Motivation - Attitude

MOTIVATION - ATTITUDE

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Today’s article is based on a whole piece rather than just a one liner, by an unknown author – but what a piece of work it is!

“There once was a woman who woke up one morning,
looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.
Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today?"
So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day she woke up,
looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.
"H-M-M," she said,
"I think I'll part my hair down the middle today?"
So she did and she had a grand day.

The next day she woke up,
looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.
"Well," she said,
"today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail."
So she did and she had a fun, fun day.

The next day she woke up,
looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.
"YEA!" she exclaimed,
"I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Attitude is everything.

Be kinder than necessary,
for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply,
Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly.......

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.”

I have been engaged, in several conversations about being positive, of late.  Some of these discussions have turned into extremely bitter arguments, some have ruined friendships, some have been taken in the spirit that they were intended and lifted hope – all have had a profound affect on me in my personal capacity.  They have left their mark and in short made me more determined to see the good in life.

That’s not to say that I walk around with a blinkered view of what is happening around me, it just means that although I see the pain, the poverty, the crime and all the nasties that surround my life, I have made a conscious decision to see the good that has come out of these sometimes impossible situations.

Not only have I chosen to see the good, but I have also made a decision to make a difference where I can.

Don’t worry folks that does not mean that I will don flowing robes and headgear and become the next “Mother Theresa”, I am still “Nikki” and the Nikki that those who know me have grown to love – as far as that is concerned, things will remain the same, but I have chosen my attitude.

I challenge you all to look around you and see what is before you, really look and you too will see the good that has grown out of the bad!  Choose to laugh with me, choose to see the view that I see, choose to make a difference in someone else’s life by merely changing your mindset about how you view your own life.

Choose to have the right attitude!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.

HR 101 - Are Employees Protected

ARTICLE 54

Are Employers Protected

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC March 2010

To say that several of my clients have been seriously challenged by some of their employees over the last couple of months would be nothing short of a huge lie!  It’s almost like all the employee misfits of society got together and decided to cause as much chaos in the workplace as they could.  Great business for me, but seriously challenging for my clients.  One of the questions raised by most of the clients affected is “Are Employees protected or is it all for the employee?”

Well here are some facts:

• Section 9 (1) of the Bill of Rights contained in the constitution of South Africa says “Everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law.”
• Section 9 (2) of the Bill of Rights contained in the constitution of South Africa says “Equality includes the full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms.”
• Section 23 (1) of the constitution says “everyone has the right to fair labour practice.”

Here’s the thing though – what does the constitution mean by “everybody” and how “equal” is everyone?  Our perception is that there are some that are more ‘equal’ than others.

Well in my opinion (and remember I am not a legal person) this should mean that employers should have the same rights to fair labour practices as employees and that they should also be entitled to take their employees to CCMA, and sue them for breaching their rights.

Unfortunately, it appears that my opinion does not count as there was a case where the Labour Court said that the CMMA did not have to hear a case where an employer brought charges against an employee for ‘unfair treatment’.  In fact the court said “It is not thought that employers need any protection against unfair resignations by employees.  The majority of workers in this country are still un-unionised and remain extremely vulnerable.” And “in my view the employer remains very economically strong compared to an individual worker and the fact that this protection is afforded the employee but no similar protection is afforded the employer does not come anywhere near to diminishing the power that the employer has.”

Clearly the courts are not prepared to uphold the constitution for all – it only applies to some and furthermore clearly, not everyone is equal!

Sadly there are small companies all over this country, that are closing down due to the economic challenges they face and these are made worse by problem employees who are out to make a quick buck and who have no scruples about who their actions affect.

So how do employees protect themselves, well for me, as usual, it is about implementing systems.  Policies and procedures are a basic requirement of any business and even as a ‘one person show’, I have them implemented in my business.  I have checklists on the ‘when things must be done’ type of issues as well as checklists on the ‘how things must be done’ type issues.  In the chaos and speed that we currently run around in, it is easy to ‘miss’ a step in whatever it is that I am doing and believe me, that ‘missed’ step is going to have a consequence (and one that usually hits me in the pocket/wallet area).

The majority of my clients who were ‘challenged’ by their employees over the last couple of months, did not have the relevant policies and procedures in place and the consequences cost them and those that did have policies and procedures had not implemented them or enforced them and therein lay their greatest problem.

As I’ve said before, and will no doubt say many times again – policies and procedures should be implemented in every business – they protect us from our own stupidity!  Having those policies and procedures on hand and not implementing them  . . . .  well enough said on that!

Understand though, that any ‘self protection’ mechanism that you indulge yourself in, will have to comply with the Labour Laws as ‘equal’ or not, ‘fair’ or not – the workers rights cannot be tampered with. That said however, at least if the policies and procedures are in place, there can and should be consequences!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Blogging 101 - What makes a Blog Well Written - Part 1

BLOGGING TIPS – What Makes a Blog Well Written – Part 1?


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC September 2010

There’s very little, in terms of feeling a great sense of achievement, as writing the last word in your article or blog.  It really gives me a sense of wellbeing that carries me well into the remainder of my day.

Checking my spelling and my grammar is something that I do as a matter of course.  That said though, I have recently become more aware of a few more elements that are needed to ensure that my blog gets read by as many people as possible.  As much as the feeling is absolutely great when you complete the blog, so too is it absolutely  devastating, when you look at the statistics and see that no-one has read the article or blog.  That can be absolutely soul destroying!

