Pat Moodley

Pat Moodley is the regional manager for the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The IDC is the largest development financing institution in South Africa and across the continent.

After completing his BCom accounting degree, Pat’s professional journey started off at Standard Bank. He moved his way up the ranks and left the bank as a small medium enterprise manager to join the IDC. Over the years, Pat has completed a number of leadership training programmes, including an MBA and the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) Global Leadership course.

Pat’s career with the IDC spans over 24 years. One of his greatest wishes during this time is to extend the reach of the IDC within KZN.

SME DEVELOPMENT
One of Pat’s key objectives in his role as a regional manager is to ensure that the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector grows in KZN. The office he leads forms part of the IDC’s Small Business Finance unit, and they consider all funding applications up to twenty million rands, from start to finish. Once an application has been approved, the IDC then disburses that loan and through its partnership funding model, works together with the SME to ensure that the business continues to function optimally and hopefully expand, creating much needed jobs within the province.

Commenting on his role Pat says, "I’m very passionate about SME development, especially in my home province KZN. There’s lots of potential and impact in funding businesses. I think overall, my proudest moment is funding businesses and seeing them grow organically over a period of time. When I drive past any of our clients’ premises, I am proud to say that these are businesses IDC has funded. Maybe in my old age or in my retirement, I will be able to tell my grandkids there’s the business IDC funded and from humble beginnings it has grown over the years to be a leading company in the province and the country.”

AN INCLUSIVE APPROACH
Following his previous work experiences, Pat has always been driven to be an effective leader. He explains that during his early career he encountered many bad leadership styles and unpleasant habits, which were patterns of behaviour that he did not want to use to lead his team.

“I learnt from the poor leadership examples that I was exposed to and have improved on these. The scenario in the corporate world is changing. Back in the day, leadership was often like a dictatorship, and it’s changed. I told myself that I won’t be like those leaders. I need to be a different type of leader to ensure that I get the most out of my team and keep them motivated as well. Today, leadership is about being part of that team, it’s not a top-down approach. It’s an inclusive approach and that’s how you get buy-in from your team and create a win- win situation for everyone.”

Pat is not motivated by external sources. He says, “I don’t benchmark myself against anyone. I set my own standards and I deliver on those standards, which are at a very high level. You must be an individual and make a difference based on your own motivation and your own contribution. I don’t need to aspire to be someone else.”

He added that honesty, integrity and abiding by the rules are important to him. “I’m a rules person but there must be flexibility, as long as you are within the parameters that have been set. Being in the financial sector and funding in particular, compliance, honesty and integrity is the first consideration, you then jockey behind the company.”

A CONVERSATION
Pat commented a major challenge is that some- times his humbleness can be mistaken as a weakness. He explains, “You don’t have to be forceful as a leader in the corporate world, but because you’re not forceful in your approach, the outside world does not take you seriously, that’s what I want to change.”

Pat continues that you should be able to direct and conduct business through having a conversation. Conversely, history or the likes in the corporate world want you to be in command.

“We’re not in the army, you can be firm, but you don’t have to be a dictator or have a forceful nature. Sometimes those challenges do crop up from time to time because people expect you to behave in that way as a leader,” he expanded.

For Pat interacting with people is a process and about building a relationship. “It’s about sitting around the table and saying this is what we can do. How do we find middle ground and see the end picture?”

He commented, “I want to be me, do my work, but do it properly and correctly. Power provides a false sense of respect. I still want to be a person in my own right when I leave the IDC and not be defined by my previous title.”

UNITY WITHIN COMMUNITY
While the province of KwaZulu-Natal has gone through a number of strikes, unrest and flooding, Pat’s vision for the future is that everyone will come together to form a public private partnership that will see the economy grow. In order for this to occur, Pat believes that everyone needs to do away with the red tape.

“To see that growth in the economy, everyone has to play their part, from local government to provincial government, to large corporates to small businesses. We have to club together with one vision if we want to see the growth in the economy and create jobs to counter unemployment and alleviate poverty. Everyone needs to come together to make sure that we can fund businesses and we can use corporate social investments to get the desired outcomes, grow the economy and contribute to the well-being of the community.”

In conclusion, says Pat, “My motto in life is ‘your word must be your bond.’ If I can find that in a person or in a company, I’m all out there to support that company or person.”