With her syndicate programme, Etiquette with Janet, self-effacing Janet Adetu literally has nowhere to hide. After working in top accounting firms such as KPMG and Ernst & Young, she decided to venture into the world of corporate image and etiquette. She tells ORUKPE NELSON how it all started.

What do you do at JSK Etiquette?

JSK Etiquette Consortium is a leading international protocol and image consulting company. We specialise in helping corporate organisations and individuals enhance their competitive advantage. We offer result-oriented trainings and solutions that promote behavioural change, professional image enhancement, team building and development.

Our trainings are aimed at developing interpersonal skills, encouraging leadership potential, exhibiting exceptional customer service orientation and practicing essential workplace civility.

What influenced your decision to be a protocol and image consultant?

Working as an auditor was eye-opening. It is a profession that requires strict formality, discipline and integrity. I discovered that image was an important aspect of generating credibility and trust among my clients. In reality, auditors are not always readily received with open arms, so by virtue of the nature of the job, relationships were very limited.

In pursuit of excellent results and effective time management on the job it occurred to me that I needed to present myself more approachably, friendly and accommodating. With acts of civility, the doors began to open and productivity grew. I was able to give the wow factor to my service. I went ahead to train and get certified in the United States of America, Canada and United Kingdom. I would say my desire to add values to lives is the driving force behind why I practice the profession today.

How has the business been?

Business has been interesting, rewarding and very challenging. There is no free lunch; everything requires hard work. We originally had our headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, for the first three years before we moved the headquarters to Lagos two years ago. In Nairobi, they were quite British-oriented and the reception was very good because they felt it was a skill that they needed.

We had no issues there; things worked out well. When I was moving to Nigeria I had my reservations after discovering there were two schools of thought. The first school of thought states that Nigerians really need etiquette, which represents the older generation.

The other school of thought being the younger states that Nigerians don’t need it. But since I have been conducting trainings, some youths who I have trained have realised that the reason they are not getting jobs is because they lack certain skills. If you are going for an interview, how do you present yourself? Your interview has nothing to do with your technical skills or the first class you made.

But why do you think the younger generations feel they don’t need etiquette?

Generally, going by what we are seeing daily, the corporate world is constantly evolving and changing. It has to do with mindset, demeanour and attitude of the younger generation. I believe it is because they are used to the old conventional ways of doing things. It used to be who you know in an organisation to get a job, but today there is a lot of corporate governance going on in organisations.

Today, we see that employment is all about merit or based on what you have to offer. There are many brilliant youths who performed very well in the university, but during interviews they fail to impress because they cannot answer questions properly.

Our youths forget that it is not just about having a first class degree once they leave the university; it is now more about being able to sell the intangible skills. I think most youths don’t understand the magnitude of competition in the employment market and they don’t know that if you are trying to get a job, for instance, in a multinational company, you might end up having to attend between five to seven interviews. It is after they get into that net they will come to realise that securing a job is no ‘child’s play.’

What’s your background like?

My first degree is a B.Sc. Honours in Economics; I also have an MBA at the Edinburgh Business School, Heriot Watt University Scotland, UK. Professionally, in addition to being a Certified Protocol and Image Consultant, I am also a Certified Chartered Accountant and a fellow with the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants (ACCA) in the UK.

What were you doing before the establishment of JSK?

I laid my hands into many things. I was the founder of a foundation for children born with congenital heart disorder, Golden Heart Trust in Accra, Ghana. Essentially the objective of the organisation was to pay for the open heart surgery of children born with a hole in the heart.

I decided to use my 40-year birthday to give back to society by using my celebration moment to hold a charity ball in aid of these children. I wanted a purpose-filled celebration considering the fact that I was also a victim of congenital heart disorder. Surprisingly, I physically observed the entire five-hour surgery of the first beneficiary.

I was commended for my efforts and was asked to continue the good deed. During my time as founder and president along with a group of trustees, we were able to raise funds and sponsor the open heart surgeries of almost 60 children with three years. In the process we were able to do a lot of advocacy, advisory services and consultation.

Did you have any doubts when you decided to leave paid employment?

It is important for one to identify their strengths, discover their potential, maximize every opportunity and capitalise on it. Leaving paid employment was purely due to work related relocation. So, doubt did not set in, I consciously decided to use my work experience to venture into my passion.

Has it been challenging keeping professional relationship with men strictly professional?