So how can we fix this?

Think about this for a moment.  As we travel around town, to and from our places of work, to a meeting or indeed, just going to the local mall, we see the newspaper headlines that are strung from lampposts or advertisements up on billboards everywhere.  The headlines are designed specifically to entice us to buy the newspaper or buy whatever is being advertised.  So too, must our headlines (or titles if you will), entice the readers to read our blogs or websites.

The headline is very important – it must pack a punch, it must captivate the imagination, it must magnetically pull the reader in.

Having the right headline (or title) can actually mean the difference between having your blog being read by a multitude of people and not being read at all.

For me, part of my test is to read the blog out loud.  This means the headline as well.  Read it out loud and then ask yourself a few questions.  What picture does it paint in your head?  Does it make you want to read more?  Does it capture and hold your attention?  Does it draw you in and make you feel like you are a part of the whole story?


The next question is this – I use ‘Google’  to search what I am looking for, but it doesn’t really matter which search engine you use – if your headline was in the line up (of whatever it is that you are looking for), would you be compelled to click on it before you clicked on any of the others?  If you really are stumped and you can’t think of a suitable headline, ask a friend.  Brainstorm!  Throw it out there and see what comes back at you.  You will be amazed at the amount of help there is and even more amazing is the fact that as you practice your writing, your skill at writing will improve immensely.

Next week we will have a look at a few more points on how to write a great blog.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Networking 101 - The Importance of Trust

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 139

The Importance of Trust

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC. November   2009


I was reminded again yesterday about how trust is such an important factor in Networking and referrals.

You see my friend (let’s call her Jill) met me for lunch and was telling me about this huge opportunity that has presented itself to her.  There is this chap (let’s call him John) who heads up a multi million Rand organisation who is looking for a particular product to brand as a corporate gift for his clients.

Jill had a meeting with him on an unrelated issue and he mentioned this corporate gift idea that he had and said that no-one had gotten back to him and that in fact he had had little response from anyone.  How bizarre is that?  The man wants to give someone huge amounts of money and/or business and no-one appears to wants the business!

Well now Jill, who is in a totally unrelated type of business, really does not know how to pass up on a good deal and she asks him if she could perhaps assist him and John gives her 24 hours to get back to him with a proposal.  24 hours people, in a field that she knows nothing about!

You would think that Jill’s initial reaction would be one of “Panic! I have no idea where to even begin to find what he needs” – well, in a way you could be right but more importantly you are most definitely wrong.

Here’s the thing – Jill may not know much about the product that she had 24 hours in which to come up with, but Jill knows me and Jill knows that I know lots of people.  So Jill, who loves to work ‘smart’ rather than ‘hard’ called me!

So here is what happened – I have connected Jill with several people in my database, one in particular being (let’s call her Jane).  Jill and Jane have never met one another, but because I referred both of them, one to the other, they are now doing business and John is a happy man.  My contacts know and trust me and they also know how to deliver.  The result is . . . .  well let’s jus say that Jill owes me several large whiskeys!

Here are two people, who have yet to meet one another, who are doing hundreds of thousands of Rands worth of business because they both know and trust me.

Now that  . . .  is the Power of Networking!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za  or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Business Tips - Setting Goals

BUSINESS TIPS – Setting Goals


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2013

I am sure that you have all heard the old adage that “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it”!  Although many business owners faithfully quote this saying almost on a daily basis, the sad reality is that few actually use it themselves.

The reality is that few actually set goals for themselves – goals that they can actually leverage off for their own personal successes. Goals that are specific, that can be measured – that have meaning and make perfectly logical sense.  Goals that motivate and excite them, that make them jump out of bed in the morning, ready and rearing to face the day.

Many business owners strategize for the business, for the staff, for the clients, for the suppliers  . . .  but fail to develop strategies for themselves.

So the challenge today is for you to develop a strategy for yourself, then work out your plan.  It might be something as simple as getting yourself to more ‘self-development’ type workshops or as complicated as working a four day week, and then a three day week and then a two day week and then a four hour week.

Whatever it is, write it down.  Set actions with deadlines and then focus on achieving your goal.

You know that it is something that you should do, you know it is something that you want to do and most importantly, you know it is something that you can do!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Motivation - Courage to Succeed

MOTIVATION – Courage To Succeed


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – June 2009

David Viscott says “If you could get up the courage to begin, you have the courage to succeed.”

We’ve all heard the words that every great journey starts with a single step!  I know that each time I hear those words they resonate deep down inside, but the words of David seems to take it to a completely different level.

You see I remember, I remember each time I embarked on a particularly difficult journey, how it felt inside and how scared I was.

Take for example when I started my business, now ten years old, how I struggled with myself and my decision.  Making the decision to go on my own was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, yet I knew that if I did not actually make the decision, I would be left ‘wondering’ for the rest of my life!  Wondering what life could have, should have been like and that I was not prepared to do.

Once the decision was made, it took about a year for me to set things up in my own mind and then when everything was set up and the first step had to be taken, that is when I seriously panicked!  I mean really, what was I thinking?  I was in my 40s, I had no alternative income – passive or otherwise.  I was seriously putting myself into what could potentially be a dangerous situation.  I hesitated and procrastinated, all the while knowing what I had to do but still petrified.

