The Talent to Watch Program Pilot has been launched in Africa in 2023听to support our talents on the continent and we are proud of our 15 amazing participants, who have successfully graduated from the 7-months development initiative in November.

Please join us in congratulating our Talent to Watch Africa 2023 Graduates:

The post Congratulations to our Talent to Watch (T2W) Africa Graduates appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

In comparison to other industries, the technology sector stands out for its unprecedented dynamism, continually leading the way in pioneering innovation and creative approaches to addressing business and societal challenges.

The tech industry is inherently transformative by nature, with disruption as a central theme in its evolution. As a result, the role of tech marketing differs fundamentally from marketing functions in other sectors. While marketing skills can indeed be transferable across various industries, the intricacies of the tech sector demand a distinct set of skills and competencies.

听Continuous learning, adaptation & evolution

听Whether it is discovering new ways of leveraging technological advancements to solve business problems, creating new products and markets, or helping businesses run more efficiently, one thing is certain, it is up to the marketeer to create, and craft a seamless synergy between the solutions they sell and the pressing business challenges that the market is trying to solve. Tech marketers must, therefore, possess a profound understanding of the current challenges and opportunities in the markets they serve.

Maintaining a strong commitment to learning and nurturing one’s curiosity is crucial in the fast-evolving tech industry. Staying current with the latest trends, tools, and strategies requires a proactive approach, and continuous self-development efforts.

To foster continuous learning and adaptability, it’s essential to thoroughly grasp your organisation’s solutions and value proposition. This involves immersing oneself in industry literature, attending webinars and conferences, and connecting with fellow tech professionals. These activities are crucial for staying up to date in our fast-paced world. Engaging in networking and collaborating with industry peers can lead to the exchange of innovative ideas, sharing practical knowledge, and valuable mentorship opportunities.

The tech community thrives on the spirit of sharing ideas, and active involvement in these interactions can greatly enhance personal and professional growth.

Skills in digital literacy & emerging technologies

To fully understand and leverage digital marketing skills, one needs to understand competencies such as Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Social Media Advertising, Content Marketing, and many other digital channels, techniques, and approaches.

Tech marketers must also adeptly analyse and interpret data since modern marketing decisions, including resource and budget allocation, rely heavily on data. Proficiency in analytics tools is also indispensable and leveraging emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation is no longer an exception but the norm.

Tech marketers must therefore understand the workings of these technologies, their potential to enhance marketing efficiency, and their revolutionary impact on campaign execution and optimisation, ultimately leading to superior outcomes and results.

听Aligning solutions with market needs through personalisation

Now, more than ever, customers in both Business-to-Customer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B) settings demand tailored messaging that aligns with their industry-specific needs.

To effectively promote their organisation’s solution, tech marketers must fully grasp the significance of personalised marketing and delivering exceptional customer experiences. This entails customising messages, comprehending the anticipated user experience, and selecting the most suitable engagement channels. Focusing on creating relevant content and storytelling enhances personalisation and message effectiveness.

In my field for example, cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) stands out as one of our primary solutions. Marketers have two choices when promoting it: they can highlight technical aspects and competitive advantages, such as ERP modules for accounting, financial management, project management, materials, and procurement, to position their ERP solution. However, a more effective approach focuses on the business value that ERP offers to companies. This includes enhancing efficiency and productivity, improving the customer experience and profitability, and reducing costs.

The key is to enhance your content creation and storytelling skills as a tech marketer. Crafting exceptional content and compelling storytelling is the foundation of effective marketing, fostering a strong connection between your solutions and your customers’ critical business challenges.

听A global mindset with local ethics, regulation & culture

听Marketers must prioritise three key pillars: business ethics, regulatory and compliance laws and global cultural awareness. These elements are essential for responsible and ethical marketing strategies, shaping how tech marketers engage with customers both inside and outside their organisations, on local, regional, and global scales.

Business ethics act as a moral compass, steering marketers towards responsible decision-making in our ever-more socially, environmentally, and governance-aware world. Consider, for example, the significance of privacy laws like GDPR in Europe and POPIA in South Africa; these regulations are vital for protecting sensitive customer data, ensuring legal compliance, as well as fostering and nurturing customer trust.

