By Kelly Markey, a NOBEL prize nominee and global bestselling author
In many ways, women have reinforced, fashioned, developed, revolutionized and crafted the world as it contours our landscape daily. Womenfolk are conscientious for some of our world’s paramount successes and continue to subsidize and structure the way that our world works. Performing
these undertakings decree an astonishing measure of courage. Personally, I had to re-learn how to exert my independence and execute my choices in a healthy way in an unbalanced world. So many professionals are not accustomed to a good mood on the professional field. Ladies the onus is upon us to command the tone and the narrative. It’s an advantage for any association to have access to you. Model your brand like it is precious commodity.
I am a commercial healthcare executive with 30 years of proven experience, managing customer and clinician centric strategic initiatives within pharmaceutical, private and public health sectors in Australia, Asia, New Zealand, Singapore and Africa. The arduous gradient is enough to discourage the enthusiastic gift of the gab, shake up my integrity with effervescence, holding up a mirror for my self- awareness, courage and respect. I gleaned new dimensions of agility, flex and influence in the thick of it. Once I learned how to authentically value myself, I engaged, reacted and detached in an empowering manner.
In South Africa I worked at Development and Service Board as a key resource to improve population health. This included developing business cases, application for funding, implementing a campaign, developing processes and policies to be proactive, reporting to all agencies, measuring outcomes and enhancing the models based on lessons learned. I was responsible for: HIV awareness and patient care enhancements, family planning, geriatrics clinic, tuberculosis awareness, baby wellness clinic and sexual health in schools. Even the most experienced cadre will find it a challenge to deliver on all these key objectives. I began my career in this vortex and even on the seldom day that I wandered in the perimeter looking forlorn, I quickly bounced back to the purpose of making a difference each day to every life that touched my remit. The chain reaction was so delicate in this developing country.
The cosmopolitan melting pot made itself acutely present in a pristine and profound format in Aotearoa – New Zealand I executed a stint in community pharmacy. Then headed to develop pharmacy software. This opened up a whole new world to software development and a niche market with clinical experience. The world was my oyster but I just hopped over the ditch to Australia. I was employed by one of the world gorillas and implemented the online pharmaceutical benefits scheme for hospital pharmacies nationwide. This was a game changer in pharmacy, moving from the snail mail of submitting claims via a floppy disk to Medicare to clicking a button and obtaining instant payment. Every single time I walked through the door, I was welcomed with open arms and smiles every pharmacy was excited about this conversion! This successful project catapulted my career to working with additional world gorillas in the software industry: I enhanced and implemented several EMR – Electronic Medical Record systems in both public and private health sectors. I designed and implemented the first Health Information Exchange solution in the Commonwealth of Australia for the federal government. I implemented the first interoperability solution for the state government in Australia.
A country whose brave optimism and relentless pursuit of a worthy goal inspires you – Singapore. Everything is state of the art and cutting edge here! I moved states from Queensland to New South Wales in 2012, to take up employment with another world gorilla software vendor based in Sydney. MEDITECH won the proposal to implement clinical software at The Farrer Park Company – a new hospital in Singapore. Farrer Park Hospital is the prototype first in the world model. It boasts the hospital at capacity of 220 beds across four inpatient suites, 18 operating theaters, interconnected Medical Centre, over 200 medical specialists, all interoperable with One Farrer Hotel. International and local patients are discharged and opt to check into the state-of-the-art hotel to recover post-surgery. Should any complications arise the hotel system has access to the patient’s longitude medical record to trigger action in the patient journey. Equipped with smart systems, the hospital is built to future-proof the medical landscape.
I was head hunted and employed to apply my skills to develop an enterprise architecture for Greencross Vets, a project in the animal health sector. I championed the merger of Animates the biggest pet industry gorilla in New Zealand with the Australian brand Petbarn and Greencross Vets. I took technical proficiency and analysis to the next level in the healthcare of pets. After my salient event with the clinical system, I became the candidate to champion the retail and time management system. The kernel of a casual narrative in the pet industry rose to new heights with a comprehensive RFP – Request for Proposal. The icing on the cake was two impeccable recommendations to the board of directors for both a Point-of-Sale solution plus a time and resource management system. My vast array of skills and experience was underutilised in this industry so I made the swift shift back to human health.
