BECOMING BEST IN WHAT YOU DO

Africans and indeed emaSwati have tended to do things for the sake of survival and making a living, without any passion at what they do. Our children chose careers based on the grades they got at high school. Aptitude tests are useless.

I was moved by the speech of a friend, Sidumo Mdladla, at the memorial service of my father, senior Lawyer Knox Mshumayeli Nxumalo, to the effect that Umnguni Knox had come in full legal regalia to his school one day, just to talk to them about the legal profession and when he left, he was convinced that he wanted to be a lawyer.  He said that was when he knew his purpose and wanted to be the best lawyer in Eswatini. So, I wish the career guidance department would revive the practice of inviting professionals to schools across the country, just to give real physical purpose to our young lost children.

One great Lawyer, the Late Lindifa Mamba, once said to me, and I quote: “You see Gabs; the problem with our legal profession today, is that we have a lot of lawyers and legal practitioners with no passion for the legal profession. They came in just because it was a career compatible with their high school grades and government or parents was sponsoring.”
This statement applies to many professions, as one cannot consistently produce excellence if one does not have the calling and does not enjoy what one is doing.

A culture of excellence
A culture of excellence is not something that happens by chance. It is the result of deliberate actions, consistent behaviours and shared values that drive high performance and continuous improvement in any country, company or organisation.  In a culture of excellence, employees feel what they are working on is meaningful, significant and purpose-driven. Everyone concerned is highly inspired by the common purpose, which becomes the driving force behind everything that they do. This culture can cascade from the head of State, through to the head of government, heads of departments, ministries and chief executive officers (CEOs), going right down to the secretary, the ordinary clerk and even the groundsman. The keywords are, ‘common purpose’ and ‘significant’. Everyone must feel that they are an important part of a greater purpose, regardless of the significance of their role.

Purpose in life

Every organisation, business, government and even an individual person, must have a purpose – a reason for their existence and goals for their future. In the health industry for example, at the simplest level, this typically would be to produce and provide health products and services safely and profitably and to continually improve at this. It is a wonderful thing when one finds a carrier that is suited to his calling and purpose.

Life is easy because they get paid for a job they enjoy throughout their lives. However, we don’t always get what we wish for. From the lyrics of the great song writer Luther Vandross, ‘if you cannot be with the one you love, love the one you are with’, this simple principle can and has changed the quality of life for many. Just the acceptance of the reality that God, in his infinite wisdom, has allowed you to be where you are, is wisdom. Yes you might have made mistakes or lost opportunities which have landed you where you are, but you are there. This does not mean one must not try to improve his or her station in life, but accept that you are where you are. So do the best you can, for your own sanity. There is a saying by Oscar Wilde that goes “The best way to enjoy your job is to imagine yourself without one”

Proactive agents of change
To be proactive in a work environment means many things; it means that you are aware of people and events outside of the organisation and how they affect you on the inside. It means that you are open to change and innovation, that you focus on, seek out and mitigate significant risks, and can achieve this. Also, it means that you can learn from your mistakes without resorting to a blame culture, facilitating an environment of trust honesty and reporting. Proactive people try to change the work environment not only for themselves, but for everyone in the workspace. They seek to understand and work within the processes of the organisation.   

Process must be user-friendly
Every organisation has internal mechanisms that keep it running. But how consistent are they – between people, shifts, departments and internal politics? Are there user-friendly, effective systems that help processes run smoothly and effectively? Everyone must know their job and have the ability and authority to do it. EmaSwati are generally afraid to make decisions, either because they don’t know the job well or because they are afraid of higher authority (usually blaming unseen labadzala), even when they know what is to be done and have the authority. This speaks to our organisational culture and country. Respect is good, but must not paralyse decision-making with constant fear of mistakes and no sense of ownership.

People first
Last, but very much not least, is the people. The workers on the ground and the people who receive the service. Let every liSwati know that whatever action they take affects fellow human beings. Your action will cascade down the life of another person negatively or positively. The way you talk to a lost child seeking a scholarship could affect the future of that child. Some children do not have parents or relatives to assist then, and you do not know that, but you are rude to them. And every deed will one day be judged. People are key to the success of any organisation, company, government or individual. You can have the best-documented standards, company rule or policies, but if they are not consistently practised with humility, to the people, they are useless.  

In order for workers to work effectively, it is necessary to train and communicate with them effectively (knowledge), motivate them through reward and incentive (attitude) and empower them to take action when needed (behaviour). Government must consider rewarding hard-working employees annually, publicly, through a national event. Interministerial customer/client service competitions with financial incentives could help. This will motivate them to do their best in whatever they do. Comment septembereswatini@gmail.com

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