The Most Influential
Woman Leader Shaping the Future
Vanessa Haripersad Founder& CEO Shankara People Solutions
How Leadership in Educa on Creates Genera onal Impact What Leadership Insights You Can Steal from Military Tac cs
Vanessa
Haripersad Transforming Workplaces Through Inner Mastery
Are Men Still Trusted More Than Women in Power?
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he leadership development industry is expanding as organizations confront persistent barriers to gender equity. Global surveys indicate that women remain underrepresented in senior leadership and board positions, even though research shows that companies with gender diverse leadership teams often outperform financially. This trust gap reveals structural biases that shape decision making about power, authority, and influence. Studies from major consulting firms show that women in leadership roles deliver measurable gains in employee engagement and culture transformation. Yet, hiring and promotion statistics suggest a continued preference for men in positions of authority. Investors and boards frequently cite experience and perceived stability as reasons for choosing male leaders, even when women demonstrate equal or stronger qualifications. This contrast exposes the subtle forces that maintain traditional leadership norms. Many organizations now invest in coaching, mentorship, and diversity initiatives designed to close confidence and trust gaps. Leadership development programs increasingly prioritize the cultivation of emotional intelligence and psychological safety. These trends signal recognition that trust in leadership grows when people feel heard, valued, and supported. Emerging leaders seek guidance that integrates purpose, resilience, and wellbeing into performance expectations. Research suggests that trust can shift when leadership success is measured not only by financial output but also by team health, innovation, and culture quality. Women leaders often prioritize collaborative processes and shared accountability, which align with new definitions of effective leadership. As more women step into visible leadership roles, the narrative about who is trusted to lead begins to evolve. The question of trust remains central. If organizations continue to equate leadership authority with traditional models, progress will slow. If they embrace inclusive and values driven leadership, they unlock talent that strengthens long term performance. In this edition, The Most Influential Woman Leader Shaping the Future, we highlight Vanessa Haripersad, who has demonstrated unrelenting commitment to advancing leadership rooted in purpose, compassion, and measurable impact. Have an inspiring read ahead!
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PRIMETODAY E X C E L L E N C E I N E V E RY E D I T I O N
Sara Nethan
- Vishal Gaikwad
Aniket Patil Team Leader - Ashwini Patil Emma Wilson
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COVER STORY
Vanessa Haripersad Transforming Workplaces Through Inner Mastery
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How Leadership in Education Creates Generational Impact
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What Leadership Insights You Can Steal from Military Tactics
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Vaness Haripersad Transforming Workplaces Through Inner Mastery
Founder& CEO Shankara People Solutions
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any people enter modern workplaces with strong technical ability, yet they still feel unsure, unheard, or overwhelmed. Leadership development often focuses on skill and performance, while the real breakthroughs happen when people build awareness, courage, and emotional strength. This gap is what many professionals experience daily, and it is the space where Vanessa Haripersad has built her life's work.
Vanessa grew up as a 5th-generation South African of Indian heritage. Ideas of identity, purpose, and service were part of her upbringing from a very early age. When she stepped into the corporate world, she quickly sensed that job titles and knowledge alone could never carry leaders into the future. She observed many talented individuals slow their progress because of fear, pressure, or a lack of support. Environments often encouraged silence instead of self-belief, and this troubled her deeply. She wanted to see people rise rather than shrink. Two experiences drew her into the world of coaching and leadership development. The first was seeing people dim their light due to expectations or limited guidance. Vanessa felt a strong pull to create spaces where individuals could find their voice and feel safe to grow. The second experience came through her own body. Vanessa lived through chronic illness, including Lupus, and endured symptoms that tested her spirit on a daily basis. Her healing journey led her toward wellness practices that rebuilt her strength from the inside. She eventually earned a wellness award and ran a successful coaching company. The process taught her that leadership grows through inner steadiness, emotional wisdom, and resilience. None of it felt theoretical to her. Every insight came through lived experience, persistence, and self-mastery. Today, Vanessa leads Shankara People Solutions, a leadership development and culture transformation company rooted in the idea that when people evolve, organisations transform, and societies rise. She guides executives, teams, and young people across Africa toward conscious leadership, resilience, and meaningful impact. Let us learn more about her journey: How Years in HR Shaped Her Leadership Lens Leading in a volatile and uncertain world often forces people to rethink what leadership actually means. Vanessa
has spent twenty four years inside HR and recruitment, which placed her at the centre of human behaviour, organisational culture, and shifting workplace expectations. That experience shaped the way she views leadership today, and her perspective grew from what she observed over those years. Vanessa describes her journey as the greatest classroom she could have asked for. She shares that those years taught her that leadership is no longer about control; it is about consciousness, adaptability, and humanity. Working across industries, cultures, and leadership levels, she encountered two striking patterns: 1. Brilliant people are placed in systems that failed them. 2. Ordinary individuals who became extraordinary leaders because they had the right support, self-awareness, and environment to grow. This contrast reinforced her belief that leadership is cultivated, not innate, and that the leaders who thrive now are the ones willing to evolve continuously. From that experience, four principles formed her leadership philosophy: 1. Self-awareness is the ultimate leadership advantage. Over two decades of interviews, coaching conversations, and assessments confirmed for her that the most impactful leaders are deeply self-aware. They understand their emotional triggers, blind spots, strengths, and values. In a VUCA world, clarity of self becomes clarity of direction.
