Every move comes with extensive knowledge, so don’t be afraid of change

One day Ethel Nyembe decided to do a complete 360 degree career turn, and wrapped up an eleven-year media career as the Deputy General Manager for Sales and Marketing for Sunday times in 2004. It was then that she was introduced to a career in banking, where she began a six year tenure at First National Bank. “I think my key motivation has been learning new skills and being driven by new knowledge, the ability to embrace change and have the willingness to transition especially being part of a generation that saw the end of apartheid, and now the global pandemic. I was exposed to learning new skills and had an open mind to learning from customers and bankers at large. I was also able to infuse my existing knowledge with this new knowledge and this helped me to cope with the different demands I had in banking. It also allowed me to bring to the industry what I had learnt in other fields outside of banking,” she says. Her dynamic background largely   contributed to the phenomenal woman she is today.

I would say I was fortunate to have a happy childhood surrounded by family and a number of cousins from both sides of the family! I’m anchored by the servant leadership from my grandparents and parents whose careers ranged from working at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital to priesthood, teaching and domestic help,” she explains. Growing up we’re constantly asked about what we want to be when we grow up, it all feels very one dimension centered and we go through our young lives focused on ending up in that field we desired for as long as we can remember. Very few people have half the courage Nyembe had to leap from one industry to another. “I guess for every role that one has been exposed to in their career, one sometimes does not appreciate or even realise the learning and mastering of different skills. In banking the ability to communicate effectively came in as a bonus, the opportunity to deal with customers became relevant and the fundamentals of doing business continued to be enhanced. And most importantly, the exposure to servant  leadership from my family has allowed me  to relate to a variety of individuals whether  it was in media, public relations or banking. I learnt so much from leaning in with the  people around me. They were as keen to  make me a good banker,” she says.  Nyembe’s career has had several highlights and she acknowledges all of  them because she feels every stage was  necessary to land her where she is today. “I  don’t think there is any one opportunity. I  think every role that I have had the  blessing of fulfilling, has given me  immense highlights. And it is with each  and every highlight, that I have been able  to reflect upon, mentor others and find  amazing growth,” she explains. There has been a predominant rivalry  between legacy banks and new entrant  banks. To stay ahead of their competition,  Standard Bank recently announced that  they want to pivotto become a platform  banking service. This added to the many  years of banking knowledge will allow  them to better serve their customers,  whether it be consumer or business. “This first stage of our pivot sets us into  the future. In addition, the competition  within our country and globally just simply  means that with the right skills and the 150  years that Standard Bank has had serving  customers, we can only embrace  partnerships, embrace the changing  customer journeys, embrace the changing  landscape of business and continue to  thrive, ”she says. Her daily responsibilities at Standard  Bank include but are not limited to. ” working with different squads to solve  customer needs, she works with a number  of colleagues and customers. Women face  countless setbacks because of the  undeniable gender inequality in corporate.  Nyembe has been married for 23 years and  has two children. Juggling a successful  career and family has been one of her greatest blessings. “I am blessed to be married to my  husband who is absolutely supportive. I  have also been blessed to have women around me, who, like Kamala Harris  believed that if they were the first, they  were equally not the last. And so, to  change the dynamics of women in the  workplace, I also believe that if I am the  first to perform a role, I am certainly not  going to be the last. Therefore, I am a part  of the ecosystem geared to ensuring that  women are exposed to skills to be learnt,  and collectively ensure that we change the  dynamic for women as key participants  and leaders in the workplace. I believe that having a great supportive  system at home really helps and it enables  me to show up at work and be the best  mom and wife that I can possibly be. As  the lockdown set in, the work from home  reality brought support and family to the  fore. As women around the world our work  and home has converged making us all  present as parents and wives and many  other roles we play from cooks to teachers.

So, we have been placed in a very  fortunate position on a day to day basis  where we can fully interact with our  families and seamlessly with work,” she  says.

For those who hope to follow in Nyembe’s footsteps, her advice is precise.  “They can certainly tread an even better  path than the one I have travelled. Also,  with the right support, an open mind and  an attitude open to learning forever, they  can achieve everything they have ever  dreamt of and in some cases, even find  themselves in realms they never dreamt  existed.”

Nyembe’s leadership philosophy is stolen from Nelson Mandela. “Consciously

I’M ANCHORED BY SERVANT LEADERSHIP  FROM MY GRANDPARENTS AND PARENTS  WHOSE CAREERS RANGED FROM WORKING  AT CHRIS HANI BARAGWANATH HOSPITAL TO  PRIESTHOOD, TEACHING AND DOMESTIC HELP.  ETHEL NYEMBE

letting my choices reflect my faith and  hope and not my fears yet knowing that “as  we let our own light shine, we consciously  give those we lead the permission to do  the same”.

In the near future she says we should  look forward to her life being like a  COVID-19 year, a life open to possibilities  and change, despite the negativity floating  around. “With that kind of attitude, what is  to come for Ethel, can only be amazing  and positive,” she concludes. ■