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Creating a Supportive Environment for Your Leadership: Female CEO Breakfast Club (FCBC)

Name: Creating a Supportive Environment for Your Leadership: Female CEO Breakfast Club (FCBC)
Start: 2023-11-02T17:30:00+00:00
End: 2023-11-02T21:00:00+00:00

November 2 @ 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Creating a Supportive Environment for Your Leadership:

Female CEO Breakfast Club (FCBC)

November 2, 2023, at 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Hilton Hotel

Investment

Members Complimentary
Non-Members 850 ETB

Leadership is the ability of an individual or a group of people to influence and guide others. Great leaders understand that it is as important to monitor their own progress as they do their teams’. These leaders create safe and supportive environments that foster trust, collaboration, and engagement. A supportive environment is created through shaping the team and organization’s culture which is the primary responsibility of leaders.

This November AWiB presents The Female CEO Breakfast Club (FCBC), a supportive community that provides continuous growth opportunities. It is a networking platform that leaders need and must have to exchange ideas, vent frustrations, build lasting friendships, and become each others’ resources. Together FCBC members developed strong voices that challenge unfavorable policies for their businesses & communities. FCBC is a community of leaders who focus on growing and expanding personally & professionally.

FCBC was founded in 2017 as part of AWiB’s senior women business owners’ alliance. FCBC members meet once a month to participate in programs tailored to their specific and timely needs. This November’s Monthly Networking event will focus on FCBC members. They will share their experiences and strategies when it comes to creating a supportive environment in their respective businesses as well as the challenges they face.

Leaders must work intentionally to create a culture that fosters a supportive environment in their organizations and communities. The first step in doing this is to define and communicate clear and realistic expectations for team members individually and as a team. This avoids or minimizes unnecessary confusion, frustration, and conflicts. The other important step is to provide regular and meaningful performance feedback and recognition. Consistently providing feedback creates motivated, inspired and empowered team members. It also helps in creating a culture of trust, rapport and respect.

Members of the FCBC are setting a great example of how being open to learning and growth is beneficial by always discussing current and relevant topics with experts. We all know that there are new things we can learn and improve every day but being practically open, curious, and willing especially when we are at a considerably successful stage takes courage and humility.

A supportive environment represents an environment where team members trust each other and have genuine connections. Creating opportunities for team members to interact, have fun, and socialize fosters a sense of belongingness and loyalty. Since conflicts are inevitable it is also important to make available the necessary tools, resources, support, and information needed for resolving conflicts and managing stress.

In order to sustain a supportive environment in an organization, the physical, emotional, and psychological wellness of leaders and their teams is crucial. Leaders also need a peer-to-peer community like the FCBC to support them in the process of creating an environment for their teams where all members feel valued, respected, and included.

Creating a supportive environment for leadership is an art and a science. You can use your people’s skills, storytelling abilities, and deep listening skills to understand your team members’ needs and potentials. To best utilize the potential of team members and leaders, an environment where continuous growth is promoted is needed. Throughout the whole process, great leaders stay humble and approachable taking their position as an opportunity to coach others and inspire them to become the leaders of tomorrow.

In addition to networking and professional development, the FCBC poses to mentor and coach junior businesses. As a result, the breakfast club gave birth to the Senior to Junior Business Seminar in 2019. This seminar is biannual and aims to provide practical advice and guidance for local business owners. Through sharing their experiences, the FCBC members help business owners avoid the pitfalls and challenges they encounter in their journeys. This contribution to the local business community is AWiB’s significant achievement. It brings ambitious entrepreneurs together contributing to Ethiopia’s overall economic growth. Read the recap for the recent Senior to Junior Business Seminar on October 3^rd, 2023: HR Challenges in the Ethiopian Labor Market

Talking Points:

How have you benefitted from FCBC personally and professionally? What are the significant progress you’ve made after joining the breakfast club?
Have you created supportive environments in your organization’s, family or community?
What can other leaders learn from a supportive community like the FCBC?

