Of Valentine's Day and finding my seat at the table of titans
I picked many leadership lessons during my Valentine's date with the maverick queens of Kenya's corporate world.
What you need to know:
- Over Valentine's Day breakfast, I found myself seated among Kenya's most formidable female executives at an exclusive event organised by the Women on Boards Network.
- The gathering transformed into a masterclass where Eva Muraya's L.O.V.E framework illuminated the path to building credible personal brands.
- Beyond the chocolate hampers and networking, this extraordinary morning gifted me with profound insights from corporate titans.
On Valentine’s Day, I sat on a table with Caren Wakoli, Founder, Emerging Leaders Foundation; Catherine Musakali, Co-Founder, Women on Boards Network; and Pamella Sittoni, a media leader par excellence. My table was also graced by Patricia Ithau, the Chief Executive Officer of WPP-Scangroup, who was in the company of her organisation’s Chief Finance Officer, Miriam Kaggwa.
Littered across the delicately decorated outdoor seating area at the Sarova Panafric were seasoned women executives from different industries. Everything from how they walked, talked and laughed portrayed the mountains they had surmounted in their professional and personal journeys.
A ticket to this event was my Valentine’s present from Catherine Musakali. Her Happy New Year message came in a little late, but with many redeemable qualities.
“Happy New Year dear one. Are you joining us on the 14th? Please be my guest.”
The beauty about having people like Catherine in your life is that when they ask if you can join them, it is not difficult to say yes even without knowing the details.
And that is how I got my invitation to listen to Eva Muraya bare her heart to an audience of inspired and inspiring women on the theme: “The thriving Brand Image: Rewriting the narrative of self-worth” at a Valentine’s Day breakfast organised by the Women on Boards Network.
I was particularly interested in the word ‘thriving’ because in my short presence in the corporate scene, one of the things I have noticed is that having a personal brand that is tied to a particular role can be a moving target. I couldn’t wait for the speaker to unpack that.
When I took my seat next to Caren, she asked me, “What is your expectation of the session today?” I mumbled something, but now I wish I had told her that, “I am looking forward to learning about how women, as they ascend the corporate ladder, maintain fidelity to their core brands, that is, their values and value systems.”
I was meeting Patricia Ithau for the first time and something in me said ‘she is very real’, a ‘feeling’ I soon confirmed when we started engaging in discussions. My table’s assignment was to explore personal branding in leadership, including how to ensure your brand reflects your values.
We were also in the midst of a firebrand session moderator – Zuhura Ogada whose energy, ability to draw in everybody and most importantly, hold space for younger women, is something I will treasure for the rest of my life. She was affirming, she corrected wrong assumptions on the spot and shared from a truly authentic place.
Until Eva Muraya took the stage, I did not realise that even though I have read some popular BSD Group’s research, and seen her face on the pages of newspapers, nothing could have prepared me for her essence! She lit us off with a dance to Sinach’s Chosen Generation. This opening set the tone for her presentation which seamlessly connected the role of faith with our understanding of self-worth.
I would gladly give a blow by blow account of my Valentine’s breakfast, but I have a word count to stick to. So, I will summarise from here.
To build a thriving brand image, you need to have credibility for the services you give, your skillset and what you stand for. This is the only way you will attract the right circles. An important reminder though was that this is not a static thing. As we grow through life, through different experiences, and roles, and as we acquire more education, we get into deeper layers of what credibility means. The evolution of your brand does not mean your values or your brand has changed. In fact, it would be tragic if someone traced your leadership journey through the years and nothing has changed! In Eva’s words, “Consistency earns us trust. Credibility makes us bankable.”
Since February 14, is widely considered the day of love, Eva gave us an L.O.V.E framework as a lens for clarity even as we build enduring brand identities. The ‘L’ was for letting go. We have to declutter from any past pains and baggage. The ‘O’ is for overcoming barriers. This calls for an open mind – one that refuses to be held back by barriers, whether external or internal. The ‘V’ is for valuing the lessons we get along the way, whether from dizzying successes or depressing failures. Think about it as a rest for refreshments. The ‘E’ is for employing a new game plan – that is based on the lessons. What should you do differently? What additional skills do you need? What tools are missing in your kit? And so on.
I had a completely refreshing Valentine’s Day! Of course we received chocolate hampers to crown the breakfast, and I took many pictures with bright-eyes and an optimistic face. As the years shall come and go, I hope the memories of that day shall serve as reminders of the powerful shoulders that I am privileged to stand upon.
The writer is the Research & Impact Editor, NMG, [email protected]