How to deal with that job you don’t like
So you managed to get through school. You aced that interview! The excitement of finally being part of the workforce and getting that paycheck is giving you a rush. But as you slide into your work routine you start to realize something awful, you hate your job. As the initial excitement of winning the job search fades you may realize things aren’t what you expected or you are overwhelmed. How do you survive such a situation? Breathe Becoming an adult is quite a daunting task, with so many things to balance and learn. When you add a job to this mix, it can feel overwhelming. The first thing you need to do it take a deep breath. Try to wrap your head around what’s happening it your life. Focus on the positive It’s easy to have a bad day when you’re only focused on the bad things. I hate to sound like your mother, but you need to begin counting your blessings one by one. What are the perks of your job? What do you enjoy? When you look at it this way, you will discover that perhaps your job is not all bad. Be Realistic There’s a long list of reasons why you might hate your job. Some common reasons are the salary, the hours and superiors. But sometimes, you really have to be realistic about your job. You can start by finding out what salaries are in your field. This will help you understand that you can’t expect to be earning top manager salary on your first day. Secondly, you may also feel as though your boss is out there to get you. But ask yourself, is he really up to that? Is there something that you perhaps need to do better? Consider other factors If you’re staying up late every night to catch up on daytime soaps or not eating properly, you’ll probably be constantly exhausted. Make sure you’re taking care of your body, your mind, and emotions. Feelings can heavily affect your system. If logistics is a problem try carpooling or taking alternative transport, or leaving home a bit earlier to avoid traffic. Wait it out They say time fixes all problems. Sometimes the best solution is to wait it out. Maybe you just need more time to adjust. On the hand, sometimes it may be time to move on from that job. While waiting it out, you can begin searching for other opportunities or perhaps even start that business you’ve been thinking of. Whatever you decide, you need to make concrete plans that will guide your next steps. This will ensure that you don’t end up in the same situation again. Communicate If something else is really bothering you, maybe it’s time to speak to whoever is in charge. Try explaining to them what the issues are without whining, be clear and concise. Be cautious about how much information you share though. Learn from it If you do decide to move on, make sure you take everything as a learning experience. Understand why things didn’t go so well. Know what you want from your next job. How would you negotiate your hours and pay? Finally, don’t let your current situation weigh you down. In order to grow, we need to go through rough patches that will help us fully grow. This article was written by Love Akinkunle. Love is an African writer, content creator and victim of wanderlust. She works in PR, event management, and tour management when there’s writer’s block. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Babalwa Fatyi: Serving my Purpose with my many hats on
Meet Babalwa Fatyi the South African Environmental Scientist who is a wife, mother, poet, author. She is also the managing director for Myezo Environmental Management Services Consulting company, Myezo growth and development institute, and co-owner of the ZenQ fashion line. In recognition of her outstanding contribution towards the development of the economy, Babalwa has been awarded various accolades. She won the Standard Bank 2016 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year in 2015, and in 2016, she won the Most Influential Woman in Business and Government Award. What factors have helped you achieve as much as you have? The biggest factor that has contributed towards my success is not contradicting who I am. I aim to produce outputs that are authentic. My outputs should be aligned with my inner being and bring me peace. To ensure this, I’ve made sure that I understand my purpose and that I align my goals with that purpose. That way when I’m faced with challenges, I am strengthened by focusing on my purpose which God revealed to me. Therefore, when I feel out of tune with what I need to do, I talk to friends and to God. They remind me of purpose and keep me on track. Secondly, I am driven by serving others. I see my gifts and talents as a means to achieve greatness. You wear many hats, tell us your secret ingredient for achieving it all. The things that I do revolve around my core and serve my purpose. My responsibility revolves around showing gratitude and taking care of the environment that has been entrusted unto us. Poetry allows me to respect and feed my soul, by nourishing it. My ZenQ clothing line in an expression of my artistic creativity through clothes. I believe clothes can reflect the essence of who we are. They can show how we feel as well as how we wish to be viewed. All these different things are just a tangible expression of who I am. My gifts and talents, which are given to me, to fulfill my role as an environmental ambassador and a steward. So I do not wear many hats but I wear one hat: I wear me. What led you publishing your poetry book “Greetings from My Core”? Poetry to me is an expression of who I am and a conduit through which I could find my voice and reach out to others and request them to engage with me on some of the matters that affect our society. Through poetry, I could share my authenticity, experiences and love my surroundings, including its beautiful diverse people I encounter, who inspire me or bring life to those experiences. This enables me to be more conscious and is also an opportunity for me to give reverence to God. What can you tell us about your company – Myezo Environmental