Coach Spotlight: Melany Hall

CoffeeChat interviews Melany Hall of South Africa

CoffeeChat
Nov 6 · 3 min read

Melany Hall is based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Support requests can be made to her at: https://www.coffeechat.co/Mentor/in/MelanyHall

Where have you lived and worked, and how have those places influenced your professional pursuits and perspective?

Melany: I have had the opportunity to work in all 9 provinces of South Africa, as well as Zimbabwe. I have also worked with clients based in Canada, Australia and India. Every town and country has its own “personality” and culture. However at the end we all face the same challenges, we all fear something, and we all have a story whether it’s nurture vs. nature. Our past and our environment do predict our future behaviour and this plays a big part in how we react to situations, how we embrace change and how we respond to either positive and/or negative situations. With over 17 years accumulative operational and management consulting experience, I have gained solid consulting experience in both Public and Private Sector. My industry practice includes; telecommunications, financial services (SANTAM), banking, mining Government and retail on various technical system related projects.

Through my experience I have learned to adapt and how to engage people because of this, there isn’t a definitive list of what strategy and what steps will work for everyone; this is something that you must find out directly when working with an individual or an organisation, time and effort — know your client, client needs or know the organisation and the organisation’s strategy.

Tell us about a chance professional encounter or coffee chat with someone that had a large impact on your career.

Melany: When I started my consulting career as a junior change manager. My MD was the senior on the project. I had to take my deliverables to him for review and being new in the industry there would be times that I would go to him with a “but” he would send me away. His words to me were — don’t come with a “but”; come back when you have a solution. Today, I always look for a solution no matter what the situation or the challenge. There’s always a solution.

How is South Africa different from other countries in Africa and beyond?

Melany: I don’t think it’s very different; globally there’s not enough jobs. Here in Johannesburg, it’s become a numbers game. An opening for a single position (in my industry at least) used to attract 10-20 applications, but now its over 400. It doesn’t mean all the applicants are qualified or have the experience, and therefore you have to hope that the client or recruiter will have the time to go through the effort to get to your CV. However, as mentioned I think it’s globally and not only in SA.

Which principles have you developed working in and navigating through the African and international workplace?

Melany: I always do research and get a thorough understanding of their work ethics, their culture, their rules and regulations. This shows interest and also allows one to adapt/fit in and get a clear/better understanding of how they work.

What support will you offer through the CoffeeChat platform?

Melany: Most of my support on CoffeeChat is helping individuals and businesses identify, plan for and execute important changes needed to enable success.

CoffeeChat is an online platform for finding affordable 1-on-1 coaches who are specialized in supporting entrepreneurs and enterprises across Africa.

If you’re interested in getting involved, please visit www.coffeechat.co to learn more and create your free account. We can also be reached by email at hello@coffeechat.co with any questions or comments.

CoffeeChat

A platform for finding affordable coaches and experts for entrepreneurs and enterprises across Africa.

CoffeeChat

Written by

www.coffeechat.co

CoffeeChat

A platform for finding affordable coaches and experts for entrepreneurs and enterprises across Africa.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade