Felister reveals self-motivation as key to meeting targets

Dar es Salaam. When a company decides to give a woman a leadership position, it is a chance for them to do justice to that position so that they can prove that they are capable.

These are the words of Felister Assenga, currently serving as the Commercial Manager for Davis & Shirtliff, as she conveyed a powerful message to her fellow women on International Women’s Day.

“I am genuinely grateful that my company has entrusted women with leadership opportunities. This progressive step not only benefits women within the company but also signifies a positive reform.”

Ms Assenga, a holder of a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Food and Biochemical Engineering from the University of Dar es Salaam, joined Davis & Shirtliff in 2012.

What’s remarkable is that even before she was employed by the company, she had already begun promoting it.

Felister remembers that one day there was an exhibition in Dodoma. Before she went to the exhibition, she visited Davis & Shirtliff to check on her friends who were already employed there. “I asked them to give me the firm’s flyers to showcase the products of the company,” she says.

Assenga narrates that when she applied for a job at Davis & Shirtliff and was called for an interview, she told interviewers that she once promoted their business.

This greatly impressed the interviewing panel, and she acknowledges that this proactive initiative played a role in her being hired at Davis & Shirtliff. She commenced her employment with the company in Arusha, and in 2013, she was relocated to the Kamata branch in Dar es Salaam.

Since then, I have been working in different departments, including retail, solar and water. Departments depend on the products and I have been in all those departments.

This diverse exposure has been instrumental in nurturing my career, bolstering my confidence, and enhancing my skills and capacity. It has instilled in me a strong sense of self-belief and empowerment.

She asserts that she is capable of fulfilling various roles to sustain the company’s business growth. Her awareness of all the products empowers her to adapt and excel in different capacities, ensuring the company’s continued success.

“From the time I was a sales engineer, I was very aggressive in terms of sales,” she says.

Ms Assenga emphasises that she does not entertain the idea of failing to meet targets. Rather, she diligently strives to ensure the company achieves its market targets through hard work and dedication.

She explains that she always puts in a lot of effort and makes sure that no one reminds her what needs to be done in order to reach her goals.

She drives herself and keeps things moving to maintain her top position in marketing.

“I have set the basis for myself,” she says.

When she was a sales engineer, she was able to secure one of the biggest deals that was worth over one billion shillings. The deal was a water treatment system that was installed in Arusha. “As a company, we have water pumps, solar products and general pumps. So we are happy that we are known by various institutions for providing solutions to the community,” she says.

As a mother of two boys, her roles are to manage the cash flow and provide capacity building to various companies outside and within the company.

“My ambition has always been to deliver. I always use all my resources and efforts and dedicate myself to ensuring I do justice to the position,” she notes.

Speaking about how she works hard to enable the organisation to achieve its target, Ms Assenga stressed that by collaborating with her team members, she ensures she makes an annual general plan and break it into quarterly, weekly, and daily plans. “We focus on revenues, actively engage with a diverse clientele, including schools and government organisations, provide comprehensive training and water solutions, and ultimately secure orders from these valued customers,” she says.

Additionally, they have social media platforms that facilitate interactions and feedback from customers.

Furthermore, they effectively manage credit transactions, ensuring that sales are not solely reliant on credit but also bolstered by cash transactions to fortify their sales strategies.

On International Women’s Day, she urges women to strike a balance between their professional aspirations and personal lives, emphasising the importance of self-belief in maintaining their skills and proving their worth, thus dispelling any notion of failure.

She stressed that it is Davis & Shirtliff’s culture during International Women’s Day to give back to the community by donating various equipment to hospitals, schools, and NGO’s.

Assenga highlights that for this year’s women’s celebration, they have donated a solar pump to a school in Kisarawe, a contribution they believe will have a lasting impact on enhancing the school’s performance. The previous pump they had was manual. It consumed a significant amount of time for the students.

Davis & Shirtliff has also introduced a women’s leadership initiative, which provides a platform for mutual support and guidance on achieving a harmonious balance between work and family life.

This initiative is conducted on a monthly basis and covers a wide range of topics, including personal testimonies shared among members, contributing to its richness and depth.

Thus, I will not be fair enough if I do not mention Magreth in Nairobi, who initiated this women’s initiative.

Most of the managers in the company and in branches such as Morogoro and Mwanza are women.

“So we work hard to perform better and prove that we are capable,” she reveals.

She urges women to honour the positions entrusted to them, fostering open-mindedness and embracing the belief that their roles are a divine opportunity bestowed upon them by a higher power rather than merely by the company.