Management Services consulting? At Myezo, we seek to serve the environment, communities, and developers through guidance on how to best take care of the land we have. We help developers with regulations and assessing the impact of developments on both the land and the communities. Through our work, we learn’t that our solutions must be tested by our clients who are our partners. As respect, empathy and listening to others are key in what we do, we must incorporate all the diverse views we face. How has Myezo developed in terms of creating jobs? Our greatest strength is our heart for youth and solidarity to the challenges our country face in terms of unemployment and poverty alleviation. We aim to bring to life the National Development Plan goals by playing a role within our areas of influence and capacity. Through providing a platform, we’ve helped youth penetrate into the job market and therefore provided them with the needed resources to improve their lives and their families. The youth were not only exposed to scientific knowledge but also to self-awareness, project management, and organizational skills among others. What does the Myezo Growth and Development Institute do? At this institute, we do coaching and mentoring through our collaborations with some universities. We contribute to ensuring that there are no wide gaps between what is taught at schools and what industries expect from graduates. Our other collaborations with other organizations include projects such as the Princess D Menstrual Cup. Through this, we hope to put girls back to school and not miss out on learning due to natural biological processes. This is aligned with our environmental stewardship role as this cup reduces the sanitary pads that go to the landfill or medical waste disposal sites. Finally, together with the Tsogang Re Direng Youth Foundation, we empower girls with career selection decisions and also help connect them to skills development opportunities. These include skills such as events management of vintage recycling where they learn practical environment-friendly skills that generate income. What do you do to relax? I’m a very outdoor kind of person. So for fun, I take walks at the nature reserves around my neighborhood. This helps me find peace and tranquility in just giving my self-time to be alone at times and just recharge. I also believe in being spiritually fed and therefore fellowship with other believers. Other than this, I spend time with my husband, family, friends. Listening to the sound of my kid’s laughter and running around brings joy to my life.
Francisca Ogunlade: My Scars are My Strength
Francisca Onyinye Ogunlade is a car crash survivor who decided to make her second chance at life very impactful and interesting. She is also known as the “Side Business Queen” because she helps corporate employees leverage their strength to start and grow a profitable side business in 90 days or less. She is a banker with 12 years experience, a founder of an event tech company and a business coach. In this interview with Francisca, she talks about surviving a car crash, and how she got into the business of event planning and management. [bctt tweet=”Your location should not be a hindrance to your dreams. The internet has made life easy” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Having being involved in a car crash, what impact did this have your life and business? The car crash turned my whole life around. I had two fractures in one leg and also a cranial injury. As if that’s not enough, I had to carry my pregnancy to term on crutches and a cane. The biggest blow was that I lost the use of one eye – imagine having to be very careful when applying eyeliner because you only have one eye! This accident taught me that life and business are always full of twists and turns. Sometimes, you lose almost everything (like I almost lost my life) and you are left with deciding either to remain conquered or rise up to fight the storm. For me, I chose to live and live well. I charge you to do same. From your experience, how can young women maximize their locations? On July 16, 2017, I changed the narration of the events and wedding industry in the Southwest of Nigeria. My team and I planned and hosted a beauty and bride exhibition, and this event has created so much ripple effect within and outside the many states in Nigeria. The interesting thing about launching out from your location is that you are probably one of the few people with that idea and boom, you are in the limelight. In the last year too, I created Nigeria’s first events budgeting app on the Google play store (Eftinzz Events and Budget Planner). All this taught me that your location should not be a hindrance to your dreams. The internet has made life easy. Make your dream clear enough and your location will be your Launchpad. How do you create a balance between your day job and your business? I must confess that this has not been a box of chocolate. I had to identify my support system and carry them along with my plans. They are a part of life. On my part, I had to make some sacrifices which include reducing my social life. Unfortunately, I lost some few friends who couldn’t understand the new direction I was going but we are now on the same page. What are some key lessons from your journey you’d like others to learn from? I could never have imagined that I would go through some of the things that I have been through. However, through every experience I learned the following lessons: Your scars are your strength Your dreams are valid You must be crazy enough to believe in your craze You are human – it’s okay to ask for help What advice can you give young ladies building their careers or businesses? I won’t tell you it will be easy because it won’t be. But the good thing is, even if it is easy, you can do it. Be true to yourself. Never be scared to dream and make sure you live an enjoyable life because your dreams are valid. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.tory here.
