Career Growth Without Burnout

Chronic work-related stress can make even a good job feel unsafe: you overthink every email, dread meetings, and carry the tension home. That is why I invited Foyeke Alibanogun, a programme development lead and multi-hyphenate professional, to talk through what actually helps when the workplace turns toxic. We keep it practical and honest, from the systems that support working parents to the mindset shifts that stop other people’s behaviour from controlling your day.

We dig into the habits that lower stress without shrinking your ambition: building strong character and emotional intelligence, reading the room, listening to understand, and staying professional even when others are not. Then we move into career development strategies that create real leverage: strengthening your skills through CPD, staying grounded in your expertise, and keeping your CV updated so you are ready when opportunity appears. Foyeke also shares how networking across departments becomes a safety net that helps you solve problems faster and feel less alone.

A key moment is our breakdown of mentor vs sponsor. A mentor guides you with experience and helps you grow; a sponsor speaks your name in rooms you are not in. We talk about how to find mentors, why you can have more than one, and how sponsorship is earned through consistent delivery, visible readiness, and a reputation for value. We close with discipline, boundaries, and the courage to move on when a workplace refuses to recognise your contribution, plus real-life ways to rejuvenate and avoid burnout.

If you want clearer steps for navigating a toxic work environment, reducing workplace anxiety, and building long-term career resilience, press play, share it with a friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the conversation.

Transcript

Welcome And Meet The Guest

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Hello and welcome again to Authentic Traveling Podcast. On this episode, I've got a very special guest. Like I always say, my guests, they are you know they are the best. So I'm going to allow my guests to introduce herself. So please, can you introduce yourself? Tell us what you do and anything we need to know about you.

SPEAKER_01 0:21

Hello, everyone, listening to me. My name is Foyeke Alibanogun, and um I'm a program development lead. I work for a financial institution. I'm also data business um lead. I'm an entrepreneur, I'm an author, I'm a song singer, songwriter. Um I do um event planning, management, hosting, like MC as well. And I'm also um a pastor.

SPEAKER_03 0:53

Wow, fantastic!

SPEAKER_01 0:54

Also a radio, yeah, and also a radio host. So I host my um radio show on every Saturday, 10 a.m. on radio.

SPEAKER_02 1:05

Fantastic. Wow, you wear so many ads. Yes, I do, and I will come with so many experiences. Thank you so much for honoring my invitation. I really do appreciate your time.

SPEAKER_03 1:16

You're very welcome.

SPEAKER_02 1:18

Right. Um, before we start our discussion, I just wanted to find are you because a lot of people parents would kind of change the trajectory of their life, and I'm talking in relation to work aspect. You know, being a parent, how would you say this has affected you know the trajectory of your work experiences or your your your work life?

SPEAKER_01 1:39

Um, to be honest, I don't think I've had any bad experience. All what I did when my children were younger was um, to be honest, I wasn't any much, but I use money to buy comfort because I have a focus and I have ambition. So, what I did then was I had a living nanny because my husband has to go to work as well. So I ensured that I have a living nanny and to look after my children. That was what I did. So, and then I managed to instill the discipline that I need or I needed to do on my children. So um I won't hire one nanny today and because of their rebellion, and then the nanny will disappear tomorrow. So, yeah, that was what I did because I wanted to build a career and I knew what could have affected me is you know, what whilst you know raising my family, I will not be able to balance it. So I made sure that I put all the what I needed in place, so I've not had any too difficult. I'm not, and I'm not saying that you know, occasions don't come that I have to stay at home because of children is sick or something like that, but or you know, on a minimal level.

UK Stress Numbers And The Real Cost

SPEAKER_02 2:54

Yeah, so what I hear you say there is that as a parent, it is good to set appropriate systems in place that work well with you because like like you said, the the children can be ill, you don't know when that will happen, so you have to step up, and if you are really career-oriented, then you have to create a system that works with you, that suits your family, and and all of that stuff. That's fantastic. Um in the UK it said um work-related stress around 8,000, 700,000 um workers, UK workers suffer from work-related stress, depression, or anxiety and according to the Menti Foundation. And they said this leads to 17.1 million working days lost a year. And among people experiencing stress, 51% reports anxiety, 51% reports depression. So, what related stress is it also leads to burnout as well, leads to emotional destruction and low well-being, which causes seven percent struggling according to SIUK limiting. So, um my question is you know, I I I met you in a place in an event where we're both speakers, and you spoke on certain things, and I just thought, you know, we need to get this message loud and clear to many people to see. And I know even myself, I know I've had work-related issues, and I know different people have had like in counseling. I work with lots of people that have had work-related issues. But there was some point that you were sharing. I want you to share strategic ways that we can use to navigate you know, toxic work environment that will potentially lead to stress that is chronic.