Eventually I got sick and tired of feeling fearful – it happens to me, I get bored with the way that I feel, particularly if it is fear, or even being in a bad mood (it never stays too long because I get irritated with myself).  So I took a deep breath and took the big step out into the void and found . . . solid ground.

It’s when I found the core of me, my own value – both issues that I had doubted for most of my life.  It was when I found my true strength and character.  It was when I took ‘my’ power back from all the others that I had allowed to have power over me and to control me.  It was when I found the ‘measure’ of the woman that I was to become.

It is an incredible journey that we travel, this life that we live and if we allow it to be all that it can be, we will truly be who we are meant to be and we would be victorious.

I had the courage to begin and I have never regretted it – do you?

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

HR 101 - Overtime - What You're In For

ARTICLE 52

Overtime – What You’re In For

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC February 2010

There is a huge amount of confusion about what is considered overtime and what actually is overtime and this often causes problems within an organisation – it’s that whole perception and assumption thing that very seldom actually reflects reality.

For example a normal working week is considered (by law) to be 45 hours.  So if an employee works a 5 day week, 8 hour day (remember their lunch times do not constitute ‘working’ time), they have successfully worked a 40 hour week, so working an extra ½ an hour does not mean that they qualify for overtime, because they are still 4 ½ hours short on what they should be working.  Many employees do not understand this and then feel that the employer is ‘cheating’ them out of overtime pay and by the same token, many employers are not aware of this and just pay!  Either way, it is not a good situation and hopefully this article will put things into perspective.

Overtime and work on Public Holidays.
This is where the wording in your Letter/Contract of employment is extremely important.  Unless there is a proper agreement and/or contract in place, according to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the employer is not permitted to ‘force’ the employee to work overtime (remember that this means the time that an employee works during a day or a week in excess of ordinary hours of work) on weekends or public holiday.

If you don’t have anything in place in terms of your Letter/Contract of employment and you, as the employer, require overtime work to be done over a weekend and/or public holiday, your staff would only be obliged to work if you got their agreement, in writing, to do so.

So people, it is in your own best interests to get your Letters of Appointment up to date and in compliance with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.

How to calculate the rates.
Let me be very clear here – there are some employees that are not ‘covered’ by the BCOA (Basic Conditions of Employment Act) – these are (but not limited to):
- Members of the National Defence Force
- (workers in) Senior Management
- Sales staff – who travel
- Workers who work less than 24 hours in a month
- Workers who earn more than an amount gazetted from time to time – clearly this pertains to specialized circumstances and would not affect most employees – if you’re not sure, please contact an HR Specialist.

Then of course there is the, no overtime work will be paid unless the overtime has been authorized by an employee’s Manager or is required in terms of a work roster.

Workers must receive 1.5 times their normal hourly rate of pay or time off in exchange for overtime or they can even receive a combination of the two.

Staff are not obliged to work overtime:
- Unless the overtime has been made by agreement (in your Letter/Contract of employment or by consent in writing)
- If the overtime is more than 10 hours per week (if this is a special circumstance a ‘collective agreement’ can increase this to 15 hours a week, but only for a maximum of two months in any given year.)
- Workers may not work more than 12 hours a day.

Pay for Overtime Work
Like most calculations in life, life is generally made a lot easier if you have a formula to calculate with – overtime remuneration is no exception to the rule.
5 day week overtime calculation:
Those who work a 5 day week work 21.67 days per month, this is accepted as the norm.
The working week is accepted as 45 ordinary hours (not including overtime).
The working day is accepted as a 9 hour day.  The employee is paid for 8 hours and the 1 hour meal break is NOT paid for.  Before every staff members starts weeping and wailing and shouting the odds, this is the law as it is gazetted in the BCOA, so don’t be having a go at your bosses!

So therefore the formula for calculating the hourly rate is:
Salary divided by 21.67 (remember these are the days worked in a month) divided 9 (those are the working hours per day) and 21.67 multiplied by 9 = total working hours per month (195.03 hours).  Therefore if Tommy earns say R5 000 per month then his hourly rate is R25.64 per hour and if he has worked 48 hours in one week, then he is entitled to 3 hours over time at 1.5 times his hourly rate, which would mean that he is entitled to an additional R115.38.

The calculation for employees who work a 6 day week is as follows:
Those who work a 6 day week work 26 days per month, this is accepted as the norm.
The working week is accepted as 45 ordinary hours (not including overtime).
The working day is accepted as a 7.5 hour day.  The employee is paid for 6.5 hours and the 1 hour meal break is NOT paid for.  Before every staff members starts weeping and wailing and shouting the odds, this is the law as it is gazetted in the BCOA, so don’t be having a go at your bosses!

So therefore the formula for calculating the hourly rate is:
Salary divided by 26 (remember these are the days worked in a month) divided 7.5 (those are the working hours per day) and 26 multiplied by 7.5 = total working hours per month (195 hours).  Therefore if Tommy earns say R5 000 per month then his hourly rate is R25.64 per hour and if he has worked 48 hours in one week, then he is entitled to 3 hours over time at 1.5 times his hourly rate, which would mean that he is entitled to an additional R76.92.

So there you have the mysteries of overtime and how to calculate it at your fingertips.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Blogging 101 - The Pros and Cons of Weekend Writing

BLOGGING TIPS – The Pros and Cons of Weekend Writing

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC January 2011

I have often been asked why I don’t have a weekend post.  Well the truth of the matter is that generally speaking, I am battling to keep up with the writing of the daily articles right now, even the thought of having to write another one or two more articles a week, is enough to send me into a state of panic.

