Labour!

A letter to my fellow Zambians Being the need of the times

Billy C Sichone First edition 2005

Copy right © 2005 Billy C Sichone Contact details: [email protected], Cell: 260977429521, 260966559762 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, digital, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of the copyright owner.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

2

Dedication To my parents who never tired reminding me that hard work pays

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

3

Acknowledgements In coming up with this book, many people and sources have impacted on my mind, chief among them being the Holy Scriptures as enshrined in the Bible. They have shaped my world view in many things. Apart from the scriptures, many have spoken into my life by way of comment or advice. As such, I felt duty bound to return thanks to some of these people as well as other sources at the risk of leaving out significant others. I would like to pass a hearty thank you to my parents, who tirelessly laboured to guide me through those formative stages of life when I felt like rebelling against them for the “burdensome” work they “imposed on me”’. I always remember them saying “You will not go anywhere unless you work hard”. Those words stuck slowly but firmly. They built me up. I would also like to say thank you to my elder brothers and sisters in the Christian faith that never gave up on me when the chips were down, but always encouraged me to try a little harder. Among them are Mr and Mrs (Marlon and Bupe) Banda, Mr and Mrs (Paul & Emily) Mumba, Mr and Mrs (Johnson and Agness) Malipenga, Pastor and Mrs (Conrad and Felistus) Mbewe, Pastor and Mrs (Ronald and…) Kalifungwa, Mr & Mrs (Stephen & Lucy) Tembo, Pastor and Mrs (Michael and Jacqueline) Bwembya, Pastor and Mrs (Choolwe and Merilyn) Mweetwa, “Professor Paul” and counsel Kamo Simfukwe, Pastor Clement Kaunda, Mr and Mrs (Anne & Chikondi) Phiri, Mr and Mrs (John and Margaret ) Mthethwa, Mr Sikapale Chinzewe, Mr Patrick “old guard” Chama and myriad others who I cannot mention here for want of space and time. It would be the greatest crime not to mention my faithful constant companion that has often brightened the horizon-my dear wife Jane. I consulted a number of resource materials and sites from various places ranging from the Internet to actual hard copies. I am indebted to all. God speed

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

4

Fore word

Still under construction...

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

5

α Preface To the writing of books there is no end, says the wise man, and to the reading of the same, there is equally no end. In fact, much study wearies the body!≈ In the latter instance however, it is hoped that the end result will be different in that you will be fired up to go and implement what you learn to your own benefit and the community’s good at large. It has much vexed the author to observe that a whole generation of youths has been raised and continues to be churned out in succession that practically have no hope, or direction for life•. Many have more or less given up on life and left their fate to the whims of chance and circumstance. The average youth on the street does not know or even care to enquire what will become of them after they leave school at whatever level. Two extremes have been synthesized. The one group is too pessimistic and has completely lost hope to the extent where they do not even know where the next meal will come from. The other extreme has those that have more than they can handle. They have, as it were, an abundance of resources at their disposal such that they do not see any rational reason for self exertion, after all, their fore runners have done the work! It is the author’s hope and prayer to draw people from both extremes to a central point where they take charge of their destiny. People should not work at less than one tenth their capacity but use all that is within them to eke out a unique sustainable path for themselves and progeny. It is true that that the times have rapidly changed. It is also true that in some instances, the job market has shrunk while in others expanded. The million dollar question contingent upon macro and micro economic indicators is whether these apparent “expansion” correlate to quality. It is not enough to boast about “job creation”, quality issues must also be addressed by the same token. Could this state of affairs possibly signify a declined economy Ecclesiastes 12:12, Holy Bible Dr Kenneth Kaunda made similar comments to that effect in one of the May 2005 Post Newspaper editions

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

6

whose systems have virtually long collapsed unless probably some drastic realistic remedial measures are put in place to secure the future of this nation? But that should not be a reason why we presently shelter under such languid circumstances. Away with such a thought! Time has come when we should take our destiny in our own hands and ensure we become the best we could ever be. It is high time we returned to those ancient paths where every newly born child had hope and a bright future ahead of them. As we approach this most important subject, let us always remember that whatever step we take, we either condemn or promote ourselves! Remember that the world has no time for losers but applauds winners∅. In deed, we agree with Professor Clive Chirwa that Zambia needs a fresh start ∈ in every sense but will you make a difference in your generation? Arise and be counted among the valiant of mother Zambia! Finally, this book comes as an alternative to what the average mind thinks. It seeks to bring hope to the hopeless. It also aims to sober the wasteful so that they realize their potential and soar to greater heights. Come with us as we trace our heritage that takes us to higher orbs!

This is a paraphrase from an anonymous writer Refer to the Post 28th August 2007 pp 1

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

7

Contents Introduction and over view..........................................................................................9 Definitions..................................................................................................................24 The nature and rationale of labour.............................................................................33 The necessity of labour..............................................................................................42 Helpful labour principles...........................................................................................48 Thieves of effective labour........................................................................................96 Some points worth considering................................................................................124 Types and classes of labour......................................................................................142 I. The Benefits and effects of good labour...............................................................160 II. The sad end and decay of the sluggard-Proverbs 20:13, Prov 24:33..................165 Exhortations to resolved labour...............................................................................172 What ought we to do now?......................................................................................177 Adieu!...............................................................................................................................180 Bibliography............................................................................................................181 Appendices...............................................................................................................184 Bibliography............................................................................................................218 Index........................................................................................................................218

Chapter 1

“A country of party lovers will never rise” Billy Sichone 2005

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

8

“Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person

”-Albert Einstein

Introduction and over view



Billy Sichone

As one scans the Zambian landscape, all they see is a land full of great potential but filled with a disillusioned and discouraged lot. They have really nothing to live for and roll along like a stone on an inclined plane. Each morning brings with it the painful reminder that one is a burden not only to the self but to the world at large. Similarly, at the end of the day, despondent and disillusioned, one lies down and remains awake for many hours wondering what the next day holds. After such torturing thoughts, one gradually slides into a troubled sleep. The next day is pretty much the same. The hours that occupy space between waking up and lying down are filled with either extreme isolated silence or with the noisy hustle and bustle of life, really heading nowhere. The average Zambian engages in all sorts of activities to generate any kwacha that might be available either by hook or crook. Gone are the days when the State, Charities or individuals would easily be moved by compassion to action by the plight of the poor and Rapids near the Chishimba falls, Northern province, October 2008

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

9

needy. If anything, the poor are now viewed as a mere public nuisance worth annihilating. The raised prominent billboards in many towns and cities eloquently tell the thinking of the times. An army of street kids and adults now roam the streets of virtually every major town in Zambia today. At one time, it was unthinkable to meet someone who had completely nowhere to lodge. It was rare to encounter someone who virtually had no relations to look after them. Well, thousands now do, with completely nowhere to turn to for shelter, are submerged in abject poverty and squalor. A combination of factors has probably led to this ugly scenario. Among them is the disruption of the native social fibre of the cordial, harmonious and all embracing African society over a century ago by the Western explorers and colonialists. They came and colonized by “divide and rule” strategies whilst forcing their individualistic and materialistic culture upon our fore fathers. The other is the advent of the HIV and AIDS pandemic which has not left Africa unscathed. HIV has literary ravaged the continent especially the Sub Saharan Africa where over 25 Million are believed to be infected. We are yet to feel the full pandemic impact. Apart from the HIV challenge, myriads have no proper medical care because the traditional medicines in raw form were discarded and forgotten at the arrival of the slave traders. Hundreds die for want of money to get quality medical attention. Nearly every system has long collapsed in Zambia today (1991-2005). Consider for a moment the Health, inefficient judicial system or corrupted government system that worsens the already desperate scenario. The other reason that results directly from the aforementioned is the apparent shrinkage of the economies as evidenced by the rapid company closures, spiralling inflation, unstable local currency, mass job losses and declined quality of life among the nations’ citizenry at the advent of unavoidable globalisation blizzards. Many atrocities are hidden under the gullible guise of “being a liberal modern economy” with its attendant effects such as over dependence on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) via the experimental Structural Adjustment Program (SAP). “Thatcherism” was directly ‘cut and pasted’ onto Africa without any serious prior impact assessment. Things backfired by and large but someone still made a name somewhere. To a large extent, the Multinational Corporations (MNC) have manipulated African economies to their advantage, since the profit motive over rides everything else including environmental destruction. The whole world is yet to encounter the full backlash of global warming and yet historically, Africa contributes least to the wanton environmental Source: UNAIDS 2003

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

10

degradation. One would not be far from the truth to assert that as the colonial masters fled Africa, they left some “economic booby traps” behind them so that they could remotely retain their hold on the continent. The Zimbabweα case comes to mind as an example of attempted foreign manipulation. The bottom line is a continual control over the land and resources through their settler nationals. For another reason, how can a nation develop with over 17 different exotic top-down development plans all vying for simultaneous attention? The other reason is to some extent a legacy of the monarchical African system where a power wielder does not tolerate any opponents. Shaka the Zulu’s doctrine of never leaving an enemy behind seems to sell really well in Africa. The native African mindset has crept into the constitution making process evidenced by the powers given to the President. A typical African President is generally egocentric and determines to remain in power as long as possible. Any fly that attempts to buzz around is doomed. They glory in a large power distance. Apart from the power craze, the patriotic spirit among the leaders is long dead. In yester years, people were ready to lay down their lives for others but the opposite is true in the present age. Today’s so-called leaders are actually bosses & egocentric mercenaries rather than inspirational. When all these factors are cooked and mingled in one pot, it is hardly surprising that the people, youth in particular suffer as a result. The old adage “When Elephants fight, the grass suffers” holds true except that in this instance, all animals are simultaneously fighting each other! As a result, the school leaver dreads the day that they write their last paper. Equally true is the formal unestablished worker that dreadfully approaches the retirement age and yet without any tangible asset tied to their names. His/her children face an uncertain future without any shelter. These vulnerable children are all heaped in the back yard and tragically their grand children are equally vulnerable. Others are too frail due to terminal illnesses. We do not have time to look at lack of access to clean water, dependent citizenry, inefficient collapsed and corrupt judicial or government systems that once held promise for the budding graduate. The other side of the coin has its story to tell too. Zambia is filled with youths who, despite being poor or rich, have been carried away by the pleasure driven currents of the times. Think of how many are engrossed in various vices reflected in juvenile delinquency such as drug addiction, liquor abuse, promiscuity, entertainment and are 2006-07

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

11

irresistibly drawn to whatever tickles their pleasure centres, as it were. In general, Zambia is but a shadow of itself and as good as dead. Here is what we mean: The Zambian society at the present time is engrossed, captivated, disabled and enslaved by the love of liquor. Akin to the fish under water, the average Zambian youth drinks their heads off without the slightest idea or care what the consequences of their wasteful actions have on the pocket, family, nation or self. Opportunity costing does not rear its head where beer is king. Rational thinking is relegated to the terraces at such a crucial time. Beer is the unrivalled idol of our times. As some have rightly said, “Liquor is the most abused substance in our nation” To put it even more bluntly, some Zambians are generally unashamed drunkards even ready to wet their pants without any qualms. Another thing worth noting is that most Zambians are generally merry makers. Where ever they get a rumour that “It will be happening”, there, expect scores of patrons converging akin to a moth around a flame. If they hear that a buffet will be set, some cool beers flowing in the background and loud music electrifying the air, be sure to pull a sizeable unmanageable crowd including gate crashers. If “booze” is absent, the function is dubbed a flop because people did not get “zoozled” or “shake their bones”, as the world would coin it. Further, they are always looking forward to the next function venue. Strategic thinking is only swiftly employed with a view to maximize pleasure. Ironically, when you call a meeting to plan a developmental project at the same venue and time where “motivators” are absent, do not be shocked if you confer alone! Whatever arguments you marshal, only a handful complaining lot will show up out of courtesy and appearing to be in a mad hurry to attend “another more important meeting” scarcely before you complete yours, despite having arrived late to your meeting! Apologies are generally not in the African vocabulary unless an AK 47 is pointed to their throats! As soon as the meeting is complete, they zoom off to where it is “happening”. Even when clearly serious and inevitable issues such as proposal writing, fund raising, development planning are to be crafted, they trivialize them until their fingers are “oiled” buttressed by some ‘cool beers’ to clear the throat while brain storming! They are more willing to let opportunity fly past Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

12

unutilised than to redeem the time due to the pleasure driven attitude. The pauper progressive Zambian suffers bottlenecks at every turn and is thus frustrated by and by. For others, red tape is perfectly normal and acceptable. They actually wonder why you complain! In general then, it can safely be asserted that Zambians are pleasure driven rather than target oriented. They are cultured and nurtured to be docile, dependant, indifferent and to a large extent carefree unless something directly threatens their very existence or livelihood. Sadly, they are reactionary and do not proactively respond unless pushed to the wall. As a result, the subtle Zambian Republican Presidents, both past and present have ridden high and long because of such terrible Zambian attitudes. For instance, the lost decade (1991-2001), Zambians watched helplessly as the MMD dissected the country’s economy and failed to repair the damage. Zambians only reacted when the third term bid popped up. A similar situation has taken place under the so-called “New Deal Government” and its successors though that is not our subject matter for now. Suffice it to say that Zambians are generally laid back, complain for a season and then move on only to drop into the same pitfall! Still other Zambians are taken up with the short-term luxuries that are neither sustainable nor bring food on the table. For instance, some waste many valuable hours in front of the television or computer screen, for say 3 hours daily. In a week, the total time translates to almost one whole day in front of the screen! If one attends to both (TV and Computer), that knocks off two days in a week! Other common captivating habits include romantic novel reading, card playing, computer games, Internet surfing, pool playing, music and idle chatting. Granted, some of these may not be evil in and of themselves but if they are not properly regulated, a lot of valuable time is irretrievably lost. Take a US movie as an example, captivating, violent, intriguing and suspense filled easily sweeps one off their feet. Granted, it is good to have your mind off the basic bread and butter issues once in a while, but calculate the cost benefit you-wards. For one thing, those actors you are glued to are already multi-millionaires! (US Dollars bwana, not the unstable kwacha!) In all probability, they already made their life time fortune with much more to spare. They have minted gold as it were. Why spend so much time watching already wealthy people while you grow poorer? Suck the progressive ideas from the screen and implement on your own projects! When are others going to benefit from your works? Why not spend the same Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

13

wasted time in generating wealth? Isn’t it high time others benefited from your unique products? Why disqualify yourself? Why use less than 10% of your brain? Come on buddy, arise and make a difference in your generation! At this miserable rate and attitude, Zambia will remain a pathological pauper nation. What we need are inspirational, sincere, brave, methodical, strategic, sacrificial and devoted leaders that will weather the wind and galvanize everyone to rise to the challenge. I mean, why should we perish of hunger when we sleep on golden pillows? With all the resources at our disposal, why have one meal a day, while the multi-layered shapeless politicians eat “masuku” over our heads? We must arise and change our lot lest we perish! Further, Zambians have a bad reading culture in keeping with what someone has quaintly quipped “If you want to hide something from an African, then put it in a book!” how so true! They concentrate on the wrong things such as fantasy rather than real tangible idea generating literature. There is urgent need to rectify this anomaly so that the nation should begin to turn the tide towards prosperity land. For why should we linger around this pauper hill for all these years? As this book unfolds, we shall be considering aspects we need to address if we are to see changes in our fortunes both at the individual and national level. But what can be done to turn the tide? What can individuals do to change things round so that the world around them can ‘bow’ to their demands? How can YOU take charge of your destiny against such a dark, dark backdrop? A number of pearls are suggested in this and subsequent chapters. These are by no means magical solutions but proven workable options that may work for you depending on your context and strategic positioning. The African mind does well to take heed. Here goes… 1. Radical mental paradigm shift. The first thing that desperately and

urgently needs to change is at the mental level, from being fearful, dependant, relaxed, indifferent, laid back and laissez faire to an entrepreneurial mindset. It is true that Zambians have known better days when almost everything was free from nursery up to University level and beyond. In a sense it was a good season good while it lasted but in another, it virtually killed the competitive innovative and creative spirit of people to the extent that they expect the government From Mr. John Chundu, 12/02/05

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

14

to provide everything on a silver platter. But the times and contexts have changed to a new social contract where the individual is an active participant in charting their own course. To the extent they apply their ingenuity, skill and competence, to that extent they will prosper. The lazy and content will die poor, complaining all the way to the grave. That sharp entrepreneurship spirit needs to be inculcated into people’s minds so that they wake up and fend for themselves and progeny. In local slang, we call it “Ukufisenda pesono” because you can never rely on the state or politician who in all probability visits you once at election time when they seek your vote. The rest of the time is for egocentric gain. In a sense, they are also smart because they are exploiting their window of opportunity because it is possible to be in Parliament or hold Ministerial office for five years and yet come out empty handed because you squandered all opportunity or resources. Strategic planning, thinking and acting are key without which we remain paupers from generation to generation and wonder why we are “unlucky”! An entrepreneur spots opportunities at every turn and refuses to settle for less until they have achieved their goal. They are serious risk takers, believe in trying, think outside the box, have high intuitive instincts and turn challenges into opportunities. Some strongly believe that a serious entrepreneur throws all precautions to the wind and will do any and everything to achieve their goal. Others, like seasoned businessperson, Ken Jacobson, hold a contra view believing in calculated intelligent risks. Whatever the case, the principle is that business, in its essential nature, is a necessary risk. For instance, a formal worker (regular eight hour daily employee) should have a back yard garden at home, run a “kantemba” or store up for the future. They should never rely on their salaries for survival and development but should create and expand other financial streams to the extent that the salary ceases to be the centre piece. The business magnate should be prudent in resource utilization and keep the overheads as low as possible. This calls for thrift spending and long-range thinking. Do you wonder why some shop owners never leave the money counter despite their high academic credentials or affluence? They have an entrepreneurial spirit. High and careless spenders live for the day to please themselves for which they regret later. Whatever you have in hand is a potential wealth generator, look carefully, you could be sitting on gold, like some communities in Zambia have done in some now renowned mining (e.g. Lumwana, Munali hills etc) areas. It may not necessarily be real Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

15

tangible minerals but another resource that can open the door to bigger gains in future. I admire the “Kaponya” entrepreneurial spirit when selling their merchandise, how aggressive and innovative they are! The elite are too proud “Ichipale” to enter the tax-free business! Another thing that needs to change for virtually everyone led or not is the fear of people and perceptions. Another radical mental shift people need to make is to learn to save and invest. Half the time, most employees are expenditure inclined and rarely think about saving or seriously investing in some venture. Most of our bank accounts are barely income and expenditure (flow through accounts) rather than points of investment. In Africa, the led are very dependant and rarely venture out unless they are expressly permitted, even in the mundane things of life! The other side of the coin has the affluent, powerful, famous and recognised who think they own the world and can do anything they please. They bully everyone and pump airs wherever they go. No wonder they fail to fit into their native community fibre after a frowning providence visits them. Successive Zambian Presidents have been an interesting lot because they feel they own everything and everyone in the land. As such, they resort to running the nation as if it were their private farm. If anyone asks too many questions, they are in grave danger, anything evil can befall them. There is need to develop a questioning and enquiring spirit that is not stifled or intimidated by any one. This may sound unwelcome to some quarters, especially to people in power. But the entrepreneur has a unique self-leadership quality that enables them to develop an independent mind leading to self-actualisation. A country predominantly centred on politics and politicians suggests how weak and under developed the economy is. A large and well developed economy has a smaller room for the politician and runs its huge machinery on entrepreneurship. 2.

Generating wealth. The second is to ensure that you firmly lay it to heart that to progress one must look for pragmatic workable ways to generate your own wealth as opposed to cultivating a dependence syndrome. Settle it in mind that as you develop an oasis, yea, fountain of wealth “creation”, you are on your way to success, although the initial sacrifice may be painstakingly hard to bear or manage. Only later will this sacrifice pay dividends, sometimes long after the initiator has left the centre stage. The principle then is that asset begets asset or wealth bequeaths wealth. This may imply using other people’s

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

16

money, getting a loan or credit as well as investing in a unique market thus cutting a niche. Whatever the case, make the asset in hand work for you so that it reproduces itself. Put differently, one asset will produce another once prudently and well harnessed. Provided certain principles are upheld and practiced, I am not afraid of the result. Some principles include: (i) Entity and perpetual going concern: The organisation must have an identity of its own separate from the financiers. Half the time, the owners get offended once you attempt to divorce their private lives from the organisation. (ii) Separation of domestic and business affairs/transactions. There is need to run domestic affairs separately from the business. Often partnerships do not grow and blossom because the distinction is vague. The business must run as a self-standing entity. My parents tried and failed in many businesses, probably because the same business also supplemented our domestic budget. Usually, in such settings, the working capital remains the same or decline with time. (iii) Consistency, bit by bit/constancy. There is need to hold the highest ethics, seriousness and consistency over the years. The way of recording transactions and policies must be clearly laid down and followed from year to year. (iv) Sacrifice and commitment. Investment entails delaying immediate gratification with a view to multiply returns in future. This is by no means easy but profitable. If you are not ready to wait, wealth creation will elude you and make you feel the frustration often. (v) Diligence and determination. Diligence entails self-exertion and desire to get something done. Ardour, energy, resolution and pulse are needed to get things done. A determined person does not accept defeat as an option but is always advancing. (vi) Vision. This refers to the future mental picture of what you would like to see as your ultimate goal. Without a clear view and goal, you and I grope around in the darkness and leave everything to chance. (vii) Consortium mindedness. To achieve great things, you need others contribution to make the burden lighter. Half the time, we operate as solo commandos and wonder why we scarcely succeed! With correct terms of reference and team work, much can be achieved. Egocentrism will only sink us lower than the grave. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

17

There are other traits required. When the first asset is separately and prudently managed, it will generally beget other assets. For example, a plot of idle land can have many uses some of them being: (i) Build on it. Construct a structure progressively increasing the properties’ value. (ii) Rent/lease it out. You could lease it out with appropriate conditions that favour asset value increase. (iii) Plant fruits, trees etc. The plot must not be left bare. Plant some trees. It could just add value as we hurtle towards green business in a bid to save the planet. (iv) Partially develop it to raise value (e.g. borehole set up) and (v) In an extreme case, sell it! Once the above is done, it will open another financial stream that can be ploughed back as investment to raise the present levels of business. Let us take option one for a case study, once the building is set up or nearly complete, potential tenants will begin to enquire. As soon as the place is ready, they occupy it, pay advance rentals as agreed. This same cash can be either used to service a loan, cushion some urgent matter (though you meticulously watch this!) or simply reinvest in another structure. Note carefully, that the first building will start paying back and over time increases your asset base. Obviously, the payback period is crucial for some people but long term projects have to give an allowance never the less. Whilst building, it often occurs that insufficient liquid cash is available, a number of potential cash sources can be summoned whilst bearing in mind the cost of capital. Sometimes the cash needed may just be bridging financeℜ to complete the project. These resources help one to complete a structure in a shorter time period thereby cutting down on other overheads that would have accumulated due to price exchange differentials resulting from a combination of factors such as inflation. Some of the suggested sources of finance could be: (i) A loan from the bank-there will be interest charged as the cost of capital but always remember that cash in hand now has more value than tomorrow. There is a cost to borrowing. (ii) Enter into a consortium with others who will co-finance your project and then share the proceeds in future. From Mr. Johnson Malipenga BA, Choma, Zambia, 15 /02/05

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

18

(iii)

Enter into an agreement where others develop your land and use it “rent free” for a period of time equivalent to the amount spent in the building process. In short, you lease out the land on condition that they develop the portion.

As can be seen, the first option has a multiplier effect over time in that other structures will develop into profit centres. As a general rule, real estate is the most stable and appreciative business in the world of all time. Think of the September 11, 2001 bombing of the twin towers, what really hurt was not so much the trade itself as much as the trade centre buildings! Whereas trade resumed the next day, the buildings remain in ruins. As late as 2007, debate of reconstruction rages on while income is daily lost. On the local scene, the Building Society House continues to be an eyesore, as it stands erect after the great fire of 1997. Think of the billions of potential revenue dollars that have been lost the past decade or so. 3. Up root pitfalls: Why Zambians do not succeed in projects Zambians generally do not succeed in their own projects but ironically do so for others because many of them do not see value of originating an idea and actualising it in real life. By and large, Zambians are born and bred to work for others, an institution or some domineering power. They do not see the need to inconvenience themselves over their own project, for they wrongly think that time is readily available to do their thing much later. Below are some the reasons why Zambians do not succeed in their own projects: (i) Lack of vision/weak strategic thinking. The serious myopic views cripple many. (ii) Laissez faire attitude/laziness. Many long to rest and have ease even before they strike gold. (iii) Indifference. Others are indifferent, do not care or leave things to chance. (iv) Procrastination. They push things to a later date when they can do things today. Many leave things to the very last when it is too late. (v) No sense of urgency. If you do not see any immediate tangible benefit, your antennas suddenly go to sleep thus leading to a weakened pulse. Life is an urgent serious matter worth our attention. From Mr. Paul Mumba MBA, Lusaka, Zambia 06/07/2004

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

19

Projects not time bound, they are ongoing with practically no time frame. Life is a talent and must thus be meticulously handled. (vii) Pleasure driven mindset that always looks for the slightest opportunity to indulge the sensual desires. (viii) Weak determination. Determination is very rare today in many souls. Yet it is a very necessary ingredient if we are to succeed in life. (ix) Weak due diligence. Vigilance coupled with determination and drive take people to great lengths in life. They do not spare any efforts or leave any stone unturned. Absence of this results in serious trouble and poverty. (x) The fear of being branded “too thrift”, “blue eyed boy” or “too hard working” with an ulterior motive. Some live through life fearing their own shadows and as such, do not achieve anything tangible. (xi) Poor or no documented strategic plans. To write down an idea or business plan for some people is harder than to dodge a speeding bullet that grazes the forehead! They do not want to commit themselves. Let us take a leaf from the Vietnamese people who are amazingly resilient and forward-looking! Mr Paul Woodsϑ testifies that these people have a clear vision of their personal lives often transcending many generations hence. Could this explain why the Vietnamese fended off the Americans in the great war of 1967/68? Probably. The strong sense of destiny drives them along life’s winding paths. Lack of this foresight accounts for the poverty that surrounds some countries, which, though richly endowed, remain firmly clutched in the poverty cycle. (xii) Indiscipline to stick to plan. Zambians are excellent planners but poor implementers. The paper work is impeccable but the chosen implementers are not equal to the task in that they are not bound to their commitment. (xiii) Content with the status quo. As long as nobody dies but scrounges around, the average Zambian will be too content to challenge the status quo. As it was, as it is and so shall it be! Many sleeping dogs snooze in Zambia to the detriment of the people themselves. The absence of physical war for instance is viewed as “peace and prosperity”. But think of the daily mental battles that are constantly waged in those heads as they walk around in our streets? The Zambian never thinks of improving their lot or challenging the (vi)

May 2007

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

20

(xiv)

(xv)

(xvi)

(xvii) (xviii)

(xix)

(xx)

prevailing situation. The classic phrase that “Change is always resisted” probably derived from one of Newton’s laws matches exactly with the Zambian mentality! If it is a “Kantemba,” Zambians would rather see it remain stagnant as long as the working capital is preserved. But the project ought to progress and develop! How can one be proud to remain in their nappies ten years after birth? Mixing/mingling domestic affairs with the project. This is a killer trait in many a project in Zambia. Many cannot possibly conceive the independence of the business from themselves. They view the business and themselves as inseparable! Any suggestion to the contrary appears to be an attempted coup detait! Perhaps many have grown up under partnerships! But the successful project is separate from the individuals who are mere actors in the project. Diverting of resources. Due to many factors including abject poverty, countless resources are diverted to other areas, some essential and others purely from wanton indiscipline. The rise of the Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is partly because the Governments have proved masters at resource diversion and red tape. But then, this diversion spirit emanates from individual make-ups. That further explains why some “foundations” are never complete and repeatedly laid in Zambia. Unclear targets and goals. Some people and nations roll through life like a rock on a cliff to their destruction. This ought not to be instead, they should be in charge of their destiny with crystal clear targets, benchmarks and goals. Lying. Others are addicted to lies and get by using trickery and telling half truths. Wrong and mixed priorities. This is a dark blemish on many countries and individuals. They may have the resources quite alright but mess up due to poor strategy and wrong priorities. No monitoring, evaluation or redesign. Zambians are terrible at maintenance. They work really hard to get the initial capital item but fail to maintain it. Somehow, they expect that maintenance is automatic. Take a look at public buildings like schools, colleges, Universities and so forth. Venture out of the “normal” comfort zone. Many dread leaving their safe haven into the turbulent challenging world, previously unknown to them. They would rather stick to the known and only

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

21

move a step once forced by natural circumstances. And yet what opportunities they miss! We trust that this chapter has provoked you to greater heights of usefulness and pragmatism. You rise or fall contingent on your strategic plans and acting. Let us now progress to consider some definitions so that we are on the same page. Bibliography Birkey Verna, Less stress more peace, Fleming H Revell, 1995 Carson Ben, The Big picture, Zondervan, 1999. Cole Robert & Mishler Lon, Credit Management, McGraw-Hill International editions, 11th edition, 1998 Curry S.J & Winfield R.G, Success in investment, 3rd edition, John Murray publishers, 1981. Jacobson Ken, Those fatal mistakes, Vistage International (UK) Krames A. Jeffrey, The Welch way: 24 lessons from the World’s greatest CEO, Tata McGraw-Hill edition, 2002 Campbell David J. Organisations and the Business environment, Butter worth Heinemann, Oxford, Amsterdam etc, 1997. Dresner Simon, The Principles of Sustainability, Earthscan, London, Sterling, VA, 2002 International Bible Society, Holy Bible, New International version (NIV) 1973 Blanchard Ken & Muchnick marc, The Leadership Pill, Free Press, 2003 Brown C Keith & Reilly K Frank, Investment Analysis & Portfolio management, 5th edition, The Dryden press, 1997 Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

22

International labour office, Zambia: Basic needs in an economy under pressure, 1981 Institute of African studies, Cultural industries in Southern Africa, 1988 Dowley Tim, Briggs J etal (edit), The History of Christianity, Lion Publishing, 1977. Hill Napoleon, Think and grow rich, 1928 Holt H David, Entrepreneurship: New venture creation, Prentice Hall of India, 2006 Befus R David, Where there are no Jobs, LAM, 2005 Karioki, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Maxwell C John, The winning attitude: Your key to personal success, Pauline publications, 1993. Mwanakatwe M John, End of Kaunda Era, Multimedia publications, 1994 Sanyal C Bikas, Case John H, Dow S Philip, Jackman E Mary, Higher Education and labour market in Zambia,: Expectations and performance, The UNESCO press, UNZA, 1976. Schapera I, Government & Politics in tribal societies, C.A. Watts & Co. Ltd Shelton, L.R Covetousness the root of all evil, Mt Zion publications Steger B Manfred, Globalisation: A very short introduction, Oxford University Press, 2003 Willis Richard, The AIDS pandemic, The Stanborough Press, 2002 Young Steve, Great failures of the extremely successful: Mistakes, adversity, failure and other stepping stones to success, Jaico publishing house, 2007

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

23

Chapter 2 Definitions

In the previous chapter, we gave an over view of typical daily life scenarios of many people across the world especially as relates to developing countries. It was abundantly demonstrated from that chapter that many youths today both delight and dread the day they leave school though get disillusioned when they realise that the competitive world is not as friendly Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

24

or easy as they initially thought. At the time of leaving school, they had mistakenly believed that the worst had dwindled into the irretrievable past only to discover that they still had to adjust their energy gears to keep up with the times. In short, life suddenly or gradually becomes more demanding and half the time sucks most of their best energies. Even international students often dread returning home after studies because “they can smell poverty at the airport” as they alight from the plane. The previous chapter briefly touched on a number of key principles that open the door to success once properly and prudently observed as one passes through life. In this present chapter, we define terms to ensure we are on the same page as we walk together. It is extremely important to weed out all ambiguities so that we tow the same line as we ascend to higher ground. To do this, we define basic words just in case. No assumptions are made by that token. What is work? The first word that begs clear definition is the four-lettered word “work”. Work means many things to different people. It is defined variously across the world and evokes varied reactions. Some love the word, others hate it or are simply indifferent. At the mention of the word “work”, some cringe because it evokes some amount of self exertion while others delight and beam up to be associated with it as it bespeaks some dignity. They feel it is the only reasonable thing to do on this side of the grave. We attempt to give some definitions though we know that we cannot fully define it in capsule form. The first idea to come to mind is that work involves some form of selfexertion in a particular direction. In other words, work is the energy exerted to move from point “A” to point “B”. This simply means exercising mental or physical energy to move an object or self from one spot to the other. Another definition carries the connotation of using mental and physical strength to generate wealth. The worker uses their best strength, determination, will, competence, ability and wisdom to generate wealth. This entails long range penetrative thinking and acting. Before any step or action is taken, the person concerned spends time critically thinking through processes, systems and outcomes of their proposed action. Having clearly determined their path, they then summon all the latent potential energy, turn it into kinetic to achieve their target. As sweaty application is in motion, wealth is created contributing to the overall lifetime goal. In other words, good livelihood is a result of calculated risk taking buttressed by constant relentless breath taking self-application. Next time you see a comfortable or rich person, register in your mind immediately that they must have begun some time back painstakingly working at their objective. Further still, work Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

25

has a scientific definition. This definition stated in equation form: Work = force X distance. The scientific definition defines work in relation to force, direction and the distance covered, assumedly in a physical sense because it is not possible to measure the mental distance covered neither is it possible to tell which direction and with what force the thoughts are going. In science terms then, the force applied and the distance covered in either walking, moving an object or physical self-application is what is measured and quantified to define work. Still, the average lay person on the street has their own definition of “work”. This could include the use of mental and physical energy or strength to generate wealth. As can be seen, work is viewed variously but we can safely say that work is produced by mental labour, such as authoring a book, composing a song or poems for example. This includes evoking the inner creative powers, inner resources, skills or energies that one employs to generate a totally new dimension. That explains why intellectual property is a big issue in the developed world. The developing world does not generally take this matter seriously because they are by and large mere users who do not know what amount of torture someone undergoes to create an idea. In Africa, products are largely communal (at least historically) while in the West, products are private, individual and personal assets thus patenting. For a long time, the Far East Asian countries have been guilty of imitations, plagiarism and all the rest of it because mental work is not easy to quantify. So much then for the “work” usage and definition. But what constitutes work? What are the elements of work? We set out to crystallise some cardinal ingredients of this all-important word. What work involves: a. Self-exertion. There is an amount of energy exerted in a specified direction and end. The person in question marshals all their mental and physical faculties in order to reach out for their goal. Nothing is ever achieved by a laid-back laissez faire person. b. Smartness, strategic thinking, proactiveness as taught by Stephen Covey, “quadrant two”. In addition to self-exertion, the person employs the best ways to achieve maximum yield. Some targets are reached without much ado simply because the strategic thinker has properly planned, sharpened his chisel long before the work is undertaken. I often marvel at our own Chess Grand Master (GM) Amon Simutowe. The Chess ace has distinguished Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

26

himself by resolutely developing a serious chess mindset that has upset major long established players. For instance, to clinch his GM norm, he beat at least three high profile GMs who had clinched their credentials as far back as 1954, long before he was born. Evidently, the young man relentlessly trained himself to the top and knew exactly what needed to be done on the chess board once he sat there. Other people that have intrigued me have been Professor Clive Chirwa and Mr Gift Mulongesa with their pioneering and inventive minds. Mental work requires iron discipline to develop and maintain. c. Tact. Closely connected to smartness, the person employs wisdom, networks and is methodical in approach. Tact has to do with ones’ wittiness, negotiation skills, acumen, clout and an ability to get things done with minimum inconvenience on their part. d. Skill & competence. To get things done to the required standard, the person has to marshal their inherent talent or acquired skills. Having been at it for some time, they are most probably experts in that procedure and soon achieve their goals without much ado. Always sharpen your skills and hence build your competence base. e. Diligence. Diligence entails some level of restlessness until the desired objective is achieved. Further, diligence bespeaks urgency, concern, forward looking, target focused and clearly demonstrated interest in achieving the goal. f. Concentration. For one to show some sign of seriousness, they must have clearly defined their objectives and then zero in on their strategy to hit the mark. To get the precise end, concentration and focus are needed. For a number of years, academic success eluded this author until a friend suggested that I needed to concentrate when studying as opposed to needlessly spending many fruitless hours yielding little. In his view, a quality hour or two would do just fine as compared to my daily four-five hours study periods. His suggestion did the trick. g. Consciousness. Serious work also means that one has to be awake to the reality that they are about a serious matter that demands their whole being. Doing a work half asleep does not help getting good quality work done, is slower and the person involved rarely learns anything new. Their proficiency levels are continuously low. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

27

h. Energy. Diligence alluded to in (e) above is in some sense an outcome of some hidden spark within. The inner drive, purpose and will direct and energise the diligence exhibited outwardly. Thus, energy is the force and purpose driven activity to achieve the goal even when everyone else has long gone to sleep. i. Devotion. Giving oneself wholly to some cause means one has consciously thought through issues and voluntarily elected to pursue that path. Devotion then has to do with a person fully and wholly unreservedly committing him / herself to something they consider worthwhile and beneficial. Devotion demands time, talent and resource outlay and consecration. j. Direction and goal. It is possible to have a lot of energy, resources and muscle and yet dissipate energies wastefully in the wrong direction. Thus, as part of work, the person has to first define their goal and thus apply their energy in a guided fashion towards the right direction. k. Determination and resolution. Determination is the missing ingredient in many a potentially successful person. Either they are too content with what they have or are far too timid to challenge the status quo. Winners are resolutely determined to face all odds until their goal is reached. The Bible says that the righteous person is as bold as a lion, but sadly many upright people show the contra picture. They should and must be bold because they are on the right side of the law! Never accept to settle for the mediocre, cast off temptations to become familiar with or accustomed to the substandard. A little more resolve like Daniel of old and you could become a world-class person. Determination entails having a fixed and firm path that you resolve to pursue regardless of what comes in the way. Determined people usually achieve their goals in life. What are you passionate about? When the Apostle Paul went to Corinth, he determined to avoid anything that threatened to take him away from his mission. He achieved his goal and no wonder we read his works today. l. Painstaking perseverance in some instances. Sometimes, the best things in life come by painstaking sacrifice, perseverance and patience. This entails observing the natural laws leading to your desired outcomes of course having responsibly done your part. Some desired goals take time while others come almost immediately after following the right procedure. Know Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

28

what you are about and your expected out come and then hurl yourself towards the mark. Do not give up when you fail or encounter hurdles, in fact, turn them into stepping-stones to success. m. Self-application. In a sense, the diligence and energy points have covered this but we go further to state that you need to consciously, deliberately apply all your faculties in the right direction. Sometimes, opportunity eludes many a person because they are simply lazy to apply themselves when prosperity is only a click away. For example, those that have 24/7 internet connectivity are among the laziest in searching for things on the net such as scholarships. Once a person that does not readily have access to such a facility is giving an opportunity, just watch how diligently they apply themselves! Similarly, those that work in strategic institutions do not fully maximise their chances. I here talk about correct, ethical and lawful things not conflict of interest, abuse of office or stealing as is often rife in our degenerate nation today. n. Good attitude/mindset. This point is abundantly clear to all but sadly we must emphasize it because many Zambians are especially crippled at this point. While they express some zest and interest for a season in a particular undertaking, they soon unconsciously slip into the laissez faire mode where work becomes an inconvenience. They might initially pledge alright to do the work but they procrastinate and in the end may not do it or do it under extreme duress. The cure to this is to first develop a positive attitude towards work, viewing it as necessary and essential for ones’ goodwill and selfesteem. Without this positive mindset, truckloads of excuses continue pouring out galore. Much of the poverty we see in Zambia today, apart from the bad laws, is a result of a poor and bad work culture emanating from a bad crippled attitude/mindset towards work. o. Time bound. Life is a talent given to us by God to be effectively utilized to His glory and for our personal good. As such, everything you and I undertake under the sun must be viewed against the backdrop of being stewards who must achieve certain targets in a given time frame. With such a mindset, you soon realise that the 25,000 + days we have on earth must be effectively utilized to the maximum. As such, life must be viewed as a project with a start and end date though the end date may arrive anytime, hence the need to redeem the time. People who do not view life that way often waste away time, and opportunity instead of seizing opportunities as they present themselves. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

29

p. Resilience. In a sense, resilience is connected to perseverance except that in this instance, you repeatedly rise up after a fall. No matter how tough the going gets and regardless of how many times you stumble or fall, you still rise up to continue. In fact, you get stronger by the day, to the amazement of onlookers. I recall how, unawares, I used to surprise my friends after every exam failure or relationship breakup. According to them, I possessed an amazing amount of inner strength to rise out of traumatic situations and move on. While they expected me to give up any time, I instead appeared stronger by the day. I often laugh and wish they had just a glimpse of the turmoil within! But the point is that you should never give up or accept defeat until you are dead. I have heard of a Member of Parliament (MP) who tried and lost three times before he finally went to Parliament. In addition, he hardly has any credentials beyond grade twelve and yet he was in the august house participating in the making of national laws! Now bwana, to wait for 15 years before winning an election is high degree of resilience! q. Ethics. These are guiding principles determining what is right, wise and acceptable in a given context. Every context has its own rules and regulations and in some cases, unwritten but expected behaviour conduct. Some do not believe in ethics at all. They think that ethics are a waste of time and hindrance to innovation in a competitive global context. As long as no one dies, they will use any and every trick in the book to get ahead. But ethics have a place and will preserve you long into the future. So much then for the definition of work and what constitutes it, we now proceed to briefly consider the ‘Labour’ definition as used largely in this book. Labour ‘Labour’ is a word that was once frequently on people’s lips in generations gone by but this seems to have significantly reduced in these latter days perhaps because of the rapid changes in our times. One possibility for this could be connected to the work types as well as the evolution of other new industries that are less physique intensive having sprouted leaning towards ‘white-collar’ jobs. In the past, most of the work was labour intensive, routine and predictable but this has progressively shifted towards a mental slanting, diverse and analytical kind of work. By that token, the white-collar jobs seem to carry more premium because knowledge work reigns for now. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

30

In fact, some countries like South Korea have already strategically positioned themselves towards the knowledge and weightless economy where the new currency is fresh ideas rather than the financial muscle primarily. Be that as it may, at the bottom of the hierarchy however, someone somewhere has to fold their sleeves and get down to some really hard menial work. Entrepreneurs and sole proprietors usually have to take on the laborious aspects of the work. But what exactly is Labour? As you have probably noted, we have indirectly alluded to what Labour actually is. As opposed to mental work, Labour has more to do with self-physical application towards achieving a given objective. In other words, the use of physical strength is more prominent than the systematic strategic mental exertion that occasions regular white-collar work. Labour involves sweat, toil, sacrifice, strain, self-exertion and an amount of perseverance towards a certain end. Usually, there is sweating and breathe taking energy outlay. For instance, the gravediggers or those “Men at Work” along our roads are labourers in the sense that they are using their physical strength as opposed to their grey matter. Thus we can differentiate Labour from work by stating that labour involves hard, strenuous, exhausting physical exertion while work may not necessary involve physical strength or some force application in a given direction. To achieve anything in life, one must apply themselves in appropriate ways so that they reap their gold medal. In this book, the words “work” and “Labour” are interchangeably used though a thin dividing line exists. The table below summarizes the material differences between Labour and work. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LABOUR AND WORK LABOUR WORK ¬ >Toilsome and physique intensive. >Draws on mental faculties as well as the inner creative faculties. >Largely physical. >Can be physical or mental >Physically sweaty. >May not be necessary physically sweaty. >Usually found among the lower >Varies and usually involves some class and may involve a lot of routine skill, competence and sometimes procedures. technical. >Found in all classes but largely among the elite e.g. “white collar Webster’s dictionary defines toil as “To accomplish by great labour. To exert strength with pain and fatigue; To labour. To advance with labourious exertion or with much effort…turmoil, struggle etc”

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

31

jobs”. Having laid the definition foundation stone, it now remains for us to apply in the ensuing chapters. I hope you have been gauging yourself already as to where you fall and whether you actually sufficiently exert yourself to the limit, for that is the only key to achieve the extraordinary. The faint hearted and lazy bones cannot leave any indelible mark upon their generations. Scan through history and show me just one person who achieved a feat half asleep. I dare assert that all that have left a mark upon the sands of time and corridors of the centuries have pre-eminently been people of hard, resilient, persistent and consistent hard work. They have weathered the tides of the times and orbited in a unique lonely path. In one-way or the other, it costs much to break away from the familiar human ‘force of gravity’. Many of us get weighed down and give up even when we harbour immense potential to change the world and leave a lasting impression upon our generation. Of course, right motive is what keeps your motor running long after every one has gone to darling sweet bed. I wonder, are you the worker of the times? Having defined terms, it is high time we moved on from this spot for the time is short, we must redeem it.