SPEAKER_01 4:48

Oh, thank you for that question. Um, I'm not gonna sit down here and not tell you and say to you that oh, I'm not gone through one thing or the other work, you know. Um, but um what I did then was I ensured I built on my character first. Okay, I ensured that I go to work happy every morning, regardless of whatever I'm going to face at work, or whatever I face at home, or whatever issue that it is. As soon as I enter the building of my workplace, I'm a different person. So I make sure I smile, I say hello to everybody, even if you don't respond, I'll still say hello to you. And you always see me either humming a song or sing a song or something like that. So I have always been a person like that. And uh funny, funnily enough, when I get to my place or because I worked in different sectors: housing, social care, I worked in banks, and you know, anytime I and local three, and anytime I get to work, they know somebody enter. Because even if I laugh, I laugh. The whole building will know somebody's laughing is laughing, and um, I ensure that that you know, my my laughter was infectious. Yeah, so I built on my character to be good. You don't lose anything being good. Be good to everybody. Say hello, not only when you need them, you want to talk to people, you know. Say hello to people on the left, on the right, the concerge, those who are the entrance, the security. You know, just say hello, just be good. Another thing that I did was I built on my skills, I gained knowledge, you know. I ensure that I am grounded in my area of expertise. Yeah, so they need me. I ensure that they will they will need me one way or the other. Yeah, I make sure that when I talk, I make sense. Even if I don't make sense, I study the room. So when you get to a particular room, you have people there, study the room, listen, don't just talk because you have to talk. So those are the skills that I built on. I ensure in doing all that, I was building relationship and networking, you know, which is very important. Yeah, in my current place of work, I've worked in about four departments because my place of work is is is is that good that you can move around, you can you know develop your skills and then move to you know to another department that you've you've got skills to work. And if I need anything in operations, now I work as an IT expert. Yes, if I need anything in operation because I started in operations, I know who to call. If they don't have my answer, they will link me to somebody to somebody. Yeah, but if I've been a bad colleague to them when I was in operation, or I don't say hello to them or whatever, they will they won't listen to me, they won't answer. Absolutely. So you need that to build that network, you know, attribute, yeah, be able to build network. Another thing is in building network, that is where you get a mentor, and that is where you got a sponsor.

SPEAKER_04 8:35

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

So that obviously will navigate you to where you are going, and highly possibly your level of stress will reduce because when you get to a new place or you have a new project or you have a particular work that you have to do, you don't you may not know everything, you may not even know it. That's true. When I when I don't know something, I don't unrepresent, I don't say I don't know it. I'll say, well, I don't know it, but I'll go and look for a solution. Yes, if I need support, I'll come back to you. So I never turn down challenges, I never say no. Either remember, I said I'm a pastor. Yeah, I don't say no to when I have to do something for God. I can only say, okay, can we adjust our time to what time that is suitable for me? Because, like you said, I don't want to burn out. So I know the time to rest, I know the time to be active, I know the time that needs to be there for my husband and my children. You understand? So I know and I know the time to network, I know where I need to be, I know that I need to find people that were value alliance. So those are the things, those are the attributes, those are the skills that I was able to gather. I ensure that at every stage of my career, I gain knowledge, I gain skills because you may be good to people, but if you don't have what it takes for you to be in that space, yeah, you are not useful to them. Absolutely, you know. So those are the things you you've got to be able to aggregate everything, marry everything together to be able to get to where you are going and not burn out at the same time.

