Tumi Akomolafe

Tumi Akomolafe is the Operations and Personal Assistant to the IDRM’s Head of Operations. Before joining the IDRM, Tumi worked at the Big Data Institute on the Old Road Campus, initially as a Personal Assistant to the Director and then later as her Research Facilitator. 
 

What does your role involve on a day to day basis?

I provide procedural-focused administrative support. In practice this involves engaging with a variety of stakeholders to ensure processes in the building run smoothly. For example, I’m working with our lovely reception team to overhaul our room booking procedure. The main aim of this project is to ensure users get the most suitable space for their meetings and events, and that the process runs seamlessly from beginning to end. A considerable amount of my time is spent liaising with external parties who often hire out our spaces, from staff in neighbouring institutes that need a large meeting room, to companies that book our open café space for mini-exhibitions. My priority is ensuring a high-level of satisfaction is maintained throughout their experience and that they leave the Institute having formed a great impression of us.  Working as an Operations Assistant allows me to really lean into my creativity and resourcefulness to imagine a world of possibilities where change implementation is concerned.

What’s it like to work in the Operations team?

There’s never a dull day, even when it should be. Our team, though small, is heaving with imagination, energy, wit, and a lot of humour. We play to each other’s strengths and adopt a collaborative approach when solving problems. We welcome each member’s unique professional experiences and expertise when soliciting each other's contributions and feedback. We are really invested in making life at the Institute as efficient, productive and culturally vibrant as possible, from the building and facilities side all the way through to events that are organised and hosted. 

Have you ever had to ‘unlearn’ something in your professional life, if so, what was it?

I’ve had to unlearn saying ‘yes’, too often. If you’re an incredibly conscientious person it can be hard to say ‘no’ because you’re keen to invest yourself and exert your work-efforts to the highest standards. You’re keen to see that hard work pay-off and be recognized as an effective team-player.  However, the older you become and the further you get in your career, the more you realise that being able to say ‘no’ is one of the most valuable communicative assets you have at your professional disposal. 

‘No’ has become a great pacemaker for me, as it helps me maintain a manageable workload and preserve the enthusiasm I typically bring to my work. By creating a threshold for what I say ‘yes’ to, I get to meet each work challenge without restraints on my time, energy or inspiration. I am not an infinite resource and my ‘no’s remind me to use what I have wisely.

What excites you most about your current role?

The extent of creativity I am able to bring every day. I think there is a common misconception when it comes to Operations in that it can be boring because it is process driven and therefore rigid by nature. In actual fact, there is a lot of room to colour outside of the lines in order to revamp and improve processes.