The focus on cultural sensitivity and awareness is important for global or cross-border campaigns. Ethical considerations, especially regarding data privacy and transparency, are now paramount in marketing. Consumers are growing more apprehensive about data usage, and overlooking these factors can severely impact tech marketers and their organisations.

In a diverse global marketplace, a strong sense of diverse cultural awareness is crucial for marketers. It enables us to adeptly navigate different cultural norms and tailor our strategies to engage effectively with diverse audiences.

Essential skills – communication, adaptability & risk-taking

听Tech marketing involves challenging the status quo and implementing novel approaches and strategies that disrupt the norm. So effective communication, the art of persuasion, willingness to venture into uncharted territories, and a knack for taking calculated risks while staying within the bounds of business rules and priorities are the cornerstones of a tech marketer’s toolkit. Importantly, experimentation and taking calculated risks fosters innovation and adaptability.

Communication skills are fundamental for building relationships, resolving conflicts, conveying ideas clearly, and facilitating collaboration. Marketing often involves collaboration with various departments and agencies, therefore staying adaptable and open to new ideas are valuable assets.

In conclusion, this is not an exhaustive list of qualities for successful tech marketers but rather my personal experiences and lessons that I have gathered from my journey. I firmly believe that honing and harnessing these skills can empower marketers to excel in the tech industry.

Dumisani Moyo | Marketing Director | 51风流Africa | dumisani.moyo@sap.com | @SAPAfrica |

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The aim is to bring a handpicked selection of purpose-driven social enterprises into the world鈥檚 largest procurement network, . By providing greater visibility of social enterprises, Procurement with Purpose encourages organisations to divert some of their spend toward social enterprises.

One such social enterprise is , a company that provides innovative solutions that enables anyone to grow their own food at home that was started by Claire Reid.

Reel Gardening provides patented seed tape that makes it easy for anyone to grow vegetables and herbs at home. Through its non-profit arm , the company further enables households to become responsible for their own food security by establishing local schools as community training and distribution nodes for the food they grow.

, Managing Director at 51风流Southern Africa, lauds the work of the social enterprises that form part of Procurement with Purpose, saying social impact requires more than just a clear sense of purpose. 鈥淚 have long held the belief that motivated, purpose-driven entrepreneurs can make a significant impact and drive change both in their work environment and the world at large. Thanks to the amazing work by Kaunain and Mathiba for bringing incredible social enterprises such as Reel Gardening into our Ariba procurement network, 51风流customers can now more easily purchase sustainable goods and services from social enterprises that are making a real, positive impact in the world.鈥�

鈥淲hen I was 16, I wanted to grow my own vegetables and sell them to my parents for extra pocket money,鈥� says Reid. 鈥淏ut keeping track of watering, fertiliser, how deep the seed is planted and make sure seeds are planted far enough apart turned out much harder than I thought. And even when seedlings did appear, I couldn鈥檛 tell which were weeds and which were potential food.鈥�

Reid wanted a simple way of giving seeds the optimal conditions for their early growth, and began to make seed strips with newspaper, encasing the seed in a paste made from flour and liquid fertiliser. The project was entered into an expo for young scientists, where it caught the eye of the then- Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry who noted the water-saving abilities of this new form of planting.

Following a series of tests at a local university, Reid discovered that Reel Gardening could save up to 80% of the water consumed during germination. Her patented technology won several awards, including the International Stockholm Junior Water Prize for South Africa and The United Nations Environmental SEED award.

鈥淲别 have distributed around 50 million seed tapes to date, giving households an easy way to grow tomatoes, herbs, chillies, spinach and more,鈥� says Reid. 鈥淥ur Household Garden in a Box also gives households and communities the opportunity to grow fresh produce in whatever space is available, with less need for water, time or expertise. We believe this creates an opportunity to contribute to breaking the systemic cycle of food poverty and insecurity in our communities.鈥�

Through a mobile app, Reel Gardening provides advice on what to do in the garden. WhatsApp is also used to communicate with the 41 000 households that use Reel Gardening鈥檚 seed tape kits to plant in townships across South Africa.

