“The manufacturing industry is at a pivotal juncture. In South Africa, artificial intelligence (AI) promises a revolution in productivity, with estimates suggesting it could add up to R940 billion to the economy by 2030 (Access Partnership, 2023). Local optimism is high, with 81% of manufacturing executives expecting significant profit increases from AI (PwC, 2025). Yet, this wave of investment faces a sobering reality: a staggering global failure rate, with up to 80% of corporate AI projects failing to deliver on their objectives (Gartner, Inc., 2024; Ryseff, et. al., 2024). For many South African leaders, it feels like a high-stakes gamble where the root cause of failure is rarely the technology itself, but a failure of strategy (Lisowski, E., 2024) – specifically, ignoring the foundational stability of the operation.

To navigate this landscape, we can adapt a powerful metaphor from the Nobel laureate economist Oliver E. Williamson, who wrote of ‘Building with Bedrock and Sand’ (1996). Traditionally, this might be seen as a choice between “bedrock” (a robust, foundational approach) and “sand” (a fast, experimental one). This article argues, however, that the answer is not an “either/or” choice but a nuanced “both/and” strategy. The future-proof factory will be built by leveraging the strengths of both, ensuring that transformative technology is built upon a foundation of operational excellence.

Deconstructing the Analogy: A New Foundation for AI Strategy

The most advanced organisations understand that rapid experimentation and foundational stability are not mutually exclusive paths but two essential components of an integrated approach.

The concept of “sand” advocates for creating controlled, experimental environments – “sandboxes” – where employees can innovate with AI tools without risk (Datasphere Initiative, 2025). This directly confronts a primary barrier to adoption: human resistance to change (Ryseff, et. al., 2024). By giving employees hands-on experience, companies can demystify AI, foster a culture of ground-up innovation, and generate more practical use cases (Datasphere Initiative, 2025).  

While sandboxes foster innovation, they require a “bedrock”: a solid, defensible, and future-proof foundation. Many AI projects are little more than “temporary wrappers built atop someone else’s infrastructure,” making them exceptionally fragile (Pyke, (2025). A true bedrock architecture must be model-agnostic to avoid vendor lock-in, resilient to withstand infrastructure shocks, and sovereign to ensure control over intellectual property – a key concern for South African manufacturers wary of data security on public clouds (Pyke, 2025, Ntuli, 2025). This fragility is not just theoretical. Pyke (2025) critiques how many startups operate as “wrappers” – applications layered atop third-party models, structurally dependent and inherently vulnerable to upstream changes. In contrast, Ntuli (2025) proposes a sovereign alternative: AI infrastructure built with African priorities in mind, emphasising local data control, scalable systems, and model-agnostic design. Their shared call to action is clear – strategic autonomy is not a luxury but a necessity for long-term viability in South African manufacturing.

An exclusive focus on “sand” leads to fragile, unscalable pilots, while a “bedrock-only” strategy results in rigid systems that lack user buy-in — a dual critique first articulated by MIT Sloan (2025) and later contextualised for emerging markets by Ryseff et al. (2024). The most effective strategy is a fusion: building a robust, secure “bedrock” that enables and supports agile, employee-driven “sandboxes.” Central IT and governance teams build the foundation, while operational teams on the factory floor experiment safely on top of it. This creates a virtuous cycle where lessons from the sandbox are hardened and integrated into the core bedrock, systematically mitigating the risks that cause most AI projects to fail.

The AI Value Matrix: Proven Applications in South Africa

When a well-formulated strategy is executed correctly, AI delivers quantifiable improvements. While adoption among South African manufacturing SMEs remains low, several pioneering companies and local AI providers are demonstrating tangible returns (Akoh, 2024).  

• Optimising the Core with Predictive Maintenance: Cape Town-based AI company DataProphet specialises in manufacturing optimisation. Its prescriptive machine learning tools helped a small South African foundry monitor its casting processes, reportedly reducing defects by 20% and downtime by 15%, leading to annual savings of R500,000 (Mthembu, 2025, as cited in Akoh, 2024). While the original presentation by TG Mthembu at the Smart Manufacturing & Technology Summit is not independently verifiable, the case study has been cited in subsequent literature to illustrate sector-specific gains from localised AI adoption.
• At a larger scale, DataProphet’s prescriptive AI solution reportedly helped a major South African auto assembly plant detect and reduce spot welding defects, saving the manufacturer R8.8 million (USD 475,000) per month on downtime alone (Castings SA, 2020). While the Castings SA article does not name the manufacturer or provide independent verification, it remains a widely cited example of AI-driven process optimisation in automotive manufacturing. Similarly,  
• Caterpillar’s transition to predictive maintenance through IoT-enabled sensor analytics has transformed fleet reliability, reducing unplanned downtime by up to 50% and cutting maintenance costs by 10 – 40% across mixed heavy equipment operations (Morey Corporation, 2025).
• Perfecting the Product and Process: Paper and pulp giant Sappi employs AI-driven process control systems in its South African mills to improve energy efficiency by 10% (Mthembu, 2025). The company is also exploring AI to optimise its woodyard processes, using robotics to cut logs to precise sizes, thereby enhancing worker safety and equipment maintenance (Sappi, 2024).
• Aerobotics: In the local agricultural sector, a Western Cape fruit processing SMME used AI and drone technology from Aerobotics to monitor orchard yields, improving its sourcing by 15% and saving R300,000 annually (Mthembu, 2025).  
• Connecting the Chain: In Gauteng, a Black-owned ICT SMME, part of Microsoft’s Emerging Partner Programme, provided an AI-driven inventory management solution to a packaging materials manufacturer. This led to a 25% reduction in stockouts and a 10% increase in revenue (Mthembu, 2025). These local examples confirm broader findings that AI adoption positively influences productivity, quality control, and supply chain management in the South African manufacturing industry (Tshuma et al., 2024).  

The Anatomy of Failure: South Africa’s AI Implementation Hurdles

Despite the clear potential, South African manufacturers face distinct local challenges that contribute to project failure.

