Ubuntu: The inspiration behind our approach
our Story
I grew up in Australia, with its rich red soil, rainforests, waterfalls, early morning frosts, and late afternoon thunderstorms. It’s a stark contrast to the shiny skyscrapers of Hong Kong and Sydney, where I built the foundations for a successful career in Human Resources for recognized multinational firms such as The Trade Desk, Bloomberg, and CommBank.
With post-graduate qualifications in Psychology and Business and over 20 years in senior-level HR roles for corporate and start-up environments, I bring a deep understanding of the expectations and challenges that leaders face, and how to support people through organizational change. I have international experience in a range of markets; personal experience navigating corporate landscapes; and first-hand experience managing career and cultural transitions, having moved countries several times for work, myself.
The turning point
But the real turning point for me happened when I was sent on a two-year assignment to South Africa as the Chief Human Resources Officer at TymeCapital. It was in this very different world, away from the day-to-day, that my life’s purpose became clear. Trading my heels for jeans, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work helping a fintech start-up focusing on financial inclusion and black economic empowerment.
Ubuntu is a Zulu phrase meaning “I am because you are”. So much of who we are in the world is who we are in relation to others.
In Johannesburg, we built an HR team from the ground up, rapidly scaling, and hiring 200 professionals and 500 frontline workers, many of whom were previously unemployed youth and in poverty. During this period, I also volunteered with the youth employment accelerator Harambee, funded by the Johannesburg City Council and social investors such as the Mastercard Foundation, dedicated to readying young people for work, and building their confidence so they can reach their potential.
Until then, I had developed all the credentials I needed to succeed in my industry, and I was successful. My experience in Africa opened my eyes to what it means to use my unique skills and experience to make a tangible difference for others. Finding fulfillment by making a positive impact for others, while building a digital bank, brought a whole new level of meaning to my career.
Finding your spark
After becoming qualified with IECL (Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership) in Hong Kong, I launched Clarity Coaching Lab to help individuals like me find that clarity and spark in their own lives and careers, so they can grow into conscious leaders and put their talent and potential to the best possible use.
My creative upbringing and experience in innovative tech firms enable me to think laterally and explore possibilities, using design thinking, experimentation, and other innovative approaches to enhance the coaching process. Nature will always be another inspiration. Balancing wellness with meeting our professional goals and aspirations is an important part of our holistic approach at the “Lab”.
My purpose is to guide as many people as possible to find clarity, balance, and meaning so they can fully develop their innate skills and potential, and make a positive impact in their life and work. Like Ubuntu and rich red soil, it’s in my DNA.