===================== ================ Bibliography Post 26th August 2007 Befus R David, Where there are no jobs, LAM, 2005 Shaw Ian (editor), Social issues and the local church, Evangelical Press of Wales, 1988 Abbot A, Principles of Physics, 1987 International Bible Society, New International Version, 1973. Harman A. M, Renwick A. M, The story of the Church, intervarsity Press, 3rd edition, 1958 Gort A. H, Get that job, Parragon Book, 2002 Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

32

Chapter 3 The nature and rationale of labour The previous two chapters have set the foundation upon which we erect the superstructure. First, we gave a birds’ eye view of the situation obtaining generally, at least in third world Zambia. Next, we considered the working definitions that we seek to employ in this book so that we are on the same page. In this present chapter, we briefly look at the nature and rationale of work as to why people apply themselves to generate wealth and earn a living. Why sweat it out through life only to consume and continue craving for more? These and several other questions will occupy the central theme of our discussion hence. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

33

As earlier alluded to, the logical mind always craves satisfactory answers as to what it is about. At this stage, the question “why work?” pops up. Why spend so many hours, days, yea, all our earthly years labouring away at things that will elude us at death? Why exert yourself and thus in some sense waste energy in pursuing things that do not have an eternal bearing on the life here after? The Teacher in Ecclesiastes had a serious struggle with this question because when he surveyed the end result of all his toil, it was all vanity, a mere chasing after the wind. After all my hard labour, my successor might just come and wipe away all our gains by the stroke of the pen and like the prodigal son, waste it all on riotous living. But then, viewed positively, work is essential for our sanity, well being and having a dignified comfortable quality of life. Work must be engaged in because it is right, reasonable and empowers one to have several options or choices in the way they want to live. In other words, no one can dictate to me how I should spend my money if I have genuinely worked for it with my own hands. Further, I can confidently make choices that parasitic people cannot. For instance, if I have acquired a skill and expertise in a certain area, I can easily elect to work on my own or hire myself out at a higher fee. On the other hand, if I do not have any special skill and merely depend on hand outs, I will scarcely think outside the box. Naturally, I will be inclined to begging from donors who also sometimes have clandestine agendas of keeping me dependant on them as the case may be. It is thus reasonable and of high benefit to the worker if they learn the ropes with a view to move on to independently establish their own income generating activity. Having established what work is, we now briefly consider the real rationale for work at two levels namely the rational (logical) and Biblical. 1. The rational argument- It makes sense to work One hardly needs to belabour the point that a good head and work often results in some kind of profit. From the earliest times of human existence, work has been the predominant activity to generate food, clothing and wealth in general. Tracing anthropogenic development through the ages, it is clear that work has been non-negotiable. Work as defined earlier, is viewed from different perspectives depending on what aspect one is looking at but in normal parlance refers to some kind of physical and mental activity whereby one exerts themselves to generate some profit. For instance, in the farming world, ploughing, planting, weeding and harvesting are various stages of one work process. Note that in doing the Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

34

so called physical work, the mind is involved such as crop insurance, reading the weather patterns, best cultivation practices and ensuring crop maximization regarding land utilization. Therefore, the person that will not work is viewed as absurd or mentally deranged. In extreme cases, the lazy people are marked out and denied any form of benefit such as food. The author has often met eccentric fellows that specialize in parasating on other people’s labours. They will not keep a job nor be ready to carry out any kind of menial work, as “it is below their status!” Sadly, a good portion of this affects most Zambians. Lazy people in Zambia are in at least two categories namely the Short cutters, corrupt and rippers. The other class is those that simply love the finer things of life. They live in a wishful thinking world where they always daydream about what could be or what obtains in the film industry! They form their perceptions about the ideal life based on what comes out of Hollywood and therefore spend all their lives complaining on just how Zambia is a lousy, poor, obnoxious, filthy and cursed place. They go further to assert that Zambia can never develop and will forever remain many generations behind the first world. Granted that their assertions may hold true but ask them what they themselves have done positively to change the world. A cursory survey on their productive lives will reveal just how barren they are in the area of labour. Those that have attempted to relocate to the first world with the same laissez faire attitude have received a rude shock of their lives because people in the West hardly have time to waste but are constantly working, working, working! Those that have been humble enough have trickled back to mother Zambia and started afresh. The bulk remain as paupers in those respective countries, too ashamed to come back home. However, those that have made it out there are in all probability the most astute and diligent at their callings. Such would never fail in Zambia, contrary to what the learned counsel once asserted that those who work outside Zambia are failures! On the other hand, the short cutters always look for the quick fix and reap far more than they deserve. Being opportunists, they prowl around looking for whom to devour of their wealth. Since King Fred institutionalised corruption in 1991, nearly every Zambian has been infected with the easy, quick fix virus! But genuine work is painstaking, seasoned, planned, logical and structured. 2.

The Biblical argument

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

35

The Bible is a very interesting book indeed, interesting in the sense that it covers all aspects of life either directly or by way of principle. One of the areas that the Bible strongly and directly talks about is the issue of hard work. It often baffles the author’s mind that despite such clear instructions from the word of God, and Zambia being an avowed ‘Christian Nation’ (At least from the 1991 Chiluba declaration!), religious people shockingly rank among the laziest in the area of labour and work. Various reasons can be advanced for this pathetic situation but for now, we zero in on what the Bible positively says about work. In the previous section, we sought to show that work is reasonable and a natural expectation. In this section we proceed to assert that even the Bible commands that work be the main activity to occupy every person. This is so because this is a command and an aspect of worship to God. In Genesis 1×, it is shown how God placed the man in the Garden of Eden, probably located in present day Iraq, to work and take care of it. This was long before the fall when things turned from bad to worse. The Garden was well watered and probably needed very little labour intense work compared to the present and yet God instructed Adam to work! As the Bible is scanned further, it becomes evident that work became hard but still needed to be carried out (Genesis 3). Having experienced the fall, creation thrown into disarray, the world increasingly became a painful place to live because from the day of birth to death, it was toil, sweat, pain, sorrow and hard work throughout. Yet, work remained a command! By the time one reaches the New Testament, it is more than clearly demonstrated that work is not only expected but part of the very Christian fibre. Whereas the unbelieving world might want to manipulate or cut down on work, the Christian is called upon to diligently do their best to the greater glory of God. Take Acts 20:33-34 for instance (“I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions”), we note that the Apostle Paul made it a point and resolve in his life to work hard and not to be a burden. Although he had privileges as an Apostle, his eye was fixed on the long-term goal. He continued to tent make while he preached the Gospel so that he would not only be a preacher but a mentor as well. “... In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive”! These were powerful words that came from the Holy Bible

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

36

mouth of a giant in the faith. Let us notice a few lessons for our instruction: a. Note that the Apostle Paul was a leader that actually exemplified what he said in public. He says that for a space of three years, he never tired in working hard so that he could show by way of example. b. Paul had been an excellent understudy of the Lord and recalled all that was taught to him and therefore sought to pass on what he heard. He recalls some actual words of the Lord, probably passed down by oral tradition, that it was more blessed to give than to receive. The picture today is entirely altered by many present day preachers. c. Paul worked really hard, day and night using his hands to generate wealth. He ensured that he inoculated himself against covetousness by ensuring that his team was adequately catered for constantly. Paul never visited people’s homes in the pretext of preaching whilst secretly coveting and envying people’s goods and riches, but nay, he toiled and laboured through out. Laziness was tantamount to sin, and for sure it is. Note further that the Apostle was a strategic thinker who used what he had in hand to provide for his needs. He never waited for donor funds nor rejoiced when he qualified to be placed on the ‘Highly Indebted and Poor Countries’ (HIPC) conditions. Progressive people effectively use their heads and hands to get what they want. Sometimes, to get the finer things of life, it may have entailed doing some apparently demeaning jobs but what did it matter, if only he avoided begging or being a burden to others? d. As his team generated wealth, they had a special eye towards the weak that by their natural constitution could not fend for themselves. He had no time for the deliberately slothful and lazy but went out for those whose providential circumstances had frowned. Today, we have a vast army of people from different walks of life that are parasitic. They are able bodied but spend their lives begging or lazing around. Some of the people covered under this category are relatives, friends, children and spouses. Pastor Cholwe Mweetwa has written an excellent treatise on the thorny subject of ‘relatives’, you will do well to avail yourself to that one.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

37

In a nutshell, Paul was not content with the easygoing kind of life that characterizes many so-called believers today. His motto was to leave a blameless legacy after he had exited the earthly tent. In addition to what we have highlighted above, Paul was of a firm belief that Christians ought to be the best employees at all times. They ought to be diligent, disciplined, honest, trustworthy, hard working, reliable, consistent, optimistic, excellent time managers, models and shine like stars in a wicked and depraved generation. For instance, he taught that Christians needed to work hard whether the boss was present or not. In other words, they needed minimum supervision because they were conscious of God (Colossians 3:22). Elsewhere, the Bible talks about doing everything with all our might to the greater glory of God (Ecclesiastes 9:10). This means that whatever the Christian undertakes, they must resolve to put in their best so that in the end, God might receive the glory. Many years ago as a student, the author recalls how saints endeavoured to do their best because they did not want to bring shame to the name of the Lord by their dismal academic performance. In the same breathe, there was a fair share of those that spoke more about “being heads not tails” and yet hardly set their eyes on their books! Such ones hardly even attended lectures at all, but in the event they did, they hardly concentrated. The same holds in the working world, many have degrees but can hardly perform to expectation. The home is another scandalous area for many saints. Many hardly know how to cook, make beds or even help around. They always imagine that they are King’s kids with royal blood flowing within their veins and cannot possibly stoop so low as to labour! But they forget that they have duo citizenship. For now, they are on earth and must obey the laws of nature, at least in those aspects. Therefore, there is need to revisit our paths and ensure they are in conformity with the Holy writ. For reference, you could look up the some verses from the Holy Bible to buttress our argument.ι Dicti on ar y definiti on of wo rk Webster’s dictionary definition is “Exertion of strength or faculties to accomplish something; toil; labour; that which is produced or accomplished by exertion or toil.” Clearly, work is that which is produced by mental labour examples of them being a book authoring, a poem or any other that involves I Thessalonians 4:11; I Thessalonians 5: ;I Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8,12; Acts 20: 33-34; Romans 12: 11; Genesis 1:28; Titus 3:1;Colossians 3:17,22-24; Ephesians 6:6-8; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Proverbs 22:29; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Colossians 3:23; 2 Corinthians 5: 9-10,

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

38

summoning the mental powers from within the inner resources. Any person that does not recognise or realise the nature and importance of work will remain indifferent or non-committal to any self-exertion. After all, according to McGregor’s theory, some perceive work as an inconvenience and necessary evil. Left to themselves, they would rather lazy around doing nothing. In Zambia, laziness takes a very interesting face. People are largely pleasure driven and by that token enjoy entertainment rather than selfexertion. Secondly, Zambians sometimes amazingly despise hard workers but love to be associated with the successful, as long as they are drawing some free benefits. If they do not suck some free benefits, the successful become foes. Who is to work? Every individual without exception is to engage in some kind of work, of course bearing in mind the various rights due to different classes of people. For instance, we do not expect child labour to be entertained but we do expect child work/training to take place so that they acquire survival life skills. In that way, the children grow up to be responsible innovative citizens rather than turning out highly parasitic public nuisances unless of course someone is a vegetable (invalid) or permanently physically challenged. Apart from those exceptions, all must learn to generate their own wealth as soon as possible. Recently, a case appeared in the news where a woman who suffered brain damage in 1990 and artificially received nutrition through a tube had her supply cut off by court order. The reasons advanced were twofold: There was no hope of her recovery after 15 years and secondly the husband claimed that his wife had said to him that if ever she became an invalid, her wish was to die as soon as possible. The parents to the woman had a contra opinion. Ethical issues flared up. Both sides of the human rights coin pundits forcefully echoed their reason for their stand. With all due respect to the law, such people (invalids) need help for sustenance. But if someone is able bodied and sane, why keep them idling around? When to work? The work is to be undertaken at all times with the greatest diligence. Depending on what shifts one elects, work must be pursued with utmost care and devotion. In the language of the Bible, all must diligently exert all their energies while it is day for night commeth when no one can labour. Six days must be devoted to arduous serious hard work. It is an urgent matter that The Post news paper 25th March 2005

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

39

needs to be accomplished in its due season or else it may not have a strategic fit or further your cause. Unless it is viewed as such, no one will waste their time to engage in work or they will do their duty at their leisure time. What to work for? Work for the good for self, family and the community at large. The primary reason is to please God by not being dependent upon anyone. You and I must work because in six days of the week, we must labour and do ALL our work for reasons of progress and maintenance. We must work to generate wealth so as to build capacity in yourself and others. Who to work for? We are to work for whoever we elect to serve. In another sense, we ought to work for ourselves by being self-employed. In all these circumstances, we are to do our best so that God might be praised in the end. Let us take a leaf from Joseph in Genesis 39:3, it is striking to note that Portipher, who by all standards served other gods could see that Joseph’s God was unique and made him prosper. Wherever the Christian is, the people around must be blessed as a result. The simple biblical principle still holds today: If you are faithful in little, you will be given more charge. Apart from being reliable and faithful, the saint should aim to be the best they ever can be. How to work: attitude and out put As earlier alluded to in the preceding point, the Christian is to put in their best at all times knowing that whatever they do is speaking who and whose they are. In the Scriptures, the Christian is called upon to work diligently, wholeheartedly, resiliently and innovatively. In all things, they should ensure they work as unto the Lord. This means that they are constantly to have one eye on the ultimate being they are to give account to-God. Many people, sadly even evangelical Christians tend to settle for mediocre output and justify their actions! But that ought not to be! Daniel had a different spirit and thus distinguished himself. I am yet to hear of an Ambassador that deliberately misrepresents the sending President and hopes to be spared. What more when representing the most high God? What to look out for as we work As we work, we are to look out for a number of things, some positive while others negative. We tabulate them in that order: A. Positive points to look out for: Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

40

i. The good work we do will be noticed and speak for us. ii. Excellent inter personal relations are built over time. iii. The oil of good interpersonal relations is effective communication. iv. You are uniquely blended, so do your best to show what you are made out of-Your mettle. v. Always take time off to rest and do other things such as hobbies sport etc vi. Always be thinking many years ahead so that you avoid being stranded after you leave formal employment. B. Negative points to watch out for: These are things that pull us down, sometimes unawares leading us to doomsday. It is wise to note each of them as we walk through life: i. Not everyone will be on your side. ii. Be careful who you confide in whatever plans you have. iii. In an office setting, beware of food poisoning, watch those teas that you drink! Never leave open drink bottles and go off only to return to them later. You have no telling what has been put in the drink while you were away. iv. Beware of being too close with the opposite sex or being overly familiar. It might just be the beginning of your down fall in terms of character. In the same breathe, never stifle team work or comradeship. vii. Your poor performance in the work place will speak against you to the next person. What is the best way to work? Work must be smart and hard. Not everyone who spends endless hours toiling away is necessarily the best worker, nor are they the most successful or effective. What matters is priority. The Pareto principle teaches that if one does the first 20% priority areas, they get an 80% return while those that deal with the 80% least priority areas, will get very little return. In the modern world, hard work must be coupled with smartness. Stephen Covey teaches that for one to cut down a tree given seven hours, they must spend the first six hours sharpening the axe and effortlessly cut it down in the last hour! Most of us spend one hour sharpening and six hours toiling to fell the tree. Prior hind thought to any activity will help to efficiently and effectively get results. In other words, people must work smart rather than merely hard. A larger treatment of smartness is reserved for another section of this book. But suffice it to say that people must be ready to perseveringly work hard and smart to reap the best results.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

41

====================================================== Bibliography International Bible Society, Holy Bible (NIV), 1973 Befus R David, Where there are no jobs, LAM, 2005 Young Steve, Great failures of the extremely successful: Mistakes, adversity, failure and other stepping stones to success, Jaico Publishing house, 2007

Chapter 4 “Do not eat unless you work” The necessity of labour

Without doubt, we have established that Labour is non-negotiable in the sense that we cannot avoid it if we are to get by. We have demonstrated both from the Biblical and rational argument that work brings about honour, dignity and progress in whatever undertaking we engage. The venerable Professor Clive Chirwa seems to have captured this very well going by the arguments he has put forward. Sadly, most of his advice has gone unheeded by Politicians. Be that as it may, the individual and nation stands to gain much if they but devoted themselves in the right things and direction. It would add more sense if we engaged in serious critical strategic thinking long before we launched out. For instance, the Zambian Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP), although heralded by some quarters, has at least one serious flaw, the over dependence on donor support. How can a vastly Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

42

endowed nation chronically rely on hand outs? The nation needs to galvanise its resource base so as to turn around its fortunes. Kenya has done it as it has lately been able to fund over 70% of its budget internally1. That said, there is need to encourage individuals to willingly and resolutely fold their sleeves and get cracking away at some hard work. This chapter gives some reasons as to the necessity and importance of labour. Work is crucial for the following reasons: a. It is the natural way to generate wealth. There is no short cut to wealth generation apart from painstaking hard work. This involves foregoing some present creature comforts to arrive at the desired haven. There are unwritten but proven “wealth creation laws of nature” which if violated leads to other problems. Our friends in the developed nations have long realised this and continually never lose grip on that handle. In as much as they enjoy their leisure, they do very serious prior work and “cool off” in readiness for the next day. They use every available factor of production and exploit it to the full, ensuring that they themselves are the chief beneficiaries. A tear evoking situation is the Zambian scenario where the natives are the last to benefit amidst plenty. One reason is the faulty laws as well as a weak mindset exhibited by the political leaders. Another is that the citizens expect handouts rather than persistent sweaty hard earned output. We need to go beyond mere wishful thinking and planning. b. It is the natural way to provide for ourselves in terms of food, clothing

etc. The first point is further highlighted in that having built food security around you, the next natural expectation is to be empowered to acquire next level needs. A nation that fails to feed itself is a shame. How can Zambia with a mere 12 million people fail to feed itself more than after 42 years of independence? Whatever rational reasoning we summon, it is simply not right to be thus disposed. You can only survive as long as you work. c. It makes sense. As earlier alluded to, it is just logical and makes

perfect sense to be a hard worker throughout life as it brings about dignity, wealth and comfort for all. Many Zambians wish to go abroad to “start a new life” but a rude shock awaits them when they arrive there that they need to sweat it out. By the time they realise that their pride will not do them any good, they have bills up to the neck and 1

As at 2007 in fact, other unconfirmed estimates range as high as 80%.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

43

almost starving. But if they had a culture of hard work right from infancy, they would have easily fitted in and moved along to prosperity. d. It is healthy. People must be occupied to maintain sanity. Some of the depressions we experience in developing nations could be as a result of being idle. If people were trained and equipped to think outside the box, use their skill and work hard, I think a good percentage of the apparent insanity we see today could be averted. The rank juvenile delinquency, crime and confusion could be minimized if people were kept busy doing something. As things stand, our context and setting shows more of bottlenecks rather than opportunities. But I still contend that great thinkers can still find a way where there seems to be no way. e. Makes people proudly own their achievements. I often feel really

good when I achieve a milestone in my life, especially if I have poured in my soul, energy and resources to achieve my objective. As I move around and talk with friends, I do so with a sense of regulated pride because I had rightfully applied my inner creative strengths to the limit. Similarly, when you hear great achievers talk about their accomplishments, we envy their glory but not their sweat. Sometimes, their egocentric sentiments offend us but the truth of the matter is that by God’s grace, they have achieved it! Unless you can silence them by your superior alternative feat. I think many Zambians need to learn this lesson of hard work thereby reaping tenfold as well as propping up their self-esteem. Sometimes I wonder whether those Ministers who go to lobby for national donor support have the right self-esteem. They seem to agree to any and every conditionality, no matter how ridiculous! Strive to be proud of your achievements, no matter how meagre. f. It is the basis for further development. Any nation that has advanced

in this global setting is one that first of all believes in itself. In addition, it is ready to harness its resources for national development. The development drivers could include local investors, Foreign Direct investment (FDI) and other factors of production coupled with a conducive enabling environment in terms of laws and political will. If all these and many more are rightly put in the correct dosages in a corrupt free environment, the nation will have begun somewhere. The Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

44

other critical aspect worth considering is the native mindset. If it is warped and boxed in, then despite all its potential, the nation will be repeatedly ripped off as has hitherto been the case in Zambia. g. Fosters maturity. As people work alongside each other, they cannot

but brush shoulders and eventually get to know each other. They get top learn how to relate to one another as well as what precipitates problems or harmony. As a result, people learn how to tolerate and handle one another. This is the path to maturity. h.

Brings about harmony. Closely connected to the previous point, work helps blend people from different walks of life, cultures and background work side by side to one another. The cultural barriers and differing value systems are refined as people share office or habitation area. I wonder what Zambia would have been like if different people from across Zambia had never worked together towards one goal. Work is appropriate “glue” that helps people.

There could be other points but this should suffice for now. We proceed to consider the result of hard work in brief though we shall enlarge upon this in a later chapter. 3. The result of hard work. Hard work usually yields good results and makes one confident as they face the future. Below, we briefly tabulate some of them. a. It pleases the Lord. Christians ought to be the best citizens any country can have. Philippians 4:8-9 should characterize them. Hard work is a clear mark of a true Christian. They work as hard and as much so that they can bring glory to God. Because their motives are right, they work as unto the Lord with a view to generate wealth that ultimately translates into help to the genuinely weak or poor. The Christian Church in the early centuries perhaps had far fewer deliberately poor saints. Granted that they were a persecuted and despised lot wherever they went, but they distinguished themselves by dignified hard work. Those that were more fortunate to amass a bit more than the average person always had a special eye towards the weak (Acts 20: 35) I am sure they were too ashamed to major in donor dependence but rather, they preferred to be the donors. In Zambia today, many delight in receiving free things but

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

45

this brings shame to the name of the Lord, if you are fine, able bodied and can generate wealth on your own. b. Secondly, It is the reasonable thing to do. It is rational and builds one’s esteem because you have the pride to confidently show case of what you can offer. If you specialise in hand out reception, you are robbed of any sense of pride and cannot confidently generate or sustain your new ideas. In other words, your creative powers are compromised and are “people opinion” dependant. One of McGregor’s points holds water that states that some people view work as necessary and good. It further connotes that work builds one’s psychic thus fostering inert creative powers. Scan the inventive geniuses of all time, what do you notice? Is it not their attitude that accounts for their feat accomplishments? Working with one’s hands clearly gives you courage to face the next mountain. c. Generates wealth. Although earlier alluded to, entrepreneurs usually surprise a lot of us. We often look around them to see if they have used under handed methods and if we cannot explain their success, we raise other destructive foul smelling rumours to fill in the suspicion gap. But half the time, these people have actually exploited their inner resources to move to the next level. If you do not take risks, do not expect to pull out of that present poverty quagmire. In other words, hard work brings about prosperity, security, serenity and in some senses, good health. Your present resources help you to get to the next level. Moses’ walking stick achieved many things for him and the Israelites. Make sure you get a hold of the factors of production and exploit them! For instance, Land is in serious abundance in Zambia but very little of it is exploited for self gain. Outsiders immediately spot this potential and grab it. As late as 2008, land was K 15,000 (about $ 3 dollars) per hectare in Mpika district with practically no upper limit of how much an individual could get! Where is the world can you get such a gracious offer? d. The ability to help the weak. Another aspect, derived from the first point in this section is the joy and privilege of being able to help the genuinely weak among us. In every society, the poor and weak will always be there, no matter how prosperous the place. Perhaps only Heaven is the exception but whilst here on this terrestrial ball, we must labour and toil to earn our bread. It is always a joy and delight to help a fellow human being beset by unfortunate circumstances of life. I do not for a moment encourages senseless handouts even to the able bodied who Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

46

turn into needless beggars. My point here is that some will genuinely, despite their hard work, still find themselves in dire straits. These are the ones I allude to in this section. Mother Theresa is said to have found her chief delight in helping the vulnerable. She did not do it from an abstract distance but actually lived among the weak. I have my own convictions about voluntary poverty but we can still learn a lesson here. Helping the weak is an honourable and delightful activity for many. e. Fulfils God’s commands. The scriptures command people to work and earn their bread rather than majoring in hand outs. Many Zambians look out for handouts and will not work to earn the bread they eat, if it were possible. Thankfully, a generation with a different spirit is rising over the horizon. It is a generation that frowns at hand outs and purposes to work hard on its own to generate wealth. With time, I will not be surprised if begging becomes a taboo, as happens in the Far East. Unlike the previous generations that entirely depended on the state to do everything for them (i.e. plan their lives, career and economy), this cadre independently goes out of its way to etch a unique path for themselves. The Apostle Paul gave this powerful rule “If a man will not work, he shall not eat”! (II Thessalonians 3:10) What profound insight. Furthermore, the fourth Commandment of the Bible (Exodus 20:11) actually positively commands that people must engage in gainful work but rest their bodies once a week. Consider Adam, long before the fall, the man was busy with nomenclature and taking care of the Garden of Eden! The man was busy out there long before he met Eve. If Adam laboured before the fall, why not we? Serious toiling came after the fall when Adam and Eve lost divine favour. In short, we can safely assert that both God and human beings expect you and I to work for it is not only expected but commanded too. f. Develops the nation and sustains the Church of Christ. If a critical mass of people in a given nation is equipped with the correct enterprising, hard working mindset and spirit, poverty will maintain its distance from that place. The reason is simple, hard working people endeavour to produce far more than they need for the day thereby forestalling any future crisis. If, on the other hand, most of the people are lazy, dependant and laid back, the nation will repeatedly go through the same motions and pitfalls without ever learning. In addition, the Christian Churches will in turn be in better shape financially, if a good proportions of those that work hard in the nations attend regular worship and are faithful in supporting the Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

47

work by tithing monthly. In the developed world, the churches are largely deserted unlike the developing world. Interestingly, those few in say England are faithful and give substantially while those in the poorer south are equally faithful but their pay is hardly significant due to their high poverty levels. As the southern countries get into the globalisation loop, we expect more enterprising local nationals with higher incomes to further support the work of Christ. Salaries employment will not do. Thus, we have safely demonstrated that work is a good and necessary for our development. Progress has only been achieved to the extent that we exploit our resources in a directed fashion and goal. We now proceed to consider some helpful tips to labour in the next chapter.

================================ ======================== Bibliography International Bible Society, Holy Bible (NIV) 1973

Chapter 5 Helpful labour principles

In every endeavour that humans engage upon, there is usually a motivating factor, especially that of gain. The higher the returns, the more committed and longer they stick around as long as nature would permit. If immediate benefit is remote, chances are that very few will persevere on with the voluntary spirit to the very end. Thus, even in your personal projects, you must clearly identify, state your goals and early ensure you craft the best strategies that will land you on prosperity shores. Always prefer profit centres rather than cost centres that basically siphon your hard earned resources. In this chapter, we briefly explore some tangible time tested principles that increase your chances of wealth generation. These are merely helpful tips and are therefore not magical solutions to all your past and present woes. In fact, they follow the unwritten natural laws that entail running the full cycle of labour. The following brisk points will help you Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

48

very much once pursued and executed carefully contingent upon your context. 1. Self starter/self motivated

To succeed, one must be self-motivated with minimal supervision expected of them. Once given the goal, you hurtle along at full throttle. Generally, many average people work under duress or are reactionary. But the highly efficient people turn the world upside down by their fire, energy and resolve! Be self motivated, innovative and proactive. 2. Labouring as unto the Lord

Christians undertake every task as one for the King of Kings. Thus they do their best and diligently so. They work not to please men but God who sees all things. Thus, they work steadily, consistently and are devoted, regardless of whether the boss is present or not. When a saint is given a task, ideally consider it done. 3. Redeeming the time λ

The revolutionary reads the times and is always conscious as to the shortness of time thus seizes all the opportunitiesν . They look out for opportunities are aggressively timely, thus guarding their time jealously akin to an Accountant with his money in the bank. Each and every passing second means much to such an individual. As a result, the desire to save as much time as possible is evident so that the best returns are reaped. Time is a talent, the fifth dimension of life, as it were. 4. Single mindedness and focus

Successful people are predominantly people on “one thing”. They have one goal, vision and passion throughout life and will do any and everything to keep the goal ever ahead of them. They ensure they not only focus on one thing but they also do one thing at a time. All other peripheral issues that come upon the path are but stepping-stones towards the one main goal. Having multiple goals at one time has a way of nibbling away at the progress rate and generally scatters the mind. In such a situation, the energies are spread thinly leading to meagre achievement levels. It is a curious observation that the multitalented and brilliant people rarely make an impact upon the sands of time due to their Ephesians 5:15-16 1Corinthians 7:29

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

49

divided attention. On the other hand, the lesser gifted seem to have virgin devotion to one thing at a time and in the end achieve far much more. That is not to say that all that do one thing at a time are necessarily always successful but what is advocated here is the need for strategic single mindedness over issues. Granted, before people do a self-SWOT analysis, they try out a thousand and one things but as they get to grips with their strengths, without much ado, they zero in on that one thing. In a nutshell then, the successful person must have the goal clearly before them and pursue it. They ensure it is kept fresh all the times and guardedly so. 5. Determination

If you are to make any mark on your generation, one of the ingredients you need to have is determination. Where pessimists see impossibilities, you see opportunities. You must refuse to believe age-old tales before trying out reasonable options. Your chest must bubble with a heavy heartbeat to move on even against the grain. When I first set out to do my Masters’ degree whilst in the outskirts of Lusaka, some scoffed and others thought I was crazy. They questioned my sanity. But the weapon that kept me working away those many lonely hours and years was determination. Refuse to settle for less. Most things are possible for the determined. 6. Desire

Apart from the determination, you must have the other jewel of desire. You must picture your ultimate goal and actually desire to take strides towards that end. You may have the right ideas but if the desire is absent, you will proceed for just a short distance and then abandon ship. 7. Discipline

Discipline, yea, Iron discipline is needed in whatever undertaking you and I engage in. For over six years, I tirelessly and diligently toiled away during the long lonely hours on end at my studies. I used to wake up at 04 hrs daily and sleep past mid night. The only exception was the Lord’s Day when I would honour the King of Kings. I would arrive at the office at 06:30 work through lunch till 17:30. Thereafter, I would turn to my books and suck in as much knowledge like a sponge. 8. Daring

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

50

Many content themselves with the safe comfort zone. But if you are to succeed, you must be an intelligent and prudent risk taker. No risks, no progress! I often get amazed at how daring drug abusers and dealers are in relentlessly pursuing their goals. They can do anything without any thought of how they are to cross the highway or drive home. They do not even care whether they are mauled by animals or stripped naked by robbers. Determined people are very daring. Caution: do not heedlessly adopt the “drunkards ’philosophy”! That said, you have to no option but to take risks to gain something. 9. Diligence

When you meet or merely watch a diligent person at work, what energies s/he exerts! How careful and yet efficient they are! They are aflame with an issue until it has been accomplished! They seem to know the value of what they are about and do all they can to get to their destiny. Sloth is far from them. Away with the lazy Zambian attitude of working only when we see immediate benefit! In the traditional African setting, when visitors arrive in the home, watch how diligently the lady of the house operates! She ensures the “Munkoyo” or “Chibwantu” tins are swiftly brought to the fore. 10. Drive

Drive is closely connected to determination but it has to do more with the inner energy and motivation to carry on a given task. Whereas the determination is a mental disposition, drive is the fuel and momentum to continue the forward motion constantly. People with a drive are sometimes viewed as little tyrants but all they want are results, results, results! As will be seen in the case below, Jack Welch is well known to be a high drive person. Often, he throws the challenge to you and pins you to the wall with your own idea and then gives you a charge to execute it. In our African setting, to act like a Welch is highly insulting, intimidating and resentful. But we need to learn to develop sails in which the winds will propel us to higher orbs. Take a look at Jack… Jack Welch- The Maverick leader When Jack Welch took over as chairman and chief executive officer of General Electric Corporation (GEC) in April 1981, the once Legendary Company was again at cross roads. At 45, he inherited a huge conglomerate that had a tall structure, rigid operations, bureaucratic, and highly diversified. The company, built originally to exploit Thomas Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

51

Edison’s patents, was too large, complex and had thus become inefficient and potentially uncompetitive. Tragically, no one saw the malady soon enough until the maverick showed up. Not only was it in many businesses, it had a large work force and had been divided into multiple smaller Strategic business units (SBU) and yet with only a limited successful life span. A solution had to be found, and that came in the person of Jack Welch. Jack Welch has been known to be a maverick, tough, determined and resilient in his approach to management. An only child and holding a PhD, Welch is the man of the times as he has managed to achieve the unimaginable, due to his foresight, candour and resolve to succeed. As soon as he took over the mantle, he commenced his momentous revolutions by assessing the status quo and what needed to be done. He discovered that GE, though admirable, was in effect not as competitive as it ought to be. Thus, the corporation restructuring & re-engineering changes. This meant among many things, ‘destaff’ by 34%, giving more lee way to managers, developing a team work culture, brain storming, adopting an open management style, being customer focused, working in partnership with stakeholders as well as aiming for perfection in quality. Impeccable excellence has been the goal. He achieved this by hiring the right staff while relieving those that were not ready to change. It no wonder he has been jokingly called ‘Neutron Jack’ but as a leader, he has always been visionary, articulates the vision, and passionately owns as well as shares the vision, relentlessly driving it to completion. By 1993, GEC had achieved the unimaginable. Despite being the most complex entity by far, it remained an agile company. It had a lean work force, was continuously learning was aiming for the 1st or 2nd slot in every business line and where not possible, it pulled out so as to concentrate on its core competences. It is on the road to success but certainly, the strides hitherto are significantly great. But how exactly did Jack Welch accomplish these feats where others had failed? What role did he play? Reading through his profile, one concludes that he had certain leadership traits, which translated into action. For one thing, he broke down GE into smaller manageable semi-independent businesses with managers freely making decisions on critical survival

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

52

unique decisions. For another thing, the Organisation was at cross roads, whether to continue marching to the company bone yard or to mutate and live. Change was inevitable. Thus the changes needed a maverick, clear and strategically minded person. Welch, qualified on that score and went ahead to take bold fearless steps, setting goals and targets. He determined that GE should be better than the best in all areas. But as one would expect, his innovations were opposed, as they tended to threaten people or put them on edge all the time. Change is generally resisted but he undauntedly faced the opposition.

In the quest to improve GE after the rapid positive changes, which left thousands jobless, the organisation adopted a continuous training approach where everybody attended some kind of training. For chief executives, a program called “workout” was instituted in 1989 where the managers would go off to some location to brain storm, exchange ideas, recharge their minds and dream up new routes as well as share methods of best practice. Rather than discussing plans, GE executives discuss strategies, which they implement in their various companies, depending on their mission statement. The heart of the workouts is to bring about cultural changes overtime assuming and knowing that change is resisted at all

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

53

times. Jack Welch is similar and different in leadership style from other legends. For instance, the Lincoln philosophy and Jack Welch’s, one cannot fail to see that in principle, they are similar, only that Welch is more aggressive and operating in a more hostile, ferocious and dynamically competitive environment. Lincoln thought customers, suppliers and share holders were to be treated well in order to maximize on benefits, so does Welch. However, there is one fundamental difference between Welch and Lincoln’s style. Lincoln was highly individualistic and rewards depended on output while Welch believes in reduced numbers of work force while paying more as well as getting higher profits with a thriving teamwork culture. Looking at GEC today, it looks very fine, vibrant and alive once again, especially as it crosses into the 21st century. A new lease of life has been infused into it and as such, we can optimistically look to the future for greater things.

11. Develop leadership skills

A person who desires to succeed must at all times be developing their leadership skills. A leader inspires confidence in others as well as charts the direction where headed to. A leader has certain clear traits such as integrity, consistency and vision to which the rest identify. Zambia has for many years suffered from a serious leadership vacuum. Most aspiring and assuming leadership office are mere clowns dressed in suits. But the successful person constantly adds leadership jewels to his sachet. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

54

12. Direction

The worst person to lead or follow is one who has no direction. That person does not know where to take his/her people or the self! But the successful person has a clearly spelt direction and all energies are exerted in that direction. Any Manager worth his/her salt must surely have heard of or read the book “The Seven habits of highly effective people” by Stephen Covey. It has consistently maintained its top slot on the Management shelf and ranks among the foremost legendary titles because of its unique and captivating nature. It is both pragmatic and addresses all the faculties of a person. If one reads this book rightly, I am not afraid to assert that they will never remain the same as they experience multiple paradigmϒ shifts in looking at the world as well as personal effectiveness. Without question, this is the management book of the times! In only 320 pages and in four parts, Stephen Covey succeeds to highlight what the effective person is made of. For us to appreciate this classic volume better, it is fitting for us to clear the path that we must shortly tread. When we talk about “habits”, we mean much more than just the theoretical knowledge but the skills as well that are cultivated as a result of a desired repeated constant practice of some activity. As Emerson once said “That which we persist in doing becomes easier-not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability to do has increased”Ε. For a habit to qualify as such, three things must be true about it, namely knowledge followed by skills and wrapped up by the desire to repeatedly do that thing. This habit is principle propelled. ‘Effectiveness’ has to do with more than just getting something done but rather executed diligently, timely and with minimal cost or side effects. Being principle centred from the inner man, the following seven habits are imbibed. These are proactivity as opposed to reaction or procrastination. The second and third habits are beginning with the end in mind where one knows their goals and work towards it, then followed by the right priorities. Many fall short at this point as they think everything is of equal importance. The fourth habit is to think win-win in our relationships where everyone comes away satisfied. The fifth is seeking to understand others first A paradigm is broad frame work/base from which we judge, perceive and interpret the world around us e.g. the way we look at dancing by the wedding bridal party. The seven habits of highly effective people, miniature edition pages 93 & 94, Running press. Philadelphia.london 1989.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

55

rather than to be understood. The sixth and seventh habits are synergy and “sharpening the saw”. A detailed study of this book is handy in order to ‘suck all the juices out of the fruit’. We attempt to unravel the jewels hidden therein at this point, fasten your seat belts as we turbo ahead! The first part of the book deals with paradigm shifts and principles thereof. In this arena, we note that the effective person begins with an introspective look and develops outwardly. A paradigm shift entails a complete change in the way one looks at something far removed from our stereo typed view of life. Having laid the ground, Covey proceeds to give an over view of the seven habits where he shows that an effective person first sets goals, takes initiatives, sets out with a goal in mind, possesses a burning personal mission statement, is an excellent time manager, has an independent and objective mind, and knows what is at the centre of his/her life. Furthermore, the said person builds powerful personal relationships with other people, by meticulously managing an emotional bank account from which he/she draws at optune times. Further still, the effective leader is like a skilled surgeon who diagnoses the root cause of a problem before prescribing a remedy. Having thus given a possible solution, the person inserts safety gadgets to guarantee continual improvement and growth of the traits. The second and third parts of the book illustrate the fact that the effective person commences by surmounting small private victories that foster selfconfidence. Our bigger public, outward victories come as a result of smaller private victories as we are proactive, having clear goals in mind before setting foot on the road to success and then put the “first things first”-right priorities. Having excelled in the smaller inward victories, the person then proceeds to score multiple public victories such as having the right frame of mind while maintaining an objective mind, being meticulous not to be overly side tracked by the self-reference criterionη (SRC). This is achieved as one aspires for a win-win out look to life rather then the independent win-lose or any other archaic approach to life. Remember, the assumption is that there is plenty for all to share and to be satisfied by the same token, so why scramble for resources? Cooperation, teamwork, collaboration and interdependence are the way forward today. This goal is achieved as one seeks to understand others first before being understood. Unfortunately, half the time, the tendency is to seek to be heard and grab the best piece of the cake before anybody else does! Furthermore, there must be a realisation that when two complementing parties work SRC is the intrinsic faculty we use in judging the world outside. This SRC is shaped by our past experience, culture and orientation/exposure.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

56

harmoniously towards a goal, they produce synergy where the output of the two is more than if the parties were working separately. In other words, we can safely use the adage “1 + 1 = 3”. This clearly shows a much higher output. Having shown the inner and outward traits of highly effective people, Covey then hurtles along to the fourth and last part where we see the renewal that engulfs a person resulting from a radical paradigm shift. This inward renewal is manifested in the seventh habit where the person in question “spends more time sharpening the saw” so that at one stroke of the ax, the gigantic tree is felled! This approach is the opposite of the common trend where one will labour away ineffectively trying to work with a blunt tool! The 21st century highly effective person is one who spends much time in secret each day, meditates, takes some sport, exercises regularly and is abreast with the times. He/she daily at dawn adjusts the heart akin to a wristwatch winding each morning-the chest is full to sail freely at full throttle. This person is constantly setting benchmarks, evaluating the progress and yet keeping a strategic eye upon the future. Thus, this dynamic leader begins inside and works his/her way outside. True and tangible and lasting change emanates from changed heart and mind within which ultimately blossoms for all to see. All this change must rest on the correct principles deeply embedded and riveted on the heart of the effective leader. With these points, Covey draws to a close of his monumental work that has eked out a place for him among the modern management gurus. Thus, the work is done. Reading through the book, one cannot help to pause several times along the way and take a deep breath as well as a critical self analysis. Covey illumines those dark and secure cabinets of our hearts hitherto undisturbed by light photons exposing the inefficiency cobwebs that have clustered on the cardiac walls! How much sloth we harbour within these wretched hearts of ours! How so slow to learn we are! How so captivated by our nature we are! The good thing is that this classical work shows us the way forward by giving us the “tools” by which we can venture into those deadly caves of our hearts and remove the radioactive substances without much ado. The seven habits can be learned once one is determined to emerge a victor. Thus, throwing off sloth, we can discard procrastination and head for the best that we can ever be. As one writer once said, ‘we

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

57

ought to do our utmost for His highest’ℵ. This should be our chief end in life. Looking back at the book, I do so with some sense of wonder that a mere mortal could enter the human mind, open up the heart, diagnose the problem and then repair it! As earlier stated, this volume is a must for every manager! Arise then and commence the book hunt! 13. Believe in your self

This means having self-confidence, arising from inert abilities or past successes. Many people, despite their great potential, have a crippling low self-esteem. Others on the other hand have an unrealistically high superiority complex where they feel they know everything and boast of what they do not really know. They are mere bags of wind. For you to succeed, you must believe in yourself, judgement and ability. You must be competent and ready to venture outside your usual domain. For many years, I was a prisoner of fear seriously dreading failure. Consequently, I was reluctant to pioneer anything new unless I had privately convinced myself. I repeatedly practiced a procedure before I confidently appeared in public. I still struggle with this sometimes but I have by and large overcome this phobia. Sadly, myriads others completely fail to burst their fear cocoons and thus remain prisoners. Not only are individuals cowards, nations too can be cowards. They would rather rely on outsider applauds or condemnation before taking action. They quickly respond to keep up with “the Joneses”. Zambia is such a nation, largely a settler land for cowards that fled regional tribal wars where they historically hailed from. In one sense, they were peace seekers but in another, they were cowards. Thus, their descendants have inherited the cowardly spirit. Consider the Bemba, Ngoni or Makololo, were they not all fleeing from wars? Resolve to cast off fear and build inner confidence by reinforcing your mind by positive “Can do” beliefs. In addition, build competence by practice. Charles G Finney spent much time preaching to the woods such that when he opened his mouth in open air preaching, he was explosive! To the extent that you believe in yourself, to that extent you will go. Prof Chirwa, Amon Simutowe, Kalusha Bwalya, Samuel Matete, Mutembo & Nchima Nchito and Gift Mulongesa strongly believe in themselves, no

Oswald Chambers

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

58

wonder they have achieved far more than most of us would ever achieve in three life times! A very humorous and revealing story is told about a group of white people who were fed up with African Americans, so they joined together and wished themselves away. They passed through a deep dark tunnel and emerged in sort of a twilight zone where there is an America without black people. At first these white people breathe a sigh of relief. At last, they said, No more crime, drugs, violence and welfare. All of the blacks have gone! Then suddenly, reality set in. The "NEW AMERICA" is not America at allonly a barren land. 1. There are very few crops that have flourished because the nation was built on a slave-supported system. 2. There are no cities with tall skyscrapers because Alexander Mils, a black man, invented the elevator, and without it one finds great difficulty reaching higher floors. 3. There are few if any cars because Richard Spikes, a black man, invented the automatic gearshift, Joseph Gambol, also black, invented the Super Charge System for Internal Combustion Engines, and Garrett A. Morgan, a black man, invented the traffic signals. 4. Furthermore, one could not use the rapid transit system because its procurer was the electric trolley, which was invented by another black man, Albert R. Robinson. 5. Even if there were streets on which cars and a rapid transit system could operate, they were cluttered with paper because an African American, Charles Brooks, invented the street sweeper. 6. There were few if any newspapers, magazines and books because John Love invented the pencil sharpener, William Purveys invented the fountain pen, Lee Barrage invented the Type Writing Machine and W. A. Love invented the Advanced Printing Press. They were all, you guessed it, Black. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

59

7. Even if Americans could write their letters, articles and books, they Would not have been transported by mail because William Barry invented the Postmarking and Cancelling Machine, William Purveys invented the Hand Stamp and Philip Downing invented the Letter Drop. 8. The lawns were brown and wilted because Joseph Smith invented the Lawn Sprinkler and John Burr the Lawn Mower. 9. When they entered their homes, they found them to be poorly ventilated and poorly heated. You see, Frederick Jones invented the Air Conditioner and Alice Parker the Heating Furnace. Their homes were also dim. But of course, Lewis Later invented the Electric Lamp, Michael Harvey invented the lantern and Granville T. Woods invented the Automatic Cut off Switch. Their homes were also filthy because Thomas W. Steward invented the Mop & Lloyd P. Ray the Dust Pan. 10. Their children met them at the door-barefooted, shabby, motley and unkempt. But what could one expect? Jan E. Matzelinger invented the Shoe Lasting Machine, Walter Sammons invented the Comb, Sarah Boone invented the Ironing Board and George T. Samon invented the Clothes Dryer. 11. Finally, they were resigned to at least have dinner amidst all of this turmoil. But here again, the food had spoiled because another Black Man, John Standard invented the refrigerator. Now, isn't that something? What would this Country be like without the contributions of Blacks, as African-Americans? Martin Luther King, Jr., "by the time we leave for work, Americans have depended on the inventions from the minds of Blacks." Black history includes more than just slavery, Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey & W.E.B.Dubois. Source: forwarded email chain letter 2003 14. Perseverance and standing firm 1 Corinthians 15:58

