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Instead of writing another theoretical post on the advantages of effective governance being used as a mechanism for success, i thought this week i would let the results speak for themselves…

by Mignon at Peerpower:

Peerpower (www.peerpower.co.za) invested in the Sirdar Expedition Governance process in July 2009. We were having a torrid year and were finding our selves stuck in a cycle of not being profitable and not understanding why. We were exhausted and frustrated and ready to give the business up.

We decided to attend the Sirdar Business Summit in Cape Town last year in a last ditch effort to turn things around. It was the best possible decision we made all year when we committed ourselves to the the Sirdar governance process.

The first four or five board meetings were difficult, messy affairs as we tried to work out what the challenges were and how we were going to address them. George Zaccharias and Brian Barenche, our Board of Directors were amazing because they were able to support us through the difficult decisions we had to make, with patience, kindness and understanding for what we were going through.

They were tough task masters and we worked really hard to turn things around. They stood their ground around important business issues, but were able to allow us the process of growing into a new way of seeing things. This has been truly extraordinary experience for us.

We have gone from being cash flow negative and lost regarding our business model and our target market, to having a new business model that transforms our business into a profitable, cash flow positive and attractive business opportunity. In six months, we think that’s pretty amazing!

I think what makes their process so powerful is that you are expected to behave and think like a business person, in ways that one would never expect of yourself, and you find yourself rising to that expectation.

Mignon Keyser – founder PEERPOWER

I hope you all have not forgotten about your exciting 2010 New Year’s resolutions yet? And I trust they weren’t all just the typical ‘quit smoking-lose weight’ resolutions, but were about taking powerful stands for making 2010 your best year ever? If not, shame – just do it! If yes, great…read on: are you fully aware of the laws that govern successful goal realization? In theory it’s simple:

1) Set exciting goals you can be passionate about and make sure that they stretch you a healthy 20% out of your comfort zone.
2) Make them measurable, e.g. define them in space and time (what, how much, by when?).
3) Go act on these commitments as if your life depends on it.

All that is not rocket science and yet the percentage of people who can look back on Dec 31st 2010 and tick off their goal list 100% accomplished is below 5%! How come? Three words: responsibility, accountability (integrity) and self-mastery (mastery of one’s sabotaging personality patterns).

Responsibility

If you reverse Spiderman’s famous quote “With great power comes great responsibility” you get: “With great responsibility comes great power”; which is so true! However most people shy away from taking responsibility or avoid being held accountable for their responsibilities. Being responsible and accountable puts one at risk (risk of failure, looking bad) and unconsciously people are more committed to looking good and playing-it-safe than willing to embrace the risks that come with great stands and being held accountable for their fulfilment. Responsibility has 5 levels and the higher you move on the 5 levels the more power you will find having. The 5 levels are (1 is lowest):

1) To accept and demonstrate responsibility for all of your actions and non-actions both personally and in business.

2) To accept and demonstrate responsibility for being the creator of any experience.

3) To accept and demonstrate responsibility for everything that happens and occurs to you.

4) To accept and demonstrate responsibility for what others do to you.

5) To accept and demonstrate responsibility for what others do to others.

In the next newsletter I will share with you the essence of the other two key factors in goal realization: accountability (integrity) and self-mastery.

These themes were inspired by my conversations I had with Marc Steinberg the founder of Consciousness Coaching® (www.consciousnesscoaching.co.za). Marc is CEO of CCI Creative Consciousness International, Master Coach (www.marcsteinberg.com) and performs internationally as a distinguished trainer and speaker. He is also a Sirdar South Africa Client.

In an article printed in The Sustainability Handbook, Lindie Engelbrecht, Chief
Executive of the Institute of Directors, discusses how the 2009, King III Report on Corporate Governance for South Africa emphasises the crucial role of sustainability in business.

Sustainability recognises that long-term value can only be created when the needs of the business stakeholders, society and the environment are taken into account. The new drive is to find ways to integrate strategy, sustainability and governance so that ethical business practices drive long-term business sustainability. “Governance, strategy and sustainability have become inseparable; hence the phrase ‘integrated performance and reporting’” (Institute of Directors, Draft Report on Governance for South Africa, 2009), quotes Engelbrecht.

The King III Report highlights the following principles of integrated performance:

• Good governance is a core practice of effective leadership.
• A fundamental shift towards sustainability is the leading business drive of the 21st century.
• Sustainable business practices include innovation, fairness and collaboration.
• Social transformation is a core aspect of integrating sustainability within business.
• Business reporting should provide a real view of sustainability across the business.

Perhaps reflect on your own business and ask the following questions:

• How sustainable is your business?
• What are your “green” environmental practices?
• How does your business create social transformation?
• Does your governance process hold you accountable for sustainable business practices?
• Is sustainability built into your reporting process?

At Sirdar we believe that governance is the foundation of sustainable and successful business. This can be defined as “the accountability and responsibility for the performance, conformance and corporate social responsibility of a business at the highest level”.

I have recently been so inspired by a book entitled “The World is Flat” by Thomas L Friedman. In this thoroughly researched and comprehensive exploration of the great influences that have “flattened” our world, thus opening up doors to global commerce. Friedman explores the impact that the Berlin Wall had on international economics when it was pulled down. Besides jump starting India’s economy and playing a pivotal role in the growth of Eastern Bloc regions, it also changed the way we see the world – as a seamless whole and not divided by a symbolic scar of separation. In South Africa we experienced our own “wall” through our Apartheid era when our local economy was blocked from significant international trade and exchange as a result of the discriminatory government.

This got me thinking about the walls we adopt and build in our own business. Some of the walls are created by others. Some we build on our own. Where are the walls in your business? Where are there schisms that keep your flow blocked and your key components of success separate from each other?

Do all your directors and team know their Wealth Dynamics profiles Is everyone in their flow? Does your business’ culture support openness, dialogue, collaboration and unity? Where within you are there “Berlin Walls” that need to be torn down? Are all the parts of your nature being effectively used to deliver your promise?

What if you committed to bringing down one “wall” in the month of May?

I would go as far as guaranteeing, that a World of possibility would open up for you and your Enterprise!

What if you constructed your businesses financial system, so that every single transaction made in your business made a positive difference in our world? How would our world look 10 years from now? A fantastically inspiring vision I’m sure you would agree!

This transaction-based giving movement is now inspiring and transforming our world. It is a new and immediately effective form of philanthropy, serving the world’s underprivileged with practical and sustainable upliftment from every sale in every business globally.

The Sirdar South Africa team are honored to be partnering with Ikamva Labantu for their transactional giving in South Africa.

Ikamva Labantu which means “the future of our nation”, delivers education, self-sufficiency awareness, enterprise creation and community support in the Western Cape.

This ties in very powerfully with the vision of Sirdar Global – “To grow businesses and empower communities through enterprise.”

Ishrene Davids, CEO of Ikamva Labantu, was deeply grateful for Sirdar’s support for their worthy cause. The donation presented to Ikamva Labantu translated to each attendee of the Sirdar Business Summit feeding a child for two and a half months.