Mentor Versus Sponsor Explained

SPEAKER_02 10:29

Yeah, I I love the way you you you just kind of when you said marry everything together, you interweave everything together. You said you started with yourself because the truth is we do not have the power to control other people. The only one we know how to control is ourself, and it starts with us. So when you said you work on your own character, it's so important because there are a lot of people that their emotions are the things that topple them over. So when you don't work on your emotions, you are in an environment where the system is king, and you are going there, you're throwing tantrum. Nobody is going to see the value that you bring when your emotions run off you know of opportunities. So we have to check ourselves, make sure you know how to manage your own self and be a good character. Yeah, and then the second one, and good character, for example, I thought I would throw this here, is listening to understand is part of it rather than respond. Be patient, but slow to speak and just study the room. That is so important. Read the room, know when to talk and know when not to talk. Because sometimes we get carried away with our knowledge, and we talk, talk, talk, talk, talk when your boss is talking. You should read the room and know when to be quiet so that when you bring that value, everybody will be willing to receive it because you are speaking at the right time. You also talk about knowing the gap. I'm paraphrasing that you know, your knowledge gap. Make sure you are building on yourself. Personal development is so important. Is your responsibility? That's right. Whereby you bring value, you you use the word he said, because they need me. Ay, I love that word. They need me, they need me, they need my value. So, good character is there, but also build on it, have value, so that they just go, Oh, this person is good. No, the value that you bring, they need it. That's the word he says. So, for those that are listening, the value that you bring in your workplace. Do they do you even know the value you bring? Do you know how to present this so that they will know that this person is the go-to when it comes to this, and kind of make everything work together as a team. They also talk about building network. Network is so important. Learn to form network in different places, don't just know people in your department, get to know other people so that you can liaise in a very smooth and tidy way as well. That is so good. And he says something, you know, I'll tie this to inner harmony. I'm very big on inner harmony because I believe that when you function from the inside out, there's so many external factors out to create chaos in our life. But when you function from the inside, it's so important, you know. Knowing when to create that harmony, you use that word, you know. You know what your husband needs when your husband needs you, you know when your children need you, you know when you need to rest as well, in order for you to create that harmony. So while you're also looking after work, you're also looking after yourself, so that you are going to work in a rested way, you're not going to work already stressed, and then you're like a time bomb waiting to be explored. We don't want that. So you use the word mentor and sponsorship. What is the difference for those people that don't know the difference? Who is a mentor and who is a sponsor?

SPEAKER_01 13:53

So I believe mentor is someone that has what you need that you don't have, that has what you need, you don't have it, she has it, and you are ready to learn.

SPEAKER_02 14:06

Yeah, so as a result of experience, right?

SPEAKER_01 14:08

Maybe for the result of experience, yeah, in whatever phase, yes, either physical, you know, either career-wise, either spiritual, the person has more knowledge, you know, it's like um SME, you know, subject matter expert. Yes, and you need that, so you are ready to submit yourself under that person, under a tutelage or his tutelage to take you to um to gain knowledge of how it gets or she gets to where she is, that you aspire. Yes, sponsorship is someone that already um knows your capability and that can speak for you at the round table of discussion. That's right. Because you see, either in leadership, either in uh wherever in organization, they talk about you, the leaders talk about you. Yes, you need somebody to say, Oh.

SPEAKER_02 15:11

This episode is sponsored by a step consultancy, a home of personal transformation for the mind, body, and soul. If you are ready to rise up and burn out, move away from depression, heal anxiety, breakfast from traumatic emotional age, and live with confidence in order for you to gain clarity, for you to move from surviving to thriving. Why don't you visit our website www.asebconsultancy.com. We'll support you through counseling, life coaching, and other trauma recovery programs, grief courses, and we even offer one-at-a-time therapy. All of the services is available virtually, so you do not even have any excuse of saying you do not want to leave your home. You have everything from the comfort of your home will support you to move from surviving to thriving. Before you go, have you subscribed yet? Like, share, and comment on what resonates with you so far on this episode. If you have not done so, why don't you just click that button now? Thank you. Back to the program now. For those of you out there that are wondering, oh, what is a mentor? I've heard about the word, what is a sponsor? A mentor isn't supposed to be there to be dishing out um gifts to you and all of those stuff. We are talking about career right now. Mentor has been through that. So, with their experiences, with what they've seen, the foresight that they have, they're using it to guide you. So, for people right now that are finding it challenging in the workplace, what can they do to get a mentor to start with before we get a sponsor? What can they do? What are the things they can do, or where can they find a mentor?

