Resilience, support key for success

Dar es Salaam. The head of Retail Banking at the I&M Bank Limited, Ms Lilian Mtali, stresses the need for women to embrace change if they are to excel in their particular career.
Ms Mtali, who has been working at I&M Bank since 2019, has an experience spanning over 20 years in the banking industry.
After completing a Bachelor’s degree programme in Business Administration and International Marketing at the International University of America (London campus), she decided that it was important for Tanzania to benefit from her expertise.
“After living and studying in London during my ‘Ordinary Level’ education to university education, I made the decision of returning to Tanzania because I wanted my country to benefit from my studies,” she says.
Thus, her career started as a Customer Services officer at the Standard Chartered Bank in Dar es Salaam. Admittedly, she says, this is one of the most junior positions in banking.
“That position was a bit challenging, as I had expected a higher post. I nonetheless accepted  it, hoping that things would improve  with time,” she says.
However, she joined another bank - Stanbic Bank - six years later, executing different roles at the managerial levels: managing bank branch, services, etc.
“My seniors noticed my commitment, so I was entrusted with different projects that I hoped  would one day propel me to one of the bank’s top positions,” says Ms Mtali.
She recalls from her mother that, as a young girl, Lilian had aspired to be a leader since she was in primary Standard Four.
“My mother told me that, when I was a kid, I repeatedly told her that I would one day emerge as one of the best leaders - but without specifying the line of work I would be in,” she says.
After her father was relocated to London as a diplomat, young Ms Mtali’s ambitions to be a recognised leader, just like her father, grew even more.
When she was enrolled in London schools for ordinary and higher education, her father asked her to pursue mathematics and accountancy studies.
Fast-Forward - and Ms Mtali explains that, as she had gone through different work experiences, it reached a point where she almost gave up work in banking.
“There was a reshuffle in the second bank I worked at, and I later came to realise that I was among the only two ladies left on the management committee. I started to doubt my presence in the bank because I saw no room for opportunities that could help me grow my career,” she says.
“I had to work extra hard in competition between men and I as a woman. But there was a time I asked myself why I had to fight this hard against fellow men workers who were doing no better than what I was doing. However, they were being  more appreciated than I was for doing exactly the same thing,” Ms Mtali recalls.
She says every time she tried to work her way up the ladder, she was told that “she was not ready for  promotion!
“I decided it was time I questioned my boss. ‘Be honest,’ I  asked him. ‘What am I lacking? It is good to know my weaknesses at work, so that I can rectify them,’” explains Ms Mtali.
She was repeatedly told that she was performing well, and that she was talented: one of the  assets of the bank.
When Ms Mtali addressed her boss on her possible shortcomings at work so that she would correct them, she was immediately tasked to manage a project called Private Banking.
“Despite having a team with which to implement the project, I was still challenged for the position of leading the department, I felt as if there were a hidden message to the effect  that I was meant to work in lower positions only,” she says - almost bitterly.
Ms Mtali says all these experiences helped her to adopt a participatory approach in leading, others, always ensuring that each member on her team participates in executing different tasks properly.
“I understand the importance of inclusion of the whole team in making certain decisions at work. This has helped me execute different tasks with everyone else’s inputs,” she says.
Throughout her career, Ms Mtali says she has never had a direct mentorship programme.  But, she has people who inspired her to be a better version of her original self.
“David Nchimbi - currently an Audit Partner at Deloitte Tanzania - is one such person who indirectly propelled me in my career. He has been my inspiration. When I was challenged  with a problem at work, he is among the people I would ask for advice,” she remembers.
As for mentees taken under her wing, Ms Mtali says she remembers knowing the backgrounds of some of her mentees.  
“There have been organisations, individuals - and even the government of the day - trying to fight for gender balance for decades. There are some efforts that have been noticed here and there on gender parity. But, gender inequality is still one of the biggest challenges for women along their careers,” she insists.
 Ms Mtali further says that it is high time women learnt on how best to position themselves.
“Woman must believe in their capabilities for the world to believe in them. When they effectively do that, then they can do anything,” she says.
“It is not enough; but it is a very important characteristic. The moment you do that, society will be persuaded to empower and invest you with greater things,” Ms Mtali said - adding  that various institutions should  support women to excel in different leadership positions by assuring equal support for both men and women.

How I&M Bank upholds gender parity policy
“At I&M Bank Tanzania, women are more empowered and positioned at different  management levels. We actually have many women in management compared to male staff,” says Ms Mtali.
She praises I&M Bank as an equal employer, as there are equal numbers of male and female workers.
Their human resource (HR) policy focuses more on creating a balance for both genders. The bank employs people according to their capabilities, as the bank’s mission is to be the only place where people want to work.