Leaders like Thobile Dlamini stand as beacons of innovation and transformation in the ever-evolving finance landscape. As the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS), Thobile’s journey epitomizes a relentless pursuit of excellence and a steadfast commitment to driving change. With a career spanning from the foundations of auditing and accounting to the forefront of technological advancement, Thobile’s narrative is a testament to the power of vision, resilience, and continuous learning.
Thobile discovered her passion for numbers and accounting in high school through university and her tenure in audit firms, where the thrill of balancing cash flows ignited her enthusiasm; every step has been a building block in her journey. But Thobile’s story transcends mere number crunching; it’s a narrative of leadership evolution and strategic foresight.
Thobile’s leadership is not just about numbers and strategies; it’s about people and their development. Inspired by influential figures like Vanessa Van Edwards and Tony Robbins, she has embraced a holistic approach to leadership. Her commitment to continuous improvement is evident in her personal and professional growth and dedication to empowering others and leaving a lasting legacy.
As a visionary CFO, Thobile is not just integrating technology into ERS’ finance operations; she is leading the charge. Leveraging robotic process automation (RPA), she streamlines tasks and enhances efficiency. But her vision extends beyond mere automation and as one of the sponsors for the ERS Digitalisation program, she fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration where every voice is heard, and every idea is valued.
Thobile cultivates a culture of continuous learning and development through initiatives like weekly leadership forums, empowering her team to thrive in an ever-changing environment. Her strategic approach to stakeholder engagement ensures transparency, trust, and alignment, fostering strong internal and external relationships.
Shaping approach to finance and leadership
Thobile Dlamini reflects on seemingly insignificant moments that have shaped her leadership journey. Recalling an experience from five years prior, she vividly remembers attending a leadership conference where she encountered Vanessa Van Edwards’ presentation from the Science of People.
Her desire to pay closer attention to individuals was ignited at that moment. Inspired, she procured Van Edwards’ book, “Captivate,” which became a catalyst for personal growth. Through this experience, Thobile acknowledges the transformation in her leadership approach, emphasizing a newfound focus on prioritizing people.
Pursuing a career in finance
In her final years of high school, Thobile Dlamini discovered her passion for accounting, finding it both exciting and easy to grasp. This newfound interest led her to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce degree with a major in accounting at university. Upon entering the workforce, she embarked on her career journey in an audit firm, where she completed her articles and became deeply engrossed in the profession. For Thobile, the thrill of auditing and producing financial statements became exhilarating.
Her time as an auditor not only propelled her career forward but also intensified her fascination with finance. It became evident to her that progressing from an auditor to the role of CFO was the natural trajectory. As she advanced up the career ladder, Thobile recognized that leadership skills became increasingly paramount, transcending the mere balancing of books.
Key lessons as CFO
Thobile Dlamini emphasizes the importance of the Kaizen concept, which centres on continuous improvement, a principle she has integrated into every facet of her life. As a Fellow and member of ACCA, she understands the necessity of fulfilling Continuous Professional Development (CPD) hours annually to maintain active membership. However, for Thobile, this requirement transcends mere compliance; it serves as a catalyst for personal and professional growth.
She has committed to ongoing learning and development, recognizing that enhancing her skills and knowledge extends beyond CPD requirements. By consistently engaging in reading, training, and other educational pursuits, she aims to bolster her capabilities as a leader and finance executive. Thobile acknowledges that investing in self-improvement equips her to excel in her role and enables her to make meaningful contributions to her organization.
Balancing the demands of overseeing finance operations
Thobile emphasizes that passion plays a crucial role in making challenges manageable. As she previously mentioned, the role of CFO transcends mere number crunching; it requires adept leadership and team development skills, which Thobile considers integral to her responsibilities.
In her deliberate pursuit of initiatives to foster team growth, Thobile goes beyond the standard Personal Development Plan. She continuously seeks opportunities to enhance her team’s development and engagement throughout the year. For instance, she introduced weekly leadership development sessions attended by the entire team. These sessions address a spectrum of topics ranging from personal growth to career advancement in leadership.
