Women Mean Business

Based on the feedback from our readers, our March 2018 edition main story was on ‘Women in corporate and business leadership.The story continues in our current issue as well as the forthcoming one (May 2018 edition). We have been motivated to feature more women in corporate and business leadership by the positive feedback received from many readers of our print and online editions. They are eager to pick lessons from women who have succeeded in entrepreneurship and corporate leadership. This is for good reasons.

Gone are days when women took back seats in leadership because of cultural and economic barriers. It is true that today, women mean business and they are giving men a run for their money in so far as leadership is concerned. It is indeed gratifying to note that all the women we have featured in our series on corporate and business leadership have earned their coveted positions through merit.

The first major step they have taken in their illustrious careers is to study extremely hard. It is an open secret that succeeding in education requires a lot of sacrifice in respect to time and money. Many bright students fail to excel in education because of playing truant among other cases of indiscipline. Others simply refuse to put effort in their studies erroneously hoping that success will rain on them like manna from heaven. Not so for the heroines we have featured. Realizing that time is an asset that we must leverage on as we embark on our journey to success; they took their education (from very early stages) with the seriousness that it deserved. They can now look back and celebrate their hard earned victory.

Another critical lesson that we can pick from these stories is that one should not throw in the towel when the going gets tough. Life as it were is characterized by ups and downs. Indeed, failure is a good opportunity for one to learn as he or she soldiers on in life. By the same token, those who wish to excel in their respective careers must shun lone ranger tactics like the proverbial plague. The buzzword in this respect should be (and must be) team work. Putting up great teams leads to great achievements.

As Zig Zigler, renowned salesman, author and motivational speaker famously said: “You can have everything you want in life, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” Easier said than done? That depends on whether one wants to excel in leadership or to be condemned forever to the backwater of mediocrity. Over to you dear readers as you go through the second part of our: ‘Women in corporate and business leadership’ story. george.gichuki@biasharaleo.co.ke