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My personal philosophy is “It starts with me.”We have the power to change the world, but it starts with deep self awareness and then the desire and willingness to take action.
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Blending coaching, wellbeing, and youth empowerment to uplift communities.
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Leaders often drift from their purpose unconsciously. I encourage regular reflection, journaling, and structured feedback to ensure they remain connected to their “why” and can course-correct when values or wellbeing are at risk.
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2. Talent without resilience is unsustainable. She learned that technical competence can get someone hired, but resilience keeps them relevant. Leaders who succeeded in chaotic environments were the ones with agility, emotional intelligence, and the ability to reframe challenges into opportunities. This influenced the resilience framework she teaches today. 3. Culture determines the success of leadership, not the other way around. She watched skilled leaders fail in toxic cultures and average leaders thrive in empowering ones. That insight drives her focus on culture transformation and building environments that nurture psychological safety, collaboration, and innovation. 4. People want meaning, not management. She noticed the modern workforce responds to purpose, empathy, transparency, and inclusivity. Leaders who are relatable and authentic build the strongest teams, especially in the African context, where community, dignity, and shared progress matter deeply. Her years in HR made one truth non-negotiable: in a VUCA world, leaders must become students of themselves before guiding others. They must learn, unlearn, and relearn continuously. They must anchor in self-awareness, lead with compassion, operate with agility, and create cultures where people feel seen, valued, and empowered. This is why she moved from traditional HR into leadership coaching. She believes the future belongs to leaders who elevate humanity, not just performance, and she is committed to forming those leaders.
What Real Transformation Looks Like Companies often talk about culture change, but many people struggle to tell whether anything meaningful is actually happening. Vanessa works with organisations across industries and has learned that true transformation reveals itself long before it shows up on a dashboard. She watches how people behave, interact, and grow to understand whether change is real or cosmetic. Here is what she looks for: 1. Psychological safety becomes visible. When people feel safe to speak up, share ideas, and challenge respectfully without fear of retaliation, something real is happening. In superficial change, people stay silent. In real transformation, voices grow louder, more confident, and more authentic. 2. Leadership behaviour actually shifts. A thriving ecosystem begins with humility and self-awareness at the top. Vanessa pays attention to whether leaders listen more, react less, take accountability, give recognition, and invite feedback. When leaders model the culture instead of describing it, the entire organisation moves. 3. Collaboration replaces competition. Transformation takes root when departments stop protecting turf and start co-creating solutions. Meetings shift from defensive to solution-driven. Trust replaces fear, and information flows freely. 4. People feel seen, valued, and supported. She watches everyday interactions. Managers check in on wellbeing, teams celebrate small wins, and individuals acknowledge their own growth. Culture becomes lived, not laminated. 5. Accountability is shared, not imposed. In a healthy ecosystem, people take ownership because they are aligned with purpose. Accountability becomes mutual, not hierarchical. 6. Innovation becomes natural, not forced. When people feel safe and empowered, creativity emerges. She looks for experimentation, faster decisions, and the willingness to try without fear. 7. Retention improves and exit interviews shift. Surface change boosts morale only briefly. Real change shows up in longer tenure, deeper engagement, and people leaving for growth, not burnout.
8. The energy feels different. Culture has a tone. Vanessa notices warmth, clarity, optimism, and movement when transformation is genuine. 9. The culture sustains itself. The strongest sign of real change is when teams maintain new behaviours long after external facilitators leave. To her, surface change is performance. Real transformation is embodiment. A thriving ecosystem is one where people flourish, leaders grow, trust deepens, and human potential and business purpose align. That is the kind of transformation she aims to create. The Beliefs That Hold Leaders Back Imposter syndrome and burnout sit quietly behind many leadership struggles. Leaders rarely admit it, yet they are often the most affected. Vanessa has coached leaders at every level and noticed that the limiting beliefs that keep them stuck tend to fall into a few familiar narratives.
perfectionism and emotional strain. Vanessa helps them shift toward curiosity and vulnerability. Leadership is not about knowing everything. It is about asking the right questions and facilitating solutions. 2. I am defined by my output, not my growth. When selfworth is tied to targets and metrics, burnout becomes inevitable. She guides leaders toward recognising that sustainable impact requires wellbeing, resilience, and holistic growth. 3. If I slow down, people will see I am inadequate. Highpressure environments often make leaders feel that resting or asking for help signals incompetence. She works with them to understand that boundaries and self-care are strategic, not indulgent. 4. I do not belong here. I am not enough. Classic imposter syndrome. Leaders question whether their success is luck or temporary. Vanessa helps them reclaim the truth: presence is earned through experience, learning, and contribution.
She highlights the ones she sees most: 1. I must have all the answers. Many leaders assume uncertainty is unacceptable. They try to project confidence even when navigating complex situations, which fuels
5. I must do it all alone. Leaders often internalise the belief that asking for help is a weakness. This belief isolates them. She supports them in shifting toward collaboration and shared leadership.
For her, reframing these narratives is not about temporary motivation. It is about deep self-awareness, resilience, and the courage to rewrite personal stories. Leaders who work through these narratives not only survive but thrive, and they inspire others to rise with them.
