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Lessons a virus taught us

28 Nov

The statistics are staggering. Just about 60 million as at the time of my last check. That is the number of people infected by the Coronavirus across the globe. A total of over 1.4m lives have been claimed since it struck. The only positive spin on it is that in excess of 42m people have recovered. Additionally, of all the active cases on record, 99% have been recorded as mild.

However, one striking truth is that this has not just been a normal pandemic (if there is such a thing). It is novel and has dealt a global blow that cannot be ignored.

For the first time in our lives (at least most of us), the world literally came to a standstill. Planes were tucked away in the hangars and could not hit the sky any more. Factories were shut. Traffic was absent except for emergency or security vehicles at most. The world had been forced into silent submission.

This time, no one was worried about the mounting billions of dollars lost in economic activity as businesses ground to a halt. Lives had to be preserved as a priority. The crisis was compounded by the fact that no one knew how to handle the pandemic and there was no vaccine or defined treatment regime to counter this global assault.

Even in crisis however, there are threads of positives that can be knit together through collective reflection. This novel virus has forced us to come to that point and do just that.

I have done my own introspection and a few insights come top of my mind.

Stop, pause and reflect

Our lives today are hectic and fast paced. We are in a rat race most of our lives, chasing the next pay, meal and sorting out bills to keep our livelihoods on track.

We thus have very little time to actually live, love and thrive. No time to see the beauty of those in our lives or the splendour that nature boasts of as she displays her fauna and flora. No consciousness to ponder the pricelessness of life or the inevitability of death each passing day. Very little time to take in all that is in our lives that we have either taken for granted or simply ignored. No chance to appreciate the freedom we enjoy, to go about our lives with ease and in peace.

The little virus has forced us to step on the brakes. To take it easy, to look around and take stock. Where are we with our lives? What things mean the most to us? Who are we spending time with, is it those that matter? How is our life progressing and in which direction? Before this pandemic, few of us deliberately paused to take all this in. This certainly changed. Whether it lasted or will last is another matter.

Mother Nature mourns

It is abundantly clear that we have been doing great harm to the environment. The pollution, degradation, deforestation and unchecked development. Climate change has become an active issue to consider before we run down this earth.

When the virus struck, all else did not matter. We had to stop. Activity came to a halt and the impact of this pause showed.

The global skies cleared. The air was fresher. Rivers and streams were clearer. Experts that track the environment and its state have highlighted how Mother Nature has shown positive signs of revival during the period of global inactivity.  With grounded flights and zero traffic, air pollution receded and with industrial activity muted, the flow of waste was curtailed. Wildlife breathed some clean air again.

Inevitably though, restrictions have been eased in many countries and as swiftly as one can imagine, Mother Nature will be under attack. Back at one. Even with cases on the rise again in some parts of the world, there is a general reluctance to impose total lockdowns. The economy took a massive battering and the appetite to slow down again is low, with the implications well known.

What cannot be disputed though is that we needed this moment. To see that it is possible to do something positive about the damage we have successfully inflicted on the environment.

If the brief experience was and is not a strong reprimand and reminder of the damage we have done and continue to do to our environment, then we are doomed.

Leadership is all about competence

One thing that holds true is that in leadership, unique situations will arise and there won’t always be a standard template or manual to guide.

The pandemic era galvanised different people from varying fields to get together and face a common enemy. It brought to the fore a known fact oft ignored, that solutions are not reposed in an individual but more in collaboration.

During this unprecedented time, we have observed that it is ok to be vulnerable and reach out to others with the expertise or for varying views to find solutions. Presidents, executives and those in pole positions paid sharp attention to their technical experts for the most effective and pragmatic approaches. To save lives (and economies).

Ofcourse, there were and have also been examples of leadership arrogance or the egotistical appetite to be the alpha and omega as far as solutions go. Those wise enough to understand what makes a leader put together the best brains to craft risk based responses that delivered tangible outcomes.

Even the corporate world was not spared as the C-suite grappled with the best response, navigating the delicate path of preserving performance and securing their employees’ well-being. Issues such as remote working, team productivity, technology, medical support and case management for infected employees, all sprang up as top Boardroom agenda items.

Inevitably, this scenario was a perfect recipe for conflicted leadership postures. Traditional paradigms were challenged and exposed the mindset of most leaders, as they questioned whether teams can actually deliver remotely or have to be in a physical location.


