It is my thought that the way corporate is set up, is in four levels: administrative; tactical; operational and strategic. To effectively move from one sphere to the next one must master the technical and soft skills of each level. The beginning of your career is the opportunity to get the basics right as the various levels require very different aptitudes. As tiresome, boring and redundant as it may be, you have to focus on doing what needs to get done.

At the administrative level the work may seem cumbersome due to the volume and at times redundant nature of the workload. It helps one to master attention to detail, acclimatise to routine and understand the granular details in running a business. Administration really is the building blocks of most organisations. The tactical level requires prudence, thinking into the future and planning. Junior managers tend to be in this tactical level. The operational level requires something different, it requires a greater eye view; co-ordinating at divisional level, leading teams and being able to execute efficiently on strategy. The highest level of strategy which is the much desired c-suite level has a greater focus on strategy, requires visionary expertise and great leadership

To really grow one has to remain committed to learning the skills, engage the experience and master the lessons at every level. As the mundane arises, day to day challenges crop up it becomes more necessary to know your own personal why. By why I am referring to your purpose, reason for choosing to be employed, in your particular industry, and the company that employs you. Every one’s reasons are unique and authentic to themselves. A few examples could be to help humanity; gain experience; understand how the industry works, network, learn about business in order to become an entrepreneur whatever that reason may be it is critical to know it and own it in order to focus on it when the days at work really are slog, get your hands dirty and are unexciting.

Each level offers you the opportunity to build your greatest commodity, your reputation. This will precede you for the rest of your career. Create a brand that will resonate throughout the various phases. Occupy the space you are in, change it, disrupt it, earn your stripes, learn, and grow. No matter the phase you are in do what you have to do with excellence so you can do what you want to do with all the skills under your belt.

Vumi Msweli is a South African born career coach, international speaker and the Chief Executive Officer of Hesed Consulting. Hesed is a consulting firm specializing in; career coaching; leadership acceleration, women empowerment; team dynamics; facilitation and training on the African continent. Vumile has worked in Europe; Asia and across the African continent.

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In getting into the arena of negotiations there are a number of things to consider in being successful. The first for would be to speak up. Many of us seem to accept whatever is offered to us without so much as a question raised. Silence does us no favours. Whether we are ecstatic at the proposition placed on the table or deeply disappointed we must voice our concerns and advocate for ourselves. If the number seems right or is way below what you would even consider there  is no harm in asking: “is this the best we can do? “ You have the offer there in black and white the worst case scenario is that you will revert back to what has been initially offered. You cannot allow fear and insecurity to make you shy away from supporting your financial interests. You will also garner greater confidence in posing this question if you are able to get a market related indication of what to expect from a cost to company perspective. This can be done by engaging a number of recruitment personnel or using the internet.

When you have a market related idea of salary make sure you request a dummy payslip. This helps to see if your actual take home is worth the change in role and the additional responsibility. It enables you to have a very clear understanding of how much your take home will be post the deductions.

There are some deductions you can potentially negotiate such as medical deductions. If you can prove that you have your own medical aid prior to joining you can more often than not negotiate that it doesn’t form part of your cost to company. You need to do some research to see which medical option has both the best benefits and affordability, as well as be more cost effective if you pay or if your employer does.

Another tool which could potentially have positive impact in your take home is a sign on bonus.

It never hurts to ask: “What is the sign on bonus” usually it comes with a guaranteed period which you can’t leave the company or you will be liable to repay it back. You may not always get what you request but it is always worth asking your Human Resources Business Partner. The worst case scenario will be a polite “we don’t currently offer a sign on bonus for that role.” You will be in no worse a position should they decline but in a more positive cash flow position should they agree to your request.

One of the least used and most advantageous tools is equity. We often are able to use this as our biggest bargaining chip for listed companies. In requesting shares and trying to negotiate where possible their vesting period you can in the long term help increase your Net Asset Value if they perform well over time. Companies are often more willing to negotiate on equity versus cash.

