South Africa – Ozisco.com

F.I.V.E Questions With Deon Greyling, Partner, BTS Middle East & Africa

Briefly describe your background.

I started life as the son of a policeman and a typical upbringing in South Africa – at the time the country was divided along racial lines with major divisions and inequalities. Although my father was a policeman in the old government, he taught me the value of the human being, and treating people of all walks of life with the same focus on potential rather than circumstance. I attended a local university studying B.Comm Law – a unique combination of law and commerce. I completed my LLB (Honours in Law) as well as my MBA along the way. Seeking knowledge, interacting with people and being curious about the world around me has driven my work experiences. I started out as a commercial lawyer (largely the fault of the portrayal of lawyers in a US TV Show of the mid 80’s, called LA Law). I soon realized that life was more precisely worded contracts and endless hours in courtrooms and meeting rooms. I joined BTS in 2000 and started a life of consulting. Working for BTS over the last 18 years has presented me with an amazing opportunity to work with some of the most inspiring people (both internally as well as our clients and partners) and continually satisfy my curiosity on how the world works, how strategies are translated into reality and how great leaders inspire and motivate people to be their best.

Flashback and then fast forward to the present, what has surprised you the most about your career trajectory and what tips do you have for other embarking on similar path?

My career trajectory had me as a managing director of a company at the age of 26 and partner in a global consulting company by 35. A couple of learning along the way:

People are as important as performance – care about your relationships with people as much as you care about results.
Never say “no” to learning opportunities that will stretch you.
Focus on your faith, your family and the future – having something that you deeply believe in, that drives your decision-making and value system creates stability and direction in your life, finding purpose in a cause bigger than you and your meager existence helps keep you humble and grounded in the course of life – focusing on family and the future (and not varnishing the past) helps me understand the reason and motivation for getting through the tough times, and for celebrating the small victories in life. Work and life in general would surely be of little or no value if you only lived for yourself and had no cause or direction
Know your values…never sacrifice or trade your values – no matter what your victory, if you have traded your values, you will always feel empty
Know your value – don’t settle for less than you are worth. People will pay you for the job you do – this is defined by market value for the services performed – but never let your job define your worth.

Why is the cause you are pursuing or problem you are solving the most important for this generation?

Helping people do the best work of their lives by providing them and their organization with the required alignment, mindset and capability ultimately helps build more sustainable businesses, and a better planet. By helping leaders see the long-term impact of their decision-making, and then equipping them with the business, leadership and functional acumen to make the right decisions faster will shift not only companies, but countries and markets. The Middle East and African market contains some of the biggest differentials between the “Have’s” and the “Have nots” – reducing this differential and increasing people’s opportunity to actively and meaningfully participate in a global economy lies in developing people and companies in these markets to continue to grow in competitiveness. What we do at BTS helps accelerate this by innovating how companies and their leaders change, learn and improve.

Why is now the right time for the world to pay attention to the Africa market?

The growth in Africa, as with many other growth markets, is not evolutionary – but rather revolutionary. The biggest misconception about growth economies is that they follow the same learning curve as more mature economies. The rate of learning in these growth economies is accelerating and tends to be more “step-changes” and skipping technology and learning curves as the global economy becomes more integrated and virtual. Companies will be able to immediately introduce new products and solutions – removing some of the barriers for smaller companies (and making markets more accessible). At the same time, Africa is an extremely entrepreneurial continent with amazing diversity of people and thinking – and the global economy now affords a more global contribution both inbound and outbound.

What is the best piece of actionable advice you’ve received that continues to be a source of inspiration in good times and challenging times?

The best advice I have received is to focus on your passion and what ignites your soul – money, fame or other worldly achievements will follow. Do the work you love, and you will never work a day in your life.

Connect with Deon on LinkedIn.

Learn more about BTS.

3 Months is a “Short-Long” Time

My heart is heavy with mixed emotions. I can’t believe three months have come and gone by so fast. I remember when I arrived in Joburg three months ago and thought three months was such a long time, only to get to the end and realize it’s such a short time. Basically, it’s a “short-long” time.

