The Radisson Blu, Durban Umhlanga invites you for an exquisite High Tea at The Radisson Blu Durban Umhlanga, in celebration of International Women’s Day. Allow us to indulge you in an incredible afternoon alongside our esteemed sponsors, Estee Lauder, Tom Ford, Liza Clifford, who will be providing valuable advice and exciting demos and Hendricks Gin who will be providing a Gin Cocktail on arrival. • Event: High Tea at The Radisson • Price: R395 per person, booking is essential • What: A High Tea with a Gin Cocktail, Sweet and savoury treats, Tea/Coffee • Where: Firelake Restaurant situated on the 6th floor of the Radisson Blu, Durban Umhlanga • When: 9 March 2024 between 1pm and 4pm Let’s come together to empower and inspire one another. Numerous prizes await at this Women’s only event with limited space available. For more information, please email: info.durban.umhlanga.durban@radissonblu.com

KZN Top Business prides itself on sharing successes and good news.   Over the years companies come and go. However, there are some that have much impact and leave legacies. Without any doubt, leadership is the secret to their success. Having a great leader at the helm of a company is something that all investors, consumers, and employees want.   KwaZulu-Natal is full of leaders who require recognition for what they have and will achieve. As such we will be publishing a KZN Top Business Leaders' Portfolio featuring the current leaders of KZN and their ongoing contributions to the economy of the province. We will be producing an old-fashioned hard-covered & stitched in traditional bookbinding Smyth-sewn style, coffee table book, which will be an absolute classic with historical value. A must have publication.   The profiles will also be uploaded to our website www.kzntopbusiness.com and shared on social media.  If you would like to you believe is worthy of recognition please nominate online or contact Grant Adlam on grantadlam01@gmail.com

The KwaZulu-Natal Top Business team is proudly local and has successfully promoted business in KwaZulu-Natal for the past 25 years. A milestone that founder and CEO Grant Adlam is delighted to be celebrating.   When KZN Top Business opened its doors, the company was more reliant on the printed word, the electronic copy was on a CD-Rom and their digital footprint was dependent on a static website. KZN Top Business has now established itself as a leading communications and content management company with full pressroom services. Its innovative approach to staying abreast of media trends ensures that a variety of formats are now used including: print, digital, the web, video, email, a variety of social media platforms as well as is event oriented. KZN Top Business’s value-added campaigns ensure that ongoing marketing is undertaken for maximum exposure.   Their clients include the civil sector, corporate and small businesses, as well as the government sectors in South Africa.   KZN Top Business has several initiatives underway in 2024.   KZN Top Business Portfolio The KwaZulu-Natal Top Business Portfolio’s ongoing success has been achieved through the use of a number of methods including a comprehensive and well ranked multimedia website which is well optimised on a variety of search engines, an A5 hard copy handbook as well as a digital version, social media tools and a growing series of videos.   The portfolio assists in driving the visibility of brands, including growing relationships and improving client retention through targeted content marketing campaigns.   Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards The Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards gala dinner will be held on the 6 June 2024. More information on this annual prestigious event and the awards entry categories and criteria will be made available shortly with entries opening in March. Each year winning an award is much coveted and celebrated.   KZN Top Business Women KZN Top Business Women draws together women in the province who are recognised for making contributions to business, the local economy and their communities. This initiative will be launched in August 2024.   KZN Top Business Leaders’ Portfolio “Over the years, we’ve worked with so many amazing companies, and with some fantastic clients who’ve become friends,” said Adlam. “During this time companies have also come and gone. However, there are some that have much impact and leave legacies. Without any doubt, leadership is the secret to their success.”   As KwaZulu-Natal is full of leaders who require recognition for what they have and will achieve. In celebration of our anniversary, the company will be producing a KZN Top Business Leaders’ Portfolio. “We will strive to recognise some of these outstanding individuals in the province. We also want to know their vision for the future of their business in KZN,” explained Adlam.   This initiative will take the form of recorded zoom interview, a photographic session and culminate in a hardcover coffee table book, an ebook, as well as online profiles.   For more information on participation in these initiatives, please contact Grant Adlam   C: +27 (0)83 262 9529 E: grantadlam01@gmail.com  W: www.kzntopbusiness.com

