Inspiration – Doing, Not just Talking

Inspiration – Doing, Not just Talking

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Towards the end of 2008, I was invited to the Launch of the Soweto Project at the Ubuntu Kraal in Soweto and one of the things that became absolutely apparent was that people are tired of the ‘Talkers’.  One after the other people stood up and said “We have heard this ‘Talk Show’ before, when are we going to see the ‘Do Show’?”

I was amazed!

You see, lately (and I suspect for some time now) I have become more and more irritated with the number of ineffectual, time wasting individuals who are puffed up, like ‘hot air balloons’, with the amount of worthless gas and uninspired drivel that they seem never to run out of, as they stand up on their public platforms, and pontificate.

From politicians (who seem to be outdoing themselves at the moment as the political race to the finish line gets going), to trainers and coaches, from small business owners to the large corporate giants, they all have a story to tell and it seems to be the same story!  From the banks who tell you how serious the are about your money, or how motivated they are to the government bodies who are there, supposedly to assist you in growing the economy – the story is all the same.  It goes along the lines of “We are wonderful, we care about you so much that we will . . . .”  (fill in the blanks yourself), and at the end of all the sprouting and erupting, all the pontificating and posturing they deliver exactly . . . . nothing!

I am sick and tired of people who tell me what wonderful leaders they are, yet they couldn’t find the paper bag, let alone lead themselves out of one.

I’m sick and tired of the personal and life skills coaches, who tell you how you should live your life, yet should probably be committed to some sort of institution because of the mess that their lives are in.

I’m sick and tired of the politicians who talk about morality and ‘doing the right thing’ whilst groping in my pocket for my last cent!

I’m sick and tired of the ‘talkers’ who never deliver and who usually do the exact opposite of what it is that they are telling me to do!

Talk is cheap and it looks like it is getting a lot cheaper!

I want to find the people who ‘walk the walk’.  I want to find the people who DO what they say they will do, when then say they are going to do it and in the manner in which they say they are going to do it.

I want to find the people who do things themselves, in exactly the same manner as they tell me to do them.

I want to find the people who do what they say they are going to do, who consistently and deliberately take action on their promises.

I want to find the people who not only commit to things but who also make good on their commitments.

Those are the people that I want to follow and respect.  Those are the people that I want as my ‘role models’.

Those are the people who I want to mix with and do business with and refer to my colleagues, my clients and my friends.

Are you someone that I want in my ‘circle of influence’?

Are you a person who will be judged by what you do or are you just like them or are you just another bag of hot air that emits pollution into the atmosphere.

I know which person I want to be – 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 - Failure to Disclose – Part 1

HR 101 - Failure to Disclose – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements

I certainly have had a few clients that have been on the receiving end of this particular situation and all for the wrong reasons – however this topic, like most connected to HR, is a double sided coin and I will endeavour to illustrate this by means of two stories – one will be a happy ending for the employer and one won’t.

Let’s deal with the happy ending first and bring out my favourite protagonists.

Mike owns a high end jewellery store in a popular very busy mall.  He is well situated in the mall and his store is internationally known and respected.  His hand crafted, individually designed jewellery is highly sought after and prized.

Mike’s mother used to do his books and she was also the cashier in the store, but now in her 80’s she has decided to finally retire.  Mike is looking for someone to replace his mother – someone who is not only competent with accounting but also someone he can trust.

Mike puts the word out and starts the whole interview process.  Mike, being an ‘attention to detail’ kind of guy is very clear about what his requirements are and as part of his interview process he is clear about what qualifications the applicant must have, that references will be checked and what documents the successful applicant must be able to provide in terms of legislation and compliance.  Mike does not want to have any problems with the Department of Labour down the line. Part of Mike’s interview questionnaire is the question “Do you have criminal record”?  Sarah smiled when she answered this question with a very resounding No.

After several gruelling weeks of interviewing, Mike finally settles on a young Nigerian woman by the name of Sarah.  Sarah is well groomed, erudite, has all the correct qualifications and she assures Mike that she is able to work here in South Africa as she has the required documentation.

Sarah is employed on the proviso that her references check out and that she provides the relevant documentation.  Sarah starts work the following day and Mike is pleased with his choice of candidate as Sarah fits right in from the very beginning.

Mike starts checking references and cannot get through to any of the numbers provided.  Mike understands that the references are for Companies and people who live in Nigeria and with the time difference there could be some difficulty, but he is mindful of the fact that these references have to be checked and he persists.  In the meantime, every time he asks Sarah for her documentation there is some sort of reason or another as to why she has not brought them along.  Mike keeps reminding her that he needs the documents and Sarah keeps promising to bring the documents to work.  Somehow she never does.

Mike continues to struggle to get through to the numbers that Sarah has provided and eventually Mike decides to contact the Nigerian Embassy to see if they can provide him with the correct telephone numbers for the Company that he is trying to contact.  The Embassy gives him the correct number and he eventually (some 5 weeks after Sarah has started work) gets through to the Company that she worked for in Nigeria.  Mikes speaks to the Company  CEO and he is absolutely horrified at what he discovers.  Sarah was caught selling ‘blood diamonds’ and had served time for this crime.

Mike calls Sarah in and confronts her with his findings.  Sarah breaks down and admits that this information is correct but that when Mike asked her if she had a criminal record, she assumed that he meant in South Africa.  The reason that she did not give him her documentation is because this information appears on one of the documents and of course she did not want him to see it. Mike is understandably furious and a disciplinary hearing is held and Sarah is dismissed for non-disclosure.

Of course Sarah goes to the CCMA and lays a claim of ‘unfair’ dismissal because according to her she had been asked this question purely because she was Nigerian.

The Chairman ruled in favour of Mike because the question that he asked in terms of the criminal record was part of his interview process and that all the applicants had been asked the same question – Sarah had not been singled out at all.  Furthermore, in view of highly sensitive issue around blood diamonds and the fact that Mike’s business involved the use of diamonds, employing someone who had trafficked in blood diamonds, could have a negative impact on his business.

In this instance, following the correct procedures in terms of the interview process as well as disciplinary and  dismissal procedures is what won the day for Mike.  As usual, if you are not 100% sure of what you should be doing or where you stand legally, get yourself some help.

Next time we will hear about a not so happy ending for an employer.

 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

Leadership 101 – Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

Leadership 101 – Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting October (Pty) Ltd

“If I have seen further (than others), it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

This is a quote from Isaac Newton, mathematician, astronomer & physicist and they are pretty much the words that I try to live by.

I learnt pretty quickly when I started out in 2003, that I am not an island and that I needed help – not just any old help, mind you, but specifically help from people who knew what they were doing in their chosen profession.

I learnt that by ‘following’ them (and I don’t mean in a stalkerish type way) and doing things the way that they did them, I saved a huge amount of money (in school fees), and an even bigger amount of time and of course, I saved myself the angst that we all go through when we try new things.

I learnt that there would still be lessons that I needed to learn on my own, but by measuring my progress on the stuff that I did do on my own and measuring my progress when I learnt from a Master – my progress was far better when I learnt from a Master.

In fact one of the first lessons I learnt from the Master was to measure everything.  If you don’t measure how on earth do you know if or how you are progressing.

