Tanya Menzies, a former school mate of mine from Immaculate Conception High School in Jamaica, was recently appointed as CEO of Digicel Tonga in the Pacific. I am so proud of you, Tanya. Congratulations!
For more, see the following excerpt from the Jamaica Observer, Sunday Feb. 10, 2008, article by Mark Wignall:
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Press releases as reportage usually constitute the epitome of sterility and boredom in news. Something, however, made me scan that one and I eventually became stuck at the point where it said, 'He (O'Brien) spoke of Jamaican Tanya Menzies, who started as a customer care agent with Digicel seven years ago and has recently been appointed as CEO of Digicel Tonga in the Pacific.'
From customer care agent to country manager/CEOTonga in seven years! It hit me then; I needed to highlight this, to get Tanya Menzies' story. On Thursday last, I spoke with Tanya by telephone. It took me about a week to make the link because of her busy schedule.
It is the only surviving monarchy among the island nations which exist in the great expanse of the Pacific Ocean. According to Wikipedia, 'Women and men have equal access to education and health care, and are fairly equal in employment, but women are discriminated against in land holding, electoral politics, and government ministries. However, in Tongan tradition, women enjoy a higher social status than men, a cultural trait that is unique among the insular societies of the Pacific.'
Approximately 74,000 of its 112,000 population live on the main island in the archipelago, Tongatapu. Tonga's GDP per capita at just under US$8000 is more than twice Jamaica's.
Digicel first entered the South Pacific market with its launch in Samoa in November 2006, followed by the launch of Digicel Papua New Guinea in July 2007. Mobile phone penetration is at about 35% in Tonga, still a far way to go to catch up on Jamaica where just about every pigeon, puss, fowl and human has a mobile phone.
That said, the question is, what is a 31-year-old alumna of Immaculate Conception High School doing halfway across the world running Digicel's operation in Tonga? At the age of 24 Tanya Menzies began working as a customer care agent following Digicel's 2001 intervention in Jamaica when they upset the monopoly held by Cable and Wireless.
Said Tanya," After high school I worked in banking then on to Courtleigh Hotel and Suites for a year, then I worked in the family business. It was at that time that I decided to apply for a job with Digicel."
Even before that time Tanya was constantly shopping in her mind for openings, life options. "While working in the family business, I attended the Institute of Management and Production to do a Business Administration diploma course. I started with Digicel as a full-time call centre agent and when Digicel began to offer part-time jobs, I decided to attend the Shortwood Teachers' College to pursue Early Childhood Education."
Tanya knew when to slow her pace in one direction for the sake of personal development and career advancement. "At that point the thought darting through my mind was the opening up of my own pre-school." She paused. "It is still something I would like to pursue in the future."
PARENTS MADE STRICT RULES, TEACHERS MOULDED US
Tanya grew up in St Andrew and lived in Portmore for over 20 years. "I grew up with a sister and a brother," she said. "I went to Alvernia Preparatory then on to Immaculate Conception. The main reason governing my six-year trip through Immaculate was my family's Catholicism.
"I must confess I never thought of religion as a reason for attending a specific school, especially Immaculate, a pedigreed school and not the easiest one to get into.
"Life was really great growing up. I must confess that the home environment had a rule to govern every move, every juncture.Throughout it all, my brother, sister and myself had the support of our parents. Looking back at it now, there must have been times when as a child I may have felt hemmed in by the rules, but as an adult I can confirm that if I had to live my childhood over again it would be as a carbon copy of what happened before."
Tanya admits that at times she found high school challenging. Setting herself high standards, there had to have been times when she had self-doubts. "Not really, she said. "Every teacher I ever interacted with played an important role in my development. High school was a great time for me. There was this unwritten rule where we supported each other, encouraged one another. It was a happy time for me."