• The Critical Skills Gap: A severe shortage of AI-related skills is arguably the biggest barrier holding South Africa back (Whitehead, 2025). The demand for these skills is skyrocketing, with 78% of South African organisations identifying a need for AI talent – the highest among African nations surveyed (Whitehead, 2025). This gap has tangible consequences, with nine out of ten companies citing negative impacts such as project delays and failed innovation initiatives (Whitehead, 2025). While executives believe 40% of their workforce will require new skills due to AI, investment in upskilling lags, creating a significant risk of falling behind competitors (Whitehead, 2025).  
• Infrastructure, Cost, and Data Quality: Foundational challenges such as unreliable power and internet hinder AI deployment, particularly outside of major hubs (Mthembu, 2025; McKinsey, 2024). For South African firms, the high cost of AI software is a primary hurdle – more so than data management, which is the top concern globally (PwC, 2025). Furthermore, inconsistent or incomplete data undermines the accuracy of AI models, a significant challenge for many local companies (Mthembu, 2025).  
• Low SME Adoption and Policy Hurdles: South Africa’s manufacturing SMEs have been slow to adopt AI, often due to a lack of resources, risk aversion, and the absence of a clear implementation framework (Mabaso et al., 2024). This is compounded by broader systemic issues, including poor coordination between research institutions and the private sector, complex funding application processes, and policy challenges that can hinder innovation and investment (AI Now Institute, 2025).  

The Practitioner’s Playbook: A Phased Framework for Success

Successful AI adoption is a business transformation program managed in distinct phases. Skipping a phase creates predictable points of failure.

Phase 1: Foundation Laying (Building the Bedrock) This critical first phase addresses the strategy and data traps. It begins with an honest assessment of the organisation’s digital maturity, infrastructure, and skills base (Polisetty et al., 2023,).

A cross-functional AI governance council – including leaders from IT, operations, finance, and HR – must be established to break down silos and align projects with business objectives (Ghani et al., 2022). Crucially, the process must start with a clearly defined business problem (e.g., “reduce scrap rates by 15%”) rather than a technology solution (RAND Corporation, 2024).  

Phase 2: Agile Experimentation (Playing in the Sandbox) Once a solid foundation is in place, the organisation can move to controlled experimentation. This involves launching focused pilot projects with clear KPIs, treating them as lean experiments to test a hypothesis quickly and cheaply (Faisal, 2025). End-users, the machine operators and line supervisors, must be involved throughout the process in a human-in-the-loop model. This builds trust, ensures the solution is practical, and turns potential resistance into active championship (DeRose, 2025).  

Phase 3: Scaling and Augmentation (Constructing the Factory) This phase addresses the implementation cliff by strategically scaling proven solutions. The long-term vision should focus on augmenting human capabilities, not replacing them (Akhtar, 2025). This “superagency” approach, where AI handles repetitive tasks to free humans for higher-value work, is more ethical and effective (Mayer et. al., 2025). Scaling requires a robust architecture integrated with core systems (e.g., ERP) and, most importantly, a systematic and urgent investment in workforce upskilling and change management to close South Africa’s critical skills gap (Whitehead, 2025).  

Conclusion: From Hype to Reality

The path to successful AI adoption in South African manufacturing is not a choice between rapid experimentation (“sand”) and robust infrastructure (“bedrock”). It is a sophisticated synthesis of both. A solid bedrock of strategy and governance enables a workforce to innovate safely in value-driven sandboxes. While the technology is a powerful enabler, the true differentiator is the human factor. The companies that thrive will be those guided by a clear, human-centric vision and an unwavering commitment to empowering their workforce. By adopting this principled and phased approach, and by directly confronting local challenges like the skills gap, South African manufacturing leaders can move beyond the paradox of high investment and high failure. They can begin the essential work of building the truly intelligent, resilient, and future-proof factories of tomorrow.”

References

1. Access Partnership. (2023). AI in Africa: Unlocking Potential, Igniting Progress. Retrieved from Access Partnership’s official report

Annotation: Highlights AI’s potential to add up to $52.2 billion to South Africa’s economy by 2030. Recommends strategic policies for responsible, high-impact AI adoption

• Akhtar, R. (2025, March 27). AI won’t replace you. A human using AI will. Forbes. Retrieved from Forbes article on AI augmentation

Annotation: Argues AI should augment, not replace, human work. Emphasizes rising value of soft skills and showcases productivity boosts from AI-augmented teams.

• Akoh, E. (2024). Adoption of artificial intelligence for manufacturing SMEs’ growth and survival in South Africa: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science, 13(6), 23–37. Retrieved from International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science

Annotation: Finds low AI adoption among South African SMEs. Proposes a framework addressing infrastructure and strategy gaps to unlock productivity gains.

4. AI Now Institute. (2025). Reflections on South Africa’s AI Industrial Policy.

Annotation: Critiques fragmented AI policy and funding in South Africa. Recommends cross-sector collaboration and streamlined governance for innovation.

• Castings SA. (2020). DataProphet: Building smart factories with AI. Retrieved from Castings SA website

Annotation: Profiles DataProphet’s AI reducing defects and saving R8.8 million/month in auto manufacturing. Highlights smart factory benefits and expansion.

• Datasphere Initiative. (2025, February 11). Sandboxes for AI: Tools for a new frontier. Retrieved from Sandboxes for AI – The Datasphere Initiative

Annotation: Explains AI sandboxes as safe zones for testing innovation. Outlines a 5-phase model promoting responsible experimentation and governance.

• DeRose, M. (2025). Change champions: Building trust and practical alignment in AI adoption. FutureWorks Press.

Annotation: Trust and co-design drive AI adoption success. Stakeholder engagement, transparency, and feedback loops turn resistance into support.

• Faisal, S. (2025). Lean experimentation: Step-by-step guide for product teams. Userpilot. Retrieved from Userpilot’s official blog.

Annotation:Promotes lean experimentation in AI projects. Encourages small, testable pilots with measurable outcomes for rapid learning.

• Gartner, Inc. (2024, July 29). Gartner predicts 30% of generative AI projects will be abandoned after proof of concept by end of 2025. Gartner Newsroom. Retrieved from Gartner’s official press release

Annotation: Predicts 30% of GenAI projects will fail post-pilot by 2025 due to unclear ROI and poor data quality. Highlights sustainability concerns.

1. Ghani, A., Boateng, K., & Mensah, T. (2022). AI governance frameworks for inclusive digital transformation in Africa. Ghana Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation. Retrieved from Ghana National Artificial Intelligence Strategy: 2023–2033.

Annotation: Call for inclusive, cross-departmental AI governance in Africa. Emphasizes transparency, ethics, and aligning tech with broader goals.

