Leaders’ Insights: Dr Bernadette Adeyileka-Tracz, Founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Diabetes Africa

What changes have you made as a result of Covid-19 in the managing of your association which you won’t be changing back when things are back to normality?

Communication within the team has always been important to me, and prior to the COVID-19 pandemic we would have weekly team meetings to discuss where we are with projects and our way of working. Catch-ups in between would be ad hoc. However, since the pandemic, we have incorporated check-ins into the daily schedule, and ensure that there is sufficient time to talk about how we are mentally and emotionally and provide support. 2020 has been a tumultuous year, and relating with each other in a different way has helped the team to get to know each other on a deeper level. We plan to continue doing the check-ins, adapted to team preferences, even after the pandemic is over.

 

What will you be looking for in a winning entry? What will make it stand out for you and differentiate it from the rest?

When judging the awards I will be looking for entries that demonstrate real impact in their target communities, backed-up (where possible) with metrics. How did you or your association make a difference? What was the positive change as a result of your efforts? How significant was this change in context of the existing environment? Associations that can show this clearly and concisely will definitely have an advantage.”

 

 

Dr Bernadette Adeyileka-Tracz is a judge at the 2021 Association Excellence Awards.