0:05
Welcome to the show, where we expose new perspectives on our ever evolving world through the lenses of various industries, cultures and backgrounds.
Our guests are disruptors, united by a common goal to bring their purpose to life.
0:22
Whether they’re from the commercial world or third sector, from the Global North or the Global South, expect an inspirational journey that will transform your perspective on just what is possible.
My name is Philippa White and welcome to Tie on Earth.
0:41
What if the most powerful leadership tool we have isn’t a framework, a strategy, or a piece of technology, but actually a story?
A story that shifts how we see ourselves.
A story that challenges inherited narratives, A story that gives the next generation permission to believe differently.
1:02
In this conversation, we explore how belief shapes leadership, culture, and possibility, particularly when it comes to Africa, it’s young people and the stories that too often go unheard.
Hello and welcome to tie Unearthed episode 113.
1:18
Today my guest is Cyril Aweri, a global Citizen, People First Transformation leader, and the creator of the Believe Africa pod and book, Embrace the Journey, which I was honored to write the foreword for.
Born in London, raised in Ghana, and working across complex tech and enterprise environments around the world, Cyril sits at the intersection of agility, culture, and humanity.
1:43
Together we talk about why changing the narrative matters, how values based leadership shows up in real organizations, and why short, accessible stories can sometimes create more impact than the most sophisticated leadership models.
2:00
This is a conversation about belief in people, in potential, and in what becomes possible when leaders choose courage, integrity, and curiosity over comfort.
Well, let’s dive in.
Oh, Cyril, thank you so much for joining me and all our listeners at Thai Unearthed today.
2:23
It’s just so great to have you here.
I cannot tell you how excited I am for the part to be on your podcast.
Really something.
And thanks for the privilege as well for being on your podcast.
I feel like our relationship since we met however many years ago, it just sort of, it just keeps blossoming into so many, so many new opportunities.
2:43
We are so alliance Philippa.
We both said we’re blossoming at the same time.
That’s scary.
So we will get to our history and how we know each other in a moment, but before we get that, you are the star of this.
And I just think it’s really important for our listeners to just understand who is Cyril and what’s your story and tell us a little bit about you.
3:05
So Cyril is a bit of a global citizen, I I would say hoping to make a difference in our world.
Similar to yourself, Philippa.
So born in London, I grew up in which was a really great foundation.
I think the experiencing in Ghana during that age was really, really good for me and I was very privileged to have parents who were very conscious about building a strong character.
3:30
And this has helped me today in my professional and personal life.
So in terms of work, I’ve worked as a consultant for most of my career, which has also been great.
I’ve had IT needs to work with different companies, different vocations, and so I started my career in IT.
3:47
So I was a bit of an IT tech boy in my younger days.
And then I moved into management.
So with that came project management and all of that was through consulting, you know, continuing in that same vein.
And then I kind of moved slightly into this area called business agility, which seems to be very appealing to me, you know, so this is cool.
4:07
What is this agile stuff about?
It’s kind of like a light bulb moment, you know, which is as you know, it’s all about helping organize to embrace change and and embrace a new way of thinking about work.
So that was the beginning of what I would say is a match or what I was meant to be doing in terms of work.
4:29
I really, really enjoy that.
And then up until now, I work in the same area and, you know, from a coaching, I, you know, coach teams and leaders to embrace this way of thinking about work.
And I also do facilitating of workshops, training, etcetera, which again takes me to different parts of the world.
4:48
I’ve had the opportunity to travel to.
I think the furthest up north is maybe Helsinki.
Oh, God.
Or it might, or it might be, it might be Reykovic.
Reykovic is, yeah.
Yeah, very cool.
So that that was really, really great.
And then nursing myself in different cultures, I think this is all kind of very helpful too.
5:05
And so I think with all the work that I do, it really has all been about how to help people to be in a better place.
It doesn’t matter what we do.
It’s really critical that even within the workplace, people are in a good place, you know, psychologically, etcetera.
Yeah, and this has been a core part of the work that I do.
5:23
I can think the mission is very similar to yours for the part, you know, how can we help organizations to become more human, like embracing this really important resource, which is the people right of the organization.
So that’s been a core part of the work that I do.
But then I thought to myself, actually I should be thinking about how I could help a bit more with developing Africa.