鈥淲别 want to create links between all of our gardens to enable the activation of a larger ecosystem,鈥� says Reid. 鈥淥ur ultimate goal is to aggregate surplus produce from thousands of households into our agri hubs for processing and sale into local and even international off-take agreements.鈥�

For more information about Reel Gardening, visit听

The post Award-winning Social Enterprise Plants Seeds of Hope appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

Traci Hughes, SAP鈥檚 Global Head of People Success Services and a female leader with an African-American background, opened with an authentic and moving keynote. She explained the difference between equality 鈥� each individual is given the same resources or opportunities 鈥� and equity, which recognizes that each person has different circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. Traci thanked the diverse audience for taking an interest in the topic, helping to build the bridges for those who are yet to come 鈥� like we are benefiting from those who succeeded before us. She also stated that if perfect equity had been reached, everyone would have a sense of belonging. 鈥淚f we see people that look like us in leadership positions, it will encourage others to follow. We must never underestimate how much power our presence has.鈥� She underlined the importance of listening and learning from each other, to overcome diversity-related perceptions through dialogue.

Genevieve Koolen, HR Director 51风流Africa and executive sponsor of BWN Africa, then moderated the inspiring panel discussion with a strong all female speaker line-up: Ruwayda Redfearn, CEO Deloitte Africa, as well as Monique Naidoo, Executive Procurement South Africa at BCX (an 51风流customer), and Kholiwe Makhohliso, the newly appointed MD for 51风流Southern Africa. In fact, Kholiwe was a speaker at last year鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Month panel, when she was still with her previous employer!

It was refreshing to listen to a new generation of strong, female leaders who know how to drive the business but also bring in qualities like empathy and kindness. 鈥淭he CEO does not have to be the loudest in the room,鈥� said Ruwayda and encouraged the audience to challenge traditional requirements for leaders. Diversity leads to better decisions and higher performance. 鈥淭hings are moving in the right direction, but slowly. We need a greater sense of urgency鈥�. She also remembered the role models of her youth 鈥� mothers, aunts, grandmothers who had powerful conversations whilst cooking and understood the importance of getting their kids into higher education.

Monique sees positive changes as well, like the existence of equity committees, policies, advocacy and mentorship. 鈥淲别 need more women having a seat at the table though, and it should be more than two women per table so that they uplift each other and don鈥檛 compete鈥�. 鈥淲omen are nurturers and drivers鈥� but also 鈥淚 have worked with great men鈥�. Her recipe for success is to strive for more, but in a sustainable way balancing different priorities like job and family, even if it means not to have the biggest house during certain life phases.

Sacrifice, tenacity, and resilience are required to pursue a career, according to Kholiwe, who also remembers strong women in her family showing her that 鈥渘othing is impossible鈥�. She encourages women to be curious and learn from others’ successes and failures. 鈥淟eadership requirements have changed 鈥� and women can drive change, not just look to the men to do it鈥�. Kholiwe called on us to 鈥渞aise your voice鈥� and stated that passion put into work needs to be recognized. Also, 鈥渨e need to put leaders up the stream that don鈥檛 look like the stereotype鈥�.

Moderator Genevieve鈥檚 last question was if there is a price to pay when women are investing in their careers. There was consensus amongst the panelists that time with kids and family suffers, and this causes 鈥渕ommy guilt鈥�, even if their kids never complained about it and became quite independent. A benefit is also that children experience that women can be in top positions, which might have a positive impact on their own lives. However, there is a need for a strong support system, ideally within the family. What often falls short is me-time or time for hobbies 鈥� like hiking and biking in Kholiwe鈥檚 case. One needs to be very intentional to make time for these things, on top of a demanding job. She says it is important to understand that there are no superwomen or superhumans, we can only keep asking ourselves: 鈥渨hat is the best I can do today?鈥�.

The session ended with a question from the audience, on how to approach a career once a goal has been defined. Ruwayda gave some clear and practical tips, based on her own experience: Become aware of which role you want, ask for support to get there, find mentors and allies to learn from, get involved and take on the complex clients and difficult tasks, take responsibility for your own career and challenge the norm.