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

60

Closely connected to persistence through perseverance has a connotation of holding on despite adverse circumstances that press in the opposite direction. Life is full of different seasons. Some are good but others are bad and could easily knock you out if you are not steady. Hence the need to build inward perseverance and resolutely stand firm regardless of what betide. There are many contours that our path makes and must be prudently managed. A defeatist mindset is a recipe for failure. A resilient mindset achieves much even after many a fall. Amon Simutowe failed many times before he clinched the Grand Master (GM) norm. Abraham Lincoln lost many election attempts before he entered White House. Mohammed Ali lost the World Heavyweight championship title several times but still triumphantly regained it. This entails purposing never to settle for anything less than what you feel and believe you can reasonably achieve if you tried harder, by God’s grace of course. Never be a quitter but rather a finisher. The moment I stopped quitting, that moment I saw myself soar to greater heights, despite having repeatedly failed nearly all my examinations between 1991 and 1997. From that point, I resolved to turn failure into a stepping-stone and guess what, I ploughed through my MBA, IFA and PhD like chicken feed. Stand firm regardless of what is arrayed against you. Like the Baobab below, always stand firm for many generations hence. Your echo will encourage many more down the centuries. The Baobab tree…stands firm and is amazingly resilient 15. Resilience and a fighting spirit

The ability to rise after a fall. The task ahead is not easy nor for the faint hearted. The faint hearted will only last as long as fair weather and sunshine exist. When frowning providence and dark cloud threaten to descend on them, they swiftly take their flight out of danger! In this instance, at least they are proactive. But the resilient person has developed a stamina that will resurrect after many a fall. If one has watched the WWF wrestling as shown on TV, they will recollect that one of the most remarkable though sadistic athletes is the Under Taker! This fellow seems to have incredible ability to rise from a seemingly hopeless situation after severe battering from the opponent. Just about when everyone has concluded that he is knocked unconscious and begun to pack their bags, the Under Taker suddenly rises! The resilient person not only has the unique capacity to exhume long buried ideas, he also has the Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

61

capacity to rise from the ashes. It often baffles the author as to how the Japanese rose from the ashes to become one of the world major super powers. Just over fifty years ago¬ Japan was a sorry sight after being flattened by the two atomic bombs of 1945. As though that were not bad enough, Japanese goods were notoriously known for mediocre quality standards. But looking at Japan today, one can hardly associate it to those ashes. What was the secret? How did they arise? We put it to you that the Japanese displayed classic levels of resilience, unmatched anywhere in the world. In the same way, to succeed, you must be resilient despite the multiple setbacks thrown into your tracks. As long as you have breath, you must refuse to be defeated the first time. The Bible says that if you falter at a setback, how weak is your strength! (Proverbs 24:10). Further, the same Bible says that the Righteous man falls seven times but he still rises, now that is resilience! In ancient Jewish custom, seven signified completeness, and in this instance, seven times carries the connotation of total failure but the resilient man still rises! We need more of such people in our times. 16. Resolution and decisiveness

Clear mindset that is settled on a particular matter. Others might hold a contra view but not you! I recall sharing with some people my intentions to relocate to Mongu years back. They thought I was beside myself but I resolved to go prior to those silly comments. To be resolved, you must be convinced about something worth dying for. You must have a passion that drives you to the very end. If you start something that you are not convinced about, soon or later, you will quit and take on something else but if your heart, soul and mind is in something, you will go on pursuing that goal long after myriad others have abandoned ship. I got converted to Christ in 1987. At that time, many of us professed the faith since our lot was cast in a “mini revival” season. But today, two decades later, very few still fervently follow Christ as passionately as they once did. Apart from the Grace of God, resolution and decisiveness is what has kept us going through the changing scenes of life. People have different passions, ready to give up everything else to gain that one goal. As I scan the Zambian landscape, I recall many people that resolutely stood for something and in some cases even paid with their lives for their decisiveness. Names like late fiery Lucy Sichone, Professor Alfred At the writing time of this book, 2005

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

62

Chanda, Paul Tembo, Richard Ngenda and a host of others that have graced the Zambian horizon come to mind. Many others are yet to be added to this list, especially if they threaten the present incompetent politicians. A short case would suffice to seal this point: Dean Mungomba (1953-2005) forcefully appeared on the Zambian political scene some time in 1990 shortly before the MMD dethroned UNIP. He soon distinguished himself as a fearless fighter for the poor, focused, intelligent, resolute, clear minded and a high energy pulse to contribute to changing mother Zambia forever. Having had high professional international exposure, the man saw an opportunity to selflessly serve the nation as soon as a multi party system and liberalised economy were introduced at the turn of 1991. He was in the first Chiluba led cabinet and served in several portfolios before he begun to smell a rotten rat in Government circles. Corruption brought about that stench. He spoke out and soon got the boot. Unknown to him, he had fallen among thugs. In 1996, he stood as Presidential candidate and miserably lost but the struggle continued. Because of his vehemence, President Chiluba locked him up on trumped up charges. He was never the same after he left prison. The surprising thing is that despite failing health, the man became stronger by the day and fearlessly challenged Mwanawasa on several fronts. He never lost his initial vision of liberating Zambia and finally succumbed to death in 2005, having valiantly fought a good fight. Very few have equalled Dean before or since. We await another Visionary that will arise and be miraculously preserved from the present deadly political machinations that often lead many to an early grave. 17.The big picture in view You must know exactly what you are about, the magnitude and what is involved. The smaller aspects must not cause you to lose the big picture. This gives you hope, direction and perseverance. In other words, you must be a visionary. Visionaries like Dean Mungomba always have an issue at hand and no amount of intimidation will cause them cower away until the work is done. Visionaries see far beyond what common people see and take strides towards that end. Half the time, average people do not see the point until the people have left the centre stage, as was the case with the late Dean Mungomba.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

63

18.The outcome clearly in mind Always have the end result in mind. When I begun studying, I asked myself what I wanted to see after say five years. As a result, I began to put the building blocks in place towards that end. After six pain staking years of diligent study, I yielded my goals and now swim on my past labours. If you have a clear idea of where you want to go, you will strategically marshal all your resources towards attaining your realistic goals. If you have unclear or unrealistic goals, you will soon give up and go through life frustrated. With clear compelling goals, you will not rest at anything until you have achieved your goal. If it means using your own personal resources even when the company should have paid for you, you will willingly and gladly part with your dear money, knowing that your returns will be far greater than you presently enjoy. It is just a matter of time. 19.Using what you have in hand Usually, people want external help when they actually have the raw materials in their hands. Look around you, what advantages do you posses? Why not use them to advance your cause? I like the allusion to Moses by some people. When he stood before the burning bush and God was instructing him, Moses offered lame excuses that one point God asked him, “What do you have in your hand?” The same staff turned into a snake, opened the sea and caused water to come out of a rock! Use whatever you have at hand. Is it your writing prowess? Write books! Is it empty poultry houses? Gang up with others and commence a business! Or do you possess academic papers in this knowledge age? Spread knowledge at a fee, after all, we are in the knowledge workers generation. In the end, you will come to realize that actually the wealth is where you are, just waiting to be exploited. In Zambia, many people think that the wealth is abroad where they flock to work while leaving the actual opportunities at home! In Zambia, most of the opportunities are veiled in raw form and with a little more processing, one is likely to yield even better results than working abroad. For instance, working abroad entails constantly being reminded that you are a foreigner and that your tenure there is not permanent. As such, the investment is minimal apart from saving up. But even the saving up is minimal too as in many places, the cost of living is equally high. For instance, one can earn 3,500 pounds sterling but spends 3,400 on bills and up keep. The net effect therefore is only 100 pounds excess that is further reduced by the transfer charges to Zambia where another parasite waits to get a share from the same. If one Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

64

earns K 3,000,000 (about $ 900) in Zambia for instance, they will most likely spend K 2,000,000 on bills, and other overheads. The balance of K 1,000,000 can be invested in constructing a structure or business, bearing in mind that parasites will always be there. It therefore depends on the cost effectiveness of the strategy. It is increasingly the author’s conviction that unless one gets an excessively good and well paying job, it may not be wise to work outside the country. It is better to concentrate on what is at hand. People that have lived abroad and myriads stranded others can testify to what we have asserted. 20.Self regulating and monitoring Always set standards so that periodically you can assess yourself. Preferably, galvanise a team of sincere friends that will help you to objectively check yourself and how you are doing. On a daily basis for instance, set out the activities you want to carry out and tick against them as you achieve. If any remain outstanding, carry them on to the next day and ensure they are done. If possible, use the “First In, First Out” (FIFO) method. Lack of self-regulation leads to extremes while lack of monitoring causes loss of direction and pace. 21. Self promotion

Early in my career, a Human Resources Director once said to me, “Billy, if you want to progress, promote yourself by study or proficiency” I have never forgotten those words as they were the engine that caused me to burn the midnight candle during my studies. Promotion comes in many and varied ways and depends on how one is positioned in the world. In the Organisation, positioning is key. Similarly, outside the organisation, we must promote ourselves by having some unique strength. Below are some thoughts to stimulate you: Organisational promotion-“Sometimes you may need to get a lower job to go up”∑ Promotion by the organisation comes largely based on one’s effectiveness and correct positioning in the system. In an objective and professional environment, people’s worth is measured via performance appraisals or one’s ability to beat deadlines as well as their strategic fitness for the job. In a subjective environment, people jostle for positions and in the process injure each other. This scenario is fertile ground for “promotion by This phrase is attributed to Mr. Clement Mugala

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

65

friendship and bootlicking”⇑ where you find people holding positions that are not equal to their delivery capacities or indeed their academic papers. This kind of promotion is rampant in the African nations, Zambia being no exception. People become expert organisational politicians and go from height to height. The best way to beat the clandestinely destructive organisational politics alluded to above is to ensure one gives no room for their foes and superiors to sideline them by having the right qualifications, be proactive, read the writing on the wall long before others see it, research much, ensure you keep the known quantities pacified as well as being mindful what you say. If possible, limit your comments to your area of operation though it would be good to show occasional flashes of your abilities in other areas too. Exhibit some deep social intelligence traits. Ensure that you are up to date with the social issues so that you can make intelligent comments and observations in those leisurely hours or even in the staff meetings. To be out of touch with reality is a booby trap for many high fliers in the academic world. Do not forget to keep your superiors abreast with the developments all the time and ensure you beat deadlines as often as possible. Stick to your words and be consistent, resilient and focused all the times. Some have suggested that whenever you are walking about in the office corridors, ensure you carry some papers as it gives an impression of being busy and professional to the on lookers∑. Sometimes promotion lingers and tarries longer than expected, but do not worry or ask too many questions, for your questions, depending on the context, would sound unprofessional in some instances. Instead, concentrate on refining your trade and churning out high quality output. Keep preparing for the big day ahead, akin to an amateur boxer or footballer. As a last resort, consider promoting yourself by applying for another job within the organisation or simply exit the orbit and fetch another job. Change is wise sometimes as it enriches your experiences. Always ensure you are within your strategic frame work and check up with it frequently to see whether leaving the organisation is planned for and when. Greetings friends, I hope all is well with thee. Coined by this author The Financial Accountant magazine (IFA) 2004

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

66

Just wanted to request you to start thinking of replacing me in the near future as my strategic instincts strongly suggest that it is high time I exited the WYX orbit. I will let you know about my next manoeuvres in good time but just begin to "warm up a player" at the back of your minds. I fear I might not go beyond September 2504, but If I should do, I will let you know by August 30. Other wise, Pwanya intergalactic has been very good to me these last six to seven years. I am what I am because of Pwanya. Thanks for being wonderful exemplary mentors, I will miss working with you. I must continue packing for now while looking out for the earliest flight out of this place. Remain in His keeping. Billy Sichone Nexus ADP departure lounge... Mars "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord..." Rom 12:11 ==================================================== From a colleague…. Hi. I think this is sad. I can't imagine losing you from the team. You've been an invaluable member of my team, a confidant, prayer partner and friend. Namuso would not have reached the heights it has reached without you. However, looking at what you have gone through over the years and in the past weeks and months, I can only say I understand considering the fact I have gone through similar situations before. The last think I would ever want for you is to leave WV hurt, in anger and bitterness etc. But the bottom line is that we need to work in these organizations with respect and dignity. For now, I can only say May God's will be done. But here at Namuso, you are always welcome stay. We will make it a matter of much prayer. ===================================================== = 22.Own the goal

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

67

Never relegate the goal but hold on to it as if it depended upon you. Many Zambians, leave many things to chance and rarely own the goal. They have passenger mentality where they are passive while the driver does all the thinking for them. As for you, ensure you hold tenaciously to an issue when you begin. 23.Work smart It is becoming evident that it is not primarily those that work hard and long that succeed but the smart. They must be ready to tirelessly work hard but use a lot of brainpower looking at the best way to reach the goal. 24.Break with the past When Rockets of yester years were forcefully breaking away from the earth’s gravity, they used energy that would overcome the said force and accelerate to high velocities. In the process as fuel ran out from the three stage rocket, the parts would fall off to the earth while the space vehicle continued on. In a similar way, people ought to break with their past whether good or bad, plausible or not. The reason is simple, we can become victims of our own past. If we have highly succeeded in past, we can begin to rest on our laurels and stop improving. If we have had terrible and defeating experiences in the past, we can tend to be pessimistic and self-defeating. Mr Levy Mwanawasa once said “I am glad that I did not win by a wide margin in the 2001 elections because if I had, I would have become complacent, foolish and laid back” ∪Despite his sometimes contradictory statements, the man really had an excellent point at that stage. Look at what this 2% margin win over his closest rival has caused him to accomplish! Look at the amount of pressure he has had to contend with and yet move forward! Breaking with the past is not only plausible, it is a must. Action, action, action! A few years ago, General Motors was by far the most powerful and successful organisation in the Motor industry. By all standards, no other company could compare its market dominance, size or financial muscle! By that token, General Motors (GM) bathed in its glory for generations. It is now over ninety years old, which record is rare to have in these turbulent and competitive times. To be around for such a long time is one thing but to maintain leadership in a particular market is quite another experience. The Post News paper 24th February 2005

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

68

Many companies have shot up like meteorites and have disappeared as fast as they came. This has not been the case for GM because it was the champion for many decades. However, GM has not had it easy lately. It had a crisis in 1992 when it recorded a net loss of $ 5 billion! It was at cross roads and any decision to be made was definitely going to affect the future of the company. But what led to this crisis? Why is GM transforming today? These are some of the answers that the article “Deeds, not Words” answers. This is a classic article because it begins where GM went wrong and what it is doing today to rectify the past follies. The following are some of the reasons why GM nearly collapsed without realising it: i.

ii.

iii.

iv.

v.

vi.

GM grew too big and powerful as a multinational organisation after the Second World War. This led to Complacency, stubbornness and arrogance. The company was highly focused on the financial figures, variances, and profits not quality. The Profit and loss as well as the balance sheet is what mattered most. The products it made were not as customers wanted them but what GM deemed fit as “What customers were going to want and buy” There was no consultation or choice for the buyer. The Management style was probably another reason. Since GM was huge, there was a lot of bureaucracy before any suggestion could be dealt with. The quality of the products was taken for granted as of standards that customers would like, not knowing that the Japanese were rising slowly from the atomic ashes through the legendary lectures of Deming and Juran. The company did not focus on its core competencies but because of its size, GM took on many other businesses, which were not competitive in the long run.

All the above led to the crisis of 1992 because the environment had changed so drastically over the years while GM remained static like monument. As earlier intimated, the Japanese entered the Motor Market with superior quality products which ultimately undercut GM`s market dominance. By 1991, the Japanese had triumphed already! A critical decision was made to restructure the mammoth Company by carrying out drastic changes. Among the major changes implemented was Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

69

the downsizing of the central workforce from 13,000 in 1992 to about 1,000 in 1999. Further changes included the following: i. Adopting the best practices throughout the system. Only the best methods of doing things were to be in place. This meant comparing how certain processes were done within the international GM network and picking the best way to do something. For example, a number of ways how to fit an indicator on a car is tried until the best method is found, having zero defects. ii. Be proactive. The company had to be agile and flexible, while anticipating customer taste changes. iii. Meet customer needs. GM had to change to being customer driven. What the customer wants is what carries the day. No longer will GM determine for the customer. As such there was need to be constantly be in touch with the customer. iv. Reduce the product introduction cycle time. Previously, it took many years to release a new car on the market, but a deliberate move was made to shorten the period to months and in some cases, weeks! We are told that GM plans to introduce a new car every 28 days on average! Now that is a feat but a necessity. This is to be achieved by having strong teams that will brain storm and come up with new models. v. Do away with the businesses that are not directly linked to the core competencies. These may be profitable but if they are not competitive, they are to be divorced from GM so that they can fly away to success on their own. This has been the case with Delphionce part of GM. vi. Imbibe teamwork and continuous improvement. GM had to improve in quality and also never again rest on its laurels! This is the only way forward as time for individualistic tendencies in the business is long gone. vii. Include customers in the planning stage. These are both the internal (employees) and the external. If these are included at planning stage, success is almost guaranteed because they will produce and buy what was agreed on at acceptable, if not superior quality. GM went full throttle and implemented the survival strategies. Since the company is big, it has not been easy to steer it back to leadership in the industry but the said company has scored many successes, some of them Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

70

unprecedented. The sales have gone up while the market loss rate has reduced and the profits have shot up again. From a net loss of $ 5 billion in 1992, to a net profit of $ 2.3 billion in 1997, this is by all means a feat! In five years, the Titanic Company is being steered to safety and is definitely going to avoid the iceberg! As earlier intimated, GM is in top drive to recovery though a few impediments still linger in the way. The President, John F Smith, is optimistic that his organisation will surmount all the hurdles because signs of new life are clear for all to see. For example, the company will introduce 23 new cars and Trucks within three years. Now, this is speed indeed! Among the major concerns is the fact that GM is still the High cost vehicle producer in North America. That notwithstanding, the important thing is that GM is on the right track having thrown away the relics of the past that made it rest on its laurels. It is gratifying to note that GM is determined to have agility and speed as its hallmarks. In all these efforts, TQM lies at the heart or else the giant will tumble and die! The market leader of the 21st century must take heed of GM`s mistakes and sail to safety while the `Market dominance day` is yet young.

25. Challenge the status quo

Real leaders thrive in turbulent times. They are never content with the status quo nor do they stay complaining all day. Instead, they confidently challenge the status quo and willingly work and think beyond the box. Great achievers are never limited by what others consider impossible, rather, they are always questioning and etching out new ways of doing things. Similarly, if you want to be known for something as a pioneer or inventor, you must challenge the usual settled norms and venture into the unknown. In other words, you must develop a curious adventurous spirit that fearlessly tries out new things. People that content themselves in reaching the bare minimum rarely leave an indelible mark. There is nothing that distinguishes them from the rusty rest despite having good Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

71

heads and hearts. Real leaders set themselves apart from the pack by their high unique competence. For instance, many Zambian saints dread venturing to live in the Western world because of the soul damning stories they have heard of and seen. They can recount how countless fine Christians have fossilised once they lived in those materialistic societies. But hasn’t it occurred that in fact such lands are a grand opportunity for Gospel witness? Recall that when Livingstone and other early Missionaries came to the green jungles of Africa to bring the Gospel, many considered them irrational. In that day, England had more Gospel light than Africa. Today, the picture has drastically reversed. Now Europe desperately needs African Missionaries to venture into the “concrete jungles” of Europe. Settling there is a risk but it is worth taking if only your objectives and motives are right. 26. Interdependence, independence and team work

Great workers are team players and yet independent. They are independent in their action, thought and drive. In the same breathe, they are team players, counting on others and will rarely do anything clandestinely destructive. As they live, they are aware that no man is an island and thus do not spare any effort to connect with their team mates. Not only do they connect with their immediate team mates but they easily network and link with other people in ways that enhance every one’s well being. Whatever they do and touch has a bearing on their individual and corporate goal. A context where people are disjoint and egocentric, there you find a dysfunctional team and much opportunity is lost in the antagonism details. 27. Competence and qualification

They ensure they develop the right prowess for any given task. Apart from the competence, they ensure no one disadvantages them on account of the academic qualifications, although papers alone do not guarantee competence. They refuse to take on jobs on nepotistic lines but want to prove themselves as deserving from the start. Competence has to do with efficiency, skill and ability to execute a function very well often far above average. What unique skill or prowess sets you apart from the rest? 28. Be proactive

Successful people have tremendous intuition and fore sight. By that token, they ensure they see issues from afar and act now, long before the event arrives. In other words, they operate from quadrant two, as Stephen Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

72

Covey advocates. Nothing ever ambushes them by surprise, unless Murphy’s Law suddenly appears on the scene. 29.Aim to leave the world a better place than you found it One teacher once said when I had just entered grade 8: “Aim to leave the world better than you found it” The year was 1985. I was really struck by that phrase. This simply means that the successful person refuses to leave the world the way s/he found it. The chief aim is to leave an indelible mark upon the sands of time in a positive direction. They resolve to leave a lasting legacy and contribution. 30.“You will pass this way but once” motto Closely connected to the point above, they have a heavy consciousness that the time is short and that s/he will pass that way but once. Therefore, what needs immediate implementation ought to be speedily well done. 31. Aim to do something right and well the first time

The successful person aims to do something perfectly the first time so that energies can be directed elsewhere. Dr W E Deming, the quality revolution champion from the last century, taught that ensuring the highest ethical qualities are internalised and transferred to product output. This minimises defects and enables room for continuous improvement. 32. Passion and a sustained sense of urgency

Passion and a constant sense of urgency about the business at hand is another characteristic mark. They are restless until the work is done. The heartbeat is on business. 33. Persistence

Despite many hurdles, the person always perseveres. The said person develops shock absorbers and “resiliers” over time. S/he has a strong immovable staying power that keeps them hanging in there despite the odds. We once had a student Doctor friend that was sickly and spent more time in bed than class. Despite our suggestions for her withdrawal from the demanding school, she stubbornly persisted and eventually graduated with distinction! Persistent people often achieve more than anyone would have expected. 34.Expect challenges and “deep weeds”

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

73

As advance is taking place, the person expects mountaintop as well as valley experiences. These are viewed as part of the package that sweetens the journey. What is perceived an insurmountable mountain to others is viewed as an opportunity by the resolute person. Once, we wanted to get a passport for our two year daughter and went to the famous Lusaka passport office. Despite our persistent follow up, it took nearly three months to get the said document. Many times we felt like giving up but soldiered on until finally, we got the prized document. What kept us on was the realisation that expected artificial hurdles stood in the way but would soon be overcome. 35.Consistency There is consistency along the way. What was perceived right in the past is the same today and tomorrow, bearing in mind the context and times. Further, the person will ensure s/he is neither a quitter nor unpredictable. 36. Know yourself-your core competences & incompetence!

To know one self is key to progress. The earlier one discovers their strengths, the better. Stars usually discover their core competencies earlier and plunge head long to success. They do not take up something to please anyone but rather because they find it easiest to do. I once read of one Stephen WittshireΘ who suffered from autism but exploited his artistic strength to become a world-class figure. He could draw detailed pictures from memory! I think this gentle man discovered his core competence and exploited it. You also need to know your incompetence too to avoid fatal errors of judgement. Peter Drucker was right when he advised against taking up something you are not very competent in when he wrote on self management. 37.Internalize a project cycle mind A project has certain characteristics such as a start and end date. In other words, the project has specific objectives to be met by benchmarks in a given time period. No excuses are entertained although risks are taken into consideration. Many fail as they do not see the reason for hustle and bustle. For instance, they do not realise that a project delay costs more Refer to an article by Nikki Girvan in the Pick me magazine, IPC media ltd, February 2007 pp 18,19. Autism refers to people who suffer from communication and language problems, often cringing when under pressure to express them selves. Visit Stephen’s website to have a glimpse of his world-class drawings: www.stephenwitshire.co.uk or write to [email protected] for more details on the said article. Phone 02073212622 England.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

74

and has other negative repercussions. Life should be treated like a project that is time bound, specific and directional. 38. Set high but realistic goals constantly

Effective people always challenge themselves towards higher ground. They do not allow mediocre standards to be the norm nor do they content themselves with the yester year standards. Rather, they set higher goals each succeeding period and relentlessly pursue them. If last year they jogged 10 kilometres per day, they increase it to 11 this year and so on. Note that these goals must be realistic and attainable lest they constantly plague their minds with needless guilt. Perhaps you have heard of a Mr Dennis Daniel Mwanza, famously known as the ‘Water man’. I once had an informal interview with him years ago, desiring to discover the secret of his success. His answer was simple: ‘Set high quality goals and throw all your weight behind your strategy’. His professional and academic background was even more intriguing. He initially failed to enter University but later enrolled in the school of Engineering having taken the indirect route through the Natural Resources Development College (NRDC) as well as working for a couple of years in the rural areas. He graduated with distinction and later embarked on an MSc that he quickly cleared out of the way. He lectured at UNZA for a while, was Executive Director of the Water utility Authority (NWASCO) and later landed himself a top flight World Bank job in Cote d’ voire. From there, the man continually flies through countless global boardrooms while pursuing a PhD. The sky is scarcely the limit for Dennis Daniel Mwanza. 39.Take responsibility for your actions Half the time, many people are cowardly and dare not commit themselves. They dread the repercussions beforehand. But the highly successful person commits self and takes responsibility for the outcome of their decision. In other words, they are ready for anything, whether good or bad. Plan B is always at hand to mitigate any unexpected eventualities. 40.Make decisions I have met people who dread making decisions. But the most successful people are predominantly decision makers. They make literary thousands of decisions in a very short time and progress. Many chicken out from the Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

75

decision-making act purely on pessimistic grounds! Some have said, and rightly so, that it is better to make a wrong decision than not to make one at all. Thousands are trapped in the indecision web and as such cannot progress. How is it with you my friend? World Vision Zambia once had a potent Operations Director. As soon as he got onto the mantle, he declared his three pronged goal and sought to live by them. During his tenure, World Vision Zambia went through one of the most challenging and interesting times. Because of the sensitive nature of the Christian organisation, many dreaded making mistakes and thus walked too circumspectly. As such, many failed to make even simple decisions but Sikapale often would roar that it was better to make a wrong decision than not to make any. In his opinion, that is what leadership consisted in. It’s over a year since that great soldier exited the World Vision orbit but his quick and timely decision making prowess still lingers on. 41. Flee parasating people

Avoid “algae” like a plague. Zambians suffer from an endemic dependence syndrome that can only be cured by a radical mind paradigm shift. With all his faults, FTJ helped Zambians to shed off some of this parasating syndrome. The sad thing however is that people were not sufficiently prepared and sensitized. The safety net was too small and thus did not sufficiently empower people to transition from command to a market economic outlook. Capitalism with its attendant effects such as materialism and individualism are fast becoming deeply entrenched cultures to the exclusion of the powerful extended family social set up. Soon, we shall have a nation full of extremely egocentric citizens. Dependence on some relative to support you on some venture is fast phasing out. Parasites are in trouble! If you allow them, parasites grow on your skin like algae or fungi on the wall, minimise them or at best, avoid them! But bear in mind that this has a rippling effect on your progeny, as they will never be helped by anyone in the day of trouble. The developed world, despite being extremely wealthy, is struggling with rising psychosocial issues (such as stress and loneliness etc); hence the greater need of psychologists. Webster’s dictionary defines a parasite as “ eating beside another…one who eats at the table of another, repaying him with flattery”

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

76

42.Be consistently steady The effective person is consistently steady. S/he is as fresh on 1st January as well as the 31st of December each passing year. In between, the person will have been diligently working away like an ant. There have been no major disruptions and if they were there, they were hardly noticeable. An example comes to mind. A certain church was going through a breaking point experience as a result of a serious split among the Elders. As an outsider, I hardly notice this rift until an earnest prayer request was given to that end. Stability must be in built and internalized. 43.Think outside the box Think beyond the norm. Stand aside from the action and see what else you can do and do it better. Half the time, we want to keep to the safe zone and dare not bring in any innovation. This applies to all areas. The Arbinger institute’s excellent book, the leadership deception is a good tool to getting out of the box. At times though, you may need to think ‘within the box’ meaning that you locate and find the solution within rather than looking outside. Often, the solution is just under your nose while you look to the far flung places for solutions. 44.Be always advancing Successful people are always forward looking and spare no effort to advance. They have no lay bys or times to put the central theme at bay. They are always busy eking a path for themselves so that they can move the extra mile each day. Consistent headway is their creed. Slothfulness or sleeping while on duty is foreign to the highly effective person. Whatever happens, mechanisms to ensure continuity are in place. No stone remains unturned along the way neither does any future hurdle threaten them to quit prematurely. They put their hands to the plough, as it were, and ensure that progress is always taking place. Such people priotise and differentiae what is trivial or not. Further, they ensure they keep away from needless quarrels, strife or self-entanglements that would potentially jeopardize their future prospects. 45. Constant mind renewal¬

Whoever would leave a landmark behind them as a reference point for posterity must be one that constantly renews the mind. This process is ongoing throughout life and is done daily, consistently and progressively. The renewing person is never content with thinking within the box but is Romans 12:2-This has to do with a daily constant renewal of the mind.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

77

always exploring ways to expand the mind to think at higher levels. Further, the said person labours to weigh the motives, motivations and desires so that they are of the purest form so that whatever they touch has a perfection touch. Maxwell teaches that what will keep one progressing over the long whole are right motives. But I assert that what will keep the motors running long after we have left this world, akin to the nuclear power, will be a continued refined mind set. When one renews their mind, they acquire more potency in whatever they undertake and summon all the latent potentials to the fore. They ransack, as it were, all the hidden powers and use them in their present generation. Peter Drucker always felt mentally younger by the year, no wonder he turned out the foremost management thinker of his time! How can this be done, one may ask? There are a number of ways but we suggest one way and that is of meditation. In ancient past, many people, religious or no, have engaged in meditation. It has further been proved that those who meditate regularly come off healthier and clearer thinkers that those that do not. We have no telling exactly how this works but one thing we can suggest is that during meditation, the mind zooms on a number of issues retrospectively, introspectively and futuristically and ensures that it positions the mind at the right place. Further, the mind is refreshed and constantly informed. In the case of the Christian meditation, the mind is focused on the Holy supreme being of God, which ultimately rubs on the Christian mind. The Christian also meticulously watches the motions of the heart during the day and comes to take stock of all events at the end of the day. Having surveyed the heart tablets, the mind is instructed to modify the future practice there by purifying the person. The benefits of meditation include the relatively peaceful mind, liberty to think outside the box, improved health, reduced stress related tension, unwinding, reflection, critical thinking and having a clear conscience as one hurtles along in life. 46. Keeping ones’ head in all situations√

Situations in life change constantly and must needs be handled with the best of one’s ability so as to remain objective while not losing the focus. In the Providence of God, situations come in all sorts of ways and at various angles but what keeps one a float is the overriding sense of destiny. In other words, one who never loses their bearings no matter what betide is a person that will persevere to the end. Many people lose 2 Timothy 4:5

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

78

their heads and veer to extreme ends of the pendulum in different situations. Some lose their previous sense of self-control and judgment when they begin to handle a few more kwachas and dollars. They suddenly feel omnipotent and yet they remain mere mortals. Others seem to sink into oblivion when the status quo apparently changes from a lofty to an afflictive position. Others still go into the denial position where they develop a complex that lives to regulate their warped thinking. A person that keeps their head in all situations then is one that is forward looking, consistent, objective, determined and resilient no matter what the situation. The Apostle Paul exhorted Timothy to be one that always maintained a character and disposition that was constantly above reproach. For instance, Timothy’s sermons were not to be lop-sided or targeted at settling old scores from the pulpit. If more people were level headed, what a changed world this could be! 47. Develop critical reasoning prowess.

The successful person is never the naïve sort nor the overly analytical person but is one that has developed an inward disposition to discern issues at any one given time. This implies that the person has the ability to listen and synthesize the real issues at hand. The critical reasoning person avoids dogma but in the same breathe refuses to be crippled by analysis paralysis alluded to in another section of this book. Simply stated, critical reasoning can be defined as “the ability to discern so as to remove a lot of doubt in a statement”∝. Further, it can be said to be the opposite of dogma. It involves many aspects such as philosophy and malice. 48. Possess a right plot∧

This point has earlier been alluded to but in this case, the person possesses a clear picture of what is going on. They know their boundaries, limitations and scope of their area of operations. Armed with such fine details, they can easily manipulate the context to their advantage. For instance, if your property is located near a large commercial city, you rightly position it so as to yield the best returns. When we were building our empire, we had plots of land across the country plus one smallholding in the heart of Lusaka. Business prudence told us to first develop the Lusaka smallholding from which all the necessary financial streams would emanate to develop our outlying From Grephan Chindongo, Sinazongwe, Zambia, 2005. “Plot” used loosely to mean the stage upon which to act or work e.g. assets, right location and time etc…

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

79

assets. Additionally, because these are our properties, we could do with them as we please and when. In another sense, if you are in an organisation, know where you are exactly and how to worm your way to the top ethically. 49.Access to strategic information In the past, what mattered was having the financial muscle but in this global world, if one is to succeed, they must have more than just cash. They must have the right information, yea strategic information that enables one to get the best returns at any one given time. This idea is closely knit to the working smart idea alluded to earlier on. The business world demands one to be constantly reading the times and responding accordingly. If one is to guarantee success, they must go further than just reacting to situations but be proactive. This proactively comes about by first having access to the right timely information upon which to base the intelligent and informed decisions. Once one has access to that information, they can safely read the times and there by anticipate the trends in the near future. Armed with that information, a person or entity will always be ahead of the potential competitors. For instance, a decree was passed that all District Health Directorates be headed by qualified Medical Doctors but the strategic incumbent Director who was not a qualified medical practitioner saw from afar and started to study higher qualifications above the minimum requirement. He also ensured that his district recorded the best outputs relative to other Doctor headed districts such that by the time the afore mentioned decree was mentioned, he was far above reach. The Ministry could not possibly depose him, if not elevate him! Everything in life revolves around strategy and its application. 50. Creative simulation

Ability to connect and associate juxtaposed ideas into one useful whole and simulate it before actually implementing it. “In the Accounting world, we learn to add and subtract while outside that world, we learn to multiply and divide.” 51.Develop an intuitive mind The ability to discern and read into situation the result being an appropriate and timely response. Dr John Maxwell asserts that people are intuitive according to their gift mix, meaning that our proficiency in this area largely depends on our gifts. Intuition, as earlier intimated, has to do Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

80

with that inner ability to feel or sense something although you may not have tangible evidence. A friend who was a seasoned shop Manager once quipped, “The moment I walk in a shop, I can almost tell what the status of the shop is. I simply stand near the tills and glance around the shop. In that one glance, I observe a lot of issues and put my finger where the issues are.”2 That is intuition! To validate this, I took an independent enquiry on one of the shop floor employees who said, “I do not know how Mr Bota knows where the problem is. All he does is walk in your section and instantly fish out the problem”∧ 52. Escape from resting on your laurels

This is a situation where the past glorious victories become an encumbrance for future success. Paul the Apostle loathed resting on his past achievements. Every day, he raised the bar higher thus reaching the lofty spiritual and physical heights. Never allow your past successes be an impediment towards greater and higher heights. Many get lost in the trappings of wealth or momentary glory and limp all the way to the grave because they lost focus. Success can be a deadly thing if not rightly handled. I wonder, what is it that keeps you from reaching the Everest mountain peak? Could it be that you are too content with your past token accomplishments? Why Dumb Guys Get Rich While Smart Guys Stay Poor! If you were to check the list of Fortune 500 company bosses, you would find that more than half of them never attended university. In fact, many of them never even finished High School. If you look around in your own life circumstances, you will find that the smart and the "best" invariably do NOT get to the top, despite all the myths to the contrary. They often end up working for someone less smart and less talented than themselves, whose chief talent is self-promotion and a street-savvy capacity for self preservation. Why is this? Why do the dumb guys get rich and the smart guys stay poor? (Note for the ladies: no sexism intended here. For "guy", read "gal" throughout this article).

2

Mr. Charles Bota, Shop rite Checkers Regional Manager, 2002 From Mr. Clifford Chinyama 2003

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

81

There are a number of good reasons. The first is that the intelligent deep thinking person often suffers from "paralysis through analysis". They will analyze and analyze a particular opportunity, and doubtless find all sorts of reasons why it just Won’t work. However, they will DO nothing! Graduates are bad enough at this, but PhDs are much worse By contrast, the dumb guy just comes in and does it. And succeeds! Why? Because he/she is too dumb to do anything else. It never occurs to this person to sit around contemplating his navel all day. They have little self-doubt (doubtless because they haven't sat around reading Nietzsche and Kant all day), and generally have a cando mentality. Most smart guys suffer from the syndrome of the over-talented. This means that they are pretty good at learning almost anything they put their hand to. Hence, they can achieve proficiency at most anything. However, persistence is another matter altogether. You see, the smart guy is drowning in opportunity. He doesn't know which of the many paths to take. Once he takes one, he changes direction as soon as the going gets tough (or worse, just as soon as he gets bored!). By contrast, there are some people who are only good at one thing and can do nothing else. Through focusing relentlessly on this ONE THING, they get astonishingly good at it. Bruce Springs teen jokingly refers to this at times in his concerts when he says that he couldn't play sports, he was no good at math, and he couldn't get a girl. The only thing he was any good at was playing guitar! And the rest is history. Another example of singlemindedness is Michael Jackson. We all marvel at his singing, dancing and song writing ability at the age of 40+. But really... give yourself a break! How good would YOU be at his age if you had also started when you were only five years old, and done nothing else all your life?!! I would hazard a guess that you'd be pretty damn good! Smart guys won't stoop too low. They won't touch things that are beneath them. They think that once they have a degree qualification, the world is theirs for the asking. If you have a Law degree from Harvard, would you work in a restaurant, or start a shoe shop? Yet, in the NY Times bestseller, "The Millionaire Next Door", the authors revealed that the vast majority of millionaires in America made their money in standard businesses like

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

82

restaurants, dry cleaners, shoe shops and so on. Yet, how many university graduates will enter such professions? Most would rather work for someone else in return for a higher than national average salary, the right to wear fancy expensive clothes on the job, and the faint promise of a company car somewhere down the line (provided you don't get fired first). Dumb guys by comparison will do whatever it takes to reach their goal. If their goal is money, and they are single-minded about it, they will just keep beating away at it until they finally succeed. Well, I guess they're just too dumb to stop, aren't they? There's no running home to cry to mummy. Heck, they just keep going and going and going! just like the energizer battery advert. They don't know when to stop and one day... well, they end up richer and more successful than you or me. In fact, we end up working for them! Strange thing that, isn't it? You know what? Smart guys think the world owes them a living. Dumb guys don't. Smart guys whine something like "I've got this degree in Fine Art, and I've self-published a book of poems, etc., etc. But I just can't seem to get a break. I'm talented and I'm being ignored. It's a closed shop. You've either got to know Someone, or have money. And me, I don't have either...". In my first job in Investment Banking, I recall being told to spend a couple of DAYS typing numbers into a computer like a secretary. What was I thinking? "I'm a Physics PHD! I shouldn't have to be doing this!!". Here's a simple fact the dumb guys know that the smart guys usually don't. Success, and Wealth (IF you choose to measure success that way), takes effort, persistence, determination, large amounts of disappointment, and sheer guts. Crying to mummy doesn't cut it. Giving up first time, saying "I tried it and it doesn't work. It's a scam", won't do. As Napoleon Hill said, you need "definiteness of purpose". This means you need to decide on the one thing you really want and stick at it, come what may, until you get it. Most people simply cannot do that. That is why most people end up dissatisfied and unhappy, especially the smart ones. Smart guys don't even use 10% of what they've got, while dumb guys give it all (after all, they don't have that much to give, do they? So they may as Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

83

well give it all they've got!). Smart guys don't know how to market themselves. They think if they build a better mousetrap, the world is duty-bound to beat a path to their door. So they just sit there, swapping high-brow intellectual witticisms, and wait. And wait. And wait... Anyway, who is really "smart" here? Is it the person with a lot of degree certificates, who knows how to play that game well, but is seemingly incapable of playing the game of life? Or is it the person who, perhaps without any fancy education, knows how to interact with the world in a way that optimizes the results that he or she gets? So please, take the point and get the lesson. Don't be too smart for your own good. Don't be blind to opportunity simply because your eyes are too busy contemplating your degree certificate. Don't be over-sensitive. Get out there. Success is a contact sport. Take chances. Get beat up once in a while. Be willing to LOSE (yes, LOSE - and forget what other people will say about it) once in a while. Be prepared to be scammed once or twice too in your pursuit to find out what actually works. Regard everything as a learning experience, and keep on trying. And remember this: Between where you are now and where you want to be in life, there are an unknown, but finite, number of mistakes to be made. So, resolve to make those mistakes just as fast as you possibly can. So... Let's shed the oversensitive skin, get off your backside, get a little "DUMB"... and ... MAKE IT HAPPEN! “A lot of fellows nowadays have a B.A., M.D., or Ph.D. Unfortunately; they don't have a J.O.B. - Domino” Source: Anonymous email chain mail, 2002 53.Look at failure as a stepping stone to success Half the time, challenges are viewed in negative light. But should this be the case? People have varying views on this matter but the author has increasingly been convinced over the years that failure should be viewed in a positive light. If you scan around you, what will you notice about most the successful people of today? Chances are that they failed at some point, galvanised all their potential and catapulted themselves to higher orbs. Admittedly, failure is painful and to some extent embarrassing, but Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

84

once viewed in another light, you will discover that failure could also be a turning point for some one. In one sense, failure sobers one or causes one to sit back, refocus and strategize. In another sense, failure is used by divine providence to signal that it is high time to change course. It could be that one is not in the best fit. Yet in another light, failure reminds one that perfection is yet future and constant improvement is essential to keep buoyant. Take time to read the biographies of famous people like Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, the Puritans, John Wesley, George Whitefield, Napoleon Hill, Martin Luther King, and more recently, Nelson Mandela. One silver lining you discover in all these people’s lives is the issue of looking at failure as an opportunity rather than as a dreadful monster. As a strategist, use affliction as the mother of invention to turbo you to higher orbs in the fullness of time. Refer to my other book, “Academic trials”∏ as a companion to this point. Dr John Maxwell’s book, ‘Failing Forward’ is also well worth reading to collect some valuable motivation gems. Case Different people respond to trials in varying ways. Some are well adjusted and thus soon mutate while others are very fragile and easily tip over with terrible fright at encountering challenges. University students go through incredible amounts of academic pressure and spend many sleepless nights long after they have left the exam room. Most of them dread failure because it is demeaning for many as well as having very bad repercussions on resources. Interestingly, this author has met some students who faced traumatic academic trials but still triumphed in the end, regardless of how long it took. Thus, this author also took a leaf from the seasoned when he himself went through the dark academic valleys back in the 1990s. The author recalls how one friend went for two years at UNZA before being excluded at the end of second year. He proceeded to the Copper belt University and took another ten years on a five-year program! Today, if you meet this person, he is one of the finest guys to hang out with, very mature and patient. Others spent seven years instead of four at UNZA. One thing flows through all these people, taking each failure as a stepping-stone to greater heights, no matter how hard it appears. 54. Read the times This book describes the academic struggles and strategies employed by the author over a period of 16 years, 1987-2003

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

85

Akin to the men of Isaachar 1 Chronicles 12:32 who knew the times, President Mwanawasa first quit and failed part elections in 1996 but in 2001, he became Republican President. A study of history will be helpful to put wings in this point. Your strategic eye should constantly be monitoring the context in which your lot falls. Many run aground on this rock because they mistakenly assume that all the variables in the environment will remain static when they in fact are rapidly changing. The men of Isaachar leave us a lasting lesson so that we avoid clinging on to the right thing at the wrong time. 55. Shed off “excess baggage” as you progress and refine your

strategies. In life, if you are not careful, everything appears equally important and you could end up doing everything but achieving nothing tangible. It is therefore necessary to identify what is important and urgent as compared with what is unimportant and to some extent urgent. The strategic mind carries out a self-SWOT analysis and knows what is critical for success while discarding the unimportant. Thus, any excess baggage is hurled out while refining future success strategies. This author was once very active in too many spheres and in the process wasted a lot of time and energy. Even if you are multi-tasked or talented, watch what you are about. You may need to shed off some of those weights to generate higher efficiency levels. It may entail parting with some darling things and activities but the dagger must be swiftly applied none the less. 56. Exposure to varying situations.

Exposure helps one adjust have a wider picture and perception. It also enriches your approach, builds networks, linkages and information base. People that lack exposure tend to be rigid, narrow minded and sometimes naïve. I once visited a settled Zambian colleague in England some time back. Long before this gentleman’s relocation abroad, he was exceedingly critical and opinionated. At the time I visited, I was amazed at just how he had matured! He is now able to look at issues from different perspectives before speaking. The European culture is radically different from the African. For instance, the Africans are inclusive, easy going and friendly while the English are closed, issues based and highly individualistic. 57.Be a Person of books!

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

86

Ever learning and a lifelong student. Great achievers are generally also great readers. They read about any and everything. They are also good at reading providence, the times, and the book of nature as well as what the context demands. Most of all, they are avid readers of books and other people’s works so as to grasp as much as they can. “Leaders read” as an apt saying goes. Stop reading and down the drain goes your objective seasoned thinking, unless you are an exception. Sadly, very few consistent readers exist in Zambia, including those that have passed through the walls of UNZA. I wonder what happens to people when they graduate, usually, they do not want to have anything to do with books unless it threatens their very existence or immediate livelihood. Once they have crossed that hurdle, they soon forget and revert back to the “resting” mode. In fact, many Zambian consider reading a necessary evil and would prefer watching motion pictures or listening to radio rather than reading. If you would increase your inventive creative powers, be a person of books! In that way, you will be able to compare and contrast, learn from others thereby synthesising a crystal clear path to success. You should never outgrow reading or studying but your mind should feed on new information everyday. Your server must constantly be updated so as to remain relevant to the times. Remember, information is more potent than mere financial resources! Dr Kaunda once seriously lamented the pathetic reading culture in the Post newspapers of September 22, 2007. the editorial of that paper was even more painfully striking.∝ 58. Maintain a sense of debt to those that contributed to your success.