5:45
So this is where the African kind of interest began.
I started to think about, I thought about it for a number of years by the way, in terms of, you know, how can I be part of the this growth journey, you know, in Africa.
So I thought maybe a podcast could do it.
6:01
So yeah, I started this podcast in January, Belief Africa.
As you know, the first season was in Accra.
Some what 11 episodes was recorded.
Over how long did you manage to do 11 episodes?
I think it was about 2-3 weeks.
6:17
Phil Yeah.
It’s pretty intensive, period.
Yeah, I worked with the local media company called African Global, the really, really great team.
I was really impressed actually.
I was not expecting to be able to get that kind of service back home in Ghana.
I thought I could only experience that in the UK.
6:32
So that was very good experience.
That, yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And so they helped to develop the recordings, the wonderful studio I arranged for the guests as well, the episode guests recommended, guests that we, you know, that I could be speaking with.
6:50
So I got to learn so much just in that first season of recordings, Philippa.
I got to know a lot more about the young Africans, the experiences like for them, their stories.
And I had conversations as well with, you know, our faulty leaders.
So it was a kind of different spectrum of speakers that we had on board.
7:09
And I then realized that actually, perhaps the next thing to do will be to write this book.
And we’ll get to that.
We’ll, we’ll, we’ll get to the details of sort of breaking it down.
Yeah, yeah, you’ll get it to all of that because I think it’s really important.
But let’s just back up just a little bit.
7:26
So where are you right now?
Where are you talking?
Are you in Ghana?
Are you in London?
I’m in London now.
OK, you’re in London.
That’s the question I often get asked to is where are you, Sir?
All because.
It’s hard to pin you down.
Yeah, right.
So before we get to, you know, a little bit more about your work and specifically the book, but before then, I just wanted to bring to life how we know one another.
7:49
And it’s something that I’m still so grateful because if you remember, it was during the pandemic and we were having to obviously pivot and create a new way of doing what we do.
And we had created this new virtual opportunity that was available and it’s it’s not available anymore to people.
8:05
It was just during that pandemic time, but it was available to individuals rather than to companies.
And we had created this cohort opportunity.
But you were the first one I remember.
I remember you were the first cohort.
And this was, it was a very exciting and nerve wracking time all wrapped up into one.
8:26
I remember your e-mail coming through and you say this looks fantastic.
Renee, put me in touch with you.
Philippa, let’s have a conversation.
Yeah, I remember so clearly one, being so grateful because it sort of showed that there was interest also that I came across you because just thought, Oh my goodness, you’re such an interesting person and I just was drawn to you.
8:51
And I just wonder, you know, because it was a, it was obviously a really worthy cause, obviously that your team was coming together to support this organization in Syria and Iraq.
It was the first time that we were working with them as well.
So it was really exciting for us because we hadn’t been able to work with people in those types of regions before simply because of safety reasons.
9:08
And because it was virtual, we were able to work with them.
So I was really excited about that.
And I just wonder what stands out in your mind from that experience all those years ago?
I think Philip, but that that’s probably not just the one that yes, that the whole from concepts to delivering for it was GN right, GN Foundation.
9:29
GN Foundation, Yeah.
Yeah, the whole thing was really a great experience.
But I think what stood out for me was was the fact that it was myself, Iris and Jason.
But the diversity that we brought together was just so amazing.
9:45
I thought, my gosh, Philippa, Philippa and Tima thought about this one, right?
Yeah, it was great.
It was great.
Are we you from, well, we’ll say Global citizen Ghana slash London.
That’s yeah, yeah.
And then Iris, Canadian, and then Jason, the US.
10:02
Yeah.
And then obviously Iraq, Syria, the whole team.
So we we were bringing different kind of perspectives into the whole thing.
I think I was bringing in the the kind of the delivery approach.
So you know us using the agile ways of working and yeah, that helped us quite a lot too, but a bit of flexibility with what we’re targeting deliver Iris has like a creative.
10:23
Yeah, she was great.
Coming up with all these ideas, right?
She was just.
Yeah, she was a machine.
And then Jason was the kind of the marketing person.
So yeah, he brought in quite a lot too.
And you know what, the other thing I really was like such an impressive find was these artists, Philip Bluff, Syrian artists, and this work went.
