Did you ever have a mentor who has really made a difference in your life and how did you come to be in each other’s lives?

‘Reflecting on the Nguni saying, “Isikhumba sigoqwa sisemanzi”, which literally means “a hide is folded when it is still wet”, one of my early professional mentors, Moosa Adia, comes to mind. He was the general manager for De Beers Industrial Diamonds Research Laboratories when I joined as a graduate engineer. Moosa, a trained scientist, had risen through the ranks at the company and eventually headed up research when it was unheard of for a black person to do so. He was passionate about transformation and giving others opportunities to grow; and I was a hungry young man eager to climb the corporate ladder.’

What do you think Moosa saw in you that you didn’t yet see in yourself?

‘I think he identified my hunger and eagerness to learn, grow and succeed. He also recognised that I could bridge the gap between different races, disciplines and skill levels in the company. I was yet to learn how to harness my ability to work well with others and use it to drive change in the company.’

How did having him as mentor ‘save’ your career?

‘As De Beers Industrial Diamonds (now Element 6) started to implement the Employment Equity Act and address inequality in the workplace, it established an Employment Equity (EE) Forum, which had several work streams. At the time, I held a relatively junior position in the company but was asked to head up this forum. Moosa rejected my reservations and was convinced that I was the best person to assist him as I got along well with people. He also asked me to head up the intellectual property (IP) team when I was still studying towards my LLB degree. This was to be a turning point in my life, as I went on to develop a real passion for intellectual property management.’

What surprised you most about this experience?

‘I learnt the importance of delegation – empowering others as well as giving feedback. In both the EE forum and the IP roles, I worked well across the organisation and received invaluable feedback. The other surprise was the support I received from executive management. This taught me that hierarchy is less important than what people bring to the table.’

What was the most important thing you learnt while being mentored?

‘Moosa was deliberate and intentional about everything he did. Often his actions really spoke louder than his words, and his one “unsaid” message that I have taken on board is to live in such a way that people know you lived and cared. Now that I am mentoring junior staff members, I have come to appreciate that it is not about me but about how I can bring out the best in others and make them believe in the best version of themselves.’

What role should mentorship play in the life of a businessperson or entrepreneur?

‘A good mentor helps you identify your blind spots and weaknesses and affirms your strengths. Some of the mentors in my life have also been sponsors and represented me in the boardroom when my name was mentioned. Mentors help entrepreneurs connect to their own networks based on their credibility – so it‘s important for an entrepreneur to tap into their mentor’s network. Effective mentors are like a matchstick struck in a pitch-black room – providing sufficient illumination for the person to get their bearings, understand their environment and move forward with appreciation of their own limitations.’

McLean Sibanda is the author of Nuts & Bolts: Strengthening Africa’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystems and Footprints: Laying the Path – Intellectual Property for Innovation and Economic Development (Published by Tracey McDonald Publishers and available from Loot.co.za)

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