Siddika Osman has been a trailblazer from the moment she stepped into the technology space in 1996 – as one of the first women to work as a systems engineer in Transnet’s IT department. It was tough at the time, but there wasn’t a better training ground to develop the strategic vision, business acumen, compassion and grit that she embodies today.
This year, Osman celebrates 30 years in the ICT sector – as CEO of one of the brightest stars in the South African technology industry. Under her leadership, Nkgwete IT Solutions has achieved double digit growth, successfully supporting 32 000 computers nationally and resolving, on average, 6 000 calls each month. The company has, for 11 years, achieved 100% of their customer SLAs, resulting in a 96% customer satisfaction index.
The vision for Nkgwete IT Solutions started in 2012 with a leap of faith. By this time, Osman had held positions as a Systems Engineer, where she’d gained hands-on experience in IT operations, infrastructure and business process management. This was followed by key leadership roles, including Operations Manager, Business Process and Governance Specialist, Regional Manager and Chief Executive Officer. With broad industry expertise across ICT service management, business transformation and corporate strategy, Osman was a highly-respected leader in the field.
Then, in 2012, Osman and her business partner responded to an RFP, part of a large IT multinational enterprise development programme, to build an IT team of champions.
“At the time it was a leap of faith, a definite risk. But I knew the time had come for me to make more of a contribution to society and towards South Africa. Stepping out and becoming an entrepreneur would give me that opportunity. Remaining in corporate would not.”
Osman’s team won the RFP, giving her a way forward to achieve her lifelong ambition to use technology for good, contribute towards the economy of South Africa and make a tangible difference.
Nkgwete IT Solutions opened for business in 2013. “Nkgwete” is a Northern Sotho word that translates to "champions", and this has formed the bedrock of the company, both in terms of building their customer base and their internal team of champions.
“Past experience working as an internal business process specialist was one of the most valuable things that I did, because business process management gives you a holistic view of an entire business. This undoubtedly helped me in the years ahead. But it was when I moved into operations that I realised I love leading people. I have a passion for bringing out the best in people and empowering them to make a difference.”
Nkgwete IT Solutions' key USP is its employees. Each individual is highly skilled in terms of both EQ and IQ and given an ecosystem that is optimised for performance and growth. The company’s commitment to being an employee of choice is supported by an Employee Satisfaction and Engagement Score that has, for 10 years, averaged 85%.
These are results that take hard work and demand a type of leadership that is both robust and intuitive.
“I support and involve every one of our people. I will be your greatest supporter, but demand high results. In my experience, success comes from the effort you put into achieving goals, while excellence is about never finding an excuse for your failure.
“Undoubtedly, I am a results-driven leader. In order to succeed, you need to be able to deliver on what your client is asking for. You must make sure your finances are adequate so you can be sustainable, meet your SLAs and your targets. But I think it’s how I bring this across to our staff that makes all the difference. We are results oriented because this is in the best interests of the company, which ultimately translates to job security and growth and development for the individual. When you put it to people this way and they understand, this is what brings them along on the journey.
“Part of this is that I care deeply for all our staff and take the time to get to know them. Until a year ago, I was doing one-on-ones with every single person in the company at least once a year. People have a desire to be acknowledged. If you really take this onboard as a leader, then they will walk the path with you and be willing to contribute to the success of the organisation. As we say: technology makes things possible, but people make it happen.”
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