"I can categorically state that I hate marketing and networking. I am not good at it. I don't like it." I used to say these words all the time. I am not quite that categoric these days thankfully. I first started to notice a shift in my approach to marketing after a conversation with a friend. I had said something on Facebook about being surprised at how much I enjoyed an evening of networking - and I really was surprised because I really had found myself chatting eas

I keep hearing people complaining that they don't have time for themselves, they don't have the money to spend on themselves, they can't do this and they shouldn't do that. But that internal rhetoric is not helpful - I know because it has been a big part of my internal dialogue in the past. I know what it looks like from my perspective. But there is power in looking at this from other people's perspectives. What do your bosses, prospective bosses, colleagues, clients, men

Last year sometime after attending a Women in Mining event intended to connect mentees with mentors, I wrote a blog about how surprised I was at the lack of follow up from prospective mentees after the event. The blog was titled "Everyone needs a mentor - here are 5 reasons why". I knew at the time that the mentee-mentor relationship is filled with complexity. But what really opened my eyes, was an e-mail exchange with a young woman, Eva Masemola, who took the time to c

No one likes giving negative feedback. I hate giving it, and I struggle to receive it. I don't think I am different from many of you on that score. If you are struggling to have candid conversations with those around you, as a manager or leader, as a parent, a friend, a client or as an employee, it might be worth asking yourself two questions: What am I intending to achieve with my approach to this conversation? How will my approach contribute to strengthening this relati

Success for me is about persevering when things get difficult, course correcting and finding workarounds when things block your way, and being resilient to failure. More importantly, success for me is about connecting with others, making a positive contribution towards the development of young leaders, and having conversations that raise curiosity, reframe perspective and help young professionals have lives and careers that are intentional and purposeful.