10:44
So when we came across this for the first time, then, you know, these artwork was being presented to us.
I was thinking, really?
I know.
Phenomenal.
Yeah.
Very, very impressive artwork.
So I think it was a great learning curve.
We were using all the different technologies, you know, to we put the website together ultimately, yeah, it’s kind of long story show we have this online website selling all these products.
11:05
I know my mom still has her mug and.
Yeah, I actually have some jumpers.
Yeah, yeah, still have some stuff.
And I’ll tell you what how that has helped me for the burn.
Thereafter, I helped my son to also launch his online clothing brand.
Wow, that’s so good to hear.
11:21
So in your professional work, because you talk about agility and you talk about ways of of approaching leadership and seeing the world perspectives, global citizen and diversity, et cetera.
But just to get a context and this will sort of bring us into the conversations about your podcast and also your book, but obviously your professional work has shaped all of that.
11:43
How do you set people up for success?
I think it’s really helping to instill belief that they outset.
This is probably the the beginning.
Is this the mindset?
We always start with a conversation about where is your mind today?
And, and it has to be basically, you really want to embrace a growth mindset, you know, which is to say that things are the way they are right now.
12:06
But if we want to make it better, then we want to be prepared to change the way we think about things, right?
So it really starts with helping having individuals to recognize the importance of them being aware about how they are thinking about themselves and the world around them.
12:22
So the mindset pieces is definitely kind of the starting point.
And once they embrace a grave mindset, then it becomes much, much easier to, you know, help them into this fold of new ways of approaching things.
Yeah, that’s the foundation really.
12:38
I would say it’s the mindset.
Yeah.
So you’ve been working in the area that you’ve been working for a while, and you mentioned it as you were explaining just your background.
Then came this idea to do the podcast.
Now I’m just curious as to what was that catalyst to you suddenly getting on a plane and going to Accra and booking in three weeks of nonstop podcasts?
13:01
Why did that suddenly come about?
You know, I was thinking, Philippa, that I think it’s really all my ancestors.
So in Ghana we have this saying Sankofa.
Sankofa is like really trying to understand where you come from.
13:17
Oh.
I like the sound of that word.
Bankofa.
Yeah.
Bankofa.
Yeah.
And I realized that our forefathers, you know, those that came before us, have done so much for us.
And then I, and I felt this need to do what I can to help to change the narrative for Africa, because they went through quite a lot.
13:41
I mean, they, they had a lot more difficulties than we do today.
And they, they prevailed.
So that, that’s kind of the, the key part.
But the second part is that there’s so many opportunities across the continent.
And I think that the world, we so world, want to change our perspective on what the continent is really about.
14:01
For a very, very long time we have known this word Dark Continent.
Yes, right.
I’m not sure how this word was coined, right, but there is just so much rich culture and and you know, not to mention the fact that Africa has probably historically had the most natural resources to date.
14:20
So the continent has done quite a lot for the world really, but unfortunately the beneficiaries are not experiencing this wealth, right.
OK, so I’ve had this urge to try and say to myself, what can I do to help to bring this awareness more.
14:40
I think, you know, we unfortunately our media houses have not helped because the continent continues to be painted in a different way to what it really is.
You’re having yourself having lived in South Africa and so you resonate with what’s possible, etcetera.
And then I thought to myself, well, the, the, the group, the largest group across Africa that can help to change the narrative are the young ones.
15:03
They are the future and there’s lots of them.
So let’s just, we can just imagine the kind of impact they can have.
So in my own small little way, I thought, OK, maybe having conversations around this, how this path can look like could be a good way to start.
15:20
I think when we are talking about something will help, hopefully encourage us to think, OK, maybe this is what we can do about it.
And then more and more, more of us are thinking, OK, this is the action that we can take.
So it’s sort of a way of hopefully starting this spark.
And it’s been doing quite well at, you know, we are receiving lots of communications via social media on the Belief Africa platform, social media platforms complementing what a great initiative it is.
15:45
So why don’t you let’s that’s a great segue to just saying what it is because I don’t until now you haven’t really defined what is the purpose of the Believe Africa podcast?
Who were the people that you were interviewing?
So it’s generally about having conversations with individuals across the continent.