The reality though is that many people only work on the internet during the week, although we small business owners would generally not fit into that particular category.  Depending on who you target with your blogs, this would mean that there would be a lower number of readers over the weekend but that the number of readers on a Monday would increase sharply as these readers played “catch up”.

Many individuals though, just stop following a blog if they feel that they have missed too many ‘episodes’ and some also feel really overwhelmed if they have too many unread articles waiting for them from their favorite blogs.

So in view of this, is there even a point to posting something over a weekend?

Well here’s the thing, even though there are many individuals who aren’t on the internet over the weekend, there are still many who are and these clearly are the folk that you need to target.

All the articles that I have read on the subject though really emphasize the need to write shorter, thought provoking articles.  These are sure to catch the attention of the individuals who brave the internet on the weekends as well as appeal to the Monday morning folk who play ‘catch up’.  The weekend readers are also more likely to end up with a burning desire to ‘know more’ and hopefully will then also begin reading your posts during the course of the week.

Remember though to keep it short and interesting.
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Networking 101 - Remember to say Thank You

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 138

Remember to say Thank You

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC. November   2009

Ralph Marston says “What if you gave someone a gift, and they neglected to thank-you for it, would you be likely to give them another?  Life is the same way.  In order to attract more of the blessings that life has to offer, you must truly appreciate what you are already have.”

What makes you think that Networking is any different?  One of the issues around Networking and one of the reasons people don’t believe that it actually does work is the fact that people don’t say thank you or that they don’t appreciate or even respect the referral that they have been given and also that very often people don’t reciprocate.

A couple of months ago, I was at a Networking event that was attached to a huge exhibition.  Walking around the different exhibits, I came across two individuals who I had introduced to each other about three years before, working together at one of the stalls.  I saw synergy between them that they clearly did not see at the time and they have since formed a JV (Joint Venture) that is obviously working very well.

Here’s the thing though – after I introduced them to each other, I have never heard from them again.  In fact, I didn’t even recognise them, they both called out to me as I passed by.  They are still in my database, they still get my ‘newsletters’ and invitations to the workshops that I run (so they know where and how to contact me) – but at no time did they ever feel the need to call me and tell me that they had formed the JV or to thank me for the referral.  From what they told me, they have made loads of money from the relationship and yet no-one has even thought about me – the person that started the whole thing off.

Now quite honestly, whilst I am pleased that they eventually saw (and acted on) the synergies between themselves (that just proves to me once again that Networking does work) I am also quite miffed at the lack of respect that they have shown me.  What they have shown me without a doubt too though, is that they are incredibly ungrateful.  It will be their own loss though at the end of the day, because each and every time, going forward, that I have a possible connection or link for them and to them, I will certainly think twice about referring it.  The connection or referral will go to others in my data base who have shown me respect, who have thanked me and who are obviously grateful about what I have passed onto them.

So think carefully about how you were brought up – I was always taught to say ‘thank-you’ and even if nothing comes of an introduction or referral that has been passed onto me, I always make contact and thank the person who connected me.  The Universe is a really wonderful place, with many opportunities and you have no idea where the next great/big/enormous one is going to come from, so be thankful, be respectful and always be grateful.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za  or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Business Tips - From Employee to Entrepreneur - Part 9

BUSINESS TIPS – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 9

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – April 2013
So far we have looked at:-
1. The difference between being an employee and an employer;
2. Your Purpose:
3. The People around you and
4. Your Personal Footprint.
5. Knowledge & what you do with it
6. The Generosity of your Spirit
7. The Role of Technology in your Business
8. Self Confidence
9. Creativity
10. Focus
11. Vision
12. Result
13. Networking
14. Leadership
15. Management
16. Problem Solving
17. Being Innovative
18. Teamwork
19. Strategy
20. Branding
21. Marketing
22. Profit and Passion

Today we will explore the last three in this series.

1. Scalability
Contrary to popular belief in many quarters, there is a huge difference between being a small business owner and being self-employed.  Make no mistake, whilst it is incredibly important to keep your finger on the pulse of your business and be aware of exactly what is happening in every aspect of it, the reality is, if your business in not fully defined as a company and if it is still reliant on you for it’s very survival, well then you are self-employed. There is no right or wrong for either, it is purely dependent on the way the company (or you) operate.

It is important however, that when you plan for the future that you understand the difference between the two (being self-employed and owning a company that is). 

2. Leverage
At some point in time, most business owners need funding.  Make sure that your business plan remains current as well as accurate and that you have made allowances for the interest that needs to be paid back (when you are calculating what you need and then what you can afford to pay back as well).

And finally . . . . .

3. Legacy
Like it or not, we all leave a footprint of one sort or another on this planet.  We are all responsible, one way or another, for the consequences of our thoughts and actions.

The decisions that you have made, or not, have impacted on our planet, your community, your colleagues, your friends, your family and more importantly on yourselves.

What will be you remembered for when you are gone?

Of course we all need to make money to improve our lives and the lives of our families, but we also need to make a difference and leave the world a richer place for our having been here.

