This little story is all about Lonehill.
What does the fantastic picture of John Smit, his victorious Springbok team and President Thabo Mbeki with the 2007 Rugby World Cup hoisted high above their smiling heads do for a Nation?
Seems like a no-brainer of a question to answer as we follow the celebratory ticker-tape tour of the Springboks and watch folks of all ages in thronging crowds celebrating their heroes.
Clearly, our nation is inspired by the Springboks' World Cup win, stimulating feelings of new hope for exciting possibilities in South Africa, all of which seems to stir even the most negative of pessimists.
This is the story of the power of a MASSIVE GOAL, a World Class objective... the focused vision, strategy, planning, leadership, implementation and superb execution of a simple plan in just four years... visualised by ONE man - Jake White.
He knew what he needed to do back in 2003 - to build up a team of committed professionals who would be ready to take on the best in the world in 2007 - and he set about doing it.
Was it easy? Hell, no! Everything bad about political interference and internal politics in sport was thrown at Jake.
Didn't Oregon Hoskins give the impression of being the archetypal autocratic CEO with his nose almost permanently out-of-joint at the mounting successes of his front-line champion? One gets the constant impression that the long knives are just itching to be plunged into the back of this irritatingly successful champion of the people. Yet, Jake has never wavered on his quest. He knew what he needed to do, and he did it.
For handsome remuneration, of course!
Not as good as our national soccer coach, I'll bet, who has probably earned in a couple of months what Jake has earned from his entire 4 year project.
But, what price success..? If you want the best, you've gotta pay for 'em.
If we get to the quarters or semi's of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, perhaps that will be even more meritorious than Jake's masterminding of the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Can you imagine what it will do for our nation?
Not for one moment do I discount the incredible commitment of Jake's players. They were the ones to put their bodies on the line.
But, for me, it was Jake White who gave them the support of consistent selection to build up their experience and confidence as players who could take on anyone and win.
John Smit, as captain, was critical to Jake White's plans - he became the solid rock around which the team was built. And, I think that he is only going to get better as both a player and a leader. Move over, Sean Fitzpatrick... your successor has arrived.
Well done to all in the Springbok World Cup endeavour.
DESTINY smiles on those who prepare for it.
So what does this story have to do with Lonehill... or any community, for that matter?
Simple, it provides all the clues for local leadership to follow to inspire and uplift an entire community.
Identify our 'World Cup' that we want to win. Set our World Class GOAL for our community. One that WILL inspire the entire community. Find and appoint our community's 'Jake White'. Someone who as the clear attributes to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. Empower him/her to build a SUPER TEAM to achieve the focused objectives. And to achieve that World Class GOAL in four years.
And here's what will happen... even the 'apathetic' will be inspired.
You see, everyone loves to be associated with a WINNER. Everyone wants to be seen to have had some part to play in supporting the very Best of the Best.
I have always maintained - and coined the phrase - that 'apathetic communities result from pathetic leadership'. And that, therefore, the opposite is true.
INSPIRED communities arise from World Class leadership, with the entire community deriving exponential benefits long after the original GOAL has been achieved.
Compare our national mourning, gloom and despair after the piddle-poor showing of our 2003 national rugby team from the pathetic closed door 'leadership' antics of the Kamp Staaldraad era... to that of today, as World Cup WINNERS in 2007, that has arisen from the open, transparent, consistent, goals-oriented style of Jake White, who openly explained his winning policy every step of the way.
I believe that our revitalised LRA under Chairman Rob Gillespie have gone a long way to restoring what seems to be a fair semblance of management order in Lonehill, for which I have been at pains to compliment them on in this forum.
Perhaps now we are ready to find and appoint our own CHAMPIONS to achieve our World Class dreams for our community.
They exist in Lonehill..!
It takes quality leadership to locate, identify, select and appoint them.
The more one studies the 'Jake White phenomenon' the more clues one gets. I've only touched on a few here.
I'm looking forward to seeing more OPEN, transparent feedback of critical numbers and sharing of our challenges - what's working, what's not - at our upcoming LRA feedback meeting on Wed. 31st: 7 p.m. at The Lonehill Village Church.
I sense that we're poised for taking the path to GREATNESS once again.