Vanessa views courageous conversations as catalysts. They create awareness, spark accountability, and inspire behavioural change that ripples through the system. Sometimes it only takes one honest moment to change a leader's path and the experience of everyone they lead.
The Conversation That Changed a Leader's Path
Sustaining Performance Without Losing Wellbeing
Every organisation reaches moments where difficult conversations are unavoidable. Vanessa recalls one that shifted an entire team and changed a leader's trajectory. A senior executive in a large multinational in South Africa was struggling with team disengagement and high attrition. On paper, things looked fine. KPIs were met, numbers were strong, but the energy in the organisation was falling apart.
High performing leaders often feel torn between ambition and health. People push harder, hoping it will move them forward, yet the strain usually pulls them backward. Vanessa offers a different way to look at the tension and brings her lived experience into the conversation. Balancing high performance and sustained wellbeing is one of the most critical and often overlooked challenges leaders face. In her experience, true leadership is not about working harder; it is about leading smarter, with awareness, boundaries, and intentional energy management.
During a coaching session, Vanessa invited the leader to reflect on the culture they were modelling. She asked a pointed question: What are you tolerating in your leadership that you know is not serving your team? The leader initially responded with defensiveness, but over time recognised the deeper issue. Their need for control and perfectionism, born out of fear of failure, had created a culture of hesitation and silence. Creativity suffered. People felt muted. The conversation opened the door to courageous action. Vanessa encouraged the leader to: • • •
Admit accountability publicly Invite feedback on how to lead differently Model vulnerability by delegating, listening more, and acknowledging mistakes
1. Reframe Performance as Sustainable, Not Exhaustive: High performance does not require burnout. She encourages leaders to define success not just by results, but by impact over time. Sustainable performance is measured by consistency, creativity, and the ability to show up fully each day not by the number of hours worked. 2. Prioritize Self Awareness and Reflection: Wellbeing begins with knowing oneself: energy cycles, triggers, and limits. By building daily rituals, reflection, journaling, or mindfulness, she monitors her mental and emotional state and adjusts before stress becomes overwhelming. Self awareness allows people to stay productive without sacrificing health or clarity. 3. Build Resilience Through Intentional Practices: Resilience serves as the bridge between performance and wellbeing. She focuses on three pillars:
Within 6 months, the results were profound. Engagement increased. Turnover dropped. Innovation reappeared. The leader became more present, approachable, and confident in empowering others. The organisation shifted from survival mode to a thriving ecosystem.
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Sustainable organizational success is people-driven. Boards that intentionally prioritize human factors, trust, alignment, emotional intelligence, inclusion, and wellbeing, create cultures capable of executing strategy effectively, innovating continuously, and thriving long-term.
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Whether guiding executives, mentoring graduates, or empowering young girls through the Shankara Girls Leadership Academy, the focus is the same: develop leaders who are grounded in self, anchored in values, and equipped to navigate ambiguity with courage and clarity.
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Self compassion: Accepting that she does not need to be perfect to lead effectively. Curiosity: Viewing challenges as opportunities to learn rather than threats. Resourcefulness: Using available tools and support systems instead of overextending herself.
4. Integrate Wellbeing Into the Workflow: Wellbeing is not separate from performance, it is part of it. She blocks time for rest, physical activity, and meaningful breaks. She delegates tasks strategically, surrounds herself with supportive people, and creates boundaries around work to prevent fatigue. 5. Lead by Example: She models the balance she wants others to achieve. In organisations and coaching sessions, she emphasises that leaders who prioritise wellbeing inspire their teams to perform at their best sustainably. When wellbeing is treated as a strategic asset, not a luxury, high performance naturally follows. High-performance and wellbeing are not opposing forces; they are complementary. By anchoring in self awareness, embedding resilience practices, and honouring personal energy, people can achieve excellence without sacrificing their health or humanity. Sustainable leadership is about thriving, not just surviving. Hidden Gaps That Hold SMEs Back Small and medium enterprises fuel economic growth, yet many struggle without realising that their barriers are often internal. Leaders tend to focus on visible challenges and overlook the subtle factors slowing the business down. Vanessa steps in here and brings structure to the blind spots that usually go unnoticed.
She outlines the recurring areas she sees: 1. Culture as a Strategic Driver: Many SMEs focus on products, sales, or operations but underestimate the role of culture. A misaligned culture can silently undermine performance, innovation, and retention. She supports leaders in mapping their current culture, assessing alignment with vision and values, and designing interventions that turn culture into an engine for growth rather than a constraint. 2. Leadership Development and Succession: In fast growing SMEs, leadership gaps emerge quickly. Founders often wear multiple hats, leaving no pipeline for future leaders. She guides organisations to identify emerging leaders, clarify roles, and embed coaching and mentorship to ensure continuity and resilience. 3. Decision Making Bottlenecks: Centralised decision making is a common blind spot. Many SMEs rely too heavily on founders or a small leadership group, slowing growth and innovation. She works with teams to clarify decision rights, create frameworks for delegation, and empower employees to take accountability. 4. Customer Centric Blind Spots: SMEs sometimes lose sight of evolving customer needs, assuming that what worked yesterday will work tomorrow. She helps them implement mechanisms to listen, adapt, and co create with customers, ensuring relevance in a competitive and rapidly changing market. 5. Wellbeing and Sustainability Neglect: Founders often push themselves and their teams relentlessly, believing this is the only path to success. She introduces wellness strategies and resilience building practices that maintain energy, focus, and long term sustainability because an exhausted team cannot scale.