SPEAKER_01 16:57

You know, a lot of times as a human being, I think one of our uh challenges is we tend to kind of, I don't want to use the word envy or jealous, or somebody that you know that is better than you, but in workplace, honestly, it's not going to lead you anywhere. You know, so when you see that somebody knows or have what you don't have, be humble enough to say, can I learn this? When you know that person has the character, the knowledge, the skills that you don't have, yeah, be humble enough to say, can you be my mentor? Because I know that I have gaps in this area, and I've seen you consistently or occasionally be successful in this area. Yeah, can you support me so that I would learn from you? Because to be honest, everybody is busy at workplace, they don't nobody has your time. Yes, and if you don't ask, you don't get. So when you ask, you will get.

SPEAKER_04 18:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:05

So even and you you can have more than one mentor. Yeah, and the reason is because if one is busy, you have another one.

SPEAKER_04 18:13

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 18:13

I have I have so many mentors in my place in my place of work. I have mentors outside my place of work. I know when I have um issues like, oh, maybe I have a project and I don't quite understand it, but I don't want to, I'm not gonna say no, you know, to challenges. I've got to look for a solution. I believe I'm the solution provider. I go to my mentor, I've seen you do this. How can I do this? And as a matter of fact, sometimes most times I realize that not that I don't know, I don't know that thing is probably how to navigate to get to that space. So by the time both of us start talking, I realized in fact it will be me that will be saying, Oh, we do it this way, we do it this way. And they were like, You know this thing already. I said, Yeah, I I I well, I don't know that I know it, or I don't know how to navigate. So that is what the job of a mentor is. So I would advise don't go to mentor that you have to gossip or talk about somebody or put somebody down, somebody that can add value to your life. Yes, so be humble enough to submit to that person. It does not matter how long it is for. Sometimes you need a mentor for three months, six months, you know, because you see the person today, you might not see the person tomorrow. Yes, so absolutely, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:37

I I I absolutely love the part where you said sometimes you go to your mentor, but you end up finding a solution by yourself. That's what I call a soundboard. Because you are using them as a soundboard and they are asking you the right question, you see that they draw it out of you. Isn't that powerful? And even you, you'll be surprised that oh, okay, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 20:00

I know this particular that will always tell me, you know this thing, sis, you know this thing. I'm like, Are you sure I know it? Yeah, you know, you know these things, and then before you know it, I've done it myself. I finished, I finished the whole thing myself, and I'm like, and she was like, You see, I told you you know it, you know.

Sponsorship Stories And Power Of Advocacy

SPEAKER_02 20:19

Wow, that is absolutely amazing. I I I love that, I love that. So, you are not there for those of you that are looking for mentor. Please don't go and be waiting for them to dream for you, for them to breathe for you, for them to do everything. We are saying go to them, they can be your igniter, they can be your midwife, but they are not supposed to just throw things on your feet. You are supposed to go there, so there are different ways a mentor can help you. So, please let's also remember that. Now, let's go to sponsor because personally, I I know the value of a sponsor. No, seriously, I know the value of a sponsor. Like, in anything that I do, I've always like if it's a job, I've always applied for it. If it's a contract, I've always done that, you know, apply for it and all of that stuff, until even the sponsor, they won't a sponsor will not tell you I'm your sponsor, right? Let's start with that. A sponsor will not tell you I'm a sponsor, but it is the way you are presented the value that you carry, yeah, that will make the person automatically step in to be your sponsor. So don't go and meet people and say, Be my sponsor. You don't always ask sponsor, they take on that responsibility by themselves. So I'll give you an example. So there was um a position, a role that was coming up. I didn't even know about it, and this person had mentioned my name so so many times. First, they invited me to the research group, and I joined as it just from oh, Sonia did this, Sonia did that, Sonya did this, and that was how they invited me. And then when I got there, there was a position that was coming up again. The same thing person mentioned my name, and I got there all prepared. I thought I was going to interview for the Rule, and they were just like, Okay, um, these are the days they want you to do this for about three days. Um, when would you be available? And I'm like thinking, when would they ask the question? When are they going to ask questions? So, what has happened? The person has already spoken so much about my ability that they automatically saw me and that role, like this person can do it, so there's no point asking all this question. They have demonstrated it to the in front of this person, and then she's capable of doing it. And that was how I got it. So when I finished, and then I give them I can do this day, I can do this day, and that was it. So when I got to the car, I was sitting there, ah, didn't even ask me any question. That was when it dawned on me the power of a sponsor. So please talk us through um sponsorship on on how to unnecess that power.