1. Lisowski, E. (2024, June 24). Why AI Projects Fail – And What Successful Companies Do Differently. Addepto. Retrieved from Addepto’s official blog

Annotation: Attributes AI project failures to strategic misalignment. Suggests strong leadership and “bedrock” strategies over reactive pilots.

1. Mabaso, T., Akoh, E., & Nzama, M. (2024). Adoption of artificial intelligence for manufacturing SMEs’ growth and survival in South Africa: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science, 13(6), 23–37. Retrieved from the official study.

Annotation: Show SME AI adoption hindered by cost and capacity issues. Recommends national frameworks and targeted policy support.

1. Mayer, H., Yee, L., Chui, M., & Roberts, R. (2025). Superagency in the workplace: Empowering people to unlock AI’s full potential. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved from McKinsey’s official report.

Annotation: Introduce “superagency”: AI augments human work for higher productivity. Calls for leadership alignment and employee-focused strategies.

1. McKinsey & Company. (2024). Gen AI in Africa: Unlocking potential. Retrieved from McKinsey’s official insight

Annotation: AI scaling in Africa is limited by poor infrastructure and data quality. South Africa’s agriculture and manufacturing sectors are most affected.

1. MIT Sloan Management Review. (2025). Summer 2025 Issue: Strategic Thinking and Long-Term Planning. Retrieved from https://sloanreview.mit.edu/issue/2025-spring/

Annotation: Uses “sand vs. bedrock” metaphor to critique unstable pilots and rigid systems. Advocates for balance in AI strategy.

1. Morey Corporation. (2024). Breaking ground: Transforming asset management – Caterpillar’s journey to predictive maintenance. Retrieved from Morey Corporation Case Study

Annotation:Caterpillar’s shift to predictive maintenance improved uptime and cut costs by up to 40%. Demonstrates AI’s industrial impact.

1. Mthembu, T. G. (2025, May). AI-driven process optimization in South African foundries: A case study. In Smart Manufacturing & Technology Summit, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Annotation: Case study: South African foundry reduced defects by 20% using AI. Demonstrates cost-saving potential in constrained environments.

1. Mthembu, N. (2025, May 16). AI and the future of manufacturing: A call to action for continuous improvement practitioners in Africa. ODI. Retrieved from ODI’s official article.

Annotated AI improves Sappi’s energy efficiency by 10%. Encourages integration with Lean, Six Sigma, and CI frameworks in manufacturing.

1. Mthembu, N. (2025, June 24). AI for SMMEs: Why now is Africa’s moment to build smarter factories. ODI. Retrieved from ODI’s official article

Annotation: Showcases AI use by Aerobotics to boost orchard yield forecasting accuracy and save R300,000 annually. Highlights SMME benefits.

• Mthembu, N. (2025, June 24). AI for SMMEs: Why now is Africa’s moment to build smarter factories. ODI. Retrieved from ODI’s official article.

Annotation: Discusses infrastructure gaps like power and internet as major AI barriers for SMMEs. Urges investment in digital readiness.

• Mthembu, N. (2025, May 16). AI and the Future of Manufacturing: A Call to Action for Continuous Improvement Practitioners in Africa. ODI. Retrieved from ODI’s official article

Annotation: Data fragmentation and manual processes hinder AI model accuracy. Advocates for structured data governance in South African firms.

• Ntuli, P. (2025, July 31). How Africa can start advancing AI on its own terms. Lifestyle & Tech. Lifestyle & Tech article.

Annotation: Calls for sovereign, model-agnostic AI infrastructure across Africa, stressing local data control and scalable systems as essential for long-term competitiveness and strategic independence.

• Polisetty, R., Naidoo, K., & Mokoena, L. (2023). AI readiness in South African manufacturing: Strategy, infrastructure, and skills. Johannesburg Institute for Digital Futures. Retrieved from Johannesburg Institute for Digital Futures.

Annotation:Outlines AI readiness stages—digital maturity, skills, and strategy. Warns against rushing implementation without foundational alignment.

• Pyke, C. (2025, March 18). The AI Wrapper Business: Opportunity, Competition, and the Race for Differentiation. Kingy.ai. Retrieved from Kingy.ai’s original article

Annotation: Warns that AI wrapper startups lack long-term sustainability. Emphasizes need for deeper integration and infrastructure control.

• PwC. (2025). AI in Operations: Revolutionising the Manufacturing Industry. Retrieved from PwC South Africa’s official publication

Annotation: 81% of South African execs expect profit gains from AI. Challenges include high software costs and limited AI talent.

• PwC South Africa. (2025, July 16). AI in Operations: Revolutionising the manufacturing industry. Retrieved from PwC South Africa’s official publication

Annotation: Software costs are top AI adoption barrier in South Africa, unlike global focus on data. Yet firms show strong intent to expand.

• RAND Corporation. (2024). AI implementation in manufacturing: Aligning technology with business outcomes. Retrieved from RAND Corporation’s official publication

Annotation: AI should solve specific business problems, not pursue tech for tech’s sake. Advocates goal-oriented, measurable implementation.

• Ryseff, J., De Bruhl, B. F., & Newberry, S. J. (2024). The root causes of failure for artificial intelligence projects and how they can succeed: Avoiding the anti-patterns of AI (RR-A2680-1). RAND Corporation. Retrieved from RAND’s research report

Annotation: Combines “sand” flexibility with “bedrock” structure for AI success. Balances agility with long-term system stability

29. Sappi. (2024). How artificial intelligence is impacting the print industry. Retrieved from Sappi’s official article.

Annotation: Trials AI in forestry operations to improve efficiency and safety. AI-enabled robotics enhance precision and reduce waste.

• Tshuma, N., Moyo, T., & Dlamini, S. (2024). The influence of artificial intelligence on the manufacturing industry in South Africa. South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences, 27(1). Retrieved from South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences

Annotation: Peer-reviewed study links AI use to improved productivity and quality. Emphasizes workforce transformation and strategic alignment.

• Whitehead, S. (2025, May 30). South Africa’s AI future: Bridging the critical skills gap. iAfrica. Retrieved from South Africa’s AI Future: Bridging the Critical Skills Gap

Annotation: South Africa faces a critical AI skills gap, risking project delays and foreign dependency. Urges workforce reskilling investment.