. . . and oh!  Don’t forget to always have fun!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Motivation - Coming Alive

MOTIVATION – Coming Alive

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC – May 2009

Today’s words come from Howard Thurman who says “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go and do that.  Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

I am often fascinated by people.  Sometimes I can be found at the end of a meal or a cup of tea in a mall, just sitting and watching the people go by.

The expressions on their faces really intrigue me and I often wonder about whether some of them are actually alive.  Their faces are devoid of any expression and they are totally ‘blank’.  What goes through the mind of these people, or are they so damaged that they have retreated, so far inside of themselves that they are lost?

Then there are others who walk past who are clearly in love with life and all that it has to offer them.  Their eyes sparkle and their faces light up at the mere thought of where they are going, who they are going to see or what they will encounter.

Their energy cackles all around them and draws everyone in.  Everywhere around them people look to see what is happening or hope to engage in conversation with them or at the very least, make eye contact.

They walk on engrossed in their own thoughts, in love with life and totally oblivious to the stir that they have created.

But wait . . . .  there out of the corner of my eye, I see movement, a glimmer of recognition, a faint memory of what was, or what might have been – on the face of someone, who moments ago wore a face devoid of any emotion, and I sit back and watch to see what happens next.

The face that was devoid of any expression moments ago, avidly watches the face in love with life. 

Slowly a hint of hope appears in the expression on the face that was devoid of any emotion, as the recollection of life and the memory of all it had to offer reaches the surface of the mind and miraculously, like the opening of the petals on a rose bud, so too does the wonderment of life and all of it’s possibilities, reflect on what was once the face devoid of any emotion.

Coming alive has taken place and the world is indeed a better place for it.

Are you one who is alive or do you need to experience the reformation that ‘coming alive’ brings with it?

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

HR 101 - Sexual Harassment - Be Warned

ARTICLE 52

HR 101 - Sexual Harassment – Be Warned

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC February 2010

When we think about ‘Sexual Harassment’ most of us think about the office letch who tries to ‘cop a feel’ at every opportunity at the annual Christmas party or any office function for that matter.

Truth be told, it’s a lot more than that and it covers a vast array of incidents that most of us would never even think about.

Having a look at the code of conduct I came across some startling revelations – these are (but not limited to):

Sexual Harassment charges can be brought about by the unwanted (unwelcome and not mutual) conduct of a sexual nature of Employers, Managers, Supervisors, Employees, Job Applicants, Clients, Suppliers, Contractors and in fact anyone who has dealings with a business.  Here’s the thing to keep in mind if you are the Employer – an employee has the constitutional right to work in a safe environment, so you are not just responsible for your behaviour and that of your staff, but also of all the above type people who may be visiting your offices at some point or another.  How scary is that?

The Code of Conduct also states that Sexual Harassment is not confined to persistent behaviour but can also be a single incident.  So it is not only about the Supervisor who is constantly pinching the rear ends of the female staff but it could be the sandwich delivery chap who winks at the receptionist as he delivers the boss’s sandwich.

Sexual Harassment is also not only of a physical nature but it can also be verbal.  Some of the examples as quoted in the Code of Conduct are listed (but not limited to) below:

1. Physical conduct.
- this pertains to any unwelcome physical contact from someone simply touching you to the more serious charges of sexual assault and rape and it can and often does include a ‘strip’ search by or in the presence of someone of the opposite sex.

2. Verbal Conduct.
- This pertains to things like unwelcome innuendoes or suggestions and hints.  What one person may consider innocent flirtation may be perceived by another as a sexual advance.
- Comments with sexual overtones or sex related jokes, or insults or even graphic comments about a person’s body made in their presence or even directed towards a person, would also fall into this category.
- Inappropriate enquiries and questions about a persons sex life, their sexual orientation or even whistling at a person or a group of persons can (and does) fall into this category.

3. Non-verbal Conduct
- gestures (remember the often used zap sign that we are all so fond of using), indecent exposure (the office flasher and that includes the ‘wardrobe malfunction’ in the form of an exposed boob) and the unwelcome display of sexually explicit pictures and objects (be careful who you send porn to and who reads the jokes in your e-mails) falls into this category.

4. Quid Pr Quo Harassment
- This is when the boss or supervisor or member of management or even a co-employee tries to influence the process of employment.  This is when your increase or promotion or your access to training, the manner in which or when discipline takes place or even your dismissal, or your job application or any employee benefits hang or is dependant upon sexual favours.

5. Sexual Favouritism
- this, of course is when the boss (or a person in authority) rewards only those who respond to his and/or her sexual advances and the rest of the staff are not rewarded at all.

The bottom line is that it is the responsibility of employers to ensure that they create and maintain a working environment in which the dignity of their employees is respected.

 Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Blogging 101 - Full Time Blogging

BLOGGING TIPS – Full Time Blogging


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC July 2011

Someone asked me the other day if I had ever considered writing – blogs, articles, whatever -  full time.  My knee jerk reaction was to burst out laughing and reply “No, not for me thank you”.  That was the end of that particular discussion.  Much later though, I did think about it . . . .  carefully . . .  and I must admit, that although I do love to write, writing full time, meeting daily deadlines and doing research on stuff that I am perhaps not that interested in, will be the quickest way to put me off writing forever!  So my knee-jerk reaction was not so far off the mark after all.

