by Des Squire | Jul 18, 2019 | General, Jobs
I WOULD have thought by now we would have evolved from the violence that occurred during strikes in the days of apartheid. The repressive conditions under which unions operated since inception are not acceptable in this day and age.
So many people, including trade unionists, have fought and died for liberation and for democracy. Today, they seem to have lost sight of their goals and objectives. We have a democracy and one of the best constitutions in the world, but many of our people still have no rights. Many have no concept of the meaning of democracy.
Liza van Wyk, in an article I read some time ago, said: “When democracy dawned there were expectations that the growth of workers’ rights would do away with strike violence and the high levels of mass militancy.” Not so. More and more strikes are occurring and protesting workers demand more and more.
Making demands is tantamount to commanding, insisting and setting ultimatums. Of late, this has been painfully and tragically evident and has in fact contributed to the loss of life at Marikana.
Making demands and giving an ultimatum can never lead to constructive and meaningful communication. The loss of life, the destruction of property, intimidation and assault do not contribute to constructive communication or help in any way in gaining support and understanding. As Van Wyk suggested: “If the parties involved in peaceful discussion, negotiation and communication try to understand each other’s point of view and treat each other with mutual respect, they can avoid violent confrontations.”
The parties involved must understand labour laws. They must work towards the common goal of arriving at a solution that is acceptable to all and, most importantly, one that will benefit all. What we are seeing is a change of focus by workers in that they are now saying they will negotiate with management without the back-up and support of the unions. Furthermore the unions are losing face and are seen to be working for and supporting employers and unions aligned to political parties cannot remain impartial – they are guided by issues other than those contained in the Labour Relations Act (LRA).
The LRA has made provision for workplace forums, specifically for the purpose of negotiation and communication between employees and employers. Perhaps more companies and employees should make use of such forums. Workplace forums will give all employees an opportunity of discussing with employers what they are unhappy about.
Workplace forums are more conducive to open communication on specific issues that are of concern to employees. There are no hidden agendas and there is no room for personal objectives. The current failure of all parties to engage in meaningful, constructive communication will lead to more violence, more strikes, more injury, loss of life and unfortunately loss of jobs. Yes, communication is a problem not only in terms of the current labour situation, but also in South Africa as a whole.
Communication requires ability, understanding, a willingness to listen to the opinions of others and above all, allowing others to express their opinions. Trust is essential in effective communication, but trust cannot exist in negotiations when parties come to the table with hidden agendas, preconceived ideas and an attitude of “we will not give in”.
My plea would be for all unions to call off all strike action, for all workers to go back to work, all parties to cease hostility and intimidation and for employers to sit and listen once and for all to the problems of their employees. Money is important, but it is not the “be all and end all” of industrial action.
There are other underlying causes and needs that workers have. Unfortunately, union representatives do not represent workers when it comes to such issues. The way in which we have negotiated historically and made demands must stop. We must now communicate and listen. There is a need for openness and honesty.
Des Squire is a managing member at AMSI and Associates. Call 082 800 9057.
by Des Squire | Jul 4, 2019 | General
NONE of us knows what the future has in store for us. What we do know is that whatever the future holds, change is inevitable. What we are doing today will potentially be different in the future. Much of what you have thought about so far has made you ask if you need to make changes in your life.
Change is a fact of life. For you to be adequately equipped for change, including in the workplace, it is essential that you develop the necessary skills to deal with such change. The question, of course, is how to prepare for changes in your work environment or how to predict an unknown future in your work and career? What do you think of the following? “Of all the people you will know in your lifetime, you are the only one you can never leave or lose. To the questions of life, you are the only answer. To the problems of life, you are the only solution.” (Unknown)
If you work for a company that has “developed a culture of learning”, then you are blessed in many respects. This company is probably taking care of your development needs and will have developed a learning path or a continuous development programme to take you through your career with them. That is something to be admired in such companies and they should be complimented for their effort in the ongoing development of their employees. To remain in demand in the workplace and in your career as a whole, it is essential that you continue your personal and professional development. You need to continually develop your skills and abilities.
The skills referred to here are skills that all employees, not just managers and supervisors, should demonstrate on a continual basis such as leadership skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, innovative thinking and so on. These are skills and abilities sought by all employers and that are always in demand. Many advise learners that their company does not offer such programmes.
Many people sit back waiting for others to train them. It is time for such people to “wake up and smell the roses”. If this is how you think, then you must also wake up. We no longer live in a world of entitlement and handouts. There is no room in our world for people who want to take all the time. We all have a responsibility of doing things for ourselves and for our own self development. We have a responsibility to ourselves to continually learn and improve our abilities and our lot in life. We after all are the masters of our own destiny. Your success comes from saying I can, and then doing it.