Deep thinking at the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town, SA — Deep thinking at the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town

Living and working in South Africa for the past three months has been one of the best experiences of my life. From meeting with senior executives at South Africa’s biggest companies, to writing case studies till the wee morning hours, to facilitating in front of some of the brightest professionals in Kenya, to tracking lion prides on safari trips, to driving along the coast in Cape Town, to petting cheetahs, to jamming house music at some of the liveliest clubs in Jozi, to dancing in restaurants in Nairobi and the beaches in Maputo…so many special memories. This is one of those experiences that I will continue to draw inspiration from, years from now.

As I reflect on the many lasting and memorable moments, my heart is filled with joy, thanks and satisfaction. In just three months, colleagues have become close friends; handshakes have turned into strategic partnerships; ideas have turned into workshops; and ‘hellos’ have turned into ‘you will be missed dearly’.

Chilling with a Cheetah at a Farm in Pretoria

Special thanks and a big HOWZIT! to the BTS Africa team, you all were integral in making this experience what it is. You welcomed me with open arms and made me feel right at home. This is not goodbye but see you all soon.

I highly encourage every young professional to do a rotation program in Africa. If the company you work for currently do not offer it, create it and volunteer to be part of the pilot program.

Next stop: Lagos, Nigeria! #lasgidi

Next next stop: San Francisco, California.

I can’t wait to reunite with family, friends, co-workers, and my one.

Dancing Down Memory Lane at Freshlyground’s Concert

Freshlyground was one of the many talented African bands that I really enjoyed sharing with the world during my college years as the host of African Extravaganza, the premier African radio show at the University of Texas at Austin, on KVRX 91.7 FM. The first song I heard from them was titled “Doo Be Doo” and I was immediately hooked to their unique sound and the lead singer’s voice. Their music is an experience that takes you on a journey from the rough streets of Soweto to the fancy orchestra halls in Cape Town. It’s very difficult to find a South African who doesn’t enjoy or can relate to their music. The reason being they bring more than great tunes to the airwaves, they also represent the evolved history of South Africa. During the South Africa 2010 world cup, they teamed up with Shakira to sing the very popular world cup theme song, “This Time for Africa“. The lead singer, Zolani, has such a unique and sophisticated voice that can quickly get you to dance without care in one minute, and in the next minute, make you cry as you slow dance with your love.

When I was getting ready to move to South Africa from the US, I made a wish list of things I would like to accomplish during my three months in Joburg (aka Johannesburg lol) and it should be of no surprise that going to a Freshlyground concert was one of the top things on the list. On August 30th 2015, I was fortunate to check it off my list.

I knew they would perform most of their newer songs. But as I waited for them to get on stage at Carnival City, I hoped they would perform “Doo Be Doo” so I could dance down memory lane. When the song finally came on, I was elated. The live performance of the song quickly turned into a party on stage as you can see from the video above. If you’re passionate about music, then you know that a true indication of a great band is their live performance. Freshlyground owned the stage and received a dancing ovation from the audience throughout their set.

I highly recommend their music and if you can, go to their concerts; you will not be disappointed. Their music is available on all the popular music platforms like iTunes, Spotify and Pandora; look them up and enjoy the party.

My 5 Favorite South African Expressions

When you fully immerse yourself into a new environment, you are bound to discover interesting nuances that are unique to that environment. This can range from the way the people greet each other, to their languages, accents, handshakes, favorite music, dance moves, idea of a good time, and many more. I always advise folks to keep an open mind as that decision alone can be the difference between having a very memorable story to tell over drinks or a story you’d rather bury under drinks. Please drink responsibly.

Ever since my move to South Africa, I’ve grown very fond of a few expressions. These are my top 5 expressions because not only are they fun to say, they also make me feel like a local, effortlessly.

