Condolences:
To Lonehill's Allan Brown and Family (and to all the families affected by this week's plane crash tragedy). Words can never express the deepest, deepest sympathy that we feel for you and your family at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We pray that you can all find peace and comfort. God Bless.
To Yvette and Etienne - condolences on the loss of your Mom - Lily Nel - wife of the late Dr. Jan Nel - both staunch supporters of our Lonehill Security initiative. Lily faced her long-suffering bout with cancer with feisty dignity. Treasure the memory of an exceptional woman.
Update:
A loss of a loved one makes all else pale into insignificance and it hardly seems appropriate to follow through with this update.
But, having come close to death in our home last week, and being once again reminded from the above family sorrows of the PRICELESS VALUE of every single life in this community... I am compelled to proceed.
First, both Gary Rivas (Lonehill Methodist Church) and Colin Ekman (Lonehill Village Church) have counseled myself on the spiritual implications of my third return to the fore in striving for the standard of excellence we all want for our families safety, security and well-being in our community.
Both have committed every spiritual resource they can muster to support our objective. I thank both for allowing me to work through much heart-sore anguish and humbling soul-searching to find the humility to assess the correct reasons for stepping up to the plate again. That's done and a given.
I found an email that I wrote on 29 Oct. 2000 - Lonehill: A Community In Transformation - where I wrote: 'I know that there are many good God-fearing folk in prayer-chains who are hard at work praying up a pile of God's blessings of peace, love, hope, salvation and joy for us ALL in Lonehill..'.
I also wrote: 'Talking of FAITH... I am constantly tackled by individuals who tell me that we have taken on an 'impossible' task... 'it'll never work'... or, 'you don't even have a plan..'. Oh ye of such little faith (now where have i heard that before). Quite simply, my entire life experience has shown that EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE... and it becomes highly probable when you have a CLEAR FOCUS..'.
My purpose in this third return to the plate is to stimulate a return to the above attitudes of a belief in attaining the unbelievable and achieving the impossible... to never be satisfied with what we have!
From my last week's invitation, I have been inundated with voluntary input offers from non-Lonehillers within my vast network of '..the finest facilitators, conflict resolution specialists, disruptive innovators and strategic thinkers in my network to an urgent 3 -hour, totally transparent, OPEN, critical situation analysis and solutions brainstormer of current LRA information, to ensure that past badwill is put far behind us (they will shut me up as they know my respect for them) and ensure that solutions are found for going forward with clear strategic goals and action plans understood by the entire community.'
Those committed (some trying to change their national flights and programs to attend) include a leading business specialist, academic and author in the field of Systemic INNOVATION, a banking industry leader currently on sabbatical completing a dissertation on Innovation for his banking business sector, a recent past Chairman of Dainfern Residents Association, and specialists in Business Strategy and Turn-Around consulting, Leadership, Corporate Governance and Transparency.
They all want to see a model of community excellence being established as a prototype to be transplanted into their communities.
I have deliberately targeted non-Lonehillers to distance their input from the emotions attached to this initiative in the past. I continue to maintain that we have the finest minds and talent in our community to make great things happen... and this resource has been ignored and even spurned. That must change.
We meet with the LRA Board and Fidelity representatives at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow Friday 24th October.
My brief to the panel attending is simply: 'I look to drive for unreasonable levels of zero tolerance, continually innovating, continually growing/thriving, continually breaking down stereotypes and rebuilding anew, and for continual disruptive innovation to eradicate/nullify the events that we experienced. The theme is to be Lead, Follow or Get Out Of The Way... and you guys are specialists at looking out for what needs to be re-framed in stodgy minds.'
Recognising that mine could well be the most stodgiest mind of all.
The LRA have called for this to be a closed meeting which is anathema to everything I uphold for this community. I believe that all interested Lonehillers should be entitled to attend, observe and participate with comment at planned intervals. If you feel as strongly that you'd like to observe, and if you're available at such short notice, respond to this email and I will forward your request/motivation.
Otherwise I will ensure that the session is clealy recorded and reported on this forum.
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
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Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Lonehill: Attacked - 3 Gunmen Storm OUR Home!
There's nothing like the cold barrel of a 9mm parabellum against your forehead to clear your sinuses.
At 5 p.m.yesterday evening, 3 armed gunmen - well-dressed, well-spoken and looking like super-efficient police-detectives - stormed our home and placed their guns against my business partner's and my heads... demanding '..where's your gun, where's your safe, and where's your money'. None of which are on our premises.
It is only by God's GRACE and the presence of mind of my business partner who calmly got me to lie down and follow their instructions that we were not shot. My wife carrying our 4 week-old grand-daughter had even greater presence of mind to see them enter my Home Office and managed to slip out to hide in the garden.
I'm told by my partner that I was kicked and roughed up on the ground, but I recall nothing of that, except that I have a pretty painful hip area that I can't account for.
They then demanded that we show them a room that they could lock us up in, thankfully right next to my office... and locked the two of us in there, whereupon we heard them leave with my partners vehicle parked outside and a getaway car.
My wife heard them leave and bravely came back to press the panic and set us free
The shock and speed of the attack left me literally numbed in shock and I'm still wondering how I didn't soil my pants, although my business partner tells me that my sole concern was in stressing for the safety my wife and grandchild who I could not see... I can't recall in the blur.
My life didn't flash before me, none of those things. Just stunned numbness.
Here's my belief, that they were on a mission to attack someone and clearly were attracted by the vehicle on our driveway indicating people inside. The vehicle blocked direct line-of-sight access to our front door entrance. So they had clearly got out of their vehicle to attack our home regardless of what they confronted. My wife had also just returned home some minutes before. That's frightening!
Now, it's no secret that I am not at all enamoured with the LRA's lack of commitment to critical service delivery excellence, especially when it comes to our mission for this community - to provide safety and security for all to enjoy (to paraphrase).
When we launched this initiative we drew a line in the sand around our perimeter and said 'no further'.
Today that line is the hairline on the sights of a gunman's weapon and it is aimed at our foreheads.
That's not right..!
I am acutely aware that LRA leadership is not enamoured with me.... but here's the thing that I have always being striving for... it is not about the personalities and the internal politics of people playing silly games on the LRA, but about who is most effective at keeping us safe and secure in our community.
We are clearly not safe in our homes in Lonehill any longer, and like we did in 2000... and again some three-odd years ago... something now needs to be shaken up once again.
I am giving my LRA 'friends', past and present, who know my true open feelings about some of them and their actions (or lack thereof) to which we are clearly in disagreement (as expressed again between ourselves last night) an opportunity to contact me today with plans for how they will open up to people like myself again for us all to work together on this challenge to our families safety and security in this Lonehill initiative. For me, they have been ignoring the concerns expressed in this forum for too long. And, they can be addressed simply with competent people who do not have fragile egos.
My offer will be to bring a team of 3 to 5 of the finest facilitators, conflict resolution specialists, disruptive innovators and strategic thinkers in my network to an urgent 3 -hour, totally transparent, OPEN, critical situation analysis and solutions brainstormer of current LRA information, to ensure that past badwill is put far behind us (they will shut me up as they know my respect for them) and ensure that solutions are found for going forward with clear strategic goals and action plans understood by the entire community.
Being a God-fearing fundamental Christian man of very basic street-wise up-bringing, leanings and brash character, who has no idea why God's sense of humour seems to be to throw us into such situations to see how we will respond (although I believe we are all born with a purpose to fulfill on this planet), I will be approaching local community church leaders/elders today for much-needed spiritual counseling to bring humility to bear in this so-badly-flawed human-being as I prepare to muster willing troops once again to take on this evil now again being allowed to wander freely into our midst.
This call to the Almighty piddled people off when we launched the initiative back in 2000, but we succeeded with action supported by committed prayer groups. And, I believe I know why. So I am about to piddle people off again... but that's tough. This evil element attacking us does not worry if you are atheist, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu or Gentile... or whatever your belief or non-belief. And I don't have any problem with your foundation belief either, I'm not out here to convert you - you should be mature enough to fathom your beliefs for yourself given all the information at our fingertips, but let's just bring every 'weapon' in our community armoury to bear in succeeding once again at this community challenge. I'm just going to ask for DIVINE support, is all. YOU can bring whatever GOOD resources YOU can muster to the party. You won't piddle me off... ;- )
If you wish to offer words of counseling, guidance, help, support or just plain honest-to-goodness criticism of self, please let me know and I'll keep you in the loop as to what transpires.
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
At 5 p.m.yesterday evening, 3 armed gunmen - well-dressed, well-spoken and looking like super-efficient police-detectives - stormed our home and placed their guns against my business partner's and my heads... demanding '..where's your gun, where's your safe, and where's your money'. None of which are on our premises.
It is only by God's GRACE and the presence of mind of my business partner who calmly got me to lie down and follow their instructions that we were not shot. My wife carrying our 4 week-old grand-daughter had even greater presence of mind to see them enter my Home Office and managed to slip out to hide in the garden.
I'm told by my partner that I was kicked and roughed up on the ground, but I recall nothing of that, except that I have a pretty painful hip area that I can't account for.
They then demanded that we show them a room that they could lock us up in, thankfully right next to my office... and locked the two of us in there, whereupon we heard them leave with my partners vehicle parked outside and a getaway car.
My wife heard them leave and bravely came back to press the panic and set us free
The shock and speed of the attack left me literally numbed in shock and I'm still wondering how I didn't soil my pants, although my business partner tells me that my sole concern was in stressing for the safety my wife and grandchild who I could not see... I can't recall in the blur.
My life didn't flash before me, none of those things. Just stunned numbness.
Here's my belief, that they were on a mission to attack someone and clearly were attracted by the vehicle on our driveway indicating people inside. The vehicle blocked direct line-of-sight access to our front door entrance. So they had clearly got out of their vehicle to attack our home regardless of what they confronted. My wife had also just returned home some minutes before. That's frightening!
Now, it's no secret that I am not at all enamoured with the LRA's lack of commitment to critical service delivery excellence, especially when it comes to our mission for this community - to provide safety and security for all to enjoy (to paraphrase).
When we launched this initiative we drew a line in the sand around our perimeter and said 'no further'.
Today that line is the hairline on the sights of a gunman's weapon and it is aimed at our foreheads.
That's not right..!
I am acutely aware that LRA leadership is not enamoured with me.... but here's the thing that I have always being striving for... it is not about the personalities and the internal politics of people playing silly games on the LRA, but about who is most effective at keeping us safe and secure in our community.
We are clearly not safe in our homes in Lonehill any longer, and like we did in 2000... and again some three-odd years ago... something now needs to be shaken up once again.
I am giving my LRA 'friends', past and present, who know my true open feelings about some of them and their actions (or lack thereof) to which we are clearly in disagreement (as expressed again between ourselves last night) an opportunity to contact me today with plans for how they will open up to people like myself again for us all to work together on this challenge to our families safety and security in this Lonehill initiative. For me, they have been ignoring the concerns expressed in this forum for too long. And, they can be addressed simply with competent people who do not have fragile egos.
My offer will be to bring a team of 3 to 5 of the finest facilitators, conflict resolution specialists, disruptive innovators and strategic thinkers in my network to an urgent 3 -hour, totally transparent, OPEN, critical situation analysis and solutions brainstormer of current LRA information, to ensure that past badwill is put far behind us (they will shut me up as they know my respect for them) and ensure that solutions are found for going forward with clear strategic goals and action plans understood by the entire community.
Being a God-fearing fundamental Christian man of very basic street-wise up-bringing, leanings and brash character, who has no idea why God's sense of humour seems to be to throw us into such situations to see how we will respond (although I believe we are all born with a purpose to fulfill on this planet), I will be approaching local community church leaders/elders today for much-needed spiritual counseling to bring humility to bear in this so-badly-flawed human-being as I prepare to muster willing troops once again to take on this evil now again being allowed to wander freely into our midst.
This call to the Almighty piddled people off when we launched the initiative back in 2000, but we succeeded with action supported by committed prayer groups. And, I believe I know why. So I am about to piddle people off again... but that's tough. This evil element attacking us does not worry if you are atheist, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu or Gentile... or whatever your belief or non-belief. And I don't have any problem with your foundation belief either, I'm not out here to convert you - you should be mature enough to fathom your beliefs for yourself given all the information at our fingertips, but let's just bring every 'weapon' in our community armoury to bear in succeeding once again at this community challenge. I'm just going to ask for DIVINE support, is all. YOU can bring whatever GOOD resources YOU can muster to the party. You won't piddle me off... ;- )
If you wish to offer words of counseling, guidance, help, support or just plain honest-to-goodness criticism of self, please let me know and I'll keep you in the loop as to what transpires.
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
Monday, October 13, 2008
Lonehill: 70 Days - NO Answers Yet From LRA
In Lonehill: What Is The MISSING Ingredient? I wrote:
'So let's get to test just how open, mature and transparent our current LRA leaders are by requesting some straight answers to the simple questions posed on this forum, which I will send to the Chairman and post the answers on this forum as soon as they arrive.'