Shaaz Moosa is the CEO and CFO of Supahot Geysers and MS Group Holdings. His business career has, he says, been motivated by his family who have all operated business enterprises.   Straight after finishing matric, and with their support, Shaaz started his own business journey in the insurance industry. He explained that this experience taught him a lot about communicating with people, about how money works as well as the finance industry. He quickly decided to become an independent insurance broker and applied for his license. By the age of 19 he had multiple contracts.   However, Shaaz commented that he realised that the insurance industry did not offer the long-term business growth, which would enable him to reach his own goals.  Consequently, he started dabbling in a variety of businesses including the property market.   In 2006 Shaaz’s father unexpectedly and tragically passed away and his entire world changed. Shaaz was now required to be the leader in his family and take care of everyone.   Hard Work He then started looking for other business opportunities and got involved with the Scooters’ pizza brand, opening up Halaal stores. He explained, “Over three years, we opened up multiple stores and I soon realised that this is very hard work as the effort to financial reward did not make sense. I found that it was better for me to open up these stores and sell them off. Whilst doing that I was dabbling in buying one/two-bedroom apartments, as at that time the avenue to credit was quite easy.” As the values of properties was going up, when Shaaz sold these properties off, he was able to build an asset base.   “I realised unintentionally, that I’d become a serial businessman. At the time FNB invited myself and a very close, dear friend of mine, who has just passed away, to do a mini-MBA. He convinced me to go on it and do this mini-MBA with him, which we completed in just over a year.” Shaaz said the course was self-empowering and due to his practical business experience he understood finances better, and he was also able to enhance himself.   Shaaz mentioned that he has always had good teams and support structures. His mom, wife as well as his family, and ‘phenomenal’ friends are always willing to assist. He explained, “It’s not about finance, it’s about hearing you, guiding you, motivating you, and being able to learn from people and what they’ve done over the years.  I think that experience is the basis for the success of who I am today.”   Give From What You Have In commenting on his motivation to succeed, Shaaz said, “I strongly believe that if you do the right things, the Almighty opens up the doors for you. If you assist the community, your people, family, etc, then the Almighty will give you more. That is the advice that I give to every young person today. Don’t wait until you have money to give, give from what you have, and the Almighty is going to give you more. And if you’re doing right, with the right moral compass, the Almighty will certainly make sure that he gives you that responsibility.”   He added, “You have to give back into your communities. You have to give back to your family, whether it’s in time or money. You have to include people and by doing that, success is automatic. We must understand that success is not just measured in finances, there’s no point in having lots of money if you’re not a person that one can sit and talk to.”   “And the rule that I would advise to anybody who wants to start to do anything, is just to give 5% more. Because that 5% more is what allows you to be better than the rest. I use an analogy of boiling water, and it’s a 5% rule. I’m in the geyser business, so I can be more technical about it,” he said with a smile. “Water boils at 100°C. At 100° C what that process can do is limitless. You can create power, and from that power you can create electricity, steam trains, etc. Motion can be created by 100°C of boiling water. At 95°C what can you do? Have a cup of tea and that’s all. That 5% extra is what creates and unlocks the multitude of other things that you can do, and to achieve that you’ve just got to persevere, be consistent and disciplined.”   In addition to the 5% rule, Shaaz said that if you look at the top 100 companies in the world and the CEOs and founders of all of them, they have this quality of starting early. “When I say starting early, I’m talking about the 4:00 am rule. One should start work early and that allows you to work hard.” Shaaz’s career has not been without challenges, which in his early days included a lack of credit facilities due to his young age. This challenge forced him to be more creative and to look at out-of-the-box solutions. One solution was to develop business partnerships, and Shaaz now has multiple partners in a range of businesses and projects.   In commenting on his leadership style, he said that he prefers working with inclusion and communication rather than in an authoritative style. “I’m surrounded by a phenomenal team, and I prefer having the buy in and understanding from our key staff. We set up our plan and our mission for what we’re wanting to achieve. Including our staff in this process has led to the success of our business.  You do get certain people who just take themselves as an employee and don’t see the greater vision, but they fall off the wayside.”   Shaaz started the Supahot geyser journey in 2018 and the company has now become the third geyser manufacturer in the country. He explained that their success is due to keeping their expenses low and to the relationships that they have built. Initially the company experienced challenges from their competitors who had the bigger nationals tied up. They started off selling geysers to independent hardware stores while growing their brand, and from there, the nationals started approaching them to sell their products, which has been very successful.   To relax Shaaz enjoys time at home with his family. “I think with my busy schedule and busy timelines, I find joy in my family. I enjoy spending time with my family. I have also achieved much because of the support, the blessings, and prayers of my mum. I try as much as possible to just be there for her.”   “I’ve got a wonderful spouse who’s very supportive of me, and I’ve actually grown quite a bit because of her support.”   In conclusion, the motto that Shaaz lives is: “To do good, speak well and listen to people.”   W: www.supahot.co.za