Here’s the thing though – just because writing full time is not for me – doesn’t mean that it can’t be for you. There are probably a few other things that you need to think about before you make that decision though, such as (but not limited to):

Do you really love to write?  I mean really, really love it!  Is it something that you think about all the time?  Do the stories and words just run around in your head and continuously spill out as you frantically try and get them written down?  Do they make ‘little tornadoes’ in your mind until you can think of nothing else, but getting them written down and then as soon as they are written, is your mind instantaneously filled up with the next story or more words? Whenever you go somewhere, as you look around you, are the words describing the experience or what you are looking at, forming in your mind and demanding to be written?  If I was asking myself these questions and I had to reply “no” to any one of them – I would seriously re-think whether I was meant to be writing full time.  You have to have the passion, if you don’t, you will end up hating to write.

Are you leaving your current job?  Ok, so this one is a biggie!  For me this is a big question – you see, I am passionate about what I do.  My business has been going since 2003 and each day put’s me that much closer to my goal – the one that the dream was started and built on.  My business is how I make my bread and butter and would I be prepared to either “dump” the whole thing or put everything on hold whilst I write full time?  I think not! Even if I were to decide to go the writing full time route, it would need to start slowly as it is not something that I have been trained to do – better to start off,  say blogging part time and see how that goes.  My advice on this one would be caution – a lot of caution!

Learning and research.  Talking about not being trained to write for a living, are you prepared to learn?  I know that many people pay ‘lip service’ to the whole idea of ‘learning new stuff until the day we die’, but the reality is that many folk don’t want to be ‘learning’ new stuff every day.  I know that from my own experience, every time I write a new blog or an article,  I have to do some sort of research and in so doing, I learn something new.  So, contrary to popular belief, it’s not just about my opinion, it’s also about the facts and to get to the facts, you have to do the research – are you willing to spend that kind of time.  If not, then I seriously suggest that you don’t go into writing full time.

Collaboration.  Here’s another thing that many people pay ‘lip service’ to.  Many ideas are born out of ‘brain storming’ or people discussing issues or people sharing experiences.  Are you one of those kinds of people or is ‘your stuff’ exactly that – ‘Your stuff’?  Often writing an article is a very personal or even intimate thing that is torn from you.  It can be painful or even embarrassing – would you be able to share then?  Perhaps I should also ask – COULD  you part with it then?  I know from my own experience that there are some stories that I had to write down, that is often how I have dealt with some of the issues from my past, but that doesn’t mean that I am willing to part with them or share them, but what about if you are being paid to write that particular story – how would you feel about parting with it then?

Endurance and patience.  Just like any other enterprise, you have to endure and be patient.  Chances are that you are not going to be earning huge amounts of money from stuff that you have written, five minutes after you have written it and before the ink is properly dry on the page. I have often heard journalists talking about how badly they are paid and how they write for the ‘love of it’. That writing is not a job, it’s a ‘calling’ or even a ‘responsibility’.  The reality is that like any other job or business endeavor, it takes time.  Again from my own experience, I have been writing my blogs now for a good 5 years and I am only now starting to reap the rewards.  Has it been worth it – absolutely!  Without a doubt!

Could I do it full time – absolutely not!  The question here of course actually isn’t about whether I could write full time or not – the question is, can you?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za 

Networking 101 - Mix with Positive, Passionate People

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

Mix with Passionate, Positive People

PART 136

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC. November   2009

One of the things that has become more and more evident to me as I continue on this Networking journey that I have undertaken is this: I have to mix with positive, passionate people!

I am currently going through my data base to clean out all the people who I never hear from or who have moved or just plain fallen off the planet (and believe me it is something that you need to do at least twice a year) and as I delete certain folk off the list, I am both saddened and relieved.

Saddened because, no matter how hard I have tried they just did not get the plot and they remain negative.  They just cannot or will not see what is right in front of them – that’s their choice I guess.  There are so many opportunities out there for people who will just look and then act.

Relieved because, well it’s hard on me to continually hit my head against a brick wall and quite frankly I don’t have to do that at all.  For every person that I delete off the list I have no doubt that there will be five or more that I add onto the list.  Five more individuals who are passionate about what they do and who will go for opportunities with me.

You see I choose to work with and mix with individuals who want to grow their businesses and who want to grow their profits.  I choose to work with individuals who are not only passionate about what they do but also passionate about life.  I want to work with people who are full of enthusiasm for life and for business and whose enthusiasm is infectious and contagious.

You see I believe that you become like the people that you mix with and I have no desire to be negative and a pessimist.  I want to see the good in life, I want to live the good life and I want to empower others to do the same.

So here’s the thing – if you are one of those folk who are negative, who always see the bad in everything, who always have something derogatory to say about people, the country, the politics (insert anything you like here), please do me a favour – walk the other way when you see me.  Quite honestly there is no room in my life for you!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za  or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Business Tips - From Employee to Entrepreneur - Part 8

BUSINESS TIPS – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 8


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – March 2013

So far we have looked at:-
1. The difference between being an employee and an employer;
2. Your Purpose:
3. The People around you and
4. Your Personal Footprint.
5. Knowledge & what you do with it
6. The Generosity of your Spirit
7. The Role of Technology in your Business
8. Self Confidence
9. Creativity
10. Focus
11. Vision
12. Result
13. Networking
14. Leadership
15. Management
16. Problem Solving
17. Being Innovative
18. Teamwork
19. Strategy

Believe it or not there are a whole lot more – today we will explore a few more.