The key take-away of the session is, that it will be more attractive for women to pursue a career in tech, if we continue to break traditional patterns of leadership traits. Promoting qualities like empathy and kindness will also lead to higher performance and better employee satisfaction.

The event also featured video messages from Manos Raptopoulos, 51风流Regional President EMEA South, and Tjaart Malan, Cloud Success Services Director Africa and BWN Executive Sponsor鈥�, who sent greetings from his birthday vacation. Both promoted male allyship and underlined the importance of driving equity in the workplace which benefits all 鈥� women and men.

After this successful event, the Women鈥檚 Month program of BWN Africa will continue with three #IamRemarkable workshops where employees can learn about personal branding based on facts.

The post BWN Africa Flagship Event: Equality vs. Equity 鈥� How Do We Create Fair Opportunities in the Workplace? appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

Celebrated 12 August, International Youth Day is an annual observance designated by the United Nations (UN) to celebrate and recognize young people worldwide. In addition, it also serves as a platform to raise awareness about the challenges faced by the youth population.

In the context of the world’s current climate crisis, this year’s theme, “Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World,” highlights the significance of transitioning towards a greener society. The catastrophic impacts of climate change disproportionately affect young people, who will bear the brunt of the environmental challenges left by previous generations.

According to the UN, 1.8 billion people are currently between the ages of 10-24, the largest youth generation to date. Soon, their voices will take center stage鈥攏o longer those who currently occupy public offices and Fortune 500 boardrooms. As the global temperature has already risen 1.1潞C above the pre-industrial level鈥攖he urgency highlighted by the is clear; it is imperative for global citizens to take action to safeguard the planet and the generation that will inherit it.

The Spotify playlist below features five songs that serve to inspire different generations to work 鈥淏etter Together鈥� 鈥� as Jack Johnson aptly puts it. With only seven years left until 2030, the to create a world without poverty, a just and peaceful society, and a planet that can sustain us, needs the soundtrack of a lifetime.

1. Anti-hero 鈥� Taylor Swift: 鈥淚t鈥檚 me, hi, I鈥檓 the problem, it鈥檚 me.鈥� While Taylor probably wasn鈥檛 writing about rising sea levels or single use plastics when she wrote this 2022 classic, these lyrics hit home. The only way to create sustainable development solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing issues is to admit that we are all part of the problem and actively try and be a part of the solution.
2. 听Ice, Ice Baby 鈥� Vanilla Ice: While the song title may be deceiving, this track hasn鈥檛 been included to highlight the crisis of melting glaciers. This one-hit-wonder with hundreds of millions of streams worldwide has a very memorable opening line that bears repeating, 鈥淪top, collaborate, and listen.鈥� The best ideas do not always come from those with years of wisdom. Or, as James Okina, a young social entrepreneur and strategic 51风流corporate social responsibility consultant says, 鈥淚f you can collaborate with the 鈥榥ext generation of young leaders鈥�, consider yourself fortunate. They will inspire you with fresh ideas.鈥�
3. Something About You 鈥� Roosevelt: 鈥淲别 all need to be brave, optimistic, and excited to try new things together. As DJ Roosevelt points out, there is something [incredible] about you鈥攕hare it,鈥� shares Natalie Gahre, an 51风流sustainability product team member. Individuals who hope to share their unique expertise are invited to join a panel of professionals from Unilever, EY, Reckitt, and 51风流on the , powered by MovingWorlds. This virtual pro bono consulting platform connects experienced professionals everywhere with young social innovators to expedite world-changing solutions.
4. Youth 鈥� Glass Animals: When it comes to encouraging business leaders to think about the future of their companies, Jess Teutonico, Executive Director of We Are Family Foundation has some sound advice. 鈥淐enter intergenerational collaboration into everything you do.听Engage young people to be a part of your organizations鈥� decision-making tables. This generation has the creativity, ingenuity,听and tenacity听to move our planet forward more equitably and sustainably. Why are we waiting for them to 鈥榞row up鈥� when they have already proven they are solving our problems now?鈥� Inviting young leaders to global events has the power to bring the right energy and connections together that can ultimately result in advancing solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing issues. We Are Family Foundation is launching new research on the power of intergenerational leadership and they need assistance to support their efforts. Click to receive the survey when it launches on September 8.
5. Jerusalema 鈥� Master KG ftg. Nomcebo Zikode: After composing the hook for this track, Master KG encouraged Zikode that she had the talent to write the lyrics for this track in a single night, even though she may not have believed it herself. They met their deadline and in 2020, Jerusalema became one of the most songs in the world. This song serves as a reminder to have faith鈥攖rust one鈥檚 instincts and know that sometimes鈥攊t just takes two. Someone with a different perspective can have a profound impact on the outcome of a project (or a song).

