1.

WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01 MAY 2010

WOMEN IN

LEADERSHIP NETWORK (WiL)

Tips from the top:

10 Habits of
Mizinga Melu

Monthly Survey
Employer of
Choice - Banking
Sector

Meet Alchemist
of the month
- Guy Phiri

The Alchemy

“Show me a Woman”
An Award to recognize contributions of women in Zambia.

Alchemy HR
Solutions Ltd.
2. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01

Become CEO
of your life!
WELCOME to the first edition of The Alchemy Women in Leadership (WiL)
Network Newsletter: WiL - Powerful Beyond Measure.
This is the first of its kind in Zambia – a Newsletter that focuses solely
on connecting women and empowering them with information which
will further propel them to fully achieving their destinies. The focus
of this first edition is to encourage women to take control of their
destinies. I recently saw a Blackberry advert with the heading
Become CEO of your Life and it resonated with the objectives of
the network. Having worked as a Human Resources practitioner
for over 15 years, it never ceases to amaze me how many people
expect their respective employers to have a blueprint for their
careers. The hard reality is that very few organisations do.
Relinquishing your destiny to your organisation will not get
you where you want to get. It is absolutely critical for you to
know where you want to go and then make it happen.
We have held a series of sessions where we have invited
speakers who have done exactly this. The Women in
Leadership Seminar in November 2009 saw Judge
Lombe Chibesakunda share with us the challenges she
faced as a pioneer in the 70s as one of the first women
in Zambia in both the legal profession as well as in the
diplomatic service. We laughed in sympathy as she
recounted how she was repeatedly asked when the
Ambassador, her husband, would be arriving when
she attended a function in one of her missions.
Guy Phiri in the March 2010 Alchemy Mentorship
Programme, Unlimited, emphasised how critical
it is to not only define your own success, but
to also proactively pursue it and not to limit
yourself by thinking small. Defining your own
success is about the quality of your whole life
and not just what should be a compartment of
your life, your career.
We build on this theme this month as we
launch the network with Mizinga Melu, the MD
for Standard Chartered Bank. As a returning
Alchemist (she spoke at the November 2009
Women in Leadership Session) she requested
that she share with the women who attended
the November event her view on success,
which is about taking control of your life
– your career, your personal finances and
attaining a work life balance that ensures a
more complete or holistic approach to life.
In a nutshell becoming CEO of your life
means a more sustainable and enriched life.
See you there?
3. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01

Tips from the top:

10
1.
Habits of
Mizinga Melu
Know what you are good at - you will find it easier to
excel at what you are good at. Visualise your future,
where you will be in 3 years in 5 years.
2. Your behaviour, attitude and appearance matters.
• Dress for your next job.
• Behaviour - your conduct matters .
• A positive attitude is important.
3. Networking matters.
Seek out people you don’t know, people you can
learn from, people who can help you achieve
your goals. Connect with people who
will support you in your next role and maintain a
connection with them. Expand your network,
expand your ability to succeed.
4. Surround yourself with the right people.
• The sounding boards - people you can bounce
things off.
• The all weather friends - people you can be
yourself with.
• The cheering squad – people who will always
encourage you to be your best.
5. Don’t aim for perfection in your work sometimes it
delays.
6. Don’t share too much information, especially personal
information. It can be used against you or diminish
what people think of you.
7. Try and be one of the first three people to ask
questions in a meeting - people always remember
these questions and the people who raised them the
best.
8. Learn to say no, don’t over commit yourself.
9. Be bold. Take courage. Don’t ask for permission, if in
doubt act and apologise later - don’t ask permission
to do things.
10. Work the hours overtime and beat the deadline.
4. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01

THE INTERNET age has brought many

marvelous tools to enhance our networking.

Online
However it hasn’t been without it’s

Social
hitches. Most of us open accounts on Hi5,
Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter and never
to visit the sites again. This can work to
our disadvantage as it now been widely

