SIPHO'S BIRTHDAY

‘People are our most important asset’, is a sentence uttered or at least endorsed by most senior executives. But does their behaviour reflect that belief? Do they spend a major portion of their day on people, caring and developing this most valuable resource? Here is how you can spend some quality time with your people:

I can’t tell you how powerful it is to go to Sipho Nkosi, and say: “Happy birthday, Sipho” and hand him a birthday card. I guarantee you, a personalised card printed on a PC has an enormous impact. It shows I cared enough to remember. I use this opportunity to fill in any blanks I might have in my personal organiser like where he lives, etc. I do that right there and he and his co-workers see that I am writing in my book. This again shows that I am listening and taking note.

I send flowers or fruit to the home of my direct reports on their birthday, with a note to the partner expressing my appreciation for their indirect support. This is a small expense with a enormous withdrawal potential - you have to put a lot into a relationship before you try taking something out. It’s like a bank account in which you have to build up a minimum balance first.

To use this birthday technique requires self discipline; a tough habit, especially when the factory / team is 100 or 200 people. My advice is to acquire one of these electronic personal organisers or diaries, which can automatically remind you of upcoming events, provided of course, you have taken the time to enter the details. It’s like with many other habits, one has to be consistent. I know in my heart that what I give tends to come back to me, in one form or the other, with interest - especially respect and trust!

We make a living by what we get,

We make a life by what we give.

Here to illustrate how useful this technique is. I consulted for a small company north of Johannesburg and applied the birthday technique. While noting down the details of years of service, birthdays, etc. it did not take me long to realise that over 90 % of the shop floor personnel were staying in Soweto, a township south-west of Johannesburg. These people rely almost entirely on mini bus taxis, a form of public transport. They have to get up at four in the morning to make it to work on time. Senior management of that company were unaware of the worker’s plight. Frequently extra hours had to be worked to make up for a serious capacity constraint and that was a major point of friction. The managers apparently could not ‘see’ that there were no taxis running after eight in the evening and that the workers therefore had a problem getting home. In fact when listening to their predicament, I soon found out that some of them resorted to rather sleeping on the floor in the back of a store room!

Now something more bout ‘giving’, showing respect by using names and touching. I like my name Jürgen. Most people are like me and view their name as unique, individual and precious. It sets me apart form millions of other human beings. I hear my name amidst the greatest noise, like when being belched over the distorted loudspeakers at an airport. This being the case, you are missing a trick if you don’t use a person’s name.

When I meet a person behind the counter, a waiter or when I see a name tag , I make an effort to use their name. When someone helps me over the phone, I ask their name so I can say ‘thank you’ with a name. It says: ‘I see you as an individual’. It expresses respect for the other person as an individual.

The African people have this wonderful tradition of naming their children after some significant event that occurred on the birthday, or a past or future aspiration; Thembakazi = hope, Mandla = power, Sipho = gift and Mkhubeni = disappointment [the boy should have been a girl]. I make a concerted effort to use the African names. The appreciation I get in return is immense. This links to another aspect of the Zulu culture. When greeted with how are you, the other person will answer in the plural, “siyapile” = we are healthy, because how can you be well unless your family and friends are all well too? In fact there is a saying that I have assimilated and use quite often:

“UMUNTU NGUMUNTU NGABANYE ABANTU”

A person is only a person through other people

I use touching frequently, lightly on the arm, shoulder or back.  I know that this is a ‘touchy issue’, but there is a heap of truth in the expression ‘a pat on the back’. It’s hugging each other. Putting feeling into one’s emotions.^[1] Each one of us will have experienced the electrifying sensation of an ever so fleeting touch by someone you are starting to fancy. It’s a pity that we lose this feeling once we get to know each other.

I start my one-to-one meetings, also with my superiors, by genuinely enquiring about the other’s personal well-being. My personal organiser helps to refresh my memory. I am always touched by the caring that someone else shows towards me when they remember my personal details, or enquire about my family.

CAUTION:

Be sincere, don’t make it a hollow phrase when you ask; “How are you and how’s your family?” So often I have come across this and while I am still busy responding, the other person  is already miles away with their attention, because they really did not care! I don’t have to tell you what that does to my comfort level and the trust & respect of the relationship. Saying nothing would have been a hundred times wiser. On the other hand, when being asked about your well being, don’t make it a habit of pouring out your sorrows and always behaving like a victim. No one enjoys listening to a chorus of wailing and whining.

Put time into your relationships, also with your followers. Lead on your feet, talking and listening and touching people, is time well spent. Your presence alone sends all sorts of value signals. Make sure people don’t only see you when there is trouble.

All of the above is actually establishing rapport with people - sympathetic understanding. It helps to create a long-term partnership based on integrity. You will know, because you just seem to ‘click’ with the other person!

Listen more than you speak. Be sincere and patient. Give the other person your undivided attention and make them feel special. That’s how most marriages start off. A genuine concern and showing each other that you are most important to each other.

One final point again. The leader does have the power, but the followers will only honour that power if they trust the leader who genuinely cares for them and is truly interested in their welfare.

+ Key POINTS

v      “UMUNTU NGUMUNTU NGABANYE ABANTU” - A person is only a person through other people

v      Your behaviour must reflect your values - care for your most important asset = people

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SAFETY  MADE  SIMPLE

Jürgen Tietz

SAFETY EXPERT and PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER  on Safety to Life Skills

MY SAFETY GOSPEL

These three: ‘Systems, equipment and people – but the greatest of these is people.’

Cell  +27 (0) 82 5658 604

Tel  + 27 (0) 11 452 0727

jurgen@anda.co.za      www.psasouthernafrica.co.za      www.speakers101.co.za