In the end, the most dynamic, forward looking, perceptive and wise leaders exhibited commendable competence and authenticity in handling the new workplace dynamics.

Tough situations test and refine leadership. This phase has been no different. It has demanded a different dimension of leadership and he (she) who has ears and eyes to hear and see has heard and seen.

An unpredictable future, predictable actions


The human capacity and capability to predict the future is finite. At the start of 2020, not a single strategic plan may have prepared for disruption caused by a pandemic. It just was not on the radar.

No person, leader or organisation can prepare for all scenarios. Such unforeseen events will arise every so often. Who knows even within the next decade something so significant will pop up again.

Notwithstanding this limitation, an eye on the future triggers some preparation of sorts. Right now, several strategic considerations will have to be made at all levels and across different organisations. What will future jobs look like? What skills will be marketable and needed for the future economy? How will technology shape organisations, disciplines, careers and how business is conducted? With Covid-19, even the church was not spared as activities went virtual and recovery remains slow despite restrictions being eased.

This calls for a different view of plans, to prepare for unchartered waters and an unfamiliar future. Global economies, international trade, industry dynamics, human interaction, organisational structures, the type of employees and nature of services (and products) all point to significant changes.

At individual, corporate and government level, scenario planning now takes precedence. Risk management has evolved and must continue to do so. Things will never be the same and the world has to be ready for an unfamiliar future. Organisations that fail to adapt their strategic blueprint to this reality do so at their own peril.

Research and science, a big thing

It has been a busy time in the laboratories and in the pharmaceutical world. Not only because of the urgent need to develop a vaccine but also the likely ulterior motives of bragging rights for the powers that be.

We have read and seen how many countries have flaunted their progress on vaccines and treatments alike. From the US of A, Russia, China to Madagascar.

Away from the brag race though is a relevant challenge for all countries that are thinking ahead. It is time to invest in science, in research that seeks to conceive and churn out solutions for challenges faced at a community, country, continental and global level.

Zambia for instance contends with the disease burden caused by malaria, HIV-AIDS, Tuberculosis, Cholera or weather induced conditions such as drought or natural attacks driven by Army worms and locusts. How much time, effort and human resource has been or is being invested in scientific research and skills to find solutions? Your guess is as good as mine.

The Covid-19 crisis remains a blessing in disguise in this context. It has shown that there is opportunity and the moral obligation for us to pay attention to the important areas of medicine, science and research that will help us confront our real and present challenges as a people. With the global ligaments that hold us together, what may be local solutions may well eventually end up being global solutions.

Play global but strong local

Long term planning is critical. It shapes the present focus on aspects that will yield results for the next generations.

What can 15 million people do for an economy? A lot. From creating a pool of labour, consumers of a nation’s products and services, skills for various sectors that drive economic activity and all the things necessary for GDP growth. The key ofcourse is that the bulk of such a population has to be productive.

And why is that important? During the height of the Covid-19 onslaught, most countries went into total lockdown. Then we had countries like Zambia which treaded pragmatically, opting for partial lockdown. What was observed was the vulnerability of economies when markets are shut. Supply chain disruptions, an export market pause and even human traffic flow ceasing. Various sectors were impacted.

In a global village, this was bound to happen. However, it also demonstrates the need to craft and implement plans that leverage the population numbers as they are. To create an alternative market that also contributes to sustainable economic activity. How can the bulk of a country’s population like ours be propped up to productive levels that generate income which in turn filters into the local economy?

How can our tourism sector have a fair share of its tourist and revenue numbers driven by locals? How can our non-traditional products be consumed within the country? How can in-country trade be significant enough to keep the economic wheels turning even during global downturns, through small and medium enterprises?

The point is yes a shock like the Corona attack will indeed bring things to a standstill. But there must also be a way to keep activity going through a country’s population to cushion the shock and also to serve as a catalyst for an economic reboot as things slowly circle back to normal in post-crisis times.

You are on your own

If there is a profound lesson from this episode, it may well be the realisation that each stands with their own when it matters.

During this crisis, all continents and their countries leaned towards their own. As far as priorities were concerned, there was no immediate attention paid to what other countries needed. Third world or developing nations had to look elsewhere or patiently wait in the wings to get back on the radar of their cooperating partners.