According to Ferry’s Future of Work Findings, we can expect to see an estimated total talent deficit of workers in 2030, resulting in in unrealized revenue globally. In 2021 alone, Africa experienced more than 140 million unemployed youth between 15 鈥� 35 years of age. Besides education, there is an overwhelming need to shift youths’ efforts from seeking conventional employment to creating opportunities for themselves via entrepreneurship.

鈥淗elp the World Run Better” is part of SAP鈥檚 DNA and the primary driver of what it does as a company. It is evident that the lack of basic education affects the acquisition of future skills. It limits the capability to find gainful employment or to come up with innovative business ideas. For instance, by empowering and supporting youth on International Youth Day and beyond, individuals and organizations can harness their energy, passion, and determination to create a more resilient and sustainable world.

The post Empowering Anthems: A Playlist for International Youth Day appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

Nine faces. Frozen on the monitor.

Obed, Ashish, Priya, Fadilatou (Fadila), Rodrigue, Suzanne, Marcia, Aissata, and Lothar.

Was this the sixth time the call froze? No. The seventh!

This is just a planning meeting, thought Priya Wenzel, Vice President, Global Head Partner Ecosystem Success, Digital Supply Chain at SAP. What will we do when the internship starts in full?

***

Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in West Africa, surrounded by Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, and Ghana, was a French protectorate until its independence in 1960, followed by decades of miliary coups. It was largely out of the headlines until 2022, when it saw not one but two military upheavals, the second of which made a soldier chief of state.

鈥淚 was in Munich waiting for our dean to arrive from Africa,鈥� said Suzanne Pertl, founder and president of the听听(BIT). 鈥淗e was on the way to the airport from Koudougou, which is where our university is located, when he heard about the putsch.鈥�

The capital, where the coup occurred, is 90 minutes from the university.

鈥淚 met Suzanne at a conference or think tank in Germany a number of years ago,鈥� said Luka Mucic, former chief financial officer at SAP. 鈥淪he told me about this wonderful institute she was building and asked my advice.鈥�

Mucic liked what he saw and urged 51风流to invest, specifically in the institute鈥檚 IT Tower, which became the centerpiece of a campus designed by Di茅b茅do Francis K茅r茅, a Burkinab茅-German architect and the first African to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize, considered the architecture world鈥檚 most prestigious honor.

***

鈥淚 wanted to bring students from Africa to Silicon Valley,鈥� said SAP鈥檚 Wenzel. As a native South African of modest background, she knew about the scarcity of opportunity. 鈥淚 was fortunate to have a father who said, 鈥榊ou can do anything.鈥� I dreamt big and came to the U.S. with $100, and a scholarship to attend university. I want to help interns dream big, too.鈥�

Looking for opportunities to 鈥減ay it forward鈥� and support students in Africa, Wenzel contacted the SAP听听program, which connected her with Pertl, who was looking for internship opportunities for BIT students.

COVID-19 had other ideas. With restrictions on travel, Wenzel and Pertl pivoted from an in-person internship to a virtual one, ever conscious of the challenges they鈥檇 face building a virtual program with BIT鈥檚 students in Burkina Faso, where basic infrastructure 鈥� consistent power, reliable internet 鈥� was not assured.