Some of my “Master Guru’s” are Dr John Demartini, T Harv Eker, Roger Hamilton and here in South Africa, Brian Walsh.  All of these men started at the bottom and worked their way up to being multi-millionaires.  They all teach the ‘how to’ to anyone who cares to listen and to learn.  Their passion and conviction and congruence is evident by the way that they live their lives.  They don’t just talk the talk, they live their talk.  It is therefore apparent that in order to be really successful, you have to be congruent.

I have learnt that you have to be clear on what it is that you want to achieve and then by means of a plan, you have to “act”.  A dream or a goal without action is just . . . well a dream or a goal.

I have learnt not to hide my light but let it shine brightly.

I have learnt to speak my truth (even if that truth is not well received by the recipient.)

I have learnt to be humble, but at the same time to take pride in what I do and to be proud of my achievements.

I have learnt that I need to learn on a ‘ongoing’ basis -  not only to learn, but also to implement and share what I have learnt. The more I learn, the more I think differently and when I think differently, I do things differently and this allows me to succeed.

I have learnt that we all serve in one way or another and that we should always ‘give back’ something – even if that something is only our time. Paying it forward should become a habit, something that we do not even need to think about.

I have learnt all of this and so much more, by standing on the shoulders of these (and many more) giants.

I am grateful to these Giants and the many other’s whose books I read, whose podcasts, webinars and talks I was watch and listen to. I am eternally grateful to the Universe for putting these people into my life serendipitously. Thank 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 - Remember to say Thank You

Networking 101 - Remember to say Thank You

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

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 – Rising to the Occasion – Part 3

Business Tips – Rising to the Occasion – Part 3

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Here we are looking at some more solutions to challenges around us as individuals and how we view ourselves as either winners or losers.  How we look at ourselves in terms of success or failure and how we can solve some of these issues.

• Words:  Think about the words that you use.  Change your mindset and instead looking at “problems”, look at ‘challenges’; or ‘opportunities’.  The way that we use words and what they mean to our subconscious minds is very important to how we look at ourselves and how we judge ourselves.

I am sure that we are all aware of the thinking around affirmation and how if we tell ourselves, often enough and long enough, how excellent we are that we will eventually believe it.  Surely then if we continue to say the words “challenges” or “opportunities”, we will start looking for opportunities and finding solutions to challenges!

• I am sitting at a “Women Making a Difference In Africa Conference” as I write this and so far this morning, all the speeches have been about ‘doom and gloom’.  My upbeat and optimistic mood of this morning has definitely slipped its moorings and has drifted somewhat southwards.  As I look around the people in the room, the looks on their faces speak volumes.  Some are bored to tears, some are filled with fear, some are angry at what is being said and me . . .  well I have found something useful to occupy my time . . I am writing this article and rising to this particular occasion. 

You see, I refuse to be engulfed in the fear that is all around us.  I refuse to live my life in accordance with what other people desire to do in their own lives.

For me it is of the utmost importance to get past the fear and pessimism if I want my life and my life’s purpose to inspire greatness in others.

Next time will be the final part in sharing some of the solutions to the challenges that we may encounter as we all attempt to rise to the challenge.

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

Inspiration – Directing Anger

Inspiration – Directing Anger

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

William Arthur Ward says “It is wize to direct your anger towards problems – not people; to focus your energies on answers – not excuses.”

How true is that?  I don’t know if it is that time of my life for me, or if it is because we are now well and truly in the “Age of Aquarius” or if I am just becoming cranky with old age, but I seem to have lost the ability to have patience with the masses and salespeople in particular.

The level of service in this country (and I suspect all over the world) just seems to be non existent and added to that the use of call centers that may or may not be in this country at all, serves to crank up the crankiness for me. Much of what goes on in a call center is about power – well that is how it comes across, especially when you ask to be put through to a supervisor because the half wit that you are dealing with has about as much brainpower as a paper clip.  Getting the run around (come on now we have all been there) because “no-one is available right now” and being given another number and then another number and then the number that you started off with as they shunt you from pillar to post, with no-one actually taking responsibility for what they are doing.

For me on a personal level, solving problems is what I love to do.  In fact it could be said that that is what my business is all about – so how then do I deal with the problem, if the problem is the people?  For me it is an easy solution – you see in my business I don’t have any staff, probably because I deal with problem people all day long.  My clients often have really problem people and there are several ways to deal with those – it is after all what I do.  Trying to talk to someone who has more than half a brain cell, in a call center though – now that is a challenge.  

How about I give you the solution to that one too.  Well what I do is that I document what I have said (whether or not they tell you that the conversation is being taped or not) and I request a reference number and of course, I take down their details.  I get the details of the so called supervisor, who is never available and I start sending out e-mails and letters and I keep a record of who I spoke to, the time of day that the conversation took place, the problem that I was trying to resolve, the reference number that they have given me and of course the all important e-mail address of the supervisor.  Sooner or later I actually get a call from the supervisor or someone pretending to be a supervisor, and at this point my problem gets resolved.

I have noticed though, that no amount of shouting and screaming at the half dead individual on the other end of the phone, at the call center will help to get the problem resolved, it will just increase my blood pressure and I promise it does not make me feel any better afterwards either.  So what’s the point?

Does this mean that all queries or complaints should be handled in this way – of course not.  But then life is full of shouldn’ts and won’ts and we just have to find a way to get to the “should” and can.  Documenting it also, in some ways makes me feel better and I also have proof what happened, when it happened and how it happened, when that little tape that they recorded suddenly is missing and for the record, sometimes the getting even is worth the time that it took to write the letter or e-mail in the first place, especially when the apology is backed by a little freebie too.

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 - Religious Discrimination – Part 2

HR 101 - Religious Discrimination – Part 2

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements

As promised here is the story version of what happened at the CCMA.  Let’s bring out the protagonists.

Mike owns a very busy little gym in a quiet suburb and he has several body builder type staff working for him as personal trainers.  Patrons are not encouraged to work out on their own, but are allocated their own personal trainer(s) to assist them with getting the best out of a workout.  Patrons are then encouraged to make use of the gym’s masseurs, who are all properly trained in working with sports injuries.

As part of the branding, all staff are required to wear uniforms – the males are required to be clean shaven, with short hair (for hygiene purposes) and the females are required to wear their hair (specifically long hair) up in a ponytail and away from their faces.  When in the indoor heated pool, all staff are required to wear swimming caps, again for hygiene purposes and to minimize the amount of hair fallout.

Mike’s business is expanding with more and more sports patrons coming to his gym to receive expert training and he has had to increase the number of personal trainers and masseurs.  Mike’s letter of appointment specifies that the gym is open 7 days a week and the hair and hygiene requirements and he is careful to explain the reasons for the requirements at the interviews to ensure that both male and female staff are aware of the requirements and that they agree to them up front.

Everything goes along splendidly for several weeks and then he notices that several of the male staff are not shaving regularly.  Mike calls a staff meeting and reiterates the requirements and instructs all the male staff to come to work ‘clean shaven’ on a daily basis.  Mike further states that staff members who do not properly portray the image of the gym and the brand will be sent home to sort out what is required, at their own cost and without pay for the time wasted.

