Having a great degree from a great school with the honours of the jury is very good and a great launching pad for your career. However, like a rocket, it takes more than the launching pad to put the rocket into orbit.

"You don't have to be Mother Teresa or Gandhi to be a giver. You just have to find small ways to add large value to other people's lives." ─ Adam Rifkin, Film director.

Aligning your skills with the industry you want to work in is not easy. The Ansoff matrix adapted to a career is a good framework to guide you.

The golden rule of New Year Season's greetings is this: a short, personalised message is worth thousands of generic photos or videos.

In New Year, make only two resolutions: (1) Be a better version of yourself every day, i.e. keep improving and (2) Add value to the lives of others every day, i.e. keep doing good.

Appreciation is a zero-cost investment with a huge return in terms of individual, team and organisational productivity.

Kind people help create healthy, positive and collaborative workplaces. People-pleasers fuel toxicity, negativity and competition in the workplace.

It takes more than great ingredients to make a great sauce; it takes a great cook. It takes more than individual talents to achieve great results; it takes a great leader.

The value of a life is measured by the number of lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness. For the well-being of each is linked to the well-being of all.

If the world were a bird, woman and man would be the two wings. A bird with equal wings can fly higher and longer. A bird with unequal wings struggles to fly lower and for less time. We are all better off in an equal world.

If you view your career as a straight path to follow, you may find yourself at a dead end. Instead, approach it as a satellite navigation system that constantly shows you the best route to your destination.

Employers: to promote hybrid work, don't confuse the space with the place. A space is where people are located and perform their work. A place is where the work gets done, and the results are achieved.

Arrogant people seek attention and do not hesitate to bully others to be in the spotlight. Confident people know their self-worth and therefore do not seek attention from others.

"I don't do politics. I will do my work, and my work will speak for itself" is a big mistake. Politics is not about gossip or backstabbing. It is about engaging strategically and smartly to get results.

African wisdom teaches us: "When they wash your back, wash your belly" in other words, make some effort when others help you. However, to be independent and self-reliant, aspire to wash your back too.

Do not build your family around your career. Instead, build your career around your family. You can replace a job you have lost. A family you have lost is lost forever.