CBH LANDS
Q: How do you view the business climate – from the perspective of women in business in Sri Lanka?
A: During the last two years, businesses in every sector have had to adapt or shut down. To adapt, you need to be able to change; and to change, you have to have the right culture in place.
The business climate is changing not because of the challenges businesses face; rather, it is because someone, somewhere is moving mountains even during the worst of times.
Inthugadevi Ganesh from Mullaitivu won a gold medal at an international boxing tournament in Pakistan this year. Did she not face external challenges? Did she not have to break many barriers? She did – and she moved a mountain in the process.
Q: How does what you say relate to a company’s culture?
A: Take a closer look at your business culture. As a business owner, would you directly assist a client if all your staff members are busy? Would you say ‘sorry we are closing now’ or take that last order?
If you know your current culture, you can plan the future map. You can hire individuals that match your criteria; and you can inculcate that culture and reward it. It is important to critically analyse the existing culture of your organisation.
Q: What is your opinion with regard to representation of women in the public and private sectors?
A: It is the impact we make that matters. The Project Director of the New Kelani Bridge was a female – viz. engineer D. A. S. Jayasekara. She is a qualified engineer with over 20 years of experience at the Road Development Authority (RDA), and played a vital role in completing the new bridge during very challenging times.
Usually, the words ‘female,’ ‘government sector,’ ‘construction’ and ‘doer’ do not resonate. But she delivered results and that’s what matters – not whether a ratio of 50:50 male-female workers worked on the project.
So even if female representation – numbers or percentage wise – is low, what matters is the impact we make.
In your current workplace, what have you created? Do you take the front row or backseat? Do you fight to have your opinion heard?
Q: So is the gender gap closing in Sri Lanka, in your assessment? Or do feel there’s more work to be done to achieve gender equality in the true sense?
A: If it has to be a one word answer to the first question, then it’s ‘no.’ Employers are concerned about females’ commitment to work – time and energy wise – or whether they would quit mid career.
So from where I stand, we need to close the gender pay gap. For example, when an employer has made a choice
to hire a female employee, we need to study if women are being paid the same amount or less for the same deliverables compared to any male employee holding a similar designation.
Do your homework to understand pay structures and be prepared to negotiate. This negotiation is not a one-time process; if the company doesn’t have key performance indicators (KPIs), provide your own and use them for negotiating purposes.
Q: What is your vision for businesswomen in this country? And what advice would you offer aspiring female entrepreneurs?
A: I hope that women don’t allow their businesses to fail within the first few years or even later. We see many grand openings; but we also see them shut down within a few years.
Businesses rarely fail because of an external force. They fail because they’ve not paid attention to teething issues
and taken appropriate corrective action. These issues mostly relate to areas you do not like in the business – and so you haven’t spent the necessary time on them. For example, if you are a numbers person, maybe you don’t like to
spend time on your marketing.
Your marketing can easily become the area where your business is bleeding. You can-not fully delegate the areas
you don’t like to another party when it is your business. You’re every part of your business.
Pay attention to the components of your business you like the least. You don’t need to like it; but you have to understand it, and ensure it’s done and taken care of.
Q: And last but not least, what are your plans and aspirations for CBH Lands?
A: We live in an era where we’re able to be whoever we want. Today, if you wish to be a celebrity, the criteria are different to what they were in the 1990s! Some things have changed for the better.
Rigid structures do not survive anymore. Open-mindedness and empathy are expected, whether you’re engaged in politics, business, the arts or sports. Even though technology is everywhere, people are expected to be more humane
What we are doing at CBH Lands is trying to understand people. We’re selling a product that is passed on from one generation to another. What will future generations’ expectations be?
Our Intelligence Unit has some very interesting findings and at the beginning of this year, we decided to share
them on our social media platforms. And while some may buy our product while others may not, we want to share our knowledge.
So do check out our social media platforms and communicate with us – we would really like to hear from you.