There are many constituencies you owe many thanks because they devoted some of their time to help you up and deposited a piece of their mantle. Often times, we act like those ten lepers who were healed by the Lord. Only one out of ten returned to thank him. The rest were probably too happy to be released from bondage and could hardly wait to diffuse into the community once declared fit. Others perhaps boasted of their ingenuity of having wisely discovered a remedy and never gave credit to the healer. In a similar fashion, many of us forget that we stand on the shoulders of giants for us to be visible to the outside world. Some people are so full of self-praise and have no regard for others. Despite their great accomplishments, I still think they radiate because others contributed in one way or other by way of financial, emotional or material support. Dear friend, no matter how high you go, always remember that you remain a debtor to someone out there. It could be your parents, uncle, auntie, “KK bemoans lack of reading culture” by Masuzyo Chakwe page 4.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

87

brother, sister or even stranger who may appear far removed from your present success but they still were pillars one way or the other. Secondly, always recall that there are immediate constituencies that gave up everything or believed in you when the chips were down. While the rest stood aloof by the terraces or simply walked away, these people remained true and thus deserve accolades too. In talking about a sense of debt, I do not here advocate some form of cultic allegiance or thoughtless obedience but rather some form of due consideration whether privately or publicly. At other times, other people’s books and writings could have turned the bulb on in your mind and hence led you to the Promised Land. 59. Increase your influence by building and firing up Charisma

within your bosom. It is possible to have a lot of resources around you but if you do not have the connecting and linkage power, you soon wither and come to ruin. At best your success rate will just be modest and not be extra ordinary. Thus, it is critical to work out something ensuring that you steadily construct your leadership foundation upon which your influence is based. Part of your influence is to be an astute charismatic and political leader. I use “political” in the general sense as relates to influence, tact, acumen, wisdom or organisational politics in short. In any given context, certain paths work well to achieve results while others do not, no matter how well meaning they might be. For instance, if you are going to carry out an HIV awareness campaign in a village, there is need to walk circumspectly because some of your messages might be offensive to your audience, although you might actually be in the right. The best is to use the indigenous local opinion leaders, win them over to your side and let them go to disseminate the information on your behalf. Another alternative is to learn the local values, customs and cues. This will help as you communicate. But the bottom line is to build your influence base so that you could achieve much through and with others. 60. Respect others and draw on their strengths.

Avoid past pitfalls committed by others. Use the past as a learning point for perfect future application. Always keeps it to mind that in most things we engage upon in life, chances are that others have gone before us using that same path. They are thus more seasoned and qualified to offer appropriate advice, and guidance. Ignore them to your own inconvenience, unless your lot falls on uniquely pleasant places. As you chart your course, salute those that have travelled your way but in case Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

88

you are a pioneer of some activity or area of study, never forget that some people have in the past contributed you to your present stature. The best is to tap on their strengths while refining their weak point. In this way, we shall avoid ‘reinventing the wheel’ as the saying goes. 61. Network with the right people.

You must ensure you link up with the right people that will not only stretch your mind but put some wind under your wings. The right exposure to the correct people in the appropriate dosages helps much in the quest towards higher orbs. Connecting to these people opens your mind to new things and other perceptive ways. Care however must be taken not to be a blind follower or one who merely parrots what others say and do. Ensure you are original and drawing on the strengths of others. In other words, they should not dictate the agenda. Another danger to avoid is to simply turn into a spectator who watches events and wonder at how others perform excellently on the stage while we jubilantly watch. Further still further, another subtle danger is to simply boast of being associated with the right kind of people with the right CV and status. In my experience, I have met idle people who claim to be connected to about every powerful person in the land in one way or the other, and yet they themselves remain poor! They exhibit stunted growth in every area of their lives! What is the explanation? Most probably, they are mere imitators or spectators akin to TB parasites! They are good to have around but be sure they will never grow up and thus remain dependent on you. You may not feel the pinch now but once your immunity (cash flow) goes down, then you feel their weight! What sort of person are you? 62.Know yourself This is the first mark and entails knowing ones’ limitations, potentials, abilities and powers. In other words, the earlier you discover your core competencies, the better. For example, I bet Kalusha, Mbesuma, Chitalu, Nervous, Conrad, Cholwe Mwetwa, Mutembo Nchito, Amon Simutowe among many celebrities of our time discovered their strengths whilst still very young and wasted no time plunging into their callings. I think that in part explains why they sparkle so brightly even today. If another with the wrong fit had taken the same professions, they would soon be frustrated and quit. End case-an example of determination Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

89

Clement Mugala- A modern change leader Although Zambia lies paralysed in the many layers of poverty among the 41 poorest nations of the world, it is comforting to that Men and Women of valour still exist there. Men and Women of purpose who are clear minded and know what the time demands. At this miserable rate in which the nation is sinking into object poverty, one is hardly queried when they exclaim, “can anything come good out of Zambia?” Among those giants of our times is Clement Mugala who has been at the helm of Building Society turnaround from certain bankruptcy. The said company was at the brink of destruction When Mugala appeared and quickly instituted emergency remedial measures so that the company is now safely back on the trails, having recorded annual losses reaching an all time record of K 2.4 Billion in the 1997/98 financial year! But who is Clement Mugala? From whence does he hail? What secret has he employed to rescue the once called “lifeless” company? For one thing, Mr Mugala hails from the northern parts of Zambia, married to Ruth, a powerful help met and possesses an unrivalled CV. Yet none of these qualifications radiate as brilliantly as his management style. He studied an international professional accounting course (CIMA), and now holds an MBA from the Edinburgh Graduate school in Scotland. Furthermore, he has vast experience in Government and private Accounting. As such, we can see that he is an “all rounded”. More importantly, he is a man full of integrity, objectivity, insight, foresight, determination and focus. Unlike other men, Clement is not easily daunted by difficult tasks. He confidently ventures into any situation, assured that armed with knowledge and vast experience, any hurdle is surmountable. But, the question still lingers, “what is the secret of his success and the Building Society? “. How has he managed to arrest the decay and steer the ship back to safety? The reason is soon told from the article “ZNBS ekes way out of the financial doldrums” which appeared in the Zambia Daily Mail of 05/03/99. From the article, it is evident that the man has imbibed and pragmatically practices modern management principles. For example, he believes that teamwork is the way forward for the business of tomorrow. This belief shows itself in the way he associates and views his subordinates. He would rather be viewed as a leader not a boss, which culture, hitherto, has plagued almost all organisations in Zambia. This traditional approach has further been fostered by regular and constant political interference in the smooth running of the parastatals. Like hungry rats looking for nuts, these politicians hover around any seemingly profitmaking company. The Building Society is no exception. Constantly, these Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

90

“rats” are laying mousetraps for humans! But clement has flown above all these and has brought about team spirit that is beginning to pay dividends as output increases. Teamwork means that there is mutual trust, single common goal, less individual brilliant star performances and easier over lapping. Slowly, people are venturing out of their shells where they hid dreading victimisation from illiterate politicians and are now taking liberated bold steps towards teamwork. As though teamwork were not enough, Clement has through his management, adopted an “open management” approach where people from all ranks and levels feel to contribute, criticise, complain and be heard. Furthermore, the Mugala led team has introduced some incentives such as multiple salary increases in the year thus boosting the workers’ morale. Since the battle is not yet over, there has been a deliberate move to train and refresh staff so that they are customer-focused rather than morbidly inward looking. The effects of this capacity – building manoeuvres are seen in the speedy and friendly way that staff responds to customers, and when privately asked, the majority of employees speak in glowing tribute of the company. They say ‘we have the best products and a powerful top management team….” Waxing melodiously eloquent by the minute. Emanating from this training is the freedom to innovate and have many products; most of which are as ancient as the company itself while others are new products. The old ones have been refined in keeping with the times. New products are churned out frequently. Thus as one walks into the hallway of the Building Society, it is a pleasant hive of activity and yet intense particular individual attention is given to every customer. Here, the customer is king. With all these past rapid changes as well as the powerful strategic eye to the future, the Society pulled out of the doldrums within a year-now that is record time indeed! But what type of scenario did Mugala exactly find when he first stepped into the building society executive office in mid 1998? What hurdles has he encountered thus far? Firstly, we not that he found a divided house that was crippled by evil organisational politics. The Management and the union were at daggers drawn and constantly fighting with no strength left wrestling to do any positive work. The union spent all its time squabbling about wages, pointing fingers and daily fuelling more animosity in the company. If a PhD could be earned through antagonism, the union could have bagged a multiplicity of them!

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

91

Furthermore, the top management was paralysed by external influences from the politicians who actually run the company remotely. As such, there was no strategic planning because the rules came from outside. Therefore, it was pointless to even read the external business environment. Why talk about planning when someone else calls the shots? Thirdly, the company was bankrupt with no resources, withered reserves, overdrafts, multiple law suits, a bad reputation, lost customer confidence and worst of all, erratic or no Government grants, which have ceased with the introduction of the cash budget. Those managers who sat securely like king frogs on their “thrones” were the most alarmed when the youthful looking Mugala stepped onto the stage. Sensing that some of their unnecessary jobs would be slashed with the advent of re-engineering the villains raised their antenna akin to police dogs that sense danger. Hence the resistance. Fourthly, the people who were previously at the helm of the organisation were half the time not equal to the task but rather political appointees because of their patriotism to the party in power. This trend sadly has persisted to this very day. The lament is that these clown Executives were not original but did the bidding of the state and even more tragic was the fact that many had no heart for the entity. Of course, many with greater credentials than Mugala have traversed the path that he now treads but none perhaps has been as salty as he. Having proved himself both in public and private practice, the Government, in its usual unconventional ways, called him to resuscitate the ailing company. By all counts, the Building Society was headed for the company bone yard. Time has gone by and many problems have crossed his path but he remains focused towards the goal. Problems such as low pay, low morale, bad attitudes, evil suspicions and resistance from the “old guard” still linger. Happily, these green headed vices are slowly being mortified. Having painted a gloomy picture in the last section, we now proceed to show the way forward for the said organisation. As earlier intimated, the Mugala- led team is strategic in approach. The company is now risen from the ashes and is now eking a unique path that will guarantee sustainability. Clement’s long-term goals are to make the company independent, agile, and fluid as well as be ahead of any possible new market entrants. The quest to that end is clear as he leads the company in embarking on an Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

92

ambitious US$ 1.5 million project to computerise the entire organisation. Although the initial costs are whooping, this is powerful competitive advantage tool in the long run that will increase efficiency across the entire company network. Since the 17 or so branches are littered all over the country, efficiency will result due to being online. Thus, speedy service and fewer hiccups in responding to customer queries and orders will accrue to the company good will. Also, IT is necessary for decision making in these turbulent times. “Ignore IT at your own peril”, the common adage says. Furthermore, with employee capacity enhanced, moral raised and the right “known quantities” on board to champion the new management practices, the entity will be a formidable force to reckon with in days that lie ahead. As Mugala aptly concludes with the touching words, “ Whatever is true, whatever is right whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praise worthy, think about such things”¬, we too long more of such clear minded dynamic business leaders with a passion to salvage ailing businesses out of the corporate casket! 63. Escape the ‘status trap’.

Too many are caught up in the status trappings to think and act outside the box. They think their status does not permit them to sell ice blocks at the roadside or even in an established market. They would rather own boutiques and expensive places where they just pop by anytime to collect their cash and dash off to enjoy life. Little do they realise that the real cash is actually on the streets! I once tested my wife whether we could start a small goodies but she quickly retorted that it was far beneath our status given our locality. I had a long hilarious laugh! 64. Rest one day in seven to reflect, meditate, unwind, worship,

galvanise, relax and refresh. After a busy week, it is always wise to sit still and unwind so that you can start the next cycle on a fresh note. People who rest once a week are said not only to live longer but work better for longer periods of time before they break down. Frequent meditation refreshes the mind. Devout Christians rest on the Lord’s Day and thus appear bright every Monday as opposed to the tired drunkard. From Philippians 4, Holy Bible

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

93

We have traversed the winding path together but I trust that numerous gems suggested in this chapter will give you something to think about. There are many pearls from which you can pick life lessons and I am sure you will not be disappointed. In case you cannot grasp all the points, at least remember to work diligently and extremely hard before you reap the benefits. Some of these habits take time to grasp let alone internalise. Try them out! ==================================== ============================ Bibliography Cole Robert & Mishler Lon, Credit Management, 11th edition, 1998 Covey Stephen, The seven Habits of highly effective people, Pocket books. London. Sydney. New York. Singapore. Toronto Bower, Bartlett etal, Business Policy, McGraw Hill, 1998 8th edition Zambia daily Mail, International Bible Society, Holy Bible (NIV), 1973

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

94

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

95

Chapter 6 Factors impeding effective labour

In whatever undertaking humans engage, there are always challenges that need effective management lest they wreck havoc. These challenges are initially often invisible to the naked eye but periodically show up and then apparently “disappear” only to show up later. What they actually do is to simply change “frequency” or modus operandi. If you are not meticulously watchful, they can mess up things and make you repeatedly go round the same hill for generations. The Makufi song by one of Zambia’s celebrated gospel artists, Nathan Nyirenda, aptly echoes a painful lament. The song wonders why, as a nation, despite trying a lot of things, potentially a rich nation, much prayer, miss the road somewhere. It is a painful factual reflection and would cause someone to weep. In this chapter, we briefly attempt to buttress our earlier assertion that consistent hard work is the key to success. To that end, we have highlighted some key points worth considering as we traverse this self and national development forest. It is hoped that at the end of this chapter, you will have diagnosed your weakness and weeded out the root causes. Apart from the obvious crippled mindset, this chapter offers some visible manifestations that contribute to individual and poor national performance. Let us walk together as we open these festering wounds. The following highlighted points nibble away at our prosperity, they steal, rob you and me of our potential higher quality of life. Take time to reflect on our proposals: 1. Laziness Laziness comes in various forms and it may or may not be tolerated depending on the culture, values and context. In the developed north, everyone is expected to work hard, be self reliant, innovative and contribute to their own and national well being. It is actually a taboo and embarrassing to go through life without engaging in any gainful work. Motivational speaker Bernard Chiwala∅ accurately described the Refer to the article “Chiwala ties poverty to wrong mindset” in the Post of 10th October 2007 by Patson Chilemba page 2

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

96

Zambian scenario when he asserted that bad attitude was responsible for people’s poverty. Laziness carries the connotation of being laid back, laissez faire and easy going in the midst of challenges. It also relates to being unwilling to exert your inner resources and energies towards bettering your lot by offering excuses or endlessly shifting blame. Some lazy bones spend their time whining, criticising or fault finding whilst not offering any tangible solution or alternative to a predicament. Some people are hard working in the present day but too lazy to think and plan for their future. The diligent person thinks long term. S/he spends considerable time brainstorming such that by the time they leave life’s stage, they will have provided not only for their children but their grand children as well. (Proverbs 10:4; 13:22). Smart workers also proactively read the times and timorously position themselves long before the rainy day arrives. When we were growing up, we found it extremely strange when our guardians repeatedly suggested that we needed to train our selves by taking up voluntary chores so as to earn a little more pocket money for our personal use. In that way, they argued, we could train ourselves to confidently face life’s challenges. It took many years before I realised how lazy we had been. The school holidays were reserved only for play and leisure knowing that the school fees would be paid somehow by our parents, and thankfully, they did. When the family economy became shaky, I reluctantly took up several jobs (some mundane, others good) and was able to raise abit of cash to reduce the cash burden on my parents. But did I need to be pushed to the wall to realise? If we develop a culture of hard work, we shall work from the start and eventually render poverty defeated. If you would be successful in your endeavour, cast off sloth and imbibe relentless hard work. For many years, the Zambian Government made its citizens seriously dependant by promising to provide everything including subsidized essential commodities. Remember those mealie meal coupons of the 1980s? That was seriously damaging on our innovative creative minds. Perhaps it was good while it lasted in the command economy era and context but the spill over effects were really bad. That explains in part, why many Zambians failed to adjust to the rapid changes that took place in 1992. Many expected the government to continue with its spoon-feeding approach to development but the capitalistic context would not permit this. The few enlightened citizens that realised the implications of the liberalised economy took advantage of the faulty privatisation process and minted gold. Today, some of them boast of being filthy rich while the vast majority remain Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

97

desperately poor, hoping the government will one day come to their rescue somehow. As far as the present economic policies are concerned, that is a far cry. People need to brace themselves for real innovative hard work... The archaic laws need to change to allow for multiple shift work where one can work many places in one day rather than just one as is the case today. People need to internalise the entrepreneurial spirit so that they can spot and exploit the abundant resources littered all over this richly endowed nation. For now, it is the foreigners that have a field day while the country’s natives sit around waiting for the government to compensate them. They will wait forever without tangible compensation much like the Gwembe Valley Tonga have the past fifty or so years. The Kariba dam hardly even benefits them because of the prohibitive laws favouring the affluent, rich and powerful. Now Uranium has been discovered around the lakeshores, I am sure it is foreigners not indigenous that will largely benefit. Hard work and strategic thinking is the only key to success. Never wait for your neighbour to do something for you, they simply won’t! 2. Despair

Despair manifests itself in many ways. One-way is when individuals have a low self-esteem, are weak decision makers or do not confidently trust themselves to do anything right unless another applauds their effort. More than that, despair is when someone or people simply give up, resign themselves to fate or leave everything to chance hoping that some divine intervention will alter the course of nature. Usually, the poor happen to be desperate because they do not see or hope for a better future because there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel, as Kaunda used to say. When you despair, you halt any further enquiry or plans to improve your lot. The best you can do is whine about each and everything. In effect, you become mentally crippled and dare not attempt anything new because of your pessimistic mindset that is reinforced by what you see in your locality. If you accidentally find yourself among the elite and affluent, you often feel disadvantaged, robbed, cheated and disoriented as a result of your already firm pessimistic mindset. Unless you resolve to pick up the broken pieces, you will forever remain on the fringes of life. Zambia needs a fresh start. A new lease of life is needed to remove the despairing wet blanket that has enveloped our nation for so long. A few elite people are having a field day and cannot see my reasoning here but if you took a casual visiting one of these compounds, you cannot help but sense the high despair levels among our people. Of course, some of these Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

98

root causes can be mitigated or corrected in some way but for now, the despairing mind fails to do much. Lifting the soul of the nation is what will carry the day and turn our fortunes. 3. Pessimism

Closely connected to despair is pessimism. This means having a negative attitude about everything. As a result, you do not see any possibility of making it to the next level because you have convinced yourself that certain things are too complex, remote or belong to a certain class of people. In fact, pessimists always concentrate on the bad and negative side of things and make conclusions before s/he even tries out. If Professor Chirwa was a pessimist, he would not have ventured into the Crashworthiness research, because no one had ever done it before him. If he reasoned that he could not make it because he was black and hailed from one of the scandalously poor nations in the world, he would have long given up. But the man believed in himself and went on to be advisor to powerful governments like the USA, British and the EU in general. Interestingly, the Zambian government has scarcely given him a proper hearing! If it was a “Muzungu” parroting the same stuff, the whole nation would have come to a standstill just to hear the exotic fellow. All this behaviour emanates from a pessimistic mind set. No wonder why the “PHD” syndrome finds fertile ground on Zambian turf. But you need to turn the tide round in your generation. If everyone around you refuses to budge, turn yourself around! William Cowper (1731-1800) was a serious pessimist and yet wrote over 67 classical hymns and countless poems. 4. Looking for applaud If your chief motive is to be applauded and accepted by all in whatever you do and say, most probably you will achieve only what is acceptable and normal. You will be average, yea below average person with no flashes of superhuman mental or physical strength. People who fear other people’s opinions do not break away from traditions and norms but will orbit around the established norms. Their inventive sharpness is blunted and so is their entrepreneurial or curious mind. Sadly, many are ready to burn their fingers in things that do not add value to their and other people’s quality of life. In another sense, if you want to be known as a great guy deserving public recognition, the strong desire for applaud will force you to apply yourself to the limit, hoping that you do not suffer from total organ failure as happened to one budding young Spanish footballer in 2007. If that is the line you tow, that is fine but what I Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

99

contend against here is the senseless fear of man leading to total dependant on what others say. If all the inventors and innovators depended on public applause and opinion, probably many would have long packed their bags and gone home to relax, but no, they persevered on and some of them only received applaud post-humously. Names like David Livingstone, Hudson Taylor and William Carey are but a few that come to mind in the gospel enterprise arena. I am sure the great scientists like Galileo, Newton, Archmedice, Faraday were thought somewhat insane while they laboured on their ground breaking experiments but today, science basically swims on their great sacrifice. 5. Excessive pride and self importance This is the dark mark that plagues Zambians, pride! We think we are very smart and too important to do some kind of job. Zambians feel insulted once requested to do some chore they consider mundane or low class. We weigh and place some jobs as “beneath our status” when we are actually nothing! Menial work is especially relegated to the uneducated because we have perceived it to be a lower job. But our western friends throw away needless self-importance and respect every job. I often wonder how and why Zambians willingly take up odd jobs in the developed world but flatly refuse to do the same at home! For instance, many would willingly clean plates, mop shops and toilets, pick litter, nurse the aged in England to earn a living but loathe that at home. Perhaps it is the cost benefit aspect at play? Granted, that is a factor but the principle should be that whatever job is on offer should be respected and looked at positively because one way or other, this contributes to building the nation in ways that many of us do not see. I am not here suggesting that we throw away our respective specialties and callings but what my contention is that we should dignify, honour and uphold whatever available job. By that token, we should pay better than we have hitherto done. Secondly, those that engage in whatever task must do so with pride, contentment, confidence and pleasure because it will bring about returns to contribute to their livelihoods. To beat the insufficiency of the wages, people in the western world have more than one job. When the total earnings from different sources are combined, it makes a decent income. I am not too sure when Zambia will reach that stage where people work part time and can knock off to dash to another but this should be on the cards I am sure as things unfold in this budding market economy. The present labour law needs urgent revision to fit into the present capitalist economy. People should be free to hold as many jobs as they can at any one given time. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

100

6. Comfort zone syndrome

Another issue that we should flee from is the insatiable quest to remain in the comfort zone. Often, because we consider ourselves too important, we also tend to protect our turf at all costs whatever betide. If anything threatens or rocks our boat, we react and put up antidotes resisting change. That explains why change is resisted because we feel what we have determined as good for us must be the best and no further. Anything else is perceived an inconvenience, unnecessary or evil. Newton’s second law of motion indeed has wider application, methinks! I often suspect this mindset has largely contributed to our chronic poverty as a nation. The other day, I was talking with some rural community leaders about the need to change their attitude towards work and how they view assets such as livestock. They flatly denied my allegations stating that they had already gone past my fears long before. When I demonstrated that their relatives (tribes’ mates) a few miles away had behaved in that bad way as I submitted, they simply laughed away and pledged to change. Despite their assurances, I went away with the gut feeling that they had not changed at all, hence the denial and sinister laugh because what they were looking for was immediate gain. Similarly, this comfort zone explains why Zambia keeps electing wrong crooked leaders to national office when their health, mental capacity or back grounds are questionable. Somehow, we waive the constitution to suit ourselves. But if you would make an indelible mark upon your generation and family, drop the comfort zone and move on to higher ground. Embrace challenges as walking sticks to higher ground or else do not be surprised if you do not prosper while your neighbour does. Stay risk averse and you will soon grow tolerant to bad conditions of life. Change and prosper. 7. Resting on laurels and past glories

Many of us love to be rich, famous and popular but rarely do we take time to enquire about the back stage antics that have raised people to such prominence. Often times, at least in the Zambian context, people will have spent countless hours working their way to the top and when they suddenly hit the headlines, all eyebrows are raised in admiration. But dear friends, making it to the top requires extremely consistent hard work. It demands a higher than average devotion to one thing. Even after scoring early success, the person is not content and continues to gun for the big one or even successfully refining whatever they have on the plate. Sadly, many Zambians soon drop miserably from the lime light after Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

101

hitting the bulls’ eye. Somehow, success gets to their heads and seriously entangles them in the trappings of success so that they fail to concentrate or focus. Consider the once famous and illustrious Zambian athletes who are today destitute despite having handled billions of kwacha. What about artists who die young at the grisly hands of AIDS soon after they shoot to stardom? That is not all, what about those white collar executives who go on rampage after clinching that top notch job? Somehow, we seem to easily get entangled and thus rest on our laurels. We often falsely feel that we have worked our way to the top and can now rest ever after, forgetting that there is still some more mountain climbing to be done. If you have reached mount Kilimanjaro summit, there is always a Mount Everest to be conquered somewhere. If we forget that fact, we soon become lazy bones big time because we have no bench marks any way. Aim to be the best of the best whatever betide. Constant vigilance is required for success. Further, have strategies on how you are to get to the next level. I love reading Amon Simutowe’s description of his manoeuvres on the chess board. Every move on the board matters much and has implications. He is amazingly able to tell when a particular move was last used and why. Once he commented that a certain particular move had last been used in the seventies (1970s) when that Grand Master triumphed and yet Simutowe discerned that lethal move and beat the champion at his game! I found that detail grip really startling! But that is what it takes to be a high-class champion. Never ever rest on your past achievements, always be moving forward and be current! 8. No focus, targets or goal

Once one has no aim or target, wherever they shoot, they will hit the bulls’ eye! The reason is simple, every route takes them to their desired haven because there are no parameters to indicate that we are in the wrong or right direction. Similarly, if you pass through life like a rolling stone over a cliff, chances are that you will emerge empty handed at the end of your life because you had no passion, reason, focus or aim to live for. But if from the onset you set out to achieve something, every step will matter much. Thus, those that do not have a specific goal hardly exert themselves in any specific direction but depend on fate to order the course of their lives. Granted, Providence orders all our ways but the scriptures say that plans belong to man. This implies that we must all be active master planners always daily getting closer to our desired goal. Do you know why your neighbour consistently succeeds? It could be that they have focus, benchmarks, targets or clear goals always before them. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

102

Not only do they have those fine strategies, they also periodically monitor and evaluate themselves, absorbing some emergent strategies where needed as they redesign their plans. Naïve people always assume things will remain the same and thus blindly walk into the lions’ mouth. I found it instructive when a certain organisation rewired itself. The end result was that some if it’s best and longest serving managers did not fit into that new strategy and thus failed to make the grade. The tragic thing is that most of them did not have their own accommodation, despite having worked over a decade! In one sense, they had not clearly defined their goal from the start. But in another, it was a lesson not to totally rely upon or trust other mutable mortals and institutions. Always have a ‘pocket agenda’ and a functional “career meter” that instinctively indicates to you early enough when it is time to move on. This goal, target and focus will get you places you never imagined in your wildest dreams. 9. No passion or sense of urgency Half the time, many of us undertake a project initially with a lot of enthusiasm and energy. We do everything well and on time but as time goes by, many of us begin to mellow, grow weaker, less committed and desirous to give in our all. With time, we become passive, indifferent and in some serious cases laissez faire. We relax on our controls, things become relative and the pulse slowly dies. This incipient killer soon murders us and spreads like gangrene to our team members growing out of control like a big wild fire. But if we are to make a mark, we must keep our goals ever fresh on our minds. This means regularly revisiting our objectives, sharpening our focus and checking our progress rate against set benchmarks. Another way could be intermingling with the right circle of peers. That challenges us to keep the fire burning for a far longer time. Projects often maintain this fervency for a longer period than other regularly established institutions like the government. Often times, and depending on your positioning in such large establishments, you are more likely to catch the lazy bones malaise and cease to see anything wrong with it. In fact, you soon become upset with anyone who speaks against your entrenched work culture. My father was a seriously frustrated man when he worked in the civil service because his energy levels far outstripped what the system could offer or allow. He believed in diligent hard work, being a result oriented individual. It was a wrong fit I guess. Subsequently, he had to quit and went into the private sector. Sadly, he found the same disease there but it was far much better. Avoid Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

103

such systems if you can. From another angle, you could join such systems, reform them (although systems and cultures are often difficult to change single handedly), or fit in. When you fit in, ensure you excel in your work area and use the bureaucracy created red tape and time lag to do other private jobs (PJs), though you run the risk of being charged with conflict of interest, breaking the archaic law or reprimand. But be creative because our salaries cannot meet our basic needs. Beware of corruption though! As you will note, the civil service gives you a lot of time to do many other private jobs which the NGOs may not provide. In the NGO world, all your energies and time are sapped as they are more seriously target oriented comparatively. The returns are good in the NGO sector but if you are entrepreneurial, you could raise far much more with your meagre income regardless of where you presently work, government or not. Never waste away time and opportunity. Always remember that you have an agenda to fulfil in your 25,000 + earth days, of which nearly half are already gone! 10.Not thinking about posterity At some point, I mentioned that the wise man provides for his children as well as the grand. This means the person has a strategic eye towards the future every time they engage in something. Every move on life’s chessboard has a bearing on the future. I often say to myself that if I went to glory without providing for my children, that would be the greatest failure I will have had in life. My aim has always been to do my best in generating wealth for my family and beyond. Following the Apostolic example, I endeavour to do my best at all times using all the resources at my disposal. That explains why I keep trying this, that and the other to reach my target. Some of the things I do might seem ‘nonsensical’ and ‘beneath my status’ to some minds but what does it matter? Will my children feed on status? Will they survive on my credentials that will be useless at my demise? I often find my late father in law, Dr Arthur Msimuko very inspirational. He bought plots and built houses in Chilenje and Kaunda Square when most of the elite of the day were not thinking of building. In fact, his friends ridiculed and despised him but you know what? Those seemingly “small houses” are the ones that sustained and educated his family long after he had died! That was long-range thinking. Unfortunately, many Zambians enjoy the present and give no thought to the future. Many mystically hope to land a huge lump sum payment and then do something big. But that is not necessarily the best way to selfdevelopment because money’s value gets eroded over time, especially in Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

104

high inflation settings. To some extent, I lamented when my work mates advocated for a gratuity pay out once every three years. In one sense they had a point that they would pay less tax but in another, the money value would be eroded and would thus only engage in capital projects once every three years, in which time things would have changed. I absolutely have no problem if inflation is low and the monthly income high enough to allow some amount of self-development but going by what the average Zambians generally mint, it would be better to collect our “gratuity” payment on an annual basis. This mitigates inflation impact. Be that as it may, always have an eye towards posterity. In that way, you will regulate your expenditure and investment patterns. Your duty is to invest into the future and not enter polemics as to whether your progeny will be wise enough to manage your legacy. Who knows, they may even be wiser than you have been and thus merely build on where you left off. 11.Short cuts and quick fixes The reason partly why corruption is so rife in Zambia is because many of us want to quickly prosper without much ado. Naturally, most of us loath hard work, inconvenience or delays and thus jump at anything that promises instant results. Many of us love “instant Nshima” kind of results. If it were possible, we would gamble all of life if we were certain to hit the lottery some day. To fulfil this desire, we dribble, cheat and cripple each other if only we can gain access to egocentric gain. Sadly, these quick fixes and short cuts pervade even Statehouse! Have we not heard of the Maharishi concept? What about the senseless imprudent privatisation process of the 1990s and beyond? What about the thoughtless political bloated Cabinet Minister appointments? All these are in a bid to quickly solve an immediate problem without any forethought of the implications of such a move. 12.Doubt Doubt has always been a killer of many projects because doubters are often not courageous enough to present and defend their ideas to a wider audience. While they still doubt, another quickly steals their ideas and pose as the originator. No matter how they mourn, the world will not hear them but give credit to the patent holder. I have heard of a Zambian who claims to have pioneered the isolation the HIV Virus but delayed to make their findings known. Another stole their conclusions and published them in a journal thus getting the credit. That was sad but it happens so frequently. Many have claimed to have invented or discovered this, that Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

105

or the other but spend more time doubting themselves rather than confidently putting their findings on the table. This hesitation is not only in the intellectual world but pervades all aspects of life. If you show doubt in whatever you do, you invariably lose some credibility and respect from your constituencies that support you. They wonder whether you actually mean what you say or even know what you are about. A confident look and posture does much good for you as you win more clout and following. I once knew a friend who always doubted himself all the times. With time, he repeatedly failed all his exams and even when he finally completed his studies, he hardly excelled in his job. Only when he cast off doubt did he begin to make headway. If you are the head of the home and are full of doubts, do not be surprised if your entire household turns out to be a den of doubters. In some sense, we can safely assert that doubt is contagious if not carefully managed. Why are you still where you are after all these years? Why haven’t you made progress? Couldn’t it be because you are doubt infested? With such a mindset lacking assurance, you will scarcely make individual progress. That also explains also why Zambia has remained a pauper nation because it is a country of doubters right from State house down wards. The only thing we seem not to be indifferent about or doubt is engaging in corrupt practices! Somehow, we score feats in the wrong things! 13.Displeasure in the work McGregor has brought about two formidable postulations/ theories about people’s attitude and response towards work. The first says something like this: “People naturally hate work, view it as undesirable and will do anything to avoid or minimise it” The second theory advances the thought that some people view work as necessary, good, healthy and important for ones’ sanity, survival, esteem and well being. These two extreme positions seem to largely summarise what obtains in the world. Those that hold on to the first postulation usually are lazy and often do not make much progress in their field of endeavour. They content themselves with reaching the bare minimum and go to the beach after that. They have no problems with watching movies all day, patronizing bars or beer gardens as long as they can get the bare necessities of life. These people hate work and will do anything to short cut their way to the top. This includes corruption, character assassination, mudslinging, or cheating. Many of my first year natural sciences colleagues used to cheat regarding their laboratory experiment results. They thrived on ‘Crooks’ law’ and went on to complete their studies. Today, some of them are Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

106

distinguished officers in our land but they have not made significant head way in their respective professional area of study because they chose the easy way at the root. Many Zambians, belong to this category. That in part explains why the nation is poor despite having abundant factors of production. The second postulation covers the innovative, the inventive and hard smart workers. This group fits into the Puritanical mould of thinking who believe in self determination by serious consistent hard work. England, the USA and other developed nations have hither to been prosperous in part because they have imbibed the Protestant work ethic of hard work and wealth creation (though this view is seriously being challenged by the Environmentalist as the planet hurtles along to self destruction catalysed by anthropogenic activities. There is more talk about ‘sustainable development’ as advanced by Bruntland and popularised by the 1992 Rio Earth summit). As such, this set of people derive immense pleasure and fulfilment in accomplishing as much as they can in their lifetimes. They will not rest at anything but apply themselves to the limit until they have reached their target. Japan and China were once poor countries but today, they are economic giants to reckon with. By and large, they have turned round their fortunes because they have adopted the second postulation. The Confucius beliefs have greatly helped. The down side of this school of thought is that people are always working and have no leisure time, many working themselves to death. Stress arrests and cripples some for them, sometimes irreparably. In Japan, failure is a taboo and inexcusable, no wonder some go to the point of committing suicide because they cannot stand the shame of failing to reach perfection. In my view, if you are to make head way, change your attitude towards work and see what becomes of you. After all, Adam was a serious diligent worker long before the fall. 14.Poor attitude to work In a sense, we have covered this ground in the previous point but it is no trouble to re-echo the sentiments. A poor working attitude does far more harm than most of us realise. While we sit around and complain, another is exploiting your opportunity for their own good. If you have a poor work attitude, you will scarcely come up with tangible projects to improve your well fare. If you do come up with something, chances are that you will not follow through or run along with the project far enough. You will most likely abandon ship or take the easier detour. People with a bad work attitude and culture are usually quitters when the going gets tough but have an amazing resilience in tolerating delays, sloth or other Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

107

equally slothful fellows. Somehow, they can accommodate inconvenience and expect to be tolerated in return. Targets, timeliness or hustle and bustle are foreign to them because they know what or how to get things ‘within the system’. Lazy people love the comfort zone and will do any and everything to protect their turf. I once talked to a senior auditor in the government. He categorically stated that he would never leave the government for whatever reason. I was startled because I expected him to have been looking over the fence for greener pastures, but not him! The reason? He felt extremely SECURE because the probability of job loss was next to nil in the system. Besides, the deadline lunacy was absent in the Government at the time. Although puzzled, I understood and appreciated his perspective better. It depends what you are looking for in each context and you need grace for each scenario. Personally, I would find it hard to fit into his mould of thinking but it works well for him. The danger with that ‘system dependant’ kind of work culture is that once weaned off, people sometimes fail to stand on their own if they did not establish good linkages and networks. Once those streams run dry, they hit the rock bottom and eventually sell their productive assets in the long run. Mind set change is key. 15. Poor time Management

I once worked with an extremely qualified and seasoned gentleman earlier on in my career. That gentleman was full of surprises, at least to me. He just would not keep time, even when we had a teleconference with our donors! Somehow, time keeping was his weakest area and as such, he was always behind schedule in his work. To cover up, he resorted to giving false promises that soon backfired on the team. As a result, that project was deemed a failure because we could not complete the project on time. Reflecting back, I think the greatest problem was on poor time keeping on all concerned especially that gentleman. That said, we all were guilty of killing the project because we always arrived some minutes late, say five minutes after eight in the morning. Add up those five minutes in a year and you have a lot of man hours lost. What about our private lives, how do we manage them? Somehow, since we do not have any benchmarks, we waste far much more time than we realise. For instance, most of us make every effort to be in time for school but are always late for church. We waste more time in bars and watching TV than we spend on updating our knowledge base or investing into the future. Somehow, we convince ourselves that we still have a lot of time on our hands and as such do not care whether we waste a few minutes. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

108

But I put it to you that most of the world’s successful people value this commodity called time. They treasure it and ensure they exploit it to the fullest. Do you want to be unique in your generation? Redeem the time! I once visited a graveyard in Bangor, Wales some time ago. I found interesting epitaphs. One struck me most belonging of the first Professor at the North Wales College (eventually Bangor University). It appears his motto in life centred around efficient time utilization. He often used to say “Each day its task”. I am scarcely surprised that at death, he was a well-orbed professor. 16. Back ground orientation

Our roots have a huge bearing on how we interpret and view the world around us. As we grow, we seem to adapt to our environments and begin to give meaning to things. The ever-learning brain gathers much information in those formative years and stores them up at the back of our minds for future retrieval at the right time. Thus, as we begin to encounter previously unknown experiences, the brain searches and brings about what it has deemed as “Correct”. If that new encounter does not resonate with the basic principle the brain knows as right and acceptable, it initially rejects new things or otherwise begins to readjust accordingly. Similarly, if that experience fits in well within the framework, the mind easily and readily accepts that thing. Thus, an individualistic English man cannot understand why a Zambian native pulls an uninvited crowd to their funeral. The Africans (at least historically) are sociable and easily interact among themselves without much ado. For instance, a Zambian can visit a friend at any time without appointment, they can chat for long periods and have access to their friends’ private matters and seek to offer a solution. This is generally acceptable in Africa but may not be in some parts of Europe or America. The extended family system collapsed generations ago in the developed world and thus pour scorn on the elaborate extended family and social structure in Africa. Their immediate reaction is to cut this out to save costs for yourself! No wonder they have many psychosocial problems while we have poorer but happier homes. 17. Procrastination

This is the bad habit of always pushing things to a future date that could well be handled today not tomorrow. The person in this habit develops a mindset that is always doing things in a panic at the eleventh hour although they had plenty time throughout the given period. Many students are culprits of this vice, no wonder many of them resort to Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

109

“Mwembeshi”, ‘cut and paste’ tactics. Their weakness shows up later in life as they will not have mastered the art of painstaking research and data mining. But then, students are not alone in this vice, many of us are culprits because we defer many activities to the last minute and thus churn out poor quality results. Think of how many times we have procrastinated on fixing that tap leak, health problem or preparing for the future? See what devastating effects it has had on you? As they say, truly, “procrastination is the thief of time” as it robs you of many creature comforts you would have otherwise enjoyed had you responded at the right time. 18. Love of ease and comfort-the finer things of life

Some people love to have a good time and have no time for hard work. In fact, work is a disturbance to their continued enjoyment of a dramatic or calm and serene life style that revolves around comfort, sweet and enjoyment. They want to live a lavish life style far beyond their means and will do anything to have even an inch of such a life and spend the rest of their days chasing after the elusive wind. Granted, we all desire a good quality life style free from any trouble but then, we need to work to reach such a stage. What we sow is what we reap. If we sow laziness, we reap poverty and will most likely remain dependant on others. During our short working life, we have hosted a lot of people in our home. Some are extremely hard working and a pleasure to watch today as they glide to the higher skies of self-development and actualisation. We feel proud as we see the kite rise even higher by the second. But we have also had a fair share of lazy bones. Sometimes they have said or done shocking things that leave you wondering. For example, they are often egocentric and delight in the easy finer things of life but do not want for a moment to sweat to get them. They love the fruit not the root. If you are such kind of a person, do not be surprised if nothing seems to work well for you and no one is willing to help you anymore. Check your self. Never love ease and the finer things of life without sweating to generate them. 19.Short spans of concentration-Dementia like… In this dynamic and rapidly changing world, there is need to always be alert and on top of things. You need to be extremely organised and action oriented to reach the stars. If you are clumsy, forgetful and do not concentrate for long, you will be perceived as a danger and liability both to yourself and others. I have met extremely disorganised Accountants and often wonder how they successfully manage their books. Even more Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

110

interesting, they rise from rank to rank! Other men and women are not as fortunate, they seem to speedily drive themselves into a career ditch where they are buried. Still others cannot keep jobs for a long time. Their span of concentration and interest runs for a few years at the most before they suddenly abandon ship to take up something else. Do not be surprised if they ditch one in preference for another a few years hence. But look at them today, how far have they developed themselves? Chances are that they will have a rich diversified Curriculum Vita (CV) but appear extreme paupers as though that is when they are just getting out of college. I have heard of a highly qualified gentleman who has been around the NGO world holding top flight jobs but does not have anything tangible to show for his experience. Each new job redeems them from inconveniencing their relations because up to that time, they do not have their own house! Despite handling many millions of personal kwachas and dollars, they come away empty handed each time. They forget the past or what they are doing and thus swiftly get the boot! 20.Never learning from the past mistakes/pitfalls To fail to learn from the past is to remain a child because the same mistakes will be repeated and consequently lead to your destruction. One Church historian once asserted similar sentiments and I agree with him totally. Nearly all failures that make shipwreck of their lives are those that have deliberately refused to make amends or draw lessons from past follies. I have met many people along life’s broad road why lament the past tragic mistakes that haunt them today. In most of these cases, the people wantonly went against advice or warning signposts from the past and thus plunged into the miry bog over the precipice. If you want to remains poor, just simply sit back and do nothing about recurrent bobby traps. You will soon reap your reward. 21. Inconsistency

Others are good at learning from the past and from others but are amazingly unstable! Initially, they appear as dark clouds pregnant with much rain about to fall but suddenly prove to be a mere bag of wind. Some easily get distracted by mirages and thus end up chasing after the wind. There is need to be consistent in whatever we do or undertake. Just like the consistent Accountant reports the same way across the years, so also must you and I be when we are pursuing a certain path of activity. Anything short of that invites scorn, doubt, lowered confidence and erratic results. If positively embraced, it will definitely have the opposite Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

111

effect in that you will also be confident that you have passed that way before. Very few things will be ‘experiments’ drawing speculation or doubt on your side. If last year you diverted public funds to some other equally important activity, people will doubt your integrity this year but if over the years, you have proved faithful and consistent to your cause, even when you request a deviation prior to the close out date, permission will readily be granted and understood. Our politicians, even from Plot one are grossly and unashamedly inconsistent in their assertions. Today, they promise you this, tomorrow they suddenly twist and turn, chewing their very words, and yet they return once again at election time to seek our support, which we give them only to gnash our teeth! 22.Conflict of interest In one way or the other, we all have interests in whatever we engage ourselves. We seek some form of benefit. But some interest is far too much, especially over public resources simply because no one person can claim ownership. As such, there is need to regulate and ensure the right safety guards are in place to avoid abuse. For instance, we read of a Lands Cabinet Minister who is alleged to have amassed multiple plots for her family. She is said to have used her position and thus abused authority to get undue advantage. In another case, the daughter to the President got a plot without following procedure in a given prime area, as reported by the Post newspaper at one time. Yet another heart breaking incidence was the famous Copper belt Energy Corporation (CEC) scandal√. Some senior person from ZESCO (Zambia Electricity Service Corporation) used their influence to sell cheaper energy to CEC of which he was a share holder thus reaping off the country. Surprisingly, the state cast a blind eye to that. Perhaps the gentleman belonged to the ‘family tree’ as interesting Mr Michael Sata often says. Conflict of interest goes far beyond the examples we have cited. It can be said to be that acquisition of rights, privileges or properties because of one’s advantaged position. To the Zambian, this may sound quite a foreign concept because the “farmer must eat from the farm as /she toil” away, so the conventional reasoning goes. 23.Wrong motives People sometimes start high-sounding projects and pledge to do great exploits in a short time. Some go all the way and prove truthful but the vast majority quit when we least expect. This leaves a sour feeling down September 2007

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

112

our groins because we feel cheated and betrayed. Political prostitutes, as often-unstable party changing politicians are called, are guilty of this. While they are campaigning, you would think that the chap is ready even to shed blood or give up their life for that cause but as soon as a juicy carrot is dangled between their eyes, they suddenly trash all they once stood for and embrace something totally opposite! What cause this? The probable reason is that they did not harbour the right motives from the start. That could explain why your output is very low. It could be that you start out your things with the wrong motive and unclear goals. 24.Duo and multiple loyalty Management has taught us that if a person has more than one person to pay allegiance to, chances are that they will fail, please one or be rejected by both. This also means that their output will be far lower than expected because the energies and attention will be split or spread thinly. Imagine your spouse simultaneously devoted themselves to you and to another! It would be chaos! I am sure pots and pans would be flying in either direction because the person in the middle will not be delivering or available for each party the required quality time. They will not accord the due attention to you or your rival. Thus, in life, if you have too many people who call the shots in your life, chances are that you will not make much progress as anticipated. In a program I once managed, we had hierarchy to observe but in our zeal to create a team environment where labels and status are secondary, I would give instructions to the junior staff to do something, without realising that their supervisor (who was my direct subordinate) had also offered instructions to do another thing in the same time frame. Which person were the juniors to obey? Half the time, they obeyed me and this generated a lot of acrimony and suspicion. Thankfully, we realised early and rectified the problem. Who is the ‘Mr or Ms Significant’ in your life? Consider this question carefully as it might just solve your labour problem. 25.Corruption Corruption has been recognised as one of the major killers of a nation. Many countries suffer seriously at the hands of this vice. In capsule form, corruption is the acquisition of goods or services using wrongful means such as bribes. Zambia teems with this corruption disease. Like the colonialists of old, FTJ left his unique legacy that will live to haunt uscorruption. A booby-trap all right. It is his brainchild that was born in the cradle of 1991, grew in that decade, matured in 2001 and yet to reach its Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

