Women are natural leaders and caretakers

What was your motivation to pursue a career in Learning and Development?

I have always seen L&D as a key role in the organisation because it helps to create and develop talent - the backbone of the organisation. Not only does it contribute to the growth of the individual employee, but also has a cumulative impact on the organisation. More importantly, upskilling is the key to growth of the economy, and to the development of the future generations of UAE. This is my personal passion and motivation and my work in L&D is my own small way of contributing to the growth of my country.

As a woman, are there any challenges you faced in the field? How did you overcome them?

I am fortunate to belong to a country that respects its women and honours the place we hold in the society. UAE’s gender equality and women empowerment vision ensures that equal opportunities are offered to all candidates, irrespective of their gender. From the very beginning of my career, this mindset in my colleagues and seniors has enabled me to perform my role with a minimum set of challenges, none of them related to my gender.

Does being a woman enable you to perform your job better?

I do believe that women are natural leaders and instinctive caretakers. Our capabilities to nurture, direct and organise make us suitable for roles that help others flourish. This definitely is handy in a role in L&D. But I also think that one needs personal motivation to perform the job well. Having a performance-oriented outlook, my commitment to deliver quality and guidance of my coaches - all of these are factors that enable me to perform well at my job. And this has no relation to my gender, but to my personal values, beliefs and mindset.

Are there any lessons/ advice you would like to share with other women from your professional experiences?

Be confident in your capabilities and when you are faced with challenges, turn them into learning opportunities. Empower others by sharing your knowledge and experience. It is our duty to support the generations following us and help them develop into future leaders. And they will really benefit from our guidance. We are living in an age of innovation and endless opportunities. Look for unconventional solutions, and innovative methods and ideas to develop yourself and you will see the positive effect it has on your professional career.