1. Branding
We all know just how important it is to brand ourselves.  Think about it for a moment, even the huge big brands like Coca Cola continue to spend millions on advertising, just to ensure that their branding remains forefront in the minds of the general populace.  Even the famous ‘no name brands’ are . . .  well brands in themselves – they brand the Pick ‘n Pay’s and the Checkers, as the in-house cheaper, but ‘just as good quality’ products.

The message is therefore very clear – if you don’t brand yourself, you are quite possibly branding someone else and you are most definitely sending prospective client’s elsewhere.  So get yourself and/or your company properly branded before you start you marketing campaigns.

2. Marketing
Marketing is about getting your message out there – the “who you are” and the “what you sell”, be that product or service.  It makes logical sense then that who you are and what you sell will only affect the people that ‘hear’ about you or travel as far as your message goes.  Pretty much like you may very well be known by everybody at your child’s nursery school, if you move to another province no-one at the new nursery school will know you at all.  In order for your marketing to be successful it has to reach everyone in your target market.

3. Profit and Passion
Unless you are a well-heeled (or married to a well-heeled) philanthropist, the fact of the matter is that you will need to make a living and in order to make a living you will need to make a profit.  Yes I know that ‘doing what you love’ means that it doesn’t feel like work, but that’s the beauty of doing what you love and charging for it – you will get out as much as you put in!  Okay, you might not get it out straight away, but you will reap the rewards at some point.  My workshop that was written almost 10 years ago now, has just brought in a huge lump sum and I mean huge – I wish you could see the look of pure glee on my face right now.  Actually if the truth be told, it is exactly that passion that you need in order to put the kind of effort in that will determine the kind of rewards that you will eventually get out.

If you’re doing it for free, you are not a business person but rather a philanthropist, if you are doing it for a fee then you are a business person – the challenge here of course is that you need to decide just who you are.


Next time we will continue to look at some of the other issues that you will need or be aware of to become a successful Entrepreneur.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

HR 101 - Avoid Using Hearsay

ARTICLE 51

Avoid Using Hearsay

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting CC February 2010

I am sure we have all watched the legal type movies on TV where whoever is in the witness box being questioned, says something along the lines of ‘Joe told me . . . .’ and then the oppositions lawyer stands up and says “objection – hearsay”!  Well that’s the way the law says that you cannot give evidences about what someone else said!

I have, of late, been the chair of several disciplinaries and in most cases, the employees have, in an attempt to gather sufficient evidence to be able to get a verdict of dismissal, relied on their verbal evidence.  Now that is all fine as long as the person being disciplined actually agrees that the complainant’s (usually the employers) evidence is correct.  The minute they disagree with what is being said, a problem occurs as it becomes a ‘he said/she said’ type of situation.

Having documentary evidence is of vital importance and is also a legal requirement.  So for example, it would be important to have the written procedure in place as well as the documented evidence that the procedure has not been followed.  That said, it is equally important to have the correct person present the evidence at the disciplinary hearing.  Having someone for example, who is not well versed in the policies and procedures in the company or who is totally unaware of what actually happened will result in more harm than help to the case, as the manner in which the evidence is presented is almost as important as the evidence.

The document that is presented should also be in the original form and the fact that the document is authentic would also need to be established.  This is to ensure that documentation is not suddenly produced ‘after the fact’ and also to ensure that the information in the documentation is relevant and admissible to the case.

The usual procedure is for the complainant to give oral evidence at the hearing and the oral evidence would then be backed up by the documents as and when they are entered into evidence.  Witnesses would then be brought forward to corroborate the evidence both verbally and with the relevant documentation.  Showing or evidencing that the accused employee is aware of the contents of the documentation could then also be necessary.

Let me be clear on something though – if the document cannot be proved to be authentic then the document and/or its contents cannot be admitted into evidence.  The party (being the complainant or the accused) who enters the document into evidence, holds the burden of proof.

There is only one type of evidence that the chairperson of a disciplinary hearing can accept as the truth without the burden of proof and that is called ‘A judicial notice’.  This pertains to certain facts that would be commonly known and it means that it is not necessary for any evidence to prove these facts.  An example of this, is an ICU (Intensive Care Unit) nurse is charged with smoking in a dangerous and non-smoking area whilst she is attending to patient who is on oxygen.

Usually the complainant would have to prove that the accused actually smoked in the ICU and also that the ICU is actually a non-smoking area and that smoking near someone who is on oxygen is dangerous.  In this instance the chairperson could rule that the complainant need only prove that the accused was indeed smoking, as it is a judicial notice (an acceptable fact) that it is dangerous to smoke in an ICU area.

Basing a hearing on ‘knowing’ that the accused is guilty or only documentary evidence or only witness testimony is not a good idea.  You have to have sufficient ‘admissible’ evidence both oral and documentary, to prove the guilt of the accused.

Remember too though, that no matter how much you have proved the accused guilty to yourself, it also has to be proved in the perspective of the chairperson/arbitrator or Labour Court judge.

 Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Blogging 101 - The Monday Blues

BLOGGING TIPS – The Monday Blues


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC - December 2010

Sadly for many, Monday mornings are a challenge!  They symbolize the return to the drudge that is their working life.  For many the stress of starting a new week can seem overwhelming.  Some just can’t get going and like my staff in my corporate days, need a good swift virtual kick up the rear end to get them going.