Rukky Esharegharan: I am redefining education in Nigeria
Rukky Esharegharan is an early childhood education expert and founder of The Teachers Hub and South Pacific Teachers Academy. This is an initiative she founded to help deal with the lack of skilled teachers in the Nigerian education sector. In less than two years since founding The Teachers hub, Rukky has grown its membership from 1 to 7500 members. She talks to us about her journey building the Nigerian education sector. How did your journey as an educator begin? I first began my journey 16 years ago as a nursery teaching assistant while I awaited my university admission. Initially, I wanted to be a doctor and later a writer. For my degree, I studied English and later published a series of short stories, wrote a novel and started a blog. Teaching was just something I did during the holidays to pass time. Our society does not promote teaching as a lucrative profession for high achievers, so even though I was great at teaching, I never thought of it as a prospective career. Two things changed me. Firstly, my quest to play an active role in my children’s lives led me to study more about early childhood care and education. Secondly, my teaching experience in a government secondary school in Warri, Delta State, opened my eyes to the decay in our education sector. When I met the children, something stirred up within me. Each day I would go home upset and worried about how unmotivated the senior secondary students were. I wanted to help these children but a 40-minute English lesson three times a week was not enough. Therefore, I decided to fully immerse myself in education. [bctt tweet=”I am redefining education in Nigeria, one teacher, one school owner, one parent at a time – Rukky Esharegharan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about The Teachers Hub and the impact it is making I started ‘The Teachers’ Hub in December 2016 with a singular vision ”to equip parents and educators with 21st-century teaching skills.” Though we have schools for education, we lack skilled teachers. The Teacher’s Hub community was founded with the aim to network with, and helping other educators. In the past 8 months, I have trained over 350 educators (teachers, parents, school owners and consultants). The many testimonials have inspired me to keep going. A parent from one of my courses called me to say she had decided to become a full-time teacher after the training with me and I cried with joy. I am redefining education in Nigeria: one teacher, one school owner, one parent at a time. How has social media enabled you to grow The Teachers Hub brand and what makes it stand out? The Teachers’ Hub started as a Facebook group a while back, and we’ll be hosting our first of many Early Childhood Education Conference in April and May across 4 states (Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Delta). Without social media, I won’t have come this far. I have people contact me from different parts of the world and that’s because of the power of social media. What makes The Teachers’ Hub stand out is that I give of myself so freely. When I first started, I had a dear friend call me to say ” Why are you sharing so much for free in your group?” She could not understand when I tried to tell her that I just wanted to help other educators find their way. [bctt tweet=”Without social media, I won’t have come this far – Rukky Esharegharan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What advice can you give aspiring teacher being held back by the poor remuneration in Nigeria’s education sector? I like to say that ”teaching is a work of the heart.” Do it, not for the money, but for the love of our children, the love and future of our country. Only quality education can liberate us from the mess we face in our country. Make that sacrifice today so that our children will get a better future. Money is important because we all have needs. However, money is often the after effect of hard work, passion, dedication, personal development. Be the best teacher you possibly can be and the money will come. What difference did working with UNICEF make in your journey as an educationist? My current work with UNICEF has opened my eyes even more to the realities of the Nigerian education sector. When one is a teacher or even a school owner or consultant, they don’t fully grasp the decay or