In 2021, during the peak of the pandemic the out-break of the Delta variant in New South Wales I was summoned into a project: to scope, design, build and implement a solution to manage COVID-19. This was somewhat like building a plane in the air. I also worked under lockdown conditions. Many members of society died of COVID-19 without knowing they had the virus or even before receiving their results. After the COVID-19 testing process, the system could not process the volume of work churned, to contact positive patients in time to begin treatment. Western Sydney hospitals were at capacity. WSLHD reached out for assistance to manage the crisis. I collaborated with three private vendors to scope, design, build, test and implement a Call Centre Triage and a COVID-19 in the home monitoring app. The pathway for patients older that 60 to be managed at the hospitals.
I assessed the bottle necks. One major issue was patients that tested positive frequently could not be contacted due to incorrect contact phone numbers being recorded. I reviewed and streamlined the process to enhance data collection. I implemented a QR Code scan functionality and validated the phone number before testing. Other Local Health District’s reached out to implement the same solution. Positive feedback from many avenues gushed in, including the health minister.
This critical change to our pressured health system was mandatory, people were losing their lives to the gaps in the system. Change was the only constant. It was baptism by fire – no layers of change management methodology. This was sink or swim. Life or death. Despite the pandemic wreaking havoc in South Africa, having boarder closures and many deaths in my network. I showed up as a professional to make a material difference and foster positive change in our health system here in Australia. This solution is recognised as digital health innovation by the Australian Digital Health Agency. This solution was exhibited at the 2022 Digital Health Festival in Melbourne, Australia.
Despite all the innovation rest assured I had relentless challenge as well. I have been bullied, discriminated, underpaid, overworked, silenced, made redundant, segregated, shut out of collaboration, victimised, had my hardware and office moved during sick leave with no communication, and the whole gamut. I was employed by entities that blasted company values in neon colours but rarely lived by them. When an effort was made to address misconduct, Human Resource was always on another page listening to a manager and contriving outcomes. I learned fast to never knock at that door ever again. I had a recruiting agent pinch a substantial amount of money from me and when I reported it to Fair Work and presented to the table, he continued to bully me by saying I was above the ward to seek a resolution from Fair Work. He then made a deal with Fair Work to release half of my money only if I will not pursue the rest. Nothing is FAIR in love, war or WORK.
One of my ex-managers asked me to come over and babysit his son during the weekend when his parents were visiting from the United Kingdom. His babysitter had left him in the lurch and he knew I was a dependable. I dropped everything and showed up even after hours with nothing to measure on the pay scale – just a “on pro bono uber eats dinner.” Months later this same manager stuck a dagger in my back and got me fired so he could be the tall puppy on the project. The organization rewarded him with a promotion – that’s just how they roll. My foray to train my heart to handle disillusionment especially from those that I trusted. Put simply, a warrior of enthusiasm inspires both: attitude and actions – I had to dig deep to find my balance. I was in the middle of purchasing property in Sydney and the vendor informed me the bank may not like a job less person coupled with a recruiting agent that stole half of my earnings. Life in the corporate jungle is not for the faint hearted.
A brave woman is someone who is determined and indomitable in the face of preposterous battle.
Via calculated boldness women become unstoppable forces of innovation, vigour and influence that recuperate the lives of everyone around them. A brave woman is one who is not afraid to break the mold and challenge the status quo in command to revolutionize and invent. A valiant woman is one that is robust, one that springs back in the face of trials and gets back up no matter how many times she is knocked down. A communal of durable women are those that sustain and encourage each other in order to generate a sisterhood that always has each other’s back no matter what else is occurring. She models pluck and drives onward, working continually to sculpt out her own path and to design a voyage that is wholesome for her instead of following the expectations of others.
Work life balance is most definitely not made of giggles, spirit sprinkles and ignorant bliss. Some days I had to tame a beast that was out of control yet no one in the office got the memo that I was in a foreign country all by myself, no support network, living with excruciating pain – undiagnosed endometriosis, navigating through infertility, traversing through several bouts of failed IVF’s, charted through several miscarriages, nursing divorce scars, betrayal from friends, registered through devastating domestic violence and being invisible in the massive crowd. Each day I had to make a choice to get up and wreak of grit, align with positivity and focused action. I had to get stuff done! I had to seek for joy with intent and relentlessly pursued continual improvement. I had to craft a heart ample to stock oodles of ache. I had to fathom how to summon the therapeutic laughter to reconcile my injuries. I had to unravel ferocious aspiration to jolt sparks of innovation and creativity. The general cohort around me became intimidated by my confidence and ability to excel. It scared them because they didn’t understand what fueled me to drive the wave as a paragon.
