Good Coaching And Guidance Are The Major Game Changer- Vmware’s Senior Manager, Ahmed Ibrahim

Elaborating further on the topic, Ahmed Ibrahim, Support Renewals Business Lead - METNA. Co-Lead Diversity, Equity & Inclusion METNA stated, “I believe it to be crucial in the context of coaching for change and adaptation. Everyone, regardless of age or position in life, must understand its significance. Humans are creatures of habit, and when we're stuck in a rut, like when we've been performing the same job or duty for a long period of time, we tend to stop thinking creatively and start doing the work almost automatically. Therefore, I place a high value on coaching. There are two main types of coaching relationships: the more common junior-to-senior relationship and the less common reverse relationship, in which the senior learns from the junior. The goal of coaching in general is to help the person see things from a new angle. There has been a recent uptick in a practice known as "reverse coaching," in which a senior executive recruit an entry-level employee to act as their mentor. This is because executives at the highest levels of an organisation sometimes lose sight of what it's like to do business from the ground up.” And sometimes they come from different generations.

“Therefore, this is significant for the development. When I was a mentor, one of my mentees wanted to switch careers and it was difficult for her since everyone she talked to had the same mindset and expectations as if they worked in a legal firm. After completing law school, he plans to get to the partner level in his firm. Then she added, "I don't share the same vision." However, I associate with people like this on a regular basis. In the end, when I seek guidance, I am directed back to the same confined perspective. Therefore, it is sometimes beneficial for a person to seek someone who provides an outside perspective when he wants to make a change. This would provide him with a new perspective, whether the mentor is an expert in a different field, an outsider to the company, or an experienced coach or mentor. It's not easy to join a new team, implement the initial change, and then immediately need coaching again to begin adjusting to the new atmosphere,” he added further. 

Covid-19 Has Turned The Tables Around

“One of the things we did that turned out really well was our response to the COVID outbreak. Because everyone was cooped up at home and not many people were making it into the office, it was one of the times when we had the most cultural activities. Therefore, we made the most of the things we already liked doing, such as playing online games, working out together, cooking together, and engaging in sessions where people discuss their interests. So, for example, if we have a member of the group who is enthusiastic about sports (triathlons, running, and so on), He/she could give a presentation about her interests, and another member who is enthusiastic about photography may do the same,” opined Ibrahim.

Thus, the people of the region engaged in a wealth of cultural pursuits at the time of COVID-19. They, therefore, succeeded in assembling a group. Even though METNA is a massive Region with over 15 countries and VMware currently having offices in five Countries, its employees were able to see every staff member as an individual, which is commendable.

“But I still think AI and the NFT can be useful tools for this kind of work in the future, especially when it comes to fostering a positive company culture. I can't say if this is going to be successful or not. However, in my experience, nothing beats face-to-face contact, the human touch and energy exchange. Interviews and business negotiations go more smoothly when both parties are in the same room at the same time. We can still get along with the others because of the technological advancements of our time, but in my opinion, nothing beats the excitement of real-life human interaction,” added Ibrahim.

Women Are The New Lifeline Of The Industry

It's become common practice for businesses to publish diversity reports, and while it has been appreciated but in my opinion  diversity is not limited to sexual orientation, skin tone, or ethnicity. Some businesses in a nation that lacks a diversified population are nonetheless welcoming of those with various worldviews. This is a specific kind of variety. Even if someone shares our gender, colour, and culture but thinks differently from us, we may reject them because of this.

As a result, some businesses have instituted such requirements after noticing that some managers and executives tend to choose predominantly male teams. This has consequences for both compensation and productivity. Professionals agree that it's time to wrap things up.

“And I think by time, many jobs were controlled by men in some way, and when women came in, they proved that they could do the work, and sometimes they could do it in better ways. The government's plan is also a major factor. You can learn from nations like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt, where in the decade we see  women are more holding  significant number of cabinet positions. Therefore, it originates with the highest levels of management in the firm and the country and then trickles down through the ranks. However, I believe that basing pay on performance and monitoring the ratio of male to female employees is of utmost importance,” stated Ibrahim. 

Ahmed Ibrahim spends his leisure time swimming and at the gym. He occasionally enjoys watching a movie or documentary. Sometimes he'll even take the time to read extensively on philosophical topics. He maintains his original view that philosophers are exceptionally bright. 

He thinks scientists are smart too, but they always back up their claims with evidence. Philosophers used their creativity to think in novel ways. According to him, they round each other out nicely.