Your future is in your hands and not in the hands of your employers. It is time to take ownership of your personal development. To do so means you will need to consider a personal development plan. It will require that you invest some money, not just time, in your personal development. Identify the areas that you want to improve on and choose one or two. Concentrate on them over the next six to 12 months. Develop a long-term self-development plan. The plan may include further education and training to develop the skills you need to advance in your career.
Consider your current position and the company you work for. What is it that your company does and what are the essential skills required in the company? After you have identified these skills, undertake some training to ensure that you become multi-skilled. Why jeopardise your future by concentrating only on the skills necessary to do your current job? Multi-skilling is the way of the future. If you are not, it will require some action by you. Don’t sit back waiting for someone to do it for you, it is your responsibility.
Finally, broaden your horizons by learning as much about the world of business as you can. Once again, only you can do this. When was the last time you read the business section in the press? What changes have taken place recently in the economy, within your specific profession or within your specific sector? No one can predict the future, but you can stay ahead of your competitors by staying informed and taking charge of your personal development.
Des Squire is a managing member at AMSI and Associates. Email [email protected].
by Des Squire | Jun 20, 2019 | General
WE HAVE all been brainwashed by the past. We have been conditioned by previous experiences. From the time of our birth, we have been conditioned and subjected to the influences of other people. The conditioning started with our parents and was continued by our teachers and peers as we went through life.
The conditioning was, and still is, an integral part of your life including in the workplace. What is important is how you use what you have learnt. You are set apart in the animal kingdom by your maker and consequently you are unique. You were given the freedom of choice, the right to make your own decisions.
This is easier said than done. It is for this reason that most of what you do, say or think comes from your past and your exposure to previous conditioning.
Is it bad? The past is full of both good and bad experiences, which in turn lead to both good and bad memories. So, what is so wrong about letting the experiences of the past control the present or the future?
It is often said we should learn from the past or should learn from our mistakes. Putting it differently, I would say why not learn from the successes of the past?
I have made many mistakes in my lifetime and in my work life, but have also had many successes. However, the successes far outweigh the failures.
Why dwell on the negative rather than reinforce and repeat the successes of the past, the success of others? They have already made their mistakes. Just follow their success patterns and don’t even think about their failures.
The tendency in life for the majority of people, including employees, is to dwell on the negatives. It is human nature.
Is it an easy way out? Is it easier to place the blame somewhere else? Does it make it easier for us to fail yet again? Does the resulting self-pity ease the burden of failure – after all it’s not my fault, I always do the wrong things, I couldn’t help it.
You know many people, I am sure, who think this way? Are you one of them?
Look at any area of life where things appear to be continually going wrong and try to remember one time when it went right.
Good. So what did you do differently? Why did you do it right?
Now ask yourself if this can be repeated under similar circumstances?
Yes, it can. What is required is a slight shift of focus, a step out of the negative habit and the negative mode you have become accustomed to and into the new positive.
Dwell on the positives only. See only the successes and discard all negative and useless information and experiences.
The world is full of negatives. Unfortunately, you and I are continually being bombarded with negative news reports on TV, radio and in the press.
You can accept or reject what is reported in the media. If you accept some of it, you are potentially accepting more negatives into your life. You are allowing the negatives to take hold and to dictate your actions and feelings. You will give away your freedom and your right to decide.
Self-power is permanent and no one can take it away from you. You have the right to choose. You can give your power away, you can throw it away, you can squander it or you can lose it.
What is important is to remember that you can also use it. It is yours, no one else should have it.
Now is the time to take back your power, take back what is yours. Become the master of your own destiny. Take control of your thoughts and beliefs.
Now is the time to create your own reality. Now is the time to live in the now and to stop living in the past. Now is the time to stop living in the world of the negative and to look forward to creating a positive world for yourself and those you come into contact with.
Des Squire is a managing member at AMSI and Associates. Email [email protected].
by Des Squire | Jun 13, 2019 | General
THE way you think every day ultimately determines personal success or failure. If you cultivate positive thoughts, you tend to behave in a positive manner. Similarly, if your thoughts are negative, then your behaviour will be negative.
Many people wake up in the morning and think: “Oh no, not another day at the grind shop”, while others wake up, full of energy and excited about what can be accomplished.
Some wake up and say: “Good morning, God,” while others unfortunately say: “Good god, it’s morning!”
Who do you think will have a better day?
Many people have found that when they tune in to their internal dialogue, much of it is negative. Thoughts like, “I could never do that”, “What if I fail?” or “What if I succeed?” can largely influence the way you behave. This, in turn, affects every aspect of your life.