reported that potential employers now
“Google” you to see what you are really like.
Your CV maybe glowing with wonderful
work experience but your Facebook page
depicts a contrary image of drunken binges
that may leave that potential employer with
a bad taste in their mouth and you ending
up losing your shot at the dream job.
So here are a few of the many tips to
consider as you go about your networking;
1. Be careful what you write. Keep in mind
that just about anything that is online can
be read by someone - or everyone. If you
don’t want the world to read what you’ve
posted, make sure they can’t. Don’t put it
online or post it anonymously.
2. Don’t just join popular sites, take some
time to find the people you are trying to
reach and the conversations you are trying
to join. Virtual groups like “I Drink More Beer
than Water.” might seem harmless enough
to you, but for a potential employer trying to
find a mature candidate for an open position,
it doesn’t leave a great impression.
3. Ensure that your information is updated
Networking
periodically on your pages. There’s nothing
as bad as having a picture of yourself in
the year 2000 on your page. Just as you’d
make sure to wear your best clothes to an
interview, polish your profile with the same
care. You don’t have to update your page
daily, set aside once a week to update your
page or alternatively, you can temporarily
deactivate your profile until you are ready
to network.
4. A strategic way to build your network is
to use a “friend-of-a-friend” approach. Avoid
random or open-ended outreach, which
can distract you and waste time.
5. Whether on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn
etc, your profile pic is worth a thousand
WORDS. A major part of your social
networking personality is your profile pic
and your profile bio. The first rule of profile
pics and biographies is to stay consistent
across social platforms. You are a brand and
so you have to be very careful with the brand
image you are sharing online. Don’t brand
your personality for the day, the month or
the year. This is serious stuff. What you post
stays around for a pretty long time and the
information (good and bad) isn’t too hard
to find. Your posts offer vast archives of
information about you.
As with anything in life, there are rules/
guidelines and if you follow them you will
reap the benefits. We would love to hear
from you, what are your thoughts on online
social networking?
Please send your comments &
contributions to info@hrszambia.com
5. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01
An aha-Alchemy Moment !
- Kabinda Kawesha
Family business constitutions
vis-à-vis Pick N Pay projected
$27m investment in Zambia
MY MOTIVATION to write this article on the subject of Family Business Constitutions, which
I recently stumbled across would not have seen the light of day - despite an initial attempt
to pen it down - had I not read the Times of Zambia article of Friday 9th April 2010 headed
‘Pick n Pay projects $27m investment’, which is summarised in the caption below.
Upon reading this article, I had some
aha-Alchemy moments for the following
reasons:-
Firstly, to quote Mrs. Sylvia B. Mwansa’s
advice to the Alchemy network in her
email of 6th April 2010 which stated... “I
encourage you to belong to at least three
networks and this way, you will always
have a connection and know what is going
on in the environment. It’s time to stop
wondering what is going on when you read
or see articles in the media.”
And for sure, for me, the above-captioned
Times newspaper article on the Pick-n-Pay
investment in Zambia could easily have
passed as one of those business-as-usual
articles had it not been for some recent
information that I stumbled across prior to
reading the article concerning its founder
Mr. Raymond Ackerman. This made me
put 2-and-2 together and sigh ‘aha’ ...so
that’s what Mrs. Mwansa meant about
understanding articles that you read or see
in the media.
Secondly, my understanding that the
ability of Pick-n-Pay to make this significant
(and admirable) investment in Zambia, was
THE FOUR LEGS
OF THE TABLE
Ackerman, Raymond
& Prichard, Denise
Raymond Ackerman
is the chairman and
founder of Pick ‘n Pay,
the most successful re-
tail chain in southern
Africa, with over 350
outlets. In this, his sec-
ond book, he reveals
the secret of his success with a marketing philosophy
based on the model of ‘the four legs of the table’ that
can be applied worldwide. The book also looks at the
five mentors of Mr. Ackerman, their achievements
and how they contributed to the growth of Acker-
man’s personal and business principles.
At this stage you’re probably wondering
......how ? ..or what ?....triggered my discovery
of all this information? Surprisingly, it was a
simple –but not quite so simple- question in
the Alchemy survey of the following email:
From: chimango@hrszambia.com
- in addition to its business growth strategy [mailto:chimango@hrszambia.com]
- rooted in part to the family business Sent: 28 March 2010 15:55
constitution of the Ackerman family and the Subject: Alchemists Network
vision of its founder Mr. Raymond Ackerman
as espoused in his book - The Four Legs of Dear All
the Table by Raymond Ackerman & Denise
Prichard. We plan on formalising our women
In the usual summary tale of ‘one-thing- in leadership network and offering
led-to-another’, the sequence of my services and products to members.
discovery of the subject of family business Please fill in the questionnaire
constitutions, and the book entitled The below to better enable us meet
Four Legs of the Table was through the your expectations http://www.
following ‘Googled’ articles – surveymonkey.com/s/XSB6V8D
Chimango
Building lasting legacies – Family owned businesses by Dudu
Msomi The culpable question in the survey was
http://www.destinyconnect.com/blogs/nomdayi/
‘where do you see yourself 5 years from