Africa as a continent has for a lifetime been dependent on developed nations for aid, bailouts and solutions to her peculiar challenges. This time around though, her partners had their own battles to fight and thus were more focused on what concerned them in the immediate. Understandably so.

At face value, this would seem like a blow and train smash. But not so in my view. It merely reinforces what we have known all along. That we must take charge of our destiny and own the responsibility to create a better future for ourselves as a country and a continent. We will get a helping hand at some point but that should not be what determines and dictates our success.

We must co-exist, co-create our future and cooperate at a more strategically engaged level for homegrown solutions. When a crisis or need arises impacting the continent, the first point of call for collaboration and crafting solutions, must be Africa coming together to deal with Africa.

This currently seems idealistic. The truth is that it is but it is realistic idealism. Africa must come first and Africa must carve her own path. This may not be realised in the near term but it certainly must be initiated immediately. It does not need to come to pass today but let the foundation be laid for the future generations to build on and make this a reality.

We owe it ourselves as a people, country and continent. Failure to see and accept this urgent need to reverse the trend sets us firmly on the path of mediocrity, inferiority and perpetual underachievement.

Covid-19 has indeed been a wake up call for our world. Something most have not experienced in their lifetime. It has opened us up to many aspects we have not interrogated actively in our day to day life, which is a great positive.


But if there is one lesson that surpasses them all, it is the fact that every day we have above the ground is a blessing. We must make the most of it.

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Posted by on November 28, 2020 in Business, Economic, General, Leadership, Opinion

 

I dreamt of Zambia

30 Oct

Last night I had a dream. It was her again, that familiar face. I couldn’t miss it, I have seen it many a time. 

Something had changed though. She had aged, looked troubled and it was as though life had been sucked out of her. Whatever it was, it ran deep and was gnawing somewhere deep in her soul. 

Then she spoke and I finally understood why.

Her children. Her land. Her dreams. Her happiness. They had all changed. They were fast vanishing. With a tear wheeling its way down her wrinkled face, she opened up about how a once rich, happy and fulfilling existence had been or was being decapitated. 

Her children had once upon a time been united, proud and free. With a future as bright as the eastern sunrise. Prosperity beckoned. But now that future had dimmed, the glow gone. What changed? What happened to her children?

Because now they had been enveloped in behaviors that kept her awake, wallowing in sadness. They were tribal, lashing out at each other on the basis of where one hails. They were divided and polarized by political persuasion and affiliation. The side one picked made them an enemy of the other. They were quick to unleash fists, hurl insults and even use weapons against each other. They had to be on the same side or else forget the blood that flowed through their veins. Zambian blood.

Her children had been subdued by the weight of poverty. Sucked in by illiteracy. Hopelessness now ruled. With ease, her children had given in to defeat. They had stopped working their hands and land for food and a livelihood. They did not try anymore. It was far easier to moan and groan, about yesterday. About the good days gone by and the days ahead that promised a better tomorrow. Only that she could not see who among them would get them into the promises held by tomorrow.

Her children had become fatally despondent. They were their worst enemy. They effortlessly and systematically had managed to crush their tomorrow. Everyone around could see that their confidence and beauty had been defiled. When that happens, you lose it all. Now they were even the first to speak ill of her, to throw out her dirt for all to see and they now sided with those that had nothing but negativity to say about Mother Zambia.

What had changed? How could her children hate her this much? How could her children be at each other’s necks just because of tribe or political inclination? East, West, South and North it did not matter, they were all her children! How could they not see this?

Her face was wet now, the tears had created their paths and flowed like her Mighty Zambezi. She could not hold back her tears. Her children had changed. They did not care about her anymore. Neither did they care about what they said or did or what they would leave behind for their children. It did not matter if they were in leadership or if they were the led. It was no trouble if they stole…..if they persecuted those below them….if they ignored virtuous counsel…..if they turned a blind eye to doing good for the benefit of all now and tomorrow. They now simply did as they pleased. To satisfy their greed and unchecked appetite for destruction.

What had gone wrong? What had changed? They had changed. Her children. She was still the same. She was still there. She still loved them. 

But they had changed. Every one of them. Some knew the wrong but did nothing. Others knew not the wrong but did it anyway. They had continued hurting her……through mediocrity, through self hatred, through tribalism, through corruption, through laziness, through divisive politics, through disloyalty…….through the silent voices that said nothing when they saw these things happen…..through the loud voices that were first to speak ill of her whenever she was discussed. They had changed. Every one of them. Through their actions and inactions. Through their words. They were complicit in this crime, her destruction and her progressive decline. 

