TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO
“You are the storyteller of your life. Make it authentic and interesting.
“In everything, do dare to win.
“A winner inspires, a winner is unstoppable, and a winner explores. A winner is about possibilities. A winner wins! Above all, love God, His people and the world,” this is the philosophy that the new Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) deputy chief executive officer, Stella Nkomo, (pictured) has carried all her life.
The executive, who was appointed to the post in July this year, told Business Times that she also followed ‘fervent principles’ in life that she termed the 3Ds and E (diligence, discipline, dedication and excellence).
The executive believes the greatest legacy a leader can leave is: “….leadership is not about a title or a designation. It is about impact, influence and inspiration. It means my behaviour must inspire, firstly the ZITF family and secondly, the community at large.”
She added: “I have to care more, love more and do more for people. It also means that I am expected to have a clear vision, mission and commitment to integrity that will guide me in everything that I do.
This appointment also serves to confirm what I have always imagined, that hard work and diligence does pay and that women should not be afraid to take up challenging positions in society.”
The executive, who is a chartered marketer and holds an Msc Marketing (National University of Science and Technology (NUST) (graduating with distinction), Bsc Journalism & Media Studies (NUST), Certified Marketing Practitioner and Msc International Relations (University of Zimbabwe), also believes that in life “one needs to diligently pursue their dreams and goals with passion and discipline. Nothing in this world is given on a silver platter, but one has to keep on pushing and reaching for greater heights”.
Nkomo is also a brand guru who focuses on customer centric approaches, pushing for revenue growth that ultimately leads to business growth and profitability.
As an accomplished events manager and coordinator, she has been instrumental in making sure that the ZITF company’s exhibitions and events remain the biggest and effective platforms for business growth in the country.
“I am excited and look forward to working together with my supportive Board and CEO, and the entire ZITF family to make sure that we position ourselves strategically as a notable and leading Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) player in the country,” Nkomo said.
She added: “The MICE industry, as we know it today, sits on the precipice of a major “disruption” resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, which has accelerated the adoption and use of technology in the exhibition industry as a survival strategy.
The executive said the pandemic has also forced ZITF to find the right answer to the challenge of safety and wellness at “our events and the coming ZITF 2021will be testament to that”.
“We have put in place a rigorous safety and risk management plan. As an organisation, we have a transformational strategy that seeks to launch the virtual and hybrid events which are able to replicate the live events to the extent that our customers are satisfied,” Nkomo said.
“We will also be taking a deliberate focus on infrastructure refurbishment as well as digitising not just our events, but also internal processes and workflows so that our existing business lines are future-proofed.”
Nkomo serves on various public and private sector boards and committees that include ZESA Holdings, Trade Measures and Gwanda State University Councillor.
She is also the vice president of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries Matabeleland Chapter.
The executive is the chairman of the Marketers Association Zimbabwe Southern Region Committee.
The award-winning marketer and thought leader with 15 years’ experience in strategy management, business planning, events management as well as building and promoting brands, told Business Times that as a woman, she has to work extra hard to prove that she is equal to the challenge.
“It does not come naturally for the society to believe that a woman can; so if you want to excel you have to prove beyond reasonable doubt that you have what it takes,” Nkomo said.
The executive is an aviation and space enthusiast.
“In fact, I don’t miss the National Aeronautics and Space Administration launches, whether they are sending astronauts to the International Space Station or a rover to mars to look for life.
(Recently), I was enjoying the competition between Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson as they showed the world that their companies are ready for space tourism through launching into space. I was fascinated with the fact that people are finding solutions to some of the world’s weird problems, like space tourism!
“I guess this speaks to what they say about effective leadership being the ability to approach problems through a lens of opportunity.
“In addition, such launches help me see God in His, “everything is possible” nature.
The launches also keep me grounded with regards to who I am in the universe but above all, they challenge me to dare mighty things. I get a different perspective about life and this resonates with who I am. I believe in endless possibilities; God blessed humanity with the rare ability to solve any and all problems in the universe.”
Prior to being appointed deputy CEO, Nkomo has been with ZITF for over 14 years driving the marketing, communications and business development functions of the entity.
She will continue to manage that portfolio as well in addition to her new duties.
The executive has read many books which have helped to shape her views in life.
“I am an avid reader who has read many leadership, management and strategy books. However, as an executive, one of the books that is always close to me is; Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Other Don’t by James Collins.
“The author explains why good is an enemy of great and has identified three different phases in the Good to Great journey; disciplined people, disciplined thought, and disciplined action. The author also delves into level five leadership principles. This resonates with my life principles where I value discipline and clarity of thought,” the executive said.
“I am also a fan of The Art of War by Sun Tzu. As the Chinese military strategist notes, strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory and tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat. As leaders, turning our marvellous strategies into actionable plans is always a challenge.”
Nkomo said she wanted to be an air hostess as she was growing up but found herself in the marketing department and never looked back.
“I always wanted to fly so much as a child, and this looked like an easier route and then later I imagined myself being a pilot — I suppose that’s how I became an aviation and space fanatic.
“However, later I found my passion in marketing and I have never looked back,” she said.
The executive draws inspiration from her mother.
“I am yet to see a determined, focused and loving person like her”.
She gave words of encouragement to others.
Her favourite quote when it comes to encouraging people is from Calvin Coolidge, who said: “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The Slogan Press On! Has always solved and always will solve the problems of the human race,”
The executive has a well-coordinated mentorship programme under her Jewels and Pebbles programme whose mission is to develop a well-grounded young professional woman; astute, spiritually-alert, confident and in charge of her destiny.
“I am keen to share my experiences with women who want to take up leadership roles in society. This is because I believe there is a positive correlation between women empowerment and overall economic growth of a nation,” she said.
“New research from The Peterson Institute for International Economics shows that having more women leaders in business can significantly increase profitability. Their study of almost 22,000 firms across the globe has shown that a company with 30% women leaders can add up to six percentage points to its net margin, compared to other companies in the same industry (Noland, Moran, & Kotschwar, 2016).
“I think this speaks to the fact that women are natural hard workers and they pay attention to detail. I believe these findings are transferable to all facets of life, and as a country we should take a deliberate focus to empower more women.
During her spare time, Nkomo said loves taking nature walks and “just getting lost in the beauty of nature”.
“This gives me time to meditate, reflect and connect with my inner self,” she said.
