Variety is one of life’s extraordinary design features. It both arises from and leads to evolutionary innovation. Who could possibly have sat down at a drawing board and imagined from scratch a rhinoceros, elephant, giraffe, warthog and dung beetle and then let them all survive in the same conditions? Nature exceeds the imagination in a spectacularly bizarre and wonderful display. This unfolding diversity allows organisms to adapt in unpredictable ways as the environment changes. I read that the peppered moth in England is yellow with darker spots. But when the industrial revolution covered the environment in soot, pale moths were predated heavily while dark-coloured moths survived and became predominant. Now with pollution under better control, cream-coloured moths stand out less and are making a comeback. We humans too are particularly varied. We come packaged in small and large bodies, short and tall, with all grades of skin colour, and amazingly, possessing unique fingerprints and irises. We have minds containing an infinite variety of capacities, memories, ideas, and intentions. This variety has survival value. Because of differences, we avoid all rushing down the same dead end, helping us to survive as a species. So far. We use words usefully to explain and respond to the differences that we discover in each other. Words like “friendly”, “suspicious”, “powerful”, “generous”, “conservative”, “radical” help us make sense of our relationships. Words entail categorising. That is necessary and useful, but when, under pressure of competition for limited resources, we turn these categories into labels carrying differing value judgements, we soon stop enjoying diversity and begin defending against it. We create competing classes of people who conform in our minds to “us” or “them”. And history teaches us to fear “them”. It’s a short step from there to exclusion, propaganda, conflict and war, as is currently emerging all over the world. After World War 2 humanity recoiled from the hideous inhumanity inflicted on innocent people by those who considered themselves the most civilised and educated nations on earth. We learned that no one is immune to the deadly virus of ethnic, religious, ideological, gender or nationalist exclusiveness. In shock, the world recoiled from two hideous world wars and created institutions and enshrined values intended (rather naively, as it turned out) to ensure “never again”. Yet just eighty years later, here we are again. We have forgotten the horror unleashed when we make enemies out of those who differ from us. We are slipping inexorably into increasing xenophobia and genocide. It is becoming fashionable to celebrate autocracy, as long as the autocrat is one of “us”, and to dismiss the institutions of liberal democracy that were designed to include all. Indeed, some are tempted to use these very institutions to exclude “them”. What a failure of the human spirit. In future columns I want to write about the gift and the threat of diversity in managing teams at work. In our small way, managers are given the opportunity to guide our people to appreciate variety as a magnificent and necessary part of life, and to learn how to avoid triggering a path to destruction. This is needed at the level of nations and even at the level of neighbours. We can contribute to both by applying mutual respect at the level of organisations. Meanwhile, South Africans go to the polls tomorrow. Elections provide a stern test of our ability to respect those who differ from us. Maybe even more important than who wins will be how both winners and losers allow themselves to work together for our common good. If you are voting tomorrow, I pray you will support those who know how to share the future, and not those who build their support on excluding others.   Jonathan Cook, a counselling psychologist, chairs the African Management Institute.   This is a coaching column for Business Day, published on 28th May 2024 ( https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/columnists/2024-05-14-jonathan-cook-employees-mental-health-is-a-management-concern/ ). If you’d like to read previous columns in this series or ask Jonathan a question please visit https:// africanmanagers.com/jonathan-cook

One nonfinancial ratio that could be added to the financial ratios we all track is the ratio of external to internal priorities. Priorities that reach outward include anything to do with customers or clients, market positioning, and products and services; those that reach inward include organisational structure, operational processes and policies, systems, staffing and accounting. Both are essential and work best when kept in balance. Too frantic a focus on outward-facing priorities can seem mission-focused and exciting, but without internal support, can lead to over-reach, service failures, collapse of capacity, and death by explosion. Too bureaucratic a focus on internal-facing priorities may seem responsible, but can lead to slowing down, losing purpose, inability to respond quickly to changes in