Below is the email thread of questions and reminders addressed to the LRA and LRA Chairman - Rob Gillespie.
Still no answers after 70 days... the intransigence, arrogance and lack of co-operation / transparency is patently clear to see, particularly in the Oct. 31 retort from the LRA Chairman '..I and we have so much on our plates that is of significantly greater urgency and importance than the questions you asked..'.
Really? What would that be... sterilising feral cats, filling Christmas hampers, organising garden competitions? Take a look at the questions asked at the bottom of this thread:
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008 5:39 PM
Subject: Fw: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (70 days) pendings
Courtesy reminder... 70 days pending on forum questions... following LRA Public Feedback meeting were these questions addressed as you said they would be... and is there any presentation material slides/notes for those who could not attend?
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 6:01 PM
Subject: Re: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (63 days) pendings - Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy reminder... 63 days pending on forum questions...
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 1:44 PM
Subject: Fw: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (56 days) pendings - Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy reminder... 56 days pending... and also, still no sight of draft minutes or otherwise from LRA/Fidelity/Outsiders meeting
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 2:15 PM
Subject: Fw: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (49 days) pendings - Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy reminder... 49 days pending
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 8:38 AM
Subject: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (42 days) pendings - Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Hi Rob (for time recordal purposes)
Courtesy reminder:
Please let me know when I can expect to receive either or both of the pendings below.
i. draft minutes not yet received - Subject: Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity - Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 10:40 AM
ii. 42 days - no answer in writing to: Subject: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum - Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:03 AM
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 10:40 AM
Subject: Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Hi Rob
re: point i. I would think it far more appropriate and transparent to allow ALL who took the trouble to participate in this meeting an opportunity to comment on the 1st draft minutes of that meeting.
re: point ii. Will repeat my response comment of Tue0ct21:
I am afraid that your response to 1. below is unacceptable as it highlights precisely one of the key the points of the http://www.lonehillaction.blogspot.com/ blog forum... that the LRA and you, as LRA Chairman, do not communicate with openness and transparency to our community in answer to the questions we may ask.
In particular, this forum writer asks that you answer questions in writing for recordal purposes on our blog forum.
May I suggest that consideration of your response/answers in writing to these questions will actually aid your presentation in a future OPEN forum.
RegardsTrevor Nel - Lonehill Resident011 - 705-2790
----- Original Message -----
From: Rob Gillespie
To: 'Trevor Nel'
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 9:11 AM
Subject: RE: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Hello Trevor. The minutes were only fwd’d to me last night in 1st draft mode. They have been circulated to the Board members who were present to verify / correct, which should take a day or three, before they will be circulated to all who were present, whose addresses we have.
On your point ii, with all due respect, I and we have so much on our plates that is of significantly greater urgency and importance than the questions you asked, and as a result they will be answered in due course, when time permits. We said that we would do so at the next public feedback session which if I’m not mistaken, will be in two weeks time.
RG
From: Trevor Nel [mailto:growth@global.co.za] Sent: 31 October 2008 08:21 AMTo: Rob GillespieCc: info@lra.org.zaSubject: Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy reminder:
Please let me know when I can expect to receive either or both of the pendings below.
Thank you
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790
----- Original Message -----
From: Trevor Nel
To: Trevor Nel ; Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:24 AM
Subject: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy Reminder:
Still pending receipt from yourselves:
i. Review of minutes/notes taken by Elmarie/Jenny - please forward ASAP compiled.
ii. No response yet received to questions asked on forum post - on Lonehill: 28 Days - NO Answers Yet From LRA as sent 5 weeks ago (35 days). Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
Thank You
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790
Lonehill Resident
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:24 AM
Subject: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy Reminder:
Still pending receipt from yourselves:
i. Review of minutes/notes taken by Elmarie/Jenny - please forward ASAP compiled.
ii. No response yet received to questions asked on forum post - on Lonehill: 28 Days - NO Answers Yet From LRA as sent 5 weeks ago (35 days). Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
Thank You
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790
Lonehill Resident
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za ; Rob Gillespie
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 8:25 AM
Subject: Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum - and - Re: Last Night's Shooting Incident, Crisis Meeting feedback and Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
For attn:
The Chairman: Rob Gillespie
Lonehill Residents Association
Hi Rob
I am afraid that your response to 1. below is unacceptable as it highlights precisely one of the key the points of the http://www.lonehillaction.blogspot.com/ blog forum... that the LRA and you, as LRA Chairman, do not communicate with openness and transparency to our community in answer to the questions we may ask.
In particular, this forum writer asks that you answer questions in writing for recordal purposes on our blog forum.
May I suggest that consideration of your response/answers in writing to these questions will actually aid your presentation in a future OPEN forum.
So I will request again:
1. Courtesy reminder: No response yet received to questions asked (below) as sent 4 weeks ago (28 days). Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
RegardsTrevor Nel - Lonehill Resident011 - 705-2790
From: Rob Gillespie
To: 'Trevor Nel'
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 4:11 PM
Subject: RE: Last Night's Shooting Incident, Crisis Meeting feedback and Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
Trevor,
1. Your questions sent previously will be attended to at the next Public Feedback Forum – date to be advised shortly.
2. Shot fired by Fidelity in pursuit of a wanted burglar after a break in at Eagles Cragg. He was not apprehended. The goods were recovered.
3. There was no format or PPT last night. The people were informed of the modus operandi of the current spate of events, what we were doing about it, and what they believed we were not doing and/or should be doing, essentially sensitizing and requesting assistance. Notes have not yet been written.
RG
----- Original Message -----
From: Trevor Nel
To: info@lra.org.za Cc: Rob Gillespie ; Rob Gillespie
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 8:02 AM
Subject: Last Night's Shooting Incident, Crisis Meeting feedback and Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
For attn:
The Chairman: Rob Gillespie
Lonehill Residents Association
Dear Rob
1. Courtesy reminder: No response yet received to questions asked (below) as sent 3 weeks ago (21 days). Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
2. Kindly provide details of last night's shooting incident in Crestwood/Franschoek area - where exactly it took place, who cried for help, who responded, who fired shot, and description/result of incident.
3. Please also provide feedback and/or presentation PPT from last night's Lonehill Security Crisis compulsory meeting called for Chairmen and Trustees of Complexes and Road Closures... would like to circulate it to those who are not the above or were unable to attend.
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
----- Original Message -----
From: Trevor Nel
To: info@lra.org.za
Cc: Rob Gillespie ; Rob Gillespie
Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 12:30 PM
Subject: Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
Courtesy reminder: No response yet received to questions asked (below) as sent 2 weeks ago. Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
----- Original Message -----
From: Lonehill Residents Association
To: 'Trevor Nel'
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 8:25 AM
Subject: RE: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
Dear Trevor
Your request has been forwarded to Rob and I’m sure he will reply as soon as he can.
Regards
Elmari Dell
From: Trevor Nel [mailto:growth@global.co.za]
Sent: 30 September 2008 06:21 AM
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za; Rob Gillespie; Rob Gillespie
Subject: Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
Have received no response or acknowledgement of receipt from either addressee to this request sent 1 week ago. Sending repeat as courtesy reminder.
----- Original Message -----
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:03 AM
Subject: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
For attn:
The Chairman: Rob Gillespie
Lonehill Residents Association
Dear Rob
For the purposes of posting answers to our Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum - http://www.lonehillaction.blogspot.com/ - please be kind enough to provide answers to the following questions that were apparently not covered as per reading of the feedback provided from the recent LRA AGM (treat questions as at date of AGM).
i. What are the biggest challenges facing our initiative in the coming year?
ii. What plans are in place to resolve those challenges and what innovations will we see?
iii. Who is accountable for deliverables on these resolutions (what are their KPI's)?
iv. What finances are required for the coming year and future... and where will it be sourced from?
v. What are the critical numbers we should be watching to assess future success of the project?
vi. What is being done to reduce the burden of current contributors?
vii. Why do we only have +- 300 voting members on the LRA from +- 6000 householders?
viii. Are there any expected major budget allocations (in excess of R50 000 in total) that may be paid to individuals in the coming year and for what?
ix. Should a new budget allocation limit be imposed on the Board requiring referral back to Members for approval?
x. What added-value does each paid individual on the LRA add to our initiative (e.g if paid +- R250K, did individual add another +-R250K and more to the initiative)?
xi. How can stakeholders benefit from and use the LRA community centre facilities which they have funded?
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
'So let's get to test just how open, mature and transparent our current LRA leaders are by requesting some straight answers to the simple questions posed on this forum, which I will send to the Chairman and post the answers on this forum as soon as they arrive.'
Below is the email thread of questions and reminders addressed to the LRA and LRA Chairman - Rob Gillespie.
Still no answers after 70 days... the intransigence, arrogance and lack of co-operation / transparency is patently clear to see, particularly in the Oct. 31 retort from the LRA Chairman '..I and we have so much on our plates that is of significantly greater urgency and importance than the questions you asked..'.
Really? What would that be... sterilising feral cats, filling Christmas hampers, organising garden competitions? Take a look at the questions asked at the bottom of this thread:
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008 5:39 PM
Subject: Fw: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (70 days) pendings
Courtesy reminder... 70 days pending on forum questions... following LRA Public Feedback meeting were these questions addressed as you said they would be... and is there any presentation material slides/notes for those who could not attend?
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 6:01 PM
Subject: Re: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (63 days) pendings - Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy reminder... 63 days pending on forum questions...
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 1:44 PM
Subject: Fw: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (56 days) pendings - Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy reminder... 56 days pending... and also, still no sight of draft minutes or otherwise from LRA/Fidelity/Outsiders meeting
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 2:15 PM
Subject: Fw: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (49 days) pendings - Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy reminder... 49 days pending
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 8:38 AM
Subject: Courtesy Reminder - draft minutes and forum questions (42 days) pendings - Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Hi Rob (for time recordal purposes)
Courtesy reminder:
Please let me know when I can expect to receive either or both of the pendings below.
i. draft minutes not yet received - Subject: Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity - Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 10:40 AM
ii. 42 days - no answer in writing to: Subject: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum - Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:03 AM
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 10:40 AM
Subject: Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Hi Rob
re: point i. I would think it far more appropriate and transparent to allow ALL who took the trouble to participate in this meeting an opportunity to comment on the 1st draft minutes of that meeting.
re: point ii. Will repeat my response comment of Tue0ct21:
I am afraid that your response to 1. below is unacceptable as it highlights precisely one of the key the points of the http://www.lonehillaction.blogspot.com/ blog forum... that the LRA and you, as LRA Chairman, do not communicate with openness and transparency to our community in answer to the questions we may ask.
In particular, this forum writer asks that you answer questions in writing for recordal purposes on our blog forum.
May I suggest that consideration of your response/answers in writing to these questions will actually aid your presentation in a future OPEN forum.
RegardsTrevor Nel - Lonehill Resident011 - 705-2790
----- Original Message -----
From: Rob Gillespie
To: 'Trevor Nel'
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 9:11 AM
Subject: RE: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Hello Trevor. The minutes were only fwd’d to me last night in 1st draft mode. They have been circulated to the Board members who were present to verify / correct, which should take a day or three, before they will be circulated to all who were present, whose addresses we have.
On your point ii, with all due respect, I and we have so much on our plates that is of significantly greater urgency and importance than the questions you asked, and as a result they will be answered in due course, when time permits. We said that we would do so at the next public feedback session which if I’m not mistaken, will be in two weeks time.
RG
From: Trevor Nel [mailto:growth@global.co.za] Sent: 31 October 2008 08:21 AMTo: Rob GillespieCc: info@lra.org.zaSubject: Re: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy reminder:
Please let me know when I can expect to receive either or both of the pendings below.
Thank you
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790
----- Original Message -----
From: Trevor Nel
To: Trevor Nel ; Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:24 AM
Subject: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy Reminder:
Still pending receipt from yourselves:
i. Review of minutes/notes taken by Elmarie/Jenny - please forward ASAP compiled.
ii. No response yet received to questions asked on forum post - on Lonehill: 28 Days - NO Answers Yet From LRA as sent 5 weeks ago (35 days). Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
Thank You
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790
Lonehill Resident
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:24 AM
Subject: Still Pending - Re: Agenda - Re: Meeting with the LRA and Fidelity
Courtesy Reminder:
Still pending receipt from yourselves:
i. Review of minutes/notes taken by Elmarie/Jenny - please forward ASAP compiled.
ii. No response yet received to questions asked on forum post - on Lonehill: 28 Days - NO Answers Yet From LRA as sent 5 weeks ago (35 days). Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
Thank You
Trevor Nel - 011 - 705-2790
Lonehill Resident
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za ; Rob Gillespie
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 8:25 AM
Subject: Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum - and - Re: Last Night's Shooting Incident, Crisis Meeting feedback and Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
For attn:
The Chairman: Rob Gillespie
Lonehill Residents Association
Hi Rob
I am afraid that your response to 1. below is unacceptable as it highlights precisely one of the key the points of the http://www.lonehillaction.blogspot.com/ blog forum... that the LRA and you, as LRA Chairman, do not communicate with openness and transparency to our community in answer to the questions we may ask.