Did we take this path when it beckoned back in 2003/4?
Coincidentally, the same time that Jake White was appointed!
No. Our community structure, in my opinion, went the Kamp Staaldraad route, which had only one impending outcome... as exerienced by our disastrous 2003 Rugby World Cup campaigners.
What a waste of four years.
Thank goodness for those who stood up to put a stop to the rot!
Now we're back to the stage we were when Jake White was appointed.
Do we have the mettle to go after World Class achievement status for our community... and all the benefits that would derive?
It takes GREAT LEADERSHIP to make the right choices.
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
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Sunday, October 28, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Lonehill: Welcome Return To OPEN Security Meetings
Was nice to see and chat to all the old Lonehill Weekly Security Meeting stalwarts at Tony Platt's funeral last week. Nice show of respect from those who truly know what incredible efforts were put in by those serving on these weekly meeting forums.
Almost all those I chatted to were in 100% agreement with my comments in this blog calling for more OPEN participation of those residents who want to make things happen in Lonehill.
Last week I mentioned how Tony was 'looking forward to the day that he could get back into a contributing role when the security meeting process again opened up for the committed community contributors to participate in once again.'
Well, bless my cotton-picking socks and pick me up off the floor if I didn't read in the very next LRA email:
'Weekly Security Meetings - Residents, please remember that the weekly security meetings held at the LRA offices (81 Studio Office Park, Concourse Cresc) are open for anyone who is interested to attend. The meetings are every Thursday morning from 7.30am'
Hmmm... must have missed the original announcement that these meetings were now open to every concerned Lonehill resident to attend, once again. That's GOOD news! Maybe it also says something about the right messages not getting out timeously or clearly to the community. If I wasn't aware of this, with my high level of interest, how many others in this community weren't..?
The last time I attended such a security meeting - then CLOSED by the leadership in place at the time and moved to 10 a.m., which in my opinion was to make it doubly more difficult for any resident to attend - it was disbanded instantly by those in 'power' because I dared to arrive (after their ignoring my repeated email requests to attend) to ask questions. That became another indicator for me that something was 'rotten' in our structure at the time... ;-)
So, it's nice to see a continuing return to the OPEN transparent formats and processes that signified the best of this initiative in the early days. Gets more and more encouraging!
I've often wondered why it is that many in our society at community-level are highly critical of the lack of openness and transparency of ruling government players and their political machinations in Zimbabwe, in the U.K., in the U.S., and in our own country. Yet, the moment they find themselves in leadership positions in a community initiative such as ours they end up duplicating the exact same stupid, political, ego-driven games in their own community.
In our Lonehill Community Initiative we have the forum and platform to show that we want, and can deliver, openness and transparency of governance to an unparalleled standard of excellence - and we must protect this. It is surely the simplest thing in the world to involve everyone in our community to ask, answer, participate and deliver upon a simple question: What can WE do to make OUR Community GREAT..?
I'm looking forward to the OPEN LRA FEEDBACK session (7 p.m. Wed. 31st Oct.) of those now responsible for reinstating the OPEN community formats that worked so well before in this initiative. I am hoping that our current leadership will demonstrate their understanding of the key Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats within and facing our initiative, with a simple analysis of the pertinent NUMBERS behind all observations, projects and events.
They have called for input... and these are just some of the things that I'd like to see discussed (some being extracts from previous posts in this blog forum):
a.) To what degree of specific measurability are the LRA Directors committed...
1. ..to RAISE Standards... continually... especially those of service delivery, openness and transparency.
2. ..to unleash the Abundant Potential that lies within our community... open up to include everybody who wants to participate.
3. ..to facilitate a regular major indaba of all key stakeholders, decision-makers and interested contributors in this community.
b.) What are the Critical Success Factors needed to be adopted and Questions needed to be asked in these areas (note that I have only highlighted some examples of what a community should be asking if leadership does not lead with their own pertinent observations, proposed solutions, and feedback):
1. Strategy, Sustainability & Succession
e.g.
- What Does The LRA Community Initiative Do Well?
- What's Holding The LRA Community Initiative Back?
- What's The LRA Community Initiative Future Action Plan?
2. Participation, Communication & Marketing
e.g.
