Page 38
Mary Alade is the Chief Strategy Officer to the global chairman of Aon reinsurance solutions. She graduated from Queen Mary University London where she obtained a degree in Law. Whilst at Aon, she has increased the intake of BME candidates with the creation of BAME future leaders by 40%, after a successful insight week that brought together young people from BME and low socio-economic backgrounds. Her retained interest in Africa has led her to seek solutions to develop the insurance industry in Africa. She was named an EMpower Ethnic Minority Role Model of 2020 earlier this year.
Dear Mary,
There is so much I could tell you about how your life unfolds but there would be no point in telling you that now. I’d rather you live it and experience it yourself, the same way I am living and learning now. Trust me, you will not have many regrets as you journey through your 20’s and into your early 30’s and I suspect beyond as well. As I type this letter to you, I remember key principles that I stood by and decisions that I consciously and subconsciously made at your age which helped me in my journey in life. Allow me to share them with you, although I am sure somewhere deep inside you, you already know them.
Idiosyncrasy – you are not like everyone else
Everyone is wired in a different way; in thought, in character, in appearance, in values and much more. In understanding that you are perfect just the way you are created, you become free from people’s opinions about you- positive or negative. Do not forget this. It will help you as your journey through your teenage years and even in your adult life because no matter how old you are, there is an ongoing appeal to want to compare yourself to the next person. The same is true when you are in secondary school as it is when you are in the workplace and beyond. Do not do it!
Freedom
Although you find yourself living in a society that “gives you” your freedom from a young age, you do not have to take it at the time freedom presents itself to you. With freedom comes a lot of responsibility and if taken too early, you won’t be prepared or rightly equipped for the responsibility freedom comes with. I won’t go into depth to explain this to you, but you are a smart girl. You will understand what this means.
Mentorship
At the Age of 17, you will meet your life mentor. You will not entirely understand his role and significance he plays in your life, but you will as you mature. Take his advice, let your life be an open book to him. You will not regret it. Trust your mentor; He always has your best interest at heart. Having a mentor, someone who is always on your side, gives you the confidence you need in all aspects of your life. Cherish such valuable relationships. You may not realise it in your teenage years, but you will as you get older.
Relationships
You already know this, although you may not recognise it as a valuable trait. Understand the value of important relationships. Productive Relationships is a fundamental aspect to success. Don’t throw away valuable relationships on a whim or just because something didn’t go well. Understand the worth of the people around you. You will get along with a lot of people because that it is the type of person you are, but you will understand (sooner rather than later) that some relationships are more valuable and special to you than others. Ensure you hold on tightly to those ones.
Decisions
There are certain decisions that you will make in your life that will affect your future. I trust that when the time comes, you will make the right decisions on career, friends, music, commitments, family, relationships and much more. Give thought to every decision you make and seek the right counsel before making them. Trust me, it will help you.
There is so much more I can tell you Mary, but I hope that what I’ve written so far equips you for the life you have ahead of you. What I have told you shouldn’t come as a surprise to you, but I have helped you articulate it in the hope that when you read it, it agrees what was already in your heart but perhaps you didn’t know how to say it.
Lastly, don’t worry about the future Mary. It looks good from where I’m writing.