Being an inspiration to your team is a consequence of focussing both on corporate and individual purpose. In one of the first strategy sessions Kumba Iron Ore CFO Bothwell Mazarura had with his finance team when he first joined Kumba, they spent a whole morning discussing purpose and why they do the things that they do.
‘It took them by surprise because as accountants we want to get down to the nitty gritty and talk about things like cost-management,’ Bothwell recalls. ‘But for me it is an important conversation because once we are aligned in our reason for being, we can then move on to discuss what that means in terms of the work we need to do to achieve our goals.’
Bothwell also tries to engage with the team to understand what is going on in their lives beyond work.
Furthermore, he seeks to co-create rather than dictate because he believes in giving them the opportunity ‘to do what we pay them to do which is to bring their thoughts to the table. I also try to keep things light-hearted and laid back. I trust my team to do what they are expected to do and I rarely get upset.
‘This is perhaps linked to the fact that I enjoy what I do and truly believe that I am living out my purpose. I would advise young people to try and determine what they are passionate about early on and use that as a driving force for their careers. That is a lot more powerful than blindly pursuing a high-paying job and driving a nice car.’
Bothwell also advises young professionals to remain consistent and be patient.
‘When I was young, I was extremely impatient, particularly about how quickly I was getting promoted. When I was looked over for an opportunity, I was not willing to wait six months to progress to the next level. At the time, six months felt like an eternity but in hindsight, it really wasn’t! You can end up making the wrong decision simply because you are not patient enough for what is actually the right thing for you.’
Bothwell passes on such lessons to mentees as part of the group’s global reciprocal mentorship programme which is a two-way initiative with colleagues from across the Anglo-American work force. He is currently working with two individuals, one from Brazil and the other from Chile. ‘It is quite enjoyable because we learn from each other,’ he says.
This article is an extract from the Masters of Money book by KC Rottok Chesaina (JONATHAN BALL PUBLISHERS)