How Vanessa Helps SMEs Uncover These Gaps: • • • •
Culture and leadership assessments that reveal misalignments and growth opportunities Coaching and mentorship that bring limiting beliefs and behavioural patterns to the surface Strategic workshops that provide space for reflection, dialogue, and collective insight Actionable frameworks that simplify implementation without overwhelming the organisation
When SMEs confront these blind spots, they unlock new potential, strengthen their teams, and build ecosystems that are agile, innovative, and aligned with their vision. The shift is not incremental; it is transformative. Guiding Graduates Toward Clarity in an Uncertain World Graduates arrive in a landscape marked by shifting careers, constant disruption, and evolving expectations. It is easy to feel lost. Vanessa approaches this moment with a focus on grounding, clarity, and intentional movement. Here is how she supports graduates navigating ambiguity: 1. Anchor in Self Awareness: Clarity begins with knowing oneself: values, strengths, passions, and purpose. She guides graduates through reflective exercises, personality and strengths assessments, and goal-setting conversations to help them understand who they are, what drives them, and what kind of impact they want to create. This selfknowledge becomes a compass in a shifting landscape. 2. Develop a Growth Mindset and Resilience: Ambiguity often feels intimidating because it triggers fear of failure. She teaches graduates to reframe uncertainty as opportunity, embrace curiosity, and see challenges as learning experiences. Building resilience and emotional agility ensures that setbacks become stepping stones rather than barriers. 3. Explore Multiple Pathways, Not a Single Track: Success is rarely linear today. She encourages graduates to explore diverse experiences, internships, side projects, and learning opportunities. By mapping several pathways and experimenting safely, they gather practical insight and remain flexible to pivot when needed. 4. Equip Them With Decision Making Frameworks: Ambiguity becomes overwhelming when people lack a method to navigate it. She offers frameworks for
prioritising opportunities, evaluating risks, and making intentional choices aligned with their purpose. This turns uncertainty into practical action. 5. Emphasise Community and Mentorship: Clarity does not emerge in isolation. She encourages graduates to seek mentors, build networks, and learn from peers and industry leaders. Exposure to different perspectives accelerates learning and provides grounding through unpredictable moments.
her to mentor with genuine compassion and to help leaders recognise that mental health is a foundation to protect. Worth is not tied to output. Identity is meant to evolve, not remain fixed. Motherhood made her a more holistic and intuitive coach. It taught her that leadership thrives on emotional authenticity, inner alignment, and environments that support people as much as performance. Leadership Skills That Shape Future Changemakers
Graduates leave coaching with a stronger understanding of themselves, a set of tools to navigate uncertainty, and the confidence to shape their own paths. In a world of shifting paradigms, clarity comes from the ability to respond with purpose and intention. Motherhood As a Lens for Mentorship and Leadership
Young girls grow up in a world that pushes them to be confident and adaptable, yet often overwhelms them with pressure and mixed expectations. This is the space where Vanessa's perspective becomes powerful, because she works closely with girls who are trying to find their voice and direction. Her view comes through clearly.
Motherhood transforms identity, priorities, and emotional depth. It reshapes how people view themselves and how they support others. Vanessa draws deeply from this part of her life when engaging with leaders and graduates facing mental health and identity challenges.
Vanessa believes that young girls today face a world of incredible opportunities but also unprecedented challenges. To thrive, they need core leadership skills that equip them not just to survive, but to shape the future with confidence, courage, and impact.
Motherhood has been one of her greatest teachers. It has shaped not only her empathy but also her understanding of identity, resilience, and the silent battles many leaders face beneath their professional roles.
At Shankara Girls Leadership Academy, she focuses on cultivating five essential skills.
As a mother, she learned quickly that nurturing others requires first nurturing oneself. This insight informs the way she approaches mental health in leadership. She has seen how easily people, especially high achievers, dismiss their own needs in the service of teams, families, or organisations. Motherhood taught her that sustainable leadership requires self-compassion, boundaries, and conscious restoration. It offered her a more nuanced understanding of identity as well. Children reinvent themselves constantly, and observing that reminded her that leaders are allowed to evolve, too. Many of the executives and graduates she mentors struggle with rigid identities: I must always be strong, I cannot show vulnerability, or if I slow down, I will fall behind. Motherhood helped her normalise identity transitions and create supportive spaces for leaders to release outdated narratives and redefine success in ways that honour their wellbeing. The experience also expanded her capacity for presence. Leaders often juggle multiple roles and feel pulled in many directions. She understands that tension closely. It allows
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Self Awareness and Authenticity: She holds that girls need to know themselves, their values, strengths, and purpose. Self awareness builds confidence and resilience, enabling them to make choices aligned with who they truly are rather than conforming to external expectations. Through reflection exercises, mentorship, and storytelling, the academy helps girls discover and own their authentic voices. Resilience and Emotional Agility: Since challenges and societal pressures are part of life, Vanessa guides girls to embrace failure as a teacher, manage stress, and adapt with agility. Resilience is instilled through experiential learning, peer support, and practical strategies that build mental and emotional strength. Effective Communication and Influence: She highlights communication as a core leadership tool. The academy provides girls with skills in public speaking, negotiation, and collaborative problem solving, empowering them to articulate their vision confidently. Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving: Vanessa encourages girls to analyse challenges, consider multiple perspectives, and develop creative, actionable solutions. Real world simulations, projects, and
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mentorship opportunities help build critical thinking and decision making skills. Community Impact and Social Responsibility: Her belief is that leadership is service. Girls are guided to understand their role in communities, cultivate empathy, and embrace responsibility. Leadership is positioned as a platform to create positive change.
