Elanie Kruger, group CHRO at Tsebo Solutions Group, teaches her mentee, Naidene Abrahams, to remain authentic at all times.
Elanie, what have been the most important things you have tried to impart to your mentee, and why?
Being authentic is very important to me. You have your own personal brand that you need to be proud of. Having a strong work ethic is non-negotiable, but you also need to work with people. Success can only be achieved if you treat people with respect and demonstrate compassion on your journey. I also believe you should focus on interventions that drive change and transform businesses. Don’t spend hours on trivial things that might sound good but make no real impact. Spend your time driving business results.
Naidene, what have been some of the most valuable lessons you have learnt from your mentor, and how have they been useful in your development and career?
Use your network to maintain your focus when you are confronted with difficulties, disheartened, or constrained by your own past challenges.
Try to surround yourself with individuals who are positive. The best approach to develop personally and feel fulfilled is to give back to others.
Elanie, what have you learned from your mentee in the process? And how has it helped you as a leader?
Naidene is very energetic and persistent. She has an inquisitive nature and will always find a solution. She has built dashboards and created solutions that have made a real impact in the business.
Naidene, what do you think the current generation of business leaders could learn from those who are coming up?
Studying the behaviours of great leaders who lead with discernment, respect, and resilience will lead to proactive outputs. An effective strategy used by great leaders throughout history has been to look for similarities between the past and the present.
