Page 25 - KZN Top Business LEADERS-eBook

JACQUIE BHANA

J acquie Bhana, the owner of Jacquie Bhana In addition, says Jacquie, “I absolutely enjoy A BETTER PLACE
working with graduates or people newly out
Consulting, is an accredited high-performance
The best advice Jacquie has ever received is not to
of school and getting them socialised into
coach, mentor, and counsellor.
Jacquie was born into a very close-knit family the business environment. They don’t always expect anything from anybody. “If you do something
for somebody, do it because it’s making the world
understand that it takes more than a degree or a
who lived in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. Of diploma to be successful in business. The value a better place, it’s making the person a better
her early years she says, “I was born, during the years that I am able to bring to their lives and to each person. Don’t expect anything in return. It helps
that it was taboo, into an interracial marriage to the business is a revelation.” with managing your expectations and helps with
most fantastic parents, which was an absolutely not experiencing disappointment. Just learning
amazing experience that taught me to have an open The other area Jacquie works in is human and applying this lesson has really helped me not
mind around religion and race.” This upbringing has resource consulting for small businesses, often to expect anything from people, which is simple
provided a solid base for Jacquie who relates well to focusing on talent and succession planning. but profound.”
people of all backgrounds. She helps to build structures and mechanisms
to ensure that things are done the right way to “However, I think South Africa has awesome and
Following attendance at a local township school, cultivate growth. resilient people who inspire me,” says Jaquie. “In
Jacquie completed an undergraduate degree addition, there are universal guiding lights such as
majoring in psychology, a postgraduate degree “Small and medium enterprises have enormous Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani advocate for
focusing on industrial relations, a masters in potential, have an appetite for risk, and are hungry education for girls who was shot. That she could stand
industrial sociology and an executive and leader- for success. They work really hard and have great up to a force so violent just speaks volumes of her. The
ship coaching qualification at UCT. ideas, however, they often need a sounding board other person that I truly admire is politician Angela
to help them succeed. My purpose is to help them Merkel, who was the German Chancellor. She is the
Jacquie’s successful career in the corporate world make a difference in business, in their world, and epitome of leadership; she showed us the humanness
has spanned over 30 years. Her first ‘proper’ job was to the economy.” of being a leader.”
at Volkswagen South Africa where Jacquie started
off in training and development. “The then CEO Without a doubt Jacquie’s proudest accomplish- Jacquie works very closely with the Durban Chamber
Peter Searle was a true leader of his time. What I ment, as well as her biggest challenge, has been of Commerce and Industry, serving on the board as
really loved about VW is that you learned about the moving out of the corporate sector to open up the first vice president. “I work with CEO Palesi Phili,
importance of vision, mission, culture, and values in her business. “I had a stable job at a senior level who is authentic, courageous, and able to work with
bringing people together in an organisation.” with a steady income; to jump outside of that real issues on a daily basis. I have a great admiration
environment and start from scratch has been for her level of ethics and ability to get things done.”
BUILD CAPACITY very challenging.”
The motto of the Chamber, ‘In business for a better
After much thought her current position is Her uncertainty was firstly to believe in herself; world’, resonates well with her purpose. Jacquie’s
something that Jacquie dreamed of for a long time. that she could survive without the support of vision is to work with her clients to help them become
“I really wanted to have my own business and for a massive corporation and move beyond her better leaders.
the work that I do to make a difference, the basic corporate title. Apart from skills such as admin-
competencies are those that I acquired at VW.” istration and information technology, one of the “I would like to build ethical, high performing
challenges has been in marketing herself and thinking leaders who in turn will help KwaZulu-Natal
Jacquie’s main focus is on development, helping getting her business ‘out there’. to become a better province, so that we can take this
diverse teams build their capacity, and helping people province to the next level and create a better world.
to find and speak their voice. She enjoys coaching Jacquie is proud that her venture is impactful and And importantly, to help our youth, to get them
executives and says that the kind of mental blocks that she is able to work with various people with to help build this province to make this a better
they create for themselves are incredible. By walking immense success. Reflecting on her journey she place, so that they leave a legacy of greatness for
alongside her clients, Jacquie helps to free these says, “In order to stay motivated you can’t work in the upcoming generations.”
blocks so they may be the best person that they can a vacuum, you have to wake up to your purpose.
be. Mental or emotional wellness is a key area of You’ve got to have a master plan, you’ve got to “I always think, ‘If I am not afraid what will I do’
interest for her; especially the mentoring of executives plan around daily, weekly, and monthly goals and which is great motivation to achieve in what has
experiencing loneliness or anxiety in new positions. then relentlessly pursue them.” been a great journey so far,” concluded Jacquie.
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