She mused as she watched each of her children point a self-righteous dirty finger at the other, assigning responsibility for the damage. Some even spoke about her special day, her birthday…..that it was no longer the same, it was flat and lifeless. Yes one could see some flags dotted here and there but they all just went about their lives like they did on any other day. 

They had changed. They had forgotten that her birthday was a day so cherished in her heart. She remembered all her children that had worn painful chains like jewelry, beaten as they confronted a common enemy with boldness, guns pointed at them, shed blood so their own children and next generations could taste freedom…..incarcerated simply for wanting to be independent and free. Children of ChaChaCha. The memories were as fresh as they come.

Alas, her children today cared less. The flag held no value to them. The national anthem was just another song, not one of those popular trending songs they swung their bodies to. The black and white waves….the man and woman….the noble eagle…at the heart of the coat of arms, were all worthless like the litter along the filthy city roadsides. 

She could not hold back the tears.

Something had to change. They had to change. Her children needed to see the light one more time. Or all else was lost.

She had to remind them to stand and sing of Zambia, proud and free. They needed to remember their land of work and joy in unity. They were victors in the struggle. The struggles gone, the struggles today and the struggles ahead. 

She had to remind them of their wealth. Their heritage. Their culture. Their identity. Their land. Their unity. They had it all and they were one.

She had to remind them of what she had gifted them with. 

The mineral resources far and wide……Copper, Cobalt, Uranium, Gold, Emeralds and a lot more.

The endless flow of water…rivers, lakes and waterfalls…..the Mighty Zambezi….the Kafue…the Luangwa….the Chambeshi….Bangweulu…..Mweru….Mweru Wantipa…….Mosi-oa-Tunya……Ntumbachushi…..Kabwelume…..Lumangwe.  

The wildlife that gave her unmatched status……the powerful elephant, the famed king of the jungle, the athletic antelopes, water’s royalty-the hippos, the angelic birds, the straw colored fruit bats, the beastly reptiles,………..all sauntering and flying across the vast stretches of Kafue, Luangwa, Mfuwe,  Kasanka, Lochinvar…….name them and Mother Zambia could boast of such wonders. 

The rich culture. Whether it was the majestic Kuomboka across the Lozi plains of the West, the Ncwala with ground stomping Impis of the East, the Umutomboko conquest dance of Luapula, the proud parade of the Ng’wena in the North, the mystical Likumbi Lya Mize of North Western or the unique youthful Kopala culture of the 21st century, celebration was never far off. There was immense pride she adorned from her history and heritage.

She had it all. And by birth, they had it all too.

How could they be throwing this away? How could their greed blind them like this? How could they let tribe drive a wedge between them? How could they let evil egoistical intentions divide them along partisan lines? How could they watch as they tore at her heart and destroyed the land she loved with her all? 

It was time they came back home. Back to her. Back to her wealth. Back to their heritage. Back to a place of pride. Where their loyalty was to her, the present and the future. 

Where patriotism would trump partisanship. 

Accountability would dwarf self aggrandizement.

Credibility would be more valuable than corruption.

Tribalism would pave way for togetherness.

Ideas and ideals would take precedence over pettiness and provocation.

Divergent thought would be embraced rather than despised.

Principle would outmuscle patronage.

Genuine hard work would define the path to prosperity and not connections of privilege. 

Long term development would be foremost on leaders’ minds in the place of myopic acts for praise.

Freedom would be society’s mainstay rather than the suppression of voices

Leaders would serve than be served.

The welfare of future generations would come first before selfish ambition. 

Where the green, red, black and orange would restore pride in the flag. The National Anthem would be a loud verbal show of identity. Where being Zambian would be the ultimate pride that every one of her own defended at all costs. 

Yes they had gone astray. They had lost their way. They needed to see it. They could no longer ask each other what had gone wrong or who was responsible or what had changed about her. They had all changed. They had gone wrong. They were the reason for her misery and decline. 

But they were also the only hope she had, for her happiness.

She wiped the tears off her face and I could see a slight smile forming at the corner of her mouth. She would not give up on them.

I woke up. I dreamt about Zambia. There was a long road ahead. But all hope was not lost. Her future and prosperity lay squarely on her children’s shoulders.