damage in the system, unless you have someone show you a bigger picture. UNICEF helped me look beyond the symptoms of our dysfunctional educational system to the root cause. And our team’s solution will address the root cause and not just the symptoms. It’s a very big project that would have a national impact. What lessons have you garnered from your entrepreneurial journey? I have learned that to be a successful entrepreneur, one must be passionate, committed, focused, hardworking, highly self-motivated and be a lifelong learner. Don’t be too quick to say I have arrived, no matter how good you are, because there is always something more to add, to learn, to be. There is this saying that a teacher’s reward is in heaven, what is your take on that? Yes, I believe the saying to be partly true because great teachers are like mothers: our love and commitment to the children can never be adequately compensated with material gains. While I will say yes we have a very big reward waiting for us in heaven, we can and should experience wealth in financial terms, also good health, peace, and satisfaction here on earth. All we need to do is work consistently on being the best versions of ourselves. [bctt tweet=”Don’t be too quick to say I have arrived, no matter how good you are” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
5 Marketing Tips from Business Guru P.Diddy
Sean “Puffy/Puff Daddy/ Diddy/Brother Love” Combs is one of the greatest marketing geniuses on earth. He has remained relevant and dominant to hip-hop music, culture, fashion, business and entertainment over the past 20 years. Last year, Sean was also recognized as one of the Forbes 100 Greatest Living Minds. He is also often considered one of the top 3 of 5 wealthiest hip-hop artists on the Forbes list. Amidst all these, you may wonder, how does he keep all eyes on him? In this article, we will discover 5 tips from Diddy that can help us improve our marketing game and slay! 1. Say Your Name If there is one thing Diddy always does, is use every advantage to promote his products or name. Whether its an interview on Ellen or a cameo on The Breakfast Club, Diddy always has his products such as a bottle of Ciroc. You should take advantage of every airtime you get to promote your brand and products. Through being strategic, you should find a way to guide the conversation in a way that allows you to talk about your products. This will help increase your revenue and the reach of your brand. 2. Make The Circle Bigger The fact is you can only be in one place at a time, but you need to get the word out about you, your brand or business. You need people spreading a positive word about you to others. Diddy figured this out in his early days as a music producer when he started Bad Boy Records, which celebrated its 20-year reunion tour last year. Diddy has been instrumental in the careers of musicians like Notorious BIG, Mase, and more recently French Montana. Whenever a record of their plays, it will at some point announce “Bad Boy.” Through shaping and promoting the careers of the musicians he worked with, Diddy also extended his marketing reach. When you help other people achieve their goals, you also, in turn, grow your circle of influence and people who will do anything for you. 3. Stay On the Beat Is Diddy an expert of the FMCG, Film and Music industries? Probably not, but he knows enough of the field to spot a real opportunity. You don’t want to seem like you are all over the place, but rather that you ‘happened’ to be in a certain place or sector because you keep your finger on the pulse. Whatever you are working on, you need to know all the new developments and contribute to the conversations in a meaningful way that elevates the topic. Diddy lost his father to gun violence at a young age. Though he became successful, he didn’t forget to empower his people. His response to Black Lives Matter through building a world-class school in Harlem, the neighborhood he grew up in. 5. Have Fun Diddy always looks like he is having a great time, from salsa dancing in his underwear to the energy he brings when he is hosting shows. People are attracted to someone who is upbeat, so plaster a smile on your face and get hyped about whatever you do! We are always exchanging energy so make sure you put out positive vibes only! DO YOU HAVE ANY BUSINESS LESSONS TO SHARE? Let us know here.