The following day, several of the staff again came to work unshaved and when Mike instructed them to go home and shave, they refused on religious grounds.  They explained to Mike that they belonged to the Nazarene religion and that this religion forbade them to shave or even trim their beards.  All of them were instructed to attend individual disciplinary hearings and all of them were dismissed.

Of course all of them went off to the CCMA and they claimed that their dismissal was automatically unfair as it was based on their religion.

Mike stood his ground and stated that:-
• Apart from the fact that beards made personal trainers and masseurs look dirty and untidy, all of these employees had been briefed on the requirements of being clean shaven as this was a hygiene requirement as well as part of the branding and therefore image of the company.
• All of the employees had arrived for the interview, clean shaven, they had signed their letters of appointment, thereby contractually agreeing to be clean shaven and
• For the first couple of week’s  they had all come to work clean shaven, with no problem at all.
• At no time, until they all refused to shave, had any of them advised Mike that they were of a religion that forbade them being ‘clean shaven’.  Clearly Mike was perplexed by this development.

The Court decided in Mike’s favour based on the following facts:
• There were several issues with this particular religion that were forbidden, yet the staff had transgressed on all of them, such as but not limited to: - the employees worked on a Sunday (and had never refused to do so) despite the fact that they were forbidden to do so in terms of their faith.
• The staff had arrived for their interviews clean shaven and had remained that way for several weeks despite the fact that they were forbidden to do so in terms of their faith.  These two issues indicated that the church was ‘flexible’ in the application of these rules.
• The staff could not show that they would have to ‘suffer a harsh penance’ for breaching the rule of not shaving.
• It was evident that these employees were selective in their choice of which religious laws and rules they would follow and which they wouldn’t.
• The fact that Mike was very consistent in applying the rules of ‘clean shaven’ male faces etc. evidenced that these staff members had not been singled out on the basis of their religion, but rather on their non-adherence to laid down company procedures that had been previously and meticulously followed, by these very same employees.
• Grooming and hygiene was an important and integral factor in the running of a private gym.

Be warned though, just because Mike won this case , doesn’t mean that employers will always win cases based on ‘unfair discrimination’ relating to religion and beliefs – each case should be looked at in terms of its own merits and it is advisable to employ the services of a HR/IR (human resources/industrial relations) expert when in doubt.

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

Leadership 101 – Build the Fire Within

Leadership 101 – Build the Fire Within

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Bob Nelson says “You get the best efforts from others by not lighting a fire beneath them, but by building a fire within.”

One of my favorite sayings when I am dealing with clients who are no longer even holding the reigns of their own Company is “This is a business and not a democracy!”

The reason for this is that a Company is legislated and has many requirements and therefore much responsibility and accountability.  The accountability stops with the Business Owner or Chairman or CEO., depending on the hierarchy of the business structure, irrespective of whether that person is an effective leader or not.

In my opinion, it is therefore extremely important for the “Leader” to keep this in mind.

I agree that it is far easier to get someone’s ‘buy in’ to an idea than it is to drag them kicking and screaming towards the watering hole.

To get that ‘buy in’ however, it is extremely important to have the right people or the right team!  People who have the same vision and the same desires.  People who are inspired by the end goal. This is also one of the reasons that it is just as important to have diversity within the team, so that individuals will challenge themselves and each other to achieve that goal.

The goals must be the same, the outcomes must be the same and the intent needs to be the same -  how you get there, well on that point they can be as flexible or direct as they make it, as long as the desired result is achieved and obviously preferably as long it achieved in a legitimate way.

The innovation around the “How To” get that goal achieved is the fire that needs to ‘be built within’ and that fire is often achieved by diversity.

A leader who is clearly passionate about what they want, and if that passion is authentic and congruent to who they are and how they live their truth, is far more likely to inspire and ‘light’ the fire that will burn within rather than one who just lights the fire beneath.

Be the leader that you would want to light your fire within and inspire you to be all that you can be and do all that needs to be done.

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 - Don’t get lost in the day to day stuff

Networking 101 - Don’t get lost in the day to day stuff

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

I see it all around me all of the time and quite frankly it was one of the reasons that I started this Networking blog in the first place.  What on earth is  she talking about, you must be wondering – well it’s quite simply this, all SMME’s/Entrepreneurs get caught up in the day to day running of their businesses or dealing with one crisis after another.  This usually means that they often cannot see the wood for trees and then bad decisions are made with bad solutions being brought into place and these of course have really bad consequences.

We get lost in our own minds and head space and I have even, on occasion heard someone say that they felt ‘lonely’ in business.  We get this whole mentality that it’s us against the world, us all on our lonesome!  What about the “I am an island” syndrome – I wonder how many times I had to hear that particular phrase?

Here’s the thing though, we are not alone, much as we would often like to do the dramatic “woe is me” thing and play the ‘victim/martyr’ role.  The reality is that we are really not alone.  Every small business owner/entrepreneur out there has gone through/is going through/will go through, exactly what you and I are going through right now!  How presumptuous of us to think that we are so completely special in the grand scheme of things, that we get to do things differently. 

Not only are we not intrinsically different to every other SMME/Entrepreneur out there, but we also don’t have to try and do it on our own, even if we are the only person in our businesses.  How’s that for a statement?

You see, that is the beauty of Networking.  We can interact with others who are going through what we are going through – others from businesses that are completely different to ours and even others from businesses that are very similar if not the same as ours.  We can learn from each other, we can learn together, we can brainstorm and find suitable solutions for ourselves and for others.  We can share information and ideas and we can keep each other grounded.

We can look out for each other and be a guiding light when someone else loses their way and starts to feel alone.

This is one of the reasons that Networking, for me is one of the most powerful tools in my business.

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 – Rising to the Occasion – Part 2

Business Tips  – Rising to the Occasion – Part 2

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd -  April 2010

Following on from last week, this week we will be looking as some of the solutions that there are to assist us with dealing with some of the challenges that we came across last week.

These are (but not limited to):

• Expecting difficulty:  People who stick their heads in the sand or who look at life through rose tinted glasses are always surprised when things go wrong.  Actually some of them look like frightened deer that have been caught in the headlights of an oncoming car!  I’m not for one moment suggesting that we should be pessimistic and always looking for things to go wrong and then nodding wisely and saying “You see, I told you it would go belly up !” What I am suggesting though, is that we become optimistic realists.  That we understand what can go wrong, that we are prepared for it should it go wrong, but that we always carry on as if nothing could go wrong – that way if it does, there is always a plan “B” and if it doesn’t – well that’s a bonus, don’t you think?

• Be proactive:  This for me is an absolute ‘no brainer’!  I find it extremely difficult to understand why people don’t get things going correctly (or even going in the right direction) in the first place.  This always necessitates them having to go back to correct it.  How crazy is that and how time consuming, not to mention absolutely frustrating.  It reminds me, many years ago, of the reason that I actually left the bank.  I was in the Internal Audit Division and each time there was a problem in a department, I would be sent in to sort it out and get it back to what it was supposed to be.  One particular department was notorious for not following procedures.  It got to a point where every three months I had to go back into the department to restore order – the straw that broke the camels back came, when that particular department head received a bonus for the manner in which their department was run (when we were audited externally by the International Internal Audit Department) and my efforts were not even acknowledged. 