You and I.

 
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Posted by on October 30, 2020 in General

 

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True leaders: A dying or dead breed in Zambia?

07 May

There is one thing that has consistently bothered me over the years. This is with reference to both Zambia and Africa.

It is the aspect of leadership. As an open minded youth in the 21st century, I set my sights sharply on our crop of leaders, past and present, especially at political level, for lessons, inspiration and hope. Perhaps what I have seen most are the lessons. Arising mainly from omissions and errors in judgement. The inspirational ones seem to be in short supply.

What brings me to such a conclusion?

I note that most of the leaders we have seen grace the stage have ended up tarnished one way or another. Is it that we have opted for chronic failures or humanity has merely played its hand in exposing their failures?

My take is that the root cause is a systemic one. The governance frameworks we have had right from the Constitution accentuate this. Our leaders have been modelled on traditional chiefly rules, with unquestioned power and heavy reliance on patronage. As a result, their inherent weaknesses find fertile ground to come to the fore.

For now, I will set my sights on Zambia.

Enter KK: freedom fighter turned monster

Dr. Kaunda, our beloved founding father, was at the heart of our fight for Independence. This role he played with a generous heart, sacrificing his husbandly and fatherly role for the freedom of the nation.

It is no wonder that for his commitment, strong personality and charisma, he became Prime Minister and then the first President of independent Zambia. This set us on the course of political independence. He likewise provided direction as head in the pursuit for infrastructure development, some of which we still see today.

But then, the system then as we were learning the ropes fed his weaker side. He did not take kindly to being challenged, a threat to his authority. This brought out a side we have all come to know. An authoritarian, brutal and scathing man.

Zambia came to know about detentions, attempted coups, dress downs at press conferences, fear and suspicion of each other on the street, centralised government and a vibrant effective but paranoid intelligence system that even pitted family members against each other.

In the end, Zambia was, in the minds of many, under dictatorship. The economy had gone to its knees with the national treasury haemorrhaging to support a socialist economic system that had outlived its usefulness.

Zambians spoke and he left office in 1991 after the advent of multi party politics. Zambians could not take it any more. He still believed in being “wamuyayaya”(ruling forever) and those around him were afraid to tell him the truth that his end had come.

FTJ: the black Moses

He may not have been the tallest of men. But here came a courageous and charismatic man, unmatched in eloquence and mastery of speech delivery.

He was Zambia’s second president and instrumental in getting the economy through the toughest of times. The extent to which the economy was brought to its knees was dire. Unpopular decisions had to be made to get Zambia back on track.

Some of the developments we enjoy today are undoubtedly fruits of this phase. Economic liberalisation, telecommunications development, transport sector growth, home empowerment, trade and a host of other positive activities.

However, his end yet again brought to light his weaknesses. The system allowed him to get away with poor leadership choices, excesses and lapses that derailed the vision that endeared him and his team to many a Zambian.

In the end, it was a story of a leadership steeped in corruption, flashy lifestyles, misapplied national resources, unpopular choices such as the third term bid and finally stepping off the podium disgraced, isolated too to a large extent.

Levy: the revered State Counsel

Chiluba opted for Levy as his successor following the failed third term bid. Levy had served in the Chiluba government but resigned to protest growing corruption within government.

Levy was not as gifted as his predecessor in terms of eloquence or charisma. But there was no doubt he was one of the most eminent and respected legal minds Zambia had produced. He was called all sorts of derogatory names during and after the campaigns.

As fate would have it, he had state machinery behind him and found his way to become citizen # 1,albeit with the narrowest of victories.

Zambia however came to know a different man. Focused and clear enough to show he knew what he was doing. He followed his legal pedigree and facilitated in taking his predecessor FTJ to court over corruption and abuse of power claims.

The economy showed encouraging signs of stability, a result of shrewd and disciplined monetary and fiscal policy management. He can also be credited for challenging the wanton abuse or poor ethical disposition in the public service. Accountability took centre stage.

There have been claims of some lapses, failures and corruption under his watch. Also one of the issues that to me was the biggest disappointment was the failure to prioritise and deliver the Constitution Zambia needed and continues pursuing in 2012.

However, he never got the chance to finish his full term. Levy unfortunately died in office in 2008 after suffering a stroke. Life had been good to him and he will not be judged harshly. He thus died a hero and his send off was a testimony of this status. He went to dust as a heralded anti-corruption leader.