In all of us there is a critic inside. Everything we do is checked and criticised one way or the other. It is that inner voice that tells you to forge ahead.
The voice you hear in your head is the internal voice of self-talk. This ability to think negatively was developed in early childhood and is based on childhood rules and standards we internalised about how we were supposed to think, feel and behave.
For many years you were “Subject to the Negative Influences of Other People” (SNIOPS). These people are the SNIOPS in your life.
You learnt from them to be critical of yourself. You learnt from them to fear and to be afraid. When you were told not to do something, you didn’t do it. When they told you it wouldn’t work, you didn’t do it.
You accepted from others what they said. After all they were the adults, they had to be right.
You learnt to be critical of others when their standards did not conform to what you expected. You were critical of others when they dressed differently, went to a different church, spoke a different language and so on.
Why? Because that is what others you followed and believed in told you to do or that is what they did. You were subject to the negative beliefs and actions of others.
The critic within is continually judging what you can and cannot do. It is always ready to tell you how insignificant, inadequate, useless and incapable you are.
Positive thoughts
Listen to your internal dialogue and change every negative thought that comes into your head to a positive one.
For example, if you think “I’ll never get this finished by the end of the day!”, change it to “I can get most of this finished by the end of the day”.
Failure comes as a result of self-imposed obstacles and barriers. We sometimes create our own failures by failing to cultivate self-belief. You can succeed irrespective of the obstacles placed before you, whether in life or in business.
It is all about letting go of the “emotional baggage” that holds you back. All you need is already within you, so do not give your power away by just following the crowd.
Believe in your own abilities and focus on the positive aspects of your life. Know what you are capable of.
Put negative aside and consider what it is you have learnt from the various previous experiences. If what you learn gives you something positive to clutch on to, then retain it.
If not, get rid of it or let go of it.
You need to see yourself for who and what you are. You need to start looking at others in your life as mentors and guides on the road to your personal success. You must start to listen and learn from others, but at the same time make personal decisions and judgements.
Yes, you can question what it is others do and why they do it. You are no longer blindly subject to others. But remember that those who lead must first learn to obey.
By adopting this approach you will come to realise that we are all working towards a common goal – success.
Failure is in the mind. If you believe you cannot do something, then you will never.
Des Squire is a managing member at AMSI and Associates. Email [email protected]
by Des Squire | Jun 7, 2019 | General
THERE is no magic about being happy in work, but there are certain standards of behaviour to assist in creating an environment that is more conducive to happiness, personal success and career progression.
It is “attitude, not aptitude that determines altitude” in life and career. Employees can only enjoy work by adopting a professional approach in all they do and by striving for professionalism in every aspect of the job and in their dealings with others. This entails having self-respect, respect for fellow workers, respect for the company, respect for clients and respect for the quality of the work they do. Take away respect and there is nothing left. Employees may have all the skills in the world, but without respect that expertise is worth nothing.
It is the responsibility of management to lead and direct employees to ensure their development, but it is the responsibility of the employee to be a willing worker, a willing learner and a responsible and enthusiastic person. Employees must be prepared to allow others to mould them, while employers must be willing to do the moulding by training and developing employees.
It is important for employees to understand their role in the company, to know where they fit in while learning about the core business of the company. That way they can strive for excellence and accept responsibility for their own career. Below is an exercise you might like to have your employees complete. Ask your employees to think about their current position in the company by considering the following:
- Why do you go to work each day?
- What does your work and responsibilities at work mean to you?
- What is the most exciting aspect of your job?
- If you could change anything you currently do, what would it be?
- What are your current ambitions?
- What can you contribute to the success of your company?
- What have you contributed so far?
After they have considered these questions, get them to complete the following exercise:
- Consider your present position. Would you say you are performing as well as you should be?
- List all of your personal strengths and weaknesses.
- How do your strengths assist you and how do your weaknesses hold you back?
- What can you change, why would you change it and do you want to change?
- Draw up a written personal development plan to assist in making you perform better to ensure that you will be a good role model for others.
To progress and excel in their careers, it is imperative that employees get to know themselves and how they relate and interact with others. Having said that, working with and interacting with others will lead to differences of opinion and even conflict. It is how they deal with such conflict that reveals the sort of person they are.
Conflict can be destructive or constructive. Encourage others not to shy away from conflict, but rather embrace it, learn from it and use it as a building block to self-development. Conflict is an opportunity to express a point of view and above all it is an opportunity to listen and learn from others. Being a member of a team, employees can only be effective if they can interact constructively with others.
As the saying goes, “No man is an island.” It is impossible to work in any environment without interacting with others.
Des Squire is a managing member at AMSI and Associates. Contact [email protected].
