its RECONCILIATION day - and don't forget it

Today is our national day of reconciliation. A day that is dedicated for our country to behold the beauty of our transition from an oppressive apartheid regime to the glorious landing of democracy.

People should rejoice and really blow the vuvuselas on this day. There should be a national celebration on this day. We should commemorate it with passionate and creative concepts that could turn into national events all across South Africa.

We should have people meeting in public spaces around braais,bryani and boerewors rolls. There should be community parties where neighbours and community residents take time to celebrate at their community park or at the local swimming pool.

It would be amazing to have a movie launch on this day, with young people flocking to their local cinemas to get a piece of the action. The movie could be premised with a motivational speaker inspiring our youth about reconciliation ideals. All across the nation reconciliation engagement through the mediums of movies, wow it would be powerful.

I could imagine religious leaders all across the land, holding special services for people to come together to pray, make petition, and chorus in praise for this blessed day of reconciliation.

But the reality is that all the verbage just penned above, are just words of wishful dreaming and imagination. It could become reality, but the foundation of our democracy would have to be refined. The state of the nation is not at place to celebrate this day, because there are many who have grown sceptic and hopeless. People feel the doom and gloom of a democracy that has left millions of our people to the depressing reality of political freedom without economic enfranchisement.

May we, those who believe in reconciliation rise with righteous anger, and with faith, hope and love, propel this wonderful value, ethic and inspired "highest agenda" of God- Reconciliation. The hope for our beloved South Africa lies in the everyday actions of those of us who have the means to throw a pebble into a pond, and watch it spiral into a movement for reconciliation action and reconciliation ideals. May our means bring aid to a reconciliation end.

May reconciliation reign from Cape town to Soweto, from the mountain tops to valleys so low. May reconciliation reign from suburbs to townships, may it reign from parliament to pretoria, may it reign from rolling hills of Kwazulu-Natal to the peaks of the Drakensberg. Let reconciliation fill our land and establish for our people a present reality of tangible change that will secure a future where South Africa truly belongs to us all.

Let reconciliation reign in our helping of the poor, let it reign in our work place and unions, let it reign for the domestic and casual labourers, and in the board rooms of the corporate gurus and their boards.
Let RECONCILIATION reign in your heart and mine.

A blessed and consciousness rising RECONCILIATION day to us all!!

Seth Naicker!

Inaugural dialogue on non racialism: "a value,belief and way to build our community and our future

Tomorrow the 11.12.10 we participate in dialogue and discussion, our inaugural talkshop/workshop of a series of discussions and dialogues that will address non racialism.

The workshop will consist of an opening ceremony , a key note by Ahmed Kathrada, questions and answers, an interactive facilitated workshop, and a closing ceremony.

The learning and experience will be remarkable and we are encouraged by the remarkable interest of youth and young leaders. I am honored to serve the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation as director of youth services. The foundation has taken a step to lead with passion in impacting the lives of youth through the code,conduct and ethic drawn from non-racialism.

I look forward to hearing from seasoned narrative of Ahmed Kathrada as he delves into his value, belief and insistence on non-racialism for our communal, local and global future!

Required change for leaders in South Africa!

When fraudulence and leadership discrepancy occur at highest levels of power in South AFrica, it is not merely illegal. Such illegality should be seen and understood as acts of injustice and crimes against humanity. These high order criminals suck the resource out of our economic system, which should be reforming the lives of our poor, marginalised and economically frustrated South Africans.

When people of power steal from the coffers of our national supply and make multinational trade offs that favour their personal greed and bank accounts, it would be appreciated if their self interest ideals had no effect on the lives of our working class.

The reality of life however, is that we are connected and unfortunately what ever high level leaders go about, surely affects our everyday people. It might sound absurd but the ethical code and conduct of our honourable organisational and societal leaders, and their choices, have direct effect on our everyday lives.

In a new order of democratic fertility leaders need to be informed by leadership principles and core values that interrogate systems that fail people. Leaders need to go through or be refreshed by personal change experiences that bring value to the lives of people that they serve.

There are too many leaders who accept the things they cannot change. Especially when that change calls for responsible and active critique of unjust social and organisational happenings.

Leaders need to be courageous in going about bringing change in areas they think cannot be changed. Leaders who have inspired the world have unwittingly gone about pursuing change in places and spaces that others said were impossible.

Leaders need wisdom to know the difference between costly change and possible change. Knowing the difference should not result in inaction concerning change that is costly.

It was a costly exercise when Steve Biko challenged the Apartheid dictators of South Africa. Aung San Suu Kyi knows costly change through her detention for the course of freedom in Burma.