What if your employee is training as a traditional healer that requires them to use cannabis?   According to Section 6 of the Employment Equity Act (EEA), unfair discrimination based on various grounds, including religion and culture, is prohibited. However, discrimination may be justified if it is an inherent requirement of the job or if affirmative action measures are taken.   In 2018, the Constitutional Court in the matter of Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and Others v Prince [2018] (6) SA 393 (CC), effectively legalised the private cultivation, use, and possession of cannabis for private purposes, in private places, for personal consumption. The impact of the decision in workplaces was unclear and arbitrators tended to find that employers were entitled to set workplace policies regarding substance abuse, including the use of cannabis. This approach was recently confirmed in the Labour Court judgment of Marasi v Petroleum Oil & Gas Corporation of SA (SOC) Ltd (2023) 44 ILJ 2261 (LC).   The employee was employed by PetroSA as a teleco technician. In April 2019, he informed PetroSA of his intention to embark on an 18-month traditional healer training programme, which required him to be transferred from the Cape Town branch to the Mossel Bay factory. This was permitted by PetroSA on condition that he be declared medically fit. PetroSA had a substance-abuse policy the purpose of which was to ensure a safe working environment and the health of its employees, as well as to comply with safety legislation. To those ends, strict adherence to the processes for entry to and operation in the refinery was required. In terms of the policy, employees testing above the cut-off limit for any substance in a laboratory test would be deemed unfit for duty until such time as they tested either negative or under the cut-off level.   The employee had to undergo a medical assessment when he arrived in Mossel Bay. The assessment found that the employee had high levels of cannabis in his system, which exceeded the limit in the policy. Further tests confirmed the existence of cannabis in his system, which was above the acceptable limit. The employee was then declared unfit for duty and blocked from entering the premises until he provided a test that was either negative or below the permissible limit.   He argued that cannabis use was part of his training programme and lodged a complaint against his treatment. Although the matter was resolved and the employee returned to work after a medical assessment showed that he abided by the employer’s policy, he said that his treatment constituted unfair discrimination based on culture in contravention of the Employment Equity Act (EEA). He also argued that the policy was outdated and conflicted with the Constitutional Court’s decision in Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and Others v Prince, which legalised cannabis for personal use.   The court identified the factual issues as being whether he had been suspended, whether the employer had reasonably accommodated him, and whether the job that he did required that he be prevented from entering the workplace when he tested over the applicable limit for cannabis in terms of the policy.   Labour court finding: –   Inherent requirement of the job – It was found that the testing requirement in the policy was reasonable given the employer’s working environment and that it was in line with the health and safety legislation applicable to the sector.   Unfairly discriminatory – The need to test employees to ensure that no employee entered a petrochemical plant above the limits set by a policy, in line with international standards, meant that there was no basis for the court to find the policy unfairly discriminatory.   Unfair suspension – The court accordingly found that PetroSA’s requirement for the employee to vacate the workplace did not amount to an unfair suspension, but a reasonable application of company policy. Although the principle of reasonable accommodation was not directly relevant, since the court had found that the employer had not discriminated against the employee on the grounds of his cultural practices, the employer had accommodated the employee in the broader sense of the term, and that accommodation had been reasonable.   The use of cannabis is no longer illegal for private use, but the Labour Court said that the employer is still permitted to regulate its use, especially if it affects the employment environment. It is recommended that employers review their substance abuse policies to align with the evolving regulatory environment applicable to cannabis use. In the absence of a clear rule, employees may test the boundaries of their newfound rights.   Contact LabourNet now or for additional information, view our socials – Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.   T: +27 (0)31 266 6570 C: +27 (0)82 786 7480 E: johanvd@labournet.com     W: www.labournet.com

