23/09/2026
MOMENTS THAT MADE ME
Mini Chapter 3: Possibilities Within Reach
Sometime towards the end of 2013 and into early 2014, that uncomfortable feeling in my gut and my mind started again—the feeling I get when it is time to change something in my career. I had successfully headed the IT department, and the Bank now had ATMs, Internet Banking, and Mobile Banking platforms that had transformed our customer experience. Projects were successfully completed, and we had gone into maintenance mode, which I found quite mundane.
One day, I mustered some courage and spoke to my line manager, the COO at the time, about an opportunity in the Operations department, as I was looking for a different type of challenge. My line manager made it clear that once I moved into the Head of Operations role, I would not be able to go back to IT, and the only alternative would be to leave the organisation.
In that moment, for a few seconds, I panicked. All sorts of possible scenarios played out in my head, and I started to doubt myself. What if I am mistaken? But what if I am not? I was trained and had mastered my IT skill set, but what if my technology knowledge could change how Operations functioned?
Up to this point, with hard work and God’s guidance, I had been successful, and that fact alone gave me the courage to take the challenge. My stint as Head of Operations was a huge success, and within two years, I got IT back, along with other units, and was elevated to Deputy COO.
One lesson I hope young professionals never forget from this experience is the importance of not becoming too comfortable in a role when there is a calling within you for something higher. Raise your hand for additional responsibility, take a leap of faith, and see how God lifts you up.
What would I tell my younger self if I could relive this moment? I would tell her, trust that uncomfortable feeling that propels you to do things differently. I would tell her, don’t be afraid. Step into that room because it is in that place that a spectacular COO will emerge from you.
The emotion I feel as I think of this story is gratitude. Gratitude to my line manager for giving me a chance to try something I had no experience in. Another emotion I feel is awe. I am amazed at how a willingness to learn led to career growth beyond my expectations.
This experience prepared me for a life as a leader who believes in the potential that different situations present, even those situations that scream “doubt” at first glance.
That moment taught me that POSSIBILITIES lie within our reach.
