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Simplicity is satisfaction

Mariselle Stofberg





Roeline Nell believes that the secret to a life of purpose, significance and satisfaction is simplicity. “Simplified living requires more than just organising your store rooms or cleaning out your desk drawer. It requires decluttering your soul.”

She added that by examining core issues that lure you into frenetic living and by eradicating the barriers that leave you exhausted and overwhelmed, “you can stop doing the stuff that does not matter and build your life on the stuff that does”.

She started her career at the Swabou Building Societyin Windhoek in 1994.

In 1996, the same year she got married, she started her banking studies.

“I earned my banking degree through the Institute of Bankers Namibia and did some other qualifications as well. One of the most exciting learning experiences was the branch managers development programme. I thank God for being part of FNB. The bank bestowed me with the fortunate opportunity to complete a leadership development programme in 2019.”

Nell, who has been in the industry for 26 years, said: “As a leader, my goal is to make sure everyone feels valued and encouraged to go after what they want. What helps me along the journey is to start by proving my worth first.”

As the business relationship manager at FNB, her job is to bring value to an organisation through the convergence of different business functions. “I am a strategic business partner who shares ownership for both business strategy and business value results,” she said.

Her primary objective is to optimise cohesive organisational effectiveness and determine strategic direction. “What makes us even more successful in the organisation today are those who converge business functions through a business relationship manager capability. The end result is a drive towards collaboration and a culture of creativity, innovation and value that reflects the business strategy as a whole.”

Nell believes that leadership goes hand-in-hand with loyalty. “I truly believe that the highest call of leadership is to unlock the potential of others. I haven’t forgotten about those who helped me along the way with their intimate involvement and support in this wonderful journey to build a legacy and to help me promote a culture of simplification.”

She gained strength, courage and confidence throughout her life’s journey and is now equipped with the experience needed to look fear in the face. “This confidence has given me the courage to pursue my dreams of being a mentor to others as well as a financial leader, the best wife for my husband and a mother of two beautiful girls.”

Nell loves her job because people in her working environment care about her and about her professional growth. “There is a genuine spirit of cooperation and shared goals, all revolving around helping the customer, which I appreciate about my job,” she said.

She added that she loves that her job enables on-going leadership. “Leaders are learners and they need to be interacting while leading. Our hearts need to be soft enough to feel the pain of others and strong enough to care,” she said.