The pain of walking into the unfamiliar . . . is the epitome for disaster but I mastered the art of complex projects, in comparison to life it seemed like a walk in the park. My finesse intrigued my colleagues. They viewed the exterior and looked jealous but very rarely took time to get to know the pain within. Alacrity was active and passionately alive in every organization. It was dog eat dog. Get thrown under the bus – all in a day’s work. In every organization I had to shine a light through my fractured life for a cultural shift. Vulnerability brings our broken pieces all together but no one was eager. My presence is my weapon, I decided to change the narrative and step away from social suicide in the corporate wilderness. I treated people the way I preferred to be treated. The law of parsimony came to light in so many palpable ways when takers just wanted to use my generosity and kind heart. Despicable and cantankerous bouts of personalities came to the forefront.
I relocated from metro to regional New South Wales in 2022, in the first week of employment my CEO promoted me . . . my vast experience and skillset paved the way. A bitter candidate within the organization without qualification or experience in the faculty spat the dummy. He threatened to report the CEO to the board for not advertising the position. Discrimination, bulling and disrespect ignited. Remonstrated by outward evil remarks. I am cut from a different cloth – I resigned. Giving him all the power to take the organization to the next level with his limited acumen and experience. Granted that employment opportunities in regional New South Wales are limited I still valued myself more than the status of being employed. Employment is also about the right fit, a culture that is fostered positively and values that align. I will never sell my soul in exchange for a salary. I will always exert my freedom and execute my choices. I am the example by the command of my decision.
Sometimes what did not work out for me, really panned out for my life. Loitering munitions always employed in the boardroom for pursuing an agenda . . . I refuse to play the game no matter who is pulling the strings and what promises are made. Terrestrial aromas assault most players, I changed my narrative. I know my impeccable worth and will not get in a dog fight to earn respect. Some people refrain from helping you with support as they are too agitated to sustain you in public due to the contempt, they display of you in private. Understand the undercurrent at play and protect yourself as no one else will manage your shattered heart. I am a powerhouse that leads by example, ensuring ethical processes. I have worked in a corporate environment more than 30 years, and I have extensive knowledge and understanding of policies, legislation and core values impacting on health system and human performance. As a company director and co-worker, I use the PLUS Model:
P = Policies and Procedures – I ensure my decisions, behaviour and deliverables align.
L = Legal – I portion my input to not violate any laws.
U = Universal – I measure I decision in line with the company’s core values.
S = Self – I self-introspect to ascertain if it meets my standards of honesty and fairness.
Respecting yourself is about holding space for yourself and not compromising on your personal values when the going gets tough. Respecting others means trusting their opinion and valuing them even when you disagree with them. Hitting rock bottom will ensure that you meet some dregs along the way. Be certain not to dwell in this terrain, it’s a season never unpack your bags and get comfortable. Implement a mindset and actions that will carry you to greener pastures. I discovered firsthand regardless of my intents, dogma, constructive innovation or attitude if an organization or people are devoted in misinterpreting you, they already have drawn a conclusion void of facts. They will resort to manipulating the details. There is always a victim and a perpetrator. Make reconciliation with which end of the spectrum you are in. Find your poise no matter how devastating reality is. I dwelled with certain storms. I gleaned to exist with fragments of splendor in a mountain of agony – complete in my corporate attire, delivering my deliverables professionally. The warrior heart was always there yet no one cared to take a peek.
A warrior marches on even in trepidation, I sanctioned the jagged power a seat at the table. I grasped the diplomacy to decency and appointed the habitation and purpose in my life. I encouraged them in, listened with determination then decided whether or not I have a purpose to remain. I gleaned never to carry any guilt from letting others down. The ultimate commitment is my welfare. I mastered the art to gauge a range of feedback from peers, managers, executives, stakeholders, external vendors and mentors – Also discerning what to ignore. I had to proactively diffuse the culture of hushing up to quash the stronger truths. This was a strategic game changer to ensure none of us in the arena become inebriated on habits and permit them to derail what was purposefully scoped. A complex working environment and an array of personalities creates a vortex for a day at the office. Granted that I do not wear my wounds on my sleeve, I had to teach myself to shelve my wounds from my personal life and perform at my ultimate best. Even on days that my body was hemorrhaging my IVF pregnancy off like it was another assigned task . . .