The 2024 academic programme is under-way. 750 underprivileged medical students face financial insecurity to fund their food, accommodation and textbooks. This follows payment delays from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), which they heavily rely on. The #UKZNMealsforMedics fundraising initiative appeals to you to help us raise R262.500 to cover 750 students at R350 per student per month. Name of Account Holder: University of KwaZulu-Natal Foundation Trust Bank: Standard Bank Account number: 242095305 Branch: Pavilion Branch code: 045426 Reference: MF67 M4M

The Durban Automotive Cluster (DAC) is delighted to announce the opening of applications for its Business Accelerator. This ground-breaking programme is spearheaded by the unwavering support of the eThekwini Municipality and leading automotive industry giants, including Toyota South Africa Motors, Hesto Harnesses, and Toyota Boshoku South Africa.   The DAC Accelerator is focused on driving localisation, empowering Black industrialists, and developing commercial partnerships with high-potential enterprises in the South African automotive sector. Its ultimate goal is to facilitate positive commercial and transformational outcomes for both lead enterprises and participating small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), unlocking growth and fostering economic development.   Why Apply to the 2024 Accelerator? Kyle Ballard, Head of the Accelerator, believes that this is a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity for SMEs across South Africa to take their business to the next level, saying. “The DAC Accelerator is designed to empower established Black South African-owned SMEs who have what it takes to supply industry giants within the local automotive sector, offering a unique pathway to growth and success.”   In addition to six months of hands-on mentorship with some of South Africa’s top industry leaders, qualifying businesses will also gain access to various other benefits. These include: Several big customers actively seeking new, local suppliers Expert support from industry leaders to enable business scale and growth Capital and investment opportunities to unlock potential A chance to win cash prizes   How does it work? To qualify, your company must meet the following criteria: Currently or aiming to offer products or services to industrial customers South African-owned business 51% or more Black ownership Annual turnover of R50 million or less Registered with CIPC Tax compliant Operational for at least two years   2. Aspiring SMEs looking to become suppliers to participating customers are encouraged to take note of the criteria being sought in potential, local vendors, including: Strong engineering design capabilities Reliable quality assurance processes Healthy cash flow management competencies Strong preference for world class manufacturing leadership competencies as well as IATF and ISO9001 compliance   3. The SMEs will be screened, with a shortlist of the most promising businesses, invited to several stages of capacity building, culminating in an opportunity to pitch their business to senior decision makers from the participating automotive industry customers, as well as several investors.   4. Where commercial opportunities between high-potential SMEs and the participating lead firms are identified, several phases of upgrading will then follow, focused on unlocking new sales and business scale.   The DAC encourages all interested qualifying Black-owned SMEs across the country to apply before the closing deadline of 15th April 2024. Follow this link: https://bit.ly/3Um8mVA

Master your craft of selling – get to LOVE sales as they are the lifeblood of your business. More sales = more profit = more positive CashFLOW = less financial stress! What more could you ask for?   You get to master the craft of sales as you get better and better at it. Isn’t that interesting! Your conversion rate goes up, your average sales go up, you start exceeding budgets and you start to achieve amazing things. It’s astonishing how opportunities come your way when you just get great at sales.   The biggest challenge for most business owners and salespeople is getting the knowledge base and getting your skills upgraded. That’s why to enable you to be a professional salesperson you have to have continuous training to master the craft of sales.   Thinking about a one-day sales training course? Think again.   After taking a one-day sales training course, salespeople seem to always fall back into their bad habits and old routines just a few days later. Why? Because too much information crammed into a short timeframe is NOT the best way to learn – or get a return on investment (ROI).   The Research Institute of America concluded that eLearning boosts retention rates by 25% to 60%, traditional training is only 8 to 10%.   The Forgetting Curve You forget approximately 75% of what you learned within six days of the training session.   