archive/2009/10/04/building-lasting-legacies-family-owned-
businesses.aspx now?’. Easy I thought, because obviously
from my current position at work I expected
to be promoted to a more senior position.
But in terms of my the 5-year plan of a
Heritage and Tradition in Family Business: How Family-Controlled
Enterprises Connect the Experience of their Past to the Promise of small family business ....my response was
their Future by Richard L. Narva
– managing the strategic growth of family
http://cache.zoominfo.com/CachedPage/?archive_id=0&page_
id=365222340&page_url=%2f%2fwww.genusresources.com%2 business interests. I was amused by this
fsite%2fcontent%2fpublications%2farticles%2fnarva_heritage.
asp&page_last_updated=4%2f28%2f2006+5%3a10%3a59+AM&firs response as these were certainly big words
tName=Wendy&lastName=Ackerman
when you consider that they apply to a
6. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01
small catering business.
However, this left me with some lingering
thoughts on what more I could achieve
beyond the growth of this family business,
and more specifically, I began to ponder
more on the issue of family legacy, because
at the end of the day, my desire as a parent
would be to ensure that the business was
passed on as an inheritance to my children.
Thus, my ‘Google’ search on the topic
of family legacies in the management of
business led me to the following articles -
‘Building lasting legacies – Family owned
businesses by Dudu Msomi and Heritage
and Tradition in Family Business: How
Family-Controlled Enterprises Connect the
Experience of their Past to the Promise of
their Future by Richard L. Narva, where I was
intrigued by the following statements from
the articles:-
Family Business Constitutions
and Governance
Family business may be the greatest secret
never told, or at least never reported......
Some family-controlled business enterprises
are values-driven endeavours and the
core values upon which strategic and
tactical decisions in such companies are
founded are often rooted in the history and
experience of the founding family. .....There
are successors whose lives and business
leadership can both be illuminated by these
values. Thus, the company is more than
a financial balance sheet. It is a heritage:
“Something other than property passed
down from a preceding generation”
Abundant literature exists advising
families who control businesses to create
governance structures for their families
which parallel the structures that control
their business enterprises, e.g., family
assemblies or family councils as parallel
counterparts to a corporation’s board of
directors.
Often, but not as often as suggested, such
family structures are useful. But when the
formality of such structure is advisable, it
may often be rendered much more effective
by the process of creating a formal written
document--herein denominated a family
constitution--which as the constituent
document establishing family governance
serves to connect the family’s core values
and commitments to future family control of
the enterprise to the enterprise’s own core
values and governance structure. Consider
the following language from the preamble
of the Ackerman family’s constitution
establishing its family council:
Preamble say that I was impressed and humbled for
We, the Ackerman Family, resolve to my search on the topic of family legacies had
work together to ensure the continued yielded results beyond my expectations!
profitability and vitality of the Ackerman For me, the discovery of the concept of a
Family Interests. We, the members of the Family Constitution presented hope and a
Ackerman Family, while recognizing each living testament for parents, children and
other’s individuality and respecting any family members to develop a vision and
differences in opinion which may arise,
do personally commit ourselves to work
together in the interests in such a
manner that will promote total
harmony. We recognize that
family harmony is essential
for continuation
and growth of the
Ackerman Family
Interests. We
believe it is
important for
the family to
serve the
business. We
re co gn i ze
our Family
Interests as
valuable
assets
that have
provided
us with our
lifestyle
and the
resources to
enjoy many
opportunities.
The family
business provides
qualified members
of the family with
meaningful career
opportunities and
rewarding employment
for family and non-family
members. Our family business
embodies the values that have
been passed down to us through the
generations and is an important part of
our family’s heritage, and we strive to abide heritage of the family business to be passed
by high moral standards in all that we do. on from generation to generation. I use the
We seek to continue as a family controlled word‘living- testament’deliberately because
business, to pass ownership of the Ackerman the one word or document that we are
Family Interests to the future generations, accustomed to in terms of understanding
and to provide employment for qualified how family businesses will be passed on is
family members in Family Enterprises. We the ‘Will’. But as for the family constitution...
recognize that given the size, complexity and now that’s hope!
competitive nature of our family business, it So with this discovery, inspired by the
is necessary to involve non-family members Alchemy survey question on ‘where do I
in management. see myself in 5 years time? - you’ve guessed
(Ackerman Family, 2000) right! I’ve since purchased the book entitled
I have few words to express how THE FOUR LEGS OF THE TABLE, through Dot.
confounded I was with these articles, com Zambia info@importzambiasite.com
and particularly those contained in the and wish Pick-n-Pay success and prosperity
Ackerman’s family Constitution, suffice to as they come to invest in Zambia.
7. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01