“Howzit?” pronounced: [houz zit]. This is the American equivalent of “How are you doing?” or “How are you?” or “What’s up?” It is a form of casual greeting that can be used for both your peers and seniors. It is acceptable in the workplace (I use it a lot in my office). The key to pronouncing the word is in the “z”, you have to stress the “z”. It is almost like saying “Howzzzit”. On your next trip to South Africa, when you walk up to the gentleman or lady checking your Passport/Visa, just say “Howzit?” before you hand them your documents and watch their face glow with a smile as they automatically welcome you as one of their own. I did this when I was returning to Johannesburg from my business trip in Nairobi, and it works!

“Sharp” pronounced [shahrp]. This is the typical response to the Howzit question above. The jury is still out on how many “Sharps” are appropriate which means you have freedom on how many you want to share…depending on your mood and how much free time you think you have. Just keep in mind though that it could get annoying if you over use it. Let’s just say I learned the hard way. I’ve heard people say “Sharp” twice and I’ve heard it said four times. It can also be used to as a form of acknowledgement for directions, compliments, or suggestions. The other instance I’ve heard it been used is at the end of a phone conversation. The person on the other line will usually say “Sharp” as they wrap up the conversation. One of my relatives, UD, who lives in South Africa uses “Sharp” the best. He has a unique way of saying it that is quite intriguing. Although he says it once, it still takes about the same amount of time as someone saying “Sharp” twice. He does it in a manner that is deliberate, calculated, and synced to a rhythm. The length of time he takes is always the same. It is as if he purposely drags out the “a” which makes it sound like “Shaaaarp”.

“Izit?” pronounced [Iz zit] On one hand this is used to casually seek confirmation rhetorically in a conversation. On the other hand, it can be used to express disbelief. Your pronunciation and tone of voice determines which category it falls under. When two South Africa locals are talking, this expression comes up a lot. The funny thing about this expression is that when I first heard it being used in a conversation I was part of, I thought I wasn’t being clear enough or they were struggling to understand my Nigerian-American accent. Being the clueless foreigner, I interrupted myself to clarify what I had just said, then continued on. After a few more occurrences and self-imposed interruptions, my response became “It is” with a smile as I continued on. My colleagues found this response funny. They say “Izit?” subconsciously that it took me pointing it out before they noticed they used it so often. The running joke in the office became responding with “It is” after anyone said “Izit?”. I remember when Jenn visited me in South Africa, I purposely used this during our conversation which threw her off, as expected. She did the exact same thing as me and paused to clarify. I laughed inside as she continued. Then I said it a couple more times again, and about the fourth or fifth time, she responded with “It is”. #greatmindsthinkalike

“Shaaame” pronounced [sheeeymm]. This requires a bit of art to pull off as it is very contextual. It can be both positive and negative. When you feel sad for someone you say “Shaaame”; when you see a cute puppy you say “Shaaame”. I hope you are as confused as me.

“Robots” pronounced [roh-bots]. This is the equivalent of “Traffic lights” for Americans. I first heard this when I was hanging out with UD. We were driving and he kept saying how the “Robots” didn’t seem to like him today of all days that he was in a hurry. I kept looking around to see where the so-called “Robots” were but couldn’t find any (lol). I didn’t want to ask since he assumed I knew what he was referring to. Nonetheless, my curiosity kept tugging at me. So when he said it the third time, I then realized he was referring to what I knew as traffic lights. I decided to validate my intuition with him, and he confirmed I was right. We both laughed for a few minutes as I wrapped my head around the concept of traffic lights as robots. I guess it does make some sense… or not. I will say this though, when you give directions via WhatsApp, it is much easier to type “Robot” than to type “Traffic light”. #justsaying

One thing is for sure, the world is so big and its people so unique, you owe it to yourself to get out there and spend some part of your life exploring and understanding both, at the same time if possible.

Special thanks to the BTS Africa ladies for being glamorous and fun during this photo shoot.

If you have other favorite South African expressions, please share in the comments. Also, if you have other unique expressions from other countries that really stuck with you, please share as well.

