From Left: Sincera CEO Ashish Choudhary, xSMTHS Head of Operations Kristina Gransee, and DVT Practice Lead Kanya Mhlongo
Read time: 7 minutes 18 seconds
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.”― Ronald Reagan
Growing great leaders is something the Dynamic Technologies group companies excel at. Development and leadership programmes, upskilling employees, and mentorships are all part of the process for companies such as DVT, Sincera, and xSMTHS. It’s a process that requires commitment and dedication, the ability to recognise the worth in others, and to be a company that is willing to put in the time, effort, and resources it takes to develop good leaders.
Kanya Mhlongo is a Practice Lead for the DVT Scrum Master Apprenticeship Programme. Part of her role is to act as a mentor and guide for scrum masters in training. She says, “The Scrum Mastership programme aims to advance careers within the Agile and Technology spaces, but at the heart of it, it’s about making a real impact in our apprentices’ lives.” As a mentor, helping to develop crucial leadership skills and unlock potential is a crucial part of her position. “Having a mentor to bounce your ideas off of and to be a sounding board that helps you identify your blind spots and blockers is really a huge advantage that not many people get in their careers.”
For Kanya, this is about giving back, and she understands the impact that strong mentors and role models can have on future leaders. “I’ve been extremely blessed to have had leaders throughout my career who mentored and coached me, and their contribution has been invaluable,” she says. “Being a mentor is a passion of mine and it is a truly fulfilling experience to see others flourish and grow. Then when they in turn pay it forward for others, it makes it all worthwhile. It’s life changing, and that is servant leadership in practice!”
Saurabh Agrawal is the Java/Backend Open Source Engineering Lead at DVT and has experienced firsthand the company’s commitment to helping their employees grow into senior and leadership positions. He says, “DVT is committed to the professional growth and development of its employees. The company provides many opportunities for training, upskilling, and career advancement, enabling individuals to excel in their roles and achieve their career goals. This is complemented by good leadership and strong role models. DVT’s leadership team is dedicated to creating a positive and supportive work environment. Their guidance, mentorship, and commitment to employee well-being contributes to the continued growth of their employees as well as an intense sense of camaraderie and wellbeing.”
For Kristina Gransee, Head of Operations at xSMTHS, leadership and development is close to her heart. xSMTHS maintains a strong focus on actively helping their employees reach their full potential in whatever role they choose. Recognising the qualities that make a good leader and building on these is key. Kristina says, “A good leader is like the conductor of an orchestra. They create the unity required in the team and synchronise all members to ensure everything goes seamlessly.” Leadership positions are important in any business, which is why it’s equally important to have the right people in them.
“In my opinion,” explains Kristina, “A good leader possesses empathy and emotional intelligence. They need to keep calm under stress and be aware of the impact of their moods and emotions on others. At xSMTHS, part of our leadership development entails ensuring there is a focus on creating space for open conversations and providing a different approach to problem solving in order to broaden the team’s thinking.”
xSMTHS uses both role models and mentors to play a crucial role in developing good leaders. Kristina says, “In order to grow and develop our future leaders, we are looking for very specific traits in our senior staff, such as a willingness to guide others and delegate and to let others shine, and an ability to empower team members. We want our leaders to lead by example. It sounds so simple but is something that – as senior members of the team – we constantly need to remind ourselves of. We need to exemplify the qualities and behaviours that we want to see in our future leaders.”
That said, Kristina notes that not everyone wants to take on a formal leadership position as part of their career growth. At xSMTHS, individual contributors are seen to be as important as designated leaders and are encouraged to progress in their career in the same way as someone who is growing into a leadership role. She says, “Twice a year we have in-depth career conversations with every single person in the business where we map individual career goals and align these with business growth and strategic directions. All conversation centre around the question, ‘How can we help you to be more effective in your role?’ Every individual is different, so the result is an individual-aligned training and development plan.”
CEO of Sincera Technology Ashish Choudhary says, “At Sincera, we believe in empowering our employees to reach their full potential. We encourage mentorship relationships and provide opportunities for employees to connect with experienced leaders within Sincera. Leadership development at Sincera also happens organically through day-to-day interactions, where employees are encouraged to take on leadership responsibilities and collaborate on projects that challenge and nurture their leadership skills. We believe that investing in our employees’ growth is an investment in our future success.”
Ashish adds, “We also have a flat hierarchy and an open communication culture that empowers employees to take on higher responsibilities, work closely with the senior leadership team, discuss ideas, and drive company strategy. We believe this naturally promotes leadership and fosters an environment where our team members can thrive and contribute to driving innovation and excellence.”
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Editorial contacts:
On behalf of Dynamic Technologies
Linda Wilkins (Wilkins Ross Communications)
[email protected]
Karen Heydenrych
Communication Manager, DVT
[email protected]
Kristina Gransee
Head of Operations, xSMTHS
[email protected]
Shilpa Tandon
Head of Marketing, Sincera
[email protected]