The Alchemy

“Show me Award is to recognize

contributions of women in
Zambia.

a Woman” Categories for the award

• Community work/outreach
• Professional women
• Entrepreneurs
• Mothers

We look for women who have demonstrated

Ubuntu by giving back and being selfless in the way
they give by being nurturers and encouragers. We
look at women who encourage collaboration and
foster environments where people can thrive in a
collaborative way. We look for women who through
their integrity, diligence, leadership style inspire
and engender admiration from other women.
8. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01

Topfavourite
5 quotes Alchemy WIL

1 “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we
are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens
us most. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and
famous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing
small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so
that people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the
glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us. And when
we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to
do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically
liberates others.”
Marianne Williamson

2 The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were
intended to be.
Oprah Winfrey

3 You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make
money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them
so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.
Maya Angelou

4 You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you
really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived
through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the
thing you think you cannot do.
Eleanor Roosevelt

5 Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the

opposition he or she has overcome to reach his/her goals.
Dr Dorothy I Height
9. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01

Ask the Experts

With Chimango Chikwanda,

Director Alchemy HR Solutions

I run a family owned business which has grown over the years. We now
have over 200 employees. When we started the business 10 years ago we
employed two gardeners on a casual basis, we never drew up contracts
for them. They have been with us 10 years now.
We had to fire them recently because of some thefts which we knew
they had committed. We have just been informed that we are required
to compensate them for years served despite the fact that they were not
on an employment contract and despite the fact that they were caught
stealing from us. What should we do?

The Employment Act provides for verbal contracts, so although there isn’t
a formal contract of employment the fact that they have been working
for you and you have been paying them on a monthly basis, they are
protected by the Act.
My advice to you would be that you engage your lawyers and their
representatives, if they have some, and find out what they want in terms
of terminal benefits. The minimum you would most likely have to pay is
2 months for every completed year served as per the Redundancy clause
for verbal contracts.
We strongly advise you to immediately normalise the situation by
introducing a Disciplinary Code, ensuring all your employees have
contracts of employment, and that the Conditions of Service and Policies
and Procedures are current. Further instant terminations are frowned
upon by the Industrial Relations Courts as every employee is considered
to be entitled to have a fair hearing in any case. Some training for your
Managers and Supervisors on how to conduct a disciplinary case is also
advised.
 Why gamble with
your business?
Contact Alchemy HR Solutions for specialised HR advisory solutions.
Administrative Support Operational HR Guidance Strategic Solutions
• Employee Record & File • Staffing Process Development • Performance Management
Management • Recruitment of Key Executive System Development
• Facilitation of Compliance Training Positions • Retention Strategy
• New Hire Orientation Process • Leadership Planning &
• Policy & Procedure Development
Development • Organization Design
Consulting

Tel +260 211 236898 / Mobile +260 97 7770805 Alchemy HR

Email info@hrszambia.com / Website www.alchemyhr.com Solutions Ltd.
11. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01
Earning
Passion
AFTER secondary schooling in Lusaka
(Roma Girls) followed by graduating in
Architecture from Copperbelt University
(CBU) with an MA from Belgium, I pursued
a career in architecture and design. I was
based mainly in Lusaka but with much travel
within Zambia and abroad.
In 2006 I married Adam Lethbridge, a
British businessman who has himself lived
in Zambia for many years. At the age of 38,
after having two children in quick succession
I felt what all women feel – elated but tired
and needing pampering and relaxing! I was
also looking for a new challenge in business
to complement my full family life (four
children altogether).
I have always been convinced that
professional and personal dreams can be
fulfilled together and I was myself inspired
by my friends and contemporaries who
have successfully combined family life
with business pursuits. I like to think that I
Avocado proprieter, Mwangala Lethbridge
am a good ‘multi-tasker’ and I have always
maintained my interests in architecture,
landscaping, floristry and property
development.
When I opened Avocado in March 2009, it
was the realisation of a dream that I had for
a long time – to own and run a Health and
Beauty business.
My philosophy at Avocado is no different
to my approach to my other interests; if it’s
worth doing, do it properly. We took great
care in choosing the location, the equipment,
the products and most importantly the
staff in order to create something to be
proud of – Lusaka’s first all comprehensive
Hair and Day Spa offering the full range of
beauty, hair and body treatments. Location
is essential and our premises offers the
space, tranquillity and privacy that are so
important.
Avocado has made a very satisfactory
start but good standards, once set, must
be maintained and constantly improved,
particularly in the personal service industry
and our regular clients will notice that we
are always adding new features to raise the
standards, from new massage facilities, to
a retail beauty shop and a different coffee
shop menu to name a few.
The range of services that Avocado
offers include full Spa facilities of massage,
pedicure, manicure and all body treatments
together with a hair salon with stylists for
all hair types. We also have a very popular
barber shop to complement the many
men’s facilities.
I believe we offer a unique combination
of quality with affordability in beautiful and
accessible surroundings. My vision is for
personal and customer satisfaction – but
in all my businesses the customer always
comes first!
12. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01