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Education Can Stop The Vicious Poverty Mindset

Money can be a very personal and uncomfortable topic to discuss with a stranger. However, when the person sitting across genuinely cares and is equipped with the capability to help, the uneasiness slowly fades away and is replaced with an open and honest discussion. This discussion usually leads to knowledge sharing. With knowledge as the foundation, ideas are sparked. These ideas then turn into goals backed up with time sensitive actionable plans. Money Mondays is a financial literacy workshop carefully designed to turn basic financial knowledge into actionable plans that deliver the highest impact for people in low-income communities. The program content was developed by AVO Vision (a BTS company) and is sponsored by South African Brewers (SAB), one of the world’s largest brewers by volume, in partnership with Better SA, a leading volunteer organization in South Africa.

I had a chance to experience this workshop first hand. There were 30 participants at the workshop which took place at the Thusong Youth center, in the heart of the Alexandra Township in Johannesburg, South Africa. The session started with the facilitator, Tlou (pictured above), encouraging the participants to share memories of money, both good and bad. As expected, the room was filled with silence as no one volunteered any stories. So Tlou then shared a personal story about how an incident that caused her to lose her entire month’s salary motivated her to get a better grasp on managing her finances wisely. Her story accomplished two things. First, she showed vulnerability which allowed the participants to empathize and relate with her. Second, she earned their credibility because she not only highlighted the expertise she’s developed over the years; she also affirmed her commitment to ensure they walked out of the session with a different mindset about money.

The workshop touched on budgeting, financial goal setting, the different bank accounts and their advantages and disadvantages, the most common financial scams and cyber theft, how to boost your income and cut costs, basics of insurance and types of policies, and how to use credit responsibly.

Later in the day, the participants were joined by Finance professionals from SAB. The Finance professionals acted as coaches and provided a second set of eyes on the personal budgets the participants created and their short-term and long-term financial goals. As you can imagine, the room was abuzz with idea exchange. The relaxed, fun and informal tone made discussing the tough topics palatable and it wasn’t random to hear groups burst into laughter, in fact it was highly encouraged. When I spoke with a few of the coaches after their one-on-one session, they all felt they were having an immediate impact and that the participants were responding well to their recommendations. When I probed further, a majority of the coaches pointed at the openness and keen desire of the participants to learn a new concept and immediately apply that concept as a sign that success is just around the corner for them. When I spoke with the participants, they all seemed excited to begin turning these recommendations into actions. Their choice of words in how they described what they would do next was an indication of their mindset shift.

The coaches did point out a few potential challenges that could derail the participant from achieving their financial objectives. The challenge most commonly mentioned was accountability. To address this challenge head-on, one of the coaches set an appointment with his group to connect in a month’s time to measure progress on their short-term goals. In addition, they established and agreed on a regular cadence to ensure they hold each other accountable; now that is how you coach!

One big takeaway for the coaches was that we all share similar aspirations for life no matter our environment. We can all have big bold goals, we just need to put together a plan of action and commit to following through no matter the obstacles that may come our way. Some of us are lucky to be born into more conducive environment that gives us access to amazing resources that we may sometimes take for granted, like 24/7 electricity and clean water. A couple of the ladies at the workshop shared with the class that their long-term goal is to build a school one day. The authority and confidence in which they spoke about their goal really inspired me. And by attending the workshop, they were taking the right steps towards their goal.

I strongly believe that education can stop the vicious poverty mindset and uplift generations out of poverty. When a majority of people are educated, that can be the catalyst for progress and positive change. Governments, societies, families and organizations that prioritize education usually benefit from the investment. I am privileged to be part of an organization that dedicates resources to educating members of their community. If you want to leave a legacy, figure out ways you can transfer some of the skill and knowledge you’ve acquired over the years to someone less fortunate. When you do, you are impacting generations to come; also you may just get an invite to a wedding or a special invitation to an exclusive party. If you have any doubts, just ask Tlou; she’s been invited to countless weddings by former students.