SPEAKER_01 22:45

Okay, like you rightly said, a sponsor will not tell you I'm going to be your sponsor, and you cannot ask somebody, please be my sponsor. So I'm going to narrate a story for you. So, in one of my roles, um, I felt like I needed um a kind of a promotion, you know, and I've done what I could have done. I have skills, I do the job of like four people, I handle like four projects at the same time, worth of millions of pounds, you know, and then I felt like okay, it's a time for me to move up, but then it wasn't happening, you know. I discussed with the manager, all of them, you know, like you said, everything keeps, you know, it wasn't happening. So I have a friend we she's very diligent in what she does. Everybody knows her, she's good at what she does. And then I've told her about what I'm going through and what my aspiration is. So this lady just so we have, and this is about networking as well. Yeah, so we have a group of um black professionals group in my place of work, well recognized. So they just posted it there that oh, anybody wants promotion in the area where I work, in my area of my expertise. But what they asked is um to post higher than myself. Yeah, the policy my place of work is you cannot jump to. You have to get to five before you get to six.

SPEAKER_02 24:38

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 24:39

So I said, I'm not sure because I know by policy it won't happen anyway. So my first friend now contacted me and said, Oh, are you still looking for this role? I said, Yes, but it looks like it's two um two roles higher. I'm not sure. He said, Just send me your CV. And another thing I want to point out at this junction is always update your CV. Don't wait till when you need a job because otherwise, so many skills you have gained, so many experiences you have gained, you will forget about them, you will lose them. And those are the things your CV is your number one marketer that will sell you even to get to an assessment stage or interview stage. So I always update my CV so I don't even have to wait, you know, to say, oh, I'm coming, I will do it, give you tomorrow. No, I fired at my CV, and then another lady saw the same post, they are on the same post, yeah, like band six. I was on band four. Oh, do you anybody want this? I said, Yeah, but you know, I know the policy. They just said, fire me your CV. Both of them know this particular lady that is looking for somebody, yeah. So both of them fired my CV at the same time and spoke for me. So the lady messaged me and said, Can we meet? Can we talk on the phone on the um on teams? So we did. He said, when first person fired my sent my CV to her, she was like, Okay, impressive CV. And then the second person sent the same CV, and then she was wondering that how come two people recommending one person, you must be doing something right. I said, Well, I'm trying my best. This is it. He said, Tell me your story. I told her everything I've done. He said, But come on, you are not even speaking like a band four, you are speaking like a band six that she needed. But she could not move me to band six because of policy, so I have to stay on band five. But she told me, she said, I don't know what it's going to be. We're going to advertise this role, apply for it, and then I will interview you. We did the interview after the interview. She said to me, she said, You know what? I wish I could have made the jump because everything you have done in your project is not even for your level. But you know what? I will speak for you. This lady spoke for me at the table of decision, and I got a job. I worked on that project worth about almost maybe 30-40 million pounds. I worked on it. To be honest, I didn't even know I was doing that much because you know, when you are used to doing something like this, you know, magnimous, and they gave you something of the same size, you don't even feel it. You don't know because it's like they they kind of see your value more than yourself, you don't know how much you've got. And this lady, I did the project for six months. At that time, there was a redundancy going on for such of my area. Instead of them to let me go, this lady spoke to another person and said they should get me the job. And this new lady just said, because at that time I lost my mom, so I was on a bereavement leave. So by the time I came back, I just met the new manager, and the new manager kept saying, Oh, so-so-so person said this about you. So-so-so person said this about you. And I'm thinking, what did she say? They couldn't tell me what she said, and I'm like, Okay, in that role, I was I am I'm still there more than a year, and this my manager will still not stop talking about what this person said, and then the last time we spoke, she said, This person does not work with lazy people, this person does not work with those who do not know what they are doing, and this person so spoke uh spoke so much about you, and I met it like that. I validate, I can validate it, and you have even moved beyond expectation. Wow, so that is the thing, let your skills value. One of my friends, my very, very good friend, said to me one, and I'm going to leave that, maybe use that to random, so I won't keep talking. My friend said, Whilst you are busy looking down, doing your job, lift up your head once in a while, otherwise, opportunity will pass you by. Wow, so in your space, don't be slothful. You think people don't notice, you think people don't know you, people see. Talk to people, network when you need to network and talk. Don't say, Oh, it's not people like me, they don't need you. Don't know how much you carry until you find yourself in that space. Whilst you are busy doing what you should do, what they pay you to do. Lift up your head one sometimes because you don't want opportunity to pass you by. Yeah, I'll leave you with that.