- What total no. of Households make up the Lonehill Community?
- What actual no. contribute in what specific breakdowns?
- What is required to close the gap - what is working, what is not?
Some numbers that we might like to know each month are (amongst others):
- The numbers of contributors by breakdown: individual households/complexes/enclosures/business etc.
- % of contributors vs. non-contributors related to total households in the LRA defined area
- % Revenue applied by contributor breakdown to PROACTIVE guarding force
- Possible vs. Actual contribution by total community households
- % allocation of community events revenues to reducing load on contributors
- Target revenue projections from special events/promotions/programs designed to reduce load on contributors
- % of emails that actually reach total no. of households
- etc.
3. Transparency, Governance & Accountability
e.g.
- What funds were raised at the Lonehill Fun Day (i.e. as for any LRA event)?
- Who were the key benefactors (what amount) - LRA, charity, individuals)?
- Were LRA directors, staff, service providers remunerated from this event (what amount)?
c.) How do the LRA Directors respond to a call (from a previous blog post) to:
1. Allow DISCIPLINED People To Flourish - these are passionate people who will align our community goals with their own goals and who can deliver. It means having people in management that do not need to be highly-managed. It means removing those in management who cannot or will not deliver. It means instituting SMART objectives and deliverables with accountabilities and responsibilities clearly designated. It means actively encouraging those with voluntary and/or vested interest desires to establish and drive mutually-beneficial community projects. It means allowing a process for all stakeholders to participate in developing and/or selecting the projects they want to see as priorities.
2. Create a culture of DISCIPLINED Thought. 'Create A Culture Where The Truth Can Be Heard'... where openness, transparency and fact are sacrosanct... and where opinion is widely sought and encouraged.
3. Allow the above people and culture to stimulate DISCIPLINED Action. Eradicate all bureaucratic hurdles - what Tom Peters' identifies as 'The Management Paradox':
d.) How do the LRA Directors respond to ideas-brainstorming, such as these from a previous post:
IDEA 1. Bring in enthusiastic specialists who have proven their ability to excel. Get back to OPEN TENDERING of mutually-beneficial community/business related projects. Allow the tender winner to win as the community wins. Attract the finest quality entrepreneurial thinkers to conduct their presentations and allow all stakeholders to participate in the selection process... as we did when we launched this initiative.
IDEA 2. Modernise Lonehill's image and attraction - it is no longer a '20th century rural horsy bridle-path village' as it was originally developed (the shopping centre and Summercon developments have seen to that) - let's get real and refocus its future vision to fit the 21st century. Make it a WOW statement to stimulate national and international interest and recognition. If only to ramp up the desirability of living in this area (good for our property prices). There are many concepts that can be brainstormed here.
IDEA 3. Provide Lonehill stakeholder security services FREE..!
IDEA 4. Treble to quadruple the proactive guarding force and reaction vehicles, and their quality and standard of pay (for performance incentive) and marry that with quality PROACTIVE surveillance equipment.
IDEA 5. Treble to quadruple the Estate Management/Environment function to uplift and beautify every area of Lonehill.
IDEA 6. Re-assess the actual benefit of the current LRA offices... is it really needed in it's current format... ... is it needed at all (freeing up funds for other projects)... and/or perhaps get back to the original idea for a community centre that will be of benefit to every contributing stakeholder (don't we already 'have' one at The Lonehill Village Church..?).
IDEA 7. Turn Lonehill Dam into a Bio-Diesel plant. This was almost my April 1 email subject-headline: 'Lonehill to build bio-diesel plant on local dam'. Purpose of this idea (and IDEA 3.) is to stimulate seemingly crazy ideas to approach solutions from a different perspective... no idea should be pooh-poohed. In all ideas lies the kernel of the next MASSIVE breakthrough.
Take a look at this blog link - GREAT Ideas - http://icgreatideas.blogspot.com/ - for more ideas on how to get get creative and manage ideas effectively.
See Ideas Are A Dime A Dozen... Or Are They? & Possibility Thinking - Managing IDEAS Effectively
IDEA 8. Share the ideas. Ideas can be expanded upon by the inputs of others. Ideas stimulate ideas. Provide a list of all the ideas submitted so that someone can get excited enough to take it to action and implementation stage.