16:04
And the idea is that when listeners are listening to these stories and you and I, we know how powerful stories can be, right?
Especially if I, you know, if they resonate, they have the possibility of changing lives in a much bigger way.
So if a listener is listening to a story and they resonate with the person’s journey, then they are saying to themselves, oh, wow, OK.
16:25
I was there once, so maybe I could also be in this better place if I take these steps.
And if more and more listeners consuming this content in a similar way, then we are slowly changing the way people think about themselves and, you know, how they can, you know, contribute in their communities.
16:42
So that that’s the whole point of the podcast is, you know, listeners listen to these conversations, inspiring conversations.
And then they are saying, ah, OK, maybe I could also give that ego as well.
Or is the case maybe maybe some would say that OK, I’m going to try and do something which is going to help to change some specific, you know, narrative.
17:01
Are they all young people then who are on the Belief of Africa podcast?
Actually, no, not necessarily.
No.
Diverse, very diverse.
So one of the episodes I had of two young men, graduates actually, and very, very typical of some young, you know, Africans, one of them was not able to afford to be schooled, so they missed out on secondary school.
17:23
But then they had this kind of drive within themselves.
They decided to work for a business owner and they were very because they were so hard working and determined to make something work, the business owner started to ask them to take over some of the running of the business.
17:41
So there was this trust team built and to kind of Long story short, he then went on to actually form his own business.
And now he’s got far more clients than he can handle.
Philippa.
Yeah.
Simply because he took the initiative of just, you know, the work ethic and and, you know, you know, wanting to learn and and, you know, deliver good service to a customer.
17:59
So I was with him after the episode recording and his firm would not stop working.
Bring it.
So that’s a real example there of, you know, a young person.
I also had a business leader who’s well known in Ghana.
He’s called Prince Sam Wiping.
He was a group CEO for a leading bank called UT Bank.
18:19
But another very, very similar story.
He was very big on culture, organizational culture.
He wanted to instill the right behaviours across all his employees.
He came from military background.
So he, he was very conscious about making sure that, you know, character, you know, great culture is actually, you know, present within the organization.
18:40
And he, he recognized that that’s what helped the organization to become successful.
It’s just by having employees who actually are filling a stronger culture.
I had also another gentleman, he’s like a media specialists and marketing specialists.
18:56
Chrissy Folsom.
He’s quite well known in Ghana, too.
And he actually was talking about branding, helping young people to recognize the importance of how they come across and making themselves more valuable in the marketplace.
You know, and he had this interesting comment as well, which was about reading.
19:15
And I was asking him whether young Africans do actually read.
And he said that, well, he’s not so sure actually.
He doesn’t think that.
He doesn’t think that as many young Africans read as much as they should do.
And I also had the HR lead for Nokia Ghana who I worked closely with when I was working in Ghana.
19:32
So I, I worked in Ghana with, with Nokia Ghana for about 5 years.
And she was also sharing her insights on how they take training and coaching seriously, making sure that the team is aware of work ethic and and that sort of thing.
19:49
So.
And the numbers of your podcast are quite extraordinary, if I’m not mistaken.
I mean, just share them with our listeners.
I’m very envious.
I mean, it’s quite.
Yeah, a shy, a shy of 24,000 subscribers to date, right?
Just bonkers.
20:05
Yeah.
And how long have you been going for?
Since January 24 last year, 20.
Four.
Yeah, it’s just extraordinary.
Yeah.
So the thing that shows is that it’s just really catching, you know, And it would be so interesting to know if you’ve thought about what the secret sauce is, what is it that’s really just captured the African continent.
20:27
Well, what I learned to FFA is that there’s a lot of very hungry young Africans out there who, yeah, they’re just hungry for change.
Possibility and hope and sort of we matter and actually we can be drivers of change like we’re, we’re actually, it’s powerful stuff.
20:44
Yeah, it is.
It is really, really impactful.
So people are listening and they are identifying with it and they’re saying actually this is something that probably I want to listen more of because it’s hope positivity.
And then the second season was in Morocco very recently.
20:59
Oh, cool.
Yeah.
And that’s also going live.
We had the first episode released last week, so the remaining episodes will be be going live in the coming weeks.
So that’s also got a lot of kind of interest and, you know, reactions.
Well done for pulling that off.
