Why we should treat politicians like children
by Fred Roed on 29/08/07 at 1:36 pm
3 comments
Did anyone read this weekend’s story in the Sunday Times about SEDA’s ‘irregular’ use of funding?
SEDA is the South Africa government’s big economic hope. SEDA stands for ‘Small Enterprise Development Agency’. In developed countries small business accounts for something like 60% of the GDP and employment. In South Africa the figure is closer to 30%. SEDA is apparently the government’s vehicle to make small business happen in SA.
Patricia de Lille blew the whistle on this lot around 6 month’s ago in parliament. De Lille, the fiery leader of a marginalised party in SA politics called the Independent Democrats, told all who cared to know that the money funded to SEDA by various sources, including the Finnish government, was being inappropriately distributed. Six month’s later, CEO Wawa Damane (great name), is finally being brought to the stand.
This whole debacle is sad, and typical of many altruistic endeavours in Africa. I saw something in all of this – tell me if you agree? – that reminds me a lot of the way children behave.
As a young father of three little hooligans all under 5 years old, I’ve learned that it’s a lot harder to be a good dad than a good businessman. A highly important discussion in all this is the prickly subject of consequence, or the way you discipline your kids. This is a subject way more likely to blow up a dinner party than any of sex, sport or politics.
As much as the manner of discipline can initiate heated conversation, I don’t think consequence itself is in question. Everyone knows that if you don’t provide discipline for your kids, it’s a bad thing. Kids tend to grow up insecure and directionless if there are no clear boundaries growing up.
Believe me, this is a struggle that I face every day. My eldest boy is 4 years old and is recently prone to random acts of terrorism. He has lied, bullied, deceived, lashed out at his parents and even stolen. Through all of this, he has the ability to turn on the charm as if nothing had ever happened, which makes it very difficult for my wife and I to enforce the appropriate consequence. In our love for the little guy we realise that the right kind of consequence is pretty important here.
I’ve been thinking, recently, that this lesson can be transferred to our business lives. As leaders of small businesses, with all the strenuous circumstances that we face, the correct application of consequence is essential for our sustained success. When someone in your organisation acts ‘irregularly’, how do you, as a business leader, respond? Are you heavy-handed? Do you yell and scream? Or do you ignore the problem and hope it goes away?
‘Correct application of consequence’ seems to be a rare thing in Africa.
It’s a tough topic, and I certainly don’t have the answers. I think, however, that it’s really really really important. Your young business will grow up insecure and directionless if you don’t look at this topic. In the same way, SEDA, an immature organisation so critical to our development, needs to receive consequence in order to grow up secure and focused.
We wait and see! I would love to see a mature ‘parental’ response from the government, and I think this little news article (it was only a few inches of newsprint) is way more important than we may realise.
[A quick disclaimer: I don't prejudge Wawa and her organisation of 'irregularities'. They may be without fault. There is enough evidence, however, to show that SEDA needs an objective overhaul. Whether SEDA is acting illegally or not, the organisation has not performed and there needs to be some kind of consequence. That is my opinion, for what it's worth.]
Fred Roed is the marketing guy in the Ideate crew. Fred is the CEO of web marketing company World Wide Creative and the co-founder of online learning portal Heavy Chef. Fred loves writing about people out there doing marketing right. Follow Fred on Twitter here. View more articles by Fred Roed.
Andrew
Aug 29th, 2007
As an interesting aside, the SEDA website (http://www.seda.org.za/content.asp?subID=426) links to Ideate, and sends a large amount of traffic this way. Their website must be very well used.
Karen Lotter
Sep 1st, 2007
The only politician I see you mention in Ms De Lille and all though she does get a bit fiery at times I’d like to see you treating her like a child! I don’t know about SEDA’s “irregular” use of funding – I guess the Sunday papers aren’t the most reliable source of info.
I live in KZN and I personally know a whole lot of people who find SEDA very helpful – in fact last week there were SEDA workshops in Durban.
Fred
Sep 6th, 2007
Hmmm. You’re right about de Lille being the only politician I mentioned. I guess I saw SEDA as a political organisation, but it could be seen as a public enteprise backed by politicians. I should also state more clearly that I’m talking about politicians AND leaders.
You’re also right about the Sunday papers – but let’s see how it pans out and I’ll be prepared to make a public apology if SEDA are in fact proven innocent.
I would love to see SEDA flourish. As I mentioned it’s important, but what I’m sick of is the silent treatment from above when political figures are alleged to do something wrong.