As editor of South African Home Owner, one of the most popular local home and décor magazines, Kelebogile Nondzaba has learned a lot on her route to heading a print magazine that also boasts close to half a million Facebook fans.
In my eight years as editor I have learned how different we are as people; how we see and interpret things differently. I have learned that it is important to listen to your team. No editor has all the answers, and sometimes the best solutions and ideas come from within your team. I have learned that being a leader means being a good listener and when people feel listened to and valued, they feel free and safe to speak up and share ideas – and this is what helps us grow as a team.
I have learned, and am still learning, to be patient; not to take things personally, and to let go – especially of things I have no control over. I am also learning that I am constantly evolving. I am learning to stop putting myself in a box, which is very important.
My media studies degree at Wits University was quite broad in that it included TV, print, radio, marketing and anthropology. But learning on the job was definitely the key for me. Theory helps in terms of you having something to produce when looking or applying for a job, but the real learning and experience comes from doing the actual work. I wish companies would look into offering young people the opportunity to learn and acquire skills instead of overlooking them due to lack of experience.
Everyone with experience, myself included, is because someone gave them an opportunity to learn and prove their worth. When you are given an opportunity like this – trust me, you don’t want to mess it up. Yes, you will make mistakes – but that is part of gaining experience.
My style is to ask questions, do research to see how other people do things, and always ask: ‘Why?’ then come up with what works for me. I have also learned the importance of giving people a chance, no matter the role they play. You will be surprised at what you can learn from listening to different people. I learn from experience and as they say that it is the best teacher! J
I think young journalists should keep relevant in terms of the direction that the media industry is currently headed. They need to learn or acquire unique skills that will create different kinds of content; for example, creating content through visuals or images and video is big now. We live in a fast-paced world where people don’t have time to read (sad, but true) and therefore one needs to find ways to grab your audience’s attention through visuals.
Finally, I believe as women we need to learn to embrace each other and offer mentoring where it is needed. I would also like to see more female leaders and managers in the media industry, especially, running the big titles. Women have proven themselves to be far more capable and we need to get with the times as a country and in the world.
Kelebogile (Lebo) Nondzaba has been in the industry for over eight years, working across different media platforms, from print to digital, before finding her home with SA Home Owner. She brings an invigorating approach to the magazine, and curates content to stimulate its readers with fresh ideas for their homes.