Deal with problems whilst they are still small enough to be handled effectively and with a minimum of fuss and ensure that you maintain your preventative measures.  Think about it for a moment – we usually don’t wait until the car falls apart in a heap before we send it in for a service.  We usually service regularly to prevent the car from falling apart in a heap!

Next week we will have a look at some more solutions

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 

Inspiration - Continuous Effort

Inspiration - Continuous Effort

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

The quote today comes from Sir Winston Churchill, who says “Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential.”

Really not the words that I wanted to hear at this time in my life I can tell you! 

I have, of late, been struggling with personal issues (that I won’t go into at this time).  Suffice it to say, that I thought that I had worked through them all and come to an amicable solution of sorts – silly me!

You see on a logical level I work through stuff and usually deal with it and then walk away.  That’s all very well, but it seems that things also have to be dealt with on an emotional level as well and herein lies my challenge.

Without going into too much detail, as a child growing up I lost the ability to deal with many things on an emotional basis.  That part of me was shut down and for many years the ‘emotional’ side of me was dealt with in pure anger.  Not to good for the psyche or the soul – but that was the only way that I could deal with it. 

As I am sure you can imagine, this did a great deal of damage to me and today I still pay huge dividends in my sometimes inability to deal with things on an emotional level.

Pain on any level is not an easy thing to deal with, yet somehow I have learnt to just ‘shut’ it out, and here is where the problem starts – you see it comes back to bite me in the butt!

What I had thought had been dealt with has come back to haunt me and now I really have to sit down and go inside of myself, to the emotional side of myself and feel that pain and then work through it – I have to make myself vulnerable to that pain and really feel it, in order for it to go away completely.  No wonder Vanessa always tells me that my greatest strength lies within my vulnerability.

I have no doubt that I will come out on the other side a much stronger person for the experience and I know that I will have to go back there continuously in order for me to deal with the issue at hand. I also know in that place deep down inside of me, where you instinctively know the truth when you hear it, that in order for me to move forward it has to be done, so in essence I understand that it has to be done.

I guess it gives the other saying that Vanessa keeps telling me a lot more foundation too – those words being “Difficult and challenging experiences precede all worthwhile accomplishments”.

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

HR 101 - Religious Discrimination – Part 1

HR 101 - Religious Discrimination – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements

The law states, in Section 6 of the Employment  Equity Act (EEA) that there can be no unfair discrimination against an employee on arbitrary grounds.  One of these grounds of course, is religion and this means that as an employer you cannot discriminate against an employee or a prospective employee, on the grounds of their religion.

Some of the areas around religion that you would need to take into consideration are (but not limited to):-

- You cannot turn down a job applicant based on the fact that they are not (or are for that matter) of the same religion as you are, irrespective of what that religion is
- You cannot decide that only the employees belonging to a specific religion will be allowed to go to church/temple/shul/mosque etc., during working hours. The requirements of all the different faiths must be taken into account.
- You cannot insist that employees of a specific faith or religion must work on  public holidays

That said, this is not an exact science and although the statements made above are examples of the types of discrimination out there, there are instances where they may not be considered “unfair discrimination”.  Whether the discrimination is unfair or not will depend on various issues, such as (but not limited to) whether or it makes sense.  Now whether or not it makes sense or not will also be dependent on the requirements of the job.

Here are some examples:
If you owned a factory type business where there were machines operating and where stupid mistakes could lead to loss of limb or life, you could not stop religious emblems being worn underneath garments as this would not affect the way that they worked or put them in any kind of danger.  However, that said, if under the same conditions and circumstances you staff insisted on wearing these same emblems on necklaces around their necks, dangling out of their clothing, you could state that this put them at risk of injury to themselves and their peers and in this instance, of course you would be well within your rights to make that rule.  What you absolutely couldn’t do though is allow some of the staff to then wear necklaces and not others.  You have to be consistent in your decisions.

Some of the other examples that I have seen posted by Ivan Israelstam are rather evident in themselves and I must admit that I had a good chuckle to think that someone would even have considered them – some of these are “You could turn down a Jewish person for the position of Pope – that would not be considered unfair.  You could refuse to employ an atheist as a priest – that would be considered fair.”

Next time we will look at an actual CCMA case where the staff cried ‘foul’ and see what happened.

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

Leadership 101 - The Role and Responsibility of Directors – Part 16

Leadership 101 - The Role and Responsibility of Directors – Part 16

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Please note that this pertains to South African Legislation, the King Requirements and Best Practice.

And today in this final post of this epic journey, in terms of the Roles and Responsibilities of Directors, we tackle the very important matter of remuneration.

We all need to be paid fairly for our experience, knowledge, responsibility, value add and of course out ability to both be a leader as well as a team player.

So let’s have a look and see how it should be done.

Firstly, there should be a “Company’s Remuneration Policy” in place and this should be approved by the shareholders, where applicable.

Secondly, in the interest of transparency, companies should divulge the remuneration of each individual director and in certain instances, some of the senior executives as well.

In instances where Companies are not listed entities, this would of course not apply, although a “Company Remuneration Policy” should still be in place.

Here are some of the questions that Directors should be asking around their remuneration policy.

1. “Does the remuneration policy comply with the Principles of King 1,2,3 & 4 and does it reflect current international best practice?”

2. “Are our long-term incentive plan rules consistent with the principles of King 1,2,3 & 4, in terms of the use and application of performance conditions?”

3. “Do our non-executive directors receive options and/or other share incentive awards?”

4. “Does our annual bonus plan link performance to clearly set objective that create long-term value for shareholders?”

5. “Do we fully disclose remuneration paid to executive Directors, non-executive directors and certain senior employees in our annual remuneration report.?”

6. “Can we explain how our remuneration policy links into our strategic objectives?”

From this you can see that as important as it is for you to get paid fairly, so too it is important to have total transparency and ethical behaviour.

As I stated earlier , this is the last of the articles on the Role and Responsibilities of Directors, and I hope and trust that you have enjoyed the journey as much as I have researching and writing it.

I hope that it have given you insight on how you as a Director, can make a difference, just be ensuring that you have followed the correct rules and regulations.

Good luck.

 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 – Being Straightforward

Business Tips  – Being Straightforward

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

In her Leadership Insights nuggets, Dr Renate Volpe says “Straightforwardness simply means aligning the verbal and non-verbal messages to mean the same.”

Well that makes logical sense and it is also pretty straightforward don’t you think?  So why it is so difficult to do?  Why did Renate feel so strongly about it that she had to use it as one of her 50 tips on Leadership Insights?  Well my guess would be because often people who are aspiring to be leaders just don’t do it.

I know that even in the smallest of businesses, there is often a hidden agenda, there is often some sort of politics going on – whether it is a conspiracy of the staff to do whatever they can to upset the bosses or drive a wedge between senior management or indeed discredit their peers.  Often the bosses or management set it up so that the staff are constantly striving to undermine each other in an attempt to be ‘teacher’s pet’ and to score the most brownie points.

For me this is just counter productive and a waste of time and energy, never mind the distrust that it causes and often the result is a less than perfect product or less than satisfactory service for the client.  Besides that, how on earth do people remember what they have said to whom – it’s like trying to play several games of chess all at once – far too much irritation and drama for me!

