Women’s Month
“There is no limit to what we as women can accomplish.” – Michelle Obama
As an Industrial Psychologist having worked with a variety of people from various sectors and industries, from entry up to executive level, I have seen what it takes to succeed in the world of work, and how motivation and the “dream to succeed” can push any person positively forward towards achieving their goals. Knowing what you want to achieve is critically important for any person’s success – even the youngest of people.
During Women’s Month I was asked by the Society for Industrial and Organisational Psychology South Africa (SIOPSA) to mentor a young, aspiring Industrial Psychologist as part of their Women’s Month Initiative. This was such a privilege for me as it gave me the opportunity to impact a young person’s future career in a positive way. My mentee, Ms. Dube, who is an Industrial Psychology Masters Student, provided me with a few subjects she wished to discuss and some well thought-through questions related to the world of work of an Industrial Psychologist, including how I got to where I am today; what I had learned during my career journey; how it has been to work in a corporate environment, to consulting, to becoming self-employed; and what I had wished I had known before I had started my journey to becoming an Industrial Psychologist, etc.
Her questions required some self-reflection on my part, as these were not things that I have actively thought about, and it forced me to reflect on my own career journey. During my self-reflection and preparation I realised how important my motivation for my career success has been throughout my career journey. Without having a strong motivation, dream to succeed, and specific goals I would not have been able to achieve the successes that I have up to this point. This humbled me, but also made me realise that you can achieve so much when you put your mind to it; and through hard work and determination you can get to where you wish to be. I also realised what important role strong role models has played in my career journey. I have had wonderful role models – many of them female and many of them male – and I grateful for each. They have taught me how to be strong, how to push forward, how to stay the course when it felt so difficult to succeed at times.
I have always believed in the power of mentoring, since doing my Masters dissertation on how mentoring develops leaders. In the case of Ms. Dube, me sharing my experiences and learnings with her gave her a better perspective and new-found excitement for her future career, noting that our time together had opened her eyes to the world of work. Our session also helped me to put my own career ups and downs into perspective in a meaningful way. I again realised how I enjoyed being an Industrial Psychologist, how I enjoy being able to add positively to the world of work and making a difference in the careers of people, how my motivation of being the best Industrial Psychologist I can be has propelled me forward in my career. Of course I also again realised how difficult the world of work can also be, but that nothing is ever without its drawbacks. I also got to reflect on the people who have mentored me throughout my career, and how they have taught me so much. Such self-reflection can bring up a variety of thoughts and feelings – as it should – but you walk away with a new perspective; and a new perspective is always a good thing.
On this last day of Women’s Month I want to celebrate all of the strong, insightful and determined women that have acted as my mentors, have inspired and supported me, and who have challenged me to continue to grow as a professional person. Here’s to you.