RB: president for all Zambians?

In death, opportunity presented itself for Levy’s Vice to take over. Rupiah Banda, popularly referred to as RB, became Zambia’s fourth president.

He cast the image of a fatherly (or perhaps grandfatherly) personality. A likeable man if one took politics away.

He rose to the presidency at the right time. Zambia had been doing well economically with the fundamentals strong to support stability. This was consolidated and milestones achieved. The statistics, other measures and expert analyses attested to this.

However, what was an opportunity was not taken by RB and co. Instead, the “playboy” tag stuck as this era had a reputation of waste, grand corruption and a laissez-faire approach to governance.

Times were changing too and the social trends had over time given rise to an enlightened citizenry that demanded real progress. As such the economic statistics meant nothing without jobs, income opportunities or basic services such as health.

That was the downfall of RB and even with the grandest of election campaigns ever seen in Zambia, he only lasted three years in office.

Sata: the populist veteran

Here came a man that had been in politics as long as anyone alive could remember. A decade prior to his ascent to the presidency as the fifth Zambian president, he had been a highly vocal, challenging and visible opposition leader.

It was hard to ignore him and somehow he branded himself as the voice of the voiceless, the underprivileged and downtrodden. The time too was ripe because people knew what they wanted and he seemed to represent that.

And so September 2011 ushered him into office. So much hope for reform, opportunity and new directions was placed on his shoulders, in him. Afterall, he was widely renowned as a man of action.

Same plot, different actors?

What I have seen in all these changes and transitions is more of the same. We almost always have changed leaders but the framework to “supervise” them has remained the same.

This poses the ultimate challenge we see. Leaders’ weaknesses seem to thrive more than the quality that woos all of us. In the end, the hope we have in these leaders when the journey starts is all lost. Lost in corruption, resource misapplication, under-development, authoritarian rule and all undemocratic elements one can imagine.

I have come to believe that God has a place for every leader so they can serve a higher purpose, whether they know it or not.

In Zambia’s case, KK was the man needed to push the fight for independence. FTJ was the man to challenge KK’s failures and usher in a new era of democracy. Levy was an ideal choice to halt the excesses in FTJ’s rule and cultivate a sense of accountability and collective loath of corruption. RB was what Zambia needed to get through the delicate time of an incumbent’s death. Stability through a crisis.

Now we have Sata and the hope is for Zambia to now pursue a path of an action oriented approach to development, a demand for comprehensive planning, results and real progress to go with it.

In all these stages of leadership, what has remained a challenge for Zambia is the governance framework. Our constitution and the structures to supervise our leadership are inherently weak. So much power resides in the presidency. As such, when one is in that powerful office, they do what they want and seemingly get away with it. Constitutional amendments favouring them, abuse of resources with little or no accountability and a host of other failures one can think up.

So we find ourselves changing leaders but dealing with the same challenges of poverty, failed leadership, corruption and poor service delivery in health and education for instance.

Is this a Zambia specific problem?

I think not. We have seen this replicated across the continent. Where self-serving leaders have no sense of service or obligation to the people that put them in office.

I am reminded of the likes of Mobutu, Kamuzu, recently the late Bingu Wa Mutharika or the long serving leaders up north that have now been deposed by popular uprisings. Leaders that want to remain in office with a mistaken belief only they are the saviours of their nations. The likes of Wade in Senegal that had to be forced out through the ballot while a host of others still remain fighting their own people’s demands for reform, change and fresh leadership.

So clearly this is not a Zambian problem. It is an ailment heavily crippling a continent that is so hungry for progress. A dream stifled by a selfish band of leaders that think only of their interests.

Why are we still failing?

We are failing because we let these lapses win. We fail because we the people and citizens allow our leaders to get away with it.

We fail because even we the so called enlightened and educated only pay attention to our personal aspirations, caring less about that malnourished child, pathetic sanitary conditions in the compounds, the army that can not get into school because there is no money or those whose hard earned little money has paid for our university education.

If we that have had this privilege sit back and only think of what’s in front of our noses, what hope is there? None and none for the simple reason that tomorrow if we became leaders, it is not the state of our nation, the challenges of our brothers and sisters that will motivate us. Instead, it is our own aspirations and pursuits that will drive us. If that be the case, the failure we moan about today remains our fate still tomorrow.