7 Audacious Quotes from the Top CEOs in South Africa

Earlier this year, Forbes released its annual ranking of the world’s 2000 biggest public-traded companies. 13 South African companies made the list. According to South Africa based Businesstech, Forbes’ 2,000 biggest companies listing is calculated by analyzing listed companies from across the world and ranking the top 2,000 in four categories: sales, profits, assets and market value. Each company is given a score based on where they place on each respective list, and the final top 2,000 list is compiled based on a final, aggregated score.

The South African economy is often considered the most developed economy in Africa, so it is with little surprise that they had the most representation on the list among other African nations. Interestingly, when you review the annual reports of these companies, the recurring theme is that expansion outside of South Africa, or Rest of Africa (ROA) as it is often referred to, remains an important part of their strategy as they pursue long-term profitability and sustainability. There are countless reports backed with extensive research that point to the growth potential of the ROA economy. These top 13 companies in South Africa are capitalizing on the ROA opportunity and their continued positive shareholder returns are measurable evidence of their success.

Here are some combined financial facts of the top 13 South African companies from the list:

One positive observation about the 13 companies that made the list is the fact that they play in different or multiple industries which is an unequivocal indication that the African economy is progressively becoming more diverse. Below are 7 audacious quotes from CEO’s of the top 7 out of 13 companies that made the Forbes list. The underlying denominator in all these quotes is that Africa is beyond ripe for investments and every one of these companies are making investments to take advantage of the Africa opportunity. Also, if you read these quotes through a keen entrepreneurial lens, you will quickly realize that even though these companies are fully committed to executing their strategy, many opportunities does still exist for innovative startups and small businesses willing to think outside the box.

“The strong economic growth profile of our African markets beyond South Africa is well-documented and continues to underpin our belief in Africa’s potential. In particular, growth in sub-Saharan Africa over the last decade has increased the number of bankable businesses and households, as well as levels of household income. Furthermore, the financial markets in the rest of Africa are less developed than those in South Africa, with far higher growth potential.” – Ben Kruger and Sim Tshabalala, Co-CEOs of Standard Bank Hanging metal sculpture of the Africa continent at the Corporate HQ of Standard Bank in Johannesburg.

“It is undeniable that the coordinated changes we have made in the last three years have culminated in a Sasol that looks and feels very different. The work we have done, and are still doing, is about organizing ourselves for a new era. It is about a new way of working; it is about being less bureaucratic, more specialized and flexible; it is about moving forward as a more effective, efficient and competitive organization. It is all these things, which ultimately will enable Sasol to excel and endure long into the future.” – David E Constable, President and CEO of Sasol

“In emerging markets, relatively low levels of internet penetration and limited offerings from over-the-top (OTT) players provide an opportunity for mobile operators to participate in the internet services space. The International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency, estimated that, in 2014, worldwide mobile subscriptions would reach seven billion, surpassing the world’s population, and that Africa would have the strongest growth in mobile uptake as well as the lowest mobile and internet penetration rates. Herein lies significant opportunity for MTN.” – Sifiso Dabengwa, Group President and CEO of MTN Group

“Where technology is likely to play out strongly in financial services is on the broader African continent. Recent international research by the MEF, a UK-based mobile content and commerce trade association, indicates that globally mobile banking is the highest in Africa, led by Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya. There is much debate about the value of a large physical footprint given the rapid penetration of mobile technology. However, there is no simple answer. On the one hand, yes physical footprints come with massive cost structures and it seems to make sense that branches could be redundant in the digital era. However there are a few important things to consider; firstly, many emerging economies remain predominantly cash based so branches still perform an important function for the depositing and storing of cash. This will take many decades to change. Secondly, smart devices remain unaffordable for hundreds of millions of people on the continent, this too will take a long time to change.” – Sizwe Nxasana, CEO FirstRand Bank