the business environment, and death by implosion. This ratio is a concept rather than a number, and clearly is not as precise as financial ratios. But it is important to keep in mind, particularly during a period of rapid growth. There are several places to look for signs of the balance. One is in the agenda and amount of time spent in meetings. Are we focused more on what we are doing with customers/clients or on how we organise ourselves and relate to each other? Another is how we allocate resources, such as how the budget is decided, what the tech spend is for, and the number of executive and staff positions created to do things for customers, versus internal processes. Then we could consider what the executive team focuses on and what we measure and celebrate. Of course this should be a false dichotomy, as organisations ideally organise internally to reach externally; but we have all seen companies lose balance, so it’s a ratio worth tracking. Evidence that the ratio is too external is pretty obvious. People burn out, staff make recurring mistakes, customers complain about failures in product and service, and foreseeable problems take us by surprise through inadequate planning and budgeting. Evidence that the ratio is too internal appears more subtly in signs like slowing down, hanging on to merely good products or processes that could be replaced by better ones, recruiting staff for external-facing roles who are clever in maintaining processes rather than hungry to grow, lacking courage to grab opportunities for fear of failing, not being prepared to look beyond KPIs to tackle a wonderful opportunity, because of the need to report formally at the end of the quarter. These are not signs that are easy to spot, so one of the CEO’s duties is to stand back and think about the balance. Like keeping balance while walking, balance in an organisation is never static. It requires continual, often unconscious, adjustments. To change the metaphor, the driver needs to avoid either setting out in an unroadworthy vehicle, or fussing so much over the vehicle that they forget to drive towards the destination. I have been writing in recent columns about managing diversity of many different kinds, and this is another example. Some people (such as Operations and HR) should love an internal focus, while others (such as Marketing and Business Development) should have a passionate external focus. But their effectiveness is determined by their appreciation of the contribution of others. The CEO conducts this orchestra in a way that allows individual contributions to shine, while ensuring harmony and mutual support. If people in Operations create onerous processes that kill initiative, they are out of tune and killing the company. If people in Sales refuse to follow policy or report their prospects, they expose the company to potentially terminal mistakes or liability. We need each other. One key job of the leader is continually to demonstrate the value of difference and require the team to support and celebrate those others whose contribution complements their own. Jonathan Cook, a counselling psychologist, chairs the African Management Institute.   This is a coaching column for Business Day, published on 9th July 2024 ( https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/columnists/2024-07-09-jonathan-cook-looking-both-outward-and-inward-helps-businesses-to-thrive/ ). If you’d like to read previous columns in this series or ask Jonathan a question please visit https:// africanmanagers.com/jonathan-cook

How do leaders create a shared sense of identity, given that most workplaces are highly diverse? It’s an important concern, because a staff complement that is divided along demographic lines presents almost limitless opportunities for conflict. Members are not going to contribute to a shared loyalty if they feel that their ethnic, religious, political or any other identity prevents them from identifying with their diverse colleagues. Business leaders need to create a sense of belonging as “us” that is even more salient than the divisions imported from outside. Leaders foster this shared identity through a mission that resonates with their followers, with symbols, traditions, stories and heroes that represent the soul of the organisation. They may also define “us” in terms of competencies and even processes that make us stand out from the competition. The greater the diversity in the organization, the more prominent the message needs to be. Leaders need to be very careful to avoid language and events that might unintentionally seem to define the company in terms of one, usually dominant, set of members and exclude others.  Group identity can be fostered at all levels. For example, it’s currently an opportunity facing the government of national unity in South Africa – can we all be persuaded that we belong together and should work together in overcoming the challenges we face as a nation? I find the current Kenyan protests really interesting. The youth seem from the outside to have transcended identity politics in the form or ethnic rivalries that have plagued Kenya and so many other countries. If that is true, it’s a bottom-up rebuke to their national leaders. Next door in Rwanda the recent election has illustrated a top-down approach to imposing a single national identity on a country that suffered their dreadful genocidal violence thirty years ago.  