Career Spotlight | 5 questions to Shenifa Makhani

1)??????How did you find your way to where you are today? Share a little about your professional journey.

? I have always been fascinated by disruptive innovation; this is when technology and automation shakes up the industry or a ground-breaking product that creates a completely new industry.?

My professional journey has been about being in the?right place at the right time, giving me an?INCREDIBLE?opportunity to be at the forefront of these industries just as they are ripe for disruptive innovation!?

I started my career right out of university working at IBM, launching the first personal computer at public schools that displaced the typewriter and forever changed the way we learn, work and collaborate. The next few disruptive innovations I participated in was the personal computing industry. I worked for a computer distribution company, Tech Data and managed business partners launching new products in the Canadian market such as mobile computers, digital cameras and sound cards. It was an exciting time, new technology, new channels, new partnerships with many benefits and a lot of travel around the world!

?Then life happened, I was expecting my first child, so I took a little break.?During my maternity leave, I was recruited by Research In Motion, to help launch the first Blackberry, transforming how we communicate, work and talk. Again, an incredible opportunity and time, this technology was game changer on every level. And then, my second child entered the world. At this point in my life, flexibility was all I was looking for, with kick starting my career and raising my children as a single mom I needed some flexibility in order to be attentive to my family, as well as my career. This led me to work for Telus, supporting and launching Blackberry’s, Apple and Google cell phones, which disrupted the telecom industry. This opportunity launched my career internationally, leading sales and support teams within contact centres in India and Philipines!?Allowing me to travel and be exposed to different cultures and how they operate in a business setting while also crossing off some bucket list items at the same time!

So how did I end up in automotive? I was looking for the next industry ready for disruptive innovation; it was then that I knew that the automotive industry is where I needed to be! I have been in my role for 6 yrs, managing contact centers and consumer support teams for NCI, building diverse customer focused teams, and automating best practices to deliver exceptional customer service! ?Driving new vehicles, with new technology being introduced every day.?What an amazing time to be in automotive! And the next BIG disruption is just around the corner, with the introduction of EV vehicles!!

?Some professional journeys are with one company and industry; others are with a few different companies and industries. There is no right or wrong path. I would not change anything of my personal journey, as the universe has?ALWAYS?put me in the?right place at the right time?to thrive, grow and experience disruptive innovation.

?2)??????What would your advice be to someone who wants to get more involved at Nissan and be a driving part of our culture?

?NCI has great opportunities to get involved. The various Business Synergy Teams are an example.?My advice is be intentional about seeking out opportunities; don’t wait to be ask to get involved. It is important to seek out community not only in your personal life, but your work life as well; it fosters growth and development and allows for camaraderie within the workplace.

?It is easy to sit back and follow the tasks of your job description, but when you start to challenge yourself, and identify how your values align with a company’s values, the workday becomes more than just work. It is an environment where you are not only contributing to the company but your personal growth and identity at the same time.

?3)??You lead a very diverse and dynamic team, how do you approach managing people? How do you foster and develop talent?

My approach to managing a diverse and dynamic team is three fold. First I clearly communicate goals and KPIS. Next, I trust the team to do the job they were hired to do. Finally I am always available for help, guidance and assistance when needed.?

In past situations when problems would arise, I would often find myself jumping in and fixing the problem myself, bypassing the person who was assigned the task.?While my jumping in did solve the immediate problem, it would often lead the team member to feel as though I did not trust them or lacked confidence in their ability.?It was a hard lesson to learn and one I still struggle with, but now, when I am faced with an issue, I step back, take a deep breath and really assess what is going on and how WE can fix it together. Giving them an opportunity to further foster and develop their skills.?My favorite quote -?“Failure is success in progress”.

Also, as a leader, I make it a priority to appreciate my team, appreciate their commitment to helping the organization navigate these troubled waters, value their contributions, and, most importantly, thank them for their excellent service. When we take the time to let people know that we value and appreciate them, it inspires them to continue doing even more and create a culture that allows others to do the same.?We celebrate “big and little WINS” on a daily basis!

?4)??????What is the Nissan Way principle that speaks to you the most and which you keep top of mind every day?

?The Nissan Way mindsets that speaks to me the most is “Always think of the customer”.???I am a steadfast advocate of the customer.?I am always bringing forward the perspective of the customer during meetings and planning discussions, to ensure that their voice are heard. I leads others, including my team but my colleagues and stakeholders as well, not to jump to conclusions but to search for the root causes of issues, and advocate for others to always think of the customer too. My portfolio gives me a meaningful and thorough understanding of customer pain points and needs, and I am confident in sharing this with my colleagues and partners to help influence overall process improvements and policies to better serve our customers.

?5)??????How do you approach new opportunities? Learn new skills?

? I love new challenges, the opportunity to learn and to raise my the bar!?Status quo is not in my wheelhouse.?Continuously learning is now more important than ever before, by continuously learning you open yourselves up to what’s possible by engaging your imagination and learning from those who have done or achieved what you want to do. Learning is something we should fall in love with because the only constant is change, and it is happening faster than ever before. The more we learn, the more we grow, and the more we grow, the better we can serve others, our communities and the world.