Winner's story: Busi Matiwaza

Busi shared a story reflecting on a time of uncertainty and the support she received from colleagues across the Middle East. In her entry, she shares how, despite facing the same challenges, her leaders showed genuine care and made sure no one felt alone.

There are moments in life that quietly shape how you see the world and then there are moments that change you entirely. My time at Smiths over the past years has given me both; but nothing has impacted me more deeply than what I experienced recently.

When I joined Smiths, I found more than a workplace; more than colleagues, but a team that felt like a place where people cared beyond job titles and responsibilities, where you are seen, supported, and valued not just for what you do, but for who you are.

It was during the recent period of fear and uncertainty in the Middle East that I truly understood the depth of that care.

Many of us here are expatriates, far from our families and familiar support systems and it’s in times like these that distance feels heavier, fear settles quietly in our homes, in our conversations and in the silence between messages.

Yet in that environment, our John Crane MEA leadership did something extraordinary. While facing the very same uncertainty, they chose to carry us...
They stepped in the gap - not just as leaders, but as human beings. They quickly mobilised through the crisis management team, but more importantly, they showed presence. They checked in, reassured, and made sure no one felt forgotten, even in exhaustion, even under the same pressure, they remained steady for us.

There are two moments in particular that will stay with me...
On two separate occasions earlier this year, I was jolted awake by a loud, terrifying bang near where I live. The kind that stops your heart and floods your mind with questions you don’t yet have answers to. In those moments, everything felt uncertain. Being far from home, far from family, sitting with a kind of fear that words cannot fully describe, felt overwhelming.
And then - almost immediately - I received a call from our Regional HR Head checking on my family and I’s safety. When something similar happened again the following morning, I received a message from my line manager just moments later. It was simple: “Are you ok?” Simple words. Lasting impact.

In a moment when I felt vulnerable and small, I was reminded that I was not alone but there was someone, somewhere, who was thinking of me, my safety, and reaching out with concern. I still don’t know how they managed to react so fast; how they knew this had happened close to where Iive and how many others they reached out to during those same early hours. What I do know is that they did all of this while carrying their own fears, in the same city, under the same uncertainty—and that humbled me deeply.

For me - honestly, this felt like a sacrifice I did not deserve. They were facing the same risks and the same fear, yet they chose to prioritise us!

Not many companies have people like these... Not many teams operate with this level of humanity, and even fewer leaders lead with this kind of heart. What I witnessed here at Smiths is truly rare. They chose to be strong for us; to be present for us; to care—when it would have been entirely understandable not to. That kind of care cannot be taught or mandated… It comes from the HEART.

I want to take this moment to say thank you - truly and deeply - to the entire John Crane leadership for standing in the gap when we needed it most. A special mention to Amjad and Deepa, who reached out to me during those early hours - Your acts of kindness, care & selflessness really touched my heart, and I will carry that with me for a very long time.

This experience reminded me that what defines a company is not only how it performs in moments of stability, but how it shows up in moments of uncertainty.

When I reflect on everything I experienced, I realise this is not just a story about a difficult moment, but a story about people; about leadership that chooses compassion over comfort; about colleagues who become real support systems when it matters most; about a culture where care is not conditional, it is instinctive - above all, it is a reminder that I am part of something truly rare.

In closing: for me, this is not about participation or recognition, nor about winning. It is about giving honour where it is due, and what a better time to do that than during the celebration of 175 years of Smiths - a milestone that reflects not only longevity, but the values, humanity, and leadership that have carried this organisation forward for generations.

I am grateful to be part of something special—not just a company, but a community of people who choose kindness, courage, and each other every single day.

And for that, I will always be thankful.