USB-ED is fortunate to have access to more than 300 part-time faculty, consultants, business leaders and industry experts who facilitate on our programmes.
Today we would like to introduce you to Nishana Bhogal.

What is the toughest leadership challenge businesses face today?

Balancing the often-conflicting priorities of environmental and societal needs with economic needs is among the most difficult challenges faced by leaders today.  This challenge is often exacerbated by the dynamic and fast-paced nature of the business environment and information overload.  Increasingly leaders are expected to navigate overwhelming volumes of data and respond expeditiously.

Who inspires you and why?

I am inspired by the works of Yuval Noah Harari, a historian and philosopher, since he often challenges my mental models. Sometimes criticised for being a pessimist, Harari is a realist who rationally explores complex and disconcerting subject matter.  Importantly, Harari connects our (human) history with our future, alerting that the seeds being planted today bear serious, potentially catastrophic, consequences for the future.

What attracted you to work with USB-ED?

Initially, I was drawn to the strength of the USB-ED brand.  I am pleased to say that they did not disappoint.  Processes for recruitment, on-boarding and the support that followed were as if taken out of a classic textbook.  Without compromising standards, the leadership at USB-ED have welcomed exploration and experimentation with new material and methods of delivering excellence to their clients.  It follows that USB-ED is respected in the market, thus attracting a high caliber of academic and support staff.  Working in such an environment inspires me to excel.  As faculty, I am encouraged to conduct research and engage with corporate executives, which enables me to continually develop.  I am proud to be part of USB-ED’s dynamic team.

Do you have a mantra or slogan that you live by?

I cannot control everything that has happened to me; however, I have control over my response. My strength lies in my responses.

What career advice would you give yourself looking back to when you started out?

Dream as if reaching for the stars, since your dreams are the self-imposed ceiling of your reality.

Tell us about a book you have recently read?

Earlier this year I read “Born a crime” by Trevor Noah.  The book is written in a conversational and humorous style yet strikes at the core of numerous socio-economic challenges faced by many South African.  For example, Noah builds on the adage; “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”  Noah argues that a man also needs a rod in order to apply his skills.  In a modern context, the rod represents access to infrastructure, such as access to markets or capital.  Such access together with skills may bring about meaningful transformation.