***

Ashish Pujari, former 51风流Vice President Strategic Customer Initiatives & Ecosystems Industry 4.0 who volunteered with the program, said, 鈥淚 knew a little about Burkina Faso and how it is still a developing nation, so my expectation was that I鈥檇 be talking to a student who knew little about innovation and Industry 4.0 鈥� my areas of expertise. It turned out very differently. Obed was brilliant.鈥�

Obed Gueswende, excited to be accepted into the program, was apprehensive, too. 鈥淚t was, let鈥檚 say, a little bit scary, because 51风流is so big,鈥� said Gueswende. 鈥淎nd the telecommunication infrastructure is not advanced in my country. We had connection issues and sometimes meetings were cut short or cancelled.鈥�

Gueswende had a deep understanding of the West Africa region, their appetite for innovation, and the key industries.

鈥淒espite cultural differences, Obed embraced the 51风流environment and learned through design thinking workshops and real-work training,鈥� said Pujari. 鈥淗e is a keen observer and a proactive learner.鈥�

***

The program Wenzel envisioned focused on the lofty goal of entrepreneurship. But first they had to keep the connection live.

鈥淐onnectivity and hardware issues were a surprise,鈥� she said. 鈥淲别 take for granted how easy it is to work daily with people in so many different countries. Despite facing connectivity, issues that are common to West Africa, the drive and determination of these student interns inspired us.鈥�

Fadilatou Koumbo Diallo, another BIT student in the program, delivered exceptional results.

鈥淎 typical day started at 8am with a 30-minute call with my supervisor,鈥� said Fadila. 鈥淲别 would review the work I did the previous day and discuss the new schedule. I participated in two other daily calls where I contributed to discussions and provided updates. My workday usually ended at 6pm.鈥�

After Wenzel reviewed Fadila鈥檚 work, the two discussed potential applications in Burkina Faso. Fadila created a partner ecosystem 鈥渉eat鈥� map of Africa to illustrate the locations of 51风流partners and customers to identify untapped areas of opportunity, including in Burkina Faso.

Meanwhile, the political upheaval in Burkina Faso, after the initial shock, settled into a distant but ongoing murmur, far from the BIT campus.

***

鈥淚 am eager to continue learning about Industry 4.0. I believe it holds tremendous potential for Africa. Using knowledge gained during my internship, I hope to assist companies in my country and beyond to adopt ERP systems, drive digital transformation, and achieve resilience even in challenging times.鈥�
鈥� Obed Gueswende

鈥淚t was an amazing experience to delve into the complexities and understand how it all functions. And having women in leadership roles as my managers gave me the courage to keep pushing forward and achieving my goals. Their support and guidance were invaluable.鈥�
鈥� Fadila Koumbo Diallo

鈥淭he challenges we faced were significant, but we persevered and provided students with experiences and skills to be more marketable. But it鈥檚 not just about technical expertise. We wanted to inspire them. We鈥檙e shaping the next generation of change-makers in Africa and the world.鈥�
鈥� Priya Wenzel

***

Fast Facts: 51风流Digital Internship Program with BIT

• Launched September 2022
• 6 students in initial cohort
• Sample projects:
  • Partner ecosystem coverage in Africa
  • Industry 4.0
  • Supply chain risk management

This blog first appeared here:

The post 51风流Shapes Burkina Faso Interns to be Change Makers appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

Following on听of this article, part two explores the leadership lessons that can be learnt through reverse mentorship.

Top tips to integrate the Suits and the Sneakers

There could initially be some resistance from older leaders to collaborate with younger employees, so it鈥檚 worth noting that there are a number of things that millennial leaders can teach their senior counterparts.

Wayne Meisel, business manager at听51风流Africa, said, 鈥淭he classic picture of the CEO as a grey, suit-and-tie wearing executive has been replaced by a dynamic sneakers-and-jeans sporting young leader with a more casual approach to office attire,鈥� he says.

鈥淭hese Suits most definitely have the experience and the business maturity on their side, however, the so-called Sneakers – the younger, less traditional, more purpose-driven and digitally-native – are teaching the older Suits new ways of work and rewriting classic notions of success in the process,鈥� he added.

Wayne had some advice for marrying experience and business maturity (the Suits) with the more purpose driven and digitally native (the Sneakers).