Additionally, Thobile implemented floor morning meetings within the organization, which have become a staple. These gatherings serve as platforms for motivational talks led by various team members, covering diverse topics from all facets of life. Her pride and joy is the Employee Financial Wellness Program she introduced within the organization, which is now part of the staff onboarding process. Thobile ensures that her team excels professionally through these initiatives and finds fulfilment and inspiration in their personal and professional growth journeys.
Strategies to maintain stakeholder relations internally and externally
Thobile’s approach to cultivating strong stakeholder relationships revolves around consistent engagement and effective communication strategies. She utilizes various mediums such as emails, workshops, phone calls, and meetings to ensure ongoing interaction. For instance, her team organizes an annual supplier day for their current and potential vendors to strengthen their relations and maintain regular email communication to address any emerging issues promptly.
Thobile and her team made it a point to identify their critical stakeholders. To enhance stakeholder relationships, they maintain continuous communication channels through various mediums, including physical visits, to address operational matters efficiently. They prioritize transparency by proactively communicating organisational changes, whether system updates, personnel changes, or alterations to operating procedures, to keep stakeholders informed and involved.
Furthermore, the ERS values input from stakeholders and actively solicits feedback through various channels such as radio shows, workshops, informational emails, service centres, and conferences. They ensure that all inputs are taken seriously, regardless of whether they pertain directly to the finance department. Inputs received during events like the recent supplier day, captured through platforms like SLIDO and verbal submissions, are promptly acted upon.
Thobile ensures that even feedback related to tax operations, though not directly under the finance department’s purview, is communicated to relevant personnel for appropriate action. This inclusive and responsive approach strengthens relationships with stakeholders and fosters a culture of collaboration and mutual respect within the organization.
Ways do you leverage your analytical skills
Thobile’s role as a finance executive involves crafting the financial strategy, a pivotal component of the overarching organizational strategy. She actively contributes to formulating comprehensive organizational strategies, leveraging her expertise to align financial objectives with broader goals. Additionally, Thobile participates in reviewing departmental reports, offering insights and recommendations to optimize performance across the organization.
The ERS executive implemented innovative communication methods to ensure transparency and real-time visibility into organizational performance. In addition to hosting the finance dashboard on the company’s intranet, they installed TV screens throughout the building’s floors and meeting rooms, constantly displaying the organizational performance dashboard. This proactive approach enables employees at all levels to stay informed about operations and performance metrics, fostering a culture of accountability and awareness across the organization.
Impact on individuals and organizations
Thobile’s passion for money management sparked a transformative journey to overhaul her financial situation. Recognizing the widespread struggle with debt and financial insecurity among peers, she delved into extensive research on money management. A serendipitous encounter with Tony Robbins’ book, “Money, Master the Game,” proved instrumental in deepening her understanding of personal finance.
Empowered by newfound knowledge, Thobile felt compelled to share her insights with others. Beginning with her finance team and friends, she soon found herself sought after to develop a comprehensive program within the ERS. This initiative’s positive impact reverberated internally and externally, with individuals expressing gratitude for the invaluable guidance provided.
One particularly poignant testimonial came from a retired employee who attributed their debt-free retirement to the program Thobile spearheaded. Such feedback is a testament to Thobile’s commitment to empowering others through financial literacy, leaving a lasting legacy of financial well-being and security within her organization and beyond.
Approach for decision-making and problem-solving
Thobile underscores the importance of informed decision-making as a cornerstone of personal and professional success. She advocates for gathering relevant and sufficient information to ensure well-founded decisions. However, she acknowledges that there are instances where time constraints necessitate relying on experience and skill to make swift and appropriate decisions.
Thobile also emphasizes the value of cultivating decisiveness as a habit. She asserts that being decisive is crucial, particularly in challenging or time-sensitive situations. By developing this skill, individuals can navigate challenging circumstances with confidence and efficiency, ultimately contributing to their overall effectiveness and success.