SPEAKER_02 30:17

Wow, that's just amazing. At the end of the day, you are three sponsors. Did you see that?

SPEAKER_01 30:23

Exactly. In fact, eventually, I have I have about five. I'm not gonna lie to you. In that space, eventually, in one and a half years, in one year, actually, I have five.

SPEAKER_02 30:35

You know what I talk about when preparation meets opportunity, is inevitable. Because imagine, because what I hear you say there, you always prepare your CV. Yeah, but let's take a step back. What did you put in your CV? You must have worked on skills to put in your CV.

SPEAKER_01 30:55

100%, right? I do that all the time.

SPEAKER_02 30:58

Yeah, for people that are out there. When was the last time you did a CPD? When was the last time you check yourself, swat yourself, know your strength, your weakness, your opportunities, your threats? Don't just say, Oh, this this this colleague is so good in everything. Yeah, our own is too much. Take your eyes off. What is the threat about that person?

SPEAKER_01 31:19

Mind your own business, more or less, fill it up, go and feel it up, right?

CPD CV Readiness And Interview Prep

SPEAKER_02 31:24

What is because you can actually turn your threat into a strength if you go and do the right thing. Yo, the person is very good at doing a presentation with a cell, they know how to go up and a beyond, they know how to liaise with other people, then go and work on your personal relationship um skills. Go and work in it, do things in the community, do things with people in your in your religious organization that will help you to be able to get that skills. It's not everything you pay for, but there are certain things you need to pay for. So know your strength, know your weakness, know so that you'll be able to grab your opportunity, right?

SPEAKER_01 32:02

Can I just add to what you said? I remember when I wanted to leave operation side and go into IT. It was during COVID. And at that point, too, I was frustrated of working in operation. I wanted to advance. You know, I'm somebody that likes to advance. In my place of work, they are, like I said, a good organization to work for. You we have academy. There's always one training, one course to do free of charge. And outside that, I have people because you know, during COVID, everybody was doing group something, group something. I leveraged on free training, LinkedIn, free training. Some people organize coaching, whatever. I leveraged myself on that. I was training every little thing. Screenshot when they were talking, I was screenshot. When they did this, I was screenshot. I revamped my CV based on the training that I have. I started looking for a job in that space. When I finally got an interview, I went to somebody that I know that's been a subject matter in that area. Yeah, I asked, uh, please spare me. I don't know how many minutes you can spare me. I have an interview. I we were there for two hours. It was saying, okay, you have to use star method. I don't know if people know about star process. Star method, this is the situation, this is the task, this is the action, this is the uh result. You need to mention it. You encounter a challenge, how did you resolve it? What was the impact on you, on the customer, or the organization? By the time I finished, my the paper that I used to I I wrote the thing on was like about five full pages. Wow. So, in that space, like I said, exploit every opportunity that you have, every opportunity you have, exploit them. Yeah, put yourself out there, look for knowledge. Knowledge is not going to look for you.

SPEAKER_02 34:17

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely. Thank you so much. You've said so much there. So the CV thing, make sure you have things like the content that you are going to put in your CV. So imagine those two women asking for your CV, and you're saying, because we know that writing a CV is not something that you just got a bush, gotta bush. No, you have to ensure that it is succinct, but it says the things that you can do. So imagine when they ask you, the first person asks you, can you send me your CV? You say, Oh, I will send it, and then you you are delidaling, you are not sending at your time. The second person asks you again, you're like, Oh, I'm gonna send it, or you send us something that was not good, you would have missed two opportunities there. That's it, but because you were ready, you know exactly what you're saying. So, when as she was receiving it, she saw value in your CV, and she knew you could measure up with the role that she wanted from you, right? So she was able to do that, so in a way, because she's seen the value now, and then she's giving you the opportunity, you've been able to do it. She now also became a sponsor for you, telling other people that, and the people that she would tell are also telling other people, can you see how you are building? So imagine maybe you have one in the admin in in different departments, you have different sponsors. At the end of the day, the organization, the boss, the the big boss up there is gonna know know you because he would have heard your name if you want to say something in this department.

