Phembani CFO Sizwe Nkosi: You should not and frankly you cannot adapt to all changes.
At the Get Smart summit on 21 February, CFOs will be challenged with the questions: How do you stay relevant and adapt to change, new information and knowledge? How do you Get Smart?
Phembani Group CFO Sizwe Nkosi (pictured), who has reserved his seat at the event, believes:
“You should not and frankly you cannot adapt to all changes. It’s impossible. You need to react to changes that are relevant, impactful to your circumstances, directly linked to your strategy, life changing and unavoidable.”
He says:
“Sources of change are all around us. To effectively deal with it you need to maintain an effective system to identify, assess and implement changes relevant to your circumstances.”
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He went on to say that not every change requires reaction. “Each person’s principles and moral compass should evolve, but not every evolution needs to result in change. You need to construct a robust system that positively react and embrace change. Adopt tools and mechanisms to engage change at an appropriate level.”
He then added, that the ability to adopt change becomes effective if your colleagues and loved ones change with you. “Being a change agent is a skill learned over time but is important for an effective change. Many times leaders are the source and drivers of change, so it’s important for leaders to live and be the change they want to see.”
In light of all this, he is hoping that at the Get Smart event, he will learn from other CFOs how they have dealt with change that is “inconsistent with their moral construct”, and how they identify change that is relevant to their circumstances.
CFOs will also hear about BIG thinking and how collaborative behaviour can help them tap potential, accelerate performance and keep their businesses relevant.
OMG CEO Mqondisi Gumede will present his famous “Thinking BIG can take you places” speech, EOH Group FD Megan Pydigadu will host the first breakaway session, Peregrine Holdings CEO Rob Katz will speak about how “in this day and age, if you are not working in a team...you are dead” at the second breakaway session, and TransUNion CEO Lee Naik will host the third breakaway session.
Another enthusiastic attendee, Pearlstock Holdings CFO D’Shorne Human told CFO South Africa that he likes the catch phrase “Get Smart” and feels that the speakers will give a fresh angle to the “relevant” topic.
“It will be interesting to hear how we ‘Get Smart’. Some practical ideas and maybe some life lessons or experience to share,” he said.