113

peak in the years 2001-10. Corruption has become endemic thriving most in the institution of institutions-the Police! It would be fitting to point out some of the effects of corruption. It makes one lazy, less innovative, unethical, love ease, irresponsible, destructive, careless and finally turns one into a thief! 26. Nepotism

In a country where there are over 73 tribal groupings and where intermarriages are hardly surprising, nepotism sadly still displays its ugly green head. We see it all over the place, in government, in churches, in companies and even in families! If one belongs to the ‘right clan’ or grouping, then chances of success are very high because they carry the correct label and garment. The down side of nepotism is that it sometimes discourages the truly competent from taking up key positions to change our fortunes based on their origins. Another pitfall of this vice is that the people we gather to our side usually turn out to be careless and abusive of resources entrusted to their care. At one time, it was believed that certain tribes were the only and greatest thieves in Zambia but time has proved that theory wrong. The truth is that we all carry within our hearts a fallen nature needing regeneration to make one think and behave properly. Not even education can totally change a person’s character or heart although it may modify some perceptions or actions. Nepotism then refers to one deliberately and exclusively granted favour to ones’ relations at the expense of national progress and interest using public resources. This is hardly an all-embracing description. My brother once worked for a nearly all ‘Namwanga’ beer company! I was startled when I learnt about that and wondered why. The best answer I got was that they (tribes’ mates or relatives) understood each other and worked well together. I was far from being convinced. But then, as earlier stated, we could stretch ‘nepotism’ to other things as party politics or denominations. If you do not belong to the right group, you are doomed. Your businesses may even plummet. 27.Excessive criticism of others Some people seem to be constituted of “criticism material” because they see faults at every turn and come out strongly to condemn regardless of who the apparent offender is. They rarely commend anyone when they do good but will not spare any punches to criticise anyone who falls short of their subjective expected standards. Over the years, I have noticed that usually, the over critical have weak competencies and would like to compensate for this defect by appearing to know things better than even Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

114

the experts in that field! It is often a complex manifesting in criticism. Further, I have noted that once they are given an opportunity to do that very thing they boasted about being able to expertly execute, they either offer an excuse or in their pride go ahead to mess up thus exposing their incompetence. In addition, highly unreasonably critical people rarely learn from others as they are often bigoted only realising their error when they land into trouble. The tragedy also is that they often do not have enough moral energy left to positively do something good that will last the test of time. In as much as we must be analytical and critical, this virtue should not be our hallmark. Instead, we must criticise constructively, what the Bible in Ephesians 4; 14 calls “Speaking the truth in love”. Sometimes the truth is painful but it must be said, and that, wisely. Having said that, the discerning often grows out of that habit and move on to maturity. You will do yourself a great favour if you concentrated more on the positive side of others. 28.Dysfunctional system/team The temptation to do things alone is very strong especially if you do not trust your colleagues to do the right thing. When you are forced to work with them nonetheless, you behave in many ways inconsistent with your claims. In times like this, you tend to hide information or keep a close eye on whoever you are working with or supervising. When many of such queer minded fellows converge to make a group, heading towards a team, not a few hurdles are encountered. Each person suspects the other and dares not leave anything to chance and repeatedly suspiciously double checks what others have done resulting in a dysfunctional unit where people waste a lot of time back biting, slandering or cutting each other to size. Much heat is generated and lost to the wind leading to a tired but unproductive team. Alternatively, one team may be excellent but the next in the chain is problematic, this disrupts the overall quality flow of work and eventually leads to corporate bone yard. 29. Too many goals at the same time/multiple simultaneous goals

If you have many things to do at a time, chances are that your product quality will be compromised one way or the other. Similarly, if you have too many trial and error goals, you will hardly give sufficient quality time and devotion in order to get the best result. Do not be surprised if you do not make significant progress in any major thing. It is because your energy and resources will be spread thinly over a wider area. I once worked for a high profile organisation that had a very sound financial Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

115

base but the impact was hardly visible for any evaluator to see. The organisation had too many projects. Thankfully, the strategy was changed to focus on a few high result activities. Today, you can see something tangible in a short time. Devotion to one thing is key. 30.Lack of conviction At other times, it may not necessarily be resource shortage or too much to do. It may actually be the lack of conviction over some pursuit resulting in sudden abandonment midway or hesitation by parties concerned. For example, if you are not convinced that the gospel is the solution of man’s wicked heart, you will be hesitant to disseminate it especially when you meet the elite and obstinate. Conviction begets passion. 31.Not bought into something Tyrants and dictators rarely leave a sustainable legacy. Often, their successors spend time demolishing the bad memory and hopefully create a new thing. Not so for those world-class leaders. Long after the said leaders have left the centre stage, their echo still clearly resounds. People will fondly refer to them and hold on to their legacy if not improve on it rather than demolishing it. The secret is that these leaders, whilst in power, ensured that they passed on the dream to others that bought into it. Thus, their cause was internalised by others who vowed to continue the good work. Buy into something completely, and see how you persevere! 32. Not asking critical questions such as opportunity cost, value added,

sustainability or long term benefit to all concerned many generations hence. Very few people in Zambia have critical minds courageous enough to question why and how things are done. If there were, we should not be where we are as a nation or as individuals. If you are to make head way, you need to develop an additional sense that will discern the issues and ask correct questions. In that way, you will then intelligently craft a clear strategic path to success. In the same breathe, you will also have time to evaluate the impact of present actions on the future, continuity and outlook of the future. Lack of raising critical questions results in many lost opportunities, bad decisions and unsustainable practices that may not be eco-sensitive. Always think through issues before acting or devoting yourself to something. You may live to regret. 33. Myopic thinking

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

116

Some people think and live for that particular day. Rarely do they plan or provide for the future estate of their well being. These are the kind of people that soon collapse and die once their immediate livelihood support system vomits them or ceases to function. Myopic thinking then refers to that narrow micro short sighted kind of short-term thinking that reacts to the status quo rather than proactively positions itself in case of the rainy day. Myopic thinking concentrates on the present visible problem and never casts an eye to the future or discovering the root causes of a problem. But myopic thinking is not only limited to livelihood issues but in all departments of our lives, faculties, environment and development pace. If leaders are myopic, chances are that they will seek quick fix solutions and celebrate infinitely without putting antidotes in place to future problems. No wonder they get exceedingly shocked and blame their foes for their apparent misfortune. Further, myopic thinkers are often insecure and often jostle for power, recognition or abuse authority without the slightest clue that they are digging their own graves! In my working life, I have encountered quite a number with the abovedescribed profile and much more. They can be quite a menace to society and themselves! 34. Intellectual challenge/disability

People have great ideas but suffer from some form of mental paralysis that cannot translate into reality. Zambians have great ideas and are among the most highly mutually endowed people on the planet but alas, their brains and hands cannot coordinate. Many factors account for this chief among them being the chronic and now endemic dependence syndrome. The other is the desire to get the end as quickly as possible. The average Zambian lives and thrives on short cuts and where confusion reigns. The brain sees a lot of opportunities for success but wastefully lets the said ‘fresh water’ chances pass by under the bridge to the salt sea. Scan the Zambian landscape, surely, why should we still wallow in poverty, well over forty-three years after independence? Is it a question of resources? Is it archaic laws? Perhaps it is physical disability? Or maybe the culture, values, traditional and land tenure issues? As can be seen, all the afore-mentioned cannot be ultimate reasons in and of themselves though admittedly the legal and land tenure aspects may contribute to a significant extent to this disability. But as some have said, “Where there is a will, there is a way”.⋅ A grain of truth is encapsulated in that little sentence as the case below will illustrate: Anonymous

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

117

Case “Brain damaged woman talks after 20 years” The year was 1984, September 22 to be precise. 18 year old Sarah Scantlin had just had a bash with friends at a teen time party and was heading for her car to get home. More opportunities of fun and development lay ahead of her. Without any warning, a car came speeding down the high way, knocked her down and sped off without stopping. Sarah crushed to the ground and instantly fell unconscious. Horrified on lookers rushed to the scene, called in an ambulance and broke down weeping uncontrollably. The next time Sarah woke up, she was in a strange place with all sorts of gadgets around her. Figures with worried faces surrounded her bed. She could hardly recognize them. She tried to move herself but couldn’t. Her speech too eluded her. Sarah wondered what had happened. After some time, as she begun to recall, she realized she was trapped in a paralysed body forever. Her memory started to return. First she recognized her parents and brother. It became clear over the long while that she had to content herself with that condition the rest of her life unless a miracle occurred. The Doctors said her brain had been extensively damaged and she had lost a number of critical brain centres including the speech or motion points. 20 long years passed before anything tangible happened, almost accidentally. Sarah suddenly begun to speak! “Scantlin’s Doctor, Bradley Scheel, said Physicians are not sure why she suddenly began talking but believe critical pathways in the brain may have regenerated, how? Beats me too! “It is extremely unusual to see something like this happen,” Scheel said. The breakthrough came when the nursing home’s activity director Pat Rincon, was working with Scantlin and a small group of other patients, trying to get them to speak, Rancon had her back to Scantlin while she worked with another resident. She had just gotten that resident to reply “Ok,” when she suddenly heard Sarah behind her also repeat the words “Ok. Ok”∨ Wonder of wonders! Unaided, Sarah spoke a word! In no time, a group of experts gathered around her and sought to work with her. A speech therapist led the team for weeks. At that point, they did not want to alert the parents lest their raised hopes be dashed. Thank fully, Sarah herself did not want her surprise improvement be leaked to her family until Valentine’s Day. After a few weeks, her speech centre Indented words quoted from the Monday 14th February 2005 Post News paper verbatim

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

118

was almost fully functional. As she waited for February 14th, she grew weary and decided to break the 20-year silence by an aided phone call! Such is the resolve of those that would live! Sarah may not fully recover her other lost capabilities but she has recovered at least one of them! Sarah’s moving case shows what determination can do. Progress may be slow and painful but is certainly there! Another case worth considering is the Joni Erickson Tada. This practically paralysed lady from neck to toe has given the world some of the greatest art works using her mouth! These ladies over came the impossible to show us that we can do it. What more those of us that are physically fit? It is a shame on us! The graveyard is full of ideas that never turned to reality. Dr Munroe is right when he asserts that ‘the richest place is the graveyard’, especially in Africa! 35. Poor and disjoint implementation

Zambians are good at planning but fall short at the implementation stage. Either they spend far too much at the planning stage than they need at the implementation or they are simply not competent enough to do the job. I often marvel how Government and NGOs spend billions on endless workshops or travel to the extent that they scarcely have anything to inject into the actual main thing-development. Only a trickle reaches the actual intended target, and in some cases, this even eludes the poor. This is a tragedy. At the individual level as well, it is possible to spend too much in the wrong things and end up with little or nothing for investment. Zambians do not have a culture of saving and often waste away resources where they ought not. 36. Individualism∇

The advent of western civilisation to some extent has eroded and supplanted our rich communal social structure. At one time, villages worked together and co-existed in equilibrium. They were harmoniously united and available for each other to fill in the missing link when one was lonely. We seem to be losing that virtue and rapidly have imbibed individualistic mindset postures. Today, it is “each man for himself and God for us all” as the old English saying goes. In whatever we undertake, we always are looking for our egocentric stake rather than the communal good. Granted, we cannot avoid personal interest but this can be Refer to Muna Ndulo’s book, “Mining Rights in Zambia” pp8 which alludes to some social changes when people of different ethnic groupings converge in an area such as the Copper belt of Zambia.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

119

minimised depending on the context. This has been worsened in the market economy where people have been forced to double up their efforts if they are to remain buoyant and relevant. The self-centred life style is here to stay but what matters is how it is managed. If we become too individualistic, we subsequently become too selfish and will not help anybody, not even our own relations! In one sense, individualism causes people to wake up and work for themselves. It also reduces on the parasitic attitudes thus freeing more resources for development. The down side of this trend is that it dismantles the social structures and fosters selfishness. As a result of individualism, some have watched their relations degenerate from comfort to abject poverty all in the name of “minding their own business” This explains why some prefer to leave huge fortunes to dogs than to people because they have been too lonely throughout life and the only companion they had was that animal! The visit to Bangor Pier confirmed this painful deep loneliness in the western society. Individualism also accounts for the high depression and suicide cases in the world. The basic rationale is that the subjects do not have anyone to pour out their woe before they take the apparently crazy option. I do not for a moment condone suicide or leaving an unreasonable legacy to animals but this could be better managed if individualism were better checked and fought! 37. Wrong and misplaced priorities

It is possible to have great advantages in life relative to others and yet come off serious losers. For instance, Zambia is a far superior resources endowed nation and yet most of its citizens are paupers. Foreigners from abroad, spot opportunities and seize them. In a short time we see them progress from ‘Zam footers’ to filthy rich dons driving the latest cars on the block. One probability for this ‘upside down ‘kind of scenario could be wrong priorities and policies espoused by the people in the corridors of power. How does one explain the chronic poverty in the midst of plenty? There must be a reason somewhere in addition to the wrong mindset. Or could it be that the rest of the world interprets things the wrong way round compared to us? At the domestic level, the average Zambian would rather spend money on a TV or cell phone rather than on a book that can empower them with knowledge for future application. Depending on the relevance to your personal development, these gadgets can turn out to be cost rather than profit centres. In other cases, people have all their minds set on money rather than what generates that money!

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

120

For many, cash in hand is the only motivator and thus fail to focus on the first things first. Rework your priorities and see what becomes of you! 38. Dependence syndrome

I often wonder why some people or countries rarely develop at the pace commensurate with their asset base. They have great potential to become world economic giants but chronically linger around the paupers’ den for generations. The little piece meal token developments you see have either been done by outsiders or some crooked and clandestine fellows within the country. The vast majority of citizens depend on free hand outs and seize any opportunity to benefit where they did not sow. Africa comes to mind at this stage. It holds more natural resources potential perhaps more than any other continent on the planet and yet remains totally dependent on the rich north countries before they do anything tangible. Africa dances to the tune of its exploiters who, having siphoned what they wanted in previous generations have stood aloof waiting to pounce back on their unfinished business. Thus, when China suddenly comes on the block as a potential economic giant, the traditional super powers cry foul! Why? Probably they still want Africa to remain dependant on them. Even at the individual level, if you wait for your neighbour to come and do something for you, you will wait forever in vain. Instead, you need to awake up and take charge of your destiny. To the extent you independently exert yourself towards self-development, to that extent you will prosper. 39. Unresolved personal issues (inner being or otherwise)

Sometimes if someone has many unresolved issues neatly tacked away in the remote chambers of the heart, they will often not function to their expected full potential. They seem to hold promise for much achievement but somehow fail to strike the right quality cord. They shockingly fall short of their potential and sometimes behave in ways least expected of them such as wanted to have everything under their control or not trusting anyone else. Some times as they walk through the corridors and encounter a small group of people discussing and joking amongst themselves, instantly they feel suspicious and uncomfortable thinking the group is gossiping about them. I have heard of a colleague who always suspects someone is hot on their trail seeking to murder them! A careful check may reveal much more than meets the eye. It could be that the root cause is an even that that was never resolved in the past manifesting in different ways today. Until that root problem is resolved, they will pass Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

121

through life behaving funny to on lookers. Such people need help from the wise counsellor or local Pastor. 40.Lying Milingo’s wife once lamented that Zambians lie a lotκ. At first I felt offended and insulted by that allegation but upon reflection, I agreed with her observation. I mean, if the President himself can lie and behave as a trickster, how do you expect his subjects to turn out right? Lies germinate and take root in different ways, either they emanate from a culture or are learnt along the way. If it is an established culture of lying, expect anything from anyone. No one’s word can be trusted either. The tragedy today that even today’s saints, including Pastors have been infected with this lying virus despite clear biblical injunctions against such a vice. If people have learnt it along the way, then there is better hope of “disinfecting” them before it reaches the bone marrow. People lie for various reasons. Some lie because they want to quickly get something, others do it to avoid bad repercussions but the vast majority in Zambia habitually lie. Lying has never occurred to them as wrong! Like highlighted earlier, if you cannot trust the next person’s word, then you will walk circumspectly fearing any sudden backlash. Further, lies contribute to the heightening of doubt and thus the individual or nation is progressively destroyed rather than built. This is a terrible cancer needing weeding out if you and I are to make headway. Our word must be trusted by all without any iota of doubt regardless of whom or where we are. Children often learn from their seniors and carry on that culture for many years hence. Politicians in Zambia lie too much because they are tolerated by the electorates who themselves are guilty of lying! 41.Blame shifting. Instead of owning up when things go wrong or objectively enquiring what caused an evil occurrence, people tend to spend more time shifting blame on others rather than discovering the root cause. In some cases, others are to blame but in many cases too, the individual him or herself is the cause of the problem. People who specialise in the blame game always have excuses for failing to achieve anything and will spend all their time justifying their actions or misfortunes, as the case may be. Well-adjusted people face up to the challenge and look the problem Post newspaper 2007, over the health status of her husband Emmanuel Milingo

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

122

square in the face and know exactly how to fix things. Where do you stand on this matter? The issues raised in the present chapter are exceedingly painful but also insightful for the discerning. If you elect to change your fortune, this revelation will exceedingly be handy as it will not only assist you avoid past pitfalls but help you to strategically plan for the future. If a critical mass of Zambian citizens fled from the thieves of labour, the nation will potentially have been firmly put on the road to self-redemption from the poverty clutches that have hitherto caged it. As we move to other chapters, it is hoped that the points thus far brought to the fore will affect our perceptions as well as serve as a driving force to future success. I wonder what will become of you ten years hence, after persistently working smart and hard. =============================================================== Bibliography

Steger B Manfred, Globalization: A very short introduction, Oxford University press, 2003 Dresner Simon, Principles of Sustainability, Earth Scan, London, VA, 2002 Baker Susan, Sustainable Development, Routledge, London & New York, 2006 Campbell David J, Organisations & the business Environment, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, Amsterdam, Boston, London, New York, Paris, San Diego, San Francisco, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, 1997 Welford Richard & Starkey Richard (editors), Business and the Environment, Universities Press (India Ltd), 1996 Chanski Mark, Manly Dominion: in the passive-purple four-ball world, Calvary Press publishing, Merrick, New York, 2004

Chapter 7

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

123

Some points worth considering

Having firmly laid the foundation and erected the structure, we now precede to in insert some finishing touches. The present and subsequent chapters merely buttress the foundational truths thus far asserted. A special feature of this and other chapters is that it zeros in on the individual though largely applicable on a national level. No doubt, we have covered most of what we shall be glossing over in the remainder of this book but it is worth reading through to the very end. I can assure you, the benefit is entirely yours. We shall consider several things that could distinguish you and leave an indelible mark on your generation. It has always been my ambition to leave a classic legacy that will far out live me or my progeny. This chapter highly focuses on the individual. We commence by considering the ideal picture, the marks of a hard worker. Gauge yourself against the suggested points. Marks of a hard worker a. No procrastination. A diligent person always reaps much out of life. They are always working and thinking of ways to improve theirs and others’ lots. Never do they push something forward or wait until the deadline pushes them to react. Procrastination is foreign to them and they loath it. Friend, never ever get into the habit of letting things push you to the wall before you respond. In fact, you must be in charge of your time and position yourself from afar. b. Devotion. Individuals only go as far as their resolve can take them.

They lay aside anything that hinders them and unreservedly throw in their weight towards what they want and are convinced about. c. Ant mentality. Have you ever watched ants at work? They are always

working laying up for the difficult day ahead. They spare no effort and scarcely have time to rest, at least as far as the human eye can visibly see on a good day. No stone is ever left unturned and every nerve, muscle and energy is summoned to achieve the benchmark. Due diligence is the need of the times. You need to see the importance of something before you devote yourself.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

124

d. Resilience (Proverbs 24:16). An ability to stand up and move forward

after a fall, no matter how bad or humiliating is the mark of champions. Experts in a particular field have refined their prowess through many encounters with failure or challenges. The good thing is that they have viewed trials as opportunities for improvement. If you are to leave a mark on your generation, always have the stamina to rise up after a lamentable fall. After many a fall, they have risen again to continue. Are you a champion? e. No slothfulness. Diligence alluded to above entails straining every

nerve to get what you desire. Slothfulness is just about the opposite because it includes sluggishness, laziness or lack of urgency about anything whether perceived important or not. A slothful person would rather be sleeping or dozing when it is time to run to catch the last train for the day. f. Determination. As I was growing up, I often wondered why and how

some people made head way while others scarcely went anywhere. I now know better than then because I have realized that in life, to achieve about anything, you must have a convinced and settled resolve to hit a certain target, short of which makes you feel unfulfilled. g. Focus. In addition to the determination mentioned above, it is critical

to have your resolve in the right direction. Focus on something gives us the right resolution and appropriate speed. If I want to go to Chipata, I will focus my medium of travel eastwards from Lusaka central. I must know exactly where I am going in Chipata even before I start off. Focus entails fixing your gaze and concentration on your target and move on towards it. h. Energy. As one diligently works their way through life, they need to

have the right ardour, zest and zeal to get things done. This inward drive must be well moulded and maintained regulated by a good head and heart. This warmth and strong desire is called “fervency” derived from the word fervour. If you are fervent and on fire over something, even the apparently difficult things appear far much lighter.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

125

i. Self starter. In a global context, there is need to develop independence

from infancy buttressed by a strong desire to succeed. To the height you place your goals, to that extent you will hurl yourself. Self starters know what they want and how to reach their goal and as such easily get busy in a given context. They have the end in mind and fervently work towards the desired haven whether anybody joins them or not. They scarcely need any supervision. If you have achieved some measure of success and progress, chances are that you are a strong self starter who is not faint hearted. j. Minimal supervision. This point has been ably dealt with in the

previous point and as such, we speedily pass on to the next trait. k. Sincerity. Right motive and attitude are cardinal ingredients towards

continued hard work. If you start doing something on the wrong premise, chances are that you will get weary and quit sooner or later. Sincerity is the remedy for this malady. It keeps you focused, persevering and patient over the long whole. You must be genuine, down to earth, earnest and honest to maintain and attract some clout around you. Business thrives on sincerity, mutual trust and authenticity unless yours is a clandestine dark room transaction. I once engaged an international business executive who shuttles between Zambia and Hong Kong for business. One major hurdle he encountered early in his trade was the issue of mutual trust with his business partners across the globe. Once they established mutual trust, either party could take calculated risks because they established firm convictions of each party’s sincerity. There is mutual sincerity. l. Tact. Business acumen and clout determine the difference between

success or failure. If you have dry facts, knowledge and financial muscle, you may have modest success but if you have unique abilities to use those resources to your advantage, you will achieve world class success. Far too many people wrongly think that financial muscle alone can achieve everything for them but they are badly mistaken. For instance, you both bid for a tender, what is it that makes your neighbour clinch the deal why you, with all your money, lamentably fails? Tact is the answer. Tactics, right cues and connections helps your competitor succeed while you repeatedly return to the drawing board only to be humiliated again. One of the things that successful

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

126

people do is to keep the ‘connection lines’ warm and live. Whatever you do, craft the right strategy and avenues towards that end. m. Acumen. This also has been alluded to in the previous point but we

add saying that acumen is the insight, shrewdness, right judgement or intelligence into something. As such, you need to have an intelligent discerning eye to see into things so that you respond appropriately in a given context. n. Winning attitude. All out to succeed. Resolve, determination, fervour,

fire, zeal are all well bound up in the heart of the successful person. The person has this fire burning in their bones and do not rest until they hit the Bulls’ eye, as it were. In life, you must be optimistic and forward looking rather than specialising on the pessimistic side. Having armed yourself with the positive attitude, you need to go full throttle, determining not to be cowed or shot down. Never settle for less than you can bargain for. o. Provide for setbacks but highly resilient In an earlier point of this

section, we briefly explained what resilience is but in this point, we add the aspect of providing for setbacks along life’s narrow path. Many hurdles will fall into our path from different angles but what matters is how one sets their mind set. If you view challenges as calamities, chances are that you will soon abandon ship but if you perceive challenges from positive light, you will keep at it long after everyone has given up and gone home. p. Robust. You must be stout hearted, bold, strong, tough, vigorous and

forceful if ever you are to make a mark. In this competitive world, you need to be the best you can if you are to stand out and beat your competitors. More than that, you need to be in a sense stubborn and unwavering in your quest to achieve something. You must struggle and be at times for many hours, weeks, months and in some cases, years depending what it is that you are about. You must also be consistent to register your point in people’s minds. q. Racy. To be racy means to be strong, healthy, tough and rugged. It

also implies being able to meet many frightening odds and yet triumphing over them. Thus, whatever you do, never be ‘chicken

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

127

hearted’ but always have a Lion’s heart, always pursuing and never quitting. r. Risk taker. To achieve anything worth talking about in life, risks are unavoidable. We take risks daily at every turn but what matters is the quality and timing of those risks. If one is risk averse, they will scarcely take any decisions in which ever direction, always remaining in the safe zone. The tabulated traits will suffice for now although there are many more traits you will need to put on in order to tick in these dynamic times. Our work would only be half complete if we did not consider some of the reasons why you and I fail to succeed in the field despite our world class credentials. Once these are identified and meticulously watched, we shall minimise the frequency of our follies. We therefore proceed to consider these pitfalls in point form. Some of these may appear as repetitions but this is done for emphasis’ sake. Reasons for failure The first killer trait is the wrong mind set. If you approach work with a negative attitude, you will not put in your best and ultimately quit when an opportunity allows. If work is a drag, a weight and an encumbrance, you will try as much to keep away from it and thereby reduce on your output. In fact, you will spend more time running away instead of putting your hand to the plough and moving ahead. They that complain the most generally produce the least output. The second failure cause is wrong orientation, which actually is, in a sense, the mother of many other vices. If you were brought up always working, two reactions are possible. It is either you will hate work, keeping as far away from it once liberated or you will love it and labour on hardly aware that you are over working. On the other hand, if you have had an easy laissez faire life, mandatory work will be a major trial for you and yet it is necessary. That explains why some people always employ many domestic workers even for simple jobs one can easily do. Work on your orientation and program your mind to look at work positively. Thirdly and in connection to the previous point, upbringing, as earlier intimated has a big bearing on how we perceive work. If our socialization Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

128

and exposure tells us that work is good, then we shall respect it but if our upbringing is pleasure driven and averse to hard work, you will loath any suggestion to cause you to work. What is your attitude? Why do you love or hate work? Could it point to your upbringing? At other times, people behave the way they do because of wrong instruction about something. Some people are taught to look forward to a nice easy and cosy life without being told HOW to acquire such a nice life. For instance, this author once had a bad attitude towards study which ultimately had its toll on his performance. Some brethren taught us to believe that studying was a weakness, a waste of time and idolatry of the highest order. This wrong teaching took its rounds in Zambia and many from that generation never progressed far beyond grade twelve although they had more than enough grey matter between their ear lobes. Thankfully, this author discovered the real teaching of scripture that encourages scholarship and innovative thinking. The Bible abhors laziness of any kind and this teaching has shaped my thinking since then. Why do you behave the way you do? We believe that what you value most has a bearing on how you behave and respond to the world. But sometimes, it may not necessarily be wrong teaching. It may well be the lack of it. If someone has not been exposed to the fruits of hard work, or indeed seen people that work hard and achieve much, they are likely to continue on in the ways that they have considered correct, normal and acceptable. If one has grown up thinking that drunkenness is a good value and activity, they will find it strange when they encounter a person that is constantly working with little rest. Furthermore, some are in that state because they do not have a model, mentor or coach that stands by their side to guide them through life’s winding paths. I have had many people speak into my life at different stages that has shaped my thinking. If you are always in the company of quitters or lazy people, chances are that you will adopt their way of thinking and find it very difficult to adjust if you go into a different setting. For instance, if a person gets a job in the NGO circles from the government, if they choose to carry along the same slothful ‘red tape’ kind of attitude with them, they will not last long or wreck the new social setting. Blessed are you if someone is always beside you, for you shall soon prosper, unless your guide leads you astray like someone once sincerely did in our lives.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

129

In Zambia, another source of problems is the infected public mind with corruption, red tape and covetousness. If one joins the civil service for instance, the income is bad and corruption opportunities galore. The attractive option is to do whatever everyone is doing and in the process engraft laziness in ones’ system. Since we are children of our time and generation, what is perceived as right and acceptable will generally lead the way, unless you are using another standard. Watch out, what is it that you are about? Does it add value to your life? We could further add that lack of opportunities, wrong company and weak leadership have a damaging effect on all of us in one way or the other. I used to think that the environment and socialisation alone is what shaped one’s behaviour and outlook to life but after reading the Bible, I have come to the conclusion that it is actually the condition of one’s heart that determines what they do in life. No matter how many restrictions, laws and impediments you put in a person’s way, they will still do what they want and are convinced about. Let me illustrate it in this way. Many years ago, I worked for an organisation that boasted of having some of the strongest internal controls but at one time, millions of kwachas were stolen by insiders! What was the explanation, was it lack of academic credentials? No! The people involved were some of the most educated and yet they stole! They stole within the system. The answer lies in the condition of the heart. How is it with you? Have you a rotten defective heart? The other killer of work is lack of ambition and therefore resolution. If your vision is blurred and unclear, you will not summon any energy to exert yourself in a given direction. An ambition is an overriding goal and desire to get to a certain destination no matter what it takes. Many young people are not ambitious enough and leave everything to blind fate. I often feel heart broken when I ask many rural kids about their ambitions. Firstly, they get startled at my question and secondly, they leave the ‘Grade 12’ results to determine. Thus, they will work harp-hazardly and not focused nor concentrating in the relevant areas. For instance, if you want to be a lawyer, you need to work on your history and English. But if you are undecided, you will concentrate on wood work or Technical drawing which do not add any value to your professional quest. Thirdly, some use the local people only as their role models. Their exposure is extremely limited. For instance if the prominent people in a village are Policemen, teachers or preachers, truck drivers, every child will want to be like them.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

130

Finally for now, constant complaining drastically drains you of the desire to work your way to success. You may not see or realise this but in the long run, you will discover the damaging consequences of complaining. Unfortunately, a complaining spirit and mind set appears contagious and once deeply internalised, it can cripple you. Another tragedy with people made of ‘complaining material’ is that they rarely take any positive action in the right direction. If you complained less, I am sure you would generate more positive energy at a faster pace. I suppose the last section has added clearer light on what needs to be done to uproot the work destroyers. It is the small leaks that sank some of the world’s greatest ships. The logical thing to do in the ensuing section is to address issues related to work improvement. We spend some time on that one and then hurtle along to close this chapter. Continuous improvement is the language of the Total Quality Gurus. They believe that for one to keep competitively in business, they must constantly be sharpening their axe. Amidst all these good claims, the question still lingers “How one can improve?” We throw out a few ideas which we think would change your fortunes once properly imbibed and understood. The first is that if you have a corrupted nature and wounded conscience, you need a complete overhaul. This implies that your inner systems, values, and ambitions must drastically be revived and brought to life again. You need to reset and reboot your system. In theological circles, we call this “regeneration” or the new birth where you start a clean slate all over again like a new born baby. Regeneration bespeaks vivification, bringing to life from the dead where there was previously no life. Once one is regenerated, they are then able to look at things in new light from a correct premise and good perspective. It is our conviction that a regenerated heart is the best heart because it can discern the issues and see clearly even where there is thick dark smoke. The regeneration rays shed light through the deep thick darkness of soul enabling one to do things differently in new ways. Having had a vivification, there is now need to change the heart by taking away the hard heart of stone and placing in a new heart of flesh. In computer language, we call this, ‘new software’ that will now guide movements. This software will embody the new constitution. Reformatting may be critical so that all remaining corruption is swept away. For instance, if a hard core civil service baptised professional joins the private sector, this new software will Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

131

enable them live up to their professional expectation. How refreshing it is to see people diligently working away doing the right things with minimal supervision or coercion! That’s what regeneration does, it causes a change in the inner being. Furthermore, the new heart begins to look at life in completely new ways with respect to the future. The person now develops long range thinking and able to strategise properly, long before a crisis occurs. The person has a sense of purpose and the big picture view enables them to wisely take correct steps towards their goals. With the right long range thinking in place, the regenerated person is able to see where they are heading to and know when to point to the mountains! They clearly see the star that takes them to the desired haven, as it were. But then, to get them to the mountains, requires a strong determination and sense of direction which resolution and drive provide. When Paul visited Corinth on one of his missionary journeys, he determined to stick to his goal regardless of what fell upon his path. He was a highly focused man who knew exactly where to lay his weight and energy. Yet another aspect that results from a changed heart is the strong desire to cut off the weights that easily entangles them to the ground. Bad habits, evil company, wrong advisors, unhelpful practices must be discarded and loathed at all times. If you allow them back, the will weigh you down because old habits die hard, as that ancient saying goes. The best you can do is to flee! As earlier intimated, many of us are victims of our wrong beliefs or instructions. The best is to identify, isolate and blow away wrong teaching, company or habits. You must, as it were, draw the dagger and stub these vices! (Not literary of course!) They must be vehemently discarded so that what is in the past remains there while you move on to higher ground. The changed heart may make mistakes initially but with time, it learns the ropes and knows the way. Soon, it becomes established in its good ways and is able to make progress. This is achieved by walking with the wise so that they sharpen each other as Iron sharpens Iron (Proverbs 27:10). The scriptures are right when they state that he who walks with the wise grows wise because valuable wisdom gems are shared and passed around (Proverbs 13:20). If you want to be an astute business person, hang out with the serious Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

132

minded vigilant and diligent business people and in no time, you will grow wings to fly like them. Similarly, if you want to be holy, walk with the holy and in all probability, you will be like them. If you chose the company of the careless and reckless, you will soon stop being startled by their riotous conduct and join them. Thus, we can safely assert that your company affects you in many ways than one. Always remember that in the multitude of many wise counsellors, plans succeed. Having selected the good crop of friends, you then set you objectives very clearly and draw the parameters for your interaction. You must have similar goals, aims and desires. More than that, each of you as individuals must have one major overall goal from which all your various goals are derived. As an individual, be a person of one thing at a time. Paul was pre-eminently a person of one thing. He used to say, “One thing I do…” and stretched towards his high goals. Challenge yourself each year by raising the bar higher. Then you will stretch yourself towards that. Once you have amicably agreed on terms of reference, once more, revisit the purging work by chiselling off the rough edges that have a potential of slowing you down. Runners have bare minimum weights on their bodies and train long hours to make themselves agile ready for the arduous race ahead. They clear their minds and psychologically prepare themselves for concentrated action. Once in strict training, they do not allow anything to distract them, not even the allowable and lawful things which might rob them of valuable time. Similarly, identify those things that steal away your time and concentration on the right things. What is it that nibbles away at your productivity, among friends? Excess baggage must go! It must be hurled into the sea! It is also prudent to provide for occasional failures and setbacks as you journey through life. Hurdles will appear at every turn and cause problems for you but ensure that you are resilient all the way through. Proverbs 16:9 is instructive in that regard. Once you provide for these, your ‘shock absorbers’ will be in better shape to handle ‘shocks’ and yet move ahead towards the mark. Sometimes, even close friends fundamentally differ over issues but what matters is how they handle it. For instance, in one church this author attended, there was a looming split but then what saved the church was the mature and selfless leadership. They steered the church to safety thus averting a break up.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

133

Know your core competences and utilize them When you are about to undertake any task, ensure you know your limitations. In the area of career development for instance, it would be wise to pick the areas where you have what are known as “core competencies”. The areas in which you easily flow the most are the areas to focus your strengths on. If you start in unfamiliar territory, do not be shocked if you end up running aground among the rocks! People that succeed are those that know themselves and know where to lay the eggs. For instance, if you trained as an hotelier, why not chose a business that is in line with that? If it is food and beverage, why not use that knowledge to develop your own recipe? A case is known of a lady on the Copper belt that begun by preparing and selling what is popularly known as “African Polony” or Chikanda. She saw the neglected market and begun to supply to different people. Today, she rakes a cool K 100, 000 (about $ 28) daily and now intends to employ a second person so that the market can be expanded to the other copper belt towns. Whereas many proud Zambian women shunned the business, she saw an opportunity which is beginning to pay dividends. Knowing Zambians, I would not be too shocked to note every other house hold copy the same business, but the originator will have a niche by then. Quality is the silver bullet. Similarly, if one is an Accountant or Engineer or Marketer, why not use your prowess? The author strongly believes that for too long, the Zambian system has wrongly made us believe that proper rewarding and honourable work is in the white collar formal jobs. Nothing could be further from the truth! Rather, people should begin to adjust to see that opportunities abound in Zambia and all that is needed is to maximize on our core competencies. Why spend all your life working for another when you can stand on your own? Why do people fear to venture forth? You have what it takes man! (Some fear disturbing the ‘social contracts’ with their superiors, but are they going to feed you when you are in the weeds?) Read the Business Post newspaper of 16th April 2005 and you will see what I am saying. Perhaps we ought to move over to the next point at this stage but please take time to read the small case study below: Case study Patrick Chama was born in an average Zambian family. The last of the five boys in a family of seven. He was born in his father’s declining years when the old man was about to retire. While his parents formally worked, life was fine and hunger practically unknown. His other brothers and sisters had by that time long left home and had eked their way through life.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

134

Patrick’s life begun to curve in when his parents ceased from gainful employment, pretty familiar to the Zambian setting. Suddenly, things begun to change, shortages became the order of the day and not too long, a number of meals begun to be missed. In those long lonely years, no one seemed to care for the family. The little that was sent to his parents from his older brothers and sisters quickly was sucked into the yawning poverty gaps. The situation became so bad to the extent that it became impossible to get any form of support. Patrick had to stop school for a number of years and consequently fell behind in school. His grades slid too. That notwithstanding, Patrick never lost sight of the importance of school and strove to complete grade twelve, of course with a poor result. After a year of roaming the compound, an uncle of his secured a general workers’ job in the government in the heart of Lusaka. Patrick arrived in the heart of Lusaka in early 1987, with practically no one to look to apart from his uncle. The Uncle was a well known business man whose preoccupation was travel and money. As soon as the young man arrived, the uncle welcomed him, offered a servant’s quarters and the next day introduced him at the new job. That was the last time he had meaningful contact with his uncle. Life went on nevertheless, despite many challenges he faced at home and work. In the city, he discovered that people’s English was generally more refined and could easily articulate issues. As for him, he had to first think in the local language and then translate into English and then speak. As a result, he became a slow speaker and people thought he was really backward in thinking. As time when on, he associated himself with a local church which was full of scholars from whom he learnt many valuable lessons for life. It was whilst at that church that he was introduced to a computer for the first time. Patrick was extremely curious and spared no efforts to learn this gadget. In a very short time, he found his way to the local computer teaching schools and amassed as many little certificates as he could, though at great cost on his part. As he got ‘hooked’ to computers, Patrick’s other areas in his social life begun to suffer. For instance, he was not particularly mindful where he lived, the food he ate or the clothes he wore. As long as he could read and keep alive, he was fine. In no time, Patrick became so proficient in the computer because he could understand how it operated. Learning from his mental language translations, the computer tied in with his experience and soon, he was the most sought after computer wizard country wide.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

135

As a result, the Copper belt University picked him as the computer centre assistant, although the standard was that one had to have a degree to hold the position. His case was unique. The young man did not stop there, he continued to excel in computer wizardry while he added papers to secure his position. In the fullness of time, he went abroad for studies to India and the Netherlands respectively. In between, he travelled extensively representing the university at many conferences and computer labs. After a decade of distinguished service at the University, Patrick felt it was time to move on, now that he had married and beginning a family. Before the University realized it, Patrick was in the Congo working in the war torn area with the UNHCR. From there, he was evacuated to Rwanda where he works and soon plans to return back to Zambia, having saved enough, built two houses and secured his family’s future. Patrick is an international knowledge worker, sought after all over the world. Where he goes next, only time will tell… Discern your calling in life Most of the super stars we have today are not skilled in many things but one good thing is that they have identified their calling in life quite early and thus positioned themselves. You need to be highly sensitive and alert to know what and when to do something. If you do not, you may waste many valuable years of your short life groping in the darkness only to discover your specific calling too late in life to effect any meaningful change of course. Lastly, begin each task with the end in view. Always have the vision clearly before you and only then do you make your way to the starting line. If things are hazy or unclear, little progress will be made and no benchmarks set by that token. Covey advises that for you to be effective, you must have the end product prototype clearly visible long before you set out. When we were building our first house, our mental picture always kept us going until the last fitting was in place, only then did we rest. Thus, we have in this chapter, in a measure, dealt with some highly personalised issues and we hope that this helps you to become a better worker in your quest to build a lasting legacy. In the eighth chapter, we proceed to consider some common pitfalls to watch out for in your life, stay with us! Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

136

========================================== ================================

Bib li og rap hy Maxwell John C, Failing forward Covey Stephen, Seven habits of highly effective people Trump Donald, How to get rich, BBC books, 2004 Dubrin J. Andrew, Leadership: Research findings, practice, and skills, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1995, Bridges Charles, The Christian Ministry, Banner of Truth Trust, 1997 edition

Chapter 8

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

137

Pitfalls to watch out for

Life is full of surprises at every turn. There are twists and turns which we have to pass through if we are to make head way. Some twists harbour deadly booby traps lurking at every turn. Other twists have bouquets of ‘feasty’ flowers that make life really worthwhile. Whatever the case, we need to meticulously watch because pitfalls about even in the midst of success. The naïve usually get taken up by token success and fail to see beyond the corner which eventually results in their undoing. At this stage in our book, we take time to consider the common pitfalls that confront any person. They appear so simple in some instances but do effect great harm or cause unwarranted resource wastage. To achieve our objective, as has been the practice throughout this book, we employ points to ‘hook’ our ideas into your mind. The first pitfall that many of us are guilty of is having too many ideas and aims in life to the extent that we either fail to focus on one thing thus spreading resources and energies too thinly or eventually get confused in the process. We have multiple simultaneous aims. Often, those that have too many things than they can handle usually fizzle out over the horizon because they do not have a unique speciality for which they are known. In the quest to get known in a short time or impress someone, or indeed prove something to others, people often take on too much and end up with an over load. As an Accounting student, I wanted to complete my Diploma in record time of 1.5 years and then move on to other professional courses. In keeping with my target, I collected over loads and ended up failing all my subjects. I still did not learn and repeated the same folly with same result. I took an over load for two main reasons. The first is that I wanted to “catch up” with my class mates who had advanced to the next year while I was rewriting some papers. Secondly, I always convinced myself that Accounting courses were simply a walk-over. I was wrong and paid dearly for this. As a result of this confusion and panic, I started thinking of other seemingly ‘simpler’ programs like law, social sciences and all, in a bid to escape the problem at hand. This made it even worse as I did not concentrate on what I had on my plate. In such a scenario, the mind is not fixed one thing at a time. The Apostle Paul left a powerful trail blaze over the corridors of the centuries because he was predominantly a person of ‘one thing’. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

138

The second pitfall is when we have too many simultaneous activities. Usually as young people, full of energy, zest and pride, we take on too much at a time, far more than we can carry. This slows us down. In other instances, we stop progressing at all! As alluded to in the previous point, having our hands excessively full demands extra ordinary abilities which most of us do not posses. It is actually a heavy weight on you and must be carefully weighed before embarking on. Athletes carefully watch what they carry on the track field where they are to run the finals. They have as little excess baggage as possible, sometimes appearing to wear skin tight clothing. They do not want to be slowed down or delayed in their quest for the golden crown. Greed comes in the third place as a serious pitfall that repeatedly plagues many souls. Many ruin their prospects by trying to run before the gun, cross the river before the get there or indeed ‘cut corners’ that swiftly lands them behind bars. If they do not go to jail, then their image is irreparably damaged. Greed has slain its thousands and yet people do not learn. It is important to have a healthy appetite to succeed but if this is not watched, it becomes an addiction which later rules your life destroying you in the process. Greed is simply being egocentric regardless of what others think or feel as long as you get the Lions’ share all the time. A greedy person rarely works with others nor trusts them. Once greed has matured, it gives birth to impatience which ultimately forces you to act in ways which even surprise yourself! I have met many well meaning young people who are impatient and want to get instant gratification after sweating at the University or college. They often do not want to waste time by starting in the remote areas of the country but want instant results in the city where the big and famous firms are. In one sense, they have a strategic point, but in another, they miss grand opportunities that often go begging in the outlying areas. The patient man or woman who has quietly taken the longer route often turns out more mature, fit and attractive in the long run because they have demonstrated that they can hang in there and still tick. Sometimes we have too many attractive options at the same time, how do we handle this? There is often chaos in many minds! This point focuses on the tendency to take too many paths at a time. It may take the shape of many divergent directions at the same time or using too many different ways Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

