Angelface
Well-Known Member
A great example of what can be done if you really put your mind to it. For all those who constantly moan and groan about the hardships in their lives, and those who stand "bakhand" for more and more handouts.
A saying we can all remember - The best helping hand, is at the end of your own arm.
A saying we can all remember - The best helping hand, is at the end of your own arm.
Adriaan Groenewald
03 August 2007 at 06h00
What did you do when you were seven years old, or even eight years old for that matter?
Seen from another angle, what does your seven- or eight-year-old child's life consist of: Eat, sleep, school, play?
Well, Shameel Joosub was already selling chips and samoosas when he was seven and when he was eight he and a friend had a stall in Marabastad selling products like earrings at 100 percent margin.
I guess like most kids he also played some, but this was secondary to selling, negotiating and doing business.
When I asked him if this was really true or just urban legend his answer was: "Yes, in fact I was in training from five to seven. I used to help my brothers who sold various things.
When I was seven I started my own little business selling packets of chips, samoosas, marbles, tops and so on to have pocket money to do things."
Today Joosub is the managing director of Vodacom SA, one of the largest businesses in the country at the age of 36! His friend from the Marabastad days, interestingly enough, is the CEO of one of the great black accounting firms in SA, so both of them seemed to have gone on to become CAs and then top leaders.
I pushed Joosub a little further about why he was driven to run his own little business at such a young age. I thought it had to be more than the mere desire for pocket money. Other kids wash their parent's car or the dishes for pocket money.
He explained that his parents had got divorced when he was 10 months old. This led to the father taking the house and his mother having approximately R17 per month for maintenance for four children, Joosub says.
"We had a very difficult upbringing. My Mom worked extremely hard to give us the best, but there wasn't money for extras, so we had to work hard for pocket money for those little extras that any kid wants and also to contribute in the house itself."
Joosub learned from a young age to work hard and be responsible for something as important as income for a household.
It does not come as a surprise that today he works very hard, almost too hard, and he is comfortable with the responsibility of income for something as important as a business that sustains thousands of families and people, not just his own.
He also believes that working from such a young age ingrained in him the want and desire to succeed, as well as humility, and "if you want to get somewhere in life it is going to come with hard work.
"The one thing I learned from a very early age, and I think it is one of my strengths today, is to treat everyone with respect.
"I always say to my staff you should treat everyone from the gardener to the CEO with the same level of respect.
I think when you have walked the streets and you have sold things, had to catch taxis and wait until there are 16 people in the taxi before it would move, you learn a level of humility."
We went on to discuss all of this in the context of my seven -year-old and his younger children and how we should somehow teach them the value of hard work and being or feeling responsible for something important.
All this should be done in the context of a changed environment where children can't be out on the streets anymore and where they love the PlayStation. Is the home an important learning centre for future leaders? Undisputedly so!
The man went through the ranks from being the senior accountant in the Budget general ledger control division responsible for preparing requisitions for payments and budget control for the company, all the way to MD.
But, here is where you need to learn from Joosub. After a month or two in his first job he went to his boss and said to him: "Look, I am a lot more intelligent than this. I think you could be using me a lot more effectively." Yes, he did say it in exactly these words!
When opportunities came along like working in financial management or doing anything for Alan Knott-Craig, who sat in the same wing as he did, Joosub grabbed it with both hands.
The attributes of hard work, initiative, being responsible, taking ownership, respecting all people and wanting to succeed kicked in … and the rest is history!
It also comes as no surprise that he is a great negotiator and he loves it. What makes a good negotiator or what has worked for him? Joosub says: "Firstly you have to know your subject matter very well, especially when you are negotiating something difficult."
When he was put in procurement he had to negotiate on things he knew nothing about. He decided to gain as much knowledge as he could from the engineers, then he would bring in the different suppliers and let them all present to him until he understood the product.
In the end he understood the pitfalls and strengths of each product. They of course pitched against each other, so he became an expert.
That assisted him to negotiate a good deal. Joosub says another "important point is not to negotiate to the extent that the other party is not going to be successful. You have to ensure that it is a fair deal for both sides."
He also feels that "once you have made a deal you stick to it, irrespective of whether it causes you a loss - you have to keep to your word, your word is your bond".
According to Joosub it is always good to be direct and have a fair and up-front start to the negotiation, not to duck and dive
He is clear about his strengths and weaknesses. He knows he is a good listener on the one hand, and on the other, he knows he has a tendency to get too involved in detail, which is a possible weakness. His job is his passion. He knows he is good at it. He admits that his work is his hobby and his career.
I asked him what they expect from their suppliers:
"Commitment and sharing the same urgency, especially when it comes to critical things to our business, like the network.
"Your suppliers must be able to react quickly and share your frustration and be able to solve your problem quickly, because in the end there are customers being affected by the particular problem.
"So yes, we are demanding and we are loyal to our suppliers but at the same time we expect them to go the extra mile."
I then turned the conversation inward and asked Joosub what his customer service vision is.
"The customer should be king! We should try and solve his issues as quickly as possible; immediately in fact! People need to take responsibility and ownership of the problem; it does not matter if it sits in a different department.
"The person who takes the call must take ownership of it and follow it through to the end and make sure that the problem is sorted and that we have a happy customer."
To close the gaps and ensure that this vision happens they have staff reward programmes for excellent service to customers. They also spend a lot of time upskilling staff to have the necessary skills to take the call and handle the difficult situation.
Joosub has worked closely with Alan Knott-Craig over the years and has learned from him to take responsibility for his decisions early on in his career.
He remembers calling Alan for advice once and he said: "It's your decision; you run the company; you make the decision and take responsibility for it - if it's wrong, you're fired and if it's right, it's great."
The statement from Alan wasn't that dramatic, but what he taught Joosub was that one needs to take responsibility for the decisions that you make.
I also learned from him to give people opportunities. He took a 26-year-old and made him the MD of a company. He's got incredible vision of seeing the capability in someone and being able to see people's skills and what they're good at.
What keeps a man like Joosub at Vodacom, despite his entrepreneurial abilities and a continual possibility of him starting his own thing, are the never-ending challenges; autonomy to get on with the job; and working and creating a team with a level of respect and understanding.
Shameel Joosub's final message to all leaders is "to treat everybody with respect and as a leader you need to listen to people's opinions - be decisive, but first consult and listen, then make the decision, and if the decision is wrong be bold enough to change it".
Summary of Leadership and life lessons:
If you are going to get somewhere in life it can only come with hard work.
Treat everyone with the same respect, the gardener and the CEO.
Teach children the value of hard work and being or feeling responsible for something important.
The home is an important learning centre for developing future leaders.
If you need to be more challenged in your job, tell your boss.
When opportunities come along grab them with both hands.
To be a great negotiator: 1) Know your subject very well; 2) Ensure the deal is fair for both sides; and 3) Keep to your word.
Be clear about your strengths and weaknesses.
Have a passion for your job.
Customer service philosophy: Take ownership of the problem when it comes your way by following through to the end.
Take responsibility for the decisions you make.
Give people opportunities.
Be decisive, but first consult and listen. If the decision is wrong, be bold enough to change it - just do what's best for the company.
Celebrate your successes.