Leadership within communities and organisations in our 21st century require a revamping of the serenity prayer, and it goes as follows:

God, grant me:

Serenity to understand the things that seem impossible to change,

Courage to change the things I can,

Perseverance to engage things that will be costly to change,

and Wisdom to know how to acknowledge the need for, implementation and realisation of positive change!

At the close of the Football for Hope Festival 2010

In the air is a sweet symphony of people affirming this wonderful achievement, where South Africa has hosted the Football World Cup in Africa, and more especially the awesome effort of organizing and delivering the Football for Hope Festival 2010, in Alexandra Johannesburg. People who worked tirelessly to deliver this world class event have given of their time, talents and treasure to ensure that this event was delivered with excellence.
It has been a once in a life time opportunity to be a part of a team of people who worked together to ensure that the 11th stadium of the Football World Cup 2010 and all related programming and operations in Alexandra were on par with the excellence and magnanimous achievements of thee other 10 stadia. For those privileged to be a part of the festival organizing team of the Football for Hope Festival 2010, we know and appreciate the symbolism of having a township host a world class event.
As the closing ceremony of the Football for Hope Festival 2010 came to its finality, there was dancing and celebration of young leaders who will go forward to be social change agents and propel development through football in their 40 some odd countries around the world. It was a moment to behold seeing people from a great diversity of language, ethnicity, class, gender, culture and religion celebrating the moment and success of work that has been done, and work that will continue on through young leaders and their passion to see development through football bring social change in their respective localities and nations.
Being present and intimately active in the preparation, strategic engagement and delivery of the Football for Hope Festival 2010, is best captured as follows, “I was no just feeling it, I was responsible for causing the motion that allowed others to feel it.” I believe that while this event like other events has a start and finish, this Football for Hope Festival 2010 will be a solid foundation to inspire the already established Football for Hope movement spear headed by streetfootballworld and FIFA. More especially the memory of this event will be cherished and solidify a collaboration of organizations who have been part and parcel of an event that is a part of a process , a movement , a hope, a dream to see a world where there is equality, freedom and justice for all.
It is my hope that through the Football for Hope Movement authentic social change will emerge, allowing our world to experience social change that is lasting and sustainable. May the work and the future scope of social change possibilities be numerous and amazing, because people choose to really do what we otherwise only dream or envisage but seldom do we realize!

Sick organizations in need of overhaul

The occurrence of ‘Wally’s open heart surgery’ in August 2008 provided the world insight and eye witness to the complexities of such medical procedures. People who had no idea about the mechanics and detail of such an operation came face to face with the negative effects of unhealthy living and the required medical intervention. A heart overhaul is required when a heart has become dysfunctional.
While people’s hearts require overhaul, so do organizations. There is a need for an organizational overhaul that brings serious positive change. Organizations ranging from corporate, nonprofit, youth development, to religious have an impact on the lives of people and society. There are many Organizations these days which have struggles that bring them to a breaking point. Everything looks good on the outside but within they are perishing. Such organizations have an undeniable negative effect on its’ people and inevitably it ripples out into a greater negative societal effect. Organizations are required to take stock of their practices and organizational cultures, and pursue organizational development. The kind which has lasting impact on organizational ethics and morals, as well as the lives of their employees.
Consider people who work in the field of human resources. People in the supposed business of aiding the rights of employees in corporate companies. Unfortunately these human resource agents have expressed the soul killing process of becoming death tools of their executive boards’. Human resources are implicated in building cases that result in employees’ termination of contracts. Corporate organizations are frequently plagued with a working culture that operates like the mafia.
Such shrewd operations have also been noted in the nonprofit sector. There are many organizations that have undergone (major) magnanimous change. In some cases new leadership have not had the time to track the changes and keep up with the demands of new found leadership positions. In South Africa for example, the occurrence of black leadership coming into the influence of previously white lead organizations. Political and racial complexities are present and must be noted.
There are many leaders, managers and supervisors who are consumed by taking their own back. Selfish pursuit of personal luxury and comfort, have taken precedent over and above focus on people and their development. It has naturally led to several levels of misconduct, and abuse of people as well as further corruptions. In social critique and race constructs we speak of the Black elite who have risen to top ranks of leadership but are equally or even more disconnected from the plight of people in so called lower ranks of work, than their previous white predecessors.
While some industries and organizations have seen the rise of black leadership. There are many organizations that remained white and male, dominated in their staff compliment and their top level management structures - even after a fifteen year democratic South Africa. Organizations and workplaces that model inclusion within the workplace culture is quite frankly ignored. Drawing from the vast array of race, class and gender diversity in South Africa is not common practice. Leaders and influencers within organizations do not have an underpinning ideology or consciousness to pursue and develop diverse teams.
There is a call for people to take leadership in making a stand against the corruption, in the midst of organizations that are struggling to ensure that people are not diminished and disregarded. Furthermore we must ensure that we have a reforming of our societies, which are plagued by stressed and depressed people, and societies that are rife with unemployment, stark poverty, broken families and desperation.
Sick organizations; bring about troubled people, which further encourages a struggling society. In the study of organizations we learn of organizations who wield the power to control economic development, and the affect that economic development bears on the development of society. Today we live in a world where the disparity and gap between the rich and the poor is ever increasing. For example, Developed countries thrive off the primary resources of developing countries, while these developing countries try to reduce their Third World Debt.
According to Smith and Todaro , “For developing nations that possess greater resources and relatively more bargaining power, the phenomenon of dominance becomes manifested more in the tendency of the rich to get richer, often at the expense of the poor.”
Provided that we see, understand and recognize the desperation of our times, such desperate times require earnest and compassionate response. A response to bring lasting change is required.
Change grounded in a soulful commitment and social awareness must be considered to keep the heart beat of organizations beating for its people. We as concerned global citizens must agree that “sick organizations need an overhaul” to design, develop and deliver organizations that are concerned and committed to doing the work of social change. Organizations in minor and major forms - and people leading and influencing these organizations have the power to affect society positively. Organizational power brokers must consciously work toward such an end.