21:15
I mean, I think and you know, that does bring us to the book because what I haven’t listened to the podcast, I’m sorry about that.
But I did read the book of course, and I am so grateful.
Thank you very much for asking me to write the foreword, which was a huge honor first forward that I’ve written.
21:30
So thank you very much for being patient with me.
But it was such an interesting read because, you know, I was born in South Africa, so I have a connection with the continent, but, you know, not having grown up in Africa and obviously we work with loads of people and organizations in Africa.
21:46
So I feel particularly connected.
But what I found interesting is because I grew up in Canada, so my upbringing would have been very different to yours.
For example, when you’re growing up in Accra, like it would have just, you know, the houses are different, the culture is different, the schools are different, it’s just different.
22:01
But what I found really amazing was that the stories that you told, anybody could relate to them.
So even though you have these stories of somebody and they’re all African stories, so there’ll be a situation of a woman, she talks about a difficult moment that she’s experienced, then how she sort of worked through that and you read it and the context of course is very particular, but the ways that she worked through whatever that challenge was and then the outcome is something that everybody can relate to.
22:31
Right.
And so I just thought, I thought that because you’d managed to do that with every single story.
Yeah, I thought.
That was that was quite genius.
It was.
It was.
Thank you.
Yeah, it was.
It was nicely done.
That was the intent.
The intent was to make it resonate with the reader.
22:47
So the all the different stories are different scenarios, like in the workplace, you know, or just there’s there’s one about relationships, a couple you see.
So, so there’s kind of a varied set there so that as many people can resonate with at least one story.
23:03
So the reason why the stories are so short is that I learnt from research that quite a lot of our young African readers are not patient with reading a big book.
So I thought, OK, let me chunk these into small digestible size of a story.
23:20
Yeah, they, I mean, they’re great.
They take not very long at all to just sort.
Of yeah, like 10-15 minutes per story, right?
Yeah, yeah.
So at least, you know, you can read one story and think, OK, I like this one.
OK, I’ll, I’ll put it there and then I’ll come back to the other story a bit later.
That’s fine, right?
But at least being able to grasp a particular concept.
23:39
And I think, I think the first story is a good one.
I I like.
Yeah, I love the first, actually.
The first few I just felt because they’re actually quite different.
But the first one talks about this word yet.
Yet I love that one.
Yes.
Remember that?
Yeah.
Yeah, right.
When someone says that I can’t do something, you just need someone else to say that, well, you can’t do it yet.
24:01
Then that changes the whole reframing of how you think about what you want to.
Do any challenge?
Yeah.
Absolutely, yeah.
Tell you what, this is this experience that I have done for when I was in Ghana.
This 6-7 year old boy really, really embarrassed me, right.
So I embarrassed you.
24:16
Let me tell you.
Let me tell you graffiti.
So I have, I have this car which I was using a friend’s car that I was using.
And, but there was a, a mechanical fault with the, with the car that had developed.
And so another friend of mine who was with her son was trying to see how they, you know, how she can help to get someone to look at the car.
24:37
And I was explaining that when I’m not really a good mechanic, so that I’m definitely not going to be able to try and do anything about this car.
And her younger son turned around and looked at me and said, you know, you should never say that about yourself.
Oh, you know, like I teach this stuff, damn it.
Yes, you’re right.
24:56
Exactly what I said to myself, Yeah.
I was like, I was taking it back.
I said yes, sorry, you’re right.
Yeah, See the seven-year old.
Carry on.
So that was quite a bit of a light bulb moment for me to just remind myself that, you know, I shouldn’t be saying to myself that I can’t do something.
25:15
So all the stories in there are meant to help to instill that belief.
All different parts of Africa so.
What do you hope readers will take away?
So there’s there’s a number of like what I’ve called call to action.
25:31
I think this is the key part actually.
And what I’m hoping is that when the reader reads the story, they will also take a note of the call to action bits and actually do something.
And I’ve been thinking about how I want to get this confirmation, if you like, from readers about what they have done in relation to the call to action.
25:56
So this is something that I’m thinking about exactly because.
Because we want it to be more about taking action as opposed to just right.
Yeah.
Because I think action speaks louder than words.
So that’s kind of the next level because to be fair, there’s a lot of people that probably know the right thing to do.
