In the workplace, we often encounter factors that make us feel like outsiders. It could be our accent, our unique religious perspectives, the weight of responsibilities on our shoulders, and the list goes on. As an immigrant who spent her formative years in Ghana, West Africa, I understand this journey all too well. But here's the truth: these aspects don't hold you back; they can propel you forward! Why? Because ambitious people and high achievers, regardless of their background, country of origin, or any other cultural differentiating factors, share some powerful commonalities.

Have you ever been overlooked for a promotion? Missed out on an opportunity you really wanted? It's a frustrating feeling, and many of us have been there. It often seems like no matter how hard you work, your efforts go unnoticed. But here's the truth: Hard work is crucial, but it's not the only piece of the puzzle when it comes to career success.

The arrival of the Fall season inspires self reflection (and perhaps a few pumpkin spice lattes). Although mid-year reviews have long passed, I bring them back up as self reflection and mid-year reviews go hand in hand. Mid-year reviews are great because they offer an intentional pause that allows us to take stock of where we are mentally, emotionally, and developmentally in our professional journeys. Over the years, I've developed my own personal professional mid-year review process, and it has proven to be invaluable. It's not just about aligning with company goals but also about measuring progress toward the objectives I've set for myself professionally.

Yesterday, I had the honor of facilitating a fireside chat with the brilliant Umar Farooq, Global Head of FI Payments & CEO of ONYX at JPMorgan for the Global Clearing Town Hall.

We delved into a range of hot topics, including blockchain innovations, AI technologies, and fostering a rich learning environment. Umar shared a compelling personal story, recounting an anecdote about his daughter using AI tools for coding, an example that these new technologies will serve us in crucial ways, helping us reduce friction and work smarter.

In 2020, amidst my Fulbright project in Uganda, destiny took an unexpected turn when the pandemic swept us all into a whirlwind. Fully immersed in my work, which aimed to empower women entrepreneurs by granting them access to capital, I bore witness to the abrupt halt of their vibrant businesses. This moment struck me to my very core.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Women in Payments conference and what an experience! Over two days, I got to meet, learn from and be inspired by amazing women in this space.

Last week, India and Singapore launched a real-time link to facilitate easier cross-border money transfers between the two countries. Now, a mobile device is the sole requirement to complete a money transfer between India and Singapore, the former being the world's biggest recipient of remittances. This accomplishment demonstrates the hard work being put into making instant cross border payments accessible to more corridors. Since we live in a globalized ecosystem, the need and benefits of instant cross border payments and thus the requirement for cross-network interoperability is more relevant than ever before.

In 2019, I had an emergency heart surgery that emphasized the importance of heart health. Though I understood the correlation between heart health and stress, my life didn’t necessarily reflect it. I was in what many people would call “hustle mentality”, constantly working and hitting ever moving goals. My stress induced heart surgery was a firm reminder to cultivate a healthy relationship with work and to speak on the importance of heart health as a central part of workplace culture.

We all have influential teachers that shape our understanding of ourselves. One for me was my high school AP European history teacher, Mr. Murphy. He had qualities common to all great teachers. He was tough but fair, in tune with our needs, and faithfully prepared his students for real world success. Mr. Murphy’s classroom was a place where we were encouraged to engage in critical thinking, challenge each other, dream beyond horizons and most importantly develop our own identities.