WEBINAR WITH SUPRIYA SHARMA: TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR BRAND WITH DIGITAL MARKETING (APRIL 19)
Building a successful brand can be risky business and quite a challenge, especially in this forever evolving digital space! FYI – that’s all about to change…keep reading! While you should tailor your brand’s strategy to its specific goals, how can you ensure that your brand stays ahead of the game, amidst the disruption, through digital marketing? Allow us to school you!… [bctt tweet=”Join @HodanTV for a webinar on April 5th, to learn about building a digital community.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Some of the topics we’ll cover Building a community with the power of storytelling Tips for innovative storytelling using YouTube Building your confidence as a digital entrepreneur and African woman Register below to get access to this opportunity and submit questions that you would like Supriya to answer. Webinar Details: Date: Thursday, April 19th, 2018 Time: Lagos 11am // Johannesburg 12pm // Nairobi 1pm Register for this webinar with Supriya below: [ninja_forms id=170] About Supriya Join Supriya Sharma, on Thursday, 19th April, as she teaches us how to take your brand’s success to the next level with digital marketing. Supriya Sharma is the Managing Director of SAS Business Solutions, a global service provider catering to big business houses, SMEs and educational institutions. She has spoken at some international events of repute on topics that include Leadership & Women, Time Management, Effective Business Communication, Being beautiful, Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace, Digital Marketing (take charge of your business) and Entrepreneurship. [bctt tweet=”Take charge of your business through digital marketing with Supriya Sharma on April 19th. Reg here: http://bit.ly/SupriyaSharma” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Some of the topics we’ll cover Steps to choosing the right marketing network Best practices to curating valuable and shareable content Tips for leveraging the right brand influencers A guide to effective content promotion via social campaigns Building a sustainable brand strategy with digital marketing Register below to get access to this opportunity and submit questions you would like Supriya to answer. Facebook Live Details: Date: Thursday, April 19th, 2018 Time: 11AM Lagos // 12PM Johannesburg // 1PM Nairobi Watch here: About Supriya Supriya Sharma, is a certified corporate trainer, coach and motivational speaker who began her academic journey as a scholar (gold medalist) in aerospace engineering. She was offered full scholarships at renowned US and UK universities and further developed her skill set to be an astute management professional gaining valuable experience in HR, corporate communications, sales and marketing. Seeing the current status of the world’s economy, Supriya decided to pursue a course in entrepreneurship from one of India’s Ivy League business schools, where the idea of SAS was born. In 2014, Supriya represented Nigeria in the Dreamforce Conference which was held in San Francisco, USA. To add, she has conferred the title of Ms Intelligent – Lagos & Ms Talented – Lagos in the Beauty Pageant organised by ICA in 2017. Supriya strongly believes in giving back to the society as a part of her responsibility. In this view, she actively volunteers her time to develop employability skills among the Nigerian youth and is closely associated with women empowerment missions across Asia and Africa.
