Acknowledging the onus of self-development

As young leaders continue making their voices heard across civil society and increasingly in business, it’s important to reflect on the responsibilities that leadership brings with it. With many young leaders often promoted before their time, Serena Govender, Mechanical Engineer: King Shaka International Airport, Airports Company South Africa (who holds a BSC mechanical engineering), highlights the critical importance of self-development as one of these responsibilities. While you will arguably need assistance with this along the way, you need to remain the core driver of the process.

With the lines between various careers becoming increasingly blurred and companies expecting management to act and think cross-functionally, the next generation of young leaders is finding itself stretched to find “new” solutions in many instances. “This often requires stepping out of your comfort zone,” says Govender. “For many young leaders, it could also involve an additional investment in their own further or executive education.”

Upskilling yourself requires initiative however, and for you to recognise that, any self-development needs to start with you. A mechanical engineer by trade, Govender draws on her own experience from working in the projects environment for Airports Company South Africa: “To add value and grow on new projects, I soon became aware that I needed a better understanding of business. This was especially important as I was often looked to in terms of sharing the ‘latest’ solutions based on being the youngest. I was also mindful that I could potentially be asked to lead similar projects in the future.” She subsequently decided to enrol for an MBA at the UNISA SBL and completed this in 2015.

Asking for help – as opposed to waiting for someone else to offer help – is equally important. “Many companies are willing to invest in their young leaders, but need your help to identify you. This is especially the case if you’re in a large company. You can’t leave it to your manager for example, to ensure you are empowered and developed. While they can undoubtedly play a key role, you often need to alert them about your aspirations, and ask for their assistance in accessing skills development funding and mentorship opportunities for example.”

Having a plan is equally critical. The plan must be revisited and reflected upon regularly to ensure that you’re on track. “In a company or team where you’re the youngest, and someone who is just starting out, a plan will help you maintain momentum,” says Govender. “It will also ensure you benchmark where you are, and motivate yourself to keep following your dreams.”

With the world around us changing, often without warning, there is no time for young leaders to “wait” to be discovered or acknowledged. They rather need to take responsibility for and drive their own self-development. “This will ensure that you tailor-make your process and journey for yourself, and truly own it,” says Govender.