Speakers

Amakelech Lulu

Amakelech Lulu is the CEO and general manager of Gishen Pharmacy, established in 1998. She built her empire, Gishen Pharmacy to over 10 active branches and 60 institutional clients with a large number of individual market bases. Gishen Pharmacy has earned its prominence as the first in Ethiopia to start 24-hour and weekend services, earning the brand, “People come first.”

Before starting her own pharmacy retail business in 1994, Amakelech served at numerous government healthcare centers. Amakelech is a certified life coach and mentor among other credentials. Her notable achievements include: serving as a board member of the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce; being appointed as vice president of the Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Association; and winning Pharmacy of the Year from different organizations in various years, consecutively.

Aster Solomon

Aster Solomon is the co-founder and general manager of Ethiopia’s first GIS service company, Information Systems Services (ISS), established in 2000. She owns Mosaic Hotel, an international hotel in Addis Ababa and is one of the founders of Enat Bank where she served on the Board of Directors for six years. Aster also serves as general manager of New English Private School (NEPS), a family-owned school that spans pre-KG to high school. The school’s student body is made up of local and international students.

Aster has rich experience in establishing and managing businesses and large-scale projects. She has accumulated vast managerial skills through her 20-plus years of experience working in government, private sector, and as a consultant in local & international organizations.

Hanna Tilahun

Hanna Tilahun is a Managing Director of Bezalel Construction Material Manufacturing PLC and Hebron Resort PLC. She is also one of the founders of Enat Bank and has served as Chairperson of its Board of Directors. As a certified accountant from AAU, Hanna has served in numerous positions throughout her career including Co-Founder and Financial Advisor of MH Engineering PLC; Internal Audit Manager and Finance Manager at Norila; Finance Director of Lalibela Engineering; Senior Accountant then Finance Manager for RRC / ASG Transport Project.

Hanna is highly engaged in community service as a way of giving back. She has undertaken different activities in helping children and senior citizens and has continuously supported various kids through school and employment.

Netsehet Workneh

Netsehet Workneh is the co-founder and managing director of LonAdd Consultancy PLC. She possesses a strong vision for the company to become one of Ethiopia’s most trustworthy human resources service providers. Having spent a significant portion of her adult life in Britain, Netsehet returned to Ethiopia with the intention of actively participating in the nation’s business development and making her contribution to its thriving economy over the past 25 years.

With extensive experience in HR consultancy projects both locally and internationally, Netsehet has acquired valuable insights that aid in the effective management of her company. Beyond her professional endeavors, Netsehet is also a philanthropist, a competitive runner, and a highly respected business leader who remains committed to fulfilling her social obligations.

Yeshiwork Wolderher

Yeshiwork Wolderher is the managing director of Ghion Gas PLC. Yeshiwork is a prominent businesswoman and an accomplished executive with tremendous experience (over 15 years) in import and export, international trade, business development, international finance, sales & marketing, freight forwarding, insurance, and customs regulations. In addition to running the family business, she has a company called Momentum PLC involved in logistics, pharmaceuticals, and media that has produced a film titled “የማህን ምጥ.”

Yeshiwork is known for her outstanding leadership abilities, particularly in turning around struggling companies and leading them toward prosperity and profitability. Through her coaching, guidance, and advisory roles, she empowers and supports business owners, helping them pave their own path to success. Yeshiwork is a transformative leader who firmly believes in the importance of competence, character, and delivering tangible results.

Moderator

Samrawit Meressa

Samrawit Meressa is a young and energetic leader. She has diverse experiences working as a Production Managing Director on the “Titilo” show broadcasted on DSTV and as an Assistant Manager at Zoskales Diamond – a family business. Influenced by her father at an early age she is very passionate about jewelry design and strives to make her dream of designing a reality. Samrawit has gone to great lengths on the path to self-discovery.

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