Those who know me, know that I would far rather have a simple life and that for me is just telling it like it is!  That way the verbal will definitely match up with the body language and the rest of the non-verbal indicators, everyone will know where they are, what is expected of them, what my perception is and we can get on with the task at hand – building sustainable businesses, building sustainable relationships with and for my clients. Being known for my integrity and credibility and ensuring my deliverables take place on time.

I’d far rather have that agenda out in the open and transparent for all to see than all the other BS that goes with hidden agenda and the political games that so many others play.

What about you – which journey would you rather take?

For more details on what Renate does, please visit her website on http://www.drrenatevolpe.co.za

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

Inspiration - Choices

Inspiration - Choices

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Today’s quote comes from our very own Nelson Mandela who says “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find ways in which you yourself have changed.”

I can only imagine how he must have felt as he returned to Robin Island as a free man, and saw again the harsh reality of his prison, still exactly the same as it had always been.

I can only imagine the hurt, the pain, the injustice and the anger that he must have felt all the years that he was a prisoner there.

Yet this man, for me – and I am sure for millions of people around the world, is a living example of what can be achieved, not only on the outside, but also on the inside.

It is within each and every one of us, to grow, to change, to evolve – yet many choose to live their lives in anger and in pain or as victims inside walls that they have put up.

I have made a conscious decision to put the past behind me, where it belongs and live my life in the present.  I have made a conscious decision to be all that I can and the best that I can be.  I have made a conscious decision to make a difference every single day of my life, whether that difference is in my own life, or in the lives of those that touch my life – I will make a difference. 

I am growing as an individual because I have chosen to – what about you? Have you changed?

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

HR 101 - Showing Remorse

HR 101 - Showing Remorse

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements

To be quite honest, this particular case “bent” my mind in several different directions simultaneously, and not in a good way either.

What it also did however, was clearly highlight the need to use someone with the highest level of labour law expertise when conducting disciplinary hearings that may result in dismissal.

Let’s bring out the protagonists.

Mike owns a small paint factory in one of the industrial parks.  He is very conscientious about the health and safety issues around what happens in the factory because of the paint fumes and chemicals that are used and how badly they can react with one another.  All the staff are trained on safety issues on a regular basis and safety drills and evacuations take place quarterly.  Mike employs around 100 staff members.

Mike walks onto the factory floor and with the usual smell of paint fumes he detects another underlying smell.  Mike is very concerned when he realized that that smell is in fact gas.  He issues an instruction for all the staff to leave the premises immediately, while the problem is investigated.

The usual procedure is for staff to meet in the lower car park, several hundred meters from the factory.  When they do the drill the evacuation generally takes less than 15 minutes.

Mike contacts his service provider and the authorities to report the problem and then goes to join the staff in the car park to wait for the technicians to arrive, investigate the problem and then proclaim the factory safe or unsafe.  If the factory is declared unsafe the staff will be sent home until such time as the ‘all clear’ is given.

Mike gets to the car park around 20 minutes after his instruction to evacuate was issued and some of the staff are still taking a leisurely stroll to the car park from the factory and not only that, it is also clearly evident that many of the staff are not present and accounted for.

After chatting to the safety officers and investigating the issue further, it was discovered that many of the employees just did not follow the correct procedures – some just took their own sweet time to get to the safety of the car park and some went straight home without even reporting to the car park.

Mike was furious, and understandably so – what if the factory had exploded while staff were still inside.  What if they were looking for the bodies of people who had actually gone home and even worse, what if the safety officers or authorities had gone into the building to ‘rescue’ those that had not come out and the factory had blown up whilst they were inside and the people who they were supposed to be rescuing were safe at home.  Clearly this was not acceptable at all.

Every person who had arrived late (after 20 minutes of the instruction to evacuate was originally given) as well as everyone who went directly home, were required to attend a disciplinary.

So far so good, I am sure you will agree – but here is where the whole thing goes pear shaped.  You see, some of the employees were issued with final written warnings and some were dismissed.  The dismissed staff took Mike to the CCMA.

The arbitrator found that the dismissals were ‘too harsh because the dismissed  employees has shown “genuine remorse”’

Wow!  So it doesn’t matter that someone could have been killed going in to look for them whilst they were safely at home, but they were ‘sorry’ so that’s okay then. Now that is not good for me at all!

What is also not good for me though, is the lack of consistency with the penalties issued at the disciplinary hearings – for me personally, that is where most of the problem lies and whether they showed ‘genuine remorse’  or not should have been featured as part of the mitigating circumstances.  I understand that they were all given individual hearings (as they should have been), but the fact of the matter is that they did not follow safety procedures and because of this they put other people’s lives at great risk.

Let me put it this way – if Mike had ignored the problem and not followed the safety rules and the factory had blown up and the staff had been killed, but he showed ‘genuine remorse’ would his liability, responsibility, accountability and ultimate penalty, been reduced?  I doubt it.

Once again this evidences the need to have someone with the correct legal HR ‘know how’, when dealing with these matters as the law is always open to interpretation.

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 - You need to connect the dots

Networking  101 - You need to connect the dots

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

I must be quite honest here – I am often amused by people, who when I call them up to set up an appointment say something along the lines of “well I don’t think I need your services and I can’t see how you would need mine, so I’d rather not waste your time .. .”

You see, it’s not just about whether I have something to sell that you don’t necessarily want to buy or that you don’t need.

It’s not about whether I need or want to buy whatever service or product that you might be selling.

For me it’s about understanding more about what it is that you do, so that if I come across anyone that may require your services or products, I will be able to refer them to you.

It’s about you understanding more about my business, so that if you come across anyone who would need my services you could refer me.

It’s not necessarily about you, but it may become about who you know that I don’t know and who may want to do business with me.

It’s not necessarily about me, but it may become about who I know that you may want to get to know and do business with.

It’s not about what we know, it’s about who we know and more importantly, it’s also about who we know, who others don’t know and yet perhaps should know.

So when you get a call from me requesting a meeting to discuss “possible synergies and to explore mutually beneficial business opportunities”, understand that it is not only for my benefit or even your benefit but it could be for the benefit of both you and I, as well as everybody else that we know.

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 – Rising to the Occasion – Part 1

Business Tips – Rising to the Occasion – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

As small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs we all understand and are often touched by the adversity around us.  From political unrest and uncertainty to financial and economic recessions and troubles.  These are indeed, very trying times but also very exciting times.

Here’s the thing though – at some point in our lives, trouble will visit with us.  Even during the best of times, trouble comes to visit.  Trouble has many faces and many forms – trouble can visit in the form of an illness, or a fire or business ruin or financial challenges.  Whatever form trouble takes, it will visit.  The challenge of course is how we deal with trouble.

Many of us not only deal with every day challenges or the small irritations that life throws at us, but also have to do with some of the big things too.

Strangely enough though, it is the way that we deal with the small irritations in life that will usually determine the way that we will deal with the big things in life.

Disasters are big and in their hugeness, it is difficult to ignore them – they aren’t going to go away and you cannot hide them under the carpet or in the cupboard.  They are ‘in your face’ and you have to deal with them.

The real test though, for me anyway, is how to deal with the everyday little issues.  Those constant daily irritations that buzz around our heads like an army of mosquitoes?