• Whitehead, S. (2025, June 24). South Africa’s GenAI moment: Closing skills gap could unlock billions in economic value. iAfrica. Retrieved from iAfrica’s expert opinion article.

Annotation: Says closing the AI skills gap could unlock $100 billion/year in economic value. Advocates collaboration across sectors for talent development.

• Williamson, O. E. (1996). The mechanisms of governance. Oxford University Press.

Annotation: Presents Transaction Cost Economics as a framework for designing efficient governance structures by analysing how institutions manage uncertainty, opportunism, and complex contracts.

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This reminded me of the important role that Leadership (and ethics) play in government, business, industries, and other sectors.

A country club manager is defined in the dictionary as a person’s management style that pays a lot of attention to subordinates’ security, well-being, and harmony. This implies that one is more people-orientated and less task orientated. Not necessarily a wrong style – the ideal is to be strong on people and tasks – but success depends on the context or situation. 

There are a host of books and ideas about Leadership – what it is and what it is not. The spectrum of leadership styles ranges from the abrasive, no excuses, and dictatorial style of Jack Welch who during his 40-year career led General Electric to year after year success around the globe in multiple markets to the servant leadership style of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.

What every student of leadership agrees on is that there is no right leadership style. As mentioned previously, it depends on the context and the situation – called situational Leadership. Jim Collins in his book ‘’Good to Great’’ calls embracing the “genius of the AND’’ rather than the ‘’tyranny of the OR’’.

Achieving a balance between tasks and people is a skill that can be learned. The Blake and Mouton managerial grid is a useful tool to reference.

Jim Collins has identified 5 key traits of good Leadership:

1. A personal sense of humility
2. A deep personal understanding of one’s strengths and weaknesses
3. A laser-like focus on the organisations purpose
4. A passionate commitment to continuous learning
5. A relentless determination to do what is right, not what is easy

These were published on 16^th October 2001, but I believe it stands the test of time in these heady and turbulent times, especially number 5.

There are many negative things happening in our country and business leaders are understandably downbeat – from load-shedding, political uncertainty, poor economic growth, and the collapse of many state-owned enterprises to name a few. Many of these problems were caused by poor or lack of Leadership.

 However, I would like to quote Colin Powell from his book ‘’In Life and Leadership’’.  In the book he mentions 13 rules that he lived by. I quote Rule 13.

“Rule 13: Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. Perpetual optimism, believing in yourself, believing you will prevail, and demonstrating passion and confidence is a force multiplier. If you believe and have prepared your followers, the followers will believe’’.

Author: Gerald McKinnon: Chairman of the ODI Board

Resources:

• Andre de Ruyter – Truth to Power

• Jack Welch and Suzy Welch – Winning

• Ken Blanchard – The Servant Leader

• Jim Collins- Good to Great

• Colin Powell – In Life and Leadership

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• produce outstanding results,
• consistently delivering high-quality work and
• making a significant impact on the organisation.

One of the key components of a high-performance team is trust. Members of the team must trust each other to communicate openly, share ideas, and provide constructive feedback. This trust fosters an environment of collaboration and mutual respect, allowing team members to work together effectively.

Another important factor is clear goals and objectives. Teams must have a shared understanding of what they are trying to achieve, and how their individual contributions fit into the larger picture. This clarity of purpose motivates team members to work together towards a common goal and helps to avoid confusion and misunderstandings.

Effective communication is also crucial to the success of a high-performance team. Team members must be able to communicate their ideas, concerns, and feedback in an open and respectful manner. This not only helps to build trust but also ensures that everyone is working towards a common goal.

High-performance teams require leadership that is both visionary and supportive. Leaders must have a clear understanding of their team’s strengths and weaknesses, and must be able to coach and motivate team members to achieve their full potential. They must also provide the resources and support necessary to help the team.

In addition a supportive team dynamic is also crucial in fostering high-performance teams. Team dynamics refer to the patterns of behavior, communication, and relationships among team members. A positive team dynamic can greatly enhance team performance by promoting a sense of unity and shared purpose.

One aspect of supportive team dynamics is active participation by all team members. Teams perform best when everyone is engaged and contributing to the team’s goals. This can be achieved through regular team meetings and open forums where all team members can voice their opinions and provide feedback.

Another key aspect is a sense of belonging and inclusiveness. Teams work best when everyone feels valued and included, regardless of their role or background. A team culture that emphasizes

• collaboration,
• respect, and
• diversity

can help foster a positive dynamic and enhance team performance.

Moreover, high-performance teams also benefit from regular opportunities for team-building and relationship-building activities. These activities can range from team-bonding events to joint problem-solving exercises. By strengthening relationships among team members, teams can build a strong foundation of

• trust,

• respect, and

• collaboration

that will help them work together more effectively.

In summary, supportive team dynamics play a critical role in high-performance teams. By promoting active participation, a sense of belonging and inclusiveness, and regular opportunities for team-building, organisations can create teams that are not only effective but also enjoyable to be a part of.

ODI’s NQF3 National Certificate in Management (Supervision for Energised WorkTeams) aims at equipping every first-line manager with the essential knowledge and skills necessary to:

• Develop, lead and inspire productive workplace teams.
• Ensure that all team members are developed to their full potential.

The manager of the first-line manager needs to coach his/her first-line managers, and is, as such, involved in the programme. A simple-to-use benchmarking system forms the basis for ongoing coaching and development. To read more about this learnership, click here.

Author: Maryke Bergh: Senior Manager: Learning & Development

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A world-class leader is characterised by several attributes, including

• vision,

• integrity,

• confidence, and

• passion.

They have a clear and compelling vision of where they want to take their organisation and inspire their team to work towards realising that vision. They possess integrity and honesty, and their actions align with their values and beliefs. This earns them the trust and respect of their team and other stakeholders.

Confidence is another important attribute of a world-class leader. They believe in themselves and their abilities, and this confidence is contagious, inspiring their team to have confidence in themselves and their abilities as well. Passion is also a critical attribute, as a leader who is passionate about their work and their team is more likely to be successful in achieving their goals.

The impact of a world-class leader on an organisation is significant. Such leaders provide direction and guidance, leading their team towards success. They also create a positive work environment, where employees feel valued and motivated to perform at their best. World-class leaders also foster a culture of continuous improvement and growth, encouraging their team to learn, grow and improve.