139

towards one goal. In a sense, it is always good to have plan B at any one given time, but when the options are too many, the person unconsciously adopts a quitting syndrome. In other words, if something is not working out as planned, the mind is prone to parachute out of the idea. The person will hardly follow through any option to its logical conclusion before they begin to look for another option. Usually, such people don’t make a mark in their area of expertise, as they are “Jack of all trades” because they will easily get frustrated at the earliest point. Another pitfall associated with this point is that in the fullness of time, the person stands to lose everything. A story is told of a young under graduate that potentially had two scholarships at the same time but in the end lost both. This young man suffered from indecision, despite being an intelligent person. He suffered at the grisly hands of pride. In one breathe, he felt he needed to study abroad (Scholarship # 1) and in another sense, he despised the local scholarship and stopped attending lectures, tutorials, labs and even left campus! When the international scholarship fell through, he turned to the local scholarship but lo and behold, it was too late to catch up. Despite studying really hard, he tumbled on account of the missed continuous assessment and labs. At the end of the academic year, naturally, he was ejected into the streets of Lusaka! Watch out, this could be your experience… At times, we do things to please others when in our hearts of hearts we would have rather done something totally different. This is a case where one takes up an activity, sometimes good in and of itself but for wrong reasons or under overwhelming duress to please someone. This is very common especially in the area of career choice for young people. Some take up courses because their parents “expect them to”, it is the honourable thing to do or the whole world expects them to! This rather latent pressure piles on someone and they end up doing a lot of good things that they throw out at the earliest convenience. Examples abound in our nation where someone studies Engineering or Medicine only to change later to Accountancy! When asked, most of these have answered that they did the earlier course for their parents’ sake but NOW they are doing what they always wanted to do! Sadly, some remain trapped in their wrong fit. Please note that we are not for a moment advocating immediate change of career but all we are saying is that take heed lest you do something for some one’s sake rather than what is on your heart. Admittedly, our range of choices in Zambia is limited somewhat but in the fullness of time, a full range is increasingly becoming available except the limiting factor maybe finance in some instances.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

140

This same caution holds true for the jobs and businesses we undertake. People should be careful to ensure that they do what they do best. If it is running the family business, then by all means, let them run the show! If not, let them hand it over to someone else with the acumen and clout. Sadly, African businesses rarely last beyond the originators, could it be that the owners do not mentor their progeny? Whatever the case, doing something under duress for prolonged periods of time can lead to mental break down due to stress leading to depression. People feel guilty, unworthy more like traitors to those they disappoint. The earlier one discovers they niche in life and assert it, the better∠. As people go up the corporate ladder, the tendency is to keep as far from reality as possible. If we once survived on selling ice blocks in the neighbourhood to get along, as we get more comfortable in life, we unconsciously despise those little things that helped us along the way. Unknown to us, we eventually begin to feel too important to do some of those mundane things and consciously or unconsciously brand those things as ‘beneath our status’ This is a very fatal and serious mistake for who knows, the same way that built you up when you had nothing could well be the one that could take you to the apex? One senior Manager once lamentably confessed to us shortly before his contract came to an abrupt end that he regretted having succumbed to the ‘status trap’ that has felled its thousands, yea, millions because of pride. I felt sorry for him but it was too late for him. In another sense, I also felt rebuked for being overly and needlessly too proud for nothing. You see, those small income generating activities generate a lot of tax free money which could be used to cushion or finance some of little expenses and thus reserving some money for other equally important things. Opportunity cost could work very well if we simply disciplined our selves. The tragedy I have seen in my own life and others is that I only embark on business ventures for a time in order to raise money to finance an activity but immediately drop everything after the event. That is a big mistake, depending on the nature of the business. We could learn many valuable lessons from it as well as continue to finance other domestic or even professional ventures. Repeatedly, people become world class business people, selling all sorts of merchandise, shortly before their wedding but turn into business salt pillars soon after the wedding, why? Chances are that they feel too important to do certain things they did at first in the hour of need. Many of us mistakenly convince ourselves that there is more dignity buying new merchandise from other people than vice versa. Refer to Psychology by Frank Cox pp 356

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

141

Pitfalls abound at every turn but what matters is how we handle them. They come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and velocities but what matters is how well adjusted one is and ready to handle them. It is our sincere hope that the nuggets and insights given in this book will arm you for action throughout life. Let’s move on to the next plot… ======================================================

Bib li og rap hy Price Stuart & Duah Agyeman Ivor, Koffi Annan: Back from the brink? New African magazine, March 2005 # 438, pp 13 Frank Cox, Psychology, WM. C. Brown Company publishers, Dubuque, Iowa, 1970 Building your Business, Thorogood Publishing

Chapter 9 Types and classes of labour

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

142

As we hurtle along to the conclusion of this book, our words become fewer and pointed. This is for a good reason. Having said most of what we set out to, we must now get closer to tangible things that resonate with us, especially those about to embark on a major career or seriously considering a career change. Before we give you the actual professional offering on the job market today, it is prudent to say a bit more about the types and classes of labour you will encounter on the job market. We begin with the types available and then consider the classes later in the chapter. When you look at the pictures presented below, what comes to mind? Welding Doctor Strategic Planning Sport woman Draughts woman Officer Many things no doubt but it is always good to be clear about the types of jobs on offer and what you aspire after. You need to know what is on offer before you take an informed choice. In life, always make right decisions and live with the consequences. The blame shifting game does not help anyone and is unacceptable today. Akin to Law, ‘ignorance is no defence’ or excuse. As you probably know, some jobs are labour intensive while others are more routine requiring repeated application to master and gain efficiency in the long run. As the world goes global however, there is an emphasis on ‘knowledge work’ where the new currency for employability is ideas. If you have a plethora of ideas, then the weightless economy is your domain and will offer the biggest jobs. In other words, ideas, not actual tangible “machines” or factories will get you the job. More than that, if your ideas are fresh, new, innovative, flexible, relevant and eco-friendly you are in big business! In addition to the ‘new currency’, the world has gone global. Time was when one transaction across the Atlantic scarcely had any immediate bearing on the Eastern coast of Africa but now that is past and gone. The world is a ‘global village’ and thus every move immediately affects other parts of the world since it is one cohesive whole. There is nothing that happens in a corner and goes unnoticed by the world’s media, yea, satellite technology can zoom into your very bedroom and tell you what is going on! This implies that the way we do business and work has continued to drastically change over the years. The successful business cadre of the 21st century and beyond are those that are international and global in scope and outlook. They must be comfortable to do business at any point on the globe. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

143

They must also be ready to invest and live anywhere on this terrestrial ball. At one time, when I was returning from holiday abroad, I sat next to a polished Zambian colleague connecting at Addis Ababa airport from some destination, probably Dubai I figured. I was mistaken; the gentleman was from Hong Kong on a business trip! As we discussed, I discovered the gentleman was scarcely a grade twelve graduate but had been all over the world with established business connections literary around the globe. I was shocked and pleased at the same time. Shocked because the gentleman could hardly speak good English but waxed eloquent when I spoke Bemba! I was further shocked because this young man was far more innovative, adventurous and better internationally exposed than I was with all my academic credentials lying around gathering dust. On the other hand, I was pleased because it was a sign that Zambians were waking up to international realities and discarding the dependence syndrome that has thickly stuck to our skins for many years. Further, the courage and entrepreneurial spirit displayed by the young man was exceptional not needing any formal qualifications. We parted with my profuse blessings and encouraged him to read a bit more to improve his management skills, otherwise he had what it takes to be an International business man. Such are the people that the world needs today. These kinds of people will bring development to Zambia rather than the multinationals alone. But then, that is not our subject of consideration at this stage, it is the types of labour! It is worth mentioning that although global changes are unavoidable, certain traditional routines and ways of doing work will still remain largely the same with minor modifications consistent with the context. In this section, we briefly consider all types of work (Traditional or not) that come to mind at this stage: 1. Mental. The first is one that involves thinking, the brain or mind. This

has in many ways taken the centre stage in these dynamic times because it involves certain mental skills translated into what we see. It invokes more of the mental processes and skills. This includes decision making jobs. Managers and leaders are constantly making thousands of ethical decisions. Their responses emanate from what they have learnt over the years, experienced, picked up along the way, studied or been taught through formal education. 2. The second is manual or physical work. People have different callings in life and feel comfortable in different settings. Some feel very good, safe and secure behind a desk surrounded by four walls while others Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

144

prefer the outdoor physic intensive kind of activity. If they are forced to sit behind a desk for just an hour, they feel extremely hot under the collar and may even be taken ill due to a fever! Such kind of people can work for long arduous hours in the garden, workshop or in the open wild and feel perfectly happy. Such people usually enjoy routine kind of work or jobs that involves flexing their muscles so that when they finally get home, they are dead tired and just drop like a log on their beds until the next day when they are fully recharged for another gruelling sweaty day. 3. The third kind of work, although connected to the first is academic. Here, people in this category feel very much at home among books, computers, latest news, trend analysis or postulations into the future using statistical strategic models. As long as they can smell books, pulp or see something related to using the eyes, they will be very happy and excited. It’s no wonder most of the cadre from the academia have compound eyes on their faces (Spectacles!). Theirs involves reading and processing every sentence their eyes fall on. 4. The fourth type of work is one that involves interacting with other people by way of service, advice or influence. Those in the service industry fit this mode and derive immense pleasure and fulfilment when and if they touch another life. Although they are pleased with repeatedly satisfied customers, they also ensure they rake in some cool cash for themselves! 5. The last type for now is those that spend their days supplying things to the market. Their stake is to satisfy the market needs by raising and supplying goods on demand. Their major concern is to churn out high quality goods so that people in the service industry repeatedly visit them and eventually market them to the customer. This group, though usually remains working efficiently behind the scenes and cares for nothing as long as they get their cut for the good work done. Having synthesised the five types, we proceed to consider what is very relevant in the world today as we veer towards the weightless economy. We shall consider the root before we close off with the ‘flowers’ or leaves of this tree. These are practical tips worth noting. Academic studies As we noted earlier on in point # 3 above, academic and professional studies are the ground and root for ones’ future prosperity. If they ignore this aspect, then they soon become irrelevant or redundant. Chances are, they will be Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

145

consigned to the labourer kind of jobs which are not very pleasant or easy, unless one is cut out for them. A friend relocated to the UK as a ‘non professional worker’ and for a season worked as a labourer. He recollects how those were some of the worst experiences in his life because he would on a daily basis be extremely worn out, exhausted and completely dull when he finally got home. The best he could do was to slumber and get back on the job the next day without knowing that the professional paper he possessed could actually get him a better skilled labour job. Thankfully, someone saw his paper and advised him to deposit his credentials with a local employment agent. In no time, he got a far superior professional job. Today, he orbits in executive board rooms but still remembers those hard dark days! You need to diligently and vigilantly apply yourself to study if you are going to be heard in today’s world. It is better to sweat now and enjoy later. I am tempted to state with good old John Wesley that scholarship is a Christian virtue. I think he was right on that one. But what is study, lest we assume we are on the same page? Definition of study The precise definition of study is elusive to come across but an attempt would be: “Studying is the systematic, meticulous analysis and imbibing of the substance under observation with a view to add to the body of knowledge in the mind"∂ As can be seen from the definition given, study involves a painstakingly disciplined and focused mind which desires to update the information centre of the brain. Studies take place in various spheres and modes. Among the modes available include the formal class attendance, long distance/correspondence, personal and private or group study. Sometimes, study takes research form where the studied objects are observed under various environments with a view to draw an objective conclusion. For the study of any discipline, students have to inevitably deliberately put in a certain amount of directed study hours periodically. Marks of effective study Not all study is effective. People engage in all manner of diligent study and expect the result be directly proportional to the amount of hours they put in. Every year, myriads of students pick up books and pound their way either to success or failure. When someone who hardly touches a book performs better than them in an examination, at least two reactions are bound to be observed: Firstly, the hard worker feels discouraged, enraged and Source: Author’s definition 2004

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

146

disillusioned. They tend to suspect and conclude that hard study is in vain and therefore hang their gloves. The second reaction would be to declare total war on the books! They probably suspect that they had not studied hard enough and must add a few more pounds in the study area. But study also needs strategy for success to result. Many mistakenly plunge into studies without checking that all things are in place. The following points summarise some marks of effective study: a. It is directed study with a clear objective b. It is regular and planned. c. It is selective and knows where the important areas lie. d. It is comprehensive and has the whole picture in view e. It is result based meaning that the student commences with the goal in mind. f. It always has the result in mind acting as the engine. g. It is consistent h. It is a diligent study i. It is a resilient study j. It learns from the past. k. It is a highly observational study l. It avoids too much or too little information m. It focuses on one thing at a time. n. It is time bound study o. It has bench marks and indicators p. It avoids analysis paralysis q. It is systematic Much of what passes as studying in Zambia is actually mere reading. We give a brief difference between reading and studying before we delve into the principles needing meticulous consideration before selecting a career. Study/reading Whilst studying involves a critical and systematic analysis and absorption of new knowledge, reading refers to using the eyes either to scan, skim or acquire factual knowledge upon which you make day to day choices and decisions. Reading is not as concentred, fixed or painstaking as study is. Study involves understanding the principles behind something and why things work the way they do. At times, it may involve making observations under specified conditions and then draw conclusions there from. Reading a Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

147

psychics book to understand may be classified as study while reading a romantic novel or news paper may be viewed as reading. Sometimes though, these overlap. Principles to consider prior to career choice 1. Particular strength/excellence in that area Proverbs 22:29 2. Something done with relative ease, pleasure without much ado. 3. Comfort and delight/fulfilment in the calling. 4. Due diligence Proverbs 19:15; 20:13, 2 Tim 4:16. 5. Check your inward motives. If they are wrong, you may quit soon. 6. Capacity issues. Do you have what it takes, or it is just a fancy? 7. Consult widely. In the multitude of advisors, plans succeed. 8. Have a strategic vision. Long range thinking. 9. Aim for independence in an interdependent age. 10.How will it help you God wards? Having laboured at length on the types, it is fitting for us to consider the classes of labour. Quickly stated, there are only three of them namely; a. Formal b. Informal c. Professional The formal refers to the regular eight to five job we are often accustomed to in Zambia. This entails entering a formal contract stipulating the tenure, conditions of service and mutual obligations expected from either party. Usually, formally employed people observe certain rules and regulations and once they violet or are not in agreement, they have to opt out. In addition, these employees have some form of identity, work agreed hours and belong to a workers’ union as the case may be, though some companies do not have such. Quite often (although not exclusively), the formally employed have some specialised formal training relating to the job. Thus, knowledge workers of modern times fit into this mould but the post modern may not. Past experience and competence are often key factors. In this time of formal employment, always provide for any sudden redundancy as organisations often do not guarantee lifelong employment any longer. David Thomas captures this aspect even better when he states thus in the September 1991 Banking World magazine article, “This time redundancies are widespread, including professionals who may have thought they had a job for life.” Take heed and proactively prepare thy self. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

148

The informal on the other hand refers to work related to the individuals’ specific and special skill and unique competence. Often, this refers to work people engage in outside the formal job market as stipulated by the law or local economy. In Zambia, this refers to jobs that include trading, street vending, motivation talking or any other activity that is not gazetted but is used to generate wealth for livelihood. For a long time, very few Zambians belonged to this sector but after the 1992 privatisation act, more and more people opt for this mode of survival, after all, the massive job losses forced them there! But even more interesting is the voluntary cadre of informal workers that are rising in number, starting their own businesses from scratch. They are thus employers rather than employees as has traditionally been in Zambia. That is the way it should be. That is the way to go for the entrepreneur. Lastly under this head, we have the professional sector. This includes individuals that have some form of expertise and technical skill that is offered at a fee. These people specialise in offering unique services and are regulated by some professional body which sets the ethical standards. If these fail to comply, they are deregistered and their practicing licence withdrawn. Lawyers, Accountants, Architects and other professionals fall into this category. I am sure I have kept you waiting for a long time to really touch on the subject that warms your heart relating to popular careers on offer today as Zambia further reforms economically. I have no doubt though that the route we have taken has been the best as it has given you some ‘appetisers’ for intelligent informed career choice selection. In the ensuing section, we consider some of the sound careers on offer today. Note that this is not an exhaustive list, so feel at liberty to add another profession which we may have omitted. To achieve our goal, we shall say a few things on each career as the professionals in the field told us themselves, here goes…. Sound and popular career paths on offer in Zambia today 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Accountancy Aeronautics Agriculture Avionics Banking

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

149

6. Business 7. Business/Public Administration 8. Carpentry/plumbing 9. Development 10.Engineering-Mechanical, electrical, Agriculture etc 11. General Management 12. Journalism 13. Law 14.Lecturer 15. Librarian 16.Marketing 17. Medicine-human, veterinary 18.Nursing/physiotherapy 19.Nutrition 20. Project Management 21.Secretarial 22. Social work 23.Technician- electrical/electronics 24.Technologist-information

electronics,

water,

Case-A Modern Manager

Pe ter Nj obvu the b uddi ng high f lier Introduction An interview was carried out with Mr Peter Njobvu of BP on the 29.01.99 with a view to find out the total quality management practices in BP and to what extent TQM has permeated through the entire BP network. Mr Njobvu holds both the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) qualifications and was the senior depot Manager in the northern part of Zambia at the time of interview. He has since moved to Cape Town, South Africa to take up a more senior and challenging job. By that token, he travels extensively in the BP network. During his student days he was several times elected the best overall student world over and at one time was the best Management Accountant in BP in the Southern Hemisphere. Peter is indeed an international quality leader. QUESTIONS. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

150

1. What, in your own words, is Management in general. From the textbook? Management is basically about coordinating, controlling and directing resources to a predetermined goal. So, it is the Marshalling of these resources towards a specific goal put down in the budget. Apart from Marshalling, there is a lot more and more on people management these days. 2. What are the current management trends today? In the US, where individual performance is valued, there is a shift to try and unlock the potential in the individual. The belief is that if you take care of an individual, then you will have taken care of the results. This will mean that the care is both at work and beyond, ensuring that the home conditions are made as comfortable as possible so that the worker does not spend time thinking of how to survive but rather concentrates on one thing. This trend is coming in Zambia though at a slow pace. In BP, we realise this is cardinal and as such are at the forefront implementing modern management practices that will motivate and unleash the hidden potential within a person. This can be done in various ways such as rewarding, complementing or continuous training of staff so that they can meet the challenges that lie in the way. As such, this builds capacity and greatly motivates people so that they do their best. 3. Why the emphasis on people management? Like I said, people are viewed the most important asset of any organisation and if they are satisfied, they will improve in their output. This means taking care of both their welfare and environment in which they operate. People say that these days, the buzzword is 'Team Work', and this has been a buzzword almost a cliché for some time now in the management circles and for a good reason. They are saying that the original hierarchical structure is in efficient and must be broken down to give way to a learning approach. 4. Do you think that Teamwork is the best approach to management and why? For a long time to come, we are yet to find a mode of management that is better than teamwork because in a team setting, all the people are qualified with one leader who is basically a boss but does not come out as such but rather is a team player as well. In Accounting firms for example, all the members are qualified professionals so that none is above the other but as they share ideas, the output is by far more and richer than if one person were to work. Teamwork emphasizes the fact that people should be allowed Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

151

to express themselves, brainstorm and bring up all sorts of ideas. There is a belief that 100 lousy ideas are better than none. If you get ideas from all sorts of people, including those on the floor, you will get great ideas. 5. What is your current job? I am a Senior Depot Manager - north managing the northern operations though I do not manage a depot here in Ndola, as such, I supervise depots in Mansa, Kasama, Mpika and many other areas in the north. I also handle the public relations aspect as well. 6. That sounds like a lot of work, how do you manage? I have a team under me, with whom I seat, plan, brainstorm and work out all things. I have Engineers, Accountants and all sorts of staff under me. 7. Has the team work culture permeated into BP? How successful and applicable has it been, if at all? (To what extent?). Teamwork is applicable to every organisation and BP as an organisation emphasizes so much on teamwork that when they are employing new staff, there will be an assessment on their team work abilities. Teamwork hasn't been in Zambia a long time but in European countries, it has been practiced for a long time. In Africa, we still have a long way to go, as we still have problems with it probably due to culture and background. And for that reason, teamwork doesn't seem to be working too well. We still have a group on top who can't be touched while the operatives in the middle to fix while those below are forced to receive commands. As a result you have a culture where people will not accept correction or advice but busy to please the boss. As BP, we are trying to discourage it. Various efforts have been made such as shared ideas to get the methods of best practice. I have attended some in the region and they continue to take place, they come up with really good ideas. 8. How do they respond to the Team/ TQM approach? Very well although I sometimes have problems due to the hang overs people have from the past. They always want to revert to the past practices because they feel they have always done the job in the same way. The new methods seem to interfere and seem abit more difficult. It is extremely difficult to change them over a short period of time, but what I have done positively is to occasionally go down on the work floor and find people in their natural habitat and where possible, suggest ways of doing it better. I am careful not to seem to impose things by asking them "Don't you think it could be done Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

152

better this way?” In this way, I break this ‘box’ mentality where you have your own ideas imposed on people. So I go almost one and a half hours every day and do have contact with the team. 9. That's very nice, would you call it.... management by walking around...?. How often do you do this? Yes, if you like, it is very effective and I make sure that I go out on the shop floor for one and a half hour everyday just to familiarize myself and acquaint myself with people who may ordinarily feel uncomfortable to visit me at the office. Then we are dealing with people on a personal basis rather than giving instruction. In the end, this opens them up and you get better results. 10. Now, we have already alluded to it, what in your own words is TQM? What I think is that TQM is the process of management where you affirm that our processes and procedures guarantee almost that at the end of the chain or production line we are going to be churning out high quality products increasing performance defect reduced to zero. The emphasis of TQM is really on procedure upon procedure not an individual people. In other words, other than finding out who went wrong, TQM emphasizes that we find out whether the processes are correct. The system must ensure that no defect is introduced or allowed to exist. 11. What is the importance of TQM? It ensures that there is no defect or redoing of something and this is cheaper. 12. Is TQM practical in BP Zambia? What about in South Africa and Europe? We haven't really applied TQM, I think, to the level where I think we can say that we have done it, although at our plant in Kitwe, we are running a system which more or less on the lines of TQM, an ISO based system international standard organisation (ISO 9002). What ISO 9002 basically deals with that whatever you are doing must be documented in such a way that if someone comes with no previous connection, they will be able to follow through without a problem just by observing what you are doing, you should look it up and ask whether it is ok. These processes are designed in such a way that at the end of the day they eliminate chances of defect, ensuring that whatever is being churned out is an assured perfect product, with very little or no defect in conformance to standards. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

153

13. To what extent is it practiced in BP? We are still trying to cultivate it into our system. 14. How long do you envision it will take root in Zambia? It will take some time in Zambia for it to reach international levels but we are determined to foster its development, if we are to remain competitive. 15. Now, we are running short of time, but could you briefly tell us some of the hurdles you have encountered in implementing TQM? The problems are always on the attitude of people who think the procedures are just too long and are tempted to use short cuts to achieve the same goals. The problems are basically attitudes. 16. What are the goals of BP in the coming years? The company's immediate vision Financially, we hope to double the 1997 profits by the year 2002. But then in terms of quality health and safety issues, BP wants to be like they say, "Our policy is to be friendly, cheap, high quality and do no harm to people, no damage to the environment". So in terms of what we want to do in health, safety and environment, there are the environment audit standards that we are following. We are also going for another environment standard which is to do with environment management from ISO, and as BP we are saying, we have to produce petroleum products that are clean to the environment. Our motto is "Energy and sustainable increase.” 17. Finally, on a personal note, you have done both the ACCA and CIMA, which one of the two emphasizes TQM more? Objectively, CIMA leans towards management than ACCA and therefore by the same token, you have more of TQM coming in CIMA. Although both of them refer to TQM, Thank you Peter for the time granted to me. You are welcome. 25.Teaching/lecturing Levels of academic study

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

154

In the academic world, various disciplines and programs are on offer. Generally, studies are graduated into the areas commencing with the lowest: a. Certificate This is the first stage of commencing any area of study. Usually, the certificate is a general study area usually with many courses giving a general over view of many related areas of study b. Advanced certificate The advanced certificate is equally general but builds upon what was covered in the certificate. c. Diploma The Diploma is a combination of the base and the advanced certificates mentioned above and seeks to consolidate subjects in an equally general but deeper way that the certificate study. In Zambia, a Diploma usually takes three years to complete and is graduated into levels. d. Advanced/higher diploma This is not yet at Degree level but is certainly an advance on the Diploma. In other words, the advanced Diploma is a progress on the Diploma towards a degree. e. Under graduate degree

This is by far the most popular level of study as it is a comprehensive accumulation of the previously mentioned qualification. At the end of the study, the student undertakes a project or is attached to some organisation to get the industrial attachment experience. To graduate, the student has to satisfy the University that they have good grades in the exams, continuous assessments and tests. A degree in Zambia usually takes between four to six years of continuous study. f. Honours’ degree g. Graduate or Masters’ degree

The Graduate degree or Masters degree is an advanced degree to show mastery in a particular given area. The student under takes some relatively specialised area of study and shows by tackling both the Core courses as well as wrapping up the study with a thesis. The University senate sits to evaluate the thesis and invites the student to defend his/her assertions in the study area. Each graduate degree focuses in a particular

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

155

direction though occasionally, the program may be a general Masters degree. One of the most popular graduate degrees today is the Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a focus area such as Finance, Strategy, Organisational Behaviour etc. The Masters of Business Leadership is a fast emerging degree that deserves considering and may eclipse the MBA some day. h. Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) or Doctor of a particular field

The Doctorate is the highest academic qualification a person can attain in a particular area of study and further narrows the particular area of study. In other words, it is narrower than the Master’s degree in terms of scope. The Doctorate presupposes that the possessor has studied all the extant thoughts on a particular issue and are therefore an authority in that school of thought. Perhaps it would be fitting to mention at this point that the Doctorates are of different brands. For instance, the PhD means that someone has studied most or all the extant philosophies in a particular study area and has added his/her voice on the same. The PhD can be by research or by standard study modes. This qualification is versatile and can be used in industry more easily. On the other hand, the Doctor of a particular field is largely a professional as well as academic qualification which usually involves many years of pain staking research to prove or disapprove a given hypothesis. Usually, the Doctor’ degree is prevalent among the University and College lecturers. Co ns ult atio ns… …… ……… … Greetings brother Allan, I hope all is well with thee...I am doing well but seriously considering pursuing a number of issues. Among them is the change of career from Accounting to General Management. This has been necessitated by my intended field of study. I am considering a PhD on either International business or Sustainable development. I think that would be a better avenue for me, as my strengths lie there. What do you think about the PhD pursuit, are you in that school of thought that does not advocate for such? Tell me, how far have you gone with respect to your theological studies,

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

156

assuming you have stuck to your earlier resolve. How is the wife of thy youth? Warmest regards, Billy S My dear brother, Greetings. I am indeed most pleased to hear from you. We are all well in this foreign land. In spite of the poverty I would like to be in Zed. However for now I must be here. The theological studies are going on as earlier resolved. I am now pursuing Greek and Hebrew and should continue for a number of years. I am of the opinion that one should advance themselves as far as is possible and reasonable; I have no problems with PhDs in fact I encourage them. There are however a few things to be said. Firstly the PhD is an immense undertaking. I think Dr Goma will be able to detail this side of things. What you want to be certain of is whether you want an 'academic' PhD or a 'professional' PhD. An academic PhD is the Standard PhD while the professional PhD consists of a taught component followed by appropriate industrial experience a small project, teaching in research methodologies etc followed by an original piece of work equivalent in breath and depth to the standard PhD but much shorter. Obviously this sort of PhD appeals to professionals who feel they need both doctoral level Academic training combined with practical work experience at an acceptable level but who do not want teaching and research to be a major focus in their life. Secondly, the PhD is very expensive in terms of time and money and one should count the cost. Think carefully about this because you may find that an MBA in management suits you better. It takes 1 or 2 years only. The PhD takes at least 3 years if you have an excellent undergraduate record otherwise it is 4 to 7 years. You should be quite sure you are ready to commit yourself to a project for this long and prepared to be skint! Finally is it really the right degree? Can a master's do?

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

157

Look up stuff on the net and talk to Dr Goma and other PhDs to get a better impression. Shalom. Allan Hello Doc, I need some advice, which is better, a PhD or Doctorate? Which one is more academic? Billy S ===================================================== Billy The PhD is better. It is a more universally recognized qualification. i will send the Belgium info as soon as it is ready Malan What an interesting journey has been ours thus far! How many professional areas we have looked into! I pray and trust that this effort to unveil the popular careers has immensely opened your mind. I also do pray that you are now better informed to take on higher challenges as well as intelligently make bold decisions that will fly you to higher orbs. One caution is however critical: Never rest on your present laurels or credentials. Always have an eye to future security. In other ways, use the present privileges and sunshine to prepare for the rainy day ahead. I say this with a heavy heart because many get entangled and boxed in the “status trap” forgetting that tomorrow needs to be prepared for today. Nothing is automatic, even the children of Isreal had an end to their gracious manna days after which they had to sweat it out (Exodus 5:10). In the next Chapter, we briefly consider the benefits of labour before we hurtle along to look at the sad end and decay of the sluggard in chapter eleven. ================================================== Bib lio graphy

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

158

Gort A. H, Get that Job, Parragon, 2002 Holt H David, Entrepreneurship: New venture creation, Prentice Hall of India, 2006 Thomas David, Redundant! Banking World, September 1991 pp 65

Chapter 10

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

159

“It is not the most intelligent but the smartest that succeed” I. The Benefits and effects of good labour Doubtless, when we meet people that are ‘successful’ as the world defines them, we often wonder how they got there. Many times, we gravitate towards them, unknown to us because we have a natural tendency towards what tickles our ego. But if you were to enquire into many of these people’s backgrounds, you will most likely discover that they invested heavily in the past and are merely reaping what they sowed then. A little sacrifice here, some risky move there all add up to what you now see. Risk averse people generally do not feature prominently on the “successful people” list. They usually end up in the peripherals scarcely surviving or scrounging for droppings from other people’s tables. In their hey days as chief executives, they never cast an eye towards the stormy day ahead and spent all their energies making a name for themselves at the expense of growing a young business or investing into the future. Now it is too late and they are depressed. But there is always hope for the young, discerning, wise and prudent professionals that walk the hall of fame. It is possible to own a flat on rent in Rome, New York, London or Sydney while you live in the outskirts of Lusaka. It is equally possible to remain a global consultant while you reside in “pauper” Zambia. All this is possible if you put your energies in the right place at the right time or else you will come out of life bitter, defeated, disillusioned and depressed. In this chapter, our task is to briefly point out the benefits of a life well spent in investing in the right places. Our trip will cover some points earlier alluded to but in this instance, these will also act as bench marks and hooks to our consciences. The first benefit is obviously prosperity and wealth. This translates into a higher and better quality of life which the lazy can only dream of. Wealth generation and prosperity are the mark of the hard worker. Admittedly, other crooks do make lots of money illegally and appear happy when infact they fear their own shadow. Not so the genuine hard worker. They walk through life confidently and proud of their achievements. By the sweat of their brawl, they have generated wealth not only for themselves but for their children’s children. In old age or when out of formal employment, they never bother their children or relations for money. Hard workers are a joy to be with because they show you the way of life much better.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

160

In the second place, poverty over thrown and kept at bay. It is effectively defeated as long as hard work continues. The Bible rightly says that all hard work brings profit and thus bars poverty from making inroads into such a home. As I look at many admirable, prosperous and high class homes, I know instantly at the back of my mind that someone must have worked hard some time back. In almost all the cases, I have been correct. In Zambia, unfortunately, inherited wealth does not usually last. It is soon blown up or dissected by the children leaving no trace of the previous glory. I have heard of a rich young man who inherited one of the largest business empires in Zambia and run it down because he loved gambling. He did not care because he did not work to generate that wealth as his father did from scratch. This is a tragedy but in an ideal world, wealth must cumulatively increase from generation to generation. Good life should be the norm not the exception. In the third place, the hard worker who has proudly and sincerely generated wealth has the pleasure of being able to help the weak. They do this out of a kind gracious heart rather than from a pompous proud heart that blows its own trumpet. In fact, I have noted that the actual hard workers and true owners of wealth rarely are boastful or proud, but rather, it is their parasitic relatives. Fourthly, the hard worker pleases the Lord because s/he obeys the command to work hard with a view to help the genuinely weak and needy. The fourth Commandment positively talks about doing ALL our work in six days and rest in one. By implication, you and I must exert all our energies in the allotted six days and then rest to “recharge” our brain cells. For another thing, hard work reduces vulnerability and dependence on others. It is interesting that in countries where there is less donor aid, the economies and people turn out better than in those lavished with free things. It could be that those that do not accept free hand outs have told themselves to use all their strength to generate wealth while those with a high affinity for free things turn out lazy and therefore dependant. If you have taken your destiny in your own hands, you will definitely not allow yourself to idle around nor will you allow anyone to bully you. Hard work is the key. Furthermore, hard work has great benefit to the nation in a number of ways. Firstly, hard workers generally produce more and tend to be self reliant. Because of this higher production and self reliance, they create jobs which in turn build the economy. How does this come about? Well, those employed Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

161

pay tax to the government after they get paid. In addition, the business itself pays tax thus contributing to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Other areas that contribute to GDP as a result of hard work could include value adding activities such as locally refining raw materials so that they fetch much more abroad as well as sending a hard working cadre abroad that remits foreign exchange back home to foster national development. Hard work also brings about sustainability presently and in future. If you do not work hard today, tomorrow will most likely be a night mare. But hard workers have a long range thinking mindset and work in such a way as to avert or forestall any future disaster. Their children also will rest secure for many generations because of the seed they planted. I am of the view that life before and after formal employment should not be very different because you will have laid a comfortable mattress upon which to recline after the productive years working away. But not only after you retire, you must be ready as early as possible and be able to survive without a job for many months without noticing a marked difference. The other good jewel that comes out of hard work is that you have peace of mind at all times. This is because you will know where you stand exactly and how to wiggle your way round sharp corners in life. The foolish do not notice the sharp turn from afar and proceed to crash into the wall, coming out badly wounded. Peace of mind even makes you more efficient as well as work better. Closely connected to the previous point is confidence and self esteem built. Once you know your way round and how to sort out complex issues, you are generally more confident than the person that has not yet tried. They may have the mental aspects neatly tacked away in the brain but will be shaky when they first encounter the issue. Hard and smart workers are generally more confident because their competence levels far outstrip everyone else. I am sure Daniel in the Bible was a very confident man and yet he wholly depended upon God. Dependant people are simply not confident about anything they do. They always need a second person to approve their intended move. Only then will their reluctance and doubt cease. Solid hard workers do not tolerate dependence. They actually consider it a taboo to depend on another. They ensure they learn as much and practice often to perfect their skills such that when they appear in the public domain, they are often miles ahead. Hard Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

162

work casts out the dependence syndrome. Zambia is a country of cowards and doubters, no wonder we are so dependant of others from abroad. We would rather be labourers instead of being masters in our own land. This needs urgently to change. Like I mentioned earlier on, genuine hard workers are very simple and have a realistic out look to life. They are never complex but live by simple rules that guides them all the way to prosperity land. Hard work viewed from another perspective is a launch pad to the next level of usefulness. I once worked with an astute Manager earlier on in my career. He said something intriguing that has never left me. I was once complaining about not being recognised enough in the organisation but he simply advised me to “do a good job and it would speak for me” He was right and today I stand on a far higher podium because of that simple rule. Your present job will get you the next best depending on how well you handle what you have in hand today. It is said that after doing something repeatedly for five years, a person becomes an expert in that area. It therefore means that every five years, ideally, you and I should be moving to the next higher level where we face fresh challenges. Interestingly, most of us prefer to remain hidden in the comfort zone because of our risk averse culture. But there is need to move on. However, the point here is that you can become your own boss once you have mastered something. As people recognise you, offer consultancy services and become your own boss. Having become an expert as highlighted in the previous point, your unique competence and skill take you places. Proverbs talks about a person “standing before kings”. That is high class competence which all of us should aspire after. Remember Daniel? What about Joseph? These men excelled in their respective callings. Another offshoot related to this point is that you will repeatedly be called upon to handle challenging tasks which everyone else dreads and when you succeed, your profile will soar out of control! Yet another benefit of hard work is you soon discover your other previously hidden strengths, weaknesses and skills. If you sit idle all day, whining, complaining or just munching, chances are that you will not k now your strengths and thus not maximise your potential. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

163

Smart hard workers always leave a brilliant trail blaze behind them once they have passed that way. They are event makers rather than followers. They are consistent ‘head liners’ as it were in good things. Not every headliner is a good or hard worker per se but the genuine ones remain admirable long after they have left the centre stage. They are well known and often quoted by all people. I have in mind people like Ben Carson and our own Mutembo Nchito, brilliant men in their own fields! We hardly need to mention that hard work brings about tremendous progress for all that would sustainably work hard. Do you see a successful person? Chances are that they work extremely hard behind the scenes. Well, our path has been somewhat smoother than what we are about to in the next chapter. It is always refreshing to meet an old colleague making steady progress up the career ladder just like yourself. You can see the freshness, the warmth and pulse that attends them. But it is equally heart breaking to meet a colleague who cannot keep body and soul together because they made lethal mistakes along the way for which they are paying dearly at the time you meet them. I would strongly urge you to pursue the good road highlighted in this chapter because it brings about the best life you can ever imagine. Fasten your seat belt as we enter the dark tunnel in the next chapter.

Bib lio graphy Holy Bible, New International version (NIV), The Bible Society, 1973

Chapter 11

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

164

II. The sad end and decay of the sluggard-Proverbs 20:13, Proverbs 24:33

In life, time often tells the consequences of our actions earlier on. If we chose to sit and idle away when opportunity came knocking on our door, we are certainly reaping what we sowed back then. On the other hand, if we were vigilant, diligent and worked hard leaving no stone unturned, we should not be surprised if today we seem to be floating in cloud nine. Yet in another breathe, we should not lose heart if, despite making the right decisions and world class moves do not seem to get anywhere near the headlines. We need to press on further because life is funny and full of surprises. In this chapter however, our story is an extremely sad one because it paints a very dark and gloomy picture of what turns out to be people’s lot in the fullness of time. I must admit, I struggled to write this chapter because I have seen very close colleagues and relatives fall over the precipice due to the bad and self destructive decisions they made earlier on in their lives. If only they had listened, their lot would have vastly been different today. Sadly, it is too late now. The signs are very clear for all to see and we do not need to look far to see the ravaging effects of laziness and imprudence. We consider each point in summary form and then hurtle along in keeping with our resolve to remain brisk and pointed as we wrap up this book. The first result of laziness is undoubtedly poverty. Where people choose to party all the time at the expense of self exertion, poverty soon lurks at every turn. By definition, poverty is the state of being in deprivation. This deprivation could be mental, physical, material social and or economic making our lives less comfortable and inhumane. Poverty is such an excruciating pain with many effects that follow it for many generations on end. Some people seem so wedded to poverty such that they have developed an amazing amount of tolerance to it. They can go through some of the most deadly trials caused by poverty but for some reason are reluctant to avert the same disaster in future. They would rather go through the same cycle without much worry. It pains me when I walk our streets to find so many people begging with almost no hope of getting out of the poverty grip. It is even more painful to know that a country littered with all manner of resources can allow such horrendous amount of suffering on its citizens. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

165

What makes other people walk into our country empty handed but walk away a few weeks later full to the brim? Poverty is a killer. But then, some of this poverty is deliberately caused. I say this without reservations. My hypothesis is based on the assumption that people in power scheme to keep as many people as possible in the citizenry ignorant and poor so that they can comfortably steal and enrich themselves. At other times, it is a question of bad governance as well as lack of exposure, though we cannot rule out the deliberate strategy. Finally, the rich and powerful can deliberately cultivate a dependence syndrome that keeps the vulnerable powerless and weak. For instance, have you noted that countries with the least donor aid and hand outs have some of the best, vibrant and resilient economies? Consider Botswana and Tunisia for example. What has made them greater nations economically then their neighbours Zambia and Egypt? I suspect the answer lies in their attitudes towards work and self reliance. I support Trevor Johns’ conclusions in his 2005 letter to the March New African magazine. He was right on the dot. On an individual level, I am sure you have seen how some of your family members have excelled while others have plummeted from bad to worse and yet you all had the same opportunities in life. The decisions we make today will show effects in future, it is just a matter of time. The next in the roll of sad endings is lack of progress. Poor people who made wrong choices live to regret bearing the consequences of their actions. No matter what they try, they either achieve modest success or end up losing everything that they work for. They might have grand plans quite alright but when the implementation stage arrives, a thousand and one impeding horrible problems suddenly crop up to eat away at their ‘capital’. If it’s not endless funerals, then it is chronic family sicknesses, school fees, hunger or someone dribbling them out of their meagre capital. I often marvel and almost break down in tears when such misfortunes strike needy people. But then, some of them are merely reaping what they sowed. What do I mean? Well, I mean that because they did not build a solid financial and moral foundation, they will not have risen up Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and as such are always hovering around the basic survival needs as opposed to heading towards self actualisation. Therefore, when they get a little cash, all the problems suddenly pop up and invade the pocket! Thus, if the survival needs remain unresolved, no amount of “investment” will change their fortunes, unless of course a miracle occurs.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

166

The third connected result is development of a contagious complaining spirit. This bitter spirit develops over time and the victims increasingly feel that they have been deliberately deprived of their livings by other people or some hidden misfortune is responsible. They complain all the time to each and every person that would care to listen and with time become bitter against any prosperous person including God. But they scarcely take time to objectively evaluate their past as well as the many unwise decisions they made in the prime of their lives. Whenever I meet a mad person or an extremely poor person, I often wonder what went wrong. If they landed in such circumstances by no fault of theirs, then I immediately understand but if they became poor because of their folly, I am not too sure whether to pity them or look away. The prudent thing though is to help out tackle the root cause so that they can to some extent be on their feet doing something meaningful. Then they will bother you less in future days. The fourth calamity is that people plagued with many ills have an extremely difficult time learning and implementing new skills. They may learn the new survival skills but find it especially difficult to concentrate on one thing at a time because the bread and butter issues still harass their minds. It is even worse if no one is ready to train them. Be that as it may, things learnt hurriedly to solve an immediate pressing problem rarely last long or stick. That in part explains why people abandon fund raising projects they begun shortly before their weddings. The fifth ravaging effect that comes as a result is that the people in the thick of things rarely are content and for a good reason. They often feel they deserve better and spend considerable time fantasizing about what could be until their dream bubble is pricked by reality. When they are exposed to a potential poverty alleviating opportunity, they grasp it with both hands but often go to another extreme where they mess up everything with abuse. They thus blow up their chances once again. In short, we can say that they are not realistic and have an impaired sense of judgement sometimes. The sixth tragedy, though closely connected to the fifth is that of wishful thinking at the expense of any sustained real hard work. Many lazy people invest a lot in their unrealistic day dreaming to the extent that they are literary paralysed to do anything. Such people love movies, the finer things of life or the best and latest clothing in town without stopping to consider what it takes to generate the cash they begged from some slave working relative or friend. Because of this wishful thinking mentality, these people Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

167

have no time for planning, reflection, study and loathe any inconveniences. In fact, these people detest living in a place where people are always talking about hard work or self exertion. Their ideal life is what we see in the movies, around the beach or some utopian kind of fine life style devoid of suffering. If they do not eject out of that unrealistic life style, they soon slide to the bottom of the heap. An experience I had many years ago as a youth has left a sour feeling in my soul. A family friend of ours loved movies a lot and earnestly imitated the movie stars often. Having grown up in the States part of his youth until about fourteen, his family returned to Zambia for a while with a view to go back. Unfortunately, this never happened due to some complications. For a long season, he was a shining star and an envy of all of us lesser mortals. The gentleman hated school and often spent most of his time day dreaming about the American life style in a dilapidated Zambia. With time, he quit school and hangs out with the rich kids. As years went by, his friends abandoned the guy one by one. Today, the man has no friends, house, job or steady income. He is a painfully pitiful sight, a case of “from riches to rags”. This could happen to anyone and is no laughing matter. I leave off that point for now and head to the next. The next outcome in the series is those people turning out to be time wasters either by default or consequence of earlier actions. They soon are viewed as menaces who stick to your skin like glue once you give them a hearing. In their minds, any friend ought to help and owes them a living and will not understand why you are suddenly too busy to attend to them. In one sense, they have a point but in another, they fail to accept and adjust to the present new realities of the inequalities that have developed over time. On your part (that is if you are the one on the prosperous side), these people are avoided like a plague. Once or twice you may tolerate them at your home, business or office but once you discover that they are fast becoming dependant, you swiftly change gears and begin to view them as inconveniencing time wasters. This happens all too often. I once recall an old friend visiting me at my office. At first I was very excited to see him, although shocked at his pitiful state. I soon forked out some kwachas and wished him well as he went around making ends meet. I was shocked when less than two weeks later the scruffy gentleman showed up with another hair raising story of his hair raising story of misfortune and how he desperately needed to be helped. Interestingly, I was the only “saviour” they knew in that town! so he claimed. Again I forked out some coins, though a bit reluctant this time. He excitedly dashed off only to return the next week! I was not at the office that day but somehow the chap enquired and located my home and came! I was Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