Issues such as (but not limited to) getting enough rest or looking after our health or even spending quality time with our families and loved ones.  These issues are not the dramatic disaster kind and they don’t appear to be urgent, yet many of us ignore them hoping that they will go away.  For example neglecting your wife/husband and family won’t have any major effect in the short term. The long term effects though could be divorce or estrangement.  How sad is that?  In this particular example, it’s the small, daily, irritating mozzie that has grown into a tsunami that is causing the major problems.

People who are successful or who are high achievers, always expect challenges, in fact many of them welcome challenges because it’s in the dealing with the problem that they get to stretch their minds and their problem solving skills.  You will also find that most of these people, whilst they are realists – are also optimistic about life. They believe in themselves and understand their strengths and they are determined to put the changes in place.  They are determined to meet life head on.  They are also aware of the fact that as their success grows, so too will the number and size of their troubles. Most importantly too, is that they usually have a great sense of humour and know how to laugh at themselves as well as at life.

Next time we will have a look at some indicators on ‘how to’ solve your troubles before they become disasters.

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

Inspiration - Changes

Inspiration - Changes

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Today’s quote comes from our very own Nelson Mandela who says “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find ways in which you yourself have changed.”

I can only imagine how he must have felt as he returned to Robin Island as a free man, and saw again the harsh reality of his prison, still exactly the same as it had always been.

I can only imagine the hurt, the pain, the injustice and the anger that he must have felt all the years that he was a prisoner there.

Yet this man, for me – and I am sure for millions of people around the world, is a living example of what can be achieved, not only on the outside, but also on the inside.

It is within each and every one of us, to grow, to change, to evolve – yet many choose to live their lives in anger and in pain or as victims inside walls that they have put up.

I have made a conscious decision to put the past behind me, where it belongs and live my life in the present.  I have made a conscious decision to be all that I can and the best that I can be.  I have made a conscious decision to make a difference every single day of my life, whether that difference is in my own life, or in the lives of those that touch my life – I will make a difference. 

I am growing as an individual because I have chosen to – what about you? Have you changed?

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

HR 101 - When is Theft, not Theft?

HR 101 - When is Theft, not Theft?

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.

One of the most confusing experiences that I ever had is when I caught someone, literally with their hands in the cookie jar.  We held the disciplinary, followed the rules and the staff member was dismissed.  CCMA did not uphold the finding and we ended up paying a huge amount of money as a settlement.  Here’s a similar story – let’s bring in the protagonists.

Mike runs a small retail business in a busy mall.  He has several staff members, but today we are going to meet George and Jane, who are both sales people in the shop.

Everybody works well together and as a team and Mike is grateful to have such a great team.

We all know that month-end in a mall is crazy busy and there is no time to stop and smell the coffee, let alone slip out of the store to go and buy anything.

George has a new girlfriend whom he is besotted over and he is constantly messaging her from his cell phone and even sneaking the odd call while he ‘collects’ product from the stockroom.  Suddenly in the middle of a conversation where he is arranging to meet the love of his life after work for dinner, he runs out of airtime.

Caught up in the moment and concerned that he won’t connect with her that evening, George doesn’t stop to think about what he doing.  George walks into the staff room and takes Jane’s phone out of her handbag that was lying open on the table and calls his girlfriend back.

As he makes the call, Jane walks in and finds George making a call on her phone – she freaks and rushes off to tell Mike!  This is the first hint of any kind of dishonesty and Mike is furious.

When George is confronted, he admits that he took the phone of Jane’s bag and that he used it without permission, but he denies that he ‘stole’ the phone.  Mike disagrees because as far as he is concerned, when you take something without permission – it’s theft.

George is disciplined, found guilty and is dismissed.  George goes to the CCMA and they overturn the dismissal and Mike has to pay out 12 month’s salary as a settlement to George.  Mike is gobsmacked, as I am sure most of you are right about now.

The CCMA found that ‘dismissal was too harsh a penalty in this case because the charge had been “unauthorised possession” of the cell-phone and that nothing was documented about dishonesty or that the “relationship of trust had been destroyed.”

You see ‘Unauthorised possession” is not automatically a dismissible offence and had they proved or shown that George was dishonest or that he could no longer be trusted, the outcome would have been very different.

The reality of the situation is that as individuals, we would never even dream of representing ourselves in a court of law, and yet as Entrepreneurs, we consistently and continuously insist on representing ourselves and our company’s in labour issues.

Please ask for help when you need it, experience shows that it will cost you far less in the long run!

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

Leadership 101 - The Role and Responsibility of Directors – Part 14

Leadership 101 - The Role and Responsibility of Directors – Part 14

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Please note that this pertains to South African Legislation, the King Requirements and Best Practice.

None of us start our businesses with the intention to fail.

We all start with stars in our eyes and a dream in our hearts, but unfortunately sometimes, no matter how much we plan and implement , things go wrong and we find ourselves in the smelly brown stuff, with huge debts and very little income, if any at all.

This is the time when we have to face the music and if we do it fast enough, we may even find ourselves in a successful Business Rescue situation.

Please understand that it will probably be one of the most difficult things that you will have to do – no one likes to admit that they have failed no matter what the reason, but if the Board and in particular the Directors understand how important it is to act, not only independently, but more importantly, to act quickly and decisively in line with the obligations and regulations of Chapter 6 of the Companies Act, which deals with Companies that are in distressed trading situation, there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

Early intervention will protect the Company from exposure to reckless trading allegations and also demonstrates the Boards fulfilment of their obligations  to all the stakeholders.

To act proactively, the Board must explore all the turnaround opportunities before recognizing that Business Rescue proceedings and taking decisions around the commencement and action thereof, offer a final and formal consideration, but only after all other avenues have been thoroughly researched and investigated.

So what are the key questions that Directors should be asking?

1. First and foremost of course, is to establish if there are any signs that Business Rescue would be on the cards in the future.  If there is a possibility that there could be for whatever reason, this could be averted if we act sooner or even ask for assistance to turn the situation around.

2. Is the Company financially distressed?

3. Is there a reasonable possibility that the Company could be rescued and would the Company be able to recover?

4. Is the Company trading recklessly?

5. Should the Company be placed under Business Rescue and if so should the process be started immediately?

6. Which Business Rescue Practitioner should be appointed. Please do proper research here as that there are (as in all professions), some really dodgy practitioners out there?

7. Is the Business Rescue Practitioner that you are about to appoint, sufficiently experienced and sufficiently independent to actually rescue the business?

8. What are the Board’s obligations to the stakeholders, the courts and the appointed representatives?

9. Are we fulfilling our obligations as a Board as well as individual Directors, in line with laid down procedures of the Business Rescue proceedings?

Remember that Business Rescue is there to assist . . .  but obviously if the Company is too far gone, it may be impossible to revive it.  So it is of the utmost importance to take action sooner rather than later.

Next time we will have a look at Alternative Dispute Resolution.

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

Networking 101 – Getting that Job

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd -

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 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 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 Tip – An Amazing Journey

Business Tip – An Amazing Journey

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

If you had told me years ago that this lifetime is made up of several journeys, I probably would have laughed you out of the ball park.