It can be lost. National identity was once a strength of the USA, but that has fallen apart spectacularly in recent years to the extent that some commentators murmur about civil war. Nations with multiple ethnic, linguistic and religious identities may have histories that include searing memories of fighting each other, and so cannot draw on much of what defines more homogenous peoples. We have to create shared symbols like the flag and anthem, shared heroes like Mandela and sports teams, and shared ceremonies or holidays. We create them to forge a national identity that would not otherwise exist. Nelson Mandela provided an extraordinary example of how symbols can be harnessed. Until Mandela wrought his magic at the 1995 World Cup, celebrating the springboks would have been very alienating for large numbers of South Africans in Mandela’s core constituency. He courageously opened the door to transforming the springboks into a unifying team by donning the captain’s jersey and forcefully calling on the ANC youth to support the team. By itself that would not have been enough; it required wise leadership from captains and coaches over the years to take us through that open door and create what has become a unifying rather than divisive symbol, and part of our shared national identity. Wise leaders recognize that we all need to belong to a community that we can identify with and that feeds our need for acceptance and significance. Leaders who can transcend their own limited, exclusionary loyalties and create a shared identity out of diversity create robust oganisations, communities and nations. How leaders help us to find each other in diverse organisations can be a proving ground for the wider challenge across the globe. As we rapidly develop the capacity to destroy ourselves in new ways, this skill of creating shared identity with a transcending loyalty will increasingly become a condition for our survival as a species.   Jonathan Cook, a counselling psychologist, chairs the African Management Institute.   This is a coaching column for Business Day, published on 23rd July 2024 ( https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/columnists/2024-07-23-jonathan-cook-creating-shared-identity-is-a-condition-for-survival/ ). If you’d like to read previous columns in this series or ask Jonathan a question please visit https:// africanmanagers.com/jonathan-cook

AMI has released new data highlighting key findings related to women entrepreneurs across Africa in a report titled Greenshoots for African female entrepreneurs – with a forest still to grow. Derived from thousands of enterprises participating in AMI’s practical training programmes, this AMI Impact Insight Report provides evidence that targeted business development support (BDS) is starting to close the gender revenue growth and financing gap for Africa’s women entrepreneurs. The report also highlights the outsized impact of supporting women entrepreneurs – women are significantly more likely to employ women – and provides practical recommendations for designing business support that can further close the gap and minimize the barriers that still exist for women-owned SMEs. The report highlights 3 key takeaways: Supporting women entrepreneurs generates outsized impact, especially for other women: Women create more jobs for women When women’s businesses grow, they create more opportunities for other women.Women stepped into 63% of new full-time jobs created by business owners who had participated in AMI programmes. Female entrepreneurs created the majority of these positions (58%), despite making up less than half of the AMI cohorts. Omoyemi Chukwurah, founder of clothing production and retail firm Brand & Stitch, sparked exponential job creation for women in Nigeria after taking the AMI Aspire Business Growth Programme. This includes 52 new net jobs – the majority of which went to women – alongside a 76% increase in revenue. Women upskill and train more women (including those in their supply chains) In 2022, 49% of participants in AMI’s business growth programme were female – a 4% increase from the previous year. And it’s not just themselves they’re upskilling, but their team, and extends to their supply chains too. Sarah Mwangi, owner of Sarah Nutrive Supplies, is one such female entrepreneur. Before joining the AMI programme, Sarah says she was running around doing everything in the business. ‘’I knew this was not going to be sustainable… [but now] I can delegate and, honestly, my team is doing a much better job than I did.’’ Recognising the value of upskilling her whole team, Sarah has now grown her one-person business to a multi-branch operation across Nairobi, Westlands and Rongai. Women are particularly active in one of Africa’s most critical sectors – agriculture Women dominate the agricultural labour force in Africa. If we equip women owned food systems businesses to increase revenue and access finance, we can expect outsized nutrition and food security benefits – moving us closer to an Africa that can feed itself. Entrepreneurs like Pauline Otila, owner and MD of beekeeping and honey enterprise Apiculture Venture in Kenya, have found AMI tools to be critical to advancing her company’s prospects: “ Through this programme I must say I have been empowered in terms of resources to run my business and exposure to be able to look at things differently as an entrepreneur. I’ve now learnt the importance of being up to date with my finances. In case I go looking for an investor or if I want to sell my business I can easily go for it because all our financial records are in place.” 2. To close the growth and financing gender gap, we need targeted BDS designed for ‘women first’. To do this we are: Getting data and evidence Starting at recruitment Making access easy Offering flexibility Building networks and Going beyond building businesses directly to building an ecosystem 3. Business support tailored for women is starting to work: our data shows greenshoots on business growth and financing for W-SMEs While fewer women-owned SMEs report revenue growth than men, and a lower median revenue is reported, the gender gap for entrepreneurs is closing, with 52% of women reporting revenue growth in 2022 versus 58% of men. The gap in access to finance is narrowing, although there’s still a lot to do to address the huge disparity in ticket size. In 2022, 39% of women-owned SMEs supported by AMI accessed finance, compared to 40% of men. Women also seem to access finance more successfully in regions where we have offered targeted investment readiness support– notably West and South Africa – AMI’s female graduates report accessing finance at higher rates than men, when measured in percentage terms rather than dollar terms – though sample sizes were smaller in these geographies The AMI approach We’re rallying for a BDS approach that mainstreams gender. And unapologetically so: our work is grounded in data, and the numbers tell us that supporting women in Africa to grow and strengthen their businesses will reap benefits for the entire continent. Across our 10+ years working with thousands of businesses across the continent, we’ve sought to continuously expand our data collection and analysis capacity – translating to more informed BDS decisions. This has led to the robust services we now offer, such as our innovative ‘train-the-trainer’ model, and specific modules tailored for women entrepreneurs. These have expanded our network and increased the accessibility of critical business tools to women nationwide. Now, we’re poised to lead sector-wide change. Are you championing gender-driven initiatives to support SMEs and leaders in the continent? Our AMI team across Africa is ready to help you to scale your support and impact. Let’s champion women and transform the continent together. Andrea Wariner  – Managing Director, AMI Impact - andrea@africanmanage1.wpenginepowered.com Patricia Maina – Lead Partnerships & Gender patricia@africanmanage1.wpenginepowered.com Brenda Wandera – Lead Partnerships – Food Systems brenda@africanmanage1.wpenginepowered.com   Naomi Kirungu – Lead Partnerships – SME  naomi@africanmanage1.wpenginepowered.com Malik Shaffy – Country Lead – Rwanda malik@africanmanage1.wpenginepowered.com Theo Mabaso – Country Lead – South Africa theo@africanmangers.org Sheila Ojei – Country Lead – Nigeria sheila@africanmanage1.wpenginepowered.com Mahlet Mekonnen – Country Lead – Ethiopia mahlet@africanmanage1.wpenginepowered.com Alvin Katto – Country Lead – Uganda alvin@africanmanage1.wpenginepowered.com

I have long been intrigued by the interplay between ordered structure and exuberant energy in human activities. When we have wonderful energy without the discipline of structure, the energy can be wasted in unsustainable ventures. We lack good rules.  On the other hand, when rules and procedures dominate every aspect, we lose the flexibility and initiative to tackle new problems and seize emerging opportunities. This stifles creativity and alienates our most innovative members. These are bad rules.  Effective leadership, therefore, requires finding a balance between the two—entrepreneurial energy and solid structures. Good rules should empower both, providing enough structure to guide action while allowing room for creativity and growth. Channel Energy Without Stifling Innovation The challenge is to optimise these two poles: structure and energy. Administrators and auditors have the patience to read and understand the rules that govern our industry and company. They create internal rules, policies, processes, forms and permissions to prevent fraud and embed standard solutions to recurring problems. We listen closely to them, but take care not to put them in charge. A rule-bound CEO may work in a very stable, highly regulated industry, but would lack the leadership spark most companies need to survive and thrive.   