In particular, this forum writer asks that you answer questions in writing for recordal purposes on our blog forum.
May I suggest that consideration of your response/answers in writing to these questions will actually aid your presentation in a future OPEN forum.
So I will request again:
1. Courtesy reminder: No response yet received to questions asked (below) as sent 4 weeks ago (28 days). Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
RegardsTrevor Nel - Lonehill Resident011 - 705-2790
From: Rob Gillespie
To: 'Trevor Nel'
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 4:11 PM
Subject: RE: Last Night's Shooting Incident, Crisis Meeting feedback and Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
Trevor,
1. Your questions sent previously will be attended to at the next Public Feedback Forum – date to be advised shortly.
2. Shot fired by Fidelity in pursuit of a wanted burglar after a break in at Eagles Cragg. He was not apprehended. The goods were recovered.
3. There was no format or PPT last night. The people were informed of the modus operandi of the current spate of events, what we were doing about it, and what they believed we were not doing and/or should be doing, essentially sensitizing and requesting assistance. Notes have not yet been written.
RG
----- Original Message -----
From: Trevor Nel
To: info@lra.org.za Cc: Rob Gillespie ; Rob Gillespie
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 8:02 AM
Subject: Last Night's Shooting Incident, Crisis Meeting feedback and Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
For attn:
The Chairman: Rob Gillespie
Lonehill Residents Association
Dear Rob
1. Courtesy reminder: No response yet received to questions asked (below) as sent 3 weeks ago (21 days). Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
2. Kindly provide details of last night's shooting incident in Crestwood/Franschoek area - where exactly it took place, who cried for help, who responded, who fired shot, and description/result of incident.
3. Please also provide feedback and/or presentation PPT from last night's Lonehill Security Crisis compulsory meeting called for Chairmen and Trustees of Complexes and Road Closures... would like to circulate it to those who are not the above or were unable to attend.
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
----- Original Message -----
From: Trevor Nel
To: info@lra.org.za
Cc: Rob Gillespie ; Rob Gillespie
Sent: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 12:30 PM
Subject: Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
Courtesy reminder: No response yet received to questions asked (below) as sent 2 weeks ago. Sending repeat again as courtesy reminder.
----- Original Message -----
From: Lonehill Residents Association
To: 'Trevor Nel'
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 8:25 AM
Subject: RE: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
Dear Trevor
Your request has been forwarded to Rob and I’m sure he will reply as soon as he can.
Regards
Elmari Dell
From: Trevor Nel [mailto:growth@global.co.za]
Sent: 30 September 2008 06:21 AM
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za; Rob Gillespie; Rob Gillespie
Subject: Re: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
Have received no response or acknowledgement of receipt from either addressee to this request sent 1 week ago. Sending repeat as courtesy reminder.
----- Original Message -----
From: Trevor Nel
To: Rob Gillespie
Cc: info@lra.org.za
Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:03 AM
Subject: Questions from Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum
For attn:
The Chairman: Rob Gillespie
Lonehill Residents Association
Dear Rob
For the purposes of posting answers to our Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum - http://www.lonehillaction.blogspot.com/ - please be kind enough to provide answers to the following questions that were apparently not covered as per reading of the feedback provided from the recent LRA AGM (treat questions as at date of AGM).
i. What are the biggest challenges facing our initiative in the coming year?
ii. What plans are in place to resolve those challenges and what innovations will we see?
iii. Who is accountable for deliverables on these resolutions (what are their KPI's)?
iv. What finances are required for the coming year and future... and where will it be sourced from?
v. What are the critical numbers we should be watching to assess future success of the project?
vi. What is being done to reduce the burden of current contributors?
vii. Why do we only have +- 300 voting members on the LRA from +- 6000 householders?
viii. Are there any expected major budget allocations (in excess of R50 000 in total) that may be paid to individuals in the coming year and for what?
ix. Should a new budget allocation limit be imposed on the Board requiring referral back to Members for approval?
x. What added-value does each paid individual on the LRA add to our initiative (e.g if paid +- R250K, did individual add another +-R250K and more to the initiative)?
xi. How can stakeholders benefit from and use the LRA community centre facilities which they have funded?
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Lonehill: What Is The MISSING Ingredient?
The last post - Lonehill: Now Move From Good.. To GREAT! - identified and discussed a few simple things for our LRA to do to become the finest community initiative that we can possibly be.
1. Improve Communication by 1000%.
2. Improve Collaboration with community members who have the proven skills.
3. Improve Community Involvement and Participation.
4. Encourage Questions. Give Specific Answers. Provide The Facts.
So, here's the question: If it's that simple, why don't our LRA directors just apply these few simple things?
Who knows?
Perhaps it has something to do with the first 3 of the The Top Five Reasons Why Leaders Fail - by Paul Peterson:
1. They disconnect from the people they are leading.
2. They become proud and refuse to be questioned.
3. They are not authentic.
Or maybe Brian Jude has his finger on it in his latest seminar promotion - Mistakes That Managers Make - where he lists 20 of the most common mistakes made by managers, and looks at ways of preventing them in the future:
1. Not setting goals.
2. Poor communication.
3. Dictatorial, aggressive behaviour.
4. Wanting to be liked.
5. Poor hiring decisions.
6. Not motivating employees.
7. Criticism and negative discipline.
8. Creating a "them and us" culture.
9. Not managing conflict.
10. Resistance to change.
11. Not leading by example.
12. Not using the brain correctly.
13. Paying poorly.
14. A lack of training.
15. Not managing stress levels.
16. Unrealistic deadlines.
17. Prejudice.
18. Overlooking the wisdom of employees.
19. A lack of empathy.
20. Taking life too seriously.
To me, the Missing INGREDIENT seems to be an amalgam of much of the above which can perhaps be distilled down to a seeming lack of OPENNESS, MATURITY, and TRANSPARENCY on the part of our current LRA leadership.
Don't get me wrong, this is no criticism or denigration of the credit they deserve for moving us to GOOD status from the debacle of some two-plus years back.
I focus purely on what it now takes to move our community initiative from GOOD... to GREAT..!
Clearly, from the very limited information provided in the LRA AGM feedback and the lack of response to my request to view other resources used at the AGM (e.g. PowerPoint presentation) to find answers to specific questions asked in this forum or direct of the Chairman (a personal discussion thread that was not answered), we are being kept on a strict 'need-to-know' basis.
Hey, it's OUR community for goodness sake. We contribute. We make it happen. It is an OPEN COMMUNITY initiative. It is NOT an exclusive board initiative.
As discussed in the last post, 'Community Involvement and Participation' is critical to stimulating mass buy-in and support: 'Go all out to involve the community in EVERY aspect, fact and statistic of the initiative, warts and all, and the community will once again believe that it is THEIR project to enthusiastically participate in.'
On the same point in the above post, I discussed my view that: 'Top-down autocratic power and control of a few on a board directorate only results in community apathy. This has been the single biggest failing of board members in our recent past and the biggest failing of 'autocratic leadership' in most failed community initiatives.'
So let's get to test just how open, mature and transparent our current LRA leaders are by requesting some straight answers to the simple questions posed on this forum, which I will send to the Chairman and post the answers on this forum as soon as they arrive.
And hey, let's not beat around the bush, I do recognise that I am not the most popular individual (and that's putting it far too mildly.. ;-) with some past and present LRA board members for my straight talking views and opinions, but that's just tough for them. From the very first day of initiating this project, I have been a committed contributing member of this community initiative... and have done nothing less than I ask of them in this community.
Of course, I believe that there is so much more innovation that we can introduce and do... that we are not currently doing as a community... to make a radical departure from the mediocrity that besets average community initiatives. That falls into the realm of my personal business experience and vested interest as always declared openly on this forum. And, even that appears not to be a concern any more given the AGM's strange unquestioning acceptance of the Chair's own vested interest position as paid G.M.
Here is the first list of questions to go immediately after this forum article posting:
For attn:
The Chairman: Rob Gillespie
Lonehill Residents Association
Dear Rob
For the purposes of posting answers to our Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum - http://www.lonehillaction.blogspot.com/ - please be kind enough to provide answers to the following questions that were apparently not covered as per reading of the feedback provided from the recent LRA AGM (treat questions as at date of AGM).
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
1. Improve Communication by 1000%.
2. Improve Collaboration with community members who have the proven skills.
3. Improve Community Involvement and Participation.
4. Encourage Questions. Give Specific Answers. Provide The Facts.
So, here's the question: If it's that simple, why don't our LRA directors just apply these few simple things?
Who knows?
Perhaps it has something to do with the first 3 of the The Top Five Reasons Why Leaders Fail - by Paul Peterson:
1. They disconnect from the people they are leading.
2. They become proud and refuse to be questioned.
3. They are not authentic.
Or maybe Brian Jude has his finger on it in his latest seminar promotion - Mistakes That Managers Make - where he lists 20 of the most common mistakes made by managers, and looks at ways of preventing them in the future:
1. Not setting goals.
2. Poor communication.
3. Dictatorial, aggressive behaviour.
4. Wanting to be liked.
5. Poor hiring decisions.
6. Not motivating employees.
7. Criticism and negative discipline.
8. Creating a "them and us" culture.
9. Not managing conflict.
10. Resistance to change.
11. Not leading by example.
12. Not using the brain correctly.
13. Paying poorly.
14. A lack of training.
15. Not managing stress levels.
16. Unrealistic deadlines.
17. Prejudice.
18. Overlooking the wisdom of employees.
19. A lack of empathy.
20. Taking life too seriously.
To me, the Missing INGREDIENT seems to be an amalgam of much of the above which can perhaps be distilled down to a seeming lack of OPENNESS, MATURITY, and TRANSPARENCY on the part of our current LRA leadership.
Don't get me wrong, this is no criticism or denigration of the credit they deserve for moving us to GOOD status from the debacle of some two-plus years back.
I focus purely on what it now takes to move our community initiative from GOOD... to GREAT..!
Clearly, from the very limited information provided in the LRA AGM feedback and the lack of response to my request to view other resources used at the AGM (e.g. PowerPoint presentation) to find answers to specific questions asked in this forum or direct of the Chairman (a personal discussion thread that was not answered), we are being kept on a strict 'need-to-know' basis.
Hey, it's OUR community for goodness sake. We contribute. We make it happen. It is an OPEN COMMUNITY initiative. It is NOT an exclusive board initiative.
As discussed in the last post, 'Community Involvement and Participation' is critical to stimulating mass buy-in and support: 'Go all out to involve the community in EVERY aspect, fact and statistic of the initiative, warts and all, and the community will once again believe that it is THEIR project to enthusiastically participate in.'
On the same point in the above post, I discussed my view that: 'Top-down autocratic power and control of a few on a board directorate only results in community apathy. This has been the single biggest failing of board members in our recent past and the biggest failing of 'autocratic leadership' in most failed community initiatives.'
So let's get to test just how open, mature and transparent our current LRA leaders are by requesting some straight answers to the simple questions posed on this forum, which I will send to the Chairman and post the answers on this forum as soon as they arrive.
And hey, let's not beat around the bush, I do recognise that I am not the most popular individual (and that's putting it far too mildly.. ;-) with some past and present LRA board members for my straight talking views and opinions, but that's just tough for them. From the very first day of initiating this project, I have been a committed contributing member of this community initiative... and have done nothing less than I ask of them in this community.
Of course, I believe that there is so much more innovation that we can introduce and do... that we are not currently doing as a community... to make a radical departure from the mediocrity that besets average community initiatives. That falls into the realm of my personal business experience and vested interest as always declared openly on this forum. And, even that appears not to be a concern any more given the AGM's strange unquestioning acceptance of the Chair's own vested interest position as paid G.M.
Here is the first list of questions to go immediately after this forum article posting:
For attn:
The Chairman: Rob Gillespie
Lonehill Residents Association
Dear Rob
For the purposes of posting answers to our Lonehill Community Stakeholders forum - http://www.lonehillaction.blogspot.com/ - please be kind enough to provide answers to the following questions that were apparently not covered as per reading of the feedback provided from the recent LRA AGM (treat questions as at date of AGM).
- What are the biggest challenges facing our initiative in the coming year?
- What plans are in place to resolve those challenges and what innovations will we see?
- Who is accountable for deliverables on these resolutions (what are their KPI's)?
- What finances are required for the coming year and future... and where will it be sourced from?
- What are the critical numbers we should be watching to assess future success of the project?
- What is being done to reduce the burden of current contributors?
- Why do we only have +- 300 voting members on the LRA from +- 6000 householders?