Powerhouse
Q&
- Monica Musonda

A
YOU sometimes meet people who are larger than life, their aura and energy
is so powerful it permeates the whole room when they walk in – you instantly
feel their presence. When I reflect and think of people I know personally who
have had that effect on me, three women’s names jump out at me: Margaret
Mwanakatwe, Mizinga Melu and Monica Musonda. I met Monica Musonda
15 years ago when she was still in University and remember asking my sister
when Monica left the room “who was THAT?”
We never became close friends, but we moved in the same circles so I often
heard of her progress. What amazed me most was her courage, first she was in
the UK doing her masters, then she moved to South Africa and worked for one
of South Africa’s leading law firms, then in Washington with the International
Finance Corporation and most recently I heard she had somehow found herself
in Nigeria working for one of Africa’s richest men - Alhaji Aliko Dangote. Forbes
Magazine ranked him as the 3rd richest person of African descent at US$2.5bn
after Mohamed Al Amoudi (US$9bn) and Oprah Winfrey (US$2.7bn). She was
personally recruited by him and reports directly to him. She also sits on two
of Dangote’s Boards and represents the Group on a number of international
associations and committees.
She is currently Director Legal and Corporate Affairs for Dangote Cement
in Nigeria. The Dangote Group is one of the leading conglomerates in Sub-
Saharan Africa, generating annual revenues in excess of $2bn and with over
8000 employees. The Group’s interests are diverse – the most significant of
which are basic commodities e.g. sugar, salt, flour, cement etc. The Group
is currently embarking on the construction of a 1.5mtpa cement plant in
Ndola, which Monica (for obvious reasons) is heavily involved, in ensuring
that the project comes on line, on time and on budget!
Monica obtained her LL.B from the University of Zambia and holds a
Masters degree in Corporate and Commercial Law from the University
of London. She is dual qualified – Zambian Advocate and Solicitor of
England and Wales. She manages a team of lawyers, advising on all
corporate & finance transactions including negotiating multi-million
dollar contracts and negotiating acquisitions, the most significant
valued being a US$350m project financing transaction. She is
currently advising on the consolidation of Dangote’s cement
assets in West Africa and the subsequent listing of the merged
entity on an international exchange. She is only in her early
30s.
I had the privilege of chatting with Monica on her path,
achievements and asked her for any advice she had to offer
Zambian women about wakening the giant within them.
13. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01
1. To what do you attribute
your success?
(a) Dreaming Bigger and being goal
oriented
From a young age I always dreamt big and
set myself goals. I remember when I was at
university, I knew I wanted to do commercial
legal work and so focused my attention on
trying to achieve that. By the time I graduated,
privatisation had begun and my work at
the Attorney General’s office allowed me to
achieve this goal. Every step I have taken since
then has been to achieve a personal goal I
have set for myself – each goal being bigger
and more challenging.
(b) Having Great Mentors
I have been fortunate because I have had
many good people around me to guide and
mentor me and walk with me through my
professional career. Three people immediately
come to mind, Valentine Chitalu, Moky Makura
and Bunmi Akinremi.
Valentine has been a great mentor and
inspiration, who has been there for me
through ever step I have taken professionally.
He has always challenged me – making me
think deeper about my decisions and the path
I wanted to take. He has also guided me to
think outside the box, think beyond a legal
role and has offered great business advice.
Most people know Moky because of her TV
roles but to me, she is like an older sister. She
has been an important source of personal
strength and drive for me. She always reminds
me about having focus, understanding what
you want and believing nothing is impossible.
I met Bunmi at a time when I felt I was losing
my passion for the work I was doing and was
feeling “stuck”. He taught me about taking
calculated risks and also more importantly
stressed that I run my own race and never
focus on what other people were doing!
(c) Building a Contact Network and
leveraging it!
I have built my career – particularly being
in a service industry – through my contact
network. I have learnt that your network is
your “net worth” and so many opportunities
open up once you learn to leverage them.
It doesn’t matter if you meet someone at
a conference, a meeting or even a casual
contact. For instance, I first interacted with the
International Finance Corporation way back
in 1997 on a transaction. I was a junior lawyer
then but I kept the contact and they came in
handy later on!
(d) Believing that failure is not an option
It’s not been an easy road but I believe that
God did not bring me this far to fail! And I
remain truly thankful for all He has given me!
Not everything has worked out exactly the
way I wanted – but all setbacks are learning
opportunities/experiences - you take positive
steps, adapt, dust yourself off and move on!
(e) Having Passion for what you do
This is very important – it’s not about showing
up for work and getting a pay check at the
end of the month. It’s about living your work
experience, wanting to contribute, to provide
leadership, to ensure the success of your
company (and ultimately be a part of that
success)!
2. If you were advising
young women who aspire
to your position, what
deliberate strategies would
you tell them to follow?
(a) Raise your Standards.
Believe that you can do more, don’t tolerate
mediocrity in yourself and in others. Write
down all the things that you will no longer
accept in your life and all the things that you
aspire to become! Know what you want!
(b) Change your limiting beliefs
If you raise your standards, but don’t believe
that you can achieve them, then you won’t
win the race! Believe that you can do…even if
it means taking small steps!
(c) Skill up and create your own enabling
environment
Actively put yourself in the right environment
to better create opportunities for yourself.
(d) Network!
I am a strong believer in networking. I must
however emphasise that it must be ‘deliberate,
informed and intelligent networking.’ Learn
the game! Keep in touch with people after
you meet them, even if the encounter doesn’t
initially lead to a business lead, you now have
created a relationship with the person which
you or someone you know might be able
to leverage at a later point in life. I often say
that I want to be “Mizinga Melu” when I grow
up because in many of my meetings, when
people hear I am from Zambia – they ask if I
know Mizinga. A champion networker! We can
all learn networking strategies from her!