Like most young girls, especially the bright ones who are usually found moving around the grounds of Immaculate like pint-sized versions of well-brought up ladies, Tanya had moments when her fantasies took off. "At one point I thought I would pursue acting, a childhood fantasy. On the other hand, I was drawn by those women who were in senior management positions and thought that maybe, one day that would be me."
The youngster that she was already had firm ideas about success. Although there were minor moments of doubt, to Tanya, the goal had to be kept in sight. "During high school there were times when I wasn't sure what life would be like after leaving.
What kept me on track was my refusal to accept disappointment. To overcome that, at some point I decided that I would always put my best effort into any task I had to do and if it didn't work out the way I expected it to, I would try to make the best of the results. Looking back at it now, I realise that I did what I am now doing- recognising that although making the right decisions can be very difficult as one can only assume the results, with preparation, organisation and communication, the right decisions can be made."
Like a lot of high school girls who have been socialised into the mores of the prevailing culture, Tanya summed up what she thought would happen.
"After high school I knew I wanted to immediately start working. At one point I thought I would be married at an early age. I realised that there were a number of things I hadn't done yet. One was finding the right husband; the other was finding the right job."
RISING LIKE A SHINING STAR IN THE DIGICEL FAMILY
Numerous surveys have shown that a majority of salaried persons are in jobs they do not like and are unhappy with either their bosses, remuneration or those other 'comfort needs'. Many of such people remain in those jobs and become mired in stress even as they continue to produce at levels way below what they are capable of.
In time, the low productivity becomes the norm and the longer they remain in such jobs, the easier it becomes for their under-production to be listed and defined as the optimum for the specific job. Where the management is as at similarly poor level, the whole organisation falters and in quick time the public begins to react to the organisational breakdown.
Many persons who fall into this job malaise tell themselves, 'I am going to find another job next week,' until the weeks add up to years. Such persons would be best served by getting fired.Tanya operates 180 degrees from that outlook. "It's been a great adventure; the development, and the training and experience I have received are priceless."
Tanya went on to explain how her training in other areas helped her career. "While in customer care I attended Teachers' College and at the end of my studies, I was promoted to supervisor within the call centre. Within a few months I was given my first big assignment in Digicel Aruba.
"The adventure continued. I then travelled to St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, and eventually onto the South Pacific. While travelling I was promoted to support manager for T&T, then outbound support manager for Jamaica, then call centre director for Digicel Pacific."
Tanya was moving like a comet and streaking like a shooting star through the skies. "My movement within the organisation was always constant, placing emphasis on learning all areas of the business."
One of her schoolgirl fantasies even came through, albeit with the same penchant she has for planning and organisation. I suspect, however, that Tanya did not open up to me or maybe, I failed to ask the right questions about her personal life.
"Moving to the Pacific was a big step for me. I got married one year ago to Brian (Beckford) who works on the retail rollout team for Digicel South Pacific. That aspect of life is very important to me, especially when one is so very far away from home. "
I AM NO EXCEPTION
I wanted to know if Tanya saw herself as an exception who should be praised, celebrated and encouraged or did she see herself as just another person working to the best of her abilities."At all stages I had the support of my directors but you have to understand one thing. The support can only come when the potential, the will, the ability and actual work is laid out. I see myself as someone who works really hard setting myself challenging goals and high standards. But the beginning of that process must admit into the equation that motivation must begin with the self. It must come from within."
Tanya has high praises for Digicel's EMBA programme which she says, "... has played an important role in my development".She stresses that Digicel prefers to develop its people and promote within the company. She believes that the company has an ideal model worth copying by other similar entities.
Tanya is not all work although work is always close to her. "On weekends whenever we have some time we fly over to Australia.Sometimes I invite over the other Jamaicans here (a total of five) and we share Sunday dinner of rice and peas and chicken. Other times we just go island exploring.
Tanya is celebrating her wedding anniversary, the first year. I wish her well and expect that when next we speak, she will be heading for the sky.
To such people, that is the only limit to their ambitions.