You must remember that the engagement of a negotiation is not a dictatorship nor is it a one sided conversation. Step into this arena with the confidence and knowledge of your own worthiness. You provide a valuable service and as such need to be compensated accordingly. You need to confidently answer the question…Is this the best I can do for me? So when the music starts and the dance of negotiation commences you are rhythmic in doing the best you can do for yourself.

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When we take a look to the East we see the Japanese phenomena known as karōshi. This is translated as death from overwork. This term arose in the 1970s and is used to describe a death as a result of a heart attack, stroke due to stress, starvation diet or suicide all borne as a direct consequence of work stress and being overworked. This has historically been driven by working long hours, overtime of up to 80 hours a month, getting involved in after-hours work related activities such as having after work drinks with colleagues where the main topic of discussion is work, not taking leave days in order to have a mental break from work.

Long work hours unfortunately do not equate to high productivity. This is clear in analysing the G7 countries where amongst the countries Japan which has the longest work hours in fact has the lowest labour productivity. Japan produces an average of 45.5 Gross Domestic Product per hour worked whilst the United States of America with much more relaxed working hours produces 68.3 Gross Domestic Product per hour.

The fallacy of long hours and working hard result in success is quickly being dismissed. Quality of work versus quantity of working hours is what results in success. Productivity in employees is actually increased by having healthy employees. Employees who are well rested, have a healthy work life balance, are empowered and are allowed to think dynamically are proven to be more productive. Some of the best ways to increase productivity is by creating a work environment that is transparent and encourages feedback amongst colleagues. A work environment that gives people autonomy and freedom both liberates and empowers. It gives individuals the ability to execute the how of their given tasks. The most empowering work space is one where tasks are given, objectives outlined but the how is left to the creativity of those executing the work. Doing this allows for innovation, efficiency creation, camaraderie amongst colleagues, smart working and productive employees.

I encourage us all to be the kind of employees who may never suffer from karōshi but instead flourish in work you enjoy and life you love. May you be productive, working smart and strategically adding great value and not just sitting in the office working laborious hours with mundane impact.

Vumi Msweli is a South African born career coach, international speaker and the Chief Executive Officer of Hesed Consulting. Hesed is a consulting firm specializing in; career coaching; leadership acceleration, women empowerment; team dynamics; facilitation and training on the African continent. Vumile has worked in Europe; Asia and across the African continent.

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She is the Chief Executive Officer of Hesed Consulting, a consulting firm that specializes in the African markets and creates platforms of conversations and learning amongst Africans. This inspirational individual believes in service before self which is evident in much of her numerous work across the African continent.

Her work in has seen Vumile been nominated on so many occasions by South Africa’s most prestigious institutions; she was awarded as the 2016 Elle Boss of the Year in the Corporate Category and also as the Vodafone CEO Award in 2016.

She has been featured in most of South Africa’s most prominent publications and has also featured on numerous African television stations. She is a regular contributor on SAFM and Voice of Wits radio station.

Vumile has managed to shift and create critical conversational space that has brought forth meaning, practical platforms that have brought change in many people’s lives in South Africa. She has contributed to the shaping of narratives on women empowerment, finance and business in the country.

Vumile holds various Degrees in commerce, accounting, finance and administration; and currently is reading for her Doctoral Degree in Applied Leadership at UGSM in Switzerland.

Vumile was born in the township of Chesterville in KwaZulu-Natal as the only child. Growing up, all she wanted to be was Miss South Africa. She recalls standing in her grandfather’s van shouting ‘Miss South Africa Vumile Msweli’ while waving to an imaginary crowd.

Vumile grew up in a home filled with love hence the need to share and spread what her family had given her. Her mother and grandmother instilled in her high moral standards from an early age and also encouraged her to study and excel in everything she set out to do.

Vumile Msweli’s upbringing played an important role in molding her to be a leader and a determined pace setter who has created a legacy which continues to grow. Vumile is an entrepreneur driven by ambition and the learning process and opportunities failure present.

