"Starve your distractions, feed your focus."
This is the quote that guides and motivates Bidvest Prestige CFO, Thabile Ngidi, in her journey. As an advocate for women’s empowerment, Thabile is committed to bringing a ‘softer touch’ into the corporate landscape, ensuring that women can ‘have it all’. As a wife and mother of a toddler, Thabile is considerate of her team members, especially women, and offers advice from her own experience.
Find a Good Balance
Thabile Ngidi highlights the importance of finding balance. While hard work is vital, it should not be to the detriment of our personal lives. Balance does not mean however that each day will be perfectly divided, but that some days require late nights or work travel, while others may be spent with your family.
Plan Your Life Well
Thabile encourages women to plan well and ensure that they have a solid support system at home, as these factors are key to a successful career.
Know Your Commitments
Thabile emphasises the importance of understanding the commitments that different life stages demand and knowing what you are able to take on.
Embrace Responsibility
Being a woman, and being a mother, comes with a range of responsibilities, however women shouldn’t let this stop them.
“You can’t compromise on excellence because you are a woman or mother. We must still excel. We can rise up.”
Prove Yourself First
Nowadays, women today have a great advantage in that they are able to become CEOs, CFOs, and other admired titles, in a softer, more balanced work environment. That said, Thabile believes that it is important to work hard and prove yourself in the workplace. She explained that, if you earn your credibility, no one will question you. Then, when you need to be with your family – be it when a child is sick or to attend a sporting event – no one will question your commitment to your career.
Support Through Teams
Drawing from her own experience at Bidvest Prestige, Thabile reminds us of the significance of fostering teams that support one another. She shares key points for nurturing a supportive and prosperous team dynamic:
- ‘Build a backup’ to ensure seamless workflow during crises, allowing team members to take time off and take care of themselves when needed.
- Facilitate open communication enabling team members to step in and help when necessary.
- Encourage inclusivity and diversity to ensure a fair and balanced work environment, supporting all team members regardless of family status.
Thabile highlights that support in the workplace is a universal necessity, transcending gender boundaries. In an era where both parents often work, a collective commitment to fostering a supportive environment is crucial. Thabile also notes that we should be careful not to disadvantage single women, and those without children. We should not expect some team members to work longer hours based on their family status, but to ensure that everyone is offered equal flexibility.
Driven By Dedication
Thabile Ngidi finds inspiration in the dedication of the remarkable women at Bidvest Prestige, majority of whom wake up at around 4am each morning to be at work on time. Their unwavering dedication serves as a personal benchmark for Thabile, urging everyone to uphold accountability.
As we celebrate Women’s Month, Thabile Ngidi’s insights remind us to embrace excellence, empathy, and collaboration. Thabile hopes to inspire women aiming to reach high-level positions, letting them know that it is possible to achieve success in both their personal and professional realms.