“The continued success of the diversification and internationalisation drive of the Group, in line with its strategy, must once again be credited for the solid performance of all the Sanlam businesses. The next step in this strategy will be to consolidate this portfolio of investments into a truly international company, which will enable the Group to unlock value by extracting synergies through collaboration. One of several steps towards this goal was the agreement between Sanlam Emerging Markets and Santam towards the end of 2013. This has resulted in the expansion of the Group’s general insurance footprint in emerging markets from six general insurance companies in 2013 to 11 at the end of 2014.” – Desmond Smith, Chairman of Sanlam (Desmond is not the CEO, the CEO of Sanlam is Johan van Zyl)

“JD Group is one of the largest furniture and household goods retailers in southern Africa, and has diversified its retail offering further to include do-it-yourself (DIY) and automotive products…The diverse industrial businesses in KAP are well positioned to continue to benefit from the infrastructural growth in Africa.” – Markus Jooste, CEO Steinhoff International

“Generally, platform businesses are the most valuable in media and the internet – consumer destinations (starting points) with repeat use and positive word-of-mouth. Platforms often deliver attractive financials on the back of this strong position with consumers. Executed well, the consumer base and cash flow from a strong platform can support the growth of valuable adjacent businesses.” – Bob van Dijk, CEO of Naspers (Naspers is a broad-based group with operations in ecommerce (especially online classifieds, etail, marketplaces, online services and payments) and other internet services, video entertainment and print media.)

South Africa’s biggest companies (US$ billions)

Source: Forbes.com

How Can You Booze When It’s Cold?

The weekend was quickly approaching and I was considering what plans to make. It was only my second weekend in South Africa and I was determined to make it memorable. On my shuttle ride to the office that Friday morning, I solicited some ideas from Milton, the driver. Milton suggested touristy ideas, which all sounded great. But I wanted something different. I wanted an activity unique to tourists but commonplace for locals. The reason being I consider myself a local since I was born and raised in Africa, Nigeria to be specific. Also, as the saying goes, “you can take a man out of Africa, but you cannot take Africa out of a man.” Preach!

Milton then mentioned that the weather forecast predicted a severe cold front. And to make matters worse, rain was also coming along for the ride; it was winter season after all. Prior to my arrival in South Africa, I was forewarned about the horrible winters here. Since my arrival and to my surprise, the days have been embraced with sunshine and clear skies. The nights have been filled with mild cool winds. And, there is no snow. As a resident of California, this almost feels like home; which is another reason why I feel like a local here.

The weather wasn’t promising and the goal of making it a memorable weekend faced its first major challenge; a challenge that was a bit out of my control. I was somewhat discouraged so I asked Milton what he was up to for the weekend to get a peek into how locals could spend their time on a weekend hunted by bad weather. He thought for a second and replied, “I plan to relax and booze, but…” He paused mid-sentence, I thought something may have distracted him. Maybe he got a text or a phone call but his phone was visibly inactive. Maybe there was something on the road, but traffic seemed to be moving fine. I looked at him and his face had an inquisitive expression, one that looked like he was wrestling with a question in his thoughts. He then blurted out, with his voice slightly raised and sprinkled with sarcasm, “But how can you booze when it’s cold?”. Knowing it was a rhetorical question, we both laughed at our inevitable reality – the inclement weather being an E.P. (aka Enemy of Progress).

I later discovered that the best way to deal with a cold day (or any kind of weather as a matter of fact) is to braai (to grill or roast (meat) over open coals). South Africans LOVE to braai. They even have a National Braai Day. Braai is the equivalent of barbecuing in the U.S. It is one of the most popular social activities here in South Africa where people are encouraged to put away their old and new differences and live in the moment. Plus, meat is quite cheap here which makes it easy on most wallets.

If there is rain, you braai under the shade. If it is cold, you braai with a jacket on. If it is hot, you braai with less clothes on. If the weather is perfect, you braai. You get the idea. If you are curious as to how I spent that weekend, well, we did braai under the shade with jackets on.

When next you are looking for what to do on a weekend in South Africa, chances are there is a braai going on; all you have to do is invite yourself.

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