Patricia Komukyeya-Mbabazi: Recalibrated

Leading seasoned professionals at a young age forced me to replace authority with persuasion. I learnt that people don’t follow instructions; they follow conviction they can trust. That lesson gave me ambition, but also the humility to seek structure.

Brigitte Kusiima asked, “What do people say when you leave the room?” I left her session determined to communicate my leadership with greater intentionality: not just what I do, but why I do it.

This lesson was not about pretending to be unshaken but about being prepared enough to stay steady when others can’t. That insight alone has reshaped how I handle high-stakes meetings, focusing less on reacting in the moment and more on entering every room fully prepared.