Flipping the 90/10 Rule Traditional one-day sales training courses are 90% learning, with short break-out sessions before moving on to the next learning module. Therefore, it’s unrealistic to expect to remember, let alone master, each new sales technique with the 90/10 rule.   When you invest 10% of your time learning and 90% doing, you dramatically improve your chances of making new sales techniques part of your day-to-day process.   We at ActionCOACH recommend one hour a day of sales training, for 12 weeks. This formula allows you to learn, implement, analyse results and make necessary adjustments before moving on to the next training phase.   Ineffective Training Costs Money According to a Harvard Business Review only “25% believed their company’s training improved performance”. Switching from the traditional one-day sales training event to for example a 12-week sales MasterCLASS, which guarantees to make more rands and sense requires little explanation.   When is the Best Time to Train? According to Bryan Caplan, professor of economics at George Mason University, people learn best when they have to learn. In sales, that’s an easy one – if you didn’t hit last month’s targets, the perfect time for you to learn better sales skills is now. Why? The theory of motivation is the answer.   Missing targets and being held accountable is a requirement for business growth. And a motivated team member is more productive, and a more productive team member is more profitable. This is the win/win for training at the right time, rather than when it’s ‘convenient’ to a business’s schedule (i.e. a company retreat, etc.).   Let us at ActionCOACH:- Inspire, inform, and motivate you to be the best sales professional you can be Address your mindset and strengthen your beliefs to make you more successful Break down the sales process into manageable parts. Provide tools, scripts, and tactics to effectively address, and overcome objections Give insight into customer service and ultimately turn your prospects into clients, your clients into raving fans who will turn into a readymade sales force for you Help you develop systems to help make it easier for customers to buy from you – referrals are THE #1 strategy – get good at asking for referrals   After 12 weeks of training, we know your tool kit will be replenished, refreshed, and re-energised to help you meet your big audacious goals!   Do you need to become sales professional as a business owner or a salesperson then take action by contacting me to find out when you can get started. If not now, when? If not you then who? (It could be your competitor). Please listen to our Founder and CEO Brad Sugars who explains why our MasterCLASS training programmes are done over 12 weeks, nothing less and nothing more – 12 weeks.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8UPJPSKpGo      Contact me on https://linkshare.co.za/marlenepowell or call +27 (0)83 479 4471

Manufacturing remains a cornerstone of economic growth and development, particularly in South Africa and the broader African continent. The industry not only supports economic stability but also offers a plethora of career opportunities. As technology advances and global markets evolve, the demand for skilled professionals in manufacturing grows. This demand spans various roles, from operations management and logistics to advanced manufacturing technologies and sustainable practices. Moreover, manufacturing is a dynamic field that requires a blend of technical know-how and strategic management thinking. This is where a specialised education, like a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a focus on manufacturing, becomes invaluable. The GIBS MBA in Manufacturing, in collaboration with the Toyota Wessels Institute for Manufacturing Studies (TWIMS), exemplifies this blend.   As a tuition centre of the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), TWIMS offers the GIBS MBA (manufacturing specialisation), with courses taught on an extended block release programme by GIBS faculty.   This programme, which spans 23 months of part-time study, is designed to deepen understanding of business fundamentals within the manufacturing context. It covers diverse electives like future manufacturing, green manufacturing, and lean supply chain management. The degree also includes a global manufacturing module for international exposure.   This MBA programme is unique as it’s tailored specifically for the manufacturing sector, aiming to nurture advanced management capabilities. It’s suitable for managers seeking a deeper understanding of the manufacturing industry and those aspiring to lead and transform organisations for sustainable success. The programme is backed by GIBS’s reputation as a global top business school, ensuring the content is relevant and contemporary.   The GIBS MBA in Manufacturing presents an excellent opportunity for individuals aspiring to impact the manufacturing industry significantly. The programme equips students with the necessary skills to excel in this field and prepares them to be leaders capable of driving change and innovation.   The manufacturing-focused MBA is intended to support the growth and development of manufacturing on the African continent by nurturing the development of advanced management capabilities.   To learn more about this unique programme and the opportunities it offers, visit https://twimsafrica.com/mba   This could be your stepping stone to a rewarding career in the dynamic world of manufacturing.