168

upset but what could I do, he was once my class mate, although far much smarter than I was in class. He entered the house and made himself comfortable while I cooked lunch. I was so sure he would leave soon after lunch but wonder of wonders, he hung around until well past 20 hours when I diplomatically asked him to leave, not without a coin of course! I lost many study hours that day and felt the pinch for many months to come. But that was not enough, the next time he followed me to church, this time even drunk! That broke the camels’ back. I had a long chat with the fellow the next time he came round for another tip. Familiar? I am sure this resonates very well! For another thing, sluggards often end up mere event observers rather than headliners. They spend most of their time wondering why things happen the way they do and how unfair life is, always moving in the wrong direction for them while very good for others. As they watch TV or read news papers, they often wonder how their peers have moved on to become event movers and critical influential decision makers at national and international level while they remain in the corner of the world complaining, whining and regretting. They wonder why their contemporaries live in mansions and fly the world at will while they live in cave like huts or in ‘Mu komboni’ packed like sardines. Nothing wrong with living in a shanty compound but we should never wilfully love to dwell there if we can avoid it. If you are economically weak, then you will be susceptible to manipulation, abuse and torture, not worth listening to by anyone in the corridors of power. This is not desirable but unfortunately, that is how things are in the world today, including in the so-called most developed, free countries. Endeavour to leave a mark on your generation right from infancy. The pre-requisite to poverty is to sit still. If you idly sit around hoping food will automatically come on the table, you are badly mistaken. In fact you are on the right track to poverty. Lazy bones are often wedded to idleness. They often feel too lazy to do anything and often times jump on the pessimistic side of things to justify their idleness. They always look for the easiest way out as well as anything that will foster their undisturbed idle state. The Bible tells a story of a lazy chap who remained idle when it was planting time and ended up in poverty. Many of us are idle in many senses and want to wake up to blame someone else when hunger strikes. I find it terribly embarrassing when politicians, chiefs and government officials annually cry for relief food because “people are hungry and will die if government and NGOs do not respond” At first, I used to feel honoured and privileged to Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

169

hand out food but over the years I have increasingly questioned this move. The reason is because the same people always expect to receive hand outs from somewhere and rarely engage in active food production. They are instead idle though out the year while eagerly waiting for the hand out season to arrive. If we were like the far Eastern cultures where begging is a taboo, perhaps we would have been better developed. But the point here is that lazy people are idle as well because they do not try out as many options or even bother to think and act within or outside the box. As a result of poverty, ignorance, pain and disillusionment, lazy people eventually develop bitter feelings which translates into serious frustration about everything. Life slowly loses its meaning and purpose. Nobody seems to care or cast an eye towards them and eventually they with draw from society into their own world. Akin to a “chongololo” (millipede) or tortoise, the enclosed life seems the only option for the moment. Such people speak very little and are often quiet or seriously outspoken. This is some kind of self expression to the rest of the world perhaps crying for attention, help or forgiveness. At this stage, unless something drastic is done, it is a hopeless case and if this continues for a long time, the person may tip over into a depression, and eventually do some unexpected thing such as attempting suicide. There is need to watch them as too many things run through their minds trying to find quick solutions to their plight. Interestingly, at this stage, people may still be in denial stage or have veered to another extreme of self pity, condemnation or loathing. These are painful but true things. On the road to making serious lifelong blunders is short range thinking. Myopic thinking annually slays its myriads that live to regret their actions. For instance, many promising young girls engage in promiscuous sexual acts which leaves reaping the consequences the rest of their lives. They could pick up a terminal disease, a curable but inconveniencing STI or even fall pregnant. For a long time to come, that seemingly simple act caused by short range thinking will continue to haunt them. Long range thinkers prudently weigh their options before they act. In that way, they are likely to hang around the horizon for a far longer period than the rusty rest who soon fizzle out like a meteorite over the night sky. Myopic thinking shows its effects much later in life and sometimes may hide the root in the present so that you cannot discern the root cause in order to make amends. Myopic thinkers rarely learn from their past mistakes or from history. Our nation is partly poor because most of the people are myopic and do not learn from the past for future wiser application. Trend analysis is foreign. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

170

Yet another effect of laziness is people transforming into serious gossips and back bitters. Their prime occupation becomes generating false stories that incriminate some as well as assassinates other people’s characters. Busy bodies, by definition are people who move from house to house discussing other people or transmitting gossip. In the process, they disturb some as well destroy unsuspecting others. In many churches, busy bodies have wrecked havoc and if not nipped in the bud have effectively contributed to church break ups. In a certain town, one busy body spread rumours that the Pastor was a Satanist and naturally, the generally lazy people of that town readily believed the lie. It took a long time before the picture was corrected but a lot of damage had already been done. In another Church, some women used to spread a lot of false stories in the congregation. Until they were excommunicated, there was no peace. When they were purged, peace and freshness returned to the fold. But then, the busy bodies are not limited to churches, they are literary everywhere! As a consequence of being idles and a busy body, people often fall into the trap of being malicious, slanderous and destructive in their tendencies. Because they have developed “itching ears” for the latest rumours on the block, they naturally turn out to be conduits and transmissions stations of gossip to other organisational centres. Being reliable transmitters, they soon ascend to the throne of gossip originators that send regular broadcasts at a certain high frequency. You have to be connected to the “server” to capture that gossip. Those that have not signed up or bought the special ‘decoder’ will not capture or detect anything and go home thinking all is well. Home and dry. Malicious people can be very destructive and generate a very hostile antagonistic and suspicious atmosphere. Their malice often cripples some or unduly raises others where they ought not to be. Lazy people often have time for this kind of life. Our work would be half done if we did not mention that lazy people love the finer things of life and by that token are very envious of anyone who happens to have the things they do not have. Consequently, they will do anything to match up, if not excel the person who has outdone them. Envy has to do with feeling rotten and bad within when others prosper before you do. That explains why many Zambians do not support each other. The root is envy. They cannot stand another person enjoying a smooth palatable life while they languish in poverty, despite their laziness. Before you get inflamed with envy, take stock of your own life, have you worked hard Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

171

enough to better your lot? If so, perhaps you deserve a hearing but not before you exert yourself for a reasonably long time, enough for all to see. The last point has two pointed ends. The first is that lazy people end up being impatient because they crave instant gratification. If that is not forthcoming, they throw tantrums, steal or quit. The second pointed end is cutting corners or short circuiting processes to get immediate results. Sluggards often feel the world should revolve around their small world while they move around at snails’ pace. They expect the world come to a standstill when they are sleeping or give them what they wish at any time they claim. Like a spoilt child, they expect to be given what they want because they ‘deserve it’. Sometimes, religious people behave like spoilt children who want something without working for it. The sooner they realise, the better for them then we shall avert some of the foolishness we so often see from certain religious circles. Well, I guess we have taken slightly longer than we expected but it was necessary to outline exactly what the consequences of laziness are. Just take time to peruse through the book of Proverbs in the Bible and I am sure you will come away much more instructed than we have attempted in this entire book. The divinely inspire book has much more to say in a few sentences. I guess it is time to hurtle towards closure but before we do that, we need to briefly touch two short parts and then we call it a day. ================================================= Bib lio graphy Norma Keatley, response to article “why doesn’t anybody care about blacks”, New African, March 2005 issue pp4

Chapter 12 Exhortations to resolved labour

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

172

Looking at the potential we have both as a nation and as individuals, it is only prudent and right to take stock as to why we are still in the paupers’ den. It is a contradiction in terms really, contradiction in the sense that we are in the wrong place and needlessly wearing the wrong garments. Imagine the Presidents’ child found wearing tatters when his/her parents are in State house? It is beats logic. In case our readers do not appreciate what we are saying, let us recount and name our blessings one by one and then end with a powerful exhortation. Firstly, Zambia has abundant arable land resources, approximately 756,000 square miles. According to statistic available, less than 15 % is under productive commercial use. If that was used, I would not be surprised if it fed the whole of Africa. Take the Mpika District (largest district in Zambia, 2008) for example, land is a mere K 15,000 (about $ 4) per hectare with no upper limit of land acquisition! This gives an idea of the land mass abundance and yet very few native Zambians are interested! In addition, malnutrition is probably highest in the Northern province despite the abundant resources!!! Secondly, Zambia has a meagre population of less than 13 million. If that is the population, against a large land mass of over 756,000, it means that if we divided the land into plots, we would roughly get something like….square miles per person! But what happens? Either most of this is held unproductively under the state or chief. Most of us conveniently hide behind an apparently defective land tenure issue but if we tried seriously, we could actually access land. Sadly, many of us prefer the urban centres where we can get a cosy life. Thirdly, Zambia has super abundant largely untapped resources. What don’t we have as a nation? We have Uranium (over which the richer nations are indirectly squabbling over: USA, Russia, China etc, hence the talk about not setting up a military base on Zambian soil! Why all the sudden interest and visits by Mrs Bush, Clinton, Chinese President and Russian?), we have Copper, Zinc, Iron, Gold, Diamonds, Lead, Silver, precious stones (e.g. Amethyst, emeralds etc) and oil among many others. But who has access to all these apart from foreigners or uninspiring Government? The archaic laws expressly inhibit natives from freely mining these in favour of other people.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

173

In addition, those that mine are give ridiculous takes holidays or questionable royalty rates which amounts to total rip offs! Fourthly, the nation is littered with a wide variety of untamed wild animals that freely roam the African parks, practically unheard off in the developed world. These animals are I their large numbers and could rake in billions of kwacha if properly managed. What happens, very little investment is encouraged or the little that is there is owned by exotic people who externalise the little they earn. What lost opportunities! Fifthly, the nation has some of the richest and perennial bio divest fresh water bodies. Think of the Zambezi, the Kafue, the Luangwa, the Lukanga Swamps, the Luapula river, the Bangweulu swamps, the countless waterfalls, all going begging. Estimations are that the country harbours close to 40% of the continent’s fresh water bodies and yet nearly 97% of this water from rivers goes flows wastefully to the ocean! That total waste. In addition, there is very little irrigation and other uses of the water which our friends in the Sahara desert covert after. Imagine what could come out of the water apart from irrigation; fishing and hydro electricity which are neglected. Sixthly, the abundant good weather and sunshine. If we were more innovative, we could have used the sun for many things which our friends elsewhere do not have. For instance, the good weather entails that we do not spend much on central heating and by that token use less heating energy. I have often wondered why we rely too much on hydro electricity instead of solar energy. Admittedly, the initial capital expenditure is high, but this technology is much cheaper and eco friendly I think. It is my submission that in future, as solar technology improves, we must change to Solar. I have seen powerful solar apparatus that amazingly works well, just put a few panels over your roof and you are in business! Seventhly, the nation potentially has some of the best brains on the planet. Granted, the literacy levels have plummeted over the years, the nation still has some great minds all over the globe doing amazing things. Many of them have done might exploits but fear returning home lest they be reduced to rags. They have a point but all efforts must and can be put in place to plug the senseless brain drain that we are now accustomed to. In a sense, these friends in Diaspora also significantly contribute to national economic

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

174

building by sending their investment cash home but I think they could do far much more if they were better appreciated and treated. Eighthly, the country has one of the environmentally cleanest places on the planet. Granted, the country lags far behind in development terms relative to the rich North but this in itself is a major plus somehow. How? Well, the amount of undisturbed green forests, vegetation, fewer contaminated soils and all are increasingly becoming rare and golden! Where do you find such clean fresh air in the western world? Comparatively, we are far better off and potentially should live healthier lifestyles. In addition, this green business is a potential money spinner for us! There is need therefore to jealously guard what we have than to heedlessly rush for industrialisation. I would rather we skipped one stage of development to the weightless economy, if that were possible. This would mean that we become the hub and oasis of fresh eco sensitive new ideas which are sought after by the world. Ninthly, Zambians are known all over the world to be all embracing and welcoming. This attracts people to repeatedly come or send others to come to this beautiful land. In a sense, this is a major plus unlike some xenophobic nations that are uninviting and people stick to themselves for fear of the unknown. In another sense, this overly friendliness is what shoots us in the leg, people take advantage of us and rip us off. That is why we keep being dribbled by different crooks over the same issues. I have in mind the many mineral exploration expeditions that have suddenly wound up and vanished after they have taken “samples for testing” when the chaps were exporting actual minerals abroad! We are a naïve sort of people. The list could go on but surely, in the light of what we have just highlighted, why should we content ourselves with these rags? Why should our children and their progeny starve even before they are born? Why should we consign them to a perpetual night mare? Away with this kind of mindset! There is therefore urgent need to diligently and vigilantly rise to the occasions now. This will avoid the gorilla war fare and civil wars that are far too common on African soil over minerals because the natives feel ripped off and dribbled. Think of the issues in Congo and Nigeria to mention just two out of many. It is high time we rose to the occasion and took our destiny in our hands. We have spent much time wallowing in the mad, it is time we moved to higher ground and claimed our birth right.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

175

A little more self exertion will do the trick. It may be tough now, but will surely pay dividends in days to come. Our children will praise or condemn us depending on what actions we take now. Will you remain the same? I won’t. I must move on. ================================================ Bibliography Kaunda D, Kenneth, Mining and Zambia, Post news paper, September 23rd, 2007, pp iv Ndulo Muna, Mining Rights in Zambia, ZEPH, 1987 Sichone C Billy, The Strategic Horizon, 2006 Sichone C Billy, Tired old Potential, 2009 Young Steve, Great Failures of the extremely successful: mistakes, adversity, failure and other stepping stones to success, Jaico Publishing House, 2007

Chapter 13 “Whithe r Za mbi a?” Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

176

What ou ght we to do now ? “If all brains in Zambia were one brain, what a great brain it would be! If all resolutions were one resolution, what a great resolution it would be! If all wills were one will, what a great will it could be! If all hands were one hand, what a great hand it would be! If all axes were one axe, what a great axe it would be! If all trees were one tree, what a great tree it would be! If the great brains were to make one great resolution and will to carry out the resolution through the hand to cut the tree using the axe, what a great cut it would be!”-Anonymous

W e have traced the root cause of why many people do not excel. We have also safely navigated through and established why myriads of people remain firmly clutched in the poverty grip. Indeed, we do not need to mention why a potentially rich country like Zambia remains paralysed in abject poverty amidst one of the rarest natural resources on this planet. The question that begs answering at this stage is, what ought we to do to redeem ourselves both as individuals and as a nation? Who shall come to our rescue, for certainly the United Nations cannot and neither can any other global body like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) or indeed the super power of the day, the USA. Raking our brains perhaps more vigorously may yield some answers. The answer lies within us at whatever stage. We have to arise and possess our destiny and shrug of the past. We must give ourselves no rest until we see a change in our generation before we pass on are no more. Some of the suggested ways are given below:

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

177

1. We must revisit our past with a view to pick up some lessons. For instance, the Europeans disturbed our social structure forever so that today we are still struggling to find our feet. 2. Having traced our footprints, let us resolve to keep the good traits and discard the bad. 3. We must proceed to tabulate what we want and where we want to be. This can take multiple brain storming sessions across the country. In that way, the long lost spirit of nationhood will resurrect. Let us exhume the entombed dream. 4. We must then proceed chart our own course that fits with our culture, nature and abilities. 5. Thereafter, let us then chose the right leaders that will not only be equal to the task but are inspirational. We need modern leaders that, like the men of Isaachar (I Chronicles 12:32) who will read, understand the times know what ought to be done. 6. Let us begin afresh by placing the right people in the right places akin to a football team. 7. Let us monitor and support these people as they begin to roll out in our work. It will no longer be their work but “our”. 8. Let us work relentlessly neither looking to the left nor to the right for decades. We can do it like the Japanese and others succeeded. We need to develop our own Deming⇑ or better still download from the developed world. On an individual level, I have not much to say than to implore you my dear friend that always remember that the time is really short (I Corinthians 7:29) and what remains to be accomplished in this short lives of ours is too much. Already, we have lost time on many unprofitable issues. The best we can do is to make the most of the remaining time before we are buried and forgotten. A number of words though will be handy to turbo us on… 1. Resolve never to be a time waster any more. 2. Resolve to be your best at all times. 3. Resolve to unflinchingly pursue your set goals whether you do it alone or not. 4. Resolve to be a world class motivator to your peers. 5. Resolve to be uniquely passionate about your cause. 6. Resolve to discover yourself and apply yourself to the best ends. 7. Resolve to make a difference in whatever you do before you die. Deming-Famous quality movement leader of the mid 20th Century, changed Japanese product and service quality with his teaching

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

178

8. Resolve to leave the world a better place than when you first got here. 9. Resolve never to do anything without reason. 10.Resolve to sleep less and work more. 11. Resolve to develop the right motives in whatever you lay you hand to. 12.Resolve to exert yourself to the fullest in whatever undertaking you pursue. 13.Resolve to be independent. Rather help than be helped. 14. Resolve to catch the passion in whatever under taking you associate yourself. 15.Resolve to do any and every thing to the glory of God. 16.Resolve to be a person of “one thing” 17.Resolve to lay aside every weight that hinders progress or entangles you. 18.Resolve to be a high flier at all times. 19.Resolve to be an example among your peers. 20.Resolve to be the whole rounded leader you were meant to be. 21.Resolve never to leave any stone unturned along life’s path way. 22.Resolve not to listen to what ever people say or else you might hear your servant cursing you! 23.Resolve to always try until it is clear that the thing was not meant to be. 24.Resolve to be optimistic rather than pessimistic. 25.Resolve to be realistically pragmatic. 26. Resolve to be proactive. 27. Resolve to have a realistic and objective view of yourself. 28.Resolve to use as much of the other 90% of your brain creatively. 29. Resolve to strangle the little thieves of time and labour. 30. Resolve to continually exercise your mental, spiritual and physical strengths. 31.Resolve to watch and listen less of unproductive movies or music. 32.Resolve to keep away from risky behaviour as much as possible. 33.Resolve never to procrastinate. 34. Resolve to think outside the box and sharpen your entrepreneurial skills.

Bib lio graphy

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

179

The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Banner of Truth Trust. Sichone C Billy, The Strategic Horizon, 2006

Chapter 15 “Adieu!” Farewell note Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

180

We have trod the same path all this way, and I trust we both see that the celestial city is now in sight, if only we venture forth, armed with the principles laid down in this book. Friend, I have poured out my very soul and being attempting to attract you to safety, will you remain unmoved? Will you still linger where poverty reigns and threatens to engulf you? Flee to the mountains dear friend! Now is the time to break free from the poverty orbit and accelerate towards planets success and independence. In all probability, we might never meet physically but I will count my work done if only you stand up and be counted among Zambia’s revolutionaries that have truly cast off sloth, idleness and all those negative vices that have held many people captive. I wish I could continue but I must quickly take my flight out of this poverty infested land to where I belong. Meet me at Planet success, if at all you do decide to come! Adieu

General bibliography Andrew J. Dubrin: leadership: research findings, practice & Skills. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

181

Bower, Bastkett, Uyterhoeven & Walton: Business policy: Managing Strategic processes, McGraw-Hill, Boston, Massachusetts Burr Ridge, Illinois Dubuque, Iowa Madison, Wiscosin New York, New York San Francisco, California St. Louis, Missouri 8th Edition Bruce A and Langdon K Strategic thinking Dorling Kindersley 2000 Carson Ben, THE BIG PICTURE: Getting perspective on what’s really important in life, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michingan, 1999 Carson Ben, GIFTED HANDS: The Ben Carson story, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1990 Chanski Mark, Manly dominion, Calvary Press Publishing, 2004. Cole Robert & Mishler Lon, Credit Management, McGraw-Hill International editions, 1998 Douglas Schuurman J Vocation: Discerning our callings in life. Grand Rapids:WM B Eerdmans 2004 Dunker Pierce Marilee, Man of Vision, World Vision/authentic media, 2005 Frank Cox: Psychology WM.C.Brown Company publishers, Dubuque, Iowa, 1970 Gort A. H, Get that Job, Parragon, 2002 Hawkesmere group of companies Building Your Business, Thorogood limited, London 1998 Holy Bible: King James Version Holy Bible: New International version (NIV) International Bible society Holt H David, Entrepreneurship: New venture creation, Prentice Hall of India, 2006

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

182

Kumuyu William: The four D’s of success and three D’s of failure. The Deeper life Ministry 1989. Maxwell John C 21 irrefutable laws of leadership, Magna Publishing co. Ltd, 1999 Musonda George Leading leaders: setting standards for success. 2001 Havenview Publishing house Phiri Chikondi Restorative leadership Unpublished manuscript 2004 Price Stuart & Duah Agyeman Ivor, Koffi Annan: Back from the brink? New African magazine, March 2005 # 438, pp 13 Sichone Billy C, The Rare Jewel of Effective leadership 2000 Sichone Billy C, The Strategic horizon, 2006 Sichone Billy C, Tired old Potential, 2009 The Arbinger Institute Leadership and self deception-getting out of the box BK Publishers, Inc, San Francisco 2002 Thomas David, Redundant! Banking World, September 1991, Chartered Institute of Bankers Trump Donald J, HOW TO GET RICH: The secret of business success from the star of the APPRENTICE, BBC books, 2004 Young Steve, Great Failures of the extremely successful: Mistakes, adversity, failure and other stepping stones to success, Jaico publishing House, 2007

Ω Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

183

Appendices

Africa systematically crippled… Many questions and answers have been given on the question of Africa’s fate in the modern world. This question is vital, given the continued plunder and marginalization of Africa in the world’s affairs. Below are some thoughts deserving some attention by all that would care about Africa’s fate. Among the many people that have asserted that Africa is consigned to perpetual poverty unless the current scenario is radically changed by the higher powers of the day is Dr Kaunda. He asserts that Africa has been marginalized in many senses, and the last straw being globalization. Others think otherwise. But is Africa really left on the margins by globalization? This million dollar question raised hardly needs any further argument as the stark reality on the wall is as clear as the noon day sun. If we trace the roots of development through the corridors of the centuries, Africa has always been marginalized and neglected at all forums.ϒ It is only viewed as a raw material source and no further. Reading the journals of the ancient explorers and sea farers, one cannot fail to pick that their main aim for venturing beyond the borders of their countries was to generate wealth and then bring it back to their countries. There are few exceptions to the rule though. Recollect that Africa was once known as the “dark continent” and people flocked to find out what was inside it leading to extensive plunder that has left the continent reeking with abject poverty. As though that were not bad enough, the explorers opened the door for the colonialist Governments that flocked to ransack the land. Vast stretches of land with trees were felled or cleared for timber and development. Apart from that, the natives were caged and sold as slaves while others were used as cheap labour to till the land. Thinking about the great Cecil Rhodes with his British South Africa Company (BSA), it is difficult to imagine that his grand dream to build a railway from Cape Refer to the Preface addressed to the reader in the booklet “A NEW INTERNATIONAL ECONMIC ORDER” by Valentin Shcetinin etal pp5

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

184

to Cairo was planned in good faith, or whether it was with egocentric motives at heart. That notwithstanding, the interior of Africa was explored and opened up for what it really is while, truckloads of precious minerals and raw materials were siphoned out to develop the now prosperous first world countries. As long as there was room for wanton plunder, this scourge continued. When the Liberation winds begun to blow across the continent, the Colonialist begun to with draw while leaving economic landmines so that the newly independent states remained dependant on them. That withdrawal was not with a little struggle, hardly thinking about the welfare of the remnants. As swiftly as they came in, so they left. Now, the African continent is by and large theoretically independent but a new form of colonialism has arisen, from those detonating landmines of yester years. Imperialism and the crippling debts now clutch the nations in the developed World’s grip. Today, Africa is called “the forgotten continent”. That assertion is not far from the truth because most of the World events and businesses revolve away from the continent as though there was nothing to talk about regarding Africa, nor due consideration is given to the Continent. At this rate, nobody is interested in Africa any more, for it is perceived a land of excruciating poverty and pain. The best that the first world does is to pull a few destabilizing strings when an African nation or a group of them begins to make strides to economic recovery. Now that affluent have gotten what they want, they have abandoned Africa and do not want to have anything with it. Ironically, even the United Nations is not really interested in African affairs despite having an African at the helm. Kofi Annan is but a smart American puppet that has no teeth to bite, so it is perceived. Boutros Ghali of Egypt was different, no wonder he was hounded out of the 38th floor of the UN building at the end of 1996!÷. For instance, if there is a war in Africa, the a UN stands by the ring side and watches as people haplessly hack each other to death but notice when another country probably in Europe erupts in war, the whole world is kept on its toes until the issue is resolved. The African turf and people are used as scientific experimental guinea pigs to test the latest arsenals to see how lethal the same could be. One would not be far from the truth to believe that the richer nations in some instances actually deliberately trigger wars so that the demand for their products could grow by that same token. To some extent, the richer nations are content to maintain a total control on the African continent in Check write up in appendix C for a full write up on Ghali’s ordeal with the Americans.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

185

some way, no matter how remotely so that they can keep them under subjection. If Africa is really marginalized as suggested above, why is that the case? Varying views have been advanced but supposing that were the case, the question that begs answering squarely in the face is why the marginalisation? Popular opinion among lay people is that the richer states still depend on the under developed nations for raw materials and also for cheap labour. The following are the reasons why Africa is marginalized: 1. The continent is a potential economic power due to the huge untapped mineral and cheap human resource. 2. Potential significant market. Recall that Africa has a potential market of over 480 million people. 3. The desire to control and dominate others, as evidenced by the USA over Iraq and South Korea recently (November and December 2002). 4. The devastated weak economies that cannot compete favourably on the international markets. 5. Regional groupings- these have effectively blocked any form of market penetration to the place where the goods would fetch a good price. Thus, the goods are either more expensive to produce or have no market leading to a cancellation. 6. Unrealistic standards that block Africa. The developed world, although working at a different wavelength, has deliberately set up standards far out of the poor African nations’ grasp. Minute things disqualify African goods but the reverse is true when things are being sent to Africa from the developed world. The only way to get over this hurdle is to scale up on quality and specification, of course at the bidding of powers that be. 7. Many of the countries in Africa do not have a productive base upon which to lean. Most of them are slowly becoming consumer destinations where relatively cheaper goods are dumped. With such a scenario, a nation courts danger if it closes off the outside world or influence. The crippling plot strategically set and managed… But how is the above scheme been concocted? The basic formula to systematically cripple Africa from the fast developing World market is by insisting that the debt burden remains un removed so that the countries in question are forever using every dollar to service the selfsame debt. The other way is to make the Nations dependant by either not helping them in Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

186

times of crisis until they are reduced to their knees there by developing a dependence syndrome that sticks like algae to the victim countries. Further, the powerful nations impose harsh unproductive economic survival plans that are deliberately tailored to create more dependence or simply not ideal with the actual problem that faces the continent. Half the time, the prescriptions are suspect as they only result in untold suffering. Further still, the stronger economies, in extreme cases move in to topple governments they perceive to be standing in their way. The zeal with which the USA wants to over throw Saddam Hussein in the name of terrorism and weapons inspection is a case in point. I suspect their interests are the oil fields, which Saddam has on his turf. In these days of geographical information systems (GIS), remote sensing techniques are used for mineral prospecting. As such, the richer nations prospect from space and then move into a given area, buy off the land and initially clandestinely begin to tap the minerals. By the time the landowners discover, it is too late, people displaced and firm land tenure contracts in favour of the plunderers have taken root. In times when these people get what they want, they suddenly drop everything and leave the place even worse than before. A case in point is the Anglo American saga that occurred in Zambia in 2002. Copper, the main stay of the Zambian economy, has lately fetched very little per metric ton and yet it remains the backbone of the economy without which the economy crumbles badly. Such circumstances are fertile grounds for economic blackmail but unfortunately, many pauper nations oblige. Some vital statistics and information will be handy at this stage to strengthen the assertion that Africa has indeed been outwitted in some subtle way. The Valentin Shchetinin led team rightly asserted in the book “A new international Economic order: its advocates and opponents” that “the former metropolitan countries are largely responsible for the extreme poverty of the African countries, for their chronic backwardness and their social and economic plight. Through the mechanization of transfer prices and monetary machinations The international monopolies are taking out of the developing co astronomical sums far exceeding the value of all the official aid those countries receive from industrialized countries…. ”(pp65). The following statistics are even more startling: “If we look at the present economic situation in Africa, we cannot help seeing the obvious disparity between the continent’s colossal potentialities and the lamentable results of their utilization-lamentable as regards the national interests of the African peoples. The mineral wealth of Africa includes 96% of the World’s deposits of diamonds, more than 90% of its Chrome Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

187

ore, 50% of its cobalt, 50% of its phosphates, 55% of its Manganese, 40% of its bauxites, 30% of its uranium and 20% of its copper. Africa provides 72% of the World’s cobalt, 67% of its gold, 36% of its manganese, 35% of its Chrome, 28% of its phosphates, 22% of its copper, 10% of its iron ore and 7% of its bauxites. Yet the productive forces of Africa are at an extremely low level of development. The Continent accounts for a mere 0.9% of the World’s industrial production. Africa possesses one fifth of the World’s hydropower resources; from it come over 50% of the World’s exports of oil, 70% of the World’s output of cocoa and a third of its coffee. Nevertheless, 20 of the 31 nations classified by the United Nations as the World’s least developed are in Africa. The aggregate gross product of Africa amounts to no more than 2.7% of the World total and the average per capita annual income is $ 166. Africa has 480 million inhabitantsapproximately 10% of the earth’s population. Yet the continent’s share in the World’s output of staple products does not exceed five per cent. Hence Africa is two or even three times worse off in food supplies than the World average’ (PP73/74)ι . Of course people with a contra opinion may dismiss the socialist’s view (Valentin) point as mere propaganda since the cold war was at its height at the time of writing but methinks, the data carries a lot of truth and weight. In a nutshell then, this marginalisation is achieved advertently or inadvertently by: 1. Having closed markets to African products. The Economic groupings like the European Union, USA have effectively blocked African products. The GMO controversy threatens to further block the African products from Europe. 2. The high and unrealistic standards set up by the groupings. Some standards are so ridiculous that one hardly needs to be hyper intelligent to discern the motive behind the standards. 3. The crippling conditional aid given to the African nations. The GMO saga again emanates from the free aid offered by the USA. Usually, whenever a powerful country gives aid liberally, there is usually a catch behind the bait. For how can you stand against the person that feeds you? this data was correct as at 1983

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

188

4. The high debt burden inherited from the past much

weakens the positions of many nations. The little that is generated is all sent to service the never-ending debt. This position in turn compromises the country’s prowess to bargain let alone re invests to build the economy. 5. Unfortunately, the negative reporting by the world’s press has built such a terrible reputation for the African continent that by and large, the forgotten continent is viewed as having nothing to offer but death, hunger, war and never ending decay. This has led to a high bad will, if ever such a word exists. Thus, anything hailing from Africa is treated with contempt, suspicion or of less value than anything say from China or the Far East. 6. The IMF/World Bank interventions are only short term and thereby cosmetic in effect.ℵ 7. The systematic crippling of the African mind set. Today, the average African thinks the best comes from the Western world. There is nothing that can be further from the truth. The many years of colonization has in effect made Africans to feel inferior. Check how a white man is treated compared to the African, even in the post independence era. It is high time Africans believed in themselves and freed themselves in the clutches of the metal colonizers. When Mugabe grabs land to redistribute it, he is dabbed a “monster” because one or two whites perish in the process. But when the BB boys invade Iraq, killing thousands and torturing million others, the world looks on and fails to comment! The same goes for other goods and services. Damage extent If the alleged marginalisation is indeed real, to what extent then has this situation affected Africa? In generally, we can safely assert that Africa has been marginalized in all areas and as far as possible but the following points immediately come to the fore: 1. The African continent is left out in the major decisions that affect global trade/economics. For instance, no African country is represented Infact, D.R.F Taylor has asserted that here ever these bodies have gone, there is either nil growth or negative growth. Where growth has been recorded as a result of their intervention, the parameters are questioned. Refer to “Development from within” by Taylor & Mackenzie 1992 edition pp 217-20.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

189

on the G8 while Russia, with a weak economy is considered when it coughs. 2. The poor infrastructure forbids the African continent to contribute meaningfully as it is too weak to have a significant punch or voice. It is reported that African business accounts for just about 1% of the total global business. 3. In addition to the poor infrastructure, the poor communication and road network forbids speedy development thereby making Africa less attractive for foreign investment. As a result of 3 above, many investors do not invest much on the continent but externalise all profits to their countries. The feeble economies means that the nations’ politically powers are easily influenced to bow to international pressure. A case in point is the policies imposed by bodies like the IMF and other Herculean financial institutions. Refer to the effectual call to the Zambian Government to privatise the remaining critical Parastatals. Although the Government seems for a while to with stand the pressure, it knows where the finger that feeds is and dares not disobey too much. In all cases, the dictates cannot be questioned. As earlier intimated, in extreme cases, these selfsame powers can even dictate who becomes president or not. That is the price of poverty, it is a crime. The effect of Globalization on Africa The actual extent of the impact of Globalisation on poor Africa cannot be fully determined but suffice it to say that that effect is so devastating and crippling that it would take many generations to rectify the problem, given the present snails’ pace of development. The following points attempt to point out some of the salient effects that have resulted in these dynamic changes: 1. The African nations are fast losing their sovereignty. 2. The African nations are disintegrating further economically due to the weak base. The GDP keeps falling and sliding helplessly into the poverty miry bog. 3. The nations, due to poverty, engage in endless civil wars to their own detriment. This results from the fight to control sections of the country that harbour rich mineral deposits. 4. If there are two major tribes, they engage in Shaka like civil wars to gain supremacy. This again is detrimental. 5. Africa has remained in the ring fighting for the floating trophy with itself while the developed countries snatch their Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

190

goods unawares. The saying “When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers” holds true. In this case, the grass is the economy and the elephants are the politicians. Interestingly, while the giants are in combat, the monkeys watch excitedly while pelting the fighters and munching the fruit. This is what the rest of the World is doing to Africa. While the battles rage on, globalization is gaining momentum and hurtles along. Available options for Africaϒ The only options left for Africa are the following: 11.Scale up on regional grouping like NEPAD, SADC, ECOWAS or the AU. This is the only way that countries on the same footing in terms of development will improve. The African market is large and will be enough to generate economic development. A start is needed somewhere. 12. Strengthen the economies by investing in the production base. This is the only way to stand on own feet. Libya is a shining example of a country striving to stand on its own feet. In that way, Libya is not a push over nor can it be ignored. The strengthening of the economies is the only key to recognition. 13. Investing in research and development is another way to keep abreast with the times. Hitherto, the Africans have been made to believe that only what comes from the rich is good enough while what is made locally is archaic, substandard or obsolete. Granted that that may be true in many instances, but this should make the Africans determined to improve. This approach may take many years but is necessary. 14. Franchising many of the big names in business like Coca cola may be the way forward if # 3 above is not feasible. The World It would be worthwhile reading the excellent article by Professor Anthony Hawkins that appeared in the Southern African Economist issue of Feb/March 1995 pp24. In the said article, the Professor asserts that there is a missing link even in the most renowned countries like Ghana and Thailand that have had an annual growth rate averaging above 5%. He points out that in carrying out remedial repairs on a crippled economy, two stages or gears have to be engaged: 1. The first phase is on adjustment and stabilization of the economy in areas such as arresting the sky rocketing inflation. The second and crucial stage includes institutional and structural reforms such as privatization, reengineering etc. Many nations more easily pass the first stage but the cracks of the matter are at the second stage where non profitable institutions are privatized and in the process, job losses take place resulting in immense suffering. This second stage is equally critical in establishing investor confidence as international and local players fill up the gap left by the government. The problem in many African countries is that the gap remains yawning despite the recorded growth. In the words of the professor, “Several African countries have got the fundamentals right in their SAPs, but the supply response is not forth coming”

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

191

will know that Africa can handle certain issues well. In the process, Africa will learn the ropes, much like what Japan did. 15. Fight corruption at all fronts no matter what the cost. Perfect hatred for corruption must be emphasized at all forums. For this to be appreciated, campaigns are needed by credible people, not the calibre of those Zambia has known in the last 10 years from 1991. Such fragile economies can be further crippled just by one signature of a Doctor of Corruption, as was the case in Zambia. If South Africa does not watch carefully, it too will slide into the same slough of despond. 16.Elect Visionary and strategic leaders. This is the need of the times. The times demand that Africa has leaders rather than bosses or clowns to grace those lofty offices. By and large, most of the African politicians run for public office as a fund raising venture. No wonder they forget their obligation to the electorate the moment they get those Porsche vehicles using the hard earned taxpayer’s money. 17.Priotise issue rightly. The cancer that has bugged Africa is lack of vision and the inclined plane stone rolling into the future with no objectives or benchmarks. This scenario clearly shows that the people are not serious or have o goal at all. 18. Reward innovation. There should be a deliberate effort to recognize and encourage innovation in the region. For instance, local inventors must be promoted and their inventions carried forward far and wide. Somehow, Africans feel inferior to the rest of the World. This rewarding should also trickle down to rewarding labour as well. As opposed to giving slave wages, people will feel valued and appreciated. Slave wages are the breeding ground for theft, anarchy, slothfulness and low selfesteem. The future of Africa in tomorrow’s global village, its role and position. In future, Africa is likely to arise, given the present realization that it is lagging behind. The increased use of IT in many countries is commendable because this leads to quicker decision-making, planning and development. However, let it be known that competing with the USA for example is like a rat playing a tag of war match with an elephant, it just won’t work! The best Africa can do for now is to work with the USA, learn the ropes and improve on those. Further, Africa holds a lot of promise for service industry such as tourism. The vast stretches of land with it unique species of animals should Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

192

attract scores of tourists. On the other hand, a great wealth of raw materials still lies untapped or disturbed in the African soils. Every day, the African child treads around on untapped wealth. In coming days, these should be exploited and used. In that way, Africa will be engrafted into the global village. Although Africa is called the “forgotten continent”, all covetous eyes are upon it, meticulously watching all its movements. The continent holds promise but all this will not be unless Africa discards all the impediments that have been highlighted in the earlier sections. From a strategic perspective then, Africa still holds promise and will be a powerful voice in the not too distant future, perhaps one or two of the African states will be numbered among the G9! In conclusion on this part, and having taken deep thought over this matter, we would like to submit that we can safely agree with and assert that the first school of thought is indeed right for Africa has actually been marginalized hitherto. It has not been viewed as an equal partner but as a “by the way”. That notwithstanding, Africa has to some extent contributed to the dismal view and must needs wake up to the current and future realities. The World is too fast to wait for lingerers. As someone has quaintly quipped “The World loves winners and has no time for losers”. African must aspire to be a winner so as to be heard. What do we think? Will Africa redeem itself?

African Time Reading through an article in the Post news paper of Tuesday October 28, 2003 entitled “Can Africa Keep time?” set my mind thinking once again. I thought I should put pen to paper on this subject because I feel, to a larger extent than we realize, we fail to develop as a continent due to our attitude towards time. The article was drawn from a discussion on the BBC and how that the African is perceived as one who cannot keep time. This view has been strengthened by the recent happenings in the UK when a Ghanaian King arrived many hours late for a meeting, and I would imagine, saw nothing wrong with that. Indeed, from what I have read and observed over Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

193

the years, I suppose this sad perception is true relative to our friends from the developed world. Generally, in Africa, we are laid back, not time conscious without any sense of urgency at all. All that matters is to see the sunrise and set. Many reasons can be given for this attitude but I hasten to give a few which come to mind: Firstly, the African mind set has not grown up with a watch and has moved with the changing lengths of the shadow. In other words, the angle of the sun relative to the horizon has been the determining factor. Thus, there has been no rush to do anything in a given period. Perhaps this explains why generally, as Africans, we do not see the sense of all the noise about time keeping. The question asked is, is the sun still up there? If yes, then why the rush? Secondly, the typical African mind largely moves by instinct not manmade time frames. The appointment talk, meeting times and the rest of it are foreign to the African mind and are viewed as an inconvenience! Time must revolve around a person, not vice versa as obtains in the west. Thirdly, the recent world changes as we hurtle along towards the global village have caught the African by surprise. In the first place, the huge technological strides as well as the one world economic order have taken place away from the continent. These dynamic changes, though many have begun hemming in on the African continent. Before the Continent is liberated from the clutches of poverty, another thing has already evolved. The advent of IT is especially responsible for these rapid changes because decision-making is largely time bound as a result. As such, when a typical African sets foot on the Washington or London streets, it is all a whirlwind for him or her! As such, the African is perceived as “late” relative to the robust world. Fourthly, traditionally, what matters in the African mind is whether something is done or not. It does not matter when but whether. In other words, Africans are event driven not time bound. As opposed to the Western world that is a time slave, the African is liberated. Therefore, in the typical African setting, I would not be surprised to learn that words like “appointment or time keeping” etc does not exist in the African vocabulary! Fifthly, the African is content with the status quo and is not in a mad hurry to get things done at the expense of others. What matters in Africa are relations rather than things or material gain. The traditional, communal system has hitherto been more valued rather than the individualistic western culture. In the developed world, the question is often, what can I gain out of this in the shortest possible time as opposed to the African who asks how can I better the lot of everyone else? Both these positions have their own positives and Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

194

negatives. In other words, the African has no ambition beyond the community good. The drive to achieve much self-gain in a short time is not there. It is worth noting that the idea of keeping time seems shocking to some from other circles. They arrive at 09:30 hrs for work, scavenge around for “ma local bunzi” with a two litre zigolo container to wash down the rocky stuff. After galloping that, they then borrow a newspaper that they read all morning and then knock off for lunch at 11:50 only to return at 16:35 hrs to knock off. Their actual work is secondary and appears to be an inconvenience! When asked to work under deadlines, two reactions are given: The one class endlessly offers assurances like it will be done within twenty minutes, when they actually mean twenty days! When the hour of reckoning arrives, you receive excuses as long as the great East road! In between, they will have spent all the time gossiping and debating on inconclusive fewer topics. The other set of people develops goose pimples and eyes widen like big marbles at the mention of a deadline. It looks like it is the worst trial ever encountered to be asked to work under a fixed time frame. They as it were, feel like a chain has been fixed to their ankle because this or that deal will be disturbed at 10:30 hrs behind the FTJ institute of Democratic Governance building. They look very traumatized as though a concept from planet Mars has suddenly been introduced without warning or consent! Furthermore, they become pale, lose weight or blush, if ever a black person can. They are not accustomed to diligence. Thanks to the cell phone, it averts many a disaster, if Celtel (Now Zain) does not play its tricks again! By the way, we must dash to collect our loot before time runs out… Having said the above, I venture to submit that the so-called time keeping problem is not limited to Africa alone, no! The Middle East and the rest of the eastern world have historically been the same as African, if not worse. According to what I have read and observed in some of these our friends, they are equally in the same pit, if we can call it thus. For instance, Philip R Coteora in his monumental work “International Marketing”, (pp 124-126, 9th edition), high lights a number of helpful insights. In that book, he states the different attitudes to time. For instance, he brings the idea to bear on the international traveller that one shock a person encounters is the amount of relativity of many things. As one ascends the international ladder, absolutes become less pronounced and among them is the view of things, which are clearly wrong in the one country as well as the corporate ethics. For instance, we note that people view the commodity “time” differently due to hind cultural orientation. The people from the Middle East and Asia are not really “time bound” i.e. time conscious whereas the people from the west are Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

195

“Time-bound” and precise on time. In short, Monochromic time (M-time) are time bound and emphasise on time keeping, appointments and punctuality while Polychronic (P-time), are not time bound. It should be further noted that the typically time bound western business person is in for a shock if he/she went to the middle east hoping to complete business as per schedule. Then jet out of the country the next day having clinched an arms sale deal for instance because time is not treated as scarce a commodity as perceived by the westerner, unless of course they are dealing with highly exposed people. Having asserted the above let me hasten to deal with the merits and demerits of valuing time. The article asks the question, “Is poor time keeping Africa’s worst enemy?” I venture to think that the question is good and worth exploring by some other fertile mind. For now, let us centre our thoughts on advantages or disadvantages of keeping time. Advantages 1. If time is observed much more is achieved in a timorous and harmonious manner. There will be fewer frustrations and people will be progressive. Where time is kept, there you shall see more constructive informed decisions made there by leading to more legendary feats. With the advent of IT, decisions that once took a year can be made within minutes. How many developmental decisions will have been made in the same period in this Technological world? 2. There will be more development as opposed to what obtains in a nation like Zambia today. Politicians spend all their time bickering and wrestling power from each other rather than focusing on the way forward. While some are questioning those that got political office via a forged ID, others spend all their time scheming ways to hit the opponent under the belt. Meanwhile, time is ticking away and rests not. Granted, some degree of controversy is essential, but let us be mindful of time bane. 3. Individuals will achieve more both for their personal and corporate good. If one person for instance establishes a business empire at 27, this will spur others to do the same at a younger age. Thus, people will be focused and direct. As at now, procrastination cripples us BAD! 4. There will be less time wasting. People will spend less time idling away on Fantasy Island expecting manna to fall from the skies. As the Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

196

case is in Africa to day, people spend more time on either entertainment or scavenging for food. In regards to entertainment, many now look to the western world with their 24 hours television stations via satellite. Children and even adults are addicted to the box (TV Screen) and fill their minds with many unhelpful things while the time swiftly flies by. Others are hooked to the internet. I have nothing particularly against TV and the rest because in and of themselves, they are actually helpful, but I raise my finger in protest against the headless abuse of these or the lack of self control. For instance look at how much time individuals spend watching movies and then compare with the time they spend on research. The stark difference is as night and daylight! Very few visionaries determined to succeed or leave an indelible mark upon the sands of time are ever produced by the entertainment spirit alone. No wonder, Shakespeare of old is till quoted today, though he be dead over four hundred years! I am sure he valued time not a little. Next time you are tempted to while away time, remind yourself that Western world have already developed that is why they can afford to produce what you now consume. When will they have the privilege of consuming your products if you are forever glued to the screen like a zombie? 5. There will be less trickery and corruption. I strongly believe if people are time conscious, to some extent, they will determine to do their best and will have not time engaging in corrupt behaviour and practice. Africa is infested with institutionalized corruption and I venture to challenge the world to consider taking this commodity “Time” more seriously. 6. It will be less costly to raise our progeny. As things stand, many Africans do not see the urgency of working hard in a given time frame so as to be independent. They leave everything to fate and chance. It is not strange for instance to have 27 year olds still lodging with their parents!! Granted, the social settings are different and the African economies cannot absorb all those that would leave their parents/guardians, but when people are time conscious, they will venture to redeem the time and make the most o every opportunity. 7. The businesses will blossom. One of the reasons why Africans do not succeed in business is this lack of time consciousness. They do not have the acumen, the urgency or the opportunistic sense that is all neatly bundled up in the commodity called “time”. The average African thinks some dark powers or evil forces militate against their success when in actual fact, the problem may be poor time Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

197

management. Like St Paul of old once said, “The time is short” and that we must “Make the most of every opportunity” (I Corinthians 7:29; Ephesians 5:15,16, Holy Bible), we must be as wise as serpents and yet as harmless as doves. The African has not grasped nor internalized that concept. 8. There will be less time for gossip and slander. I hardly need to be labour this point. I believe that want of redeeming time explains why certain people have developed an attitude of pocking into others’ business without cause. They will not rest until they “down load” from the local gossip area network (LAN). If people saw the shortness of time, they would be too busy being good time stewards than spend any time crashing this or the other’s reputation. I often marvel how neighbours know when you have had a sumptuous meal or when the home economy is suspect. They even know what capital item you intend to buy before you verbalize it! But what are the disadvantages of keeping time? It is hard to capture any demerits as most of the things related to good time keeping are positive. However, let us briefly state that time keeping, as perceived from the Developed world standpoint, has some demerits. The following come to mind: 1. The world becomes more stressful when too much attention is given to time. 2. The World becomes the slave of time rather than vice versa. This is akin to what Christ said to those that attacked his disciples regarding the Sabbath keeping (Mark 2:27). I believe the so-called Developed world is a hopeless slave to time. 3. The time madness is largely responsible for the breakdown of the natural African system. The western culture of time has squeezed into our vocabulary words such as “appointment”! Originally, Africans valued each other above all things but now, deadlines and all the rest of it have destroyed the natural union we once knew. Now what matters is TIME and not people. I am aware that in the Natural African setting, abuses were there such as time wasters and lazy slothful gluttons who patronized their hard working folks even at awkward hours, but this has robbed us of the quality time we spent with each other. These funny fellows move like Target odourless leaving you no room to take cover when you see them. They move like headless chickens, to summon some violent language from Prof J Kab or like misguided scud missiles. I fear that part of the high Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

198

marriage failure rate and the increasing juvenile delinquency may be tied to too much attention given to other things as they appear more time bound relative to others. The effects? Children grow up like wild grass just under our noses! There could be other reasons but those few will suffice for now. We now progress to explore the reasons why time must be kept and redeemed. It goes without saying that time once treated as a commodity will yield great reward. For instance, progressively, we shall see more children achieving more and growing up to be visionaries. I once read of a child that was on a PhD program at age 12! Aside from the Genetics talk, I think this child has really realized the importance of time. We must be good mangers of time always. The following reasons come to mind as to why time must be kept and redeemed: 1. Time is precious. Recall those days when essential commodities were scarce? Recall those long queues? Then a tablet of soap was like gold. Not so today. We should treasure time like in those days, it is a rare and scarce commodity. Once it is lost or trifled with, we will have ourselves to blame. 2. Closely connected to # 1 above, once time is lost, it cannot be recovered. It is gone forever into the irretrievable past. It is archived as it were. If you mess around with time now, you are digging your own grave. In the end, it will be your master rather than the reverse. 3. The time is short. There are too many things to be achieved in this life in relation to the time allotted to us. Seventy or eighty, if we have the strength and we are gone! In fact, in Africa, the average life expectancy is around 35 or 37, if not 30! As such, time must be treated more delicately. Already, I am beginning to feel like a grandfather as I approach the mid thirties, how much more for those that are well over fifty. Look at the plans you have and then budget your time life, how much disposable time will be left? If you are discerning enough, you will agree with me that time is indeed in short supply. For the politician, time means a lot though sadly, they actually work a week before the elections! See how the road network has improved even in once remote places. Look at Lusaka and the Copperbelt. In Mongu for instance, the roads were patched up in record time but now two years have passed after the elections, it’s all a forgotten story. Sometimes, I wish we had elections every day, and then Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

199

we can see all those monies stashed away in some foreign clandestine accounts summoned to build more roads! But then, the elections business is costly and sometimes generates more heat than development. The time is indeed short, redeem it! 4. What you become tomorrow depends on what you do with time now. Africa is reaping the effects of having been asleep in the light. The world has never stopped spinning on its axis nor the moon around the earth, yet African has dared remain asleep! To get out of this mess, we must resolve to make the most of the Time NOW and then we can go on holiday the next day. Our time slave friends work extremely hard during the year and then rest real hard too when its leave time, why can’t we? Strategic Planning is critical methinks. 5. How you die largely depend on how you value time. If you trifled with time, it will likewise treat you the same. You will pass away like a fly. You will be buried in the corner of the world and forgotten, then grass will growing over your grave. If you are fortunate, a tombstone will be placed over your grave. The vast majority of us will be buried among the commoners because we did not value time. I venture to say that where you spend eternity depends on how you use time! Before we conclude the subject before us, how can we corporately and individually improve on time keeping? I do not have a magical answer but here are some of the tips from my experience: 1. Set your short and long-term goals clearly and begin to work towards them. 2. Strategise on how to achieve the said goals. It would be helpful to break down your goals into smaller “packets” and monitor them periodically. In that way, you will watch your progress. Personally, I already have long and short-term plans on paper and live each year without much ado. 3. Set some benchmarks and indicators that will tell you whether you are on course timorously or note. 4. Keep a diary and plan it preferably a week in advance. Read books like Stephen Covey’s “Seven habits of highly effective people” and “Principle centred leadership”. These books once well read will help you. 5. Make time keeping a habit. This begins slowly and grows into a natural thing. Refuse to rest on your laurels or on what obtains ordinarily. The fact that everyone is slothful does not make the thing right. Embarrass your team leader by arriving early all the time. Who knows, you may just encourage him/her to pull up their socks. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

200

6. Budget your time wisely and pick only the most critical and value adding things. 7. Buy a good functional watch. This may seem silly but I mean it. Unfortunately, many have wristwatches but they are the worst timekeepers! Friends, those watches are not just merely ornaments, they have a function to help you keep time! I fear many of us have been cursed by our wrist watched countless times. Interestingly, others buy watches for pomp and show. Actually, some of those watches do not even work! They most probably were stolen from grand pa or from other weaker mortals… Well, well, well what shall we do at this stage? Only one thing, let us redeem the time that remains. Away with the lazy old mentality! We must and can do it! No longer will the west dub Africa the timeless continent! I fear, as FTJ of old once observed when he stood as prefect at Government offices entrances years ago, it is a question of attitude not primarily money. Rationalise as much as you like, the bottom line is attitude and lack of sense of destiny. Oh that Africa may arise! We can make it!

