Zimpapers Logo

Shelter Chieza : Change Management

Throughout the years, I have changed my hiring habits. When I hire, I now look for people who are goal-oriented, that are hungry for success and have a competitive spirit. I used to look at previous successes but have since realised that a character with a drive to win can never be replaced especially with individuals recruited for either a sales or marketing post.I used to think that my colleague was insane when he told me about how he settled on two gentlemen for his sales team.

Out of the five very talented and experienced applicants he narrowed the number down to three by looking at those that previously competed in any type of sport at whatever level.

My colleague likes to hire athletes or individuals that are into some type of sport. Your guess is as good as mine- You certainly do not have to be an athlete to succeed in business.

I have however observed that sportspeople including athletes are self-motivated individuals. They certainly want to win and achieve their goals, even if it’s shedding off a few pounds or toning a part of their body or strengthening their core.

If you decide to use this method though, be very careful. Competition levels can reach very toxic levels and hinder real growth.

You do not want to fuel a backstabbing mentality among your employees. Creating functional teams should be at the core of the managers’ agendas.

It is important that you set team goals and celebrate those wins no matter how small and seemingly insignificant it is.

Also make an effort to empower individuals as they own up to each success and even mention it in the presence of their peers.

One of the greatest statesman of all times once said, “Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but co-operation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off.”

The academics have coined this concept to be co-ompetition. In Zimbabwe, we have the Competitions Act Chapter 14:28.

In terms of the Act, any person who is engaging in or otherwise giving effect to an unfair business practice shall be guilty of an offence i.e. if the complaint is related to anti-competitive practices – collusive and cartel-like behaviour, or abuse of dominance, or monopolisation.

This includes all anti-competitive agreements both horizontal and vertical agreements, abuse of dominant position and anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions.

The Competition Act also has consumer welfare and protection provisions scattered in its various parts.

The Act provides for the consideration of most restrictive practices and all mergers using the ‘rule of reason’ approach.

The Government through the use of a number of mechanisms has seen it fit to control these monopolies and oligopolies by instituting price controls; fixing of minimum wages through labour regulations to prevent big businesses from exploiting workers.

Parastatals were also created as public enterprises in the industrial and commercial sectors to counter and limit the ability of monopolies and oligopolies to abuse their dominant positions.

The Competition and Tariff Commission has also shown a strong intolerance of collusive arrangements between competitors leading to price fixing and/or market sharing, and has come down heavily on the perpetrators of such anti-competitive practices in cases where it has managed to conclusively prove the existence of the practices.

Investigations into collusive arrangements have been undertaken in a number of industries and sectors, including the commercial banking services sector, the cement industry, the dry cleaning services sector, the real estate industry and the air travel business.

Are we then saying a country which has one satellite television services transmission is fair?

What recourse does the consumer have when sub standards goods are dumped into the country forcing the downstream industry that was reserved for locals to shut down?

There is no way Zimbabweans can compete with these products because in their countries they use cheap labour and mass produce while half the time we have no water and electricity in our industries to produce. We ought to then look at competition in a more sustainable way – we need to relook at our trade relationship.

As you climb up the corporate ladder, make it your mission to never trample on the rights, dignity and virtue of others. In as much as jobs are competitive, it is safer for you to play an honest game that is based on ethical behaviour and personal accountability.

Make it your aim to base your success on authenticity and personal work. Work on your persona and be someone that is considerate at all times.

Remember that cheap prices can often mean cheap quality goods .The customer must get value for their money.

Till next week, may God richly bless you!

Shelter Chieza is a Management Consultant. She can be contacted at [email protected]