We need to make people believe that they are worth a lot, no matter where or who they are. We need to find a way to this common purpose. If we all believe that we can make a difference to Namibia, we would have no issue. Namibia is not that big. I can probably make you a list of ten points – if we drive these ten points, we will have a better life for everyone. Not in a hundred years, but probably in a span of maybe three to five years. Things could be completely different. MYD: Give us a few of those ten points. ST: We must make sure that we get our education system up to scratch. We need to get our medical system up to scratch because if there is no medicine or we wait days for treatment, that takes productivity out of the economy. We all need to be disciplined about corruption – that money could be used to take people off the street, to give water, provide electricity and so forth. We wouldn’t have so many accidents because people would be more disciplined on the roads. Discipline doesn’t require education. Putting the money we’ve got into the right places doesn’t take education. It’s fairly simple; it’s not very complex.
It is very hard work. It takes a lot of convincing people. Yet the reward of leaving something good for the next generation ... How much more motivation do you need?
MYD: Your message for 2018? ST: Last year was a very tough year – we all know that – with the down grading and so forth. I think we shouldn’t overrate this. The little failures we had last year – let’s embrace them and take them forward and learn from them. We had a number of successes with little innovations or initiatives on some projects. We often waste too much time on the big things. Let’s celebrate the small things and not waste time. We need to grow local. We need to support local. I think that’s starting to be understood by people. It is important. Every cent of imported material is a job being exported. If we bought local, we could take people off the street. If we’re exporting raw material, we’re exporting jobs. And, of course, we need peace. There are many counties that don’t have peace, that don’t have the stability we have. That’s a success and a continuous success. We should be thankful for the success we have.
MYD: I’ve heard so many business coaches talk about how successful people have made friends with failure. Because failure will happen, it’s about getting comfortable with the process. ST: There’s a saying: Failure is very important to learn. Often, the people who don’t have failures never risk anything. You have to take risks to realise a dream, embrace it and see failure as learning. MYD: The economic challenges we’ve had in the past year are also opportunities for us to learn, to grow and evolve. I believe that every employee attends the O&L World leadership programme because you believe that every person is a leader in their own lives? ST: Everyone is a leader. Often people say, “Well, I am not a leader – I’m just a domestic lady,” or, “I’m just a security guard.” But if you think about it, you are leading your life. You’re leading your family, your destiny. So everyone is a leader. It always amazes me that in schools, universities and throughout our careers, leadership is never taught as a subject. The O&L World leadership programme takes people on a journey to understand the actual potential that lies within, and what a difference they can make. People normally associate being handicapped with a physical shortcoming, but I think the only people that are handicapped are the ones that don’t use their minds.
O & L Group Alexander Forbes House 7th Floor South Block 23-33 Fidel Castro Street P.O. Box 16, Windhoek, Namibia Corporate Relations: Tel: +264 61 207 5111 Ext. 5207 Fax: +264 61 234 021 www.ohlthaverlist.com
MYD: How would you say can we create stronger communities? ST: We must believe that everyone can make a difference. I will tell a till operator: “Do you know that you are as important as the manager? Because when a customer goes to a shop and has a great experience but gets to the till operator and the service is bad, they will walk out and the only thing they will talk about is the bad service at the till.”
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