Kelechi Udoagwu: Moving Fast and Breaking Things
From Tinsel to Technology. Kelechi is changing the narrative of African women in the tech world. Kelechi Udoagwu is an Accra-based Nigerian tech entrepreneur/consultant, presenter, advocate, student, and writer. Up until 2017, she was the full-time communications director at MEST Africa. She is also the co-founder of Skrife and produces and hosts the web series- Tech Roundup with Bitnode. Her work revolves around empowering through mentorship, edutainment, speaking engagements, multimedia content, and connecting to new opportunities. In this interview, she talks to us about her growing passion for technology and the need to empower more women and girls to venture into the tech industry. You’ve switched your career many times. What inspired your journey? It’s always interesting to be reminded of how varied my career has been. For me, it’s all been work, work, work – the different ways I earn money and contribute to the world. I started modeling while I was in the university. It was just for fun at first, then I graduated and focused on it full-time. That was when I got the Tinsel gig and I was fortunate to work with other big brands as well – Samsung, MTN, Haier Thermocool, Lipton, Vitafoam, and others. These early experiences prepared me for “adulting” as I learned to manage my money, deal with people from all walks of life and build a professional persona. After NYSC, I got my first 9-5 job as a Fashion Brand Manager but resigned after six months because it wasn’t very fulfilling. I then decided to explore a new industry. I was fascinated with tech entrepreneurship because it seemed like an easy way to make quick bucks. I got into tech in 2014. It’s been one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life yet. I love the industry, I love the variety and I love the fast pace. I worked as Head of Communications at MEST and founded my startup, Skrife in 2016. I also started creating multimedia – video and written – content – for brands, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. [bctt tweet=”African women are a special breed. We do so much with a little and stay strong even when the shit hits the fan – @kelechiudoagwu” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What part do African girls play in the next generation of technology, and how can they harness these potentials? It’s time, however, that we stop limiting ourselves to manual labor and start working smarter. It’s time we leave what we’re used to and conquer new mountains. They say “when you educate a woman, you educate a whole community,”. Imagine what we can do for Africa if we join in the global progression and conversation around technology. We don’t all have to be programmers but we can all be a part of the industry. There are branding, marketing, HR, design, community management roles available. If we do this, the next generation of African women will have role models who look like them and they can build on what we started instead of starting from scratch like we are. How has your journey been moving into the tech space? My journey has been interesting. I’ve never been one to ask for permission to make a move and that has helped me navigate the various industries I’ve been in, especially tech where “move fast and break things” is a mantra. Now is the best time for us to be involved. The industry is welcoming and there are a lot of opportunities directed at women specifically. It’s not always going to be like this so it’s wise to take advantage now. What principles and work ethics have played a role in propelling you further in your career? My ability shake off rejection easily greatly helped my career. Believe me, I’ve been rejected a lot of times. I believe getting ahead is a numbers game and for every 100 no’s, there’s one yes that makes it all worth it. My entire life, not just career, revolves around keeping my word. If I say I’ll do it, I do it. If I’m not sure, I say I’ll get back to you and think about it some more. This has helped me a lot at work – keeps my mind clear, keeps me happy with the people I work with and also keeps them happy with me. Tell us about your new book ‘Living Everyday like its Saturday’. I’m super excited about it! I have had so many ideas for books to write but this is the most relevant to me and my audience at this time. The book will chronicle the lessons I’ve learned being a freelancer from Africa – how I structure my day, deal with clients around the world, brand myself, use technology, etc. I can promise everyone in advance there will be no fluff in this book; only hardcore, real life, actionable advice. As a creative, what impact does quality content have in telling the African story for mainstream media? When we started Skrife, our goal was to build a platform and writers’ community that is synonymous with quality. If a client ever complains about a job done via Skrife, we refund their money or rewrite it at no extra charge. Creating content is like real-time documentation of our everyday experiences and it can be the difference between an economy that prospers and one that fails. Every time you read a book that was written ages ago, you step into the mind of that person. With technology changing everything around us, it is very important that we document these early days so the next generation continues from where we stopped instead of starting all over. “To forget is to throw away.” Also by creating more positive content, we can change the narrative of Africa. We can stop close-minded and sheltered foreigners from thinking we don’t read books or use the internet. Chimamanda Adichie was recently asked if there are libraries in her country. [bctt tweet=” We stand on the shoulders of great men and women who have passed
