Patricia Naisara didn’t step into leadership expecting a global pandemic to redefine what it meant.
But in some ways, that is what happened.
A part of Leadership Fiji 2020 cohort and Westpac Fiji staff member, Patricia joined the program during a period of transition in her career.
The mother of four was looking for an opportunity to better understand leadership and push herself beyond her limits.
“We saw it as an opportunity to take my leadership to the next level… to explore what it meant to be a leader, but also to see what more I could do to reach my full potential.”
Her cohort began with excitement, meeting in person for their opening retreat. But almost immediately, the world shifted.
COVID-19 forced the program online, making them the first cohort to transition into a virtual learning environment.
Travel restrictions and containment zones became the backdrop of their leadership journey.
“There were 31 of us and we only met once,” Patricia recalls.
“Straight after our opening retreat, we had to convert to Zoom… we went through containment zones and travel restrictions.”
And yet, something powerful emerged from those constraints. Leadership, for Patricia, became less about proximity and more about intention.
“We wanted to help each other succeed and work together,” she says.
“That is the beauty about Leadership Fiji – getting a group of strangers and making them work together for a common vision.”
That shared vision came to life through their group initiative, My Space. With movement restricted, the cohort had to think differently about impact. They chose to focus on education.
“We believed it was at the forefront of everything,” Patricia explains.
“We asked ourselves, how do we create dedicated educational spaces?”
The answer was practical. They built desks and chairs themselves, assembling them before delivering them to communities in need. In a time defined by distance, they created something tangible.
But the most lasting impact was internal.
“One of the greatest things to be learned… is that outside your comfort zone is where the magic happens,” Patricia reflects.
“It taught us not only to take risks but to appreciate challenges… not to look at things as obstacles but learning opportunities.”
That mindset extended into her personal life, particularly as a mother navigating autism with her child.
“My cohort helped me with my autism journey, they’ve been part of that journey through an awareness program.”
In many ways, this is what leadership came to mean – not standing apart, but standing together.
“I’ve built a network with 31 individuals from completely different backgrounds that I otherwise would never have crossed paths with,” she says.
Today, her message to women and girls is simple: “Look at yourself and understand your value and potential… it truly comes from within us.”
In the end, for Patricia, leadership is not just about personal success, but about lifting others as you rise.
“We need to acknowledge the shoulders on which we stand… support the women we grow with and prepare the young daughters who will come after us.”
