The Aerotropolis Institute Africa (AIA) at UKZN hosted its first Blue Sky seminar series in a bid to build a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience.
In a nutshell, AIA aims to contribute towards knowledge and thought leadership in aviation and the broader business ecosystem.
The seminar, facilitated by Dr Rudi Kimmie, AIA Director, provided practical strategies and real-world examples from mining industry expert, Mr James Campbell, who is a Geologist and Managing Director of Botswana Diamonds.
The seminar followed a COMPASS (Confidence, Mindset, Place and Attributes) model, covering two themes: Leadership Beyond Authority and Cultural Intelligence. Campbell covered these themes by addressing innovation as the engine to success in a dynamic environment and resilience as an important skill to possess as an entrepreneur.
Covering three parts of his career in corporate as junior mining entrepreneur and leader in NPOs, Campbell’s story highlighted a phase in his career where he had to order a high court action against a former employee where he found himself in a conflicted situation, but none-the-less won the case. ‘I was scolded in the public media for being disloyal to my old employer. I was called a “traitor” on the front page of the Sunday Times, and many of my old colleagues said I had made a huge mistake, and this would destroy my career and reputation,’ he said.
Having a clear strategy supported by strong values and innovative approaches were some of the key takeaways from this seminar. Having won the case, Campbell unpacked how resilience, innovation and entrepreneurship played a part in his journey. ‘It is important to always try and understand the economic and political context of historical decisions. This helps build a foundation of the key value drivers and contributes to the success of a business,’ he said.
The webinar provided fruitful insights from speakers and guests where an attendee, Mr Petra Sittig, said: ‘Thank you for this insightful seminar. I am not in the mining industry but I have learnt a lot about determination and perseverance.’
Concluding with a vote of thanks was Mr Bradley Mears, AIA Education Project Manager.
For the full webinar recording visit the College of Law and Management Studies website.
Words: Ayanda Radebe
Photograph: Supplied