Investing time to build relationships and credibility is an antidote that women in leadership positions should use effectively to overcome gender-based discrimination and attenuate deeply ingrained patriarchal practices that are a result of centuries of socialisation.
An important lesson I learnt is that assuming a leadership position is often bundled with new and unexpected challenges. I am the first black woman to lead a commercial bank in SA. There is no rule book for the road I have chosen; I do not have a precedent to which I can refer. I have to make up the rules as I go along. As a result, I have to be kind to myself for my mistakes, and acknowledge that the critical thing is to learn from those mistakes.
We live in a time when individual success is prized over collective success. There is a growing school of thought that argues that the economic fallout from the Covid-19 outbreak has worsened the perception of life as a zero-sum game, and with it the desire for success at any cost. This intensification of a “dog-eat-dog” world order, where self-preservation becomes our primary driver, will have severe and unintended implications for the gains made by women in business.
While that job caused me enormous trauma and personal hardship, I also learnt the importance of having people in my life who will act as a safety valve and provide a sanity check when needed. We are a long way from achieving gender equality, accordingly women must build the strength and resilience to survive and thrive in the face of both overt and subliminal discrimination.
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