Less bullet points, more stories

鈥淩emember that great slide the CEO showed that perfectly summed up the company strategy in a few bullet points? No one does. Modern leaders know that to inspire and motivate their teams, they need to communicate their strategy in a memorable way with a strong focus on storytelling,鈥� said Wayne.

Create compelling and inspirational stories that can keep a team motivated, 鈥淯se fun elements to make it more memorable. Younger workers expect more than just working for a salary: they want to have fun doing it too,鈥� he explained.

Make purpose your power

Purpose has become a lot more of a driver for an employee鈥檚 personal and professional buy-in.

Leaders therefore need to focus on purpose to inspire younger leaders. 鈥淭hey know that speaking about buying a new tool is not exciting or motivating: instead, they speak about the potential of how that tool can change the world. Companies with a clear purpose also find it easier to attract talented candidates who align with that purpose,鈥� he explained.

Vary viewpoints

Successful modern leaders should prioritise building diverse teams and cultivating a culture that celebrates diversity. 鈥淵ounger workers understand the value of listening to, considering and taking on board a diversity of views from a broad spectrum of different personality types and backgrounds,鈥� he said.

Be relatable

Being accessible and engaging goes a long way. 鈥淵ounger workers are shaping the companies of tomorrow by exploring new ideas and trying new solutions to old and emerging challenges. To inspire this new generation of professionals shaping the business world, leaders need to use language and examples that are relatable,鈥� Wayne said.

Companies can also close the generation gap by getting Gen Z or Millennial input at board meetings or sessions at an executive level and communicate leadership decisions in a relatable way.

Organisations that build diverse teams foster growth opportunities for Suits and Sneakers alike.

鈥淭here is no doubt that this younger generation of purposeful and passionate leaders brings value to the workplace. Do they have all the answers? Absolutely not. Some of the most effective business strategies are still driven by the Suits who possess the gift of experience,鈥� he said.

The post The Genius of the Generation Gap appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

As Pride Month is here, you may notice a newer addition to the rainbow flag being raised in front of offices and public buildings around the world. The Progress Pride Flag was created in 2018 by Daniel Quasar to better represent marginalized members of the LGBTQ+ community.

At 51风流buildings in Germany, we also hoist the Progress Pride Flag during Pride Month. This serves as a symbol of support and solidarity for marginalized members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as a reminder that the fight for LGBTQ+ rights is ongoing.

Cawa Younosi says:

鈥淭he Progress-Pride flag adds 5 colors to the original rainbow flag: black and brown represent queer people of color. The colors white, light blue and pink visualize the transgender community. Thus, the flag expands the symbolic relevance of the previous rainbow flag and stands for even more inclusion, which is why we housed it on the occasion of Pride Month on June 5, 2023, in Walldorf.鈥�

For 51风流it is important to show that the LGBTQ+ community is progressing and adopting to development within the community.

While Germany has made significant strides in LGBTQ+ rights, including legalizing same-sex marriage in 2017 and civil status law amendment by allowing intersex people to choosing 鈥渄iverse鈥� rather than 鈥渕ale鈥� or 鈥渇emale鈥� in 2018, discrimination, violence, and harassment towards the community still persist. By hoisting the Progress Pride Flag, companies and organizations in Germany show their commitment to fighting for equality and justice. It’s a powerful statement that demonstrates the importance of continuing the fight for LGBTQ+ rights.

The post Raising the Progress Pride Flag appeared first on 51风流Africa News Center.

How could you describe your career path in few words?

I would describe it as both a pilgrimage and a long term investment. The pilgrimage speaks to the journey of my career 鈥� it has taken place over several decades and always traveling to reach a purpose 鈥� the next thing to learn, or the next exciting role, the next challenge 鈥� interwoven with family life and personal development. It has been an exciting and rewarding career. The long term investment speaks to the fact that it required me putting in a great deal of effort, time, growing my skills, often making sacrifices 鈥� this was the investment! I started out as an application developer in the insurance industry, and have been fortunate to work for several of the world鈥檚 leading ICT companies in various capacities. These have included sales, HR, business development and, more recently, as Managing Director for Cisco Africa and 51风流Africa. I truly believe that the skills I learnt in those very early days as a programmer 鈥� solving problems, listening, collaborating 鈥� have helped me navigate through my career.