Similarly, we deeply appreciate the energy and innovation brought by the creatives in our team; but in most cases, it would be suicidal to put them in charge. They need channelling and discipline. Finding this ideal balance that suits everyone is probably impossible in practice, so we have to give each side of this dilemma equal emphasis, and continually correct course as our company veers towards one or the other side. A Rugby-Inspired Leadership Lesson There is a good analogy in a sport like rugby. Good rugby players need to know the laws very well, or they will be penalised and give points away to the other side. Good rugby players also need to learn the skills of handling the ball, scrummaging, tackling and making carries. They practise, practise, practise on the field and spend hours in the gym bulking up their muscles.  But when the time comes to play, it would be disastrous to focus their minds on what the rules tell them they must not do, or concentrate on implementing each skill. The laws need to be in the back of their minds, and the skills need to have been overlearned so that they are automatic. Then the players can let themselves go and enter into the game with the single-minded focus on winning. The rules are not the game, but they enable them to play the game safely and effectively. Rules Guide, but Leadership Drives Success Similarly in our organisations, the rules are not the business. The auditors and ops people need to make sure that we all know the ethical and process rules of the company, and we need to implement consequences that motivate everyone to abide by those rules. The training people need to ensure that we all master the behaviours needed to work effectively. Managers, coaches and mentors should encourage each member to practise these behaviours till they become automatic and deeply embedded. But abiding by the rules and having the necessary skills is not doing the job. They are threshold competencies without which we cannot get onto the field, but the distinguishing competencies that allow us to win are different. They come from the passion of wanting to do a good job and achieve results – the equivalent of winning the match. The task of a manager is to call each member forward to do their job with single-minded passion. This is where leadership comes in. Leaders ensure that their followers know and obey the rules and are appropriately skilled, but then they focus on energy, direction and teamwork to achieve the extraordinary. At work as in sports, results come from the team losing themselves in the pure enjoyment of playing well. Good rules enable that; bad rules inhibit it. Jonathan Cook, a counselling psychologist, chairs the African Management Institute. This is adapted from a column for Business Day, originally published on 1st October 2024. ( www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/columnists/2024-10-01-jonathan-cook-good-rules-bad-rules-energy-and-leadership/ ) If you’d like to read previous columns in this series or ask Jonathan a question please visit www.africanmanagers.com/jonathan-cook

Once upon a time, a bright young person launched into a career full of promise and maybe some foreboding… Nothing captures the human imagination quite like a story. In his book The Storytelling Animal Jonathan Gottschall suggests stories make us human. “We are, as a species, addicted to story”. We read stories and have them read to us; we listen to podcast stories; we go to movies and watch hours of television to catch more stories. Commentators entice us to watch sports by building on the personal interest stories of the competitors.  Humanizing History and Values Through Storytelling  One of my best memories of teaching the MBA was introducing the classes to each other’s versions of South African history. Needless to say, the versions differed hugely. We came to realise that what influences us now is not so much the facts of what happened in the past, which are in any case difficult to establish. What influences us are the stories we tell now about the past that make sense of the present and direct our efforts to create the future. The storyteller influences us by creating a reality in our minds. Leaders make use of this all the time. Business schools teach courses on storytelling as a valuable leadership skill. Stories of past heroes or villains are always fun at staff gatherings, and they convey meaning and values in a way that bald mission statements cannot.  