because my study journey has awakened in me the desire to continue my formal education journey.

On the first day of the programme at Henley Prof Jon Foster-Pedley, dean and director of the school, told us not to worry if by the end of that day anyone had imposter syndrome. Well I did! That feeling continued for a long time, and it was only when we returned from the international immersion that formed part of the programme that I started to feel that I had earned my place.

The immersion to Singapore, Malaysia and India as part of the course, blew my mind. Experiencing different cultures at work was a wonderful opportunity to expand my world view and develop new skills to tackle future professional challenges.

When we returned to South Africa something inside me had shifted. I felt the need to do more, and to be more. A few months later I was offered the role of Head of Learning and Development at Afrocentric Group, where I continue to thrive.

I’ve been identified as a “top talent” at my company which has resulted in me being onboarded into the four-month Harvard Lead for Performance and Growth programme. I was also selected to attend the Sanlam Group CEO Leadership Conference in June this year, which was a huge honour.

Studying isn’t new to me. While I was doing the PGDip I graduated from Unisa with a BCom, and I’ve enrolled to do another BCom in industrial and organisational psychology. I also have a certificate and a diploma in education, training and development. My study journey is far from over because my company is funding my Henley MBA, despite the fact that I have been with them for less than a year.

My family was poor when I was a child. We lived in a series of back rooms and garages and by the time I turned 20 we – my Mom, Dad, me and my two sisters – had lived in more than 20 places.

So much moving around meant that I changed schools often, too. Between preschool and high school I attended nine different schools, and every time I went to a new school I would be wearing the previous school’s uniform. It’s a detail that sticks with me because I was made fun of. It’s hard to stick out when you’re a child and to this day I make sure my children’s uniforms are always in good condition and up to date.

My philosophy is to always strive to do better than yesterday. I think my whole life is an example of that in action because of all the challenges my family and I faced. When people ask me if I’m flexible, if I’m adaptable, my answer is always yes, because I think I embody those qualities because of my lived experiences. My childhood helped build my character and shaped who I am today.

I believe that the hardships and challenges I have experienced in my life have influenced the type of leader I am, too. They have made me more in touch with my humanity and they are what allow me to connect with others in a more meaningful way.

Henley and INSETA changed my life. They taught me to show up authentically, to view the world through a different lens. This is what opened the windows in my mind to make me a better leader and a better student.

My passion is to see people do well. To be able to feed their families and prosper. I think that’s why I ended up in corporate learning and development.

To be the best you can be at work you need a good support system at home. My nuclear family is that support for me. My husband and I have been together for 21 years, married for 16, and we have two beautiful children, a 14-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl. Life is good!