A world-class leader plays a critical role in the success and growth of an organisation. Their vision, integrity, confidence, and passion are critical attributes that set them apart and enable them to lead their team towards success. If you are looking to become a world-class leader, focus on developing these attributes and you will be on your way to making a profound impact in your organisation.

Author: Maryke Bergh: Senior Manager: Learning & Development

Today’s markets and organisations are more complex than ever, and project management has emerged as a discipline with the potential to ensure that new ideas, products and services are successfully realised. This Occupational Certificate is aligned to two of the key global project management standards – the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) and PRINCE2 – and provides project management best practices, tools and techniques.

To read more about ODI’s NQF5 Occupational Certificate – Project Manager, click here.

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Here’s why productivity is so important in such organisations:

• Increases profitability

By increasing productivity, an organisation can produce more output with the same resources, leading to higher profits.

• Enhances competitiveness

A productive organisation can respond quickly to changes in the market, and provide customers with a better experience, thus boosting its competitive advantage.

• Improves work-life balance

When employees are productive, they are able to complete tasks quickly and efficiently, freeing up time for other priorities, such as family and personal interests.

• Attracts and retains top talent

Productive organisations are attractive to top talent because they offer challenging work, growth opportunities, and a positive work environment.

• Increases innovation

By streamlining processes, an organisation can free up resources to invest in research and development, leading to new and innovative products and services.

To be productive, organisations need to focus on several key areas, including

• technology,

• training, and

• process improvement.

By investing in these areas, organisations can ensure that employees have the tools and skills they need to be productive, and that processes are streamlined and efficient.

Productivity is a crucial component of success for a world-class organisation. By maximizing efficiency and results, organisations can increase profitability, enhance competitiveness, improve work-life balance, attract and retain top talent, and drive innovation and growth.

Wanting to improve productivity in your organisation? ODI’s NQF5: Productivity comprises of 9 modules. It consists of one Management System Module, to create a common vision, and eight practical Modules, to make operations more competitive.

• Creates a common language for improvement.

• Utilises detailed checksheets, to depict the levels of improvement towards world class.

• Based on a proven methodology for sustainable business improvement.

To read more about this learnership, click here.

Author: Maryke Bergh: Senior Manager: Learning & Development

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• increased teamwork,

• improved communication, and

• a more positive workplace culture.

In high-pressure work environments, emotional intelligence helps individuals manage their own emotions and stay calm in the face of stress and adversity. This results in better decision making, increased productivity, and reduced turnover, as employees feel valued and supported.

Moreover, emotionally intelligent individuals are able to understand the emotional needs of their customers, and are able to respond in a way that enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty. This has a direct impact on the bottom line, as satisfied customers are more likely to return, refer others, and provide positive reviews.

Leaders with high emotional intelligence are also able to inspire and motivate their teams, and are better equipped to handle workplace conflicts and negotiations. This creates a workplace culture where everyone is working towards a common goal, and helps to improve morale and reduce turnover.

Emotional intelligence plays a critical role in relationships in the workplace, and has a direct impact on the success and profitability of a company. Companies that invest in developing the emotional intelligence of their employees are more likely to achieve their business objectives and have a more positive and productive workplace culture.

Recently Maryke Snyman facilitated a group of learners from KSB Pumps and Valves (Pty) Ltd, completing ODI’s NQF5 Emotional Intelligence 2-Day Skills Programme in Gauteng.

The purpose of this Emotional Intelligence Skills Programme, is to

• learn what emotional intelligence is all about, as well as the impact thereof. 
• discover tools to help you develop new habits.
• increase your ability to recognise your feelings, to control them, and to express them appropriately.
• learn to empathise with people, and to recognise their emotions, as well as your own.
• apply the principles and concepts of emotional intelligence to the management of self and others.

To read more about the content to be covered in this Skills Programme, click here.

Author: Maryke Bergh

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Strategy helps to define a business, gives it a set of values, and gives it purpose. It helps a business to understand what success actually looks like.

Peter Ferdinand Drucker’s (Austrian-American management consultant, educator, and author) words come to mind:

“Strategy is a commodity; implementation is an art”

The Astral Foods 20 Keys Conference took place at Irene Country Lodge in Centurion on 14 September 2022. Strategy implementation and how this is supported by the 20 Keys Business Improvement Programme was the focus of the day.

Nikki Moodley (Operations Improvement Executive)

Astral Food’s Nikki Moodley, opened the 20 Keys Astral Conference.

During the late 1990’s Astral chose 20 Keys as its preferred programme to support a continuous improvement journey. Nikki spoke about how the 20 Keys programme houses all the tools needed on such a journey.

Mr Chris Schutte | CEO

Astral CEO Chris Schutte, described by Nikki Moodley as a legend and a visionary leader, then confirmed his passion and support for the 20 Keys programme. He highlighted the direct correlation between business success and how well a business is doing on their 20 Keys journey. According to him 20 Keys helps to mitigate business risk, supports efficiency improvements and supports the business in its strategy. The Astral strategy is to secure a better future in our land and the conference assist in the execution of this strategy. He summarised by saying 20 Keys should not be taken lightly!

Gary Arnold | Group COO

‘Managing the business cycle’

An insightful presentation by Gary Arnold described how volatile the poultry industry is and the importance of a workplace improvement programme to ensure business survival. He highlighted the role of 20 Keys as a business tool and as a programme that must be implemented by all. When continuous improvement underpins your behaviour it helps a business to adapt to challenging circumstances and to face challenges successfully.

At Astral a culture of continuous improvement is fostered and it has become the way that things are done. The 20 Keys programme provides the framework for this journey where one sometimes seems to face the impossible.

Nikki Moodley | Operations Improvement Executive

Highlighting the importance of people and culture, Nikki then referred to the famous Peter Drucker quote that says that “culture eats strategy for breakfast”, which implies that the culture of your company always determines success regardless of how effective your strategy may be.

Drucker believed that a powerful and empowering culture was a surer route to organisational success. Peter Drucker (1909-2005 | one of the most widely-known and influential thinkers on management)

Gideon Jordaan | HR Executive

‘The Astral Way’

Gideon Jordaan then started his presentation to say what a privilege it is to be speaking about the importance of culture in an organisation. Ultimately it is all about people and an excellent strategy needs to be implemented by good people. To ensure good governance in a large business your need programmes such as the 20 Keys.

