What is more important, talent or drive?
Drive. You can't be a leader without drive. Drive moves things forward and standing still in this very fast-paced business and economic environment is not an option - the world will pass you by.

On a scale of one to ten, how significant a role does luck play when it comes to success?
Six. Women in business need to create their own luck. If you want to grow as a leader, you need to take ownership of your professional development and not rely on others to do it for you.

Which is more critical, the idea or the execution?
Execution. All competitive advantage is based on effective execution of plans. Effective execution is a function of leadership. Poor execution ruins superior strategies and plans and superior execution saves inferior strategies. Anyone can come up with a great idea or strategy - in fact, there are literally thousands of consulting firms out there doing just that. Execution is the major job of the business leader; execution is everything - it delivers the results.

Is it better to be passionate or objective?
Objective. Being a good leader is more than just being passionate, although this is very important. I also agree that a leader must have his or her heart and soul in the company and be deeply engaged in all aspects of the business. It is equally important, however, to be very realistic about your own and the organisation's capabilities. Objectivity allows you to expose reality and act on it.

What is most and least important? Please rank your priorities.

1. Drive
   Relationship skills
   Confidence
   Organisational skills
   Talent

What one trait has helped you most in business?
Choosing the right people and never compromising is what creates sustainable competitive advantage. I know that for any organisation, the quality of the people is their best competitive differentiator.

What is the one trait that has hindered you most in business?
Early on in my career, I subscribed to the theory that "if you want something done well, do it yourself". I soon learnt that this was counterproductive to the development of others in my team.

What is the hardest lesson you've learned and how did you learn it?
In terms of making decisions, you'll never have enough information. At some point, you have to act.

What is the one piece of advice you would offer other women in business?
The best piece of advice, which I received very early on, and still to this day adhere to, is very simple and that is to be true to yourself and to trust your own judgement.

What are the biggest mistakes you see women making in business?
Women often perceive the need to prove themselves, to deliver tangible results and work harder before being promoted or taking opportunities. Not having confidence in their ability is one of the reasons that women tend to hold themselves back, even if qualified. Women rely on their past results rather than believing in their capability to affect future outcomes. Nor should they feel the need to adopt or mimic male leadership traits in an effort to break into senior management positions.