Where to From HERE?

The G20 is in full swing and so are Protesters, each side says it has a legitimate case to present. I am baffled by how a country which produces more Motivational Guru’s, Business Guru’s no, actually Guru’s of all sorts can stuff up their economy so bad and take the rest of the world with, that being the United States of America. A legacy left behind by a man they voted for twice.

Well nothing happens in a vacuum, suddenly the very Americans who are huge consumers are now  peddling “Recession Proof Your Finance Strategies” amazing isn’t it. Well I had always believed that business should not be complicated . The formation of any business is driven by either the desire to impact society positively or the pursuit of wealth.

When the pursuit of wealth becomes the cornerstone of how we conduct ourselves when we engage in business, it become inevitable that there will be a looser and a winner. Unfortunately for us, those who caused this mayhem are also perpetuating it by awarding themselves bonuses when they should be resuscitating their businesses to ensure that they move from the red to the black.

Being an African and clearly understanding and being fed Euro and Americentric ways of thinking and doing things, the success by all means attitude which espouses the manner in which business is conducted had always been a thorn in my flesh. Not withstanding that the very same attitudes and lack of business ethics has turned Africa into a basket case and yet we are so rich in natural resources. This now being driven by Corporate Colonization.

The time has come for us to really look at what has been the fabric of Africa’s Essence. Why was Africa able to do business with the Ming Dynasty, create architectural wonders which even modern machinery cannot build. How was the knowledge of astrology passed on from one generation to the next by the Dogon People ,  how the Egyptians created the papyrus and wrote their history in them.

We need to really question the bravery and strategically superior war tactics  of Kings like Hannibal and The Great Emperor Shaka Zulu Ka Senzangakhona. We need to look at the age old technology used by the Matebele and the Amashona in carving and mining in gold in those times gone by. We all have some sort f an idea on how we lost all this wisdom. Surprisingly enough , we were bullied by an island lead by a Women…Her Royal Majesties England colononised most of the world and the southern part of Africa. In all this we tended to forget one significant event which has become a thorn in their flesh and a victory we have forgotten.

If the Europeans especially the British were as superior as they were made to be, then their defeat at The Battle of Isandlwana proved something to me. The essence of who we are and what we can achieved is engraved in the DNA of that Battle. The manner in which the warriors were trained , not just for that war but their general training regime.

The war formations and strategies they used, the kind of weaponry employed. The inspiration that spurned them on in a war seen through the eyes of the British as a walk over. Well I urge the World Leaders especially African democratically elected “even though this is vague, Zimbabwe” look at the magnitude of who we are and what we can contribute to the world.

The time has come for us to really move back a little and look at Africa’s proud history and her achievements and ask ourselves , is it  too late for us to take our place in history and Lead. I believe that we do not have to depend on the Chinese and sell the souls and mineral rights of our land to them to survive. I believe that the make up of our past societies and the methodologies we employed in trading, learning and interacting with others has a lot to offer in finding lasting and proper solutions for the mess we find ourselves in.

Do I have an answer, maybe yes or no. What I believe though is that the African Child will never ever claim his/her place in history when he/she measures him/herself according to both Eurocentric and Americentric way of thinking and doing things, they have both failed.

So where to from now ?…this is a question I would love to live you with…I believe that Africa has answers to many challenges but her dependency and lethargy has reduced her to a beggar…the time has come for us to Awaken the Spirit of Tribal Consciousness.

I live you with these thoughts and questions...till my fingers hit the keyboard...Billy Selekane : Executive Chairman

Business UNUSUAL!

This was a theme for the recalled President of our republic Mr Thabo Mbeki. It was hailed as an amazing concept with pugilist making it a new buzz word. In reality nothing much came of it and no exceptional change or success in both private and government except the jurgon itself "BUSINESS UNUSUAL". With The Dalai Lama saga not wanting to come to rest , from accusations to counter accusations...I wonder how we in the private business and or spaces of Leadership are doing. Is business as USUAL as it has been or are we looking for ways and means of ushering a new wave of corporate responsibilty which will ensure that we ride this wave of Global Economic turmoil without fail.

I am writing this article from the ever beautiful Royal Swazi Sun in Swaziland...and it really got me laughing, the essence of Leadership and the inability of African Leaders to really Lead when they are called on. SADEC which is supposed to be a democratic vehicle to ensure stability and fair trade among its members were dealing with a thorny issue. The issue was Madagascar , which they duly suspended because according to them , a government in place there is illegitimate and was put in power after a Coupe...guess  whats really funny, the convener or Chair of the meeting was His Royal Highness King Mswati 3 "I think"...not sure. Well he runs a total Monarchy were democracy cannot be mentioned anywhere in open society...call this hypocricy or just utter "Uber Lunacy" from SADEC...you make the judgement call.

All I am saying is quite simle...we better walk the talk in our business or we are just a waste of space and our organizations will never ever be significant...I hope you will retrospect and also begin to lead differently...are you doing "BUSINESS USUAL" or "BUSINESS UNSUSUAL"...or is the second one just RHETORIC yet again.

Untill my fingers tap the keyboard...Be a Leader of immense  significance by "WALKING THE TALK"...Billy Selekane: Executive Chairman