Thing is though, we do go on several journeys.  Some of these journeys that we go on are personal and some are business or even work or professional in nature.  Some we take on our own and others we share with husbands, wives, lovers, children, friends, clients, colleagues and even business partners.

There are journeys that are long and arduous or lifetime journeys and others that are short term, perhaps for a specific period, for a specific project or customer or even a special friend.  Each journey has its own starting place and its own ending place.  Some you may even start alone and then pick up some passengers along the way.  Some you may start with a whole bunch of people but end on your own.

Each journey is its own unique experience.  Each experience may be similar but all are quite different.  Some are pleasant and fun and some are just disgusting and we can’t wait for them to end.

Think about it for a moment – we would all like to think that we give all our customers great service and perhaps we do, but there is always a client that will get a little extra.  A little extra care and attention, or a little extra effort or extra time that we don’t charge for.

Let’s face it, the way we treat our customers is not always dependent upon the quality of the journey that we are taking with them.  Customers who always pay on time and who don’t give us a hard time, may actually not be the customers that we ‘give’ more to and we need to be seriously very careful about this because they should be the customers that we treat as VIP guests.  Difficult customers who are yelling and shouting at us all the time, who are never satisfied and who we have to battle to get money out of, are traditionally the customers that we bend over backwards for and quite frankly that’s just not right!  In fact those are the customers that we should be firing, not pandering to.

I know that after writing this article I am going to do some serious evaluations on my clients.  Going forward, the customers that do what I tell them to, who pay on time and who give me very little hassle are going to be treated like the Kings and Queens that they surely are and those who give me as much grief as they are able, who don’t pay on time and who are just generally unpleasant to deal with are a) going to be charged an additional tax which I am going to call FOST (Full of S&*T Tax) and that is going to be dependant on how much hassle they give me and b) I am going to keep records of who pissed me off the most and give them points for bad behaviour, bad attitude and bad payments and c) I am going to set a limit on what I am prepared to put up with and when they reach their limit, I am going to fire their asses and get myself some more decent clients!

The journey that I want to take with my clients must be one of mutual respect.  It must be an amazing journey where we both profit from each other.  I can think of nothing worse than having to bend over backwards for clients who do not respect me, who do not respect what I do for them and who keep demanding more and more from me and at the same time they disrespect me, by not paying me on time or always wanting more and more of a discount.

Yip – that’s what I am going to do in future! Work with ‘like minded’ people.  People who respect what I do, who respect me and who value what I do for them. 

What about you?  What kind of journey do you want to travel and have with your clients?

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

Inspiration - Curiosity

Inspiration -  Curiosity


By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Today’s quote comes from the infamous Walt Disney, who says “Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long.  We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we are curious...and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

Imagine, if you will – never having the desire to do something new, or to the desire to learn about something new?  For a Gemini, this is the most scariest thing to even think about!

Curiosity is a natural thing – think of a young child as they touch something for the first time, or they discover something for the first time.  The look of absolute wonder and then the joy that crosses their faces and how their expressions change.

Or how about our animals, I know I am often amused at the antics of my cats, who ‘check’ everything out, like the grocery shopping bags.  I often enter the kitchen to find all the cupboard doors standing wide open and I know that Kochanie (my youngest unmarried daughter of the feline variety) has been ‘checking’ everything out again to ensure that everything is in its place.

So don’t, whatever you do, stifle curiosity in your children or yourselves.  Let it out and enjoy the travels that it takes you on, down the different pathways of life.

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

HR - The Charge – Sexual Harassment

HR - The Charge – Sexual Harassment

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.

I have been reading some very interesting case studies lately and thought that it might be a good idea to share some of these with you.  Now before anyone does the usual ‘knee jerk’ and the government’s legislation etc., let me be very clear on one thing.  The law (irrespective of whether it is labour law or commercial law or any other specific law) is always open to interpretation – just keep that in mind always.

So let’s bring in the protagonists – Mike, who owns a retail outlet, selling CD’s and DVD’s, in a busy mall.  Mike employs George, who is the supervisor and Julie (amongst others) who is a sales person.

Mike goes off to attend a meeting one Monday and comes back to absolute chaos.  Julie is in floods of tears and it is evident that all the female staff in the store are really angry with George.  Mike starts to investigate.

Apparently, or so the story goes from the female perspective, George and Julie received new stock, as was the norm on a Monday morning, that came with posters.  The one poster was of the lead singer of a band, standing in a typical “Michael Jackson” pose with his hand on his genitals.  Julie was disgusted at the visual effect of the poster and commented that it should not be displayed in the windows for children to see and George, from the male perspective, thought that the poster was hilarious and that there was nothing disgusting about it.

To illustrate his point (and I suspect to tease Julie), George jumped up and started dancing around Julie, to the music that was playing in the store and every time he came around to the front of her, he gyrated and put his hands over his genitals, mimicking Michael Jackson’s dance moves.

The men found this absolutely ‘fall down funny’ but the women were outraged.  George, intent on getting his dance moves just right, misread Julie’s protests of his dance and continued to dance around her.  Julie felt that his behaviour was disrespectful and unprofessional and George oblivious to this, just continued to gyrate and dance.

Eventually his dance routine was interrupted, when a whole group of customers entered the store, they had to be attended to.

The male staff saw this as a bit of harmless fun, but the female staff saw this as disrespectful behaviour as well as a form of sexual harassment as he had gyrated and ‘grabbed his genitals’ in Julie’s face.

Understandably, Mike was really annoyed with George.  Not only was his behaviour unprofessional, but as the supervisor he should have been setting an example.  Sexual harassment is a dismissible offense and Mike went through the process of the disciplinary.  George was found guilty and was dismissed.

George lodged with the CCMA and unfortunately Mike lost the case.

Here’s the thing – although the charge of “Sexual Harassment” is an extremely serious one, the CCMA found that “the dismissal was too harsh because it was an isolated incident and was unlikely to be repeated.”

Sure, George’s behaviour was inappropriate, but no-one had been sexually assaulted or raped or threatened and as I have said many times – the punishment must fit the crime.

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

Leadership 101 - The Role and Responsibility of Directors – Part 13

Leadership 101 - The Role and Responsibility of Directors – Part 13

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

Please note that this pertains to South African Legislation, the King Requirements and Best Practice.

The topic on the table today is Integrated Reporting and Disclosure.

So what is this and where does it come from?

The Integrated Reporting and Disclosure is a King III requirement and it deals with the integration of the financial information with any other company information for disclosure purposes.

It has three principles and these are: -

1. That it is the responsibility of the Board to “ensure the integrity” of the final integrated report.
2. The financial reports should be “integrated” with the Company’s “sustainability reporting and disclosure.”
3. It is important to have the sustainability and disclosure “independently assured.”

How is the report made up?

The Integrated Report needs the following:-
- It needs to be published on an annual basis.
- It needs to be made up of “substance over form” and should not just be a ‘copy and paste’ type exercise
- It should be “complete, timely, relevant, accurate and accessible and comparable with past performances of the company.
- It should also contain ‘forward looking information.’
- It should be used to ‘document the company’s performance with respect to economic, social and environmental issues.’
- King III states that it should ‘reflect the choices made in the strategic decisions adopted by the Board in the context in terms of ‘economic, social and environmental issues.’
- It should include the company’s ‘operations and plans to improve the positives and address the negatives.’
- It should describe how the company made its’ money.
- In terms of the Annual Financial statements, the report should include whether the company will continue to be ‘a going concern in the financial year ahead.’
- If there are any concerns about whether the company can continue to trade as a going concern in the new financial year, then the plans that have to implemented in order to address this must be tabled.
- Sustainability of the company is of the utmost importance and any issues around this should be reported honestly and openly.

