Don’t let your detractors stand in your way, says Sheryl Lee Ralph

Emmy award-winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph today encouraged persons not to allow detractors to get in their way in their pursuit of success.  

Ralph was delivering the keynote address Tuesday to employees of Sagicor Group Jamaica at the company's annual motivational conference under the theme 'Forward', which was held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston 

The conference serves as a means of motivating employees to accomplish company targets and drive home success as the financial year closes off in less than three months. 

Serving as one of Sagicor's brand ambassadors for 22 years, Ralph charged employees to push past obstacles and work towards achieving both personal and company objectives. 

Ralph received her first Emmy Award and nomination for Best Supporting Actress in the Comedy Series Abbott Elementary on September 12, despite working in the film industry for decades. 

She expressed that although she faced racial discrimination and many other obstacles while on her journey of establishing herself in the film industry, she explained she has had to refocus her lens to continue on the path toward success. 

“Sometimes we need to refocus on what it is we think we fear, what it is we think we saw,” she encouraged. 

She also pointed to self-love and self-motivation as necessary tools in life when going after one's dreams. 

“We have to gird ourselves from what other people think about us,” she said. 

Ralph was on Monday conferred with Jamaica's fifth-highest honour, the Order of Jamaica (OJ), for her contribution as an actress, cultural ambassador for Jamaica and contribution to the international film industry.

READ: OJ 'the icing on the cake' for Sheryl Lee Ralph

The Ceremony of Investiture and Presentation of National Honours and Awards was held at King's House in St Andrew.

She was among 221 individuals awarded for their sterling contributions to Jamaica's development.  

Ralph's appeal to the Sagicor employees came amid organisational changes, including the coming together of sales teams.

Mark Chisholm, chief revenue officer of insurance at Sagicor, told The Gleaner that the company is committed to building a stronger team and a stronger organisation. 

“So, we are saying to them, look, we need to move forward in such a way that we continue to drive the revenue line and everybody, all stakeholders of the company, should benefit from it,” he said. 

- Asha Wilks

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