What was your most challenging experience and it has changed your mindset?

I have had many challenging experiences during the course of my career. Some challenges re-enforced my mindset, but more often than not, I had to step back, recalibrate and change the way I think about situations. In almost all cases, the challenges have related to people dynamics. People are complex and there is not one single way to manage engagement that is effective with everyone鈥檚 mindset, personality traits or communication style. 鈥疘n my leadership roles, I have learnt that building the skills to engage with people, whether employees, customers, partners or other stakeholders, is pivotal to ones鈥� own success and to the success of the business. It is through people engagement that I have experienced my greatest sadness and greatest joy.

When you get surprised by unusual or uncertain context, what do you think?

After the initial shock, I think 鈥痶o myself 鈥淏reathe!鈥�. And after that pause, I become very curious and look at the situation with interest and wonder. I ask myself questions, and then I seek to find the answers and understand the context, then look for the opportunity. I believe it is key to dealing with uncertainty and surprises, especially in our world鈥痶oday.

Based on your experience, what鈥檚 the key success factor for a female leader / manager?

In my experience, it has been to positively leverage who I am and my unique traits, many of them being feminine traits like empathy, creativity and collaboration. More importantly, to recognise that whilst I am female, I lead many human beings. They all have their differences, strengths, weaknesses, uniqueness 鈥� keeping this at the fore in my leadership style has been key to me being able to do my job effectively. I know that our collective differences make us stronger, so being respectful of what everyone brings to the business is important. 鈥疘鈥檓 always aware that while I am a woman in a senior leadership position within the tech industry, in leadership we all carry huge responsibilities regardless of our demographics. This means that working hard, staying relevant, keeping connected and delivering strong results, cannot be underestimated for any leader.

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The aim is to bring a handpicked selection of purpose-driven social enterprises into the world’s largest procurement network, Ariba. By providing greater visibility of social enterprises, Procurement with Purpose encourages organisations to divert some of their spend toward social enterprises.

One such social enterprise is Collectively Conscious, a corporate conscious gifting business that was founded by Kath van den Berg and Kylie Chevallier out of a passion to help drive sustainability within society.

“We chose corporate gifting in line with the broader trend toward conscious gifting, which focuses on taking time to consider gifts for people instead of simply giving anything for the sake of it,” says Kath van den Berg. “It’s about acting consciously to provide an ethical, sustainable gift that is aligned with the values of our clients.”

After an extensive process of researching and networking with people in the field, van den Berg and business partner Chevallier saw an opportunity in conscious gifting, especially within a corporate environment where making a difference is a key differentiator.

“We consider products that are making a positive social or environmental impact,” explains van den Berg. “Products can be made with reclaimed or recycled materials, reused goods, or products that provide some form of social upliftment, empowerment or upskilling within communities. There are a lot of ways to make a positive impact.”

A stringent process is applied to potential new suppliers to better understand their business and the impact they make before Collectively Conscious adds them to their supplier list. “Each supplier must adhere to our values,” says van den Berg. “Luckily, there are so many local suppliers that make beautiful products while also creating positive impact.”

The products that van den Berg and Chevallier offer provide corporates with an opportunity to make a positive difference with every gift they give. 鈥淲别 all need to start thinking and acting more sustainably for the benefit of the planet and future generations,鈥� says van den Berg. 鈥淏y offering a curated gifting solution that captures the sustainability values of corporates across the country, we can make a positive environmental and social impact with every gift.鈥�

Cathy Smith, Managing Director at 51风流Africa, lauds the work of the social enterprises that form part of Procurement with Purpose, saying social impact requires more than just a clear sense of purpose. “I have long held the belief that motivated, purpose-driven entrepreneurs can make a significant impact and drive change both in their work environment and the world at large. Thanks to the amazing work by Kaunain and Mathiba for bringing incredible social enterprises such as Collectively Conscious into our Ariba procurement network, 51风流customers can now more easily purchase sustainable goods and services from social enterprises that are making a real, positive impact in the world.”

For more information about Collectively Conscious, please visit

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