- Are there any expected major budget allocations (in excess of R50 000 in total) that may be paid to individuals in the coming year and for what?
- Should a new budget allocation limit be imposed on the Board requiring referral back to Members for approval?
- What added-value does each paid individual on the LRA add to our initiative (e.g if paid +- R250K, did individual add another +-R250K and more to the initiative)?
- How can stakeholders benefit from and use the LRA community centre facilities which they have funded?
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Lonehill: Now Move From Good.. To GREAT!
Judging by the LRA AGM 2008 Minutes, it seems that those in attendance concurred with my personal assessment in - Lonehill: Should We Be IMPRESSED? - and also gave the 2007/8 LRA Board the accolade they deserve for producing a good set of financials and seemingly signalling their satisfaction for the LRA's performance over the financial year under review.
To repeat from my previous post:
The concerns for governance issues that I raised in - Lonehill: Should We Be IMPRESSED? - do not seem to have concerned anyone else at that LRA AGM meeting.
It would seem, therefore, that our original Code of Ethics proposed in our early days is no longer valid, leaving whoever operates in unison on the LRA Board to effectively do what they like with our funds in their assessment of the LRA vision and Company's Act regulations... and we'll only find out what they did at the next presentation of financials.
Personally, I think that this is dangerously short-sighted, because by then the horse can well and truly have bolted. But hey, I'm clearly a minority on this.
I'm just always aware of what happened in this community the previous times that the boiling frog syndrome was allowed to take effect in Lonehill... ;-)
Besides, it becomes very difficult to nigh impossible for the Chair to claim moral authority over those who do not make their VOLUNTARY contributions when the Chair has a vested interest in the community cookie jar.
People will never tell the Chair direct to his/her face, too few like to stand up and be seen to rock the boat... but inside they will be sniggering 'ja, boet' as they keep their funds away from feeding the cookie jar.... much to the unknowing frustration of the Chair who naturally chides his/her community for not volunteering their contributions.
It is a downward-spiralling cycle with the potential to collapse whatever the initiative if not addressed.
Something like the Catholic Popes selling of indulgences from the 12th to 16th centuries eroded the moral authority of the Catholic Church. Martin Luther showed that intelligent people will always seek reform to ensure that moral authority maintains its rightful place.
Most often those with vested interests cannot see or acknowledge their vested interest position as compromising their moral authority and/or integrity.
Just get into a debate with Robert Mugabe on the subject.. ;-)
I believe that the Chair of a voluntary community initiative like Lonehill's... and the position of a paid GM function... should be totally separated.
To further repeat from my previous post:
So, that said, let's look to what can be done to move our community initiative from Good... to GREAT.
Actually, they are very SIMPLE things.
1. Improve Communication by 1000%.
First, it can take as little as just 5 minutes to set-up a top-notch social network website linking all Lonehillers in an informative manner.
Then, let's face it, the copy and layout in our emails, website (non-existent right now) and on our notice-boards can be upgraded to make a massive difference in the message conveyed.
Compelling copy can make all the difference in stimulating interaction with your audience.
This simple statement below (with link) attracted one of the biggest ever responses from my own database of like-minded business-owners, you're welcome to follow through to see how the process works - it's free - and the 3 Simple Steps can be applied in our own community initiative:
Content in our newsletters can be much more relevant and delivery can be vastly improved. I've never yet received a newsletter directly.
Was also asked what the Lonehill Objectors meeting was about that was apparently held at the Lonehill Shopping Mall on Wed. 20th August. Never heard about it. Surely this is important community news that the LRA should be circulating to all community members as a priority?
2. Improve Collaboration with community members who have the proven skills. Leadership can make a concerted effort to bring all local community players into the fold to make their contribution in their own select ways.
3. Improve Community Involvement and Participation. This community initiative launched with massive community involvement, meetings of 800 to a 1000 people in community halls out of 3300 households. Anything from 100 to 300 people involved in bringing the initiative to life.
Latest LRA AGM 2008 figures show an attendance of just 125 people from over 6000 households - only 68 being registered members. Here's a BIG clue to a key problem to be addressed.
There are simple, proven methods to apply to work out how to increase these numbers once again.
Key to this is to openly encourage participation in ALL things community from bottom-up. That includes an open exposure of the facts, statistics, problems and challenges facing the LRA Board. A problem shared is a problem halved.
Top-down autocratic power and control of a few on a board directorate only results in community apathy.
This is an OPEN COMMUNITY initiative not an exclusive board initiative.
This has been the single biggest failing of board members in our recent past and the biggest failing of ' autocratic leadership' in most failed community initiatives.
Go all out to involve the community in EVERY aspect, fact and statistic of the initiative, warts and all, and the community will once again believe that it is THEIR project to enthusiastically participate in.
Above all, give RECOGNITION to those who make (and have made) significant inputs. Everybody, but EVERYBODY, loves recognition... and many contributors in future will be attracted in numbers in direct proportion to the recognition accorded to those going before them.
Leadership should not be coy about this out of some mistaken sense of humility/modesty. It's not about YOU, the current leadership. It can be the simple difference between an organisation moving from Good... to GREAT. It is that important.
4. Encourage Questions. Give Specific Answers. Provide The Facts.
It seems from the minutes that not a single one of the questions posed in - Lonehill: Should We Be IMPRESSED? - was asked or addressed by anyone at the LRA AGM 2008. A pity... for both our community and our leaders.
Do we really know that anyone really has an idea of what's truly going on in our community if we don't know the facts?
LRA leadership should openly encourage pertinent questions and deliver specific answers with factual honesty. Emotion charged perceptions and assumptions should no longer cut the mustard. Just give us the facts.
These actions encompass the principles displayed in the two simple qualities of Top Leaders identified by Brian Tracy.
excerpt:
LRA leadership skills should be honestly evaluated and sharpened to encourage our community's belief in OUR VISION - help 'em see it (read the link). We deserve that level of personal and collective responsibility from our leaders
LRA leadership should openly review their current ethics code and open the process up to accepting community input - read: A Leader Has High Ethics By Sheila Murray Bethel, PhD.
Simple stuff. It's really no big deal to move from Good... to GREAT.
Even the doggie-poop in the park problem can be converted into a major win for the LRA, doggie-lovers, and non-doggie park-lovers, with some very simple ideas that can be brainstormed and applied. No one need be censured and no threatening posture needs come from anyone on the LRA.
No big deal.
It's about strategy, proven know-how, innovation, commitment and delivery.
This intellectual property exists in bunches within many circles in Lonehill. These circles can be brought in to work together with those of like-mind... or on their own to deliver on specific community objectives. The LRA Board's role must surely be to unleash the people with these skills for the benefit of the entire community.
The clues to doing this are all consistently stated in the posts archived on this forum.
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
To repeat from my previous post:
I think that there are many an outsider who would love their community to have the foundation of resources that we appear to have at our fingertips.I doff my cap to the entire Board for their turnaround of the LRA management debacle of some two years back.
There is no doubt that the LRA is now where it should have been some four years ago... ready to launch some innovative, world-class, visionary initiatives to make Lonehill a GREAT community.
The concerns for governance issues that I raised in - Lonehill: Should We Be IMPRESSED? - do not seem to have concerned anyone else at that LRA AGM meeting.
It would seem, therefore, that our original Code of Ethics proposed in our early days is no longer valid, leaving whoever operates in unison on the LRA Board to effectively do what they like with our funds in their assessment of the LRA vision and Company's Act regulations... and we'll only find out what they did at the next presentation of financials.
Personally, I think that this is dangerously short-sighted, because by then the horse can well and truly have bolted. But hey, I'm clearly a minority on this.
I'm just always aware of what happened in this community the previous times that the boiling frog syndrome was allowed to take effect in Lonehill... ;-)
Besides, it becomes very difficult to nigh impossible for the Chair to claim moral authority over those who do not make their VOLUNTARY contributions when the Chair has a vested interest in the community cookie jar.
People will never tell the Chair direct to his/her face, too few like to stand up and be seen to rock the boat... but inside they will be sniggering 'ja, boet' as they keep their funds away from feeding the cookie jar.... much to the unknowing frustration of the Chair who naturally chides his/her community for not volunteering their contributions.
It is a downward-spiralling cycle with the potential to collapse whatever the initiative if not addressed.
Something like the Catholic Popes selling of indulgences from the 12th to 16th centuries eroded the moral authority of the Catholic Church. Martin Luther showed that intelligent people will always seek reform to ensure that moral authority maintains its rightful place.
Most often those with vested interests cannot see or acknowledge their vested interest position as compromising their moral authority and/or integrity.
Just get into a debate with Robert Mugabe on the subject.. ;-)
I believe that the Chair of a voluntary community initiative like Lonehill's... and the position of a paid GM function... should be totally separated.
To further repeat from my previous post:
Don't have a problem with anyone being remunerated for a job well done, as long as, and especially in a community initiative context, such intentions are openly pre-declared to the community for stakeholder discussion and approval, and the position is openly offered/advertised as an equal-opportunity to anyone in the community wishing to tender for it.
It has always been my view that individuals with transparently declared vested interests and/or requiring remuneration/incentivisation (a slice of the pie) will be critical to making a significant difference and building a much bigger pie for the benefit of all in a community.
So, that said, let's look to what can be done to move our community initiative from Good... to GREAT.
Actually, they are very SIMPLE things.
1. Improve Communication by 1000%.
First, it can take as little as just 5 minutes to set-up a top-notch social network website linking all Lonehillers in an informative manner.
Then, let's face it, the copy and layout in our emails, website (non-existent right now) and on our notice-boards can be upgraded to make a massive difference in the message conveyed.
Compelling copy can make all the difference in stimulating interaction with your audience.
This simple statement below (with link) attracted one of the biggest ever responses from my own database of like-minded business-owners, you're welcome to follow through to see how the process works - it's free - and the 3 Simple Steps can be applied in our own community initiative:
Do you know that just 3 Simple Steps in business have been used to build some of the greatest fortunes in history. If you want them, I'll send you the link to the formula (at no cost to you) just click on the link below:
YES Please Trevor, send me the no-cost link to the 3 Simple Steps to building a fortune in MY business
Content in our newsletters can be much more relevant and delivery can be vastly improved. I've never yet received a newsletter directly.
Was also asked what the Lonehill Objectors meeting was about that was apparently held at the Lonehill Shopping Mall on Wed. 20th August. Never heard about it. Surely this is important community news that the LRA should be circulating to all community members as a priority?
2. Improve Collaboration with community members who have the proven skills. Leadership can make a concerted effort to bring all local community players into the fold to make their contribution in their own select ways.
3. Improve Community Involvement and Participation. This community initiative launched with massive community involvement, meetings of 800 to a 1000 people in community halls out of 3300 households. Anything from 100 to 300 people involved in bringing the initiative to life.
Latest LRA AGM 2008 figures show an attendance of just 125 people from over 6000 households - only 68 being registered members. Here's a BIG clue to a key problem to be addressed.
There are simple, proven methods to apply to work out how to increase these numbers once again.
Key to this is to openly encourage participation in ALL things community from bottom-up. That includes an open exposure of the facts, statistics, problems and challenges facing the LRA Board. A problem shared is a problem halved.
Top-down autocratic power and control of a few on a board directorate only results in community apathy.
This is an OPEN COMMUNITY initiative not an exclusive board initiative.
This has been the single biggest failing of board members in our recent past and the biggest failing of ' autocratic leadership' in most failed community initiatives.
Go all out to involve the community in EVERY aspect, fact and statistic of the initiative, warts and all, and the community will once again believe that it is THEIR project to enthusiastically participate in.
Above all, give RECOGNITION to those who make (and have made) significant inputs. Everybody, but EVERYBODY, loves recognition... and many contributors in future will be attracted in numbers in direct proportion to the recognition accorded to those going before them.
Leadership should not be coy about this out of some mistaken sense of humility/modesty. It's not about YOU, the current leadership. It can be the simple difference between an organisation moving from Good... to GREAT. It is that important.
4. Encourage Questions. Give Specific Answers. Provide The Facts.
It seems from the minutes that not a single one of the questions posed in - Lonehill: Should We Be IMPRESSED? - was asked or addressed by anyone at the LRA AGM 2008. A pity... for both our community and our leaders.
Do we really know that anyone really has an idea of what's truly going on in our community if we don't know the facts?
LRA leadership should openly encourage pertinent questions and deliver specific answers with factual honesty. Emotion charged perceptions and assumptions should no longer cut the mustard. Just give us the facts.
These actions encompass the principles displayed in the two simple qualities of Top Leaders identified by Brian Tracy.
excerpt:
'The motivational leader insists on seeing things exactly as they are and encourages others to look at life the same way. As a motivational leader, you get the facts, whatever they are.
'You deal with people honestly and tell them exactly what you perceive to be the truth. This doesn't mean that you will always be right, but you will always be expressing the truth in the best way you know how.'
