Clive Simpkins

Price, power and perception

Interesting! From the Citizen newspaper. I couldn't find the original survey referred to - from either Caltech, Stanford Graduate School of Business or PNAS, but maybe Google ain't yet picked up the topic.
imbizo.com

Sumthin' light'n cute for a change

Was browsing Google Images for an addition to the Swami Shivapadananda Blog, when I ran across this. Had to share it with you!

So you speak with an Afrikaans accent?

Perhaps the most frequently asked question I get when coaching in presentation or media skills is, ‘What about my Afrikaans accent?’ What indeed! A young, talented and vivacious psychologist told me she’d been desperately self-conscious presenting a paper to an international audience, overseas. Her words were, ‘What can I do about it?’

I didn’t answer her question. Instead (the timing was perfect), I said, ‘Have you seen the TV footage recently of Trevor Manuel at the WEF (World Economic Forum) meeting in Davos, in Switzerland?'  'Yes' was her reply.

I continued, 'Did you listen to some of the other speakers? People from Spain, Russia, Ireland and so on?' Again, 'Yes'. Then I said, 'Did you notice the sometimes very heavy accents and how they muddled tenses and used a plural where a singular should have been, and so on?' A pause, the start of a smile and she said again, 'Yes'. So, I continued, ‘If those accents – some very heavy and indeed very difficult to understand, were acceptable in an international forum, why should your Afrikaans accent be any different?’ The light bulb went on. To the great amusement of the University business school audience, I raised both of my hands towards her and said dramatically, ‘Be healed, Sister!’ They applauded wildly. I think she was indeed ‘healed’ of a misperception in that instant.

Living in South Africa means that we live in a seriously multi-lingual society. We’ve developed a great ‘ear’ as a nation for understanding a variety of accents and speech inflections. Unlike North Americans, who, unless the English is American or Hispanic inflected, look at you blankly, like you’re speaking classical Cantonese.

Many, many years ago, accents were used as social discriminators. They were used to pigeonhole people into socio-economic boxes, to be looked down upon. The BBC would never have employed as a newsreader anyone with a ‘regional’ British accent. It had to be plummy Oxonian English. ‘The bow tie’ voice, as they described it. Then, mercifully, along came amazingly talented actors and movie stars in the form of Michael Caine, Vanessa Redgrave, Ewan McGregor and their ilk and they spoke with regional twangs. Gone was the stereotype and to the amazement of the BBC bosses, people didn’t switch off their radio or TV sets. In fact, the opposite occurred. More people tuned in. They were better able to identify with the ‘everyday’ voices they heard. So, quit any unnecessary sense of inferiority just because you speak one language with the accent of another - whether in business or your private life. Most South Africans do, anyhow.

Linguistics studies demonstrate quite clearly that when you speak with an accent, people pay better attention to what you say. It makes them (quite unconsciously of course) focus just that little bit harder, on what you’re saying as opposed to how you’re saying it.

The message is this: Regardless of your accent, provided that your speech is not excessively fast or your articulation (the clarity) blurred or fuzzy, the accent really doesn’t matter! If you spend part of your time talking inside your own head about how you sound or what people will think of your accent, you’re doing a grave communication disservice to yourself. Even the most expert of communicators can’t carry on an ‘auditory internal dialogue’ (AID) process, whilst making much sense on the exterior. So, be yourself, be comfortable, be prepared, be professional. But above all, be natural, real, down-to-earth, credible, believable and sincere. That way you can’t possibly go wrong. Now what was that you said about your accent, again?

Snoop Dogg in the Pound

You've just got to love the irony. Rapper Snoop Dogg has been refused entry to Oz due to his 'criminal record'. Omigod! Once upon a time (forgive me Ozzies!) that's precisely what it took to be admitted! Ain't that a little bit of fun now?

The clipping is from the Citizen newspaper, 28th April.

Technorati Tags: Snoop+Dogg Rapper MTV

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Pigs at the trough or just unethical Honkies Renting Darkies?

If you wonder why SAA is such a monumental balls-up, maybe look no further than its clearly incompetent and apparently greedy CEO, Khaya Ngqula. Can you be running one business (in dire straits as a result of shocking leadership failure) and manage 38 board directorships of other companies into the bargain? I think not. But he's not the worst. Embattled 'BEE heavyweight' as the media describe her, Danisa Baloyi, is said to have held between 80 and 100 directorships. No wonder the disingenuous woman didn't take time to check a wee bit better on the Fidentia goings-on. But I guess that when you get an R 8 million loan from a particular company, you become appropriately myopic.

The accompanying article is in the Star newspaper of today, 'Freedom Day' 2007. A shame on the heads of those and their ilk, who are referred to in the article, and all of those who have joined them at the trough. This is your idea of freedom? The Amadlozi (Ancestors) must be spinning in their graves at your greed.

Since our Nanny State is so skilled at legislating irrelevant minutiae, why not bulldoze through some useful revisionist legislation for a change - perhaps with a hint of Corporate Governance to it? But then that would leave a hell of a lot of South African politicians out of pocket I guess.