(e) Put your hand up!
Don’t be afraid to let it be known that you
aspire for great things, for a leadership position
or to tell them that you will have their job in a
few years time. Let people know that you are
coming….
(f) Identify a mentor
Identify someone who has a quality you admire
or that you respect or is willing to coach you
and guide you. Mentor other people and give
back. Mentoring other people also refreshes
and gives you confidence in yourself.
3. What personality traits
do you need to get to
where you are
I think I am a fairly A type personality –
competitive, strong achievement orientation,
a bit aggressive (sometimes!) but clear about
what I want. I am always trying to achieve
excellence and sometimes this is difficult
because it puts a strain on me personally and
on my team! But, all in all I am professional
and hard working. I do try to find the balance
between being aggressive and being
approachable but never at the expense of
getting the job done. In terms of management
style, I believe I am participative – I encourage
feedback from my team but I am also a very
hands on manager, which is at times construed
as being a micromanager. The quality of my
deliverables is very important to me, so I do
tend to closely monitor output.
14. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01
4. Have you ever felt
disadvantaged as a
woman?
No – not as a woman.
5.What challenges have
you faced?
• When I lived in South Africa, I felt
disadvantaged because I was not a
black South African (for purposes of BEE
regulations) and so sometimes I wasn’t
able to work on certain mandates or
included in certain meetings. But what it
did for me was to allow me to stand out
because of my professional ability (if I
was in a meeting, it wasn’t because I was
a black face) and as a result I was made
partner at my firm and I managed to carve
out a niche for my practice fairly early.
• Finding “work-life” balance and finding
time for myself and my family. I have a
larger team now and so its’ a whole lot
better. In the past I used to wake up and
try to remember which country I was in
and which transaction I was working on!
• I miss being in Zambia and being directly
involved with what’s happening there.
• I also realise being seen as aggressive
does have its downside – not everyone
can handle it and you will definitely not
be winning the “popularity race”!
• Working in Nigeria has also been
a big adjustment for me! It’s a very
aggressive business environment with
very successful Nigerian entrepreneurs
looking for the next big thing! There
are lots of very educated, smart people
vying for the same job and so you learn
very quickly to be on top of your game at
all times, making sure you are available
to do work at short notice at anytime
of the day! Also because of the size of
the market, it attracts many of the big
players across all the sectors and you
have to quickly learn to walk the walk,
talk the talk and understand the business
environment you operate in. Watching
Quest on Business is not enough!
6. What was your lowest
point in your career? Did
you ever feel like giving
up? What kept you going,
from where did you draw
your strength?
I once made a career move at a wrong stage in
my life. I left a challenging position to join an
organisation which I felt was bureaucratic and
hierarchical. I felt that I was not able to have
much client interaction or to participate in the
type of work I wanted to. It was very frustrating
because I knew I had capacity for some much
more! I didn’t stay long and moved on….and
never looked back.
7. What advice do you have
for other women? What
is your wish for other
women?
Take it to the next level. It is great to see more
women assuming leadership positions, but
even more need to assume frontline positions.
Women are so hardworking and dedicated –
they need to come out of the shadows and
participate. Also – live life, love what you do
and leave a legacy! We all need to think of
giving back!
8. What business book has
made the biggest impact
on you and the way you
think?
Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi. Keith writes
about building lifelong relationships one at a
time as a secret to success!
9. What other book, not
business, has made the
biggest impact on you and
the way you think ?
I like the author Jhumpa Lahiri especially
Unaccustomed Earth. She writes about Indian
immigrants in the US and their struggles to
maintain their culture in their new reality,
their conflicts over working and advancing in
corporate America vs. raising a family with a
strong sense of Indian culture and identity.
10. People look at you and
think you were just lucky
– in the right place at the
right time…
I don’t believe it’s about luck – but about
making informed decisions and committing
to the result. You create your own luck. I made
very clear and definite decisions – I chose not
to marry early so I could pursue my career. I
chose to take a step back into law practice in
2002 (taking a rather big pay cut!!) so that I
could sharpen my legal skills. I chose to take a
job with one of Africa’s leading conglomerates
so that I could learn more about what it takes
to run a business in Africa. We are all faced
with opportunities at some point in our lives
– it’s about the decisions we make and what
we do with the opportunities when they are
presented to us that matters!
11. I admire your drive and
ambition in attaining your
goals. Do you ever stop to
smell the roses and enjoy
life outside your passion,
which is your job?
Though my career and goals are important
to me, I do pursue other areas of my life with
the same passion. “What’s the saying - all work
and no play....” I love entertaining around food
and at home! I love to cook for people and to
try out new recipes. Entertaining especially at
home has allowed me to personally connect
with people, and I think this is why networking
comes so naturally to me. AS Keith Ferrazzi says
Never Eat Alone! Also, I took up running when
I moved to the US. I have run a few races since
then (the Army Ten Miler being the longest so
far) and am working on running a marathon at
some point next year! Wish me luck....
12. Do you consider your
self successful?
Not yet ….as long as I work for someone else, I
do not consider myself to be successful. Have I
done well – Yes! Will I get where I want to be….
without a doubt!
Career Time line
June 2008 to date
Director - Legal and Corporate Affairs
Dangote Cement Plc (Lagos, Nigeria)
April 2006 – April 2008
Senior Counsel - International Finance
Corporation (Washington DC, USA)
April 2002 – March 2006
Partner Edward Nathan Corporate Law
Advisers (Johannesburg, South Africa)
February 2000 - March 2002
Legal Counsel - Africa Media Group
(TVAfrica) (Johannesburg, South
Africa)
Dec 1998 – Jan 2000
Lawyer - Clifford Chance (London, UK)
1996-98
State Advocate - Attorney General’s
Chambers (Lusaka, Zambia)
15. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01