She reiterates that being raised by a generation of African women who did not have access to the education and opportunities is a benchmark which drives her endeavours. The lives of people Vumile grew up around had no rights and privileges which many now enjoy. This has been an opportunity for her to make a meaningful impact on the younger generation so that they thrive and also bring more change to the communities and societies they belong to.

Vumile stands on the shoulders of giants of those who came before her and the ones who will come after her. Her search for that one place where she could manage to change lives by harnessing the power to make a meaningful impact on the lives of people in Africa has contributed to the continued support she has to the world. Vumile made the impossible possible like what one author once aptly said, ‘you are not the desert you were born into.’

Vumile is a remarkable individual who managed to get herself out of Chesterville, a community with limited opportunities to be a guest writer on business, finance issues and women empowerment for Essays of Africa and Destiny Connect.

Her dreams of being Miss South Africa and bring change to the people in South Africa manifested elsewhere as a powerful business woman who has managed to manoeuvre herself as an Operations; Finance and Strategy executive in the telecommunications and finance sectors in South Africa.

Her life story in itself has brought hope to marginalised girls and women who are born into poverty. Vumile has worked for big organisations and companies like Barclays and Investec. She has also worked in the Middle East, Nigeria, Kenya, and in England something which was unimaginable when she was growing up in KwaZulu-Natal in the township of Chesterville.

Vumile currently serves as a non-executive director at the South African Association for Youth Clubs (SAAYC) and Diabetes South Africa and she has dedicated her life as a coach and speaker to help empower women to realise their potential and goals to achieve more in their lives.

Vumile Msweli draws her strength from her family, friends and her spirituality. As an African woman Vumile has proven to be resilient, hard working, innovative and not easily broken throughout her travels across the globe.

She says that ‘wathint’ abafazi wathint’ imbokodo’ which means ‘you strike a women you strike a rock’ she goes on to ask that, ‘how then can we not succeed when endowed with such qualities?’

Vumile Msweli encourages young women to no longer wait for invitations but to be innovative and build their own empires and invite others, she states that ‘the age of selfish capitalism is not sustainable, the age of business that considers others must commence and that is the age where African women should start living in and it is integral to everyone’s survival.’

She goes to say that, this new age must make every girl and woman’s dreams across the continent valid, necessary and more possible than ever and it is everyone’s job to help each other fulfil them.

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She is one of Africa’s leading businesswomen who has been awarded the Mail and Guardian Top 200 most influential Young South Africans, the Elle Boss of the Year in the Corporate Category as well as the Gauteng Premier Award for Excellence in Leadership.

She has previously worked for reputable multi-national institutions including Barclays, Investec, Nedbank, First National Bank and Vodafone.

She has corporate global teams in Africa(Nigeria; Kenya; Democratic Republic of Congo; Zambia; Lesotho; Ghana; Tanzania; Mozambique and South Africa) and Europe (Scotland; Isle of Man and England).

Msweli is an avid coach speaker having spoken in conferences, expos, workshops around the globe on topics such as leadership, women empowerment, finance matters and how to conduct business in Africa.

She is an entrepreneur who commenced her first venture at the age of 22 years old. Her business interests currently span across the property, retail, logistics and consulting sectors.

She has been featured in various media publications including The Thinker, Forbes Woman Africa, True Love Magazine, Destiny and Essays of Africa Magazine.

She has been featured on Ghana’s ETV, is regular contributor on SAFM (radio station) on business and women’s issues as well as the business anchor for Voice of Wits (radio station).

She is a passionate speaker, coach and workshop facilitator who specializes in leadership and finance.

Msweli is a firm believer in women empowerment, entrepreneurship and education being the keys to fundamentally change the trajectory of the African continent. She has been an entrepreneur for almost a decade has a passion for driving change.

Source: http://www.biznisafrica.com/vumile-msweli/

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