26:16
But in terms of taking action, that’s the tricky part.
Yeah.
And I really, I think again, the way that the book is is laid out, I think is just brilliant is, you know, easily digestible stories.
And then, like you say, you know, a lot of business books do do that.
They sort of got the action points, but it’s just very digestible and it’s not framework Y, it’s not follow my 10 steps to sort of whatever.
26:37
It’s very accessible.
And so it’s sort of what you need to remember.
It’s just four simple steps and then next story.
And then and it’s just very keep it simple.
And it’s interesting.
I think the reason I related so much to the book is because my, and obviously our books are very, very different, but what is similar about them is that I do believe that stories are the most powerful.
26:59
I so enjoyed the stories in your book too, by the way.
Thank you and it’s.
Stories, yeah.
And it’s just through stories really, that you can sort of make a point.
And I did feel that it was about just really relatable.
It’s real life.
Nuggets and then being able to reflect and then put yourself in those situations.
27:16
And then, yeah, so you speak about values based leadership.
And I’m just thinking because now we’re moving forward to the action points actually that you’ve just talked about with regards to these young people, people in Africa.
And it’s empowering them.
It’s giving them the skills and the tools within themselves, but also just leadership tools to be able to make the change, to be able to empower them to be the change that they want to see in the world, to be able to drive the continent in a direction that it needs to go in.
27:45
And I just wonder, in your view, what are the core values African leaders need to embrace today to truly move the continent forward?
That’s a very good question.
But integrity is probably number one.
Or the continent.
28:00
Yeah, we struggle with that in terms of speaking to the truth.
And corruption is one of our biggest challenges across the continent, and that’s very closely linked with integrity.
Yeah, trying to help young Africans to develop the courage.
28:17
The next one is courage.
It takes a great deal of courage to be a person of integrity, and the whole idea behind the book is to encourage young Africans to think about these values that they want to embody and if they can apply that to their work environment.
28:37
I always think that the work environment is quite good because that’s really where economic development is happening.
If organizations are thriving, then the whole country benefits in some way.
So there is this kind of socio economic development opportunity to develop.
28:53
If organizations are building strong cultures, it should manifest into positive business outcomes.
So strategically, if we can help young Africans, even if they’re not in work, it could also help them to get into work.
29:08
You know, if you’re emboding good, strong values, then you become more attractive to an employer.
So, yeah, so it’s looking at both these two groups, those that are in work and those that are looking for work and of course, for leaders as well, to ask themselves, what role can we play with helping to ensure that these values that we’ve set out are actually being followed?
29:34
For example, Prince Kofi Amar being the, you know, gentleman that I had on one of the episodes, but he’s very courageous.
I see the one who was about culture, right?
And that’s, that’s interesting actually, because that brings me to another question that I wanted for you because, you know, culture does play a huge role in shaping effective organizations, right?
29:52
So you’ve been working across Africa and the UK and actually other places.
I mean, you’ve been all over the world, right?
So yeah, Helsinki, what do you think organizations often get wrong?
For example, this individual who you spoke to on the podcast, what did he talk about Or what do you think about, you know, what does a truly human centered workplace look like and what do our listeners?
30:17
But what do the readers of your book or the listeners of your podcast, what do you think people should take away?
There’s, there’s also this, the interesting dynamic Philip, which is a country’s culture and how that can also impact organizational.
Totally, 100%, yeah.
30:33
Right, OK.
Nordic culture is very different to African culture.
Precisely there is this interesting book called Fish Can’t See Water.
It talks about this very, very topic.
You know how a nation’s culture can also influence an organization’s culture.
30:50
So it doesn’t matter where you, if you’re an international organization and you happen to be based in a particular African country, it probably would serve very well to understand what that national culture is and then say how can we leverage this culture where elements can be used in within our organization.
31:10
And also just, I mean, yeah, absolutely.
And just, you know, we’re talking about the continent as if it’s one thing.
The African continent is huge with full of a lot of different countries.
Different countries, this is the thing, right?
Yeah.
If you have somewhere in the US, they probably think the whole of Africa is like 1 country.
31:28
So you know, you’re absolutely right.
So a good example is Nigeria, Ghana, very different cultures.
Nigerians are more like go getters, bold.