IDEA 9. Bring important, enthusiastic, interested Lonehill stakeholders together in an eye-ball to eye-ball brainstorming indaba - already mentioned in previous post.
IDEA 10. Develop a competition to reward the very best ideas. Provide incentives. Give recognition. (Reminds me...as yet no follow through on the recognition program stated at the last open feedback meeting).
Hope those prove to be thought-provoking inputs.
Regards
Trevor Nel - 011 705-2790
Lonehill Resident
Almost all those I chatted to were in 100% agreement with my comments in this blog calling for more OPEN participation of those residents who want to make things happen in Lonehill.
Last week I mentioned how Tony was 'looking forward to the day that he could get back into a contributing role when the security meeting process again opened up for the committed community contributors to participate in once again.'
Well, bless my cotton-picking socks and pick me up off the floor if I didn't read in the very next LRA email:
'Weekly Security Meetings - Residents, please remember that the weekly security meetings held at the LRA offices (81 Studio Office Park, Concourse Cresc) are open for anyone who is interested to attend. The meetings are every Thursday morning from 7.30am'
Hmmm... must have missed the original announcement that these meetings were now open to every concerned Lonehill resident to attend, once again. That's GOOD news! Maybe it also says something about the right messages not getting out timeously or clearly to the community. If I wasn't aware of this, with my high level of interest, how many others in this community weren't..?
The last time I attended such a security meeting - then CLOSED by the leadership in place at the time and moved to 10 a.m., which in my opinion was to make it doubly more difficult for any resident to attend - it was disbanded instantly by those in 'power' because I dared to arrive (after their ignoring my repeated email requests to attend) to ask questions. That became another indicator for me that something was 'rotten' in our structure at the time... ;-)
So, it's nice to see a continuing return to the OPEN transparent formats and processes that signified the best of this initiative in the early days. Gets more and more encouraging!
I've often wondered why it is that many in our society at community-level are highly critical of the lack of openness and transparency of ruling government players and their political machinations in Zimbabwe, in the U.K., in the U.S., and in our own country. Yet, the moment they find themselves in leadership positions in a community initiative such as ours they end up duplicating the exact same stupid, political, ego-driven games in their own community.
In our Lonehill Community Initiative we have the forum and platform to show that we want, and can deliver, openness and transparency of governance to an unparalleled standard of excellence - and we must protect this. It is surely the simplest thing in the world to involve everyone in our community to ask, answer, participate and deliver upon a simple question: What can WE do to make OUR Community GREAT..?
I'm looking forward to the OPEN LRA FEEDBACK session (7 p.m. Wed. 31st Oct.) of those now responsible for reinstating the OPEN community formats that worked so well before in this initiative. I am hoping that our current leadership will demonstrate their understanding of the key Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats within and facing our initiative, with a simple analysis of the pertinent NUMBERS behind all observations, projects and events.
They have called for input... and these are just some of the things that I'd like to see discussed (some being extracts from previous posts in this blog forum):
a.) To what degree of specific measurability are the LRA Directors committed...
1. ..to RAISE Standards... continually... especially those of service delivery, openness and transparency.
2. ..to unleash the Abundant Potential that lies within our community... open up to include everybody who wants to participate.
3. ..to facilitate a regular major indaba of all key stakeholders, decision-makers and interested contributors in this community.
b.) What are the Critical Success Factors needed to be adopted and Questions needed to be asked in these areas (note that I have only highlighted some examples of what a community should be asking if leadership does not lead with their own pertinent observations, proposed solutions, and feedback):
1. Strategy, Sustainability & Succession
e.g.
- What Does The LRA Community Initiative Do Well?
- What's Holding The LRA Community Initiative Back?
- What's The LRA Community Initiative Future Action Plan?
2. Participation, Communication & Marketing
e.g.
- What total no. of Households make up the Lonehill Community?
- What actual no. contribute in what specific breakdowns?
- What is required to close the gap - what is working, what is not?
Some numbers that we might like to know each month are (amongst others):
- The numbers of contributors by breakdown: individual households/complexes/enclosures/business etc.
