Page 35 - Standard Bank KZN Top Business Women 2021

Your attitude determines your altitude. Be a sponge. Be prepared to learn

at all times. Don’t work with a job description because it limits your growth.

Business Centre Manager for the Hibiscus Coast, progressing to managing a business centre, to looking their preferences. But it was a learning curve for me,”
Standard Bank KZN after a balance sheet of over R6.5 billion with her team. she explained.
“It is really an honour, and I am grateful to Standard Thalente dealt with this challenge through engaging with
halente Madonda plays and occupies Bank and the team that I work with. Some of my other the clients to understand their experiences with black
various roles in her capacity as a woman. achievements include winning a Top Performer in people and their expectations of her as their account
Professionally, Thalente is the Business Business Banking in 2015 and winning a trip to Portugal executive. The result was that she developed relationships
TCentre Manager for the Hibiscus Coast area with my partner. That was a very special moment.” with the majority of these clients through constant
(the south node of Durban). Her current role is in the engagement and the support of her leadership team.
Shaping the person
Business Banking segment, looking after both business
Future goals
banking as well as small enterprise clients. A number of factors have inspired Thalente to get to
where she is today. These include the environment she In the future, Thalente’s goals are to execute her dream,
Thalente has been with Standard Bank for 22 years grew up in, which was a poor community, with a lack of
and she has held various roles ranging from junior, role models, that resulted in girls getting pregnant at a which is to work with young girls in her community
middle, and now to senior management. Some of tender age, amongst other challenges. around career growth. She has in mind a concept similar
to taking a girl child to a business, exposing them to
the roles she has held were branch manager, account
Thalente explains, “I knew that this would not be my institutions of higher learning such as universities and
executive, and small enterprises manager.
destiny as I wanted better. In addition, my mom was my having career expo days. “I still see young girls showing
Speaking of her role she explains, “Being in Business biggest inspiration to achieve.” no signs of a bright future despite education being free
Banking gives me an opportunity to contribute to now,” she explains.
Once Thalente had joined Standard Bank, she had many
our economy, indirectly and directly, by assisting our
great leaders that believed and supported her in her journey. Thalente would also like to do more around growing
entrepreneurs with their business operations...granting
“These were leaders that saw potential in me and helped to young women in the workplace. She said, “I play a role
them facilities, short and long term, to fund the growth
shape the person that I am today,” she said. Some of these of a mentor, sometimes without not even realising
in their businesses.”
leaders, says Thalente, are still with the organisation today, it and I would like to continue with my journey of
“It is an exciting and very rewarding role in a sense while others have left. mentoring young women. I am passionate about
that we look after entrepreneurs who are the most growing young girls.”
In addition, much of Thalente’s career in the bank has
important people in our economy. The people that
been driven by her own desire to grow and learn. She “I have contributed to the growth of many young people
contribute to the growth of our economy. The
explains that after spending a number of years as an in my organisation. Because somebody believed in me, I
employers of our professional as well as our ordinary
enquiries clerk in the bank, she started coming in early to took it upon myself to develop and grow young people
South Africans who contribute directly to the GDP
work to learn about other departments. Thalente added, in my organisation. Some of the guys are now branch
of our country.”
“I used my lunch hour, as well, to get to know what other
managers, leader of teams etc. Some of the young stars
departments were all about. I started getting invitations
On the personal front, a role that she occupies as a who were not studying and had no reason why not, now
to join the meetings in the other departments, invitations
woman is being the mother of three beautiful kids – one have qualifications. It’s a heart-warming feeling.”
to apply for the positions. That’s how I grew...”
being a teenager. Other roles are wife, sister, daughter-
Advice to young woman
in-law ... the list is endless. Challenges faced
In giving advice to young women who may follow in
Personal achievements A major challenge that Thalente faced was when, after
her footsteps, Thalente says that they need to have the
being appointed an account executive, she had clients in
Thalente’s achievements have been based around seeing right attitude. She concludes, “After all, your attitude
her portfolio who told her that they would not deal with
herself as a ‘young woman’ from Inanda Township determines your altitude. Be a sponge. Be prepared to
a black person.
who has grown and progressed successfully in a big learn at all times. Don’t work with a job description
organisation like Standard Bank. These achievements “This was an interesting challenge, which I did not because it limits your growth. Raise your hand when you
include moving from junior positions such a teller and take personally because I understood that clients have are ready for the next role.”
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