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How the Academy Cultivates These Skills • • • • •
Mentorship by role models Experiential learning A resilience framework grounded in self compassion, curiosity, and resourcefulness Community projects Wellbeing and emotional regulation practices
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• Her goal is to equip young girls to lead in classrooms, organisations, and careers, shaping Africa's future with confidence and a values driven mindset. She aims to provide tools, mentorship, and a supportive ecosystem so they enter leadership spaces prepared to thrive and lift others as they rise. The Deep Shifts Behind Executive Presence Many leaders try to improve executive presence by polishing how they look or speak. Vanessa takes a different approach. She guides them inward because she has seen that presence grows from identity, not performance. This belief sets the stage for her work. Vanessa views executive presence as the authentic projection of who a leader is, aligned with values, purpose, and capabilities. When leaders come to her for guidance, she focuses on foundational shifts that go deeper than surface level polish to cultivate sustainable authenticity. •
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Self Awareness and Alignment: She begins by helping leaders understand themselves fully, their strengths, blind spots, values, and triggers. She believes that true executive presence emerges when actions, words, and energy align with identity. Vanessa guides leaders to reflect on who they are, what they stand for, and how they want to be perceived. Mindset Over Mechanics: Instead of centering posture or tone, Vanessa emphasises the internal shift from needing to appear powerful to recognising that authenticity is power. This shift reduces anxiety, strengthens confidence, and encourages leaders to engage others naturally. Emotional Regulation and Resilience: She teaches
that presence is felt before it is seen. Leaders who regulate emotions under pressure project steadiness, confidence, and trustworthiness. Vanessa prioritises resilience and emotional agility so leaders respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively. Clarity of Purpose and Vision: She helps leaders gain clarity about what they stand for and where they want to lead others. With this clarity, communication and behaviour become aligned, inspiring influence without forcing authority. Relational Intelligence: Vanessa reinforces that executive presence is relational. Leaders need strong listening skills, empathy, and an ability to sense the energy in a room. She supports leaders in connecting genuinely, influencing ethically, and helping others feel valued. Integration of Wellbeing: Wellbeing underpins authenticity. Vanessa encourages grounding practices, energy management, and self care because leaders cannot project presence when depleted. Balanced leaders show up with focus and presence.
When these shifts take hold, executive presence becomes embodied rather than performed. Leaders move with confidence, inspire trust, and influence with impact while staying true to themselves. Authenticity becomes magnetic. A Framework for Resilience Stress and uncertainty often challenge leaders on a deeper emotional level. Vanessa built a practical framework to help them stay steady, grounded, and open during difficult times. Her approach is simple but transformative. Her resilience framework rests on 3 pillars. •
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Self-Compassion: This involves showing kindness and empathy toward oneself. Vanessa teaches that when leaders treat themselves with kindness, they begin to lead with self awareness instead of survival. Curiosity: Curiosity shifts attention from blame to learning. It opens the door to innovation by encouraging leaders to ask what they can learn from a situation rather than why it happened. Resourcefulness: Resourcefulness is the ability to turn nothing into something. Vanessa frames it as using what is available and transforming obstacles into opportunities.
Sustaining Purpose Without Losing Yourself Leading with purpose sounds energizing, yet anyone who has carried a mission knows it comes with weight. To help
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leaders hold onto their values without burning out, Vanessa approaches the work with a whole-person view, which is why she shares the following: Purpose-driven leadership is incredibly fulfilling, yet it comes with unique pressures. Leaders who are deeply committed to their vision often push themselves to extremes, risking burnout, compromised well-being, or misalignment with their personal values. Vanessa's approach focuses on sustaining purpose while honouring the leader as a whole person. •
Anchoring in Self Awareness: Helping leaders clarify their core values, purpose, and non-negotiables. When
leaders have a clear understanding of what truly matters to them, they can make decisions and lead in ways that remain aligned, even under pressure. This self-awareness serves as a compass for maintaining integrity while pursuing ambitious goals. Embedding Resilience Practices: Purpose-driven leadership requires stamina and adaptability. Vanessa teaches leaders to build resilience through practices that include self-compassion, curiosity, and resourcefulness. By cultivating these pillars, leaders can navigate challenges without compromising themselves or their mission. Integrating Wellbeing Into Leadership Strategy: Wellbeing is not an afterthought; it is strategic. Vanessa guides leaders to manage energy intentionally: prioritizing rest, nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, and reflection. When leaders treat wellbeing as essential, they sustain their performance, presence, and clarity of purpose over the long term. Creating Alignment Between Work and Life: Vanessa helps leaders design systems and boundaries that allow them to lead purposefully while preserving relationships, health, and personal fulfilment. This includes delegating effectively, managing expectations, and leveraging support networks. Leadership is not about doing it all; it is about focusing on what only you can do. Continuous Reflection and Feedback: Leaders often drift from their purpose unconsciously. Vanessa encourages regular reflection, journaling, and structured feedback to ensure they remain connected to their why and can course correct when values or wellbeing are at risk.
