Day 39 – Burn Baby Burn

One more sleep till local elections here in sunny SA. Who you going to vote for? Direct, I know, but what’s the secrecy all about? Why aren’t you loud and proud about your political affiliation like they are in some others parts. Why are we embarrassed – or scared - about our choice? I’m not. I’m going to vote for the DA. Not because they’re ever going to win anything but rather because I’m white, they have been broadly in line with my views on protecting minorities and like I said yesterday there needs to be opposition to the moral corruption that is our current government.

Just this past weekend it was reported that in Johannesburg, the first ever, and politically appointed, female Fire Chief is blowing the budget on stupid non essential shit – like sending a bunch of secretaries to London for a training course costing hundreds of thousands- while the engine crews are being injured because they don’t have the right equipment or their equipment is damaged – or burnt! Come on, there has to be a level of common sense prevalent.

Also in the past week, the wife of our Minister of Intelligence is convicted of drug smuggling and sentenced to 12 years. The next day she is back at her desk as a senior council employee on the South Coast. She has since been suspended – on full pay! – but the point is, should the powers that be not be looking at the Minister – he is after all the bloke in charge of the country’s intelligence service! If not to their maker they have to answer to someone, someone should at the very least notice if the fireman doesn’t have protective boots on or the wife of the minister lives beyond her means. You would think! But you know what; there are so many examples of this incompetence that none of it is news anymore, its just Africa, and we get on with it. And here’s the irony: Because we are known to just get on with it, if you talk about it you are labeled negative!

Two things have happened today that have made me think. At a BNI meeting this morning in Scottburgh a monkey made an appearance in the room – yes he says wearily, a real monkey with fur and a tail – and proceeded to hold our attention while this confused thing tried to find his way out again, jumping on everything, knocking over tables, bouncing against the window glass, climbing the doorframe. Another day in Africa we said. The second thing was that I spent some time with a business associate from BNI who I don’t really know very well but who I had completely misread. This lady owns a corporate wear company and portrays a not very clued up image at the meetings but actually I was impressed with her intellect and a certain steely understanding of what’s going on around her. More so than most it has to be said!

Now I’m hardly qualified enough for my opinion to be worth anything but how often business is done based on the image one portrays. How often is one not referred because someone has formed a maybe incorrect impression or perception of you? It seems that in this part of the world we are afraid to network ourselves at every opportunity. As an example, for a year and a bit now I have known people through junior football but I still don’t know what they do. Odd really. We may not be mates but we get along so we might be able to do business with each other or at the very least refer business to each other. Just a thought.

And how often is business not done because someone has pushed it too hard. They’ve irritated you with their sales speak. You have no relationship with them so why would you change suppliers?

I’ve mentioned BNI now and again in the blog so far and basically, if you don’t know what it is, here is the summation in a few lines; a relationship based, person to person, word of mouth referral network system, based on givers gain i.e. what goes round comes round. The evidence of it working on a global scale – it is represented in about 52 countries - is overwhelming and it works for just about anyone who has a givers mentality. Now I could give you the easy route and give you the URL but here’s my suggestion. Google it! You will get millions of hits from BNI groups all over the world. I don’t make anything from telling you this but I can tell you, its almost foolproof and bloody good for your business and bloody good for your own personal growth! And you know what; the number of people who still won’t get it will amaze you. Once again just a thought!

And finally, this bought a smile to my face today…

 A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost.  She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below.

She shouted to him, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."

The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, "You're in a hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above a ground elevation of 2346 feet above sea level.  You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude."

She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be a DA supporter!"

"I am," replied the man.  "How did you know?"

"Well," answered the balloonist," everything you told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to do with your information, and I'm still lost.  Frankly, you've not been much help to me."

The man smiled and responded, "You must be an ANC Government official"

"I am," replied the balloonist. "How did you know?"

"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are or where you are going. You've risen to where you are, due to a  large quantity of hot air. You made a promise that you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You're in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but, somehow, now it's my fault."

Until tomorrow.