CEOs who are not raconteurs themselves do well to give the floor to storytellers, as kings once had minstrels sing the ballads of their heroes, creating a sense of identity and inviting the next generation to continue in the glorious tradition. Storytelling Influences Behaviour Change Owen Eastwood is a New Zealander who has drawn on his mixed Maori and British ancestry to advise companies and sports teams on how to build winning teams. One of the many stories in his book, Belonging: The Ancient Code of Togetherness , describes how coach Vern Cotter helped the French rugby team Clermont Auvergne overcome their inability to win a final. For three years they dominated the preceding matches, only to lose in the final. He traced it back to 50 BC when the local chieftain, Vercingetorix, led a successful revolt against Rome. He was eventually defeated by Julius Caesar despite a heroic last stand, and as a result, became a powerful folk hero representing courage and strength even as a loser. Frankly, I’m as sceptical as you probably are that this glorious and heroic defeat created the losing mindset of a rugby team two thousand years later; but the point is that Cotter used the story to turn around the players’ psychology. He told a new story and created rituals such as each player sharpening a replica of Vercingetorix’s sword after training sessions. With this growth mindset, they went on to win the title at their next attempt. Using Storytelling to Engage New Employees Storytelling humanizes corporate cultures and offers a framework that helps new hires make sense of their new working environment. Beyond that, it helps them feel included and connected from the onset, thus increasing their engagement. Each month when I meet our new recruits, I tell the story of how the African Management Institute came into existence and what values inspired us. I’m resolved now to make more of this storytelling opportunity and imbue our history with the flavour of “Once upon a time . . . ,“ while inviting the next generation to write the new chapter. Returning to our opening paragraph, how does your own story continue? What do you choose to write as the next compelling episode in your career? It’s never too late to change the plot or add a new story when you retire. If you lead an organization, what is its story? And what do you choose to be its next chapter?  Can today’s tasks become an adventure story rather than just a succession of logical decisions and routine activities? Can you imbue work with mythological power for yourself and your followers? Jonathan Cook, a counselling psychologist, chairs the African Management Institute. This is adapted from a column for Business Day, originally published on 2nd September 2024. ( https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/columnists/2024-09-02-jonathan-cook-we-tell-the-stories-that-create-both-past-and-future/ ) If you’d like to read previous columns in this series or ask Jonathan a question please visit https://africanmanagers.com/jonathan-cook

How will human abilities stand out in an AI-driven future of management? As a psychologist in management, I have always felt confident in my ability to understand and navigate human dynamics, something that seemed beyond the reach of machines. However, I was intrigued to read that an AI algorithm on Google’s DeepMind had helped people with disparate and conflicting opinions find common ground while discussing contentious social issues. The machine came up with statements that 56% of participants found reflected the views in the group and reduced divisions better than statements of human mediators. While this AI experiment isn’t yet headed to our offices, it marks an interesting milestone. AI’s potential for consensus-building may not be too far from everyday use, as technology continues to develop rapidly. We’ll likely see similar capabilities available through common apps soon. So, what will be left to human intelligence and judgment? The answer is still uncertain, but with AI evolving quickly, we would do well to stay updated on emerging capabilities. Will AI Lead to Job Loss? It’s likely that AI will replace some roles, as new technologies have done in the past. However, if history is a guide, AI may also generate new jobs. Technological advancements, such as personal computers and spreadsheet software, have previously shifted employment from workers with specific skills to those with other, often higher-paid, skills. Today, it’s more common to see someone replaced not by AI alone, but by someone skilled in using AI effectively. A study in the Quarterly Journal of Economics found that technology’s impact on jobs often depends on whether it augments or automates existing roles. The researchers noted that technologies that augment human work tend to create jobs, while those that automate tasks can reduce them. At present, AI often augments rather than replaces jobs, especially in management. Many professionals, myself included, are using AI tools to improve productivity, and I haven’t seen management positions lost to AI yet. However, as AI continues to evolve, the landscape may shift significantly. Making Work More Engaging with AI The 2024 Microsoft and LinkedIn Work Trend Index , which examines AI’s impact in workplaces, reinforces the view that AI can make jobs more engaging by reducing tedious tasks. In their research, over 90% of those who regularly use AI reported that it helps them manage overwhelming workloads and increases job