SPEAKER_01 35:41

I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna lie to you, Abby. You know, at some point, um I was involved in leadership meeting, you know. I found myself there in the and I'm not saying just leadership meeting, senior leadership meeting, MDs. I was the I was the one, I was the only person that had the lowest grade. And you know, one funny thing happened in that meeting one day. They finished all the meeting, and for whatever reason, I was jotting the points. You know, I was taking notes. I don't know why I was doing that, I was not asked to do that. I was I don't know, I was just doing it. Yeah, and when we finished the meeting, the MD, the CIO, this is the the topest of the topest person, if I can say that, just messaged on the leadership chart. Say, can you get minutes of the meeting and the action? No, I said I will, I didn't I didn't know what to do. I was like, Whoa, she didn't even tell me, she didn't even she didn't mention it earlier, she didn't, but you know what?

SPEAKER_02 36:52

Thank God and to be honest, but you know why she asked you, don't you? She saw you. You know when you said they always wash you, she saw you. I'm telling you, she saw you writing things down. That was the reason she asked for the minute of the meeting. Your proactive approach opened up more doors for you. Like you said, I bring value.

SPEAKER_01 37:16

She saw you taking that note, that was what she requested for her, and I was like, Whoa! But well, I gave the meeting the minutes of the meeting, and then the next time you said, Oh, there another senior uh meeting is going to be holding on, she will not be there. Get the minutes and the action for me. I'm like, Okay, but you see, from that end, I gained another skill. I learned that you must be ready all the time. Either you are asked to do something or you were not asked, be ready. You don't know where you will find yourself, you don't know amongst who you are going to find yourself. Always ready.

SPEAKER_02 37:57

Wow, I really, really like this. Thank you. Um if you have been listening to this, please drop in the comment section what you have caught so far. There is so many golden nuggets in this discussion that I feel like you need to just sit down and recap right as you are going on, always be ready. Don't just say I'm there to do the job that they asked me to do, and that is that you don't add any other value, you are not proactive, but you just want that thing to fall out your face. It doesn't work like that. Preparedness is very important. So, please, what is your final um your final word on on you know presenting yourself as a person of value so that you'll be able to navigate um a culture of that is toxic or whatever things that is going on in the workplace?

SPEAKER_01 38:51

Don't believe you can't do anything, and don't agree to anybody saying you can't be anything you want to be, just dream it, work on it, and be ready for opportunity. I'm just going to say that. Don't believe, oh, it's because of my skin. No, no. If God wants you to be there, God is not going to come down from heaven and help you. You've got to do what is necessary. You may be a good person, you must be whatever, but you must have what it takes to be there. You must have skills, you must have emotional intelligence, you must have good attitude, and above all, I tell people, discipline. It's not enough for you to be smart to get to the top. What would take what will let you remain there is discipline. So be disciplined. If they call a meeting, be there. Don't turn up 10 minutes after when you don't even have genuine excuse. It's understandable, you know, when another meeting runs over. That's understandable. Always even write on the chat, oh, I apologize, my last minute run over, and I cannot excuse myself. But don't just come, don't just don't just do the way you like, you know, be professional. They pay you for something, deliver, don't give excuse. Don't say, Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, yeah, yeah, just manage it like that. No, they cannot manage it like that. They pay you to do exact job. But, like you said, you now want to get to that space, you must be ready to go beyond and above. You must you cannot just do basic like every other person. You must be ready to go beyond and above. Now, let's not assume that you were now recognized with all that you are doing. There's always a room to look to the right, to look to the left, and to look forward. You don't have to be there. Go to where you are valued, go to where they will see your contribution. Yeah, you know, you don't have to stay in that space. Some people will know your value, and that was what happened to me. Where I am now, I don't know anything about data. But in the last one year, I've been doing the data work, and God has been helping me. And I've been learning myself. You know, I know that I cannot be in this space if I don't know anything about data. I've got to improve, I've got to do go beyond and above. I've got to face challenges. They throw challenges at me. I grabbed it with two hands, work on it, be successful, move to the next level. Don't be complacent, don't be don't be don't be okay with the now situation or with the now the now space. Don't be okay, aspire.

SPEAKER_02 41:47

You see, the Bible says the gift of a man will make room for him, make room for him. He will stand before kings.

SPEAKER_01 41:54

And no good ordinary man.

