Every organisation depends on operational excellence to deliver consistent value to customers, develop its people and adapt to changing market conditions. At Hitachi Energy, this is driven by leaders who combine technical expertise with collaboration, resilience and a relentless focus on continuous improvement.

While Women’s Month provides an opportunity to recognise the achievements of women across the organisation, their impact extends far beyond representation. They are helping shape the operational performance, customer outcomes and culture that enable the business to thrive.

The experiences of six operational leaders demonstrate how an inclusive leadership approach contributes to stronger customer outcomes, more resilient teams and a culture of ongoing innovation and improvement. While their responsibilities span different disciplines, they share a common belief that effective leadership is ultimately measured by the value it creates for customers, colleagues and the organisation.

Despite representing different functions and business units, the six women consistently identified trust, collaboration and accountability as the foundations of high-performing operations, stronger customer outcomes and sustainable organisational success. Together, their perspectives demonstrate that sustainable organisational success depends as much on people and culture as it does on technical expertise.

An approach that delivers business impact

Across Hitachi Energy’s operations, operational excellence is ultimately measured by the value delivered to customers through quality, reliability, responsiveness and effective execution. Achieving this depends on seamless collaboration between multiple teams. Whether overseeing production, managing customer projects, coordinating financial planning or driving quality improvement initiatives, each leader highlighted communication, accountability and trust as essential to achieving successful business outcomes.

Operational excellence begins with maintaining rigorous quality standards while working closely with engineering, procurement and project teams to consistently meet customer expectations, says Sibongile Ntombela, Production Manager: Grid Automation.

Similarly, transparent communication strengthens customer confidence, particularly when navigating complex projects, adds Babalwa Ramakhala, Project Management: Transformers. “Project management is built on communication,” she explains. “Whether the news is good or challenging, keeping stakeholders informed allows everyone to work together towards the best outcome.”

Sustainable organisational success comes from addressing root causes rather than simply solving immediate problems, stresses Rabeleni Newgovhela, Quality and Continuous Improvement Manager: Grid Automation. “We do not simply solve today’s problem,” she says. “We look for sustainable improvements that strengthen our processes and deliver better outcomes for future projects.”

Building high-performing teams

Although each leader described her own management style differently, common themes emerged. Integrity, accountability, empathy and respect consistently underpin strong relationships with both colleagues and customers. For Nqobile Mncwango, Project Manager: Grid Integration, trust is earned through reliability, transparency and accountability, particularly when circumstances change.

Empowering others is central to effective leadership, says Octavia Motshwane, Finance Management Team Leader: Controlling & Planning. “Leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about listening, learning, making informed decisions and helping others succeed.”

Long-term business success depends on creating environments where people feel respected, supported and encouraged to contribute, adds Tamara Naidoo, Brand Manager. “Organisations achieve better outcomes when employees are empowered to collaborate, innovate and take ownership of shared goals,” she says.

Continuous learning strengthens organisational resilience

A recurring theme was that effective leadership requires continuous learning. The six women consistently described growth as an ongoing process built through mentorship, curiosity, adaptability and the willingness to embrace new challenges.

Babalwa credits much of her professional development to seeking guidance early in her career, while Tamara encourages aspiring women not to wait until they feel completely ready before pursuing new opportunities. “Very few people ever feel 100% ready,” says Tamara. “Believe in your abilities, take on new challenges and do not be afraid to have a seat at the table.”

That commitment to learning has also strengthened resilience. Working in technically demanding and traditionally male-dominated environments has reinforced the importance of remaining adaptable while continuing to build confidence through experience and competence.

Resilience is not simply about recovering from setbacks, notes Rabeleni. “It is about coming back higher, stronger and better,” she says. Collectively, the participants described resilience as a business capability that enables stronger decision-making, more effective collaboration and better outcomes for customers and teams alike.

Investing in future leadership

Each participant emphasised the importance of creating opportunities for the next generation of leaders, while recognising the importance of supporting more women to pursue leadership careers. Whether through mentoring, coaching or supporting colleagues, they believe investing in people strengthens both organisational capability and long-term operational outcomes.

These perspectives reflect Hitachi Energy’s wider commitment to developing inclusive, high-performing teams. As part of its commitment to developing local talent, the company invests in leadership development, mentoring, apprenticeship programmes, graduate opportunities and inclusive learnership initiatives that help build technical skills, career pathways and future leaders across the organisation.

As Hitachi Energy continues to navigate rapid technological and operational change, leadership remains one of its greatest competitive advantages. The perspectives shared by these six leaders demonstrate that operational excellence is built through continuous learning, collaboration, customer focus and a commitment to developing people. Women’s Month provides an opportunity to recognise these contributions, but their impact is evident every day on the performance of the business, the value delivered to customers and the culture that enables long-term success.