Answers Part 5 submitted by

Ondela Mlandu

I look for opportunities to deepen my understanding and insightConsistently
I believe that people are more than their work and I am spiritually emotionally and socially considerateConsistently
I take time to think about work and the changes happening around usConsistently
I see how the work done today affects work that may be required tomorrowConsistently
I consider and discuss how decisions and actions could affect other work groupsConsistently
I share information and listen to others to make better decisionsConsistently
I pay attention to local and international current affairs which impact our businessConsistently
I take time to understand the rest of our businessConsistently
I look for ways to improve our business processes and for reducing siloesConsistently
I am very aware listen really well and notice important clues that are not obvious to othersConsistently

Please provide examples of how you demonstrate systems thinking and sense-making ability in your career

(Approx 100-300 words)

n my role at Spur Corporation, I consistently apply systems thinking and sense‑making to navigate complexity, connect organisational dots, and drive clarity in fast‑moving environments.
I naturally think in systems. When I develop strategies—such as our Corporate Communications Business Plan for F26—I don’t focus only on communications outputs. Instead, I map how brand reputation, employee engagement, EXCO visibility, franchisee relationships, societal impact, and stakeholder expectations all intersect and influence one another. This helps me prioritise initiatives that elevate the organisation holistically rather than in silos. I use systems thinking in storytelling too. When supporting the development of our Spur Corporation History Wall, I coordinated content across Sidima Sisters, Khayelitsha Cookies, operations, sustainability, Spur Foundation milestones, and multiple brand portfolios. I ensured that each story connected logically to our broader purpose—“Leading for the Greater Good”—and complemented the organisational legacy we are shaping. This required understanding how different functions contribute to one unified narrative. My strategic work on LinkedIn demonstrates similar thinking. When crafting our Group LinkedIn strategy, I intentionally positioned LinkedIn not just as a social‑media channel, but as part of a much larger ecosystem influencing employer branding, recruitment, investor perception, leadership visibility, franchisee pride, and industry credibility. My recommendations reflected an understanding of how digital presence creates ripple effects across multiple organisational domains. Finally, I use sense‑making to anticipate organisational implications. Whether it’s identifying scheduling conflicts across national roadshows, leadership events and Rising Leaders sessions, or advising teams on messaging during busy business cycles, I am able to read patterns, interpret dynamics, and propose clear solutions that help the organisation function more cohesively.

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About Rising Star

The Rising Star Programme, operated by BlackBark Productions, has been established for the purposes of recognising, celebrating and connecting young talented people who have a capacity for achievement and success and who contribute in an inspirational manner to the future of our nation. The qualities that elevate Rising Stars to the top go beyond performance and technical excellence. Rising Stars are polished, brilliant individuals with tremendous promise and great talent who excel for reasons that go far beyond their technical abilities alone.

Talented people make things happen, are highly committed to achieving goals, innovate very rapidly, and create a great deal of value (for companies and/or themselves) when their talent is spotted and harnessed.

The Programme aims to be a significant and sustainable vehicle through which organisations, our country and our continent can identify and nurture these “organisational and national assets” who are set to play a key role in shaping the future of our country and our continent.

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The Rising Star Programme is establishing a living community of young African talent that will be developed, mentored and provided with platforms for development and communication, therefore enabling them to become role models, opinion leaders and the inspiration for other future African Talent.