Alchemist of the month

- Guy Phiri

IN this section we profile past Alchemists who have mentored at one of our sessions. Guy Phiri was a Mentor at the Unlimited Seminar.
Guy Phiri is a Professional turned Entrepreneur.
He started his professional career as an Engineer working for the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) in Kitwe in 1991 before
joining Mobil Oil Zambia in 1993. He was appointed Managing Director in 2003. He retired early in 2008 to pursue personal business
interests. He is involved in property development, consulting and still sits on the Boards of Engen Zambia Limited and Engen
Botswana Limited. He possesses a Masters Degree from Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London.
Guy is involved in community work, fundraising and event coordination for various charities. He is also an avid swimmer, golfer, rugby
player and an amateur photographer.

Q: When you graduated from university events which got you where you are now,
what did you want to be? Did you think what would they be?
that you would be a CEO in the time frame A: I have always been a big picture
it took? thinker without ever overlooking practical
A: I graduated from university in 1991 at considerations. Involvement, Energy,
the age of 21. My ambition then as it is now Integrity, Performance are words I try and
is to be a major influence in whatever arena be associated with at all times.
I was playing in. I did envisage being a CEO
of a multi national corporation before I Q: If you could meet or be more like one
was 35 so to achieve this person in the world (living or not) who
at 33 was within my would that be and why? What qualities of
expectations. this person do you value most?
A: I have a huge respect for people who
Q: If you were can combine power, intellect and humility
to choose 5 effectively. Barack Obama certainly fits this
deliberate description, but I have people not in the
actions or steps public arena that are equally impressive to
you took or me.
pivotal
Q: What’s next for you, what’s your Big
Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) 10-30
year goal?
A: To be the person most recognised for
liberating Zambians from poverty
Q: Is there a book, movie, song, poem,
saying or quote which has changed your
world view or carried you during difficult
times?
A: Martin Luther King’s speeches of 1964 (I
have a dream) and 1968 (I have been to the
promised land). The book “Tumble turn” –
the biography of Natalie Dutoit.
Q: What’s your passion?
A: Being in a position to change what I
don’t like.
Q: What are your values?
A: Many - but integrity and performance
stand out.
Q: What are you reading now?
A: “Mind of a Fox” - Clem Sunter

We invite the Alchemist of the Month to select a book which has made a
significant impact on them in their careers or book they are reading now (see
Guy Phiri’s profile above). Those interested to read the book can place an
order with us and we will get the book.

What the Alchemist of the month is reading

The Mind of a Fox
- Scenario Planning in Action 


Many of the world’s true leaders in politics, business and sport have succeeded by adopting the mental
processes typical of the ingenuity of one of nature’s most resourceful animals - the fox. Are these mental
processes extraordinary? No, they are perfectly natural, and can be a powerful tool in scenario planning
and making decisions.
By drawing on fascinating examples found in business, nature, science, space and
sport, Chantell Ilbury and Clem Sunter provide a crisp and entertaining analysis of the mind of a fox and
identify the two questions you should ask before committing yourself to action: what do you and do you
not control? What is certain and uncertain about the future? They have constructed an ingenious matrix
around these questions, which assists you to identify the rules of the game; assess the key uncertainties;
paint scenarios; evaluate realistic options; and thereby make effective decisions. Essentially the matrix
will give you the edge: The Mind of a Fox. 

16. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01

Monthly Survey

Employer
of Choice
- Banking Sector
Survey Results
Standard
Standard Chartered 31% Chartered
Citibank
Citibank 20%
Barclays 13% Barclays Bank

Zanaco 12% Zanaco

Eco Bank 7% EcoBank

Stanbic 6% Stanbic

Access 4% Access Bank

UBA 4% UBA

ABC 3% ABC

Investrust 0%
Finance Bank 0%

Referrals through
How did you get your current job or if you are your network

self employed, how do you get most of your

clients?

Tenders

Newspaper 33.9%
Tenders 3.6%
Referrals through your network 62.5%
Newspaper

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 7

The female personality rated as most inspirational (not someone known personally) was Mizinga Melu.
17. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01

Alchemy
Mentorship
Programme
in pictures

Main Picture L-R: Alchemists, Saviour

Chibiya - Citibank MD, Mukwandi
Chibesakunda - Access Bank MD,
Chriticles Mwansa - ZRA CG and Guy
Phiri - Entreprenuer.

Other pictures L-R:

1. Faith Kobusingye- Barclays
2. Jennifer Nawa - Entreprenuer
3. Alchemist, Charity Lumpa -
Ecobank
4. George Mubipe
5. Muziana Banda, Alchemy HR
Solutions
6. Julie Washburn - Alchemy HR
Solutions and Chola Lungu -
Standard Chartered Bank
18. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01

Main Picture: Minister of Commerce

Trade and Industry Hon. Felix Mutati
presenting a certificate of attendance to
entreprenuer, Wendy Chivunga

Other pictures from top to bottom

1. Chriticles Mwansa with Barclays
Women in Leadership
2. Mwangala Lethbridge,
Entreprenuer
3. Mato Shimabale - Customer Service
Director, Zain Zambia
4. L-R: Yvonne Nundwe, Matilda K &
Kate Sikazwe all from Barclays
5. Shupi Mweene with Public Sector
Develoment Programme Director
6. Cecilia Makota - Chairperson,
Zambia Women in Agriculture
(ZWA)
 QUARTER ONE

DATES ALCHEMISTS COURSE CONTENT COST

Alchemy Women in 5 May 2010 Mizinga Melu

Leadership Launch Lusaka Managing Director,
Standard Chartered
Bank

Alchemy Women in 5 June 2010

Leadership Launch
(Copperbelt)

Chimango Chikwanda Businesses expect more out of their HR

Experience - Departments than just administration or personnel
management. This requires a completely different
Director, Alchemy HR
skill set from the administrative and personnel
Solutions skills set. This course aims to focus on HR
The Advanced Series HR Director Zain Zambia developing and implementing an HR Strategy,
June
- Human Capital HR Director SABMiller, focusing on the more technical and advanced
Kitwe
Zambia aspects of the HR Strategy:
Management Lusaka K1.2million
OD Consultant PwC • Developing your HR Strategy and how to
Recruitment Consultant track it
KPMG • Developing your Compensation Strategy
Personnel Officer ZCCM • and Compensation Structuring
• HR Reporting for impact
Mufulira Division
• Strategic Resourcing
Nyangu Kayamba
HR Director Zambian
Breweries Plc
Passmore Hamukoma
HR Director Mopani
David Kaunda
HR Director, Zanaco

What Businessmen 26 June 2010

know about business
that you need to
know

Executive Book Club July 2010 Guy Phiri

Enterprenuer

Evans Muhanga The Advanced Series is for professionals who

The Advanced Series 16 July 2010
- Commercial (Kitwe)
Experience - would like to gain more knowledge in their
Marketing Director, Zain respective fields. It draws on the experience
Zambia and knowledge of individuals who have woekd in
their areas of expertise for over 10 years working
Brand Manager, BAT
for worldclass organisations, with some of the that
David Bowa experience at Executive or senior
Experience - management level.
Sales Director, Zambian
Breweries Plc This focuses on Marketing, Sales and
Head of Sales, Celtel Distribution and Customer Service.
Zambia
Mato Shimabale
Experience -
Customer Care Director,
Zain Zambia
20. WIL NEWSLETTER  Edition 01

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 WOMEN IN

LEADERSHIP NETWORK (WiL)

Alchemy
Mentorship
Programme

We would love to hear from you...what do you think

about our first edition of the WiL newsletter? Is there any
article you would like to see in our second edition? Send
all comments & contributions to info@hrszambia.com