   

Technorati Tags: SAA Khaya+Ngqula Danisa+Baloyi Fidentia Yunus+Carrim Mandisi-Mpahlwa

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The crime mind-set and change

http://www.news24.com/News24/AnanziArticle/0,,2-7-1442_2080116,00.html
This is the URL for an article on Media24.com quoting psychology Professor Dap Louw from the University of the Free State in South Africa. Here's the beginning of what he said..... then go read the rest. It's appeared in most of today's Sunday media. It makes a great deal of sense...
 
"South Africa should not see itself as the 'criminal skunk' of the world because many other countries in transition had the same high crime prevalence.

"Dap Louw, a psychology professor at the University of the Free State, said South Africans should also not develop a 'learned helplessness syndrome' - characterised by powerlessness and incapability in the fight against crime.

Louw, also a renowned criminologist, said during a symposium in Bloemfontein on violent crimes: "A positive national self-image should be promoted to combat the cynicism, distrust and depression that disempower South Africans to actively take part in the fight against crime. We can do something about it instead of just talking about it around braais."

Louw said the crime situation in South Africa should be put in perspective because this was something the South African media 'clearly did not specialise in'. He went on to say, 'We lived in an abnormal society (apartheid), now we live in a normal society in a country in transition.' Louw said other transitional countries that had experienced the same crime situation as South Africa were Russia, Estonia, Cambodia and Poland. He said that other non-transitional countries like America, Wales, England and Australia had also reported 'concerns' of an increase in violent crime in 1996.

Interesting, wot?

http://www.imbizo.com

Are you worthy of assistance or an Internship?

2006 has been a watershed for me. I’ve learned that I have to change the way I give people help. Those around me in the business community are wonderful, helpful, compassionate people. They’re committed to passing on to those who are interested, what they’ve learned in long and often very distinguished careers. Yet the 18 and upward generation seem to be incapable of understanding what’s on offer. Some examples:

 

1) Student number one arrives in JHB with a view to spending time in a mining house or somewhere similar. He’s studying geology. On the first day of his program he proceeds to get drunk as a skunk in Sandton Square. and it takes us (no kidding) 90 minutes of trawling the complex to track him down and steer his inebriated person to a car. He was summarily ‘deported’ the following day.

2) Student number 2 is given an internship which is crucial to him getting into the second year of an exclusive course at a top University. He SMSs at midday of day 1 of his internship a message reading, ‘I’m bored.’ He sits chatting to the receptionist in the premises instead of asking questions, seeing what he can do, making notes and the like.

3) Distressed aunt calls me on 6^th December to ask if I can organise an internship for her chemical engineering graduate nephew. Not for 2007. For now. Surreal is the only way to describe it.

4) Young woman starting her own business. No revenue anticipated for December 2006. I derail my schedule, spend hours working on a name for her business, positioning statements, leveraging networks, securing (and paying for) her Internet domain, a kind friend undertakes to develop and host her website free on his server plus get her an e-mail. We sort the detail for her business card and four days later she hasn’t responded to any of this.

5) Young man wanting to do an HR/OD Internship. His CV comes through in some un-editable format on e-mail. We ask for it as a Word document. It comes through, unformatted with a note reading: ‘Rushing into exam. Sorry I didn’t have time to format the CV.’ So the message is explicit. ‘You obviously have or will make the time to format it on my behalf.’ For his internship, a marvellous, committed to transformation client of mine comes to the party. The kid’s put his varsity e-mail address on his CV (he’s already on vac) and they can’t contact him. So they have to call me. He’s now got 2 weeks with the crème de la crème in January. Whew.

6) Two Ph.D. lecturers relocating to Oz. Can I plug them into an international organization of their preference. God’s grace, I can. They send their CVs to me full of spelling mistakes.

7) A busy young mother and businesswoman lectures at no charge in a developmental program. Young kids (100% black) sit and stare at her, don’t interact, don’t put any effort into doing anything. She’s an excellent, engaging lecturer and facilitator. The fault is not hers. She tells them what she’s observing. The next week they look a little more interested. This week? Dunno.

8) Seasoned ad man talking, facilitating and mentoring 18 and over wanna-be advertising students. They drift back into the lecture room after a break as and when they feel like it. He now locks the door after the agreed return time. He doesn’t get paid. He’s a genius in his field. He’s doing this to help them grow. Think they know this or give a damn? Dunno.

 

All of these instances have taken place in the last month. They’re a repeat of what I’ve experienced throughout this year and in the years preceding it. But it’s getting worse.

 

There’s a generational mindset to whom the i-Pod, their mobile phone, surfing the ‘Net and getting drunk or drugged is clearly more important than forging a career or leveraging opportunities. Those opportunities are not cost-free to the mentor. I have people leveraging my professional time at no charge because they’ve helped one of my protégés. Not all people do that, but some do. And each time I or one of my peers asks for a favour or an internship for some young person, it’s time out of a pressured diary, co-ordination of the exercise, reduced productivity on the part of the organizational mentors involved and so on.

 

Sometimes we have these kids living in homes in another city while they’re in the programs. With rare exceptions they don’t make their beds (i.e. bother to pull up the duvet!), wash any of the crockery they use, do anything for anyone except themselves, or make any positive contribution whatsoever.