Colleagues and managers don’t care to understand pain or the narrative. It’s all about delivering on time and on budget. Become lean. Upsurge market share. Revolutionize. Reduce mistakes. Eradicate risks. Industrialize. Advance. Be coherent. Digitalize. I had to glean how to calm the internal storm and contend with the external turbulence simultaneously. Every . . . single day I leapt to the challenge to thrive and not to merely survive. I projected a path to sharpen my instincts for professionalism. “The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela. Valour comes in numerous forms. Gallantry on the battle field is just one facet. Frequently it stems from the simple every day decisions to try and fail rather than failing to try. When negotiating do not aim for the biggest piece of the pie. Instead create a better pie! Primary evidence: just like a rose – nothing lasts forever. Make a material difference when and however you can. Ruminate on the fact that, at your funeral no one will remember what you did, they will only remember how you made them feel.
“Waiting for circumstances to change so you can feel good is like looking in the mirror and waiting for your reflection to smile first.” – Basher. It maybe the zealot circus but I had all the tricks up my sleeve: I understood my vision, I changed the narrative with accountability, I sprinkled integrity everywhere, I surfaced like a phoenix to meet every challenge in the eye of the storm, I discerned when to grovel with my humble pie, I broke away from the doormat mentality and got intrigued with speaking boldly and I fundamentally gleaned the difference between right and wrong. I had to learn how to swim with the wrong people and their bad choices and come out on the other side. This is an authentic recipe for a heart warrior – one who knows real combat and the taste of victory. I have grasped to never settle for the artificial light especially when spears have made a bid for my soul. The corporate jungle sometimes got me lost. However, I knew without a shadow of doubt that I deserved superior, so I donned on my warrior heart and carved it out . . . to serve it up.
A healthy organisation will reward wholesome behaviours and eliminate a toxic culture. Many organisations turn a blind eye, leaving their employee to battle the field and the scars. Unresolved trauma can store itself and manifest in the workplace in various facets. My success was measured by others however I deliberated on my satisfaction. Acquiring knowledge and qualification is not the final deal. The progress begins when we use our skillset to develop and excel. Integrity is a two-way street, don’t feel compelled to be loyal to an organisation that refuses to bring integrity out to play. Even if your heart pounds like thunder find your warrior stability and relentless values to expand your true equilibrium. Performance requires professionalism. I contributed professionally despite my broken emotions . . . what did your warrior heart defy? Bifurcation is the process of splitting something into two. For example, bifurcation allows one to get divorced while leaving property issues to settle at a later date. Take a leaf from this process and focus on the fundamental task at hand while you manage the rest later. A warrior is crafted not a default occurring by desire. A wholesome heart is grounded by character, not the pecking order of a profession.
About the author:
Kelly Markey is 2023 of Woman Changing the World Award and the NOBEL prize nominee. Founder and CEO of Medical Solutions Pty LTD, digital and ethics advocacy, Kelly is a multi-time international bestselling author – across many genres: non-fiction, motivational, self-help, memoir, corporate informational, professional technical writer and journal. She is a well sprouted philanthropist, rotary board forum, toastmaster member, Jay Shetty coach blogger, writer for Women’s Biz Magazine, leader and supporter for creating sustainable families and educating children in Uganda. Markey has a strong partnership with Zululand Lifeline South Africa to improve holistic care, member of The Cancer Institute, Australia to support and champion research. Undergraduate of the human spirit and soul, fluent in five languages, vast overseas exposure and travelled to more than 200 cities around the world. Accomplished key note speaker, Markey is a strong advocate for equal opportunity and gender equality, Kelly has worked tirelessly to help countless of women realise their own strength and equip them to be coming economically independent, Podcast Guest, Brand Ambassador, YouTube Guest and in addition Kelly has graced magazines as cover features, radio stations, newspapers and television. Kelly is a novice poet. She is an accomplished woman . . . she is as great at golf as she is an avid reader. An eternal optimist and trailblazer.
Note: This article first appeared in Africa Business Magazine
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