BUSINESS PROFILE
I have been fortunate to work in many countries throughout my career from a stint in the Middle East to three stints in the US , a time in Sub- Saharan Africa , Asia Pacific and a time in Brazil . All were amazing and uniquely challenging . The lessons I learned from working in different markets is the power of cultural immersion so you can learn new patterns to be successful , understanding and valuing diverse perspectives and the benefit of putting yourself in an unknown situation , taking a risk and finding a way to be successful in a different context .
How do you equip your team with skills and knowledge ?
My teams tend to be a combination of business teams , independent consultants and sometimes teams from management consultancies .
widely – my creative friends always say to read two or three things a week you would never ordinarily pick up .
How do you work with other executives within the C-suite to make sure your voice is heard ?
First , it sounds cliched but do what you love doing and what you feel passionate about . If you wake up feeling energised and inspired , it makes a huge difference in amplifying your voice with the people you work alongside .
Second , think about yourself as a brand – what is your unique value proposition , how do you articulate it and how will you differentiate yourself from others around the table ? Then protect your brand by always delivering a stellar job .
I ensure teams have the skills and knowledge by building into the project learning opportunities , asking specifically about the personal goals and objectives team members have .
Also helping members find valuable networks to be part of where they can collaborate with peers or where they are learning a specific skill or methodology together .
You should also encourage them to keep up to date with their craft and beyond by reading
Build personal relationships with your fellow C-suite members – get to know them personally . It ’ s no secret that great leaders are well connected . I would also always say yes to a coffee . It can be hard when you are time-pressured , but it feels good to help someone and you never know where conversations and connections can lead .
Finally , the one I ’ ve always tried to stick by is remaining relevant , which becomes even more challenging and exciting with the pace of technological change . x
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