satisfaction. The study also found that 75% of knowledge workers now incorporate AI into their tasks, almost double the rate of six months ago. Interestingly, many leaders say they would hesitate to hire candidates who lack AI skills. This trend has led to concerns of ageism, with some employers screening out older applicants who they believe may struggle with AI. The Risk of AI for Certain Job Functions Yet, while AI can make certain aspects of work easier, it may also shift the nature of tasks. Automation sometimes removes more interesting parts of a job, leaving behind repetitive tasks. For instance, robots in manufacturing have reduced physical demands but also made some jobs more routine. Similarly, drug-dispensing machines in hospital pharmacies have allowed pharmacists more time for patient interaction, but pharmacy assistants may now find their roles reduced to machine operation. On balance I am positive about the impact of AI on our lives, and in any case, we arenot going to stop it. So let’s make friends with the bots and hope they’ll let us manage them. Jonathan Cook, a counselling psychologist, chairs the African Management Institute. This is adapted from a column for Business Day, originally published on 29th October 2024. ( https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/columnists/2024-10-29-jonathan-cook-how-will-ai-affect-managers/ ) If you’d like to read previous columns in this series or ask Jonathan a question please visit www.africanmanagers.com/jonathan-cook

Esther’s journey from a small community in Rwanda to a key player in the hospitality industry is a testament to resilience and ambition. With Rwanda’s burgeoning reputation as a global travel destination, Esther dreamed of making a meaningful impact in the tourism sector—not just for herself, but for her community. However, like many aspiring professionals, she faced barriers that seemed insurmountable. In 2023, everything changed when Esther enrolled in AMI’s Thrive at Work program. This transformative initiative equips individuals with practical skills and fosters confidence, giving participants the tools to excel in their chosen fields. “The Thrive at Work program helped me discover my potential,” Esther reflects. “It was about more than just learning; it was about gaining the courage to step out of my comfort zone.” Through a dynamic mix of workshops, hands-on experiences, and personalized coaching, Esther gained critical skills in customer service, communication, and problem-solving. These competencies became the cornerstone of her professional journey. Upon completing the program, Esther secured an internship at Serena Hotel, one of Rwanda’s premier hospitality establishments. This role presented her with a whirlwind of challenges and opportunities, as she worked in a fast-paced environment serving international guests and striving to deliver exceptional service. “The internship at Serena Hotel was demanding, but it pushed me to grow,” she explains. “I learned to adapt quickly, interact with diverse guests, and uphold the highest standards of service.” This experience not only refined Esther’s abilities but also bolstered her confidence, transforming her into a well-rounded hospitality professional. Her dedication and hard work did not go unnoticed; by the end of her internship, she received a full-time job offer from Serena Hotel—a moment that validated all her efforts. “When I was offered a full-time position, it felt like everything I had worked for had come to fruition,” Esther recalls. “AMI provided the skills and confidence I needed to succeed, and now I’m proud to contribute to Rwanda’s growing tourism sector.” However, Esther’s journey does not end here. With her background in finance, she has chosen to refocus her career within the hospitality sector, leveraging her financial expertise to drive efficiency and innovation at Serena Hotel. Esther is committed to creating pathways for young professionals, encouraging them to enhance their skills and become more competitive in the job market. “I want to inspire the next generation,” she says. “By sharing my experiences and encouraging young people to develop a diverse skill set, we can strengthen our community and contribute to Rwanda’s economic growth.” Esther’s story is not just one of personal achievement; it embodies the transformative power of education and skill development. Through AMI’s Thrive at Work program, she not only secured employment but also emerged as a role model for other young professionals aspiring to thrive in Rwanda’s tourism industry. Her success highlights AMI’s mission to empower individuals across Africa with the practical tools they need to flourish in their careers. As Esther continues to inspire others, she stands as a symbol of the potential that lies within every young person willing to learn and adapt. Her journey reflects a broader movement across Rwanda. By fostering practical training and building confidence, AMI is cultivating the next generation of leaders in industries vital to Rwanda’s economic future.