He emphasised the importance of communication and the role that leaders play in building up people. It is these interactions with people that builds the culture in the organisation and not the periodic performance management discussions. Gideon also mentioned that the first-line management is a very important level in the organisation, they manage the vast majority of people. He emphasised that this level needs to be developed and coached.

Ultimately the culture of the organisation is defined 95% by leadership at ALL levels.

Nikki Moodley | Operations Improvement Executive

Thinking about the importance of leadership reminded Nikki of Robin Sharma’s book on “Leader who had no title” that talks about awakening the inner leader in each one of us. We are ultimately all leaders and need to do self-introspection on the importance of this role. Some food for thought.

The remainder of the presentations for the day were all aligned to the different business divisions:

• Agriculture
• Meadow Feeds
• Commercial
• Sales and Support

AGRICULTURE DIVISION

OBED LUKHELE: MD: Agriculture

Obed stressed how important 20 Keys is to the Agriculture division.  It is completely integrated into the business. He highlighted Key 2: Goal Alignment and the importance of energised and motivated people as well as Key 10: Workplace Discipline and the role it plays in minimising waste.

Obed explained the Farms 20 Keys Model which focusses on 12 selected Keys (developed in partnership between Astral and ODI). He then shared specific improvement gains made in Agriculture over the years and the importance of continuous improvement.

The slide shared about improvements made in the Comrades marathon was relevant encouragement to all!

Majola Sin: Breeder Farm Manager and GAIL ARRIES: BROILER FARM MANAGER

’20 Keys, roadmap to optimal Bird Health and Performance’

Gail shared about the importance of their team and how together they are responsible for the success of applying 20 Keys. She shared about their MBA (mini business area) and the strength of visual management using their QCDSM (Quality, Cost, Delivery, Safety, Morale) graphs.

A lot of focus was placed on the importance of team members taking ownership and establishing value adding work habits.

As a team they make used of tools such as the CAPDo cycle, Action Plans, Fishbone Diagram, SGA (Small Group Activities), 5W’s and 1H.

Majola then spoke about all the relevant Keys relating to bio security. Various keys are used to ensure bio security. Key 3 and the use of SGA’s (Small Group Activities) in particular are effectively used to find solutions to challenges that are experienced. 20 Keys especially assists employees to generate creative ideas and suggestions.

A good example of Key 19: Conserving Energy and Materials was shared, titled  – TOO GOOD TOO WASTE. Here waste was actually turned into a useful product.

Majola ended with placing emphasis on the importance of involving all employees in generating ideas and linked it to the following famous quote attributed to Henry Ford (1863-1947) and Edward Everett Hale (1822-1909)

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” 

Dennis Mbamo and Sean Glover

‘Effective Maintenance supports Biosecurity’

Dennis and Sean referred to the implementation of Key 9: Maintaining Machines and Equipment and how this supports a bio security environment.

The goals of Key 9 are indicated in the illustration below:

All of these goals are strengthened by the maintenance MBA and Keys 1,2,3 and 10 to energise people to do Key 9 well.

Key 15: Skills Versatility serves as the platform to create a team that can maintain equipment over a very broad spectrum. Examples of implementations by the maintenance was shared and some important factors such as stock levels, demarcation and SOPs were highlighted.

Interesting was the discussion about the relationship between Key 11: Quality and Key 9: Maintaining Machines and Equipment.

The important role of Key 19: Conserving Energy and Materials in environmental sustainability was very insightful.

The maintenance team ended with this very apt quote by American cartoonist and writer Ted Key (1912-2008):

“Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence!”

Meadow Feeds Division

 Michael Schmitz | MD: Feeds

Michael emphasis the importance of delivering feed that is:

• At the required quality
• On schedule and at
• The best cost of manufacture,

And how a Continuous Improvement journey supports all of these points.

Ed Martin / Carlo Van Wyk / Clinton Lawson

’20 Keys – Formulating the Strategy for the growth of Tomorrow’

The sales team then explained how different Keys relate to their job and support them to do this at the best quality and integrity. They believe that the road to success is paved by 20 Keys and listening to the team made one realise again how important it is to follow a structure approach such as the framework provided by the 20 Keys programme.

IT tools used to increase team efficiencies is directly linked to Key 1: Cleaning and Organising with specific emphasis on organising and SMIR (single minute information retrieval).

The team also highlighted the power of Key 2: Goal Alignment in ensuring that all team members work together in achieving their set goals. Key 2  is the platform to measure specific KPI’s which in turn lead to increased productivity in the team. These KPIs are categorised as QCDSM (Quality, Cost, Delivery, Safety, Morale) and further aligned to the relevant Keys of the 20 Keys programme.  By doing this all teams are made accountable for their own performance.

A lot of reflection went into this presentation, with specific reflection on the past where a lot was learnt and then looking at the future and what is needed to continue to be successful.

NicolE Van Niekerk / Gianni Sansovini

‘More than just Continuous Improvement’

Nicole and Gianni presented how the 20 Keys programme provides and overarching integrated approach for continuous improvement. The interrelationship between the different keys were described and the team effectively explain how a project (that they related to a heart transplant) was executed successfully by using the tools of different Keys.

It was incredible to listen to the number of projects successfully done by the Meadows team.

Some important Keys on their journey included:

Key 2: Goal Alignment. They linked Key 2 to important aspect including data access, goals, accuracy, feedback, time management and monitoring.

Key 16: Production Scheduling is used to streamline production.

The team left us with the quote by Matthew Reilly:

I Didn’t Come This Far To Only Come This Far

We look forward to the next time this team presents to hear how far they got!

Meadow feeds is also proud of the twenty one Excellence Awards received and retained to date.

COMMERCIAL DIVISION

Frans Van Heerden | MD: Commercial

Frans van Heerden highlighted the holistic approach of the 20 Keys programme. He spoke about Key2: Goal Alignment and Key 10: Workplace Discipline as the foundation of what we do and who we are. 20 Keys provides a problem-solving toolset for a continuous improvement journey. Improvement made must also be displayed visually in order to encourage everyone. MBAs are used to come up with projects for improvement and 20 Keys is then utilised to drive these projects to completion.

Continuous improvement is a never-ending journey with celebrated small wins and not a race to the finish line. He ended off by saying that a solid continuous improvement approach is a project based approach linked to the 20 Keys.

Bhanu Jughoo / Robert Maarman

‘Yielding positive results ‘

Bhanu and Robert shared very practical examples of increasing yield. They shared how SGAs are used to get teams to work together and to generate lots of suggestions for improvement.