Leaders who embrace these strategies lead with authenticity, influence, and impact without burning out or compromising themselves. Purpose becomes a source of energy, not a source of pressure. Their leadership is sustainable, values-driven, and deeply inspiring, not just to their teams, but to the wider ecosystem they influence. The Human Factors Boards Often Miss Strategy can look strong on paper, but culture is what decides whether it lives or dies. Vanessa has seen this repeatedly in her work with boards, which is why she points to the following human elements as critical and frequently underestimated: In her experience advising boards on culture and strategy, Vanessa has observed that while organizations meticulously focus on financials, KPIs, and market positioning, they often underestimate the human factors that ultimately drive
sustainable success. Strategy without the right human ecosystem is like a high-performance engine without fuel; it simply cannot run.
innovating continuously, and thriving long term. These are often invisible yet the most powerful levers for enduring impact.
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Leading with Purpose, Resilience, and Global Relevance
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Psychological Safety and Trust: Boards often overlook how vital it is for employees to feel safe to speak up, share ideas, and challenge assumptions. Without psychological safety, innovation stalls, risks go unidentified, and engagement declines. Organizations succeed when trust permeates every level, from the boardroom to frontline teams. Leadership, Authenticity, and Accountability: The behaviours of leaders set the cultural tone. Boards underestimate the impact of authentic, values-driven leadership. Leaders who model integrity, humility, and accountability inspire teams to follow suit, whereas performative leadership breeds disengagement and cynicism. Alignment Between Purpose, Values, and Strategy: A brilliant strategy cannot compensate for misalignment between stated values and actual behaviour. Boards sometimes underestimate the importance of ensuring that organizational purpose and values are lived daily. When purpose and action are aligned, employees feel motivated, inspired, and committed. Emotional Intelligence Across Leadership Layers: Boards often focus on technical competence but neglect emotional intelligence. Leaders who can manage their own emotions, empathize with others, and navigate complex interpersonal dynamics create cultures where collaboration, creativity, and problemsolving thrive. Inclusion and Diversity of Thought: Success depends on harnessing the full spectrum of perspectives. Organizations often underestimate the value of cognitive, cultural, and experiential diversity. Boards that actively cultivate inclusion enable richer decision making, innovation, and resilience in the face of disruption. Organizational Energy and Wellbeing: Finally, boards frequently overlook the correlation between human energy, well-being, and productivity. High performing cultures are those where employees are energized, motivated, and supported, not merely managed. Wellbeing is a strategic lever, not a nice-tohave.
Sustainable organizational success is people-driven. Boards that intentionally prioritize human factors, trust, alignment, emotional intelligence, inclusion, and well-being create cultures capable of executing strategy effectively,
The conversation about leadership is shifting everywhere, and Vanessa ties her work across sectors and continents to a broader truth: leadership grows from within. That perspective sets the stage for her reflections: Across Africa and around the world, leadership is no longer defined by position, title, or authority alone. Today, the leaders who shape the future are those who lead with authenticity, resilience, and purpose, who invest in people as much as in strategy, and who balance high performance with wellbeing. The lessons Vanessa shares, from cultivating self-awareness and resilience to building inclusive, thriving cultures, are not just relevant in local contexts; they are critical in a globalized, interconnected world. African leaders in particular have the unique opportunity to draw on the continent's ingenuity, diversity, and resourcefulness to contribute meaningfully on the international stage. Whether she is guiding executives, mentoring graduates, or empowering young girls through the Shankara Girls Leadership Academy, the focus is the same: develop leaders who are grounded in self, anchored in values, and equipped to navigate ambiguity with courage and clarity. When leaders embody these qualities, they do more than achieve organizational goals; they inspire ecosystems of innovation, collaboration, and sustainable impact. In a world of rapid change, uncertainty, and complexity, the leaders who thrive are those who can bridge vision and action, purpose and wellbeing, local relevance and global perspective. Africa's youth, emerging leaders, and executive decision makers all have the potential to rise, influence, and lead not only for their communities but for the world. The future of leadership is global, human-centered, and impact-driven, and Vanessa believes it begins with unlocking the personal greatness that lies within each person. Her personal philosophy is It starts with me. She believes we have the power to change the world, but it starts with deep self-awareness and then the desire and willingness to take action.