Rest Faith And Practical Rejuvenation

SPEAKER_02 41:56

Yeah, that's what I will use to sum up what you said. Thank you so so much. You know, I love it when I see people that are aligned with my thought process. Now, for people that are thinking you don't understand, remember what she said. If they still do not appreciate you after you've done all that, look left, look right, look forward. You are not a trade. Prepare yourself to be able to move and take your value to work to be appreciated. Yeah, I just want to thank you so much again. But on this podcast, you always ask people, you know, you are a busy woman, you wear so many hats. How do you rejuvenate that to ensure that you are you know you are glowing like this? What do you do to rejuvenate?

SPEAKER_01 42:43

Oh, a couple of things to be honest, and and I'm not gonna sit down here and say I don't have support. So I have support of my husband, he supports me. So because he supports me, it makes things easy for me.

SPEAKER_02 42:58

Thank you very much, sir. God bless you.

SPEAKER_01 43:01

So he supports me, and also what I do is I go to my sacred place, and that is God, where I draw strength. I don't face difficulties. If I need to cry, I cry. You know, I cry. I cry not because I have to cry, I cry because I just want to let go, you know. But my crying is not because I am how do I say this? I am weak or I don't know what to do because I know what to do.

SPEAKER_02 43:40

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 43:41

Exactly. So I cry because I'm telling God I'm crying on your neck. I don't know how you will solve this thing because I don't have power to do it. I've done all I all I could do as human, you know. So I need your help, I need your strength. I know is that in everything that I do in life, I know. I have to go back to him is the source. And then I like to sleep when I when I have opportunity to sleep anywhere, even if you are drumming behind my ears, I don't hear you. I sleep. So don't don't don't don't do too much when you know you need to rest.

SPEAKER_04 44:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 44:22

Because when you are sick, there's always a replacement.

SPEAKER_04 44:26

That's right.

SPEAKER_01 44:26

When you die, there's always a replacement. More than it's only your family that will mourn you for a couple of months. Place of work, they will mourn you, they will miss you, but that doesn't mean the job will stop or the work will stop because of you. So when you need to rest, please take a rest. Please take a rest. There's so many things that you still have to do that cut your life short when you don't rest. And that is the purpose of networking. You are struggling with something, you already have a mentor, you already have a group of friends that have the knowledge that you don't have. Go to them and ask them. And these days is even good. Google is your friend, YouTube is your friend. Is your friend, you know? So utilize every every opportunity around you so you will not burn out.

SPEAKER_04 45:17

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 45:17

You need to. So I do, I, I, I, I kind of do that. When I don't have anything to do, I'm in my house. Sometimes I'm upstairs in my room and I don't come downstairs for a whole day. I'm just there.

SPEAKER_04 45:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:30

I watch TV if I have to watch TV. I listen to music because I love music. I write my own songs and I listen to other music. I do that. So when you need, when you don't have to work, don't I know some people they cannot do without working. It does not have to be like that.

SPEAKER_04 45:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:47

So when you don't have to walk, abandon the work. Even if you if you cannot cook because you are tired, some sometimes, not all the time, because I cook, I cook a lot. I love cooking. And I've got boys. You imagine how boys eat, all boys. So I find myself as a cook at the same time or chef. But you know one thing I did again, I trained them how to cook.

unknown 46:11

Yes.

Closing Thoughts And Thanks

SPEAKER_01 46:12

So sometimes I tell them, I said, I'm on strike. If you guys like cook, if you like, make me starve. If you like, give me food. If you like, don't give me food. I'll uh sometimes I stylishly blackmail them, you know. So I did that sort of train them so they cook. So even if I'm tired, I don't want to cook, they cook. If they cannot cook, we will do takeaway or take out. Yeah, so you we must be able to find balance so that even when you now get to that place you are going, you are in good health, yes, to enjoy whatever God has placed before you.

SPEAKER_02 46:47

Wow, thank you so much for your care. I like your authenticity. That's why we call it authentic podcast. Because at the end of the day, we cannot just be doing like we are boss lady, boss lady. If you want to cry, crying is very therapeutic. If you want to ask for support, ask for support, don't die in silence. And if people, if you're afraid that people will laugh at you, let them laugh. It is okay, it is okay. Everybody is entitled to their opinion. That's right. Thank you for keeping it real or true. And I really appreciate talking to you today.