"Implementing Diversity" -by Seth Naicker

Implementing Diversity (Marilyn Loden, 1996) is a valuable resource and handbook for implementing diversity and building inclusive work place culture, which calls the reader to go beyond just light reading, or even in depth study. It calls the reader to action and pursuit of a ‘….vision that must be fulfilled and a goal that must be accomplished. For those of us who welcome change, it is now time to plot a course that will help assure ultimate success” (Loden, 1996, p.x).

Loden is clearly writing from a visionary standpoint, which in the light of current world circumstances, one may be prone to proclaim that Loden’s visionary call out, has been achieved in the political life of America due to president elect Barack Obama. The Obama factor is symbolic of success, but exclusive and power base cultures of dominance go far beyond race and ethnicity. Therefore as much as diversity is being enhanced in global trends, we must ensure that diversity work is authentic and not just a negotiated settlement of compromise. The work of diversity must go beyond the colorizing game.Diversity implementation must grapple with creating a culture of inclusivity, where diversity reaches the heart, the mind and spirit of people, where the separation gap between the I and the other is continually shrinking.

I have been apart of, seen and witnessed people who are passionate about the implementation of diversity, end up being in conflict and distress with each other, based upon their different approaches to implementing diversity, and a culture of inclusivity. I am of the viewpoint that organizations, people and departments designated or charged by an organization to manage diversity implementation, must seek to work in collaboration with several departments within the organization without always the visible the lead role. Instead the work of managing diversity implementation becomes the work of support and encouragement of people and offices going about implementing diversity in their segmented and unique ways. Diversity implementation is therefore encouraged by casting the vision and allowing people to realize the dream!

Loden (1996) in providing concluding remarks explains,
“It simply means that diversity implementation must become more segmented and experimental as opposed to one-size-fits-all. Instead of benchmarking and reinventing a status quo implementers need the skills, insights, and, at times, the counsel of professional consultants required to customize implementation for the particular needs of their organization and the diverse needs of each segment” (1996, p. 178).
I agree with Loden that implementing diversity cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach. I recognize organizations having need for cohesion, but over application of cohesion will ultimately result in the creation of another status quo.

Loden (1996) explains, “Instead of “doing to others as you would have them do unto you,” we must now develop the understanding and empathy required to truly know others. With this greater knowledge, we can then “treat others as they would have us treat them” (1996, p. 179). People and offices who are responsible for managing and directing diversity implementation must seek to treat others as they would have you treat them, especially in allowing autonomy and a diversity of approaches to achieving organizational cultural change.

Take an office like Human Resources for e.g., which may be responsible for tracking diversity learning and the creation of a culture of inclusivity within an organization, they should seek to capture different efforts at different strata in the organization. The key is to bring these segmented efforts together by drafting and capturing a segmented approach that ultimately mobilizes and demonstrates how the implementation of diversity and change in organizational culture is taking place, through individual efforts which affect a communal purpose.

In words of Teton Sioux, " ...I have seen that in any great undertaking it is not enough for a man to depend simply upon himself," (Native American Wisdom, Running Press, p. 51), I am mindful about going about the work of implementing diversity in the spirit of remembering where it is that I come from, and choosing to embrace and live for the inclusivity and diversity, justice and reconciliation, where ever it is that I will go!

Blessings and 'alutta continua', "la lucha continua," the struggle continues. Shalom, Shanti, La Paz sea contigo, As-Salamu'Alaykum - Peace be upon you!