 

After long discussions with various friends in this last week, I’ve made a decision. After years of going the added mile at incredible energy and personal cost for these young people, my 2007 default position is going to be ‘No!’ when I’m asked for help. I’m going to add: ‘Give me a written motivation as to why I should help you.’ Then there’s going to be a sign-off by them first, on a draconian set of guidelines before I even approach my ever-patient and helpful network for assistance.

 

It’s time for the entitlement, no-effort-required mindset of many young people to go. It’s simply not OK.

Business Day's 'The Weekender' comes of age

A while back, I wrote an article criticising what I regarded as the less than optimal launch of Business Day's The Weekender newspaper. I still think my observations at the time were valid. But heck, have the editorial and marketing team got their act together on this new entrant or what?

The simplest benchmark for me of the readability-desirability-subscribability continuum is when I start to clip articles or items from a publication. It's then 'speaking' to me and adding to my information and database. A few weeks back I started doing so with The Weekender. It has become a read which you 'nibble on', not just during the weekend, but throughout the ensuing week. There's an excellent mix of articles in a clean and easy-on-the-eye layout and this combination puts the paper in a league of its own. As a compliment, I compare it to the Sunday Chronicle that existed many years back and filled a similar vacuum in the weekend literary line-up.  Well done to the team involved. I sent off my subscription request this last week. I shall also let my subscription to the deathly-dull Saturday Star lapse when it comes up for renewal. It has been superseded by a worthy opponent.  Discerning advertisers take note!

Whilst talking about The Weekender, this weekend's edition contains a well-reasoned article by Vukani Mde. Having just endured a verbal and written 'aanval' of note as a result of my recently expressed viewpoints and an attempt to get a debate going on the topic of Afrikaans within the education system, this article's timing couldn't have been better. Here it is, courtesy of The Weekender.

Right-click on the article and select 'open link in new window'

One-fingered posting

Been a fascinating few days. Culminating in Carpal Tunnel surgery (nope 'twasn't an underground operation! Google it if curious enough...) which means I'm typing this with one finger of left hand (that's kinda Zen isn't it?). Plus we have a new baby addition to the household. Her name is Nkosinathi, meaning 'God is with us'. May the Wise Ones bless her path on this planet and may she one day leave it an improved place as a result of how she lived her life, is my prayer.

It's interesting to speculate whether her 3 years and 4 months old brother, Siphesihle (beautiful gift), understands that the one-time bulge in mum's tummy is now the peaceful little bundle on her lap? Or whether he relates to her merely as someone else who's somehow entered the clan. I was three years old when my younger sister came along and I have no recollection whatsoever of her arrival. Or could that just be selective memory? Kidding! Either way, now that we have the gender pinned down, I'll attack Woolworths with one hand tomorrow and stock up on some pretty pink duds for the little lady. I was given the privilege by her parents, of naming her. Thank you Khululiwe and Mduduzi.

The philosphical learning out of the Carpal Tunnel surgery is: Incapacitated hand it lead to short posting.

Value chain's missing links

Fortunes are spent on advertising, marketing and communications to build a brand identity and image. And then companies will go put that at risk, by design or default, through having in the value chain, people over whom they have no quality control. And that includes the call centres of those 'links' in the chain.

I've just gone through an artery-bursting two days trying to get a satellite tracking device fitted to a vehicle. I decided after many years of being with a useless (and expensive) insurance broker, to do the de riguer 'thing' and go direct. I called Outsurance and got utterly brilliant service from their 'Soggie'. Either he's on amphetamines or he really does love his call centre new business job. He's got energy, he engages you in a warm and empathic manner and even if he does occasionally overuse 'fabulous' to describe most things, it was an altogether fabulous (did I say that?) experience.

Outsurance then e-mailed Netstar (part of the Altech group in South Africa) to call me with a view to installing the tracking device. That's when the wheels came off. I dealt with Martin at Netstar and it was a really frustrating experience. Call not returned, no passion, 'technicians can only fit it in a week's time' etc. 'Talking to Technical Manager'. Slack and unacceptable.

So being the militant, pain in the arse consumer I am, I called Outsurance back and we switched the fitment to Tracker. Tracker were willing to install the device the very next day - on site, without an additional call-out fee. Now that's decent service! Orchid for Tracker and in particular their Carrie-Ann Singh, the installation scheduler, who followed everything through to the nth degree. Well done girl! You deserve a salary increase.

Until this point in my odyssey the distinction for me, between the various tracking device companies, was blurred.  I've found their advertising confusing and generic. But I sure as hell do know the difference now - based purely on service differentiation.

My advice to the customer-centric and service-orientated Outsurance? My experience with Soggie is totally congruent with your advertising promise - and that's both rare'n laudable. But some of your suppliers are pissing in the soup. Maybe do what Woolworths do. Put one of your own enthusiastic people in charge of your client's calls in the tracking company call centres. Maybe make the inimitable Soggie the customer-care or quality assurance manager. But right now, the likes of Netstar are doing damage to your reputation because of their failure to provide a firm and professional link in the value chain. Go sic em!