- % of contributors vs. non-contributors related to total households in the LRA defined area
- % Revenue applied by contributor breakdown to PROACTIVE guarding force
- Possible vs. Actual contribution by total community households
- % allocation of community events revenues to reducing load on contributors
- Target revenue projections from special events/promotions/programs designed to reduce load on contributors
- % of emails that actually reach total no. of households
- etc.
3. Transparency, Governance & Accountability
e.g.
- What funds were raised at the Lonehill Fun Day (i.e. as for any LRA event)?
- Who were the key benefactors (what amount) - LRA, charity, individuals)?
- Were LRA directors, staff, service providers remunerated from this event (what amount)?
c.) How do the LRA Directors respond to a call (from a previous blog post) to:
1. Allow DISCIPLINED People To Flourish - these are passionate people who will align our community goals with their own goals and who can deliver. It means having people in management that do not need to be highly-managed. It means removing those in management who cannot or will not deliver. It means instituting SMART objectives and deliverables with accountabilities and responsibilities clearly designated. It means actively encouraging those with voluntary and/or vested interest desires to establish and drive mutually-beneficial community projects. It means allowing a process for all stakeholders to participate in developing and/or selecting the projects they want to see as priorities.
2. Create a culture of DISCIPLINED Thought. 'Create A Culture Where The Truth Can Be Heard'... where openness, transparency and fact are sacrosanct... and where opinion is widely sought and encouraged.
3. Allow the above people and culture to stimulate DISCIPLINED Action. Eradicate all bureaucratic hurdles - what Tom Peters' identifies as 'The Management Paradox':
d.) How do the LRA Directors respond to ideas-brainstorming, such as these from a previous post:
IDEA 1. Bring in enthusiastic specialists who have proven their ability to excel. Get back to OPEN TENDERING of mutually-beneficial community/business related projects. Allow the tender winner to win as the community wins. Attract the finest quality entrepreneurial thinkers to conduct their presentations and allow all stakeholders to participate in the selection process... as we did when we launched this initiative.
IDEA 2. Modernise Lonehill's image and attraction - it is no longer a '20th century rural horsy bridle-path village' as it was originally developed (the shopping centre and Summercon developments have seen to that) - let's get real and refocus its future vision to fit the 21st century. Make it a WOW statement to stimulate national and international interest and recognition. If only to ramp up the desirability of living in this area (good for our property prices). There are many concepts that can be brainstormed here.
IDEA 3. Provide Lonehill stakeholder security services FREE..!
IDEA 4. Treble to quadruple the proactive guarding force and reaction vehicles, and their quality and standard of pay (for performance incentive) and marry that with quality PROACTIVE surveillance equipment.
IDEA 5. Treble to quadruple the Estate Management/Environment function to uplift and beautify every area of Lonehill.
IDEA 6. Re-assess the actual benefit of the current LRA offices... is it really needed in it's current format... ... is it needed at all (freeing up funds for other projects)... and/or perhaps get back to the original idea for a community centre that will be of benefit to every contributing stakeholder (don't we already 'have' one at The Lonehill Village Church..?).
IDEA 7. Turn Lonehill Dam into a Bio-Diesel plant. This was almost my April 1 email subject-headline: 'Lonehill to build bio-diesel plant on local dam'. Purpose of this idea (and IDEA 3.) is to stimulate seemingly crazy ideas to approach solutions from a different perspective... no idea should be pooh-poohed. In all ideas lies the kernel of the next MASSIVE breakthrough.
Take a look at this blog link - GREAT Ideas - http://icgreatideas.blogspot.com/ - for more ideas on how to get get creative and manage ideas effectively.
See Ideas Are A Dime A Dozen... Or Are They? & Possibility Thinking - Managing IDEAS Effectively
IDEA 8. Share the ideas. Ideas can be expanded upon by the inputs of others. Ideas stimulate ideas. Provide a list of all the ideas submitted so that someone can get excited enough to take it to action and implementation stage.
IDEA 9. Bring important, enthusiastic, interested Lonehill stakeholders together in an eye-ball to eye-ball brainstorming indaba - already mentioned in previous post.
IDEA 10. Develop a competition to reward the very best ideas. Provide incentives. Give recognition. (Reminds me...as yet no follow through on the recognition program stated at the last open feedback meeting).
Hope those prove to be thought-provoking inputs.
Regards
Trevor Nel - 011 705-2790
Lonehill Resident
Monday, October 01, 2007
Lonehill: Another Stalwart Passes On - R.I.P. Tony Platt
Condolences to Shawnene, family and friends on the passing of Tony Platt. Tony was a regular, active, salt-of-the-earth participant in the weekly OPEN Security Management Meeting process that we used to enjoy in the early days of the Lonehill Community Initiative. He was instrumental in ensuring that security standards were maintained to the level we required as residents - and enjoyed casting an eye over the entire community as he drove around to make his assessments. Tony was not shy to tell you what he felt - and he told me so many a time... ;-)
Sadly, as the open process was taken away from such willing community contributors, to behind closed doors, Tony found himself frustrated at not being able to make the contribution he really wanted to make. Meeting with him just on 10 days ago whilst convalescing, he was perky, excited about the improvement in the LRA management process, and looking forward to the day that he could get back into a contributing role when the security meeting process again opened up for the committed community contributors to participate in once again. However, from there he took a turn for the worse, and passed away on Thursday 27th September with his family at his bedside.
Rest-In-Peace Tony. You made a significant contribution to our security in this community... thank you.
Tony's funeral service will be held at The Methodist Church, Grosvenor Road, Bryanston on Wednesday 3rd October at 2 p.m.
As with the recent passing of Sigrid Dreyer - Lonehill: Time Moves Us ALL On - R.I.P. Sigrid Dreyer - I repeat extracts from my appeal then to our community leaders.
Repeat:
For me, the passing of yet another aquaintance this year is a continual signal that time moves us ALL on... whether we like it or not!
So the trick is to enjoy life while you can... because it is over all too soon before you even blink.
In that regard, this forum has touched on much of what I would like to see happen in Lonehill (or to be honest, would like to have seen happening a long time ago already) before time erodes the many fleeting opportunities that present themselves.
One of the key points made early on in this forum - refer Dr. Jan Nel comment et al in - A Wrong RIGHTED - That's Leadership! - is for the LRA to openly recognise and honour those who make, and have made, a substantial difference to this community by their extraordinary contribution - whilst they are alive..!!!
Too many good people and their amazing efforts are too easily forgotten. They should be lauded permanently to stimulate and encourage others still to come to follow their example whilst recognising their sweat-equity invested in this community.
Regards
Trevor Nel - 011 705-2790
Lonehill Resident
Sadly, as the open process was taken away from such willing community contributors, to behind closed doors, Tony found himself frustrated at not being able to make the contribution he really wanted to make. Meeting with him just on 10 days ago whilst convalescing, he was perky, excited about the improvement in the LRA management process, and looking forward to the day that he could get back into a contributing role when the security meeting process again opened up for the committed community contributors to participate in once again. However, from there he took a turn for the worse, and passed away on Thursday 27th September with his family at his bedside.
Rest-In-Peace Tony. You made a significant contribution to our security in this community... thank you.
Tony's funeral service will be held at The Methodist Church, Grosvenor Road, Bryanston on Wednesday 3rd October at 2 p.m.
As with the recent passing of Sigrid Dreyer - Lonehill: Time Moves Us ALL On - R.I.P. Sigrid Dreyer - I repeat extracts from my appeal then to our community leaders.
Repeat:
For me, the passing of yet another aquaintance this year is a continual signal that time moves us ALL on... whether we like it or not!
So the trick is to enjoy life while you can... because it is over all too soon before you even blink.
In that regard, this forum has touched on much of what I would like to see happen in Lonehill (or to be honest, would like to have seen happening a long time ago already) before time erodes the many fleeting opportunities that present themselves.
One of the key points made early on in this forum - refer Dr. Jan Nel comment et al in - A Wrong RIGHTED - That's Leadership! - is for the LRA to openly recognise and honour those who make, and have made, a substantial difference to this community by their extraordinary contribution - whilst they are alive..!!!
Too many good people and their amazing efforts are too easily forgotten. They should be lauded permanently to stimulate and encourage others still to come to follow their example whilst recognising their sweat-equity invested in this community.
Regards
Trevor Nel - 011 705-2790
Lonehill Resident
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