LRA leadership skills should be honestly evaluated and sharpened to encourage our community's belief in OUR VISION - help 'em see it (read the link). We deserve that level of personal and collective responsibility from our leaders
LRA leadership should openly review their current ethics code and open the process up to accepting community input - read: A Leader Has High Ethics By Sheila Murray Bethel, PhD.
Simple stuff. It's really no big deal to move from Good... to GREAT.
Even the doggie-poop in the park problem can be converted into a major win for the LRA, doggie-lovers, and non-doggie park-lovers, with some very simple ideas that can be brainstormed and applied. No one need be censured and no threatening posture needs come from anyone on the LRA.
No big deal.
It's about strategy, proven know-how, innovation, commitment and delivery.
This intellectual property exists in bunches within many circles in Lonehill. These circles can be brought in to work together with those of like-mind... or on their own to deliver on specific community objectives. The LRA Board's role must surely be to unleash the people with these skills for the benefit of the entire community.
The clues to doing this are all consistently stated in the posts archived on this forum.
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
Friday, August 22, 2008
LRA AGM 2008 Minutes
MINUTES OF THE LONEHILL RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD ON
29th JULY 2008 AT CRAWFORD PREPARATORY SCHOOL, SCEALES ROAD, LONEHILL
Present : 57 as per attendance register, 68 unregistered, 125 in total
Apologies : John Mendelsohn, Roger Manton
Proxies Received : Angela Manton appointing John Cluett
Chris Crozier appointing Hermann Erdmann
Karina Taylor appointing Dorica Eatwell
Rob Gillespie welcomed all members and residents to the 8th Annual General Meeting. He read a letter from Councillor Mendelsohn (copy attached) and commenced with the agenda as set out and circulated to all members.
1. The Chairman’s Report was read by Rob Gillespie (copy attached). No questions were asked.
2. Rob Gillespie introduced the Financial Director, Roger McKee, who proceeded to provide a synopsis of the salient points of the Audited Financial Statements as distributed. Roger McKee also provided some insight on the budget for the forthcoming year. It was noted that the audit was conducted under the stringent new International Financial Reporting Standards which required significant extra effort and time. No questions arose from the floor. Acceptance of the Annual Financial Statements was proposed by Hamish McBain and seconded by Nick Fredericksz. The motion was accepted unanimously.
3. The appointment of an Auditor for the forthcoming year was briefly discussed and members were advised that the board of directors was satisfied with the services provided by Clive Dryden during the previous appointment and saw no valid reason to change to another auditor. The re-appointment of Clive Dryden was proposed by Hermann Erdmann and seconded by William Carroll. The motion was accepted unanimously.
4. Fathima Beckmann resigned from the Board and was not available for re-election. Roger McKee who was co-opted during the year had resigned in accordance with the Articles, and had made himself available for re-election. Don Perry and Simon Bradshaw were both nominated and accepted for election. They both gave a précis of their CV’s and ambitions. No objections had been noted or received and no voting was required. The chairman asked for their election. The election of the new Board Directors was proposed by Hermann Erdmann and seconded by Nick Fredericksz. The Chairman again asked for any objections by way of show of hands. There were none. The Chairman then asked for the acceptance of the Board of Directors by way of show of hands. The Board was unanimously accepted.
The directors of the Lonehill Residents Association Section 21 Company are; Jean Berdou, Simon Bradshaw, Rob Gillespie, Michael Goodwin, Hamish McBain, Roger McKee, Don Perry and Ray Stride.
5. No items or matters for discussion of a general nature had been received. The Chairman noted that George Joubert had written to him some time before the meeting with a number of queries and that these had all been satisfactorily addressed directly back to George Joubert.
The Chairman then invited questions from the floor. John Cluett tabled a request from the Board of Trustees of Lanzerac for the provision of bullet-proof vests for their gate guards. Sue Cato re-iterated the Chairman’s request for residents who walk their dogs in public areas to pick up their animal’s mess. She also queried the licence requirements for fishing in the main dam. The Chairman noted that this had been addressed on numerous occasions in the past and that no licences were required for the activities that were being carried out at the dam. He also noted that such activities should be encouraged by the parents instead of allowing their children to frequent malls and the like, increasing their exposure to unsavoury and undesirable habits.
The meeting closed with a unanimous vote of thanks from the members to the directors and staff of the LRA for their good work and significant contribution to the community.
LRA 2008 AGM - Chairman's Report
2008 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
The twelve months under review have been somewhat difficult and trying, but thankfully, we South Africans are not a bunch of sissies. We will always weather the storm despite its ferocity. Currently, the mood and condition barometer is a little confusing to say the least. On the one hand we are told that crime is under control and decreasing; that leaders are leading, and that 2010 will be the springboard year for South Africa! In reality… our economy, whilst being ably managed is in a fragile condition, our country’s governmental and municipal services are not what they should or could be, politicians are leaderless, crime is not yet under control, xenophobia is no longer a word that you look up in the dictionary, and there are long queues for foreign residence permits! Heard this before have you? Of course you have - 1994 - “last one out of Jan Smuts please turn off the lights”…. Well, it didn’t happen then and it won’t happen now!
Yes, there are truths, half truths, lies and distortions everywhere, but there is also a massive amount of good will, good intention and strong desire trying to gain ground. South Africa is a great country. We need to change our attitude with regards to our future, to look at things differently, for sanity’s sake and for the sake of our children’s mindsets. Our kids are becoming extremely vocal about our constant negative and depressing attitudes towards this country and the place in which we live. It has gone so far that the schools are organising outlets for the children’s feelings – at the kids’ request! Come on people – if you’re here, then be here fully! South Africans don’t give up easily. We’re resilient and resourceful, we like who we are, and for the most part, we’re patriotic and proud of it. So let’s show it!
Responsibility, reliability and accountability – none of these are new to us. These are basic tenets of any solid society, and it’s now time again for them to be practised loudly and proudly.
The same is true for Lonehill and the LRA. Yes, we still have a long way to go, and for every step forward we have to recover the two steps backwards that are foisted upon us by the detractors in any society, not to forget of course, those plain and simple free-loaders, those people or residents who have little or no community related responsibility or moral fibre, that are happy to live off and make use of other people’s good will and in this case, hard earned money and solid commitment. Too many people appear to be too happy to use someone else’s effort and resources. They will look the other way and even chastise you, in order not to be bothered or asked to participate in their own well being, in the area in which they live. They should be ashamed of themselves.
It is now becoming common practice in many communities around the world, to enforce participation in community efforts by the resident or would be population, just in order to obtain a residents permit, or to purchase a house and live in that community. Should we be doing this as well? I say yes. It should be a mandatory function of every letting agent, estate agent or landlord in the Greater Lonehill area, to ensure that each resident or potentially new resident or business owner contributes to the security and environment schemes, as well as participating on a ‘when able’ basis in community functions, such as the observers, or clean-up parades, or making their particular skill set available to the holistic community effort.
The time for being polite in this respect has passed. Are you happy to let your neighbour sponge off you? You shouldn’t be. We want our community to sparkle and shine. We want honest, committed people who can be relied upon. We want to know that our neighbours will help us when needed, and will offer their help willingly as true team players, in whatever form they are able to, otherwise they shouldn’t be neighbours or perhaps not even welcome in this community. Our government and municipal officials, looking after the supposed ‘bigger picture’, do not have the time, inclination or resources to take care of our ‘little issues’. My father taught me the expression – “Look after your pennies and the pounds will look after themselves”. So true.
We have to restart by placing importance on the little things. Littering, general tidiness, obeying the traffic laws – yes, they do exist, extending common courtesies, and ensuring peace and safety for our loved ones. Take the time to talk to others, and more importantly, to listen to them.
Lonehill is such a great place for these things to happen. It is a beautiful suburb full of people who use the wide streets, parks and paths for walking, running or cycling pleasure, and they talk up a storm in the process. They’re happy! Just take a look at the everyday photos in the latest Lonehill News magazine. We really do have a great community. The people are generally very willing, once engaged. Often they say we should advertise more, talk more, etc. You, members of this community, are the ones that have to do that – don’t leave it up to someone else, because there is no-one else. You are that someone else.
Your elected Board of Directors of the LRA has done a sterling job during this past year and I applaud and thank them each for their individual contributions. The responsibilities and expectations are enormous, sometimes even scary. The scope of what we still hope and dream to achieve is huge. The dedicated and committed staff of the LRA have been unbelievable. What champions we have here, and you should all be proud of them.
The LRA is not a little two bit operation any longer. It is a demanding and growing business with some very serious responsibilities and targets. There are members of the community who believe that the LRA is overstaffed and under worked, and that what it does should be done solely by volunteers. This is simply not possible nor even feasible, and a few hours spent in the office will open their eyes. I regularly receive calls from other communities, asking us what we do and how we get it right, because they can’t. It all boils down to commitment and management. Without the management structure that we have in place, the LRA and the entire security initiative would collapse in a heap.
During this past year we reviewed our security services and provider. We put together a team of consultants, whose job it was to recreate the security specification for the area, identify the possible organisations that would be able to fulfil the role, call for tenders, evaluate the responses, eliminate to a short list and finally choose a successful company. This process took longer than six months, and was handled with complete transparency and fairness. We re-awarded the contract to Fidelity, and are currently busy implementing many of the new controls. We are very happy to re-assure you that the LRA has the most capable and resilient security services organisation in the country. We may not have the best technology or desired numbers of staff yet, but we are well on the way to achieving this. It does however require the community’s support. The more subscribers we have, the more we will be able to achieve.
Fidelity Lonehill now reports directly into the Bryanston head office, and is backed up and managed by their highly successful and efficient banking division. A brand new control room with state-of-the-art equipment is about to be installed in our Studio Park premises. Some of the new functionality will include video and camera monitoring of booms, streets and perimeter areas. This will include links into licence plate and vehicle recognition systems. We are piloting remote, real time camera and monitoring equipment for our street patrollers. This technology is very new to this industry internationally. We would also like to increase the number of street patrollers in the area from 12 to at least 24, some of these being mobile on scooters, creating a lot more visibility and covering a lot more of our area more often. However, this comes at an additional cost of approximately R100,000-00 per month excluding vehicles, so it may be some time before the increased numbers are seen on the streets. An alternative to this would be to motorise the current patrollers as well as upgrade them.
How are we going to achieve this you ask! We have already begun more active marketing and selling programs, on the part of both the LRA and Fidelity. The LRA recently appointed a dedicated marketing and communications lady. Elmari Dell has taken this role by the horns and certainly has her work cut out for her. Fidelity now has 2 sales people in the area and their sales effort is a high priority project with dedicated and specific areas of focus. Their combined target at this stage is 40 new subscribers each month.
The increased security section activity has also resulted in more technical service calls as well as new installations, or upgrading of existing ones. The administration surrounding this function has also received attention. This aspect alone is one of the main reasons for the success of our operation. It is a personalised approach with understanding, care and attention.
Whilst on the subject of security, now would be a good time to reveal the statistics for the past year. The number of incidents of any form of criminal activity in Lonehill still remains very low when compared to any of the surrounding areas in this policing region. To be more precise, there were 157 incidents in the Greater Lonehill area over the 12 month period under review compared to 1503 in our policing region, which equates to 10% of the region’s crime whilst we occupy roughly 20% of the area and house approximately 16% of the region’s population.
We have established an excellent working relationship with the SAPS units in both Douglasdale and Sandton, with their members now attending our weekly security operations meetings. We have unfortunately not had the same degree of success with the Metro Police, despite one of their most senior staffers living in Lonehill.
Striving for a zero crime statistic in our area is the goal, but it is easier off the tongue than in practice. Nevertheless, our efforts will not cease. Criminals have become far more sophisticated over the last 12 months. For example, they are using up market vehicles such as new Mercedes Benz’s and Volvo’s. They are well dressed, follow the rules of a gated area, and generally attract no suspicion until the moment of the event. On the other hand, due to the number of displaced vagrants and illegal immigrants increasing in certain surrounding areas, there has been a marked increase in unattended or chance housebreakings. The majority of these have been in the Lonehill East area, alongside the spruit which is easily accessible from the old Clay Oven complex, a bone of major contention. Regular raids have been conducted, with many arrests, but without any decrease in the criminal activity. Overall, many arrests were made by our security operatives during this last year, but successful convictions or incarcerations were few due to what is now a standard excuse that the dockets were lost or no shows by complainants at court time.
Our Control Room, aside from being rebuilt, is now being enhanced with the introduction of new guard monitoring systems, using wireless camera and GPS technology. We are very excited about the development as it goes a long way towards resolving the age old problem of keeping the guard awake and motivated. Boom guards will be able to photograph both the vehicle and the driver and other occupants without any extra effort, or the occupants even being aware that a photo has been taken. This photo will appear on a screen in the control room within seconds.