Lifelong Learning: 5 Lies You Tell Yourself
What comes to mind when you think of “lifelong learning”? Oh, wait. Did you just roll your eyes and give a defeated sigh? Girl, we know the feeling. Some of your feelings might be valid but here are some thoughts you might have that are definitely wrong. Here are some of the lies you probably tell yourself all year round which eventually hinders your growth: I have a degree. What am I still learning? Big mistake, sister. When did you graduate? 2, 5, 10 years ago? The world is changing fast and we need to evolve. Standing in one spot only means that others are going to overtake you and take opportunities that should’ve been yours. Look at Nokia. How long did it take for them to lose their position as Number 1 phone maker? To be a successful Motherland Mogul, you need to keep learning the new trends in your industry. I am an expert in my field It’s very easy for us to settle for what we think we know is best. But does learning ever stop? If you have plans to branch out and innovate your brand, you need to prepare yourself! Are there other things you learn from other industries that may be linked to yours? There is so much more to learn about your passions, hobbies, and interests. Ask yourself questions such as ‘how badass is my excel skills’? When was the last time I gave a presentation that was wowed my audience? Take the time to improve and build on what you already have and what you need to make yourself better. I don’t have money for courses. In this day and age, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to learn! With a stable internet connection and time, you can access so many free resources online. From Coursera, Udemy, Skillshare, YouTube and the many blogs and articles out there; the options are endless. But once you choose to make this investment, you start the journey towards a successful and educated life. I don’t have time to learn. Let’s rephrase that as “I don’t make out time for learning new things because it’s not a priority.” Doesn’t sound nice, does it? Well, it’s true. We all make time for things that we consider priorities. Catching up on social media, binging on Netflix, attending owambe parties. But if we think about it, we spend many hours every week on things that aren’t really adding to our bottom line. If you’re one of those superwomen who resists all such temptations and still can’t find the time to learn, what about the time you spend in traffic? With the developments of education and technology, you can learn anywhere and everywhere! So, don’t make excuses for wanting to learn. If you believe in investing in yourself, then you will make the time to learn more. I’m too old to learn Lol! Did you know the oldest person to graduate college was 95 years old? We’re never too old to learn. Even if you have started a family and gotten 7 children, it’s never too late! It’s all about prioritizing. We can always learn new tricks! You’ve probably run out of excuses now. But don’t let this daunt you. The trick is to start small. Pick one skill and set yourself a target of one hour a week to develop it. If you don’t know where to start, Google resources and create a learning calendar. Once you set milestones and give yourself small treats every now and then, you’ll be surprised by what you learn in a few months. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Being a Woman in leadership: How to Change the Narrative
Being a ‘Woman in Leadership’ comes with certain not so pretty narratives. I remember listening to Mrs Ifenyiwa Afe’s story, a recently appointed managing director. She was accompanied by some male staff on a scheduled trip to meet another male executive in the industry. As they met the executive, he immediately walked over to the male staff assuming the ‘Managing Director’ was a man. The embarrassed staff immediately corrected the shocked executive. Imagine the awkward moment! These are relatable workplace realities, that spring from a culture that limits the capabilities of women. I look forward to a society that’s where women in leadership are expected and supported. However, the part that women have to play in driving home this new narrative; is owning it. I have a critical role to play in owning the new narrative myself. I am General Manager at African Women in Leadership Organisation (AWLO). Sometimes, it is possible to slip into these limitations by the society. But being conscious of who you are, and not cautious is a huge step in changing the narrative. Here are a few tips: Be Assertive One of my friends used the phrase; “He was expecting me to be docile” to imply that a male colleague hadn’t expected her to communicate assertively. Being assertive is an attitude, and it doesn’t mean domineering. It is portraying confidence, and presence and very essential in leadership. As women in leadership, being feminine does not mean not being assertive. Be Professional It is so easy to cross the line of professionalism with women. I was in a skype meeting with some male colleagues and I was the only female. With a switched off camera, the convener kept referring to me as male. He made the move to apologize as soon as the impression was corrected. Do you know what he did? He waves a teddy bear in a gesture of apology! People expect that women are meant to be cuddled. Though we may be in certain scenarios, women are also logical beings. Do not compromise ethics for sentiments in the workplace. Women must insist on this. Set Healthy Boundaries I offer to shake hands with a male colleague one day, and