“You need the right mix of challenge and empathy”

Building a cohesive and effective team takes time – but time is something that Isaac Kalungi CMgr MCMI doesn’t have. As an audit manager at BDO East Africa, one of the leading audit and consultancy firms in the region, he works with a different group of colleagues, drawn from a pool of around 40 auditors, for every project. With each project typically lasting between three and five weeks, there is constant change. 

“You certainly end up getting plenty of management experience,” he says. “Team members are all different, so you have to understand each and every one – their character and behaviour, their work styles and what motivates them. You need to be really adaptable.”

From MBA to Chartered Manager

As well as being a mentor and a coach to his team members, Isaac is a champion for diversity and ethics in the workplace. 

“I’m an advocate of people speaking up in the workplace about anything that affects them and ensuring that action is taken. I like to make sure that every team member is given an equal opportunity to stand out. As an organisation, we’re always on the lookout for ways we can do this better.” 

Isaac is also driven by lifelong learning. Despite being less than a decade into his career, he has completed an MBA, along with a string of professional development courses. 

It was this constant quest for knowledge and expertise that brought Isaac to CMI. He decided to embark on the Chartered Manager process and, when he gained the award in 2023, he became the first ever Chartered Manager based in Uganda. 

“My confidence shot up when I got Chartered status,” he says. “I’m more confident about defining what success looks like for each project and getting results, and I’m better able to reflect and identify gaps.” 

He now makes the most of everything CMI has to offer, including the resources, articles and educational materials on the website. 

Helping team members grow – and trusting them

You never completely have leadership figured out, Isaac says. 

“Things keep evolving, so you need to keep on learning to ensure that you’re still relevant. I like challenging the status quo, so I won’t do the audit procedures, or even the reports to the client, the same way I did them last year. I’ll walk an extra mile to look at where we can really improve and innovate.”