A personal challenge I set for myself this year was to be out and stay out of my comfort zone and joining the Class of 2024 meant exactly that.
Walking into a classroom filled with raw talent and enthusiastic young individuals, ready and eager to become a better version of ourselves can be quiet daunting, but from the first class we quickly learnt that this would be a journey of growth, learning and teamwork.
Our first session kicked off with a session about personal branding, where we get to understand that a personal brand is your promise to the marketplace and the world. Since everyone makes a promise to the world, one does not have a choice of having or not having a personal brand. Everyone has one.” “There’s power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, and in using your authentic voice.
We also learnt about personal styles, business etiquette and leadership and in the wise words of Jack Welch “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”
One of the best ways to groom future leaders is to give them opportunities to take on new and challenging responsibilities that stretch their skills and potential. Which is everything I hope me and my group #teamSimunye takes from this class.
Our second classroom session we learnt about Change management, Conflict management emotional intelligence and assertiveness our amazing facilitators have shown us that people are mirrors, they reflect our inner thoughts, beliefs, and feelings back to us and the way people react to us and the situations we encounter are often a reflection of our internal state which can be practiced in both our work and personal lives.
Article Written by Khensani Mathebula | Class of 2024