he was already gesturing to hug me. What! A male colleague should be able to shake hands with you just as he would a male colleague. That’s not to say that work friendships cannot exist, but let that be clear. Are you cool being identified as dears? Many times, as females we tend to be susceptible. However, you can stay true to your values and communicate as opposed to getting warped in the idiosyncrasies of being female. Focus on your superpowers Being part of a movement that says; ‘beauty lies in the heart of the possessor’ has been much more empowering. It doesn’t just focus on men’s role in helping or stopping us from attaining our full potential as women. Being a by-product of the mission of AWLO has influenced a developmental process that is centered on me. It is true that beauty lies first in the heart of the possessor. It’s about being our own super-heroes first, and concentrating on our superpowers. This does not negate the fact that people may or may not contribute to gender issues. Finally, it feels much more empowering to have great self-talk, self-belief, and self-love, rather than getting caught up in a battle of genders. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Joy Eneghalu: Using Strategy to Conquer Social Media
Joy Eneghalu is a social media strategist. She helps businesses and teaches individuals how to leverage social media to boost their brand awareness, increase their sphere of influence and make a profit. She is also the founder of the Influencer Marketing platform called Influensah. Can one thrive in today’s marketplace without social media? Social media has taken over and has the potential to expose one’s business to a larger audience. It is highly important to have your business on social media so you don’t lose out on the goodness. However, there is the offline part that people also have to maintain. Social media has become a must-have tool for every business to thrive in today’s marketplace. So, if social media is here to stay, what are the career opportunities open to young people? There are tons of career opportunities open to young people and the beautiful thing is that some of them are largely untapped and it costs almost nothing to get started. Young people can now go ahead and become some of the following professionals: Online TV Hosts Online OAPs Social media and community managers Online event planners Influencers Data specialists and Facebook ad experts Funnel experts Website designers and social media graphic designers Content creators All you basically need is a phone, internet, knowledge, skill, and visibility. If you are wondering if people do these as actual jobs and cash out, there are many of them and they aren’t even enough for the market. What were the mistakes you made when you started out? How can others avoid them? When I started out, it was basically trial and error. Eventually, I invested in courses that helped sharpen my skills. The number one mistake I made was not documenting an agreement with a client and that cost me lots of money because of the lacking proof. This lesson was very important for my success. Before discovering the essence of a community, I played a lone game for a while. However, I now belong to about 6 communities that have provided me with immense support and knowledge. With many people coming on to the social media space, what would you advise to stand out amidst the noisy marketplace? This may sound cliché but nothing beats being authentic, genuinely caring about people and adding value. These have been my own sauce and it works pretty much for everyone you see doing great things. If you are fake, people will find out. Let your style of delivery on social media speak for you. [bctt tweet=”Overnight success doesn’t exist as a social media strategist or manager; you have to put it in the work – @joyeneghalu” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are the myths in your line of business? Overnight success!! It beats my imagination when many say to me ‘Joy, I want to blog or I want to start managing an account. They said this thing is like oil money. If I do it like this now, by xxx time, I will have xxx amount of money’. It baffles me a lot. Overnight success doesn’t exist as a social media strategist or manager; you have to put it in the work. Some people even take 10 years! Money doesn’t grow on trees in the online world. Secondly, just because one is visible and popular online doesn’t mean the person has billions sited in their account. It can be very annoying to have people asking you for money because of your online fame. If one is being visible on social media, please understand that it is part of the journey and not the destination. Could you briefly share with our Motherland moguls on WhatsApp for business? WhatsApp for Business is a highly innovative tool that businesses can use to offer fast and efficient customer care services to their customers. With a range of different features such as analytics and labels for pending payments; WhatsApp for Business is a highly effective tool for online business. I personally advice having the ‘Click to Chat’ feature on your website or social media platform. This feature enables people to easily chat you up and maintain a human relationship with your business. Final Words You can do this. You can achieve anything you want with the right mindset. [bctt tweet=”Hone the skill of recognizing opportunities and jump on it before the crowd does – @joyeneghalu” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I look forward to having lots of young ladies kicking butts in the social media/online space. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.