With this in mind, your blog needs to pack a punch to make a statement, to stand out from the rest.

Remember, like most of us – people get to work and usually the first thing that they do is look at their mail boxes and discover . . . .  27 million e-mails in their inboxes (me, exaggerate – don’t be ridiculous).  By the time they have waded through the first 20 or so, the delete button become the favorite new toy of the day, so believe me when I tell you that the title of your Monday blog needs to jump off the screen screaming READ ME!

Oh – and when they drop everything to open up and read your blog, best it be worth the time and trouble they took to click onto your article, or believe me (again) that the little delete button will be working overtime!

For me, the “Motivation” series that I have going, works really well, although in all honesty they are more of a challenge or a ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ kind of well . . .  motivation (usually meant for me specifically), and as such I believe that it sorts of ‘set you up’ for the coming week.

Hopefully, they inspire, motivate and even challenge you to get done whatever it is that needs to be done.

The point though is that you have to be different, innovative and clearly unique.  Make your message so exciting or profound that the reader is left, excitedly looking forward to reading your next article.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Networking 101 - Getting that Job

THE POWER OF NETWORKING

PART 134

Getting that job

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC. October   2009

Everybody is looking for ‘that job’!

Irrespective of whether you are working for a boss or self employed or in your own business, we are all looking for ‘that job’!  You know the one that I mean – that elusive cushie job that has the money all flowing in, be it money or because it’s easy, or full of challenges or even just because it is something that you really love doing and you’re in a constant state of euphoria.  Doesn’t really matter what the reason behind it is, the reality is that we all want it.

Do we ever get it?  Well I’m not too sure about you guys, but I certainly do, quite often in fact and even when I was in the Corporate world, there were moments when I got ‘that job’, so I am pretty sure that it must be the same for most folk.

Thing is though, the more often I get it, the more I want it!  Now that’s the beauty of Networking – the more I Network, the more often I get to get ‘that job’.  How cool is that?

Let’s take the Corporate world for a moment.  The Corporate world and the so called global economic meltdown (nope, I still haven’t bought into it and the results of this can be clearly seen in the growth spurt in my financials) are not really a good mix.  Millions of people worldwide have been retrenched, major projects have been stopped midway or abandoned altogether and even, what was considered the most secure position in the Corporate world, could very well be non existent tomorrow (fear will do that to you every time).  Now think about it for a minute, could you imagine the thoughts going through the head of a Corporate somebody, who has been retrenched and who is desperate for work and who has never done Networking of any kind?  That’s got to be a really scary place to be.

Yet here we are as small business owners and/or entrepreneurs, with the world at our feet, with opportunities that abound and the majority of us don’t Network properly either.  What a shame!

Successful Networkers, ensure that the networking never stops.  It doesn’t stop because you’ve landed the perfect job/project/client (insert what you would like here), it’s in your blood and when you are not Networking, you are thinking about Networking – well at least it’s like that for me.  I am constantly out and about, meeting new people, building relationships, connecting people, referring people.

Is it not logical then, that I get to meet and/or engage with people who need a specific service that I can provide?  Is it not logical then, that I get to land ‘that job’ on a far more frequent basis than someone who doesn’t Network?

Is it not logical then, that we should all be out there Networking, engaging with others and connecting others in order for us also to be connected to others and referred to others and in so doing growing our businesses and landing ‘that job’?

It is to me!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za  or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Business Tips - From Employee to Entrepreneur - Part 7

BUSINESS TIPS – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 7


By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – February 2013

So far we have looked at:-
1. The difference between being an employee and an employer;
2. Your Purpose:
3. The People around you and
4. Your Personal Footprint.
5. Knowledge & what you do with it
6. The Generosity of your Spirit
7. The Role of Technology in your Business
8. Self Confidence
9. Creativity
10. Focus
11. Vision
12. Result
13. Networking
14. Leadership
15. Management

Believe it or not there are a whole lot more – today we will explore a few more.

1. Problem Solving
I doubt that there is a single business owner or entrepreneur out there who can honestly say that there is a single day that they don’t have to solve some sort of problem or another.  You have to be able to think outside of the box, change your mindset or your perspective and even think laterally.  Remember each problem that you solve successfully brings you one step closer to your ultimate goal and your success in the long term.

2. Being Innovative
In keeping with the previous point, all small business owners are innovative in one way or another – yes all of them, even the bookkeepers and accountants.  They have to be in order to compete.  Each business owner or entrepreneur has to find a ‘different’ way to do things.  They each have to make what they offer different to what everyone else offers (and I am not suggesting that anyone does anything illegal here okay!) The more unusual your offering or product, the more likely your company will become valuable.

3. Teamwork
A task/problem shared is a task/problem halved . . .  There is nothing truer than that, provided of course that you have the right team in place. Even though every team has a leader, someone who carries the ultimate responsibility and accountability, the reality is that a team where everyone contributes to ‘ideas’ as well as the tasks, works better together.  A team where everybody is part of the decision process is stronger as they are all working towards a common goal. Make sure that you have such a team!

4. Strategy
Winning the Lotto is by chance (provided of course that you have bought yourself a ticket).  Winning in business is because you have planned properly and you have a strategy in place.  Beware that your strategy and planning don’t stay in that stage, remember you need ‘action’ to get the work done and succeed.

Next time we will continue to look at some of the other issues that you will need or be aware of to become a successful Entrepreneur.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za