During the last year, many organisations were invited to install their surveillance products for a trial period so that we could accurately assess whether they will work for us or not. To our not unexpected dismay, not one made good on their offer. We have been in contact with many other places that have significant camera installations, and most of them expressed disappointment or dissatisfaction with their products, installation or support. Their costs were all huge. We, touch wood, hope not to make the same mistakes. Camera technology has improved dramatically over the last year. We are looking at installing 3Mp smart low lux units, with robust and highly usable software systems, which will alert the operators to exceptional or suspicious events. The same system will enable us to ensure that available vehicle and reaction resources are placed optimally, to facilitate rapid response times to events. This infrastructure will also allow us to monitor the popular entrance, exit and possible escape paths. As soon as an event occurs, which could be as simple as a person walking through a demarcated zone or crossing a line, we will be able to dispatch a reaction officer or street patroller to that point immediately.
Our Observer group, led by Ros Truelock, has been operational during the year, but unfortunately not to the extent that we would’ve liked. There are a number of volunteers who regularly arrive to do their rounds, providing us with invaluable information from the complexes and guards. It is another one of those vital links that are required in order to have eyes everywhere. Please volunteer your services for this very important function, and thank you Ros for your dedication and effort. We sincerely hope to do better this year.
Another method of increasing our information gathering net, will be to re-establish a Domestic Worker’s Forum. We used to run these morning events once a quarter at the Fire Station, and there will be someone to talk to the members on an interesting topic – learning a new skill, and a security element whereby problems are highlighted and ideas are propagated.
Residents of the Greater Lonehill area, we are orders of magnitude better than anyone else in terms of pro-active security. Despite this, we still have crime, and we are actively looking at ways to reach that magical zero number. To be fair and honest, we often have weeks where no incidents are reported.
Moving onto matters environmental. My congratulations go to Ian Bell, Hans Cochlovius, Doug Black, and their team of gardeners. We’re looking better each day. We purchased a new mean, yellow, grass cutting machine during this year. It has enabled us to cut three times as much in the same time, using only one operator! We are now able to spend more time on other aesthetics around the suburb, all of which translate into better values and area utilisation. The parks and paths are always populated with residents making great use of these facilities. Now, if only we could get the doggy people to pick up their beloved pet’s mess! Please carry a bag and leave the environment in at least as pleasant a condition as you found it. It’s a mindset that we have to learn to embrace. As you walk along and see litter, please pick it up and deposit it into the next bin. We have even ordered a number of new bins to cope with the ever increasing volume of rubbish being left around. Littering is an offence, people, and it is punishable by a hefty fine. Inspectors do monitor this and fines are issued. Our cameras will also assist in this regard. Don’t hesitate to shout at someone who is littering either. If you tolerate that, you’re just as guilty.
We have started to clean up the stream beds and are planning to de-reed and de-silt the bottom two dams just off Concourse. The main dam will also be receiving some attention to retard the constant inflow of sand and silt. Some ad hoc cleaning has occurred on the Lonehill East side, but this is a mammoth task that requires the assistance of City Parks, who as you know, are not readily available, and often just do not have the resources or the budgets. On the positive side, we enjoy a good relationship with them and know that they are grateful for our efforts in looking after our own areas.
A lot of work has been done on the koppie, thanks to Don Perry and his helpers. The invader scrub is slowly being eradicated, allowing the indigenous vegetation to reclaim its rightful place. It’s a wonderful place to visit and take in the scenery and views. Some new benches have been installed, and watering holes have been provided for the resident wildlife.
Unfortunately, all dogs are now permanently banned from the koppie enclosure, due to a number of residents allowing their animals to openly chase and attack the wildlife, and in a few instances, other dogs and even people. Repetitive warnings and fines came to no good, so the final regrettable step of banning dogs from the area was taken
The pumps in our main dam have given up the ghost, again, and we are actively seeking a reliable supplier with relevant expertise for this project. The constant testing and dosing of the water has definitely yielded a good result so far, and we will continue with this line of treatment. A few experts in this field have made their knowledge available to us, and some of their ideas are already being implemented - such as the algae-eating grass raft that you may have noticed floating around. Its claim to fame is a 3m long root which has a high algal attraction and destruction rate. We are still awaiting the results of this test. With the slow down or completion of building projects in the catchment area, we also hope to see more stable levels of water purity and cleanliness going forward.
Furthermore, we are looking at redoing the lighting in the park areas, to replace the old sleeper columns which are now rotting. A number of new durable benches have also been installed around the main dam.
The LRA is in the process of signing up leases with Johannesburg Property (the council’s division that has ownership of the pavements etc) for the main entrance corners, four-way stop corners, Mulbarton Circle and the large park area in Beverley off Mulbarton Drive. These are areas that really need attention and they are part of the beautification project that we have been talking about for some time. It will cost money to complete these projects – hence the EnviroFund and other initiatives, as well as the possibility of a Council grant, so we are ensuring that we have ownership and control of these areas before going ahead with the work. So far all is on track, but the process is not short or easy. We are expecting to receive the final documentation during August.
Potholes…what potholes? Road resurfacing is another focus of attention, but this is dependant upon the availability of funds and equipment from the JRA. We managed to sort out the worst area of Mulbarton Drive, albeit temporarily, and this along with the remainder will be permanently addressed once all construction in the area is complete. The same applies to the Dennis / Cheney Road areas.
Cutting back of high growth foliage areas has commenced and is a mammoth task – often requiring the assistance of City Parks. Removal of the cuttings and debris is always an issue, so to ease this problem we are in the process of acquiring a large trailer, purpose built, to ensure that the rubbish does not lie around for long. It will also be used to take our equipment to cut and maintain the outlying areas. Naturally, the work load is increasing in this department as the demands or expectations rise, so we will be looking at increasing our gardening and cleaning staff complement. One particular area of focus here is the removal of paper and rubbish in the parks, on the roadside and pavements, and now during the summer rain season, the sweeping up of soil, sand and stones in the gutters, streets and intersections. This is a simple task, employing two, three or four casual labourers, but has an enormous benefit in terms of aesthetics, impressions, values, and general ‘feel good’.
Our gardening team has also taken on a few maintenance contracts and is available for more of the same, and we are also talking to a resident about a garden refuse collection and recycling service.
With regard to our Finances and Administration; we have been under the able and eagle-eyed care of Roger McKee and Clive Dryden – two Chartered Accountants who take nothing at face value and leave no paper unturned. The 2008 Annual Financial Statements, prepared in accordance with the new stringent International Financial Reporting Standards, reflect the healthy state of your company. In the current environment of rapidly increasing fuel and food prices, rising interest rates and a CPI, regardless of miscalculation or not, running into double figures, we have managed to hold our head clearly above water, and still produce a decent surplus for infrastructural projects around security and environment. Our office administration staff, being Dorica, Kelley and Elmari, have been through some tough times since Karina Taylor’s departure – highlighting the massive load and responsibility that she actually shouldered whilst in the hot seat. We are extremely thankful and grateful for all the support that Karina provided, and indeed still does, albeit remotely when required. We have come through with flying colours, and are now looking at putting belt and braces in place, engaging with a number of people with the view of putting them into cross-over positions, ensuring that we will never be without the required expertise to deal with the day to day activities and responsibilities of a R16m p.a. operation.
The Board took a decision two years back, not to re-employ a general manager in the short to medium term, as the current Board members would apply themselves to the task. This worked well for the first year. Your Chairman was required to spend an inordinate amount of time attending to the various requirements and responsibilities of the position, in addition to the daily management of the business, and the active management and guidance of the security service provider. This became something way beyond the donation of social responsibility and voluntary time. He did not run or shy away from this, but tabled a workable solution with the board, also discussed openly at one of the public feedback meetings, which enabled him to be reimbursed for his time spent managing the business. It was discussed at two full Board meetings, minuted, and a low hourly rate was agreed to. The position of an Executive Chairman is by no means out of the ordinary and is a functional and practical way to save costs, especially in a small operation, provided that the incumbent is prepared to take on the role, and its attendant responsibilities. This is currently working very well, and after due governance and diligence, monitored by our auditors, there appears to be no good reason to change or modify this modus operandi as long as the incumbent is willing and able, unless the Board decides otherwise. From my part as this Executive Chairman, it is one of the most stressful positions that I have occupied during my career, but is also extremely satisfying in terms of serving a community and achieving results that are appreciated by most. And yes, given your acceptance, I am most willing to continue serving this community.
We have made some significant changes to the Studio Park offices during the last six months. The LRA offices have now moved upstairs from the dungeon into far more pleasant digs. We have a functional and spacious Board Room that can also be hired out to other potential users. Roger and Clive, along with the rest of the Board, also kept an eye on property prices, bond and interest rates, and ensured that your investment is in fine shape, almost bond free, and increasing in value significantly, from a purchase price of R2.2m to a current value of around R4m.
We have unfortunately not been able to stem the tide of increases and inflation, and the ones that affect us most are those to do with our security service. This industry is governed by unionised wage negotiations which take place every three years. It is not a cost that can be absorbed or hidden or ignored – we have to face it. Fidelity, as always, has been challenged to lay their costs on the table for our scrutiny. They have tabled a general increase across the board to all of their clients, of 12.5%. We found ourselves unable to accept this, and have agreed to an increase in their costs to ourselves of 9.25%, which is the statutory labour cost increase for this year. Notice of this will be sent out at this month end. Whilst this does not sit comfortably on anyone’s palate, it is entirely acceptable given our vision of providing and securing a safe and pristine environment for the best value added cost, in which we wish to live. In spite of this increase, our services and product pricing remains close to par for the exceptional deliverable.
Last year I mentioned that we had pushed for an initiative involving the youth of Lonehill, in terms of a Junior LRA Council or Board. Each of the schools were approached on this but unfortunately nothing has yet come of it, although there is renewed interest from Crawford High. We will continue promoting the concept but are reliant upon the schools to promote it and for the youth themselves to take an interest.
The Lonehill Cub and Scout group initiative has garnered some interest, but the stumbling block here is the availability of some property where these worthy activities can be housed. Any ideas on this would be welcome.
Event wise, we are doing just fine. Shelley Miller, who has been helping out on the event management side has done a great job and she has our appreciation and thanks. This and other functions will from now on fall under the marketing and communications person - Elmari Dell. I’m sure that they will make a great team and that the community will be richly rewarded with well planned and run events under Elmari’s guidance. The main reason for holding the functions and activities is for the benefit of the community, to give them pride of ownership and participation, to bring the community together. Although funds are raised at these events, the amounts are small, and they are donated to a worthy charitable institution. This last year, we supported the Witkoppen Clinic by way of providing them with infrastructure to the value of the donation, rather than the cash itself. We are now looking for other deserving charities in our immediate vicinity, and will make a decision on this year’s donations during the next two months. All suggestions are welcome.
The 2008 Fun Run held last week was a great success. Our thanks and appreciation go out to all the sponsors, helpers and participants, particularly Otter Estates for their very generous sponsorship. Last year, we were overwhelmed by an increase of participants from 400 to 700. We ran out of T-shirts and medals. This year we ordered 1000 T-shirts and medals, and yes, you guessed it, we ran out again. Another remarkable increase from 700 to just over 1000 participants! And the interest is still growing. Great fun was had by all. A preliminary net profit of R25800 should be available for infrastructural donations to a worthy cause. For the record and those interested, the cost of this event was R70000.
Earlier this month, a Hijack prevention evening was held in this Crawford School Hall. It was a great success and widely appreciated, to the extent that a repeat will be held later in the year during the summer months.
The Father / Son Camp-Out, an idea long touted by Ian Bell finally came to fruition. This too was a great success with a guarantee of many more to be held in the future. The camaraderie between adult kids and real kids was amazing, and I’m not really sure who had more fun!
The Christmas Carols event held at the end of last year was another very successful occasion. It was a co-operative project with all three Lonehill based churches participating. This year end, we will repeat the event again, but this time will have a lot more audience and children participation, and a lot more carol singing to really get you into the Christmas spirit.
Our annual Fun Day event was slated to happen on 7th September, but sponsorships for this size of event at the moment are extremely hard to find and in fact non-existent. It may just be necessary to replace this event with a crafts / art in the park day, and then run the Fun Day during next year around March. The format of this event also requires rethinking, with a return to the traditional old “village fun festival”.
The Garden Competition has certainly cultivated serious interest from within our community and even from outside, with a tremendously successful introductory event. This year it will be held during October and promises to be a growing and colourful highlight.
In conclusion, I once again thank my colleagues and staff for their hard work and dedication, sometimes in the face of severe adversity, in providing our community with a great service, and sincerely hope that they will continue to do so going forward.
Rob Gillespie
Chairman - 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Lonehill: Should We Be IMPRESSED?
So sad to hear of the passing of Joy Cook/e and her husband - within weeks of each other - recently.