Leadership principle or philosophy
Thobile believes in the notion that leadership principles aren’t singular but rather a fusion of various elements. Among these principles, she highlights several as particularly significant:
- Innovation and Embracing Change: She values the ability to innovate and adapt to change, recognizing it as essential for organizational growth and success in dynamic environments.
- Leading by Example: She believes in setting a positive example for others to follow, understanding that actions speak louder than words in inspiring and influencing team members.
- Developing Others: She prioritizes nurturing the growth and development of her team members, recognizing that investing in others ultimately strengthens the organization as a whole.
- Integrity: She upholds integrity as fundamental to ethical leadership, emphasizing honesty, transparency, and accountability in all actions and decisions.
- Leaving a Legacy: Lastly, Thobile is mindful of the impact she leaves behind, striving to create a lasting legacy of positive change and progress within her current organization and beyond.
Financial strategies and approaches
Thobile acknowledges the complexity of navigating approval processes, particularly in the public sector, where multiple authority levels are common. Transitioning from the private sector’s streamlined approval systems to the more layered public sector structures requires adaptation. To effectively manage this, she recommends initiating the approval process early, ensuring that necessary authorizations are secured well before implementation.
Furthermore, Thobile emphasizes the importance of maintaining positive relationships with all relevant stakeholders. By fostering open communication and transparency, she seeks to gain understanding and buy-in from relevant stakeholders early in the process. This proactive approach facilitates smoother approvals and fosters collaboration and alignment between the organization and government entities.
Fostering a culture of continuous learning and development
Thobile emphasizes the importance of developing people as a cornerstone of effective leadership. The ERS has implemented various organizational initiatives to foster continuous growth and learning among its team members.
The ERS established a learning and development unit to focus solely on employee developmental needs. This includes consolidating the employees’ personal development plans (PDPs) together with improvement areas identified during performance assessments. In addition, the ERS promotes professional membership of its employees by subsidizing relevant professional membership, such as membership in an accounting institution for accountants, etc. Such memberships are crucial in ensuring that the members keep up with industry trends and their continuous professional development needs.
Moreover, employees who are experts in their specialty areas are encouraged to train and impart that knowledge to others within the organisation and to external parties as consultants. For instance, there are employees who are experts in strategy development, change management, financial literacy, project management, auditing, and many more. This fosters a culture of excellence, professionalism, and continuous development amongst the employees.
In Thobile’s space, the introduction of weekly leadership forums and floor meetings has provided valuable opportunities for team members to enhance their skills and knowledge. She emphasizes that growth can take various forms, including traditional education and self-directed learning, such as reading books and watching relevant videos.
She has witnessed firsthand how these learning platforms have empowered her team to apply lessons learned daily, leading to significant personal and professional growth. Equally important is the ERS’ willingness to embrace such development innovative ideas, which again promotes a culture of innovation where employees are not afraid to bring forward their ideas, leading to overall organisational improvement.
Thobile recognizes the symbiotic relationship between individual and departmental development. She ensures that individual professional development plans (PDPs) aligns, at least in part, with the goals of the department and the organization as a whole. By investing in the growth of her team members, Thobile cultivates a culture of excellence and drives collective progress toward organizational objectives.
Goals for the future of finance
Thobile is committed to ensuring that the finance department remains at the forefront of technological advancement. She recognizes the potential of technology to revolutionize finance operations within the organization, making processes more efficient and enabling the finance team to focus on higher-value tasks such as data analytics.
One of Thobile’s key objectives is to leverage robotics process automation (RPA) to automate repetitive and labor-intensive tasks within finance. By implementing RPA solutions, she aims to streamline operations and free up human resources for more strategic and analytical functions.
Thobile also strongly emphasizes innovation within the organization. They have established an internal platform for all employees to submit their ideas and innovations. This proactive approach to soliciting and implementing new ideas ensures that the organization can quickly adapt to changes and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving landscape of finance and technology.