So what are the key questions that the Directors should be asking?

1. In view of the fact that ‘sustainability” is of the utmost  importance, the leading question should be whether the Company has a Sustainability strategy and policy in place?

2. Obviously whether sustainability is considered part of the ongoing business activities should be discussed and agreed upon.

3. “Are sustainable development issues integrated into the business management systems and departments, such as (but not limited to) risk, environment, legal and financial.”

4. Has any of the sustainability principles been built into all of the individual performance agreements?

5. Does the company have suitably qualified Directors and executives who will have the responsibility for the company’s sustainable development?

6. Is there someone in the company that can be the custodian of the content as well as the integrated report?

7. Do we have to follow the GRI G3/G4 (Global Reporting Initiative) guidelines?

Obviously if you are an SMME or even a middle of the market type company, this would seem like an overkill.  That said large Corporate and Listed companies certainly would need to have this discussion at Board level at the very least.

Next time we will have a look at Business Rescue and the important role that this plays within any size business.

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 - Don’t Waste Referrals!

Networking 101 - Don’t Waste Referrals!

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

One of my absolute pet hates, in Networking, is the person that I take the time to give referrals to and who doesn’t do anything with them!  I swear, it drives me absolutely crazy!

One of my colleagues, no actually she has become a friend over the years, does this to me and I often want to take her and shake her – hard! 

Here’s the story:

I met (let’s call her Jane) about two years ago at a Networking event.  She is one of those people who has great energy and attracts all manner and means of people to her.  She gave me her card and I promised to contact her – two months later I was still trying to contact her. She never, never answers her cell phone and the same goes for the landline.  How she gets and keeps clients is beyond me, but that is another story for another day.

I bumped into Jane at another Networking event and she gave me a hard time because ‘you promised to call and I haven’t heard from you’ – I suggested that it might be a good idea to check all her voice mail messages both on her cell phone and her land line.  The next day she called me, apologizing profusely for not returning any of my calls – clearly she had not listened to her voice mail messages for some time.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, we got together at her establishment.  Now I understand why she never answers the phone or returns messages.  A meeting that would normally take an hour, took all of four hours.  This woman runs all day, round and round and up and down and this way and that way and quite honestly she achieves very little of anything and a huge deal of nothing!  She has boundless energy and my goodness, she sure does use it all – doing nothing but running around – but I digress.

I gave Jane probably about 15 to 20 referrals.  People who could assist her in the running of her business.  Suppliers that would be able to give her better rates than the ones that she was currently using.  Investors that would love to get their teeth into just one of her various projects. Even people that she should Joint Venture or collaborate with, to get her product out there.  Finally I gave her my very long list of Networking opportunities – all of which I make use of on a very regular basis.

Eagerly I waited to hear what was happening.  Day after day went by and I did not hear a thing from anybody!  No-one phoned me up to tell me that she had contacted them, she didn’t let me know if she had set meetings up with anyone.  Nothing, not a peep from anyone!

Eventually on one of our get ‘togethers’ I asked her what, if anything was happening with all the referrals that I had given her.  To give Jane her due though, she did manage to look quite sheepish when she told me that she hadn’t done anything.

Now that on its own is bad enough.  Thing is though, when I refer someone I always copy them on the mail and then physically introduce the two to each other on an e-mail.  This meant of course that there were 15 to 20 people who were waiting for Jane to contact them.  Six weeks to two months had gone by since I had sent the mails (at great expense of time to myself I might add) and even if Jane contacted them at this late stage they would think her highly unreliable, due to her tardiness in getting back to them, and they would in all probability not really want to do any kind of business with her.  Who could blame them – certainly not me.

From time to time Jane asks me to forward any invitations that I get to attend a Networking event and from time to time she asks me if I know of someone that does one thing or another. So now, now what – well one thing is for certain, Jane will not be getting any more referrals from me. When she asks the question nowadays, I just change the subject and move the conversation in another direction.

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 – Some More Common Mistakes – Part 2

Business Tips – Some More Common Mistakes – Part 2

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Let’s be honest here, we all have good days and bad – we’re human after all and sometimes that’s just the way things are.  Of course that does not mean that we just sit back and do nothing!  What it does mean though is that we have to work extra hard at getting ourselves re-motivated.  Our lives and our businesses depend on it!

Instead of beating yourself up when you are feeling low though, try doing something different.  Do something that you absolutely love, or at the very least, do something that will take you out of the normal routine – go and watch a movie or take yourself ‘out for tea’ or ‘out for a meal’, or go for a massage, but take yourself away from your day to day drudge and troubles – chances are that when you come back you will be in an altogether different frame of mind and you can then get back onto the treadmill – ready to face whatever may come your way.

You need to understand that you will have to exercise great patience and tenacity when you have your own business.  It is more than likely that you will need to speak with someone whom you can brainstorm with or bounce ideas off or who can (and will) challenge you and keep you motivated and going in the right direction.  We all need a little help every now and then and having a mentor is usually a good thing – remember to ‘pay it forward’ though and help or mentor someone else too.

Keeping your emotions in check is also something that you will need to do, especially when you are making decisions that will have a huge impact on your business.

Decisions, of course, need to be made only after careful consideration, after a good deal of research and even more clear headed soul searching, in order for them it have the greatest beneficial impact.  Decisions made ‘on the fly’ or without any kind of deliberation could have serious negative financial implications, which could bring about the demise of your business.  So always think things through first.

A business needs to grow and that is a good thing – it’s a natural thing and it evidences that the product or service that you are offering is of value and that there is a demand for it.

Here’s the thing though that you need to be aware of and plan for.  When you grow, your will need more money to facilitate the expansion.  Ensure that your growth is measured and gradual and that you don’t grow too quickly as that will take more finance away from the day to day running and working capital of the business, which in turn would impact hugely on the cash flow and therefore the well-being of the company.

Whatever you decide to do and however you decide to do it, remember why you started the business in the first place and remember to 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

Inspiration – Creating New Plans

Inspiration – Creating New Plans

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

The great Napoleon Hill writes ‘The majority of man meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those which fail.”

There it is – that word persistence!  It’s the one thing that I am convinced that we are all born with.  Without it none of us would have learnt how to sit up and crawl, to walk and to run.  None of us would be where we are now.  None of us would have achieved what we have and certainly none of us would be the people that ultimately we have become.

Sadly, like learning to fear, where we were once ‘fearless’ as children, many of us seem, to have lost our ‘persistence’ along the way too.

Sadly, like those of us who literally ‘live in fear,’ those who have lost their ‘persistence’ will not stick around long enough to make anything work, or even long enough to enjoy the fruits of their own endeavors and actually, truth be told, they will set themselves up for their own failures and downfall.

So remember to be consistently persistent in order to achieve your dreams and aspirations.

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