We know that millions of women have dropped out of the workplace since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent research shows that burn-out is rising amongst professional women across the globe and in South Africa as well.
A global survey in 2021 indicates that over 53% of women said they were more stressed than a year ago. I’ve been thinking about advice I’d like to give to young professionals starting out on their careers, based on my own lived experience of being in senior management for over a decade now, at a company that itself has seen much change over the past few years.
1.Take charge of your life
Taking responsibility for your life means being proactive about looking for opportunities and being resilient when it comes to dealing with disappointment.
“Have the audacity, the courage, to break down barriers, irrespective of the circumstances around you. If there is a door, open it; if it is locked, find a key. If you can’t find a key, break it down.”
These were the words of Zipho Sikhakhane, guest speaker at the graduation ceremony. Zipho, now a successful businesswoman, was the first black South African to graduate from Stanford University in the US with an MBA. Despite growing up in a township in rural KZN and being raised by a single mother, she was determined to be successful and is a big proponent of what she terms “self-directed leadership”.
She defines it as individuals learning more about themselves and exploring how they can access the power to change their lives and achieve their dreams. I know how daunting it can be as a young woman to start at the bottom of a career ladder. But with the right attitude it will be that much easier to start the climb upwards!
2. Get to know yourself and be authentic
Authenticity means being true to yourself, not trying to fit in or do things that don’t come naturally to you. There is no difference between who I am at work and who I am at home. I don’t try to hide my vulnerability at work, on the contrary, I am often vulnerable in team meetings, and I encourage others to be vulnerable too.
Young professionals are sometimes desperate to fit into company culture and it can be hard, especially if you are surrounded by men in one of the more traditional industries. But in a crowded marketplace – individuality will be your greatest asset.
I admire the former PepsiCo CEO, Indra Nooyi, one of the few women of colour to have formerly led one of the largest public companies in the US. Nooyi unapologetically says she won’t go off playing golf or fishing or trying to become one of the boys as this is simply not who she is. “It is actually more effort to try and keep up a new image, than to be authentic. If you try to create an image for yourself, you will slip up,” she once told an interviewer.
3. Keep on learning and give back where you can
You may have graduated but this does not mean you have to stop learning. Quite the contrary. Read and read widely, work on yourself and learn more about yourself and who you are. This is the surest way to ensure that you take care of yourself while focusing on your career as well.
Think about the impact you want to have in your life and how others respond to you. What are you good at, but also, what do people value about you? For me, learning and development is one of my main passions and I believe that for all of us, it is one of the most significant drivers for empowerment and growth, both personally and professionally.
I have always wanted to contribute to socio-economic and socio-psychological development. I am reminded of the words of social impact expert Professor Arnold Smit, who says that you can’t separate business from society. For me, this translates into a responsibility mindset and a sense of cooperation, which as a business leader I also take seriously.
We must add value and we must contribute to the development and growth of those around us, our partners, our stakeholders which not only include shareholders but our clients, our students as well as the broader community. When I see young people, especially young women, overcoming adversity to succeed in their studies, I am humbled by their achievement and I applaud them.
4.Build your resilience in the face of stress
In a world that is set to become more uncertain, with increasing pressure on all fronts, the challenge for professional women is not to try to get rid of stress – because that’s impossible anyhow – but to learn how to manage it. That means taking care of yourself so that you can take care of others. Learn to set boundaries. Know what you can and can’t do and tell other people in your life what your limits are. This process of learning and developing yourself, self-mastery and achieving critical self-awareness will not only help you do better professionally but also help you cope personally and build resilience.
5. Feel the fear and do it anyway
Feeling fear is natural but it should not hold you back from starting your own business or applying for a new job. As world-renowned author and motivational speaker Brené Brown says, “We're all afraid. We just have to get to the point where we understand it doesn't mean that we can't also be brave." Fearing failure cannot be allowed to stand in your way.
Local businesswoman Siphesihle Kwetana may not have finished matric, but at the age of 25 she co-founded an agricultural business supplying vegetables to supermarkets. She says, “You need to trust yourself if you want to make it… you need to tell yourself everything is going to work out no matter how many times you’re told it’s not going to.”
As Oprah Winfrey says, “The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.”