I am always professional in whatever I do; that is important for any woman in the work environment. You must have integrity, credibility and trust at the forefront of anything that you do because it speaks volumes for you. I didn’t have issues anywhere I had worked because I am calm and friendly. Mutual respect for fellow colleagues is the secret to success at work, especially when your appraisal is based on your overall performance. I hardly had issues with colleagues. I still see my former colleagues today in different environments and we exchange pleasantries very well after seven years. I feel this is possible because they remember me for who I was then and this is the brand I have continued to carry around.

What would you say has prepared you for what you do today?

It is interesting you asked the question. I didn’t really go out of my way to say I wanted to be a protocol and etiquette consultant; I stumbled on it by chance. I was born and raised in the United Kingdom. In the course of my growing up as an adult I always heard people saying that there were certain ways I conducted myself and executed my tasks. It was more about my behaviour and the way I carried myself. Honestly, I didn’t see all these myself and I was pleasantly surprised. I plunged deeper and sought how to develop this talent.

I guess it came with a lot of exposure to other cultures, from travelling around and gathered experiences. My parents even told me that when I was in primary school at age seven, a teacher told them I would be a teacher when I grew up based on my level of intelligence, ability to disseminate knowledge and add values to others. It looks like my teacher’s prophesy has come to pass in the sense that I am actually teaching by training people.

When did you relocate to Nigeria?

My first footstep into Nigeria was in the ‘80s and I was very much a teenager.

How did you adjust to the change?

English was the only language I knew how to speak then, so it was really difficult for me to cope. The food was different, the language was different and the people were different. There was a lot for me to learn and adapt to. I learnt the Yoruba language through my dearest late grandmother. She was the brain behind that because she only spoke Yoruba and I would have to get people to help with the translation.

I learnt the language for a good seven years before I mustered the courage to speak it. The truth about language is that it takes a lot of practice. I was able to shock a lot of people when I came out of my shell. I still have a British way of doing many things, but I guess that is my style and brand now. I am married to an Ijebu man.

What role has your husband played in what you do?

My husband has been very supportive, a very concise advisor and mentor, I have learnt a lot from him. Interestingly, he also says that I teach him a lot too. He urges me to follow my dreams.

How would you describe marital life?

Married life has been an experience; each day is a learning curve. It is important to understand that as human beings we are constantly changing as we grow and mature. Of course there would always be ups and downs in marriage because without that the marriage would not be real.

We are all human beings and we are learning from one another on a daily basis. To the glory of God I have been in marriage for 24 years and my kids are now grown up. It was more challenging juggling work and married life when my children were younger because I needed to pay attention to their needs.

Now, I have a more structured work-life balance and tried to prioritise my time. Marriage is beyond the wedding day or the beautiful dress or even the fairytale honeymoon. For us, we are trying to reach out to some of the younger ones in our Panache Finishing School, an arm of JSK which was set up to help our youths to face the real world by teaching them essential skills for survival.

What would you love to change about yourself?

I would only love to improve myself. I really want to be in a position where I could impact my generation and leave a legacy behind. I am inspired when people say they learnt so much from being around me. I am a content person, but always striving for perfection and improvement.

Having positive impact, adding values and making a difference to people’s lives are a huge source of passion for me. My mission is to change the strategies of others, when an individual or a corporate organization is able to see differences in the way they conduct business, present themselves and project professionalism that tells me that a reconstructive change has occurred. That for me is an achievement.

How do you combine motherhood, being a wife and work?

My husband is a very busy person and I am too, but it is all about time management. I have been able to joggle my worklife balance well because I have always been focused and I don’t put my hands into too many things at a time. Though my children are not kids anymore, I still look for time to play mother to them because they still need me.

I am always there for them no matter how far away they may be. I am more of a friend to my kids than a mother; it makes things easier for me. I use my children to learn as well and it helps me to understand what their generation wants because things were different for me at that age. I am still there for my husband as well because the role of a wife is never easy or ending. On weekends, I spend more time with my husband and we attend events together. The week days are normally very official, but my evenings and weekends are for my family.

What has been the happiest moment of your life?

I have had several moments from getting married to child birth, first job and desired contract. I am very grateful to God. Finding my brand has actually been fulfilling for me too because I feel like I am actually doing what I love to do best. Whenever I get positive feedback from my client I am happy as well, as it means that I have added value to someone’s life. I hope by His grace to impact more lives in the future and our nation will embrace the power of etiquette.