Page 59 - KZN Top Business Portfolio - EBOOK 2019

Acting dean and head of the Graduate School prevails in business schools wherein leaders are
of Business and Leadership (GSB&L) at the detached from their fellow academics and students,
University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) perpetrating a defensive dehumanising commercial
focused mindset.”
ROF ANA MARTINS is the acting dean “Moreover, learning as becoming relies on nurturing
and head of the Graduate School of a leadership style wherein colleagues and students
Business and Leadership at UKZN, which endeavour to ask and answer existential questions;
Pshe believes is the current highlight of her namely, ‘Who am I?’, ‘What do I care about?’, ‘What
professional career. does success look like?’ as well as ‘What does it take
Martins’ professional journey has encompassed to lead well?’”
a mosaic of experiences. She has been fortunate By keeping the human touch and embracing a
to have worked for over two decades in higher student-centric approach, such conversations provide
education institutions located in a range of countries a valuable tone on the standpoint of the organisation.
with diverse cultures across the globalised world. In addition, Martins holds to the necessity to innovate
Her academic career has followed a traditional in ways that meet the changing needs of students.
model where she started on the career ladder as a Some challenges that Martins has experienced in
part-time tutor, moving to junior lecturer, senior the past and which have provided her with a rich
lecturer and associate professor with a multiple learning curve, include (un)conscious bias; lack of
collection of roles, ranging from lecturer, researcher, support and cooperation; lack of organisational and
personal tutor, to academic leader. flexibility and mindfulness; lack of encouragement to
In order to handle change and deal with take the first step on embarking on journey towards a
expectations, Martins regards constant personal senior management role.
development, as a must. This is particularly relevant With this learning, Martins has experienced growth
to keep up with the latest trends in her field of in that she has had to learn how to define success and
speciality in order to achieve success. has experimented with her career by taking several
“I embrace the motto of lifelong learning whole- risks.
heartedly in order to keep abreast with the changes “I am appreciative of the authentic vision for inclu-
that are constantly evident in the academia and sion and diversity in the workplace which has played
industry. Moreover, I have my unique skill set, which a fundamental unbiased role in reaching the current
is embraced by my interests and values,” Martins position I hold,” Martins explains.
explains.
The uncertainties associated with the academic
Her strengths encompass a strong work ethic, being career have arisen due to the paradigm shift from elite
enthusiastic, persistent and conscientious and being to mass higher education. This shift is evident in the
open to experience. “I’m very organised and pay perception of academic careers which have moved
attention to detail as well as being reflexive. I focus from the ladder to more recent academic career
on encouraging harmony and work to achieve the maps, wherein transdisciplinary themes dominate,
common good of all.” allowing one’s area of expertise to be supported by a
In addition, she explains that it is important to range of subject areas.
know the purpose of the organisation in order to stay In the future, Martins would like to write a book
focused on its values and roots. narrating how the various countries she has lived in
Martins has a strong focus on humanising leadership, have shaped her experiences on learning and teaching.
which is centred on both people and values. She In her free time, Martins is a musicophile and
believes that emotional awareness contributes to cinephile. “I’m passionate about cooking and
agile leadership principles and competencies. sumptuous baking, and I try my hand in painting thus
“I focus on doing away with the disconnect that indulging my creativity.”

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