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The phrase “Communication is key” has been used for centuries as we know it. But do we really understand the intensity of these words?

Growing up in my household, my mother; a teacher; always insisted on us speaking up, asking for help when you need it, and being truthful not only to everyone around me but also to myself. I believe her exact words were;

“You know honey, I can’t help you unless you ask me to, I can’t always sense that you need my help with something; so it’s upon you to take responsibility. Use your big girl voice and speak up. You cannot handle everything on your own, you have to know when you need help and ask for it. Suffering in silence is unhealthy and counterproductive….”

I know that all the children that passed through her hands got that speech at one point or another; I can say with all honesty that those words never made more sense than they do now as I am working in a startup.

The backbone of all actions taken in any startup is effective communication. The only way to ensure success is to embrace the fact that no individual is perfect, we all make mistakes and need help at some point; keeping in mind that teamwork is a huge asset in every organization.

Having a degree in Communication and Public Relations from one of the best universities in the country was not enough to make me an effective communicator and mouthpiece for Impact Africa Network. The collaborative input and support I got from Our CEO Mark Karake, the IAN Team and those words my mother told me over and over again growing up is what has made me who I am today.

Learning to be an effective communicator is much more than what we read in a book. The practical experience is what really matters in the end. In the words of Michael Jordan:

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.”