Southwestern Advantage’s Post

Happy 2025! Drawing on inspiration from others on this platform I've chosen a word for this year - AND. I want this year to be all about Abundance No unnecessary competition Diversity "AND" fosters curiosity and generosity. It encourages win-win outcomes and #collectiveimpact. It offers possibilities, and values robust and thoughtful discussions involving different ideas and perspectives. It is inclusive of different needs. It supports the concept that our careers are made up of many different learning, work, and life roles and experiences. I'm also going use it carefully. It must be inclusive by recognising and responding (in a meaningful way) to diversity. May your year be a good one! P.S One small caveat: "veterans and their families". The "and" should be genuine and meaningful

We never underestimate the power of connection.   So, while our mentoring circles offer the insight, mentorship and guidance to build the leaders of tomorrow, our personal and professional growth relies heavily on our ability to foster meaningful relationships.   Back in June, we held the EnCircle Summer social sponsored by Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM). While offering some insight on developing a career plan, the event gave attendees the opportunity to relax, network and build those all-important connections.  __ Our circles are aimed at professionals looking to take the next step in their career. Hosted monthly, the group mentoring sessions are led by senior figures from financial and professional services who share their personal experiences, and discuss the tools required to navigate the barriers faced throughout their careers. EnCircle Team: Justin Onuekwusi, CFA, Rebecca O., Marina Ebrubah, Yvonne Y., Daniel May, Alix (Landais) Timothy, CFA, Nneka Opara, Batsi Kashora, CFA, MBA. EnCircle sponsors: Man Group, State Street, Barrington Hibbert Associates, BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) EnCircle supporters: Diversity Project - Investment Industry, #Talkaboutblack #BuildingFutureLeaders #encirclementoring #mentorship #businessmentorship #assetmanagement #mentoringcircles #careerprogression #careergrowth #representation #networkingevent #assetmanagement #networking

"𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀." — Stephen R. Covey Today, on 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, we reflect on the importance of building a more inclusive world. At Lemonway, we believe technology is a tool for progress, but true innovation stems from responsibility and impact. ✨ This year, we’re proud to channel our apprenticeship tax toward the school La Chrysalide de L'Être — a remarkable institution empowering young individuals with disabilities to achieve social and professional independence. 🦋 This isn’t just about funding; it’s about believing in a future where everyone, regardless of challenges, has a place and purpose. La Chrysalide’s mission inspires us to see beyond barriers and embrace the strength found in diversity. We know we’re not perfect. 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. While we take pride in this step, we remain committed to learning, growing, and doing more to foster a workplace and a world where differences are celebrated, not just accepted. 💫 #Inclusion #Innovation #Payment #Fintech

This past Tuesday, we had the privilege of hosting Workshop Five for the talented interns at the National Treasury. Together, we delved deep into reflection—exploring the core lessons learned over the past sessions, including: ✅ Understanding and aligning with personal values ✅ Setting meaningful goals and crafting a clear vision for the future ✅ Breaking down objectives with SMART action planning ✅ Tackling internal and external barriers to unlock their full potential both personally and professionally It’s always inspiring to witness growth and resilience in action! These incredible individuals are now equipped with practical tools to take confident steps forward in their careers and beyond. Here’s to building a brighter, bolder future! #LeadershipDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #Vision #Values #SMARTGoals #ProfessionalDevelopment #CoachingMatters #NationalTreasury

In the rapidly evolving world of digital commerce, having access to expert advice can make all the difference. Forter's IMPACT Mentorship program connects industry leaders with emerging talents, offering personalized guidance to tackle real-world challenges. Mentees benefit from close collaboration with mentors, helping them navigate their careers, set professional goals, and learn from those who have succeeded in the field. Learn more here: https://okt.to/R5dYPF

In the rapidly evolving world of digital commerce, having access to expert advice can make all the difference. Forter's IMPACT Mentorship program connects industry leaders with emerging talents, offering personalized guidance to tackle real-world challenges. Mentees benefit from close collaboration with mentors, helping them navigate their careers, set professional goals, and learn from those who have succeeded in the field. Learn more here: https://okt.to/vIdTo7

Many companies SAY they are transparent, but it's often used as a buzzword. Transparency is important not only to attract but also to retain teams. There's nothing worse than feeling in the dark about your team's progress, achievements or concerns. If you don't build a team on transparency, the well-being and happiness are at stake, resulting in greater turnover and less success.

Had the absolute pleasure of moderating a legendary panel at Elimu x J.P. Morgan's kick-off event, for the second year of our mentoring programme. Proud of you all as always and super grateful to Ome Mbanuzuo, Maame Fosua Akonnor, Anja Clark and O'delle Clark for sharing your wisdom with our mentees. Key gems that I'd like to share from the panel: ✨ Your talent/skill will help navigate your career. Look for roles aligned to your skills (what you're good at). ✨Try to get both a mentor and a sponsor. A mentor can coach you throughout your career. A sponsor will be more vested, using their influence to advocate for you throughout your career. ✨Be clear about objectives and expectations, to build meaningful relationships with mentors and sponsors. ✨People skills are most valuable to building careers. You don’t have to be at work to build relationships. LinkedIn and coffee catchups are great for networking. ✨Talk to somebody when you need to vent or ask questions. Get in the group chats! ✨When you’re not feeling motivated, find ways of experiencing self-actualisation/things you enjoy throughout your work day. Break tasks down into smaller actions and just do it. ✨Remain curious. Always ask questions. As ever, hugeee thank you to JP Morgan's Securities Team and this years mentors for volunteering your time to support our mentees. These are the opportunities and connections that can shape career journeys and I can't wait to see how it goes for them!

Here at BlackRock we are committed to ensuring our most valuable asset—our people—have exemplary experiences and dynamic careers. So committed that we dedicate an entire month to just that…career development. As our leaders stated earlier this month, extraordinary careers don’t happen overnight – they take time, attention, and support. To me, career planning is all around the three E’s: Experience, Exposure and Education. What experiences am I getting today, and what do I need for my next chapter? Do I have opportunities for exposure to the right leaders and forums to continue to grow? And how am I building education into my day-to-day and remaining a student and a teacher in my field? Groundbreaking businesswoman Mary Kay Ash once said: "Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve." I encourage each of you to dedicate time this month to consider your three E’s and develop a blueprint to incorporate them into your week. Which E will you focus on first?

Had an incredible time volunteering at #SB24SanDiego! It was a joy to meet new friends and connect with professionals driven by purpose and impact. One of my favorite sessions was with Neil Theise, MD, a liver pathologist from NYU Grossman School of Medicine. He delved into the scientific theory of connection, consciousness, and being—a truly thought-provoking exploration! For all the leaders out there, I want to share these 4 essential rules for promoting an adaptive and sustainable team: 1. Numbers matter: Diversity and interaction are key to self-organization. Is there enough diversity in your team? 2. Negative feedback loops prevail: This type of feedback keeps things balanced (ie, like an AC system, which avoids extreme temperatures). Are there too many positive feedback loops in your processes? Do you make time and space for negative feedback loops? 3. Local interactions without global sensing: The most impactful changes happen locally, without centralized control. Are we paying attention to local shifts and dynamics in our teams? 4. Low-level randomness is essential: A little bit of randomness promotes creativity and adaptability. Are we cultivating enough randomness for innovation, or are we too restrictive? #SustainabilityInAction #CorporateGovernance #SustainabilityLeadership @SustainableBrands