Women of ASAQS: Shaping Value and Leading with Precision | Janita Stroebel

Janita Stroebel, Director at BTKM Quantity Surveyors (EC); ASAQS EC Chapter Chairperson; ASAQS Board Member

August offers us a pause. It is a month in South Africa where we honour the strength, insight and contribution of women. For me, it is also a reminder of the responsibility we carry in shaping spaces, systems and futures. I share these reflections not only as part of ASAQS leadership but as a woman who has chosen to build a career in quantity surveying, a profession that continues to challenge and inspire me.

I was drawn to quantity surveying because it combines structure with strategy. It brings order to complexity, allowing detail to be managed without losing sight of the bigger picture. My sense of fairness and precision found a natural home in this field. As the built environment becomes more collaborative and data-driven, quantity surveyors are well placed to shape outcomes that are equitable, efficient and forward-looking.

A common myth about the profession is that it is simply about counting bricks and managing costs. In reality, it touches sustainability, project strategy, risk, digital innovation and transformation. We are expected to provide foresight as well as oversight and to guide decisions that influence long-term success.

For me, shaping value means aligning purpose with process. Whether it is implementing ISO 9001 systems, mentoring new professionals or developing tools for more efficient delivery, I try to embed quality into every layer of work. Asking the difficult questions early allows risks to be reduced and value to be unlocked throughout a project.

Leading with precision is about discipline, clarity and fairness. It is not perfectionism but deliberate decisions, consistent standards and designing systems that help people perform at their best. In a field often pressed for time and resources, precision is the opposite of rushing. It is leadership with intention.

My standards are driven by respect for the profession, for those who rely on our work and for the legacy we leave behind. I have seen the results of poor planning and weak oversight. That is why I prioritise continuous learning, mentoring and system development. I want to deliver work I can be proud of ten years from now.

Women bring value across the built environment, particularly in collaboration, planning, communication and empathy. These are not soft skills, they are strategic. Women excel in aligning processes, navigating complexity and managing outcomes with care and consistency. We also bring perspective to transformation and sustainability, two areas where the industry must do better if it is to build responsibly for the future.

My approach can be summed up simply:
Lead with clarity, build with purpose, and leave behind a system better than you found it.