Joy's steely spirit, grit, and determination epitomised the salt-of-the-earth type of character that has underpinned everything that is good about the Lonehill community initiative.
As discussed in this forum before, it would be nice to have a wall-of-honour (perhaps a Lonehill Hall-Of-Famers concept) to recognise a Joy Cook/e et all for their exceptional contributions to our community... while they're alive!
Must say that I have been impressed by the exceptionally high visibility of Doug Black (standing in for a recuperating Ian Bell) and the Lonehill Estate Management vehicle. It seems that everywhere I drive around Lonehill, there is Doug and his team cleaning up something, somewhere.
Thanks Doug, your activity delivers on the vision of pro-active community management that launched this community initiative.
Must also say, that at first impression, I am pretty impressed with the AGM financials.
I think that there are many an outsider who would love their community to have the foundation of resources that we appear to have at our fingertips.
I doff my cap to the entire Board for their turnaround of the LRA management debacle of some two years back.
There is no doubt that the LRA is now where it should have been some four years ago... ready to launch some innovative, world-class, visionary initiatives to make Lonehill a GREAT community.
Clearly some individuals are more responsible for this turnaround than others - for the quality of their efforts - and it is my belief that they should be highlighted (let's not be coy, and let's make it an LRA responsibility to recognise those that make exceptional contributions). I'm guessing that names like Rob Gillespie, Ray Stride, and Michael Goodwin are due some warm praise for their efforts.
Let's also not be shy to question governance issues raised by the financials.
Directors emoluments of some R257 000..?
Retroactive 'transparency', exposed by the need for declaration in public financials, and that have to be questioned for clarity to discover what has actually transpired, can only lead to raised eyebrows!
Don't have a problem with anyone being remunerated for a job well done, as long as, and especially in a community initiative context, such intentions are openly pre-declared to the community for stakeholder discussion and approval, and the position is openly offered/advertised as an equal-opportunity to anyone in the community wishing to tender for it.
It has always been my view that individuals with transparently declared vested interests and/or requiring remuneration/incentivisation (a slice of the pie) will be critical to making a significant difference and building a much bigger pie for the benefit of all in a community.
The question is, to what extent should Executive directors be able to vote themselves remuneration/awards without pre-approval of their members?
Today R257 000... tomorrow R500 000... soon R1 Million and maybe more..?
What should be the rights and limitations of the Board when it comes to making themselves such awards?
Again, don't get me wrong, I believe this community must go professional, and the right people who deliver must be paid.... and some paid big to deliver on big ideals.
I am just of the view that they shouldn't be on the Board..! Raises all sorts of governance issues related to undue influence and potential for accusations of vested interests. Just too close to the line of propriety for comfort.
In the interest of a positive AGM befitting the credit that is due to those engineering the management turnaround, I will withhold my personal answers to the above questions and related issues until my next post. You form your own views and questions... and ask them at the AGM.
At this year's AGM, I would like to hear a justification (albeit in hindsight) for the Directors emoluments as declared in the financials (i.e. what was delivered as KPI's by whom in return for that remuneration), a current SWOT analysis of the LRA, and future plans for the LRA - with KPI's - and who holds responsibility/accountability for their delivery in the coming year.
Some questions that should be asked and answered at the AGM are:
i. What are the biggest challenges facing our initiative in the coming year?
ii. What plans are in place to resolve those challenges and what innovations will we see?
iii. Who is accountable for deliverables on these resolutions (what are their KPI's)?
iv. What finances are required for the coming year and future... and where will it be sourced from?
v. What are the critical numbers we should be watching to assess future success of the project?
vi. What is being done to reduce the burden of current contributors?
vii. Why do we only have +- 300 voting members on the LRA from +- 6000 householders?
viii. Are there any expected major budget allocations (in excess of R50 000) that may be paid to individuals in the coming year and for what?
ix. Should a new budget allocation limit be imposed on the Board requiring referral back to Members for approval?
x. What added-value does each paid individual on the LRA add to our initiative (e.g if paid +- R250K, did individual add another +-R250K and more to the initiative)?
xi. How can stakeholders benefit from and use the LRA community centre facilities which they have funded?
xii. Should LRA AGM not be held within 60 days of financial year-end?
This forum has consistently complimented the chalk-and-cheese improvement in management of our community since the events leading up to the AGM debacle of two years ago.
However, this forum also believes that this Lonehill community initiative and its stakeholders are deserving of far greater VISIONARY application which can only happen by implementation of 3 simple things:
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.
We've still not yet achieved the above in any significant manner. When we do, is when this Lonehill community initiative will really take off as it should.
There are simple ways to implement them. Just takes a little LEADERSHIP!
That's when I'll be truly impressed.
Thought I'd close with this comment from a colleague (Chairman of an impressive Section 21 organisation) who watches our LRA affairs with interest:
'My suggestion would be the establishment of a working party comprising of the existing board & management team, plus interested community stakeholders. On the agenda :
1. Structure, accountability & governance.
2. Current situation - SWOT
3. Requirements for short & long term viability
4. Procedures & rules w.r.t
a. Changes in policy, accounting practice, remuneration.
b. Contractors, tenders, suppliers and any other forms of procurement
c. Marketing, fundraising, advertising
d. Rights & limitations of the board
So simple.
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
Joy's steely spirit, grit, and determination epitomised the salt-of-the-earth type of character that has underpinned everything that is good about the Lonehill community initiative.
As discussed in this forum before, it would be nice to have a wall-of-honour (perhaps a Lonehill Hall-Of-Famers concept) to recognise a Joy Cook/e et all for their exceptional contributions to our community... while they're alive!
Must say that I have been impressed by the exceptionally high visibility of Doug Black (standing in for a recuperating Ian Bell) and the Lonehill Estate Management vehicle. It seems that everywhere I drive around Lonehill, there is Doug and his team cleaning up something, somewhere.
Thanks Doug, your activity delivers on the vision of pro-active community management that launched this community initiative.
Must also say, that at first impression, I am pretty impressed with the AGM financials.
I think that there are many an outsider who would love their community to have the foundation of resources that we appear to have at our fingertips.
I doff my cap to the entire Board for their turnaround of the LRA management debacle of some two years back.
There is no doubt that the LRA is now where it should have been some four years ago... ready to launch some innovative, world-class, visionary initiatives to make Lonehill a GREAT community.
Clearly some individuals are more responsible for this turnaround than others - for the quality of their efforts - and it is my belief that they should be highlighted (let's not be coy, and let's make it an LRA responsibility to recognise those that make exceptional contributions). I'm guessing that names like Rob Gillespie, Ray Stride, and Michael Goodwin are due some warm praise for their efforts.
Let's also not be shy to question governance issues raised by the financials.
Directors emoluments of some R257 000..?
Retroactive 'transparency', exposed by the need for declaration in public financials, and that have to be questioned for clarity to discover what has actually transpired, can only lead to raised eyebrows!
Don't have a problem with anyone being remunerated for a job well done, as long as, and especially in a community initiative context, such intentions are openly pre-declared to the community for stakeholder discussion and approval, and the position is openly offered/advertised as an equal-opportunity to anyone in the community wishing to tender for it.
It has always been my view that individuals with transparently declared vested interests and/or requiring remuneration/incentivisation (a slice of the pie) will be critical to making a significant difference and building a much bigger pie for the benefit of all in a community.
The question is, to what extent should Executive directors be able to vote themselves remuneration/awards without pre-approval of their members?
Today R257 000... tomorrow R500 000... soon R1 Million and maybe more..?
What should be the rights and limitations of the Board when it comes to making themselves such awards?
Again, don't get me wrong, I believe this community must go professional, and the right people who deliver must be paid.... and some paid big to deliver on big ideals.
I am just of the view that they shouldn't be on the Board..! Raises all sorts of governance issues related to undue influence and potential for accusations of vested interests. Just too close to the line of propriety for comfort.
In the interest of a positive AGM befitting the credit that is due to those engineering the management turnaround, I will withhold my personal answers to the above questions and related issues until my next post. You form your own views and questions... and ask them at the AGM.
At this year's AGM, I would like to hear a justification (albeit in hindsight) for the Directors emoluments as declared in the financials (i.e. what was delivered as KPI's by whom in return for that remuneration), a current SWOT analysis of the LRA, and future plans for the LRA - with KPI's - and who holds responsibility/accountability for their delivery in the coming year.
Some questions that should be asked and answered at the AGM are:
i. What are the biggest challenges facing our initiative in the coming year?
ii. What plans are in place to resolve those challenges and what innovations will we see?
iii. Who is accountable for deliverables on these resolutions (what are their KPI's)?
iv. What finances are required for the coming year and future... and where will it be sourced from?
v. What are the critical numbers we should be watching to assess future success of the project?
vi. What is being done to reduce the burden of current contributors?
vii. Why do we only have +- 300 voting members on the LRA from +- 6000 householders?
viii. Are there any expected major budget allocations (in excess of R50 000) that may be paid to individuals in the coming year and for what?
ix. Should a new budget allocation limit be imposed on the Board requiring referral back to Members for approval?
x. What added-value does each paid individual on the LRA add to our initiative (e.g if paid +- R250K, did individual add another +-R250K and more to the initiative)?
xi. How can stakeholders benefit from and use the LRA community centre facilities which they have funded?
xii. Should LRA AGM not be held within 60 days of financial year-end?
This forum has consistently complimented the chalk-and-cheese improvement in management of our community since the events leading up to the AGM debacle of two years ago.
However, this forum also believes that this Lonehill community initiative and its stakeholders are deserving of far greater VISIONARY application which can only happen by implementation of 3 simple things:
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.
We've still not yet achieved the above in any significant manner. When we do, is when this Lonehill community initiative will really take off as it should.
There are simple ways to implement them. Just takes a little LEADERSHIP!
That's when I'll be truly impressed.
Thought I'd close with this comment from a colleague (Chairman of an impressive Section 21 organisation) who watches our LRA affairs with interest:
'My suggestion would be the establishment of a working party comprising of the existing board & management team, plus interested community stakeholders. On the agenda :
1. Structure, accountability & governance.
2. Current situation - SWOT
3. Requirements for short & long term viability
4. Procedures & rules w.r.t
a. Changes in policy, accounting practice, remuneration.
b. Contractors, tenders, suppliers and any other forms of procurement
c. Marketing, fundraising, advertising
d. Rights & limitations of the board
So simple.
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
Monday, June 16, 2008
Lonehill: Be Patient, Be Persistent, Be PASSIONATE..!
Oh shame, I feel for the poor unknown scribe in the LRA Newsletter - Wednesday, 11 June 2008 - who laments the response of 'less than 300 contributors' to the environment fund project.
Let see, 300 at R60 p.m. is R18 000 p.m. Less the R10 000 p.m., which we were told is paid to vendors to cover the monthly voucher award... leaving a nett R8000 p.m.
At least it's a small profit that can be ploughed back into our community... but clearly not what the unknown LRA scribe is looking for.
One can understand the frustration of those who have been driving the project for over a year to 18 months now, and after apparently 'campaigning for the past week', resulting in the comment: 'The extremely poor feedback we’ve received is both heartbreaking and concerning.'
Especially if, as I suspect, the scribe has pinned his/her hopes on this one specific strategy to increase revenues and it is not going the way, and at the pace, that he/she wants it to. A little irritation is bound to set in.
Particulary too, within a community, where in my experience, logic is almost always over-shadowed by personalities, politics, and even just the plain 'ol pathetic.
Here's my word of encouragement, if your OFFER to the community is truly irrisistible and makes sense then... be patient, be persistent, and most of all, be PASSIONATE..!
Compelling offers, if really that good, will be taken up.
The flip side, of course, is that perhaps the offer is just never going to be that exciting to the targeted consumers... and that would clearly not be the fault of the targeted consumers.
In that instance, I'm not one who believes that 'guilt marketing', or sharing one's frustration, has much impact in a mature community.
Having coined the phrase - 'apathetic communities arise from pathetic leadership' - I am always sensitive to the poor universal standard employed by typical impoverished community leadership around the world, which is to conveniently blame their community as 'apathetic' when leaders don't get what they want.
The 'heartbreaking and concerning' statement in the LRA newsletter comes dangerously close to this old finger-pointing chestnut.
There may well come a time when leadership has to make the call to defocus the cause of their frustration and adopt an alternative strategy or two.
Most everybody has heard the definition of insanity described as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
What we need is a willingness to CHANGE... to explore NEW possibilities.
And that's where my own patience, persistence and passion for our Lonehill community keeps me hanging in on this forum to continually challenge our LRA leadership to broaden OUR strategies... broaden OUR participants... broaden OUR exploration into new ideas from willing residents who WANT to contribute.
In a previous post - Lonehill: We ALL See Things Differently - I talked of just this one individual having '..a range of MASSIVE ACTION projects ranging from raising an extra R100 000 p.m. to R500 000 p.m. for the LRA coffers, to MASS PARTICIPATION projects to bring the community together, to INTERNATIONAL recognition projects to have the eyes of the world on us.'