The legal profession’s oldest and most respected peer-review title, Best Lawyers® recently announced the winners in the 15th Edition of Best Lawyers® in South Africa for 2024. A total of 15 Cox Yeats lawyers were recognised in their areas of speciality on the list.   Founded more than four decades ago, Best Lawyers was created with the primary goal of assisting those in need of legal counsel to find the right lawyer to meet their needs. Through the evaluation of their peers, these lawyers have been recognised as the top-tier talent in their specialities. The 2024 Edition of Best Lawyers in South Africa awarded 879 lawyers in 61 practice areas across four metropolitan areas.   “We’re thrilled with the solid peer-reviewed recognition received once again for Cox Yeats lawyers across a spectrum of specialisations in the 2024 Best Lawyers® in South Africa awards,” says managing partner Andrew Clark. “This news comes on the heels of the practice receiving the Diamond Arrow Award for the Best Medium-sized Law Firm in South Africa for 2023 at the PMR Awards, so it was a very good year for us.”   Cox Yeats lawyers on the Best Lawyers® Winners List are Peter Barnard – Construction Law; Lazelle Paola – Real Estate Law; Thys Scheepers – Insolvency and Reorganization Law; David Vlcek –Construction Law; Tina Halstead – Real Estate Law; Richard Hoal – Construction Law; Michael Jackson – Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Private Equity Law; Robin Westley – Real Estate Law; Emili Souris – Real Estate Law; Gareth Cremen – Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Gary Pritchard –Construction Law; Christine Seger – Corporate Law, Insurance Law and Litigation. Andrew Clark received the nod for both Insurance Law, as well as Maritime and Shipping Law and Consultants Roger Green, was recognised in Real Estate Law and Alastair Hay in Construction Law and Corporate Law.   “Our diverse and experienced team has expanded over the past year enhancing our ability to seamlessly provide customised legal solutions to clients nationally and internationally, across a wide range of industry sectors and disciplines in both the private and public sector, strengthening our status as a truly global firm,” Clark adds.   The year 2024 will mark 60 years since Cox Yeats opened its doors and since then the firm has continued to set itself apart as a dynamic, full-service, commercial law firm. Cox Yeats operates out of offices in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town, assisting local and international clients with complex legal matters.     Should you require advice or assistance, please contact Michael Jackson on T: +27 (0)31 536 8512 E: mjackson@coxyeats.co.za    W: www.coxyeats.co.za

In the bustling corridors of UKZN, one medical student stands out not just for her academic excellence, but for her incredible resilience in the face of adversity. Ms Nokubonga Sabela is a young woman with oculocutaneous albinism (visual impairment) with nystagmus. She has defied the odds to excel in her medical studies with the help of a ground-breaking assistive device, the Prodigi Connect.   The device was donated by the UKZN Foundation through the University’s Disability Support Unit (DSU). The device is a combination of a tablet with specialised software and a stand that enables her to magnify and read textbooks and notes with ease. It has also significantly reduced the strain on her eyes, often caused by reading textbooks with shiny pages for extended periods of time.   The device’s camera feature, when connected, allows Sabela to zoom in on what is projected in lecture halls, ensuring she doesn’t miss any crucial information during presentations. With the Prodigi Connect, she navigated her academic challenges with confidence, making her an exceptional and top-performing medical student.   Sabela, who comes from rural Eshowe, would often sit closer to the chalkboard to see and take notes during high school. She didn’t have the means to get a proper diagnosis. Her family’s financial constraints also meant she received glasses at a later age, exacerbating her visual impairment.   Despite being an exceptional student at Velangaye High School in Nkandla, and early acceptance into UKZN to study medicine, she found herself academically excluded in her second year because of poor performance. This was due to her visual impairment with which she struggled silently.   Passionate about medicine, she persevered and returned to UKZN. The Prodigi Connect, along with other adapted tools, helped her bridge the gap in her academic performance. The device not only opened a world of possibilities for Sabela, but also instilled in her a sense of worth and confidence. With the assistance of the UKZN Foundation and the DSU, her grades improved significantly, and she is now excelling as a final-year medical student.   Sabela loves practicing medicine and interacting with patients at an interpersonal psychosocial level. She is currently rotating in psychiatry at the King Edward Hospital. She finds mental health to be complex, but has had memorable moments, especially during her time in paediatrics at the Queen Nandi Hospital in Empangeni. One moment which impacted her deeply was when she encountered a young woman who brought in her child in need of resuscitation.   Working with a dedicated medical team to resuscitate the baby, and seeing the trust the mother placed in them, left a profound mark on Sabela. She realised that medicine goes beyond simply treating symptoms.   ‘Witnessing the impact of medicine on people’s lives, especially when they place their hope entirely on healthcare professionals, made me realise that being in the medical fraternity is about more than just treating symptoms, it’s a calling. I believe in looking at patients at a psychosocial level and addressing the underlying issues and making a positive impact on their well-being,’ she said.   Sabela always knew she wanted to be a doctor. Her brother is a practicing nurse while her older sister is retired from nursing. She will become the first doctor in her family, when she graduates next year.   To inspire greatness, Sabela reaches out mainly through social media and has conversations with patients, including teenage mothers, to motivate them and break the perception that medicine is only for certain people.   Despite her success, she struggles with imposter syndrome and often feels like she’s not doing enough. However, she recognises that medicine is a continuous learning process, and her confidence grows with each practical experience and knowledge gained. She aspires to become a doctor who can have a positive impact on patients’ lives.   T: +27 (0)31 260 2389 E: foundation@ukzn.ac.za  W: www.foundation.ukzn.ac.za

Some people think that keeping busy is a way of being effective, regardless of whether their actions are important and urgent…or not.   Have you ever caught yourself saying ‘I’m so busy’, or have you noticed that when you ask someone at work how they are, they are very likely to say ‘Busy’, and expand on how busy they are – rather than say they are well. According to Marisa Murgatroyd’s teachings on Transforming ‘I’m too busy’ – 99% of us have, so join the club. BUT, if you are busy all the time, it can be a problem if you are in a leadership role, either as the head of a business or in management. Being too busy means that you are not finding the time to think and reflect, which is important for assessing performance and developing business strategies. Simply living like a ‘hamster on a wheel’ does not make you effective. Busy-ness is a trap that stops you from finding control, meaning and fulfilment in life and at work, when you are stuck in the quicksand of being busy.   Busy isn’t always productive – working smarter not harder is a well understood concept, and leaders must try and foster this culture. Don’t feel stressed if you have downtime. This time can be used constructively. Baby boomers are well known for working their fingers to the bone – with Gen Z professionals entering the workplace, this can create quite a challenge. They don’t see busyness as a badge of honour, and want careers to have meaning, value, purpose and joy. Good leaders need to find ways of motivating them and bringing the best out in them.   STOPPING TO THINK - LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS There are many examples of successful leaders who, even though they are busy, make the time to think. Bill Gates, for example, was famous for taking a week off twice a year, spent in private, just to think and reflect about Microsoft and its future. Another world renowned and respected leader Warren Buffet spent a lot of time, every day, just to sit and think.   If you can’t find the time to think, it probably means that you haven’t organised your company, or team very well and are putting out little fires all the time. It also means that you are at risk of leading your organisation astray.  The only constant in our lives and in business is rapid change – and many of the components of a strategic plan are dynamic, and have to respond to emerging events, e.g. customers, markets, products and business models. Therefore, leaders must make time to reflect on these changes and systematically analyse and think of appropriate and relevant business responses. Many leaders don’t make enough time for this.   COACHING CAN HELP TO IMPROVE ‘THINKING’ Here are five questions taken from an article by Freek Vermeulen, “Leadership is about thinking: make time for it”. What does not fit? Ask yourself if the various business activities make sense together, or does your business model need to change? What would others do? Companies often suffer from past success – but now things have changed and continuing in the same way no longer makes sense. Is my organisation consistent with my strategy? Is your organisation ideally positioned for your strategic aspirations? What would your organisation look like if you had to design it from scratch? Do I understand why we do things this way? Often the answer to that question is because that’s the way ‘it’ has always been done. What might be the long-term consequences of our key strategic actions?  Coaching can be a valuable and helpful way of getting leaders to reflect and think through the dynamics impacting on their business and how to move forward successfully. This process can be enormous fun when you are able to see the potential to be better and to be working towards your best.   Coaching is not only for business leaders or executives but applies to: supervisors, managers, professionals and new graduates in business. Coaching can be used as a sounding board to be a high performance employee, lead high performance teams, be more confident and more effective and add more value to the business.   Contact Jacquie Bhana if you would like coaching to become a high performance employee and leader of a high performance team.   C: +27 83 386 8343 E: Jacquie.bhana@mbhana.co.za  / jacquie@jbhana.co.za   W: www.jacquiebhana.co.za