Terence Grenfell

‘Strengthen the Business Core with Effective Maintenance ‘

Terence shared how the core of the business can be strengthened using IT to connect different departments. Improved data helps to move the focus to priority issues and enables the team to find the root causes of these issues. Much focus was placed on the importance of Key 9: Maintaining Machines and Equipment and how integral this Key is to achieving business targets.

Vernon De Reuck

‘Diversity in Motion’

Vernon shared his continuous improvement journey and especially the amount of change that has happened over the years. With his in-depth knowledge of continuous improvement. Vernon captured the audience reflecting on his holistic approach of implementing the 20 Keys programme. Some Keys elaborated on includes:

Key 2: Goal Alignment and Key 16: Production scheduling with specific focus on successfully executing daily objectives.

Key 17: Efficiency Control and how this underpins warehouse optimisation

Key 18: Using Information Systems to support the extensive use of IT systems in logistics.

Key 13: Eliminating Waste and how the tools in this Key assist in verify the accuracy of systems.

A most important task of logistics is to ensure that the Astral products end on the shelve and the role of the following Keys were explained in the process:

Key 16: Production scheduling and how to ensure on time delivery

Key 12: Developing your suppliers and creating synergies between different parties.

Key 18: Using Information Systems to schedule the complex process of transporting fresh product accurately

Key 17: Efficiency Control is used to optimise route scheduling

Vernon continued to explain the use of different Keys in areas such as technology, staff training, reducing losses, developing suppliers and many more areas.

The successful use of the 20 Keys programme has contributed to Vernon and his team receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award. Well done to the team!

SALES AND SUPPORT FUNCTIONS

Wilfred Harris / Duncan Williams

‘Keep IT moving forward’

Pioneering work has been done in the sales and support division. The IT team described their 20 Keys journey and specifically referenced the following Keys:

Keys 2,6,12, and 20 to support systems software Keys 5,9,18 and 20 to support hardware.

Key 1 – to ensure a safer, cleaner and more organised work environment.

Key 3,5,12 and 20 has ensure an incredible increase in productivity and played an integral part during the COVID 19 pandemic to keep everyone connected

Keys 17 and 13 to eliminate waste and to be aligned with the best in the world.

Keys 1,2,12 and 20 to improve communications.

Keys 4,12,18 and 20 have increased ERP productivity significantly.

Keys 1,13,19 and 20 to support document storage Keys 3,10,14 and 15 have created a positive work environment and taught the IT team how to work together effectively.

Ferdinand Nel / Donovan van Tonder

‘From vision to reality’

Ferdinand and Donovan shared their journey on how their team has overcome obstacles by working together as a team. This has been a continuous improvement journey underpinned by the 20 Keys programme. some of the Keys highlighted included:

Key 15: Skills versatility and cross training has been critical in the multi skilling of team members

Key 11: Quality, improvements in this Key has been achieved through standardisation in the industry

Key 17: Efficiency control and how this has supported the achievement of target.

Other Keys that have played an important role includes Key 1 – SMIR, Key 6 – processed improved and waste eliminated, Key 11 that has led to improved accuracy. The team stressed how critical 20 Keys have been in managing chance and achieving integration across the board. They said that due to the 20 Keys structure they have had success with all their projects.

Elizabeth Mkhwebane

‘Work Safe = Home Safe’

Elizabeth discussed factors important to safety and how Key 3: Small Group Activities have been integral in finding the root causes to any possible safety issues. A most interesting presentation that made everyone aware again of the role that the 20 Keys programme can play in assuring that everyone goes home safely every day.

SHAM ASMAL

‘Chicken Sales People aren’t crazy, just Cockle Doodle Doo!‘

Sham shared that the saled people have had huge success in applying the integration of the 20 Keys. Often one is in a situation where the answer is not evident , these are the times when a structures approach helps you to get to the best possible conclusion.

Sham emphasised the important of teamwork and the role of following Keys were discussed:

Key 2: Goal Alignment to ensure an effective team structure

Key 3: Small Group Activities to guide the process of finding answers

Key 8: Coupled Manufacturing to improvement communication

Key 16: Production Scheduling to ensure ontime delivery to customers

Key 6: Kaizen of Operations to continuously improve operations in the sales department

Key 13: Eliminating Waste and in particular eliminating the waste of time.

Sham shared very good MBA visual displays and emphasised that ultimately 20 Keys means improved communication.

She ended by thanking Nikki Moodley for her coaching and support in the team’s 20 Keys journey.

Sham left the audience with the quote from John Ruskin: “Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.”

Nkosinathi Njoko / Vernon De Reuck / Gianni Sansovini / Pieter du Plessis

Key Takeaways

Some take aways by those selected by “Spin the Wheel” included:

• The integrated power of the different Keys
• The phenomenal implementation by the Agri Team inspired
• The importance of management commitment to ensure a successful continuous improvement journey
• The importance of everyone using the same approach to achieve continuous improvement

The importance of adapting in order to be efficient

Evert Potgieter | Director: Risk

The International 20 Keys Excellence Award was handed over to Boschkop Hatchery, National Chicks, who recently passed the final review with flying colours. The award, which is jointly awarded by PDI Japan and ODI South Africa, is awarded for excellent operations performance over a period of 3 years. (To read more about the requirements for the award, click here.)

Evert asked the question – So what now? What is next?

He highlighted the importance of culture and working together as teams. He encouraged everyone that attended the Astral 20 Keys conference to share their knowledge and convert all in the use of the 20 Keys programme.

Gary Arnold concluded that it is the most inspiring Astral 20 Keys conference he has attended in 25 years.

From all of us at ODI, this was an excellent 20 Keys Conference – Well done Astral.

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In 1959 John F Kennedy, the American president, (then still a senator) explained it in a speech.

Kennedy said when written in Chinese (and Japanese), the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters – one represents danger (Ki and Wei) and one represents opportunity (Ki and ji).

Albert Einstein was also quoted as saying that in the midst of every crisis lies great opportunity.

In South Africa, we have the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality. In addition to these, we have the challenges of power shortages, water scarcity, a health crisis, transport crisis, recent increase in interest rates and rising cost of living driven by the cost of electricity, transport and the war in Ukraine. This has affected not only the most vulnerable in our society, but also organisations, industries and municipalities. It has caused great anxiety and trauma in society with strikes from SARS and increased threats of strikes from NUMSA and other trade unions looming. In 1996 electricity per unit, was less than 10 cents per unit and in 2021 it was R1.10 per unit, fueling the rising of business and household expenses and trauma in society.