This harsh and sad reality is evident in so many spheres. The political arena is but one area only. We see selfishness in the corporate world. In churches sadly. Even civil society fails us as we have come to see in Zambia post September 20 elections. The extremely active, vigilant and vocal civil society took a partisan position, devoid of principle and today find themselves compromised and irrelevant.

What then?

If something bothers you, that is a call to do something about it. That is a call that goes to everyone of us, especially the youth. The next generation.

The time is ripe for fresh leadership, an active youthful crop that shows its quality, maturity and what it has learnt over the decades. A time to embrace the responsibility of preserving the future and delivering progress for posterity.

This is an aspiration, dream, challenge and undertaking that can only become a reality if we confront the man or woman in the mirror.

Staring him or her in the face with just one simple question. An honest question that “will I be any different if put in that leadership role?”. It doesn’t matter if the role is in church, business, politics or the home for that matter. If you will not be any different, nothing will change. If nothing will change, then we must not complain about any failure we face but endure it.

Clearly, leaders that are selfless remain in short supply. Without doubt, we need a new breed that will steer the ship in a different and prosperous direction.

Are the true leaders that the continent needs a dying or dead breed? The answer depends on you and I.

 
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Posted by on May 7, 2012 in General

 

Customer service is dead!

31 Mar

Is it really?

“For more enquiries, please e-mail us on…….”

“How can we help?……..let me put you through to someone else”

“We’ll call you after 5 minutes……”

The above are a few examples of where service delivery fails and it has become almost a norm and acceptable, at least from my experience in my beloved country Zambia.

The first is an amazing footnote that accompanies most adverts from Zambian organizations in the print media. I am still reeling from the inattention attached to the commitments businesses pronounce perfunctorily. I had sent an e-mail to a private college in Lusaka as advertised in one of the daily newspapers to solicit more information on their course offerings. That was over two months ago and unbelievably I still have not received a response.

The second failure is a common occurrence as well. How many times have we called an organization or visited one with an enquiry or request for assistance, only to be referred to someone else after all the explaining? When you do get through to the next person, the storytelling starts all over again and if you are very unfortunate, you may just have to be thrown to yet another person “that will be of assistance”

And then the most common “we’ll call you back…” Most front-line and customer service staff use this phrase with little or no thought at all. It comes naturally and usually seems to be an escape so they can get on and deal with the next person, hoping the clock hits 5pm soon or their shift comes to its end.

My experience, like most I believe, is that this call never comes. Five minutes is never five minutes nor a call back a commitment to be seen to its end. Therein lies a broken promise at a critical point of interaction with the customer.

These are examples of poor interactions where businesses lose the opportunity to impress and also connect with the customer, a prerequisite for loyalty and retention.

However, the points at which this lapse occurs also extends to processes and systems made without the customer in mind. For instance, one of our utility companies in Lusaka had disconnected service at my residence some time back. Within minutes, (and to avert a domestic thrashing at the hands of my wife for forgetting to pay!), I rushed to their head office and settled the account.

My expectation was that this was a done deal and the next call from home would be a confirmation of the reconnection. Alas, it was not. Instead the call was to tell me the company’s representative had refused to reconnect because they did not find a receipt at home. When I walked into their office I had no kind words for the company. My question was simple, I made a payment and their systems must update the records and this is information that should be readily available companywide in real time. Additionally, I queried how the agent had ended up at my home for a reconnection if it was not because their records were showing that I paid…..so what did he need a receipt for when he had the instruction to go and reconnect?

Getting to the bottom….

There are oceans of examples that can be cited for every business. Highlighting these is of extreme importance. But this is only the first step. The next must always be an introspection to understand where the gaps arise and the corrective action to deal with the gaps. Before getting scientific or devising grand plans to fix this, every member of the organization must also honestly assess what their contribution or lack of it is with regard to customer service. How many of us actually miss calls because we do not want to talk to a work colleague, either out of prejudice or on account of owing them some information we promised and do not have? How many of us bother to even call back? How many of us respond to e-mails from work colleagues? Or the famous “I’m in a meeting, will call you back” and the call never comes. If we are unable to handle fellow employees we know and see every day, how do we expect to deliver exceptional service to a stranger, the customer?

