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A MODERN-DAY LEADER

manda Swana is the proudest was paying the first batch
managing director at of salaries to her employees. “I
APowerpoint Lifestyles, was so grateful because there were
a human resource consulting people who believed in my vision
agency, based in Umhlanga even though I had nothing to back
Ridge, Durban. it up. The 25th is still the most
beautiful day for me, it validates
Amanda completed high school
at Durban Academy High School, why I started the business. I’ve
always said my responsibility is to
then moved onto the University make sure that my employees are
of KwaZulu-Natal to study paid on time and to try to make
for a psychology degree. After
completing a master’s degree in this business sustainable, which is
personal for me.”
industrial psychology, Amanda
branched off into the world of Remain Authentic
work commencing her internship
and human resources role at The best advice Amanda has
the South African Sugarcane received has been from her mother,
Research Institute (SASRI). There, who when she started the business,
Amanda said, she was mentored said: “Try to not lose yourself.
by her manager who made a huge Try to allow yourself to remain
impact on who she has become authentic. In any room that you
and how she handles herself in find yourself in, don’t let money or
the world of work. people change who you are.”
Following a two-year stint at Amanda says her biggest
SASRI as an human resources challenge has been to remind
officer, Amanda moved into herself that although she is
the consulting field. As she had ambitious, she sometimes needs
studied industrial psychology, to slow down and remind herself
Amanda initially had no that she is doing the best that
intention of being in business in she can in this moment. In
a human resources capacity. She order to stay inspired and on
explained, “The speciality found track, Amanda reads a range
root and I realised that I enjoyed of different books on business,
organisational development leadership and motivation,
and strategic human resources including Christian books
as opposed to the operational as these provide ‘a well to
requirements of a business. draw from’ when mentors or
I eventually took that leap of colleagues are not around.
faith, registered the business and Amanda also finds her siblings,
committed myself to a new path.” and especially her mother, a huge
source of inspiration. “My mother
Willpower and Self-Motivation is a calm person who raised four
As establishing a business children on her own and
requires a lot of structure and I admire her strength and
adherence to legislation, her first resilience,” she explained.
year of business was characterised In the next five years, Amanda
by unlearning some habits and would like to extend her service
overcoming uncertainties.
offering to include more training
“I had to be more independent. and development. While the
I had to rely on my own internal company’s biggest target market
voices because when you branch is small and medium enterprises
into business, willpower and she would like to expand her
self-motivation is critical,” market position. Another area
Amanda explained. Amanda Swana, managing director at Powerpoint Lifestyles of interest is in the provision of
career development counselling
In addition, Amanda had to
work on the purpose of her for them to find their own Amanda is very family strategy and objectives. If you for government schools in
KwaZulu-Natal.
business and discovered that voices. “If we’re sitting in a orientated, and her mother and ask us to appoint a civil engineer,
she genuinely wanted to change business or a brainstorming siblings, mean ‘the world to for example, we can go into the In closing Amanda said, “It
the lives of her employees, meeting, I‘d like to know what her’. Consequently, she looks market and get you the most doesn’t matter what business or
while meeting the demands the officer thinks, what is their to find a team that thrives on qualified and experienced civil profession you find yourself in, or
of her business. voice in this situation? What is family support and that are engineer who is good on paper. whatever you do in life because
their perspective?” also looking to empower their But we are human beings, so purpose goes beyond your business
“Empowering and mentoring own family. “I like to think I’m we’ve always advocated for
employees so that they become While Amanda considered committed to my work because strategic human relations. The or profession. Whatever you
do, you must do with intention.
better people and better leaders that there might be a risk to of how much weight it bears on screening process goes beyond
has been the business strategy empowering her staff in that other people,” she added. the administrative process, in Because when you are intentional,
you get much more joy, and you
that I have adopted. Although, they might open up their own addition we look at the applicant’s are able to handle any pressures or
the employees have skills and consulting firms, she has found Effective Services personality and emotional adversaries because you know why
qualifications, in the consulting that the opposite is true. “I’ve intelligence, explore and
environment they are the ones found that the employees’ sense Further to ensuring that her understand the candidate’s value you’re doing something”. 
that are engaging with clients. of loyalty is not because you pay employees are empowered, systems beyond the qualification
Amanda strives to partner with
What becomes paramount is them well or that they could make and work experience.” W: www.powerpointlifestyles.co.za
their confidence to service more money out of the business. their clients to provide effective
services. “Although our clients
these clients.” The sense of loyalty develops when In reviewing her achievements,
your employees are empowered are looking for human resource Amanda would say that from a
In order to motivate her and they feel emotionally and solutions, we genuinely want professional point of view, the
employees Amanda advocates to understand their business
psychologically safe.” accomplishment that makes her the

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