Why Wait in Action: Turning Potential into Career Progress Across Borders

When I joined Standard Bank Offshore (SBO), after working for Standard Bank Group in South Africa, I stepped into a new chapter. I joined a team that lives the Group’s values of providing people with multiple opportunities for growth and development. I’ve worked in Learning and Development, designing and delivering programmes, for over a decade, and what’s happening here feels different. The people at SBO aren’t waiting, they’re driving their growth, choosing new paths, and shaping their futures, with support that’s real and visible.

A Career That Moves When You Do

Growth doesn’t look the same for everyone, and it’s valuable to have this understanding, whether as individuals or as an organisation. Some people want to learn to lead teams, whilst others want to deepen their technical skills. The point is—you decide where you’re headed and find an environment to support you on your journey.

As a development designer, it’s not about just creating the learning, it’s making it accessible.  By nature, learning is designed to challenge us, but where employers and leaders can support to keep things simple, it’s invaluable. At SBO, working with the Chief Executive as a champion, we created a Learning Catalogue to help people choose the right learning for them. Having everything categorised and in one place, outlines development opportunities for different career levels and goals.

Throughout my career, I have co-created many programmes and options for individuals and business units across Standard Bank Group, and one of the most powerful places I have witnessed real growth is in leadership programmes. I believe there are 3 key elements that make Standard Bank’s approach particularly powerful;

1. Identifying potential: Offering programmes aligned to ambitions and capabilities.
2. Exposure to experts: Whether internal, or external, SBG and SBO have a wealth of connections that can teach and inspire.
3. Progressive thinking: SBG have a desire to address the unaddressed and tap into the untapped, whether it’s women in leadership, getting on the front foot of digital learning, or embracing the power of differences.

Differences. This word is important, because people are truly unique and through the human experience, needs will change. Sometimes short and practical is the way to go. SBO do this really well too, recently introducing Power Hours. These sessions run across topical issues from mentorship, AI, to communicating with impact and more. These learning nuggets offer meaningful and tangible skills-development that people can apply immediately.

This leads me to technical learning, something that is intrinsic to any organisation. Ranging from staying current with regulatory updates, attending seminars, to obtaining certifications, such as anti-money laundering qualifications. Whatever the field, organisations need to future-proof their business and advance in their people.
 

A Workplace That Invests in Its People

When organisations and senior leaders champion development, it changes everything.

SBO follows the 70-20-10 principle of learning, appreciating that only 10% of development happens in formal programmes. Most learning, about 70%, happens on the job, in real-time. The remaining 20% comes from learning through exposure to others, like through mentorship and coaching. This model relies on a learning mind-set, and accessibility to expertise within the business. Whether it’s the senior team or subject matter experts, SBO’s culture allows for this formally and informally. The open plan format of the office, including leadership, encourages conversation which really makes that 20% possible.

Mentorship is often thought of as a formal arrangement, meeting regularly to discuss specifics, but I am an advocate for informal mentoring too. For example, I regularly learn from a colleague in Angola who knows our systems inside out - picking up the phone or popping over a Teams message provides valuable learning and just-in-time problem solving. Also, through our Group’s Opportunity Marketplace platform, employees can find mentors, connect across geographies, and broaden their networks. This really ignites the power of knowledge-sharing and learning from others. This is another example of openness in action.

Exposure That Elevates

At SBO we are fortunate to work with colleagues from Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Nigeria and many other countries across sub-Saharan Africa. The range of experience and ideas is incredible. This diversity shapes how we think, how we operate, and how we support our clients.

This interaction doesn’t stop at learning, it can develop into opportunity and mobility.  Colleagues from Africa are moving into Offshore roles, and those in Offshore positions are now exploring short-term assignments in African markets. We’ve seen secondees from Malawi, Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique and South Africa bring fresh perspectives and contribute in powerful ways.