So to achieve the excellence companies blurt on, what needs fixing? I am of the humble view that customer service improvement is all about the most basic and simplest of things. Paradoxically too, that is the biggest challenge of fixing it……we seek grand and record breaking changes to improve it when it is all about the daily “in your face” gaps.

What are these things?

Departmental myth

First things first, customer service is everyone’s responsibility, not a department. As long as we all deal with other people, we are practicing it. At home, in the office, church, social club etc, we are interacting and always expect smooth exchange and feedback. This means the simple principle of “give to others what you expect to receive from them” applies. So the next time you are complaining about poor service, challenge yourself and examine how you are faring in the same regard when at work.

Leadership

Customer service requires leadership. This is very critical and it must be real leadership that shows the passion of the senior management team. Customer service must never be one of those boardroom pronouncements “just for the record” or staff meeting mantras. There is one prominent organization that has their vision and mission hanging on the walls proclaiming that “we want to be the best service provider and make our customers and shareholders happy”. It just takes a few seconds on their premises and an interaction with their staff to realize these are just hollow statements crafted in some meeting and not sold to the rest of the team and organisation.

Customer service must be a followed through commitment from the top to the bottom, practised and applied by every soul in the organisation. It must be in the business’ DNA to the core at all levels. I have attended some meetings in my professional career where customer service is just one of those formality items on the agenda. The minute it comes up, people want it rushed through so they close the meeting or get to other “important” sections. In this competitive environment where few products and services are absolutely unique, businesses must get to a realisation that customer service is a key differentiator that will deliver competitive edge, loyalty, increased revenue, free word of mouth/viral advertising and “worlds apart” brand power.

KPI setting and standards

Then there is the obvious (or is it?), setting of standards, measurable parameters. This happens in almost all organisations these days. Unfortunately, it usually all ends up as a flowery PowerPoint presentation or some framed decoration hanging on some wall. The standards should never be an end in themselves. They must be set in perspective and in a context very relevant to the daily activities of all team members. This entails that all the set KPIs and KRAs must be well understood by all and their importance highlighted. They should not be academic exercises at the start of a year and documented for audit purposes. Rather, the team must be drilled through so there is appreciation of the role each KPI and team member plays in the chain. This will then also highlight what a lapse in those areas means and its business impact.

Such correlation between the KPIs and business impact in cases of delivery breakdown can be derived from real work situations where these lapses may have occurred, to assist team members see the application in real work life. Additionally, these standards should never be set and “sold” to staff with a “carrot or stick” approach. This is always a challenge as the vision is never shared with the motivation of winning team members over. Instead, fear and apathy is instilled as the team members will apply their barest minimum to get by in their job and pay the rent as opposed to offering service they believe in, service that presents the “extra mile” mindset a chance to survive!

Systems and internal processes

The systems and processes that a company devises must also have the customer at heart. In many cases, businesses invest in systems on account of prejudiced professional advice and by the time the customer service team is brought in, money has been spent. Only then does the realisation hit home that what this system will deliver is as per the technocrats’ preference as opposed to making it easy for the customer to do business with an organisation. Likewise, when it comes to processes, there are so many a time when a customer has to go in rings for a refund, query resolution or a request that ordinarily must be closed at first contact or communicated clearly and followed through till closure if escalated. How empowered are the teams to deliver this exceptional service? Are the tools available or are there any knowledge pots that need to be filled to ensure processes are customer centric?

People

Finally, no business can ever be sustainable or post growth in the long term without its people. All the bottom lines, top lines and the fancy business terms can only be achieved through people. This means the business must recruit people that are trainable and exhibit the right attitude. Selection methods are always a challenge as most of the time, you have no chance of seeing all you need to in a prospective employee in an interview. However, the business must be ready on engagement to sell the excellence proposition to all its employees. It must also ensure the environment reflects the importance attached to this and all the possible investments are made to sustain this. Tools, product knowledge, recognition, best practice exchange and exposure to top organisations (the best in the trade) must all be active items on the agendas and plans.

Walking the talk…

In the end, a business must reach a stage where every member walks the talk and plays a daily active role to deliver exceptional customer service. This must be a demand and must right from the top.

Customer service is a vocation like priesthood, medicine and all such calls. It must always be seen beyond just being another job, a means to an end but rather as everyone’s responsibility and contribution to building the business and ensuring its survival generations later.

 
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Posted by on March 31, 2012 in General