Lonehill: WORLD CLASS Performance Uplifts An Entire Community

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