And, I'm sure that I am just one individual amongst many other creatives living within our +-6000 households that must have some incredible ideas that could be explored and implemented as alternative strategies to achieve the results we all want in our community.
And, let's see, R100 000 p.m. at nett profit would be equivalent to another 1666 contributors to the environment fund... and R500 000 p.m. would be the equivalent of 8333 such contributors.
So why wouldn't any community leadership want to seriously consider all the available options? Go figure!
As I've said before, in a community, logic is almost always over-shadowed by personalities, politics, and even just the plain 'ol pathetic... and I've said, it takes GREAT LEADERSHIP to make a community truly great..!
This forum has repeatedly recommended what is required to happen in Lonehill.... just 3 simple things:
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.
None of the above have happened to any serious degree yet!
Why not?
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
Let see, 300 at R60 p.m. is R18 000 p.m. Less the R10 000 p.m., which we were told is paid to vendors to cover the monthly voucher award... leaving a nett R8000 p.m.
At least it's a small profit that can be ploughed back into our community... but clearly not what the unknown LRA scribe is looking for.
One can understand the frustration of those who have been driving the project for over a year to 18 months now, and after apparently 'campaigning for the past week', resulting in the comment: 'The extremely poor feedback we’ve received is both heartbreaking and concerning.'
Especially if, as I suspect, the scribe has pinned his/her hopes on this one specific strategy to increase revenues and it is not going the way, and at the pace, that he/she wants it to. A little irritation is bound to set in.
Particulary too, within a community, where in my experience, logic is almost always over-shadowed by personalities, politics, and even just the plain 'ol pathetic.
Here's my word of encouragement, if your OFFER to the community is truly irrisistible and makes sense then... be patient, be persistent, and most of all, be PASSIONATE..!
Compelling offers, if really that good, will be taken up.
The flip side, of course, is that perhaps the offer is just never going to be that exciting to the targeted consumers... and that would clearly not be the fault of the targeted consumers.
In that instance, I'm not one who believes that 'guilt marketing', or sharing one's frustration, has much impact in a mature community.
Having coined the phrase - 'apathetic communities arise from pathetic leadership' - I am always sensitive to the poor universal standard employed by typical impoverished community leadership around the world, which is to conveniently blame their community as 'apathetic' when leaders don't get what they want.
The 'heartbreaking and concerning' statement in the LRA newsletter comes dangerously close to this old finger-pointing chestnut.
There may well come a time when leadership has to make the call to defocus the cause of their frustration and adopt an alternative strategy or two.
Most everybody has heard the definition of insanity described as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
What we need is a willingness to CHANGE... to explore NEW possibilities.
And that's where my own patience, persistence and passion for our Lonehill community keeps me hanging in on this forum to continually challenge our LRA leadership to broaden OUR strategies... broaden OUR participants... broaden OUR exploration into new ideas from willing residents who WANT to contribute.
In a previous post - Lonehill: We ALL See Things Differently - I talked of just this one individual having '..a range of MASSIVE ACTION projects ranging from raising an extra R100 000 p.m. to R500 000 p.m. for the LRA coffers, to MASS PARTICIPATION projects to bring the community together, to INTERNATIONAL recognition projects to have the eyes of the world on us.'
And, I'm sure that I am just one individual amongst many other creatives living within our +-6000 households that must have some incredible ideas that could be explored and implemented as alternative strategies to achieve the results we all want in our community.
And, let's see, R100 000 p.m. at nett profit would be equivalent to another 1666 contributors to the environment fund... and R500 000 p.m. would be the equivalent of 8333 such contributors.
So why wouldn't any community leadership want to seriously consider all the available options? Go figure!
As I've said before, in a community, logic is almost always over-shadowed by personalities, politics, and even just the plain 'ol pathetic... and I've said, it takes GREAT LEADERSHIP to make a community truly great..!
This forum has repeatedly recommended what is required to happen in Lonehill.... just 3 simple things:
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.
None of the above have happened to any serious degree yet!
Why not?
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Lonehill: Massive Opportunities A-Wasting?
Given the laughably pathetic threat of defamation aimed at self from our LRA leadership, it seems clear that they have no love for anyone who challenges their egos.
So, before I am forcibly, or by pure exasperation, assigned to the ranks of the local apathetic that the LRA leadership regularly criticise... let me call a spade a spade.
You see, in my 20th year in this community, I am of the opinion that the LRA has probably been the least effective innovator of progress in that time.
Clearly, before anyone gets me wrong, it APPEARS that our current community management is much better today than we experienced during the LRA management debacle of some two-odd years and more back - so I am thankful for that as already discussed in Lonehill: Give Credit Where Credit Is Due' .
And I am never one to criticise the neat little community things that those on the LRA believe that they should be focusing on... whatever rocks your socks, folks!
I am more concerned about the MASSIVE opportunities, community assets, resources and possibilities that, in my opinion, are a-wasting and therefore, I believe, negatively impacting materially upon our future potential and asset values as residents and community stakeholders.
I am also concerned for the current lack of OPENness, debate and transparency of the LRA management and leadership process.
I hanker for a return to the open attitude prevailing during the only time something really MASSIVE happened in this community - when WE resident stakeholders stood up as LSAG back in 2000 and did what the LRA would not do... and MADE something BIG happen!
Today's LRA and hopefully continuing solid financial footing is founded upon the results of THAT action.
We did it by inviting EVERYONE in our community to participate openly wherever they felt they had a role to play. No one was denied.
Anyone could sit in at any meeting - yes, even director's meetings - and comment or contribute, or just cast an interested eye over proceedings.
We conclusively demonstrated the benefits of INCLUSIVITY versus the stupidity of exclusivity.
Until... some ego's began to think that this was not the way that 'leaders' should operate... and that decisions affecting our community and their logic should start being taken behind closed doors by a select few.
This writer is absolutely convinced that it is his vocal opposition to such exclusive leadership style, much to the chagrin of local leadership who perpetuate it, both past and present, that makes him a tad unpopular with such individuals.. ;-)
Was just reading a book summary of 'Moose On The Table' where the subject of Courageous Leadership is discussed.
Particularly how 'silence kills organisations' and how 'when people fail to communicate, it leads to many problems such as':
1. Hiding/suppressing information
2. Minimizing or avoiding big problem issues
3. Helplessness, cynicism and apathy
4. Turf protection and silos or departmentalism
5. Team members dislike and avoid each other
Read the Chapter: Moose and Managers to view points 6 to 12.
Quote from the book: What keeps people from having courageous conversations? FEAR'.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
And because of almost a total lack of open insight into current LRA leadership logic, my own recent experience of dealing with this leadership team, and apparent examples of almost unilateral decision-making by a select few... I am of the opinion that the above 5 points closely describe our LRA organisation today... and I suspect that points 6 to 12 will mostly apply as well.
My view requires intelligence and lack of ego on the part of LRA leadership to understand the point that I am making. If YOU are wittingly or unwittingly perpetuating any or all of the above points... have the guts to look yourself in the mirror and bring about change in yourself... and to change the points above.
My view requires Courageous Leadership to understand that I don't care two hoots for over-inflated personal ego's being bruised... I'm talking about what kind of leadership will make our community truly great.
Lonehill requires Courageous Leadership from our LRA leaders.
You can erect the most magnificent mega-engineered kilometres-long structure to cross the Grand Canyon, and pat yourself on the back as to how fantastic it looks, but if it falls just 10 meters short of reaching the other side... it is a useless structure.
Let me make it clear, I do not criticise the positive work the LRA may do for this community (especally the volunteers)... I exhort them to focus on achieving BIGGER GOALS for this community, to OPEN their minds to the possibilities, and to strive to complete the last '10 meters' of our construction as a GREAT community, as in the analogy above.
I am reminded of the fantastic video by Dewitt Jones who underscores my attitude towards possibility-thinking in: Celebrate What's Right With The World - see http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=28163893
However, I AM highly critical that the LRA board, as seemingly intelligent people, do not actively include everyone from this community who wants to participate and deliver in a big way... and that they DENY specific locals the opportunity to actively participate in making a difference in this community as they want... especially the PASSIONATE ones, such as self (acknowledging my continually openly declared vested interest).
Courageous Leadership would find a way to accommodate such passionate contributors. It's really that simple.
In essence, I repeat, this forum's call is for the LRA Board members:
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.
I have no idea why the LRA does not actively demonstrate their intent to follow this call... what is it that they FEAR?
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
So, before I am forcibly, or by pure exasperation, assigned to the ranks of the local apathetic that the LRA leadership regularly criticise... let me call a spade a spade.
You see, in my 20th year in this community, I am of the opinion that the LRA has probably been the least effective innovator of progress in that time.
Clearly, before anyone gets me wrong, it APPEARS that our current community management is much better today than we experienced during the LRA management debacle of some two-odd years and more back - so I am thankful for that as already discussed in Lonehill: Give Credit Where Credit Is Due' .
And I am never one to criticise the neat little community things that those on the LRA believe that they should be focusing on... whatever rocks your socks, folks!
I am more concerned about the MASSIVE opportunities, community assets, resources and possibilities that, in my opinion, are a-wasting and therefore, I believe, negatively impacting materially upon our future potential and asset values as residents and community stakeholders.
I am also concerned for the current lack of OPENness, debate and transparency of the LRA management and leadership process.
I hanker for a return to the open attitude prevailing during the only time something really MASSIVE happened in this community - when WE resident stakeholders stood up as LSAG back in 2000 and did what the LRA would not do... and MADE something BIG happen!
Today's LRA and hopefully continuing solid financial footing is founded upon the results of THAT action.
We did it by inviting EVERYONE in our community to participate openly wherever they felt they had a role to play. No one was denied.
Anyone could sit in at any meeting - yes, even director's meetings - and comment or contribute, or just cast an interested eye over proceedings.
We conclusively demonstrated the benefits of INCLUSIVITY versus the stupidity of exclusivity.
Until... some ego's began to think that this was not the way that 'leaders' should operate... and that decisions affecting our community and their logic should start being taken behind closed doors by a select few.
This writer is absolutely convinced that it is his vocal opposition to such exclusive leadership style, much to the chagrin of local leadership who perpetuate it, both past and present, that makes him a tad unpopular with such individuals.. ;-)
Was just reading a book summary of 'Moose On The Table' where the subject of Courageous Leadership is discussed.
Particularly how 'silence kills organisations' and how 'when people fail to communicate, it leads to many problems such as':
1. Hiding/suppressing information
2. Minimizing or avoiding big problem issues
3. Helplessness, cynicism and apathy
4. Turf protection and silos or departmentalism
5. Team members dislike and avoid each other
Read the Chapter: Moose and Managers to view points 6 to 12.
Quote from the book: What keeps people from having courageous conversations? FEAR'.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
And because of almost a total lack of open insight into current LRA leadership logic, my own recent experience of dealing with this leadership team, and apparent examples of almost unilateral decision-making by a select few... I am of the opinion that the above 5 points closely describe our LRA organisation today... and I suspect that points 6 to 12 will mostly apply as well.
My view requires intelligence and lack of ego on the part of LRA leadership to understand the point that I am making. If YOU are wittingly or unwittingly perpetuating any or all of the above points... have the guts to look yourself in the mirror and bring about change in yourself... and to change the points above.
My view requires Courageous Leadership to understand that I don't care two hoots for over-inflated personal ego's being bruised... I'm talking about what kind of leadership will make our community truly great.
Lonehill requires Courageous Leadership from our LRA leaders.
You can erect the most magnificent mega-engineered kilometres-long structure to cross the Grand Canyon, and pat yourself on the back as to how fantastic it looks, but if it falls just 10 meters short of reaching the other side... it is a useless structure.
Let me make it clear, I do not criticise the positive work the LRA may do for this community (especally the volunteers)... I exhort them to focus on achieving BIGGER GOALS for this community, to OPEN their minds to the possibilities, and to strive to complete the last '10 meters' of our construction as a GREAT community, as in the analogy above.
I am reminded of the fantastic video by Dewitt Jones who underscores my attitude towards possibility-thinking in: Celebrate What's Right With The World - see http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=28163893
However, I AM highly critical that the LRA board, as seemingly intelligent people, do not actively include everyone from this community who wants to participate and deliver in a big way... and that they DENY specific locals the opportunity to actively participate in making a difference in this community as they want... especially the PASSIONATE ones, such as self (acknowledging my continually openly declared vested interest).
Courageous Leadership would find a way to accommodate such passionate contributors. It's really that simple.
In essence, I repeat, this forum's call is for the LRA Board members:
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.
I have no idea why the LRA does not actively demonstrate their intent to follow this call... what is it that they FEAR?
Regards
Trevor Nel - Lonehill Resident
011 - 705-2790
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