The Professional Edition 2 March 2021 | Page 24

In your book , DISRUPTION AMPLIFIED — Reset . Rewire . Reimagine Everything , you explore how to sidestep the fear of the unknown and become open to new possibilities . Have you done this yourself ?
A dear friend always says that the only response to racism , sexism , ageism or any other -ism that is discriminatory , is excellence . But it is tough to do because we were made to question our place in the world because of apartheid . We all have imposter syndrome . I have not beaten it . I do not think any of us have beaten it . It is hard to constantly demonstrate excellence , to always be proving yourself , and it is exhausting . That is our challenge in South Africa : to have a deeper understanding of each other and to get to a stage where no matter what you look like , your background , your accent , you are recognised for who you are .
Describe your vision for the future .
A country and organisations that are empathetic and aware . The way to do that is to get an understanding of each other – before I judge you , do I understand you ? Organisations do not give us a chance to do this – you are expected to assimilate , to fit in with the ideals of the organisation . That would be the first part of my vision . The second is that we get to a stage where we deal with inequality . It is the most painful part of living in a society where we have such deep structural inequalities . This requires agency from all of us . This would lead to the third part where we create a society that , as Ashraf Garda calls it is a ‘ champion nation ’. The magic and the power in South Africa lie with the collective where excellence is the sum of all parts .
If you could , what would you tell your 16-year-old self ?
1 . Do not be afraid . 2 . Stand up for yourself . 3 . Recognise the importance of education .
4 . Build a network and understand the importance of that network . They are the people who anchor and hold you up .
5 . Value the people closest to you , especially your parents because you are who you are only because of the foundation they have given you .
What is the best advice you were ever given ?
Professor Nick Binedell has put me in places when I was young where I was uncomfortable but yet incredibly empowering . He taught me to go in with a mindset of showing others who I am : “ show the world your magic ”. This has led me to challenge companies and others to create empowering spaces for young people .
What is one thing that people would find amusing to learn about you ?
I turned down many dinners , high-level sessions especially pre-COVID-19 and people may have thought it is because I am busy . But that is not the reason . I go home to be able to play hide-and-seek , play dress up with make-up , have princess parties , play doctor-doctor with my three children of 3 , 5 and 7 years old . If you have to see me after work , I look different , I behave different and I am different but it is authentic and I would not want it any other way !
24