There has been no respite in crime and violence, with gun wielding thugs and hijacking – an increasing risk, with criminals taking full advantage of the perilous situation.

So, where are the opportunities that are represented by the characters Ki and ji in these crisis’s?

I don’t have the answers but there are a few encouraging signs. 

The slow move to a low carbon economy has been recognised and government approval for now allowing municipalities to source energy from private energy producers. The establishment in 2021 of a presidential climate commission comprising all relevant stakeholders is a step in the right direction. A more secure and cheaper energy source for South Africa will have far reaching socio -economic benefits. During Covid, some companies retrenched staff and are now struggling to meet demand as business starts to pick up again. For example in the travelling and tourism industries, we have seen the effect of this with some airlines going bust and the congestion at international airports as travel demands pick up.

Companies should use the opportunity to focus on training, developing and energising their staff – especially first-line managers and supervisors. They have the ability to motivate workers and enable staff to be more efficient and productive during these difficult times and to capitalize to be more profitable when going through boom times again and power supply becomes more secure. 

True Leadership is essential during these times to plot a pathway through the crisis. Opportunities will become available and need to be exploited for a sustainable future.  These are the companies that will succeed and be ahead of the curve.

Author: Gerald McKinnon : Chairman of ODI

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Digistics (Pty) Ltd. offers Supply Chain Management and Value-Added Logistics Execution. They operate out of six Distribution Centres in Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg and has become a significant player in leading multi-temperature distribution operations throughout South Africa.

Digistics’ journey began in 1995, when ASP Distributors (Pty) Ltd opened up in South Africa, in partnership with Spar. With a national infrastructure, ASP pioneered multi-temperature distribution within the South African Quick Service Restaurant industry.

A management buy-out in 2003 led to the establishment of Digistics (Pty) Ltd. With an aggressive growth plan, the company secured a number of new, long-standing contracts.

Due to significant growth over a short space of time, the decision was made to bring a partner on board. 51% of the shares was sold to Super Group Holdings in 2012, making the business a Super Group subsidiary company. In 2017, Super Group bought out the balance of the remaining shareholding.

It is said that people are an asset; Digistics believes that everything revolves around people. In order to do what they do, Digistics need leaders to build a best-in-class customer-focused business. They do have those leaders on their team. You will find leadership at every level, and each employee in their team of more than 795 makes decisions every day to put their customers’ businesses first.

Striving for world-class supply chain management and operations excellence, Digistics enrolled members of staff to complete ODI’s NQF3, 4 and 5 Generic Management Learnerships facilitated by Mbali Tshabalala, Michael Foxon and Maryke Bergh.

Learners were welcomed by their HR Executive – Cheryl Farley.

ODI’s Mbali Tshabalala, facilitated the NQF3 Generic Management group of learners.

Micheal Foxon facilitated the NQF4 Generic Management group of learners.

Maryke Bergh facilitated the NQF5 Generic Management group of learners.

The learnerships offered by ODI are carefully selected, to support companies on their journey of Continuous Improvement. To find out how ODI can help your Continuous Improvement initiative, contact us, by clicking here.

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However, it is during these worst of times that we have seen many extraordinary things emerge to become the best of times.

With consumer income and confidence plunging, the unemployment rate rising, the GDP rate falling and our economy in junk status, there’s little hope of good economic news anytime soon.

Economists and historians point out that such circumstances can, however, be an opportunity for innovation and innovative leadership. Tough times can make for good startups and boom times can sometimes be fatal to entrepreneurial success. Inventors and innovative entrepreneurs should be smiling. That timeworn proverb about “an ill wind that blows no good” truly applies in an economic downturn. What do Lindt chocolate, the Rubik’s Cube, French perfumes and a pair of Wellies have in common? They’ve all had increased profits during a recession (source: New York Times blog 2009).

Many hard pressed consumers’ needs and priorities have changed.  As households budgets are squeezed, people are looking for cost-cutting measures from their desperate situations. Domestic trends toward internet shopping, board games that supplant high-cost entertainment systems, inexpensive household comforts, new gadgets that enhance consumers’ homes — which will be with them for a while and entice inventors and entrepreneurial minded people.

Today, we have great power at our fingertips, but we also need to solve problems that we did not need to face in the last decades. Everywhere we turn, and every day, we are faced with circumstances and challenges that we did not confront before.

A lot has been written about the accelerating pace of change and globalisation. This has been fuelled by the rapid technological innovation that has transformed our environments in business, politics and personal lives.  Just look at EDCON now and previously Blackberry, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Stuttafords and soon SAA.

These changes have placed new demands on how we must think in order to thrive. People need to break old behavioural habits and establish new ones. We need to let go of our comfort zones and become more comfortable with ambiguity and contradiction. We need to reframe our questions and assumptions and look through a new lens and be open to new paradigms.

As leaders, we cannot rely on only cognitive (IQ), technical and analytical skills. Although these are powerful, it proceeds in a linear fashion. We need a new way of thinking – proceeding largely in the unconscious. It is a non-linear mode of thinking, emotion derived, able to integrate diverse and multiple information. It allows the consideration of ideas that seems unusual or even bizarre. It fuels creativity and leadership. It is more an art than a science. Leaders in this mode have a high degree of self -awareness, self –regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. These components are visible in individuals with a high degree of emotional intelligence.   Leaders with this high degree of Emotional Intelligence, have seen their performance, influence, persuasiveness and optimism soar even in the face of failure and doom.

I want to end with the full opening paragraph of a Tale of Two Cities, so evocatively and beautifully expressed by Charles Dickens and so relevant to our times and situation:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”

 Sources:

• Leadership insights – Harvard Business Review (Article collection)
• Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
• Elastic: Flexible thinking in a constantly changing world by Leonard MLodinov

Author: Gerald McKinnon – Director at ODI

From the comfort and safety of your home, you can now learn how to develop your Emotional Intelligence Quotient (EQ), by signing up to NQF5: THE IMPACT OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE. Enrolment is free of charge, if you register during level 4 of the COVID-19 lock-down period. To register for this online programme, please email e-support@odi.co.za

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