Pause! Embrace and enjoy the different stages

Dear Rookie,

This month we are excited to feature the remarkable Kondwa Sakala-Chibiya, a Rockstar who wears many hats. Her multifaceted experience has afforded her invaluable insights that she ever so graciously agreed to share with us.

Kondwa is the Managing Partner of JB Sakala and Company (Lusaka). She broke the proverbial glass ceiling when she became the first Zambian to hold the position of President of the SADC Lawyers Association.

Kondwa has served on many Boards and Board Committees over the years. Currently, she serves as Chair of the MINET (Formerly AON Zambia) Employees Trust Fund as well as Board member of MINET Zambia Consulting Limited. She also serves as a Board Member of the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ). She is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, a member of the Institute of Directors and a member of Boardroom Africa.

We asked her some widely recommended questions to ask a mentor and below are her responses.

Happy reading!

How did you land where you are today?
After being called to the Zambian Bar, I worked for a mining conglomerate for three years following which I decided to go into private practice.

Is this where you thought you would be at this point of your life?
Yes. Over the 24 years of legal practice, I have been honored and privileged to have served in different capacities. Capacities that have exposed me to many opportunities. I served as Honorary Secretary and Council Member of the Law Association of Zambia where I was actively involved in the development of the legal profession but in addition to that the position developed my leadership skills quite early in my career. Through my involvement I became an active member of the Women’s Rights Committee which oversees the operations of the National Legal Aid Clinic for Women. The Clinic provides free legal services to vulnerable women and children.

I also sat on the Association’s Disciplinary Committee, Legal Aid Committee, HIV/AIDS Committee and International Relations Committee. Being active in the Association grew my interest in the legal profession at local, regional and international level and saw me take up the position of Councillor at the SADC Lawyers Association (SADCLA).

SADCLA is a regional body made up of all the law societies in the SADC region. I was elected as President of SADCLA. I am Commisioner in the Small Claims Court where I have been exposed to the judicial processes from the point of view of the Bench rather than that of the Bar. As Vice Chair of the Zambian Human Rights Commission I am involved in the promotion and protection of human rights.

What are the best parts of your day to day work?
Like any lawyer, it would be successfully resolving issues for your Client but more specifically it would be ensuring that the responsibilities that I have be it in terms of running the law firm or carrying out my tasks and duties in the roles that I hold are executed diligently.

What is the most exciting thing you’ve ever worked on?
Being President of the SADCLA was very exciting. I had an opportunity to work very closely with the Judiciary and the legal profession in the SADC Region. I had a chance to interact with officials at a high level of government. The experience brought me to the realization that as lawyers we play a pivotal role in ensuring that the rule of law is upheld. It was a great honour hosting Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Joaquim Chissano from whom I drew great inspiration.

Who are the people that have made the biggest difference in your career?
My parents have made a big difference and have been a great influence in my career. From my parents, I learnt the need to be hard working, diligent and honest in whatever you do. My late mother was fearless and was never discouraged from achieving her goals, she was thoroughly prepared for whatever task she had.

What has been the proudest moment of your career?
When I became the first Zambian to hold the position of President of SADCLA, it was an opportunity for me to inspire other Zambian women to take up leadership roles not just at the country level but at a regional level.

What does success look like to you?
Success is living a conscious life, it is easy to sail through life without giving much thought about why you are doing what you are doing, thus missing out on great opportunities that may be staring right at you.

How has your definition of success transformed over your career?
In the early part of my career, I spent a lot of time going (almost rushing) through experiences without much thought. Without realizing the successes and positives at the different stages of my career. I now see the need to pause, embrace and enjoy the different stages of one’s career.

Is there anything you’ve had to give up in order to get where you are today?
‘Giving up’ something suggests that you’d rather be doing something other than what you are doing now. I enjoy what I do!

In your career, what has been the thing you’ve been most surprised to learn?
With the digital revolution taking center stage I have been surprised at how much more I have to learn. As a legal profession, we have no option but to keep abreast with changes taking place and align the way we practice law.

What is one thing people would be surprised to learn about your career path?
That I wanted to be a Physiotherapist until I realised after working at a hospital over the school holidays what it took for patients to fully recover.

What is the toughest feedback you’ve ever received and how did you handle it?
As a professional, you should always expect feedback. I believe listen to the feedback and appreciate it for what it is.

What do you wish you knew 10 years ago?
That not everything turns out the way you would want it to so navigate around the twists and turns. As the Greek philosopher Heraclitus has been quoted as saying “Change is the only constant in life“.

Would you do anything differently if given the opportunity?
It’s a difficult answer to give but I would say I should have been more present in the experiences and paused a bit more. So to the Rookie Advocate I would say try and enjoy just coming out of Law School, or winning that first case or getting that first pay cheque. Spend the first few years of your career enhancing your skills as that’s what will distinguish you from the next young lawyer.

Try and enjoy just coming out of Law School, or winning that first case or getting that first pay cheque. Spend the first few years of your career enhancing your skills as that’s what will distinguish you from the next young lawyer.

Do you have a mentor? How have they influenced you?
I do not have a particular mentor . I have different ‘mentors’ for different stages of my career and so I draw different experiences from the people who I seek guidance from. I support the idea of mentors especially in the early stages of one’s careers as mentors can share their experiences and help you strategize and make sound decisions as you go along.

How do you approach work-life balance?
I have come to learn that a work life balance depends on what stage you are at in your life and there is no one size fits all approach. You are not going to get the perfect balance all the time so do what you can when you can. Having said that having a great support system is a must.

How do you approach risk in your career?
Running a private practice means one has to constantly enhance one’s skills in risk management. It is essential that any business, including law practices, is aware of and manage the risks associated with running the business. In my view the greatest risk you have as a lawyer is to your biggest asset, your reputation. Reputational damage is not the only risk but determines your success or otherwise as a lawyer. It is therefore imperative that as a lawyer you keep your reputation intact.

What skills does a Rookie Advocate need to move ahead in the legal profession?
Sound Organizational skills which should include time management , good oral and written skills, technological and communication skills, strong research skills( a good lawyer knows where to find the law), knowledge of both substantive and procedural law, commercial awareness and lastly you need to have resilience and self confidence.

Do you have any tips for networking/building professional relationships?
Have a strategic approach to networking so that you know exactly what you want to get out of the potential relationship. Look up different strategies of networking and build on them. Be yourself , be authentic no need to be over rehearsed. Lastly, follow up, the first engagement is the easy part but one has to work on following up and following through. As Porter Gale is quoted as saying “Your network is your net worth“

Can you recommend a book or resource that you think every lawyer should read?
I would recommend ‘The Young Lawyer’s Jungle Book : A Survival Guide’ by Thane Josef Messinger

Kondwa may not have pursued Physiotherapy but her insights are sure to soothe a Rookie’s anxious questions!