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Education I m pa c t Creates Generational
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trong leadership in schools influences far more than test scores. It shapes the beliefs, habits, and futures of students. Parents and communities feel the effects. The next generation inherits the strengths or weaknesses of the systems built today. Educational leadership becomes a foundation that echoes for decades. This article explores what that impact looks like, how it develops over time, and why the choices school leaders make can transform entire communities. The Ripple Effect of School Leadership When a principal, superintendent, or department head leads with purpose, the results spread outward. Students learn more than academics. They absorb values, expectations, and ways of approaching the world. Teachers experience support and clarity. Families sense collaboration and trust. One decision can affect a student's confidence. Many decisions create outcomes that last beyond graduation. Leadership sets the conditions in which learning happens. Policies, culture, communication, empathy, and accountability work together. When these practices align, the benefits move forward through generations. Academic Outcomes Carry Forward Academic performance is often the most visible sign of leadership, but its long-term effect is underestimated. Students who experience consistent expectations and support develop learning skills that follow them into adulthood. A student who gains strong literacy skills will pass that advantage down to children. A school that raises expectations for math can influence community workforce skills in twenty years. Leadership that prioritizes inclusive curriculum, evidence based
practices, and interventions for struggling students plants seeds for future success. Those seeds look like reduced dropout rates, higher rates of college enrollment, and more stable economic outcomes over time. Emotional Intelligence and Social Skills Become Generational Assets A growing body of research connects emotional intelligence during school years to health, relationships, and employment outcomes. Leaders who value social emotional learning help teachers model respect, resilience, and empathy. Students internalize these values. Later, they parent differently, participate in communities differently, and build relationships with care. A shift like this cannot be measured in a single school year. Its influence appears gradually as healthier households, stronger communities, and lower rates of violence or bullying. Strong leadership makes these priorities visible. When leaders encourage students to advocate for themselves and resolve conflict respectfully, those habits continue for decades.
Equity Based Leadership Reduces Opportunity Gaps Educational inequity is not solved by short term solutions. Leadership that identifies structural barriers and redesigns policy creates lasting change. When leaders provide access to advanced coursework, remove biased disciplinary practices, or invest resources in underserved students, generational outcomes improve. Graduation rates increase. More students access higher education. Family economic mobility improves. The cycle of disadvantage begins to break. Equitable leadership focuses on fairness rather than uniform treatment. Some students need more support to reach the same opportunity. Leaders who acknowledge that reality create environments where all students can succeed. Teachers Thrive Under Effective Leadership Teachers are the primary drivers of student achievement. A supportive leader develops teacher confidence and retention. When educators feel valued, they give more energy to student success. When they receive professional development that aligns with student needs, lesson quality improves long term.
Leadership Creates Systems That Outlast Individuals Leadership in education is not about one charismatic person. Lasting impact comes from systems. When a leader creates clear processes for accountability, communication, teacher support, and curriculum alignment, those systems persist after that leader moves on. A well structured system protects students from instability. It ensures new administrators continue effective practices rather than starting from scratch. Generational impact emerges when institutional memory survives leadership turnover. Examples include: • • • • •
teacher mentoring programs consistent behavior frameworks multi tiered support systems transparent academic goals inclusive family engagement practices
Each element reinforces success year after year.
Teacher retention alone creates generational impact. High turnover disrupts learning and damages morale. Consistent leadership retains experienced educators, preserves school culture, and strengthens community trust. A leader who listens, communicates expectations clearly, and welcomes feedback builds loyalty and shared purpose. That continuity benefits every student who enters the building. Family and Community Relationships Strengthen Across Years Education does not happen in isolation. Families influence student behavior and motivation. Communities influence the resources and opportunities available. Leadership that encourages collaboration creates stronger bridges. When schools communicate openly, families become partners. Students witness respect between adults and learn to value education. Communities invest more time and resources into local schools when leaders demonstrate transparency and stewardship.
These relationships strengthen over time. They create traditions of involvement and expectations of accountability that shape future generations.
Action Steps Leaders Can Take Now The generational impact of leadership begins with daily practices. Leaders can start with:
Innovation and Adaptation Future Proof Learning Leaders face constant change. Technology, labor markets, and social expectations evolve. Leaders who adapt thoughtfully prepare students for a shifting world. They adopt digital learning responsibly, teach media literacy, or integrate real world problem solving. A willingness to adapt becomes a cultural value. Students raised with this mindset pass adaptability to their children. The community gains an ability to navigate uncertainty. Schools that resist change risk leaving generations behind. Leadership that welcomes experimentation and continuous improvement moves entire communities forward. Moral and Ethical Responsibility Guides Decision Making Educational leaders carry responsibility for shaping young minds. Their ethical choices communicate values students absorb indirectly. Decisions about discipline, inclusion, or academic expectations send messages about fairness, dignity, and human worth. Ethical leadership influences generational identity. Students who experience justice and respect carry those principles into adulthood. Leadership that chooses compassion over punishment or transparency over secrecy models integrity. These patterns shape how future parents, educators, and citizens behave. Preparing Students for Citizenship and Civic Participation Leadership influences civic engagement. Schools teach more than government structures. They teach agency and belonging. Leaders who encourage student voice, debate, and service learning help students understand they are participants in society. A student who feels empowered to contribute will raise children with similar beliefs. Increased civic participation strengthens democracies and community bonds.
• • • • • • • •
build trust through consistent communication invest in teacher development prioritize data informed decision making design systems rather than temporary initiatives include families in goal setting cultivate emotional and civic education assess equity and opportunity gaps honestly plan for sustainability beyond current leadership
These actions compound over time. Conclusion Leadership in education shapes humanity's future. Every choice influences the lives students will lead, the families they will form, and the communities they will build. When leaders choose clarity, equity, compassion, and adaptability, they set in motion a cycle of empowerment. That cycle becomes the legacy future generations inherit. Setting this foundation is the greatest responsibility in education. It is also the greatest opportunity.