Ghanaians generally a bit more reserved, still a bit ambitious, but not as bold.
So there’s these kind of general cultural traits and, and so even as an as an organization, it helps to have this cultural insight because it’s real.
31:53
It’s not going to go anywhere.
Absolutely, it’s such an important lesson and take away.
We’ve talked about your work and your work is very much focused on purpose and championing resilience.
You know, it was you back when we during the pandemic.
I remember you talking about Vuka.
I mean, it was you that said it was, you talked a lot about that.
32:10
What advice would you give to young Africans navigating uncertainty but yearning to make a real impact in their communities and careers?
You’ve touched on it, but I just want to just leave people with some.
Well, I think the first thing they can do is to join the Believe Africa movement.
32:26
OK, great call to action.
Exactly right join the I believe Africa community by joining us either on our Facebook, of course, you know, listen to the podcasts on on Spotify and and, and let’s have these conversations.
32:43
Let’s leverage social media to start these conversations and see where it can take us.
I don’t think I’ll I would have like a a specific answer, but I think we need to start from somewhere, is my view.
And then we see where the conversations lead us and.
Community is everything, right?
33:00
Absolutely.
Who knows, you know, just it could be there, you know, ultimately a young group of young people mobilizing themselves and say, OK, we’re gonna try and see if we can get our government to look at this particular point to help us to, you know, develop better.
Yeah.
I’m guessing we can think of so many things, but the key things is we have to start from somewhere.
33:18
Yeah.
And and this the Belief Africa platform is probably the good place to start.
Yeah.
Fantastic.
Now, is there anything that I haven’t asked you that you’d like to tell our listeners?
I think the main thing is to never think that they are not relevant.
So we live in a world where some of us have been made to think that we’re not good enough, but the reality is that every single one of us has some sort of talent OR skill, natural ability.
33:45
And it’s very, very important to be conscious about being able to identify what that is.
Sadly, we have managers today who label some of their staff as not being good enough compared to this other person.
34:00
And, and I think that we want to change that way of thinking.
We want to have leaders who are more thinking, what can I find in this person?
What, what is the positive traits that I can find in this person that I could use to help the organization to move forward?
34:17
So yeah, the key message is that please try and find your talent and then latch on it.
Set a goal and see how your life changes, Cyril.
I have adored our conversation.
Thank you for being so inspirational and being that platform for a whole continent of individuals to start those ripples of hope and empowerment and positivity and future.
34:44
And so we certainly hope that, you know, more young Africans will start to believe in themselves and then taking action accordingly.
This is the aim.
And it’s so wonderful what you are doing.
By the way, Philippa, I think you’re, you know, the Thai program that was a game changer for me.
If I hadn’t been on it, I’m not sure things would have mapped out the way they have for me right now.
35:03
In the same way, Sandy and your book bestseller, Philippa.
So I think you’re you’re making some really, really impactful change as well.
Thank you, Sarah.
That’s so well, coming from you, that means a lot and I really, really appreciate it.
So, yeah, thank you.
Well, I’m so happy that you said yes to the TIE accelerator experience because that perhaps it wasn’t such a simple yes, it was a big decision to make at the time.
35:25
There was lots going on, but it’s just amazing when one door opens suddenly, yeah, so many more open.
And I just feel that that is a perfect example of just where things can go when you decide to do something slightly different.
So thank you for doing that and thank Key for allowing need to be a part of your world.
35:43
And until the next time.
Yeah, absolutely amazing conversation.
Thank you very much too.
I know the best for you and the wider team too.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Hey everyone, it’s Philippa again.
35:59
I hope you enjoyed listening.
Now if you’d like to dive a little deeper, why don’t you check out my book Return on Humanity Leadership Lessons from all Corners of the world.
It reveals how putting people first is actually the smartest, most competitive business strategy of our time.
36:16
And if you’re ready to breakthrough disengagement, spark innovation, and build agile, purpose driven teams, let’s talk.
Whether it’s workshops off sites, keynotes, or full scale, leadership, programs will shift paradigms and create the change you’re looking for.
36:32
Visit philippajwhite.com to learn more or get in touch.
A huge thanks to Benna Vieira for the music and to Pete Morgan for his help with the editing.
Until next time, and I hope we’ll meet again soon.