Leadership/Total quality Management questions-an interview with Mr Sikapale Chinzewe, Human Resources Manager, April 2000, Lusaka. The following interview was carried out by the author with a view to find out at what stage World Vision Zambia was having been going through rapid frequent changes in organisational evolution. This paper therefore highlights

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

201

the most remarkable changes that have and will continue to affect World Vision Zambia. Questions: Q. World Vision Zambia has been embarking on Leadership, team and total quality changes in the past few years, could you shed some light on this. Ans: Yes indeed, World Vision has been undergoing rapid changes and re engineering so as to get to the best operational levels. Thus, TQM, teamwork and leadership are all efforts towards that end. We have reached a stage when organisational fluidity is essential. As I have often said at other fora, “The only thing that is constant is change”, World Vision is no exception. Q. Why has this metamorphosis been adopted, any reasons? Ans: As I have intimated, the dynamic times demand that we move with the times. Like any other organisation of the past, World vision found serious operational problems with the orthodox hierarchical management structure that proved inefficient. Therefore, in 1995, the organisation embarked on a major re-engineering exercise so as to re-align the organisation towards the best ministry delivery routes. This was a result of the realisation that the organisation had inherited a rigid bureaucratic structure where most of the individuals were either underutilized or over worked. A way had to be found which would provide the best delivery avenues at minimum cost yet at high quality, thus, from 1995, we have had Management structural changes in a bid to arrive at the most efficient structure. In some cases, we have had to scrap some positions and thus, scaling down on number of staff. We have not yet arrived as this is process is ongoing. In a nut shell, we have to change in keeping with the trends in the partnership worldwide or else risk being obsolete and in efficient. Q. In your own words, what is leadership? Ans: In my own words, I would define it as it the ability to inspire confidence in others. It means being able to influence others towards a certain direction as a result of being intrinsically visionary on long and short-term goals. A leader works alongside work mates so as to unleash the potential latent within them. A true leader is not “bossy” but a facilitator,

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

202

inspirer, motivator, coach and mentor. Let me add and say that a true leader is a strategic thinker who carries others along to a known destination. Q. How applicable is this ethos to World Vision and how sure are you? Ans: Oh yes, it is very applicable! We are moving towards teams because we perceive that where teamwork thrives, the output is higher as well. Like I said, without adopting leadership practices as opposed to Bossy kind of management, we are done unless we slowly sell the ethic to the extent that it is internalised into the organisation. It must be a company culture. As to whether I am sure, I have seen it start taking root at National office and in some ADPs. Of course I must be quick to say that this is new and will be opposed by some quarters who hold on to the past hierarchical structures. I cannot give a time frame as to when we shall arrive, but given the present pace, we should begin to see this more pronounced in the next three years or so. We are getting there. Q. Are you involved in these leadership innovations, and if so, what is your role? Ans: I am definitely involved in various ways. I am part of the Management team and actively so. In what we call Program Development Quality assurance (PDQA), I head the leadership component. I am also in the selfreview team that we have decided to host periodically to take a critical introspective look at our performance levels against the set benchmarks. Q. Do you see the potential of developing this ethos in World Vision? Ans: The potential is indeed immense because we now and continue to have the right people in place. Hitherto, we have not had many qualified staff but the trend has been towards hiring the right staff. In the past, as long as someone was a Christian, they qualified for the job. But now, we are looking for much more than the paper or a good testimony (although this latter aspect remains pivotal), we are looking for potential, creativity, diligence and team player traits in our candidates. Besides, Human resource is the best resource we have to hand. A well-trained and motivated Human resource can accomplish much, especially when done as unto the Lord. I see this culture slowly creeping into the organisation, this is a good and pleasant development.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

203

Q. If so (preceding question), how do you think World vision will attain its objectives? Ans: Talking about the way we are to achieve the aforementioned goals, The organisation is determined to hire the best trained Christians around who have the Knowledge and skills. That is why we have the Personnel Manager who handles the welfare of staff while the Human resource Manager handles the hiring, training and motivation of the current staff. In a way, the HR is strategic while the PM is operational although the functions will obviously overlap frequently. Thus, the burden is on these two departments to coordinate and come up with ways to develop a team kind of environment. Our present goal is to train the extant staff so as to help sharpen some individuals that are potential achievers. Q. What are some of the hurdles you envision will and have buffeted the organisation in the quest towards that goal? Ans: To say that we have no hiccups would be telling a half-truth. The path to organisational transformation is fraught with many hurdles, the chief of which is Finance. Many plans hinge on the availability of funds. We have planned many marvellous training sessions but alas, we have failed to implement them. We think continuous and consistent training of staff is the only way forward. One way we are trying to get over this issue by writing project proposals about capacity building. For example, recently we wrote and sourced funds from the US office to train facilitators in leadership. It is about $ 10,000γ but I trust this will help. In days that lie ahead, we shall continue to write, for the ADP budgets cannot meet the demands. The second hurdle we have faced is opposition from certain quarters because the proposed changes threaten some positions. Some hold on to the old classical bureaucratic set up and will not willingly change. Thus, some have developed “cold feet” because, once fully implemented, some will not survive. The third hurdle has been the simple lack of the right staff. By this I mean that Christian people who are qualified, experienced, team players and open minded are exceedingly few and far between. In cases like this, we are compelled to hire people who may be merely religious but have the right stuff and acumen. One wishes that the saints would be more available. Source: Mr. Chinzewe, needs confirmation from him.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

204

The fourth hurdle has been to attempt to break those departmental “walls” that have been created in the past. Apart from personal conflicts, it is true that we feel secure and content in our confined specialty and are not willing to learn or allow others to intrude into our domain. Our mental catacombsϑ are too warm and cosy to let any villains enter in. In a team setting, the players are multi-talented and are willing to learn and overlap each other’s duties where need be. If a person is absent, the work will not stall on that account but another easily fits in and the work progresses. We hope to move away from the archaic culture where certain jobs are the sacred preserve of some people. Admittedly, this is and will be an uphill battle. Having asserted the above, we are determined to do our best in the circumstances. So far, so good!

Q. How do you assess/gauge the progress, are you satisfied with the pace? Ans: We are pleased to note that there has been a tremendous improvement in the quality of reports. In the past, the reports were either scanty or too detailed but now we have adopted the “methods of best practice”. Also, we have ensured that we have a standard report format. In addition, we make sure that we respond to our partners in the stipulated time. Proactively is now normal. Generally then, the progress has been good but we need to keep up the tempo and infuse a sustainable system that will guarantee timely and quality responses to all stakeholders. In addition, the advent of Information technology has been a tremendous help to the organisation because it has ensured that we move faster while keeping in step with the outside world. We now turn to Total Quality Management (TQM) and what place it has in WVI. Q. Quality is also a buzzword in World Vision circles, why? Ans: For some time now, TQM has been a buzz word because management circles have perceived it as the “silver bullet” that has suddenly transformed organisations from being inefficient, rigid, inflexible and cripplingly These were under ground places of refuge and worship for the primitive Christians as they escaped the brutal and murderous persecutions by the Roman emperor Nero. These catacombs are in Italy, below the city of Rome. Six Million Saints are believed to have been buried there.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

205

bureaucratic to agile, responsive and continuously mutating and learning organisations with near zero defects in the products and services. Although we do not deal in tangible products (as World Vision), in a way we do and as such we endeavour to produce services at the right time and place as the case may be. We desire to have quality in all areas of our delivery system to the greater satisfaction of our stakeholders, in this case being children and donors. Q. What are the objectives of TQM? Ans: The objectives of TQM are to have the best products and services at a low cost and yet high quality that satisfies customers. Furthermore, TQM aims at eliminating defects in products and services by avoiding defects within the system. Thus, the goods and services are of the highest quality, low cost and yet what is in keeping with present consumer taste. Q. What are your strategies to achieve TQM optimum? Ans: Since we are in our preliminary stages in infusing this important process, we will largely depend on the feedback from all areas of the organisation. We will put certain parameters/bench marks in place so that we can measure our progress periodically. For now, we will rely on those key indicators. Q. How do you ensure that it is not just another “Program” or “Management Fad?” Ans: True as it may be, we are determined to ensure that this in not just another abstract program where we just make a noise, clamour and then fizzle out. To avoid this pit fall, we will ensure that we implement the changes slowly, but properly focused while armed with the right human resource at hand. Change is inevitable, no matter what form it takes. Q. What mechanisms have you put in place that you achieve your objectives? Ans: The mechanisms we have put in place are the following: 1. We are encouraging team work within the ADPs and at the national office.

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

206

2. We have gone further to divide the country into zones where we have a rotating periodic team leader for each given zone. 3. The PDQA at the National office among other things has been charged to ensure that all the planned goals are on track and quality is in built into the organisational structure. In addition, the PDQA is mandated to propose, initiate, assess and write concept papers as well as project proposals to potential donors outside World Vision. In other words, the PDQA ensures that whatever goes out of World Vision to Donors is perfect shape, as far as the human eye can see. 4. We will ensure that consistent and continuous training picks up in the organisation and also by the same token ensure that the right people are hired to foster the organisational objectives better. Q. In the light of the other NGOs with the same goals as WVI (E.g. CARE International, PLAN International, Christian aid etc), how do you ensure that you keep a competitive edge considering that you get donors from the same pool? Ans: There is no competition at all! We have nothing to fear as we are in our own market. Effectively, they are all in a different market from us. We may be in development quite all right but our goals and objectives are completely different. In addition, our target group is completely different. If that were not the case, then we would endeavour to cut a niche. Happily, that is not the case. Having vehemently asserted the above, let me hasten to say that we are in the business of wooing donors and satisfying our clients by providing impeccable service. The customer is king in our business as well. Q. How long has this process (TQM/Leadership) been going on? Ans: Like I said earlier, it has been ongoing for some time and will continue. Q. Just how much longer will this continue? Ans: It is difficult to put a limit on this process as it is ongoing, although we can attempt to put benchmarks to that process and assess how we are doing at each stage. Otherwise, this is an ongoing journey and must be taken at the right pace. A major paradigm shift takes time. Q. Has training been necessary for this?

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

207

Ans: Of course! If any process is to take place in any organisation, there has to be continuous training of staff so that their minds are abreast with this dynamic world. Training should be on going and frequent if the changes implemented are to pay dividends. Furthermore, World Vision is changing rapidly and to keep in step with the times, we need human resource that is apt, flexible and efficient at their tasks. Otherwise, how else are they going to develop. Hither to, World Vision Zambia has not emphasised on training and as such, our impact in the partnership has not been felt. In the region, we are probably the least trained. In addition, training builds capacity and also motivates. It is time we had a deliberate policy on training so that people can stand on their own feet long after they have left World Vision. Q. Who are your models/mentors in this whole idea of TQM/Leadership? Ans: I am not ashamed to assert that Bwalya Melu and Sheldon Rankin inspire me the most because they have a very clear vision, are articulate and excellent team players. Bwalya is particularly is my mentor, having worked with him closely over 4 years. He has a way of helping you unleash the hidden potential within you. Q. What about current books on these trends, who is/are your most preferred author(s) Ans: I like many authors but none like Max De Preeφ, Osward Saunders and Stephen Covey. The best books I find are Servant leadership, Spiritual leadership, AutoBiography of BC Montgomery, the Bible and Green leaf. There are other books, magazines and periodicals of course such as the ‘Executive excellence’ magazine. Q. Finally, what are your goals and aspirations? Ans: My goal is to hire the best-trained and motivated staff on the market. Also, I would like to see a Team work culture take root where there will be less of the “Bossy” attitude but rather a work environment where we view each other as colleagues, akin to a football team. Spelling needs confirmation!

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

208

Thank you for according me this interview Mr Chinzewe, it has been good talking to you and wish you the best in your future endeavours. You are welcome Billy, it’s equally been a pleasure, I hope you join in championing the cause for TQM and leadership!

Leadership Leadership has now taken the centre stage in Management circles as this has proved to be more effective mode to unleash the latent potential within fellow team members. As opposed to the now obsolete way of the traditional “Bossy” kind of management, the latest trends of leadership permeate the organisation with a fresh fragrance of new pragmatic motivational ethics. This is what the book, “effective leadership” by Robert Heller seeks to address. Without much ado, this small book of only 70 pages summarises what one needs to know about effective ways of leadership. The said book, divided into three sections, presupposes that one is already a leader and seeks to Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

209

sharpen his/her leadership prowess, hence the title “effective leadership”. Having asserted the above, let me hasten to say that the person first encountering the whole subject of leadership will also grasp a clear understanding of what the principles of leadership are as the book defines what leadership is in the introduction and then progresses to deal with the whole complex web of learning to lead, leading others, improving effectiveness and inspiring excellence in others. But wherein does effective leadership consist? What exactly is effective leadership? Leadership is simply defined as the ability to influence and inspire others towards a goal. Effective leadership goes a step further than the aforementioned definition. Heller accurately defines it as “the key to truly effective leadership lies in mastering a wide range of skills, from implementing and administering processes to inspiring others to achieve excellence”⊕. As can be seen, this definition states that for one to be effective, they must have a wide knowledge in many a field and be able to make the most of every opportunity that presents itself. The leader, among other things, must be visionary and able to inspire confidence in others by being a challenge, trusting others, being a mentor, a coach, able to motivate via compliments and rewards, able to seat with subordinates and give an empathetic listening ear. The said leader does not content him/herself to know about the general things regarding the workmates but goes out of his/her way to know the back ground details which might affect output as well as the best ways to delegate and build a team spirit among workmates. This may well mean taking time off to visit team members on the job, at home, in a social gathering, having informal chats over a drink or cup of tea as well as going for workouts together after hours. This has the effect of reducing suspicions and prejudices that people harbour. Once people feel valued and needed, they open up and are willing to take on bigger challenges as well as risks to innovate and promote the cause of the organisation rather that remaining indifferent and aloof. They “own the goal” as it were, due to the effective leader’s presence. The effective leader is systematic, highly organised and focused on what he/she wants to achieve. He/she sets benchmarks of quality, time frames and is determined that others catch the ropes as well. This further means that the said leader is continuously willing to listen and learn from others who ever they may be (Whether young or old, subordinates or superiors etc.), gains experience by the day, and makes every effort to master own function as well as others’ functions. The time has arrived when one must be multitalented and has a good working knowledge about other disciplines. Effective leadership, Robert Heller page 5

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

210

Gone are the days when the Manager knew next to nothing about Marketing or finance, for example. The 21st century leader must have a firm grasp of all the areas in order to confidently lead. Apart from the afore mentioned points, the leader must ensure he/she is able to detect strengths and weaknesses in others and positively facilitate the strengthening of the positive sides while correcting the weak sides. Having done the above, in the second section Heller hurtles along to deal with the preparatory work to leadership, which culminates into forming teams over which the selfsame leader, exercises authority in a prudent and efficient fashion. Under team work, the issues of delegation, communication, decision making (through discussions and brain storming sessions initially), goal setting, analysing problems and giving support to staff in agreed areas of implementation are dealt with. The last section of the book talks about the all important areas of motivating others, establishing a vision, generating ideas, ideal management style (in this case, open management), boosting achievements and finally, being competitive with respect to the outsiders. This competitive advantage is realised by first treating the internal customers Employees) well who in turn will go out of their way to treat the external customer most diligently and courteously. Remember, the customer is king! This approach to business works wonders for the organisation in that it produces product loyalty and woos many more to the company products. High quality and low prices cannot be over emphasised. Furthermore, the effective leader must develop an apt acumen to network, identify and exploit opportunities through taking risks as well. SWOT analysis and frequent market researches are critical. Furthermore, the leader must be bent on success and all out to win. As we begin to enjoy the book, it suddenly draws to a close having clearly scanned over the whole subject spectrum excellently. I therefore heartily recommend the perusal of this book by those busy executives and indeed, those that would aspire to be effective leaders of tomorrow because this book is a classic tool, dealing with the very heart of leadership. In my estimation, the book is destined to be a best seller and is a must for every leader worth the salt! ==================================================== Dear Billy, How are you? It's always nice to hear from you. From your email, I gather that you were more surprised by my revelations than I was by the revelation of the Zamtrop account. This clearly indicates Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

211

that we have not spoken for a very long time. Anyway 1997 was a long time ago, five years is quite long. I agree with your suggestion that you spend some time during your leave in August/September. Concerning your relationship with your parents, don't you think it’s time you started patching up. I understand where you are coming from. I experienced the same from my dad. My mum was soft on me, probably because she agreed with me. However, she couldn't come out in the open. My relationship with dad has not been good since 1988 when I became a Christian and the situation has deteriorated following my mum's passing. Mum was a unifying factor in my relationship with dad. I have tried to bring things back to where they used to be but I must admit it hasn't been easy. Concerning the girl I am currently seeing, the problem is that I cannot remember a day I actually proposed her. What I can recall is her putting words in my mouth. In short I have been blackmailed. I tolerated her for a long time. Little was I aware of her schemes. It’s not every day that I brother treats a lady he is not interested in very nice. Well, I did that. Now I am burdened with crisis. I have to tell her that I misdirected myself when I treated her like a queen. The question that will follow is why (as a brother) I deliberately 'played' with her heart when I knew I was not interested. My integrity is at stake here. Either I go ahead and pretend that she's the one and remain unhappy with integrity, or I tell her the truth and be happy without integrity. So you see, Like Chiluba, I am caught up in my own 'political' engineering. If I could turn back the hands of time I could make sure I never fall in such an arrangement, ever. If per adventure I got a job out of Kitwe, I would promptly break the news to her and leave. By the time the news would be spreading, I would be miles away. Moreover, there are those, who hold me in very high esteem who wouldn't believe her story, anyway. Enough of my problems, allow me to sidetrack. I was thinking of adding to my list of qualifications, a Taxation course. As you may be aware, I am a Tax Consultant and not an auditor. I am in the tax dept. Tax is slowly becoming a specialised profession in Zambia as well. The only downside is that one is restricted to audit firms. The good thing is that it is a rare profession, even in the UK. Last year, in the UK the tax accountants earned more than the other accountants because there is a shortage of tax Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

212

accountants. In Zambia I am one of the pioneers of the professional tax acountants. I was the first ever qualified accountant to work in the tax Dept in Deloitte & Touche. Previously, it was restricted to those 'old' men who used to work for Excise and Customs. Even now some audit firms have Tax directors who are ex-Customs and Excise. These are men with vast experience in tax legislation but without any qualification after grade twelve. These are now being replaced by professionals. At the moment the only qualified guys are foreigners. In two to three years opportunities will open for some of us. I however, would like to work in a civilised economy; internet shopping, Credit cards, buying cars from the manufacturers as opposed to buying from 'salaula', a well educated public,who cannot be cheated by politicians like Mwanawasa. Mwanawasa lost the elections. It is believed that he won on the Copperbelt. I live on the Copperbelt and yet to meet one person who voted for him. If he is indeed a man of integrity, he should do the honourable thing and step aside as his ascension to power was fraudulent. He is now trying to buy time and divert the public's attention. He has succeeded so far much to my dismay. Are we that bad to be fooled every time or am I in a wrong country. I sometimes believe that I am too advanced for Zambia at what kind of people we are. I have set a tentative program. In the next one year, I will be saving some money as well as studying for the same tax qualification. I hope to go half way at the end of this period. After which I'll travel to UK to finish this course. A visa will not be a problem as the course is not offered locally. Upon arrival in the UK I would attend school in the evenings and work during the day. Attending of the evening classes will be just to meet my visa requirements as I strongly believe that if I have a manual I can study on my own without the help of lecturers. But still attending class helps to get contacts with lecturers who would act as a referee if at all you prove to be a very good student. This is one thing I'm eager to do. Remember, how good we were at Jacaranda. Beating the class in all activities be it in class, on the pitch (100 metres race) and even drawing. Such genius straits should be stirred up. Upon successfully finishing the course, UK immigration dept does give three years work permit. This three years experience is required by the Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

213

professional before admission into membership of the profession. The UK regards this as part of the integral training program. If I can work in the UK for three years I will have gained enough experience and exposure at the end of this period to obtain a permanent placement, looking at the scarcity of the tax accountants in the UK. Even if this arrangements goes sour I could return to Zambia or better off to South Africa or Botswana.. However, I do not expect my assertions to materially different from what will be obtaining on the ground. Later, Andrew ----- --------------------------------------To: Andrew Bro Andrew, I finally had time to analyse your letter and my, wasn't I alarmed! You want to ditch her again!! no, not again!! My hairs stood on end went I read this development. Indeed, you and I need to exchange views on how to maintain a sustained interest of women in our lives. I have suffered at the grisly hands of 3 women that walked out on me. This time round, I am resolved to keep this one alive to the end. Looking back through the eye of providence, I think those breakages, though painful at the time, worked out for good. (Romans 8:28) The knowledge of God's providence, not in a fatalistic sense, has much helped me in times of discouragement and disillusionment. Andrew! Let’s be real, let us live in the real world!! "bika bola panshi" as one fellow said to me once. That notwithstanding, we must be worried and sad that women should walk out on us or we flee from them. Remember, we are growing up and will not remain young for long. I turned 32 two weeks ago and I am still not married!! Thankfully, my present girlfriend seems pretty focused than the rest. Lord willing, we may tie the knot December 2003. I suppose by then I will have completed my PhD or significantly made headway. I wonder how old I will be when our first-born comes along. I would like my kids to grow up in a secure environment, where both my wife and I will be around to support them. Oh that God would grant us that favour! Talking about the strong bond to our parents, that is natural but must be mortified before one Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

214

leaves and cleaves. No doubt, I will also have to cut links as well but perhaps not as radically as you would have had to. I perceive myself as the free and independent sort. I think my parents lost me when they violently resisted my new found faith in 1987. I have tried to patch up but it seems that it will never be the same as before. Now they are extremely favourably disposed towards my Christian faith perhaps due to my consistency over the years. They may not be Evangelical but they certainly see the difference, Oh that they may turn to Christ and be saved before they die!! Well brother, what sayest thou about these things? I would really love to visit you when I am on leave so that we can talk. Probably in August or September, Lord willing, I may pitch around that place if the coming internal audit does not derail things. Update me on your latest find. Billy S -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Andrew Sampa 07/04/02 04:56 PM

Subject: RE: Hi there!

It was nice to hear from you though it took me some time reply to your mail. I must say that I'm fine getting used to living without mum, even though it is very difficult. Mum was my best friend and we would talk on phone on a daily basis. It’s sad she'd have loved to see me marry. However, I'm happy that she left me single. I think this thing of leaving and cleaving would have been very difficult for me. I would have felt like betraying my mum. It’s sad that you broke up with Ruth. I must suggest that we should sit down and see why we cannot keep a relationship. I broke up with Mwaka as well. I later dated another gorgeous lady by the name of Julien. She was so fine that I could see myself walk down the awl with her to say "I do". Sadly she didn't see it that way. I'm now seeing someone who is so much in love with me. However, my heart is far away and very soon I may have to break up with her as well. I still believe that what I been looking for is yet to come. However, lately I have been thinking that perhaps I'm living in a fool's paradise and what I'm searching for only exists in dreams perhaps in films and novels and not in the real world. I pray that this is wrong because I do not intend to settle for anything less than what I 've always dreamed of. Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

215

Later, Andrew -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To: [email protected] Subject: Hi there! Wow! Wasn't it a surprise to get a call from you!! I was very elated indeed. I am doing well both ways and determined to achieve higher heights of excellence. Sad to have heard about mum's demise. Like I said, I felt as though my own mum had been taken. Take heart brother, Christ is still on the throne. We need to sit and hear each other out what's been happening to the both of us in the last few years. How is that sister your courted whilst we lodged together at Evan's palace?... Is it Nanyangwe or Lenganji or none of the above? I broke up with Ruth about a year ago. Seeing somebody even more interesting! Acknowledge this mail! Warmest regards John 16:33 Billy S Stray thoughts… “The average Zambian abhors another’s success”-Billy “Think for tomorrow but live a day at a time”-Billy “Think long term but live short term”-Billy

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

216

Photo Taken by Billy Sichone 28

/05/05

AM

Baobab tree-Resilient and weathers all seasons in the Gwembe Valley-So should we be... Zambian/African in general are amazingly poverty tolerant unlike other people. They seem to build resilience in the wrong things. BS July 2007

Family tree in Zambia

Position Minster

Fin Traditional Cousin

President Wife Agric Security Commerce F. Aff Mines Health Def Cousin Brother Business Cousin Remot Cousin Tradi associate e Cou

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

217

nephew Permanent secretary

Nephe w

Cousin

Nephew

Bibliography 1. Effective leadership. Robert Heller, 1999 Dorling Kindersley. London. New York. Sydney. Moscow 2. Cox Frank Psychology WM. C.BROWN company publishers 1970

Index A Abraham Lincoln.........................61, 85 academic......15, 27, 64, 66, 72, 75, 85, 130, 140, 144, 145, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158

Academic trials.................................85 accelerate.................................68, 181 Accountant. .49, 66, 111, 134, 150, 224 achievements......................44, 81, 160 Acumen.................................. .........127

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

218

AK 47................................................12 Ambassador......................................40 ambition..........................124, 130, 195 Amon Simutowe......26, 58, 61, 89, 102 annihilating.......................................10 Apostle Paul.......28, 36, 37, 47, 79, 138 Architects........................................149

B

backlash.................................... ......122 Bangor Pier.....................................120 Believe.............................. ................58 Bemba...................................... .58, 144 Benjamin Franklin..............................85 Bernard Chiwala................................96 beverage.................................. .......134 Bible.....4, 6, 22, 28, 36, 38, 39, 47, 62, 93, 115, 129, 130, 161, 162, 164, 169, 172, 182, 198, 208 Biblical argument..............................35 boast.................................6, 58, 89, 97 bridging finance................................18 brilliant................................49, 91, 164 Bruntland........................................107 Building Society house......................19 business. 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 52, 64, 67, 70, 73, 80, 90, 92, 93, 120, 121, 123, 126, 131, 132, 134, 135, 141, 143, 156, 160, 161, 162, 168, 174, 175, 183, 190, 191, 196, 197, 198, 200, 207, 211

C

Capacity............................... ...........148 capital. . .17, 18, 21, 105, 166, 174, 198 career. 47, 65, 103, 108, 111, 134, 140, 143, 147, 148, 149, 156, 163, 164 CEC.................................................112 celebrities.........................................89 Challenge..................................71, 133 Charisma..................................... ......88 Charles G Finney...............................58 Chitalu..............................................89 Cholwe........................................37, 89 Christ...................47, 62, 198, 215, 216 Christian...4, 36, 38, 40, 45, 47, 76, 78, 137, 146, 203, 204, 207, 212, 215 Church.........................45, 47, 111, 171 CIMA..................................90, 150, 154 commercial...............................79, 173 competence. 15, 25, 27, 31, 58, 72, 74, 148, 149, 162, 163 Competence................................ ......72 competitive.......................................24 Concentration...................................27 Connecting................................ ........89

Conrad..........................................4, 89 Consciousness.................................. .27 consistent...32, 38, 66, 79, 87, 96, 101, 107, 111, 127, 144, 147, 164, 204, 207 consortium........................................18 Content.............................................20 Continuous improvement................131 corridors of power...................120, 169 corrupt..................11, 35, 44, 106, 197 counsel.......................................... 4, 35 Creative............................................80 critical.............................................116 culture....10, 14, 29, 44, 52, 54, 56, 86, 87, 90, 96, 103, 107, 117, 119, 122, 152, 163, 178, 194, 198, 203, 205, 208

D

Daring...............................................50 David Livingstone............................100 Dean Mungomba...............................63 debt.............................87, 88, 186, 189 decisiveness................................... ...62 defeated,........................................ .160 dependence.....10, 16, 42, 45, 76, 117, 144, 161, 162, 166, 187 depressed.......................................160 Desire............................................... .50 Despair.............................................. 98 Determination...............20, 28, 50, 125 Development......42, 75, 123, 150, 189, 203, 224 Diligence.................17, 27, 28, 51, 125 Diligence...........................................27 Diploma...........................138, 155, 224 Direction.....................................28, 55 Discipline..........................................50 disillusioned........................9, 147, 160 Doctorate of Philosophy..................156 domestic.............17, 21, 120, 128, 141 Dr Arthur Msimuko..........................104 Dr John Maxwell..........................80, 85 Dr Kaunda.................................87, 184 Dr Munroe.......................................119 Dr W E Deming................................ ..73 Drive.................................................51 Dubai..............................................144

E

eccentric...........................................35 economy 6, 10, 13, 16, 47, 63, 97, 100, 120, 149, 161, 187, 189, 190, 191, 198, 213 Eden...................................... ......36, 47 Edinburgh Graduate school...............90

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

219

Effectiveness................................ .....55 Egypt..................................... ..166, 185 eludes.......................................29, 119 Emerson.................................... ........55 empires...........................................161 employment.......41, 48, 135, 146, 148, 160, 162 endeavoured.....................................38 Energy...............................28, 112, 154 Engineer....................................... ...134 England...........48, 72, 74, 86, 100, 107 entrepreneur.....................................15 entrepreneurial.....14, 98, 99, 104, 144 Entrepreneurs.............................31, 46 environmental...................................10 Ethical................................ ...............39 examination....................................146

F

faint hearted.......................32, 61, 126 FDI..............................................10, 44 fervour....................................125, 127 flight......................61, 67, 75, 111, 181 FNDP.............................. ...................42 focus. .27, 49, 69, 78, 81, 90, 102, 103, 116, 121, 125, 134, 138, 156, 157 Foreigners.......................................120 formal...11, 15, 41, 134, 144, 146, 148, 149, 160, 162 future..............................................116

G

Government.....13, 63, 90, 92, 97, 108, 119, 173, 190, 201 Graduate or Masters’ degree..........155

H

hard work. 3, 31, 32, 36, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 96, 97, 98, 101, 103, 105, 107, 110, 126, 129, 161, 162, 163, 164, 167 HIPC..................................................37 HIV................................. ...................10 Honours’ degree..............................155 human eye..............................124, 207

I

IMF..................................177, 189, 190 implementation.........73, 119, 166, 211 Inconsistency..................................111 informal.............................75, 149, 210 ingenuity................................ ...........15 innovative thinking.........................129 Intellectual......................................117 Interdependence...............................72 Investment.............................. ..........17

J

Japanese.............................62, 69, 178 jealously....................................49, 175 Joni Erickson Tada...........................119 Journalism.......................................150 jubilantly...........................................89 juvenile.............................................11

K

Kalusha.......................................58, 89 Kantemba......................................... .21 knowledge work........................30, 143

L

labour.............................................. ..26 Labour...................................30, 31, 42 Labouring as unto the Lord...............49 landscape.......................................... ..9 laurels.. . .68, 70, 71, 81, 101, 102, 158, 200 Law...................................82, 143, 150 lazy...15, 29, 32, 35, 37, 39, 47, 51, 97, 102, 103, 106, 110, 114, 129, 160, 161, 167, 169, 170, 171, 172, 198, 201 leadership.........................................16 Levy..................................................68 Librarian..................................... .....150 Liquor........................................ ........12 Luapula river...................................174 Lucy Sichone.....................................62 Lukanga Swamps............................174 Lumwana..........................................15

M

Makololo..................................... .......58 Makufi...............................................96 Malicious.........................................171 Management 55, 69, 91, 108, 113, 150, 151, 156, 201, 202, 203, 205, 206, 209 Marketer........................................ ..134 Martin Luther King.......................60, 85 Masters of Business Leadership......156 masuku.............................................14 maximum....................................26, 29 MBA...............19, 61, 90, 156, 157, 224 Mbesuma..........................................89 McGregor............................39, 46, 106 meagre................44, 49, 104, 166, 173 Medicine..................................140, 150 meditate.....................................78, 93 meticulous........................56, 146, 147 micro....................................... ........117 Milingo............................................122 mindset. .11, 14, 20, 27, 29, 43, 45, 47, 61, 96, 98, 101, 106, 109, 119, 120, 162, 175

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

220

miraculously................................... ...63 MMD........................................... .......63 MNC..................................................10 Mohammed Ali..................................61 Mongu.......................................62, 199 motivated..........................49, 203, 208 MP....................................... ..............30 Munali hills........................................15 Murphy’s Law....................................73 Mutembo.............................58, 89, 164 Mwanawasa...................63, 68, 86, 213 Myopic.............................116, 117, 170 myriads.........10, 58, 65, 146, 170, 177

N

Napoleon.............................. .......83, 85 Nathan Nyirenda...............................96 natural resources....................121, 177 Nchima Nchito................................ ...58 Negative...........................................41 Nelson Mandela.............................. ...85 Nepotism...................................... ...114 Nervous.......................................... ...89 New Testament.................................36 NGO..........................21, 104, 111, 129 Ngoni................................................58 NRDC................................................75 Nshima..................................... .......105

O

objective.25, 27, 31, 44, 56, 65, 78, 87, 138, 146, 147, 179 opportunities...................................116 Organisational Behaviour................156 orientation.................56, 109, 128, 195

P

paradigm.......................................... .14 pareto principle.................................41 Passion................................... ...........73 Pastor............................4, 37, 122, 171 pathological......................................14 Paul 4, 19, 20, 37, 38, 63, 81, 132, 133, 198 Paul Woods................................... .....20 perennial.............................. ...........174 perseverance............28, 30, 31, 61, 63 Persistence.................................... ....73 Pessimism.........................................99 pessimistic..........................................6 Peter Drucker..............................74, 78 PhD.52, 61, 75, 91, 156, 157, 158, 199, 214 physical 20, 25, 26, 31, 34, 81, 99, 117, 144, 165, 179 Physicians.......................................118 pitfalls...............................................19

planet............................................ ....18 poems...............................................26 Policemen.......................................130 Politicians..........................42, 122, 196 Positive.............................................40 potential.....7, 9, 15, 18, 19, 25, 32, 45, 58, 80, 84, 96, 121, 133, 151, 163, 167, 173, 175, 186, 202, 203, 204, 207, 208, 209 premium...........................................30 President...........................................13 priorities....................................... .....21 privatisation......................97, 105, 149 proactive......49, 56, 61, 66, 70, 72, 80, 179 Procrastination..................19, 109, 124 production. .43, 44, 107, 153, 161, 170, 188, 191 productive. 35, 108, 162, 173, 186, 188 professional......63, 65, 66, 75, 90, 107, 130, 131, 138, 141, 143, 145, 149, 156, 157, 158, 213, 214 Professor Alfred Chanda....................63 Professor Clive Chirwa.............7, 27, 42 Progress....................................48, 119 prosperity.....14, 20, 29, 44, 46, 48, 96, 145, 160, 163 Proverbs.......38, 62, 97, 125, 132, 133, 148, 163, 165, 172 prowess. .64, 72, 76, 79, 125, 134, 189, 210 Puritans.................................... .........85

Q

qualification.72, 82, 155, 156, 158, 213 quality....................................... ..........6

R

rational argument.......................34, 42 Read the times..................................85 realistic............7, 64, 75, 163, 167, 179 Redeeming the time..........................49 redesign............................................21 reforms................................... .149, 191 Regeneration................................. ..131 research.....66, 99, 110, 146, 156, 157, 181, 191, 197, 224 resilience.............30, 62, 107, 127, 217 Resilience............................30, 61, 125 Resolution.........................................62 resolve. . .28, 36, 38, 49, 52, 73, 84, 98, 119, 124, 125, 157, 165, 178, 200 returns.17, 48, 49, 64, 79, 80, 100, 104 Richard Ngenda................................ .63 Rio Earth summit............................107 Risk averse..................................... .160

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

221

Rockets.............................................68 rumours....................................46, 171

S

sacrifice............................................16 SAP...................................................10 scientific........................................ ....26 Self promotion................................ ...65 Self-application.................................29 self-esteem..............29, 44, 58, 98, 192 self-exertion......................................25 Shaka................................. ...............11 Single mindedness............................49 Skill............................... ....................27 skills. 26, 27, 39, 54, 55, 137, 144, 162, 163, 167, 204, 210 Social work................................ ......150 sole proprietors.................................31 status trap’.............................. ..93, 141 Stephen Covey 26, 41, 55, 73, 200, 208 STI............................................. ......170 stout hearted..................................127 strategic thinker..................26, 37, 203 strategic thinking..............................26 study. .6, 18, 27, 56, 64, 65, 80, 86, 89, 107, 129, 134, 140, 146, 147, 154, 155, 156, 168, 169, 213 stumble.................................. ...........30 successful.....21, 28, 39, 41, 50, 52, 54, 55, 68, 73, 75, 79, 83, 84, 97, 109, 126, 127, 143, 152, 160, 164 superhuman......................................99 sustainable..................................... ...13 SWOT..................................50, 86, 211 syndrome.......16, 76, 82, 99, 101, 117, 121, 140, 144, 163, 166, 187 systematic.........31, 146, 147, 189, 210

T

taboo...................47, 96, 107, 162, 170 talent...................20, 27, 28, 29, 49, 81 tangible. .11, 14, 16, 19, 20, 48, 57, 81, 86, 97, 98, 107, 111, 116, 118, 121, 143, 206 tantrums.........................................172 target. . .13, 25, 27, 102, 104, 107, 119, 125, 138, 207 TB.....................................................89 Technical.........................................130 technology......................143, 174, 205 Thomas Edison............................52, 85 time4, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 43, 46, 47, 48, 49, 53, 56, 57, 58, 60, 62, 63, 64, 66, 67, 68, 70, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 79,

80, 83, 84, 86, 87, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 96, 97, 100, 101, 103, 104, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 118, 119, 120, 122, 124, 125, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 138, 139, 140, 141, 144, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 154, 157, 160, 161, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 175, 178, 179, 181, 187, 188, 189, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 203, 205, 207, 208, 210, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216 Time bound.......................................29 tolerance................................. ........165 tragedy...115, 119, 122, 131, 141, 161, 167 traumatic....................................30, 85

U

Under graduate degree...................155 University.....14, 75, 85, 109, 123, 136, 139, 155, 156 UNZA............................... ......75, 85, 87

V

Valentine’s day................................118 vehemently.............................132, 207 vigilant....................................133, 165 vulnerable.........................................11

W

Wales..............................................109 wealth....14, 15, 16, 17, 25, 33, 34, 37, 39, 40, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 64, 81, 104, 107, 149, 160, 161, 184, 187, 193 weightless economy..31, 143, 145, 175 Wesley......................................85, 146 Whitefield.................................... ......85 wholeheartedly.................................40 win-win..................................... ...55, 56 work.................................... ..............25 World Heavyweight championship....61

Z

Zambia.....7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 29, 33, 35, 36, 39, 43, 45, 54, 58, 63, 64, 66, 76, 79, 87, 90, 96, 98, 100, 101, 105, 106, 112, 113, 114, 116, 119, 120, 122, 126, 129, 130, 134, 136, 140, 144, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 160, 161, 163, 166, 168, 173, 176, 177, 181, 187, 192, 196, 201, 202, 208, 212, 213, 214, 217, 224 Zambian......................................... .....9

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

222

About the Author

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

223

Billy Sichone trained as an Accountant and worked as a Program Accountant at one of World Vision Zambia’s large scale Area Development Programs for seven years. He studied the Zambia Diploma in Accountancy (ZDA), is a Fellow of the Institute of Financial Accountants of UK (FFA), holds an MBA. He is married to Jane and they have two daughters together. He has held several portfolios in the formal working world. Among his interests include studying, astronomy, research, reading, meeting people and adventure. Visit his PDFCOKE site to view some of his other works on BILLYSICHONE You could also view some of his video presentations on his u tube site: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2vu-QE0Oj4

Labour! A letter to my fellow Zambians

Billy C Sichone

224