What
Leadership Insights You Can Steal from
Military L
Tactic s
eaders across industries study military strategy for a reason. Armies coordinate thousands of people, under extreme uncertainty, while facing time pressure and life or death consequences. Those systems reveal principles that apply to any team. Prioritize mission clarity to eliminate confusion Military units act with precision because each person understands the mission objective. Mission clarity means that the purpose is understood, not just the task list. Leaders who borrow this idea ask: Why are we doing this, and how will we know when it is complete. A mission is clear when: • • • •
expectations are specific timelines are defined each role aligns with the objective success criteria are measurable
In business settings, teams lose momentum when they debate priorities or lack structure. The military solves this through commander intent. Even when plans shift, everyone understands the desired end state. This empowers faster decisions without waiting for permission. Use mission clarity to reduce misalignment, speed up execution, and prevent team fatigue. Train decision making through pressure and time constraints Many leaders freeze when the stakes rise. Military leaders make rapid decisions while facing uncertainty. The difference is training. Repetition under stress builds confidence and muscle memory.
Try these civilian adaptations: • • • • •
stress test key decisions in simulations rehearse crisis scenarios with cross functional teams require brief written decision summaries to clarify reasoning empower mid level leaders to decide without escalation apply an after action review to examine outcomes
Adapt quickly to new realities instead of clinging to the plan Plans rarely survive contact with the enemy. Military units constantly adjust to evolving conditions. Adaptability is not chaotic improvisation. It is flexible execution grounded in a clear mission. Leaders who value adaptability:
Pressure in business environments is real. Leaders can develop calm confidence by exposing themselves to structured decision deadlines rather than relying on reactive thinking. Use disciplined execution to maintain performance standards Military discipline often gets reduced to strict rules, but the real insight is consistent execution of fundamentals. Leaders who maintain standards build trust. Teams know what acceptable performance looks like and can replicate it.
• • • • •
create contingency options evaluate new information objectively decentralize decision authority use iterative planning cycles reward initiative
The result is faster learning and reduced stagnation. Teams react confidently when roadblocks appear. Adaptive leadership positions organizations to seize opportunities during uncertainty.
Civilian leaders can adopt a discipline mindset:
Build morale through purpose, trust, and shared responsibility
• • • •
On the surface, military morale may seem tied to hierarchy. In reality, it grows from belonging and shared sacrifice. High morale units outperform peers because they believe in each other.
set clear performance standards document standard operating procedures enforce accountability without blame celebrate consistency as well as innovation
Discipline does not mean micromanagement. It means reliable systems that reduce waste and confusion. Routine tasks create space for creativity because teams spend less time correcting errors.
Practical insights for civilian leaders:
Communicate through shared systems and repeatable language
• • • • •
Military communication must be unmistakable. Miscommunication costs lives. They use radio brevity, call signs, and standard reporting formats that reduce ambiguity.
Teams with high morale endure hardship and remain committed. Leaders who focus on morale elevate retention, engagement, and innovation.
Leaders outside military contexts can learn from this:
Conduct after action reviews to fuel continuous improvement
• • • • •
shorten communication loops encourage brief, structured reports standardize vocabulary for recurring processes repeat critical information through multiple channels remove filler language
Meetings and status updates improve when communication becomes standardized. Fewer misunderstandings translate into measurable time savings and improved morale.
connect daily work to meaningful outcomes recognize personal effort and team results foster psychological safety practice servant leadership mentor emerging leaders
Military units conduct after action reviews (AARs) after missions. The structure is simple: What happened, why it happened, and how to improve. Feedback flows across ranks equally. The emphasis is learning, not punishment.
Leaders who internalize this lesson: • • • •
normalize post project reviews encourage honesty and vulnerability focus on process improvements rather than individuals record lessons and apply them to future planning
This mindset accelerates learning cycles and reduces repeated mistakes. Empower decentralized command for faster and smarter execution Modern militaries rely on decentralized command, meaning authority is distributed to the lowest capable level. Decisions happen closer to the problem. Leaders train people to act autonomously within the mission intent. To apply this idea: • • • • •
communicate end goals clearly avoid excessive approvals trust expertise reward initiative remove barriers that slow decisions
Decentralization boosts efficiency and builds future leaders. Develop resilience like a soldier preparing for adversity Resilience is a core leadership skill. Soldiers learn to endure physical hardship, uncertainty, and psychological stress. Resilience can be trained. Civilian leaders can borrow resilience practices: • • • • •
practice controlled exposure to challenge build routines that anchor the mind train emotional self regulation encourage team members to seek support normalize rest and recovery cycles
Resilience allows teams to maintain performance through volatility and change. Ethical leadership is the foundation Military history contains failures alongside triumphs. Borrowing lessons must happen responsibly. Leaders must
apply ethical boundaries, not blind obedience. The highest performing units balance discipline, initiative, and humanity. Commit to:
• • • •
protecting people affected by decisions maintaining transparency challenging harmful orders or systems fostering respect across all levels
Ethical leadership builds credibility. Credibility builds influence. Final thoughts Leadership principles adapted from military tactics can transform civilian organizations when leaders translate them thoughtfully. Prioritize mission clarity. Strengthen decision making. Enforce disciplined execution. Encourage adaptability. Communicate with intention. Build resilience and morale. Create space for continuous improvement. Lead ethically. These lessons help leaders guide teams through uncertainty, reduce friction, and unlock potential.
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THE
PRIMETODAY E X C E L L E N C E I N E V E RY E D I T I O N
