tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55798075703547359172024-03-08T19:01:59.737-05:00TRANSFORMING ZAMBIAN POLITICSDiscussing Zambian politics and economic development.Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-86856383806659597902010-03-27T10:48:00.003-04:002010-03-27T10:59:40.198-04:00THE INSULTS OF LEADERSHIP<span style="font-weight:bold;">How Zambia's Leaders are Failiing the People<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span><br /><br />I've watched with fascination and frustration the political discourse in my native country. I've stayed silent about it because in many respects, I didn't want to add another voice to an arena with so many players and voices claiming to have a solution to our country's woes. However, I think that my silence and those of others serves no one. So in this article am attempting to voice *some*of the concerns that Zambians have.<br /> <br />For starters, our Leaders have lost the heart of leadership. Leadership has become a way for people to enrich themselves at the expense of others. The heart of leadership is to serve the people with integrity and making their welfare the first priority of what a leader says and does. Unfortunately, you don't have to look further than our newspapers to find a daily chronicle of character assassinations and personal insults that have come to characterize our political discourse. We need a change in the way our leaders carry themselves. We need OUR leaders to think of US again and not themselves. We need OUR leaders to SERVE US again, the people who elected them.<br /> <br />Furthermore, Leadership is about vision- a clear picture of a preferred future-but where are the ideas? Where is the vision and foresight? Where do our leaders see Zambia in the next 15-30 years? We are yet to see and hear a concrete plan to create jobs and deal with our broken education system. We are yet to hear of how our leaders plan to stimulate the business sector and<br />create opportunities for Zambians.<br />Yes, some progress has been made but we've been waiting for 20 years to see some tangible results; to see change come to the common man. Enough with the talk and statistical progress. Leadership is about results and the absence of results simply means the Leadership has failed.<br /> <br />Though the ruling party and government take most of the blame for what is happening in our country, what is the opposition offering? Its very easy to sit in the grand stand and watch the game on the pitch and have ideas of how the players can do better and score. However, the opposition has offered nothing concrete in dealing with the challenges. How many jobs will they create if elected to power? How will they reform our education system? How will they help Zambians to create wealth? Talk is cheap and until these parties come up with very REAL solutions and a VISION, they do not deserve to be elected into power.<br /><br />Last week on Zambiablogtalkradio.com was asked to share my thoughts concerning the formation of another political party NAREP) in Zambia and whether there was a justification for another party. My answer in nutshell was that as long as the ruling party had failed to change Zambia and that the current opposition parties offered no solutions, there was certainly justification for another party. We are waiting to see what NAREP proposes and so we'll leave judgement for another<br />time.<br /> <br />Leadership must be confident. It must display power without being forceful. It must exhibit strength and courage without constantly reminding people of whose in charge. Leadership must have quite strength and command respect without stepping on people's rights and ideas. This, however, has not been the case in our young democracy. Over the last 10 years we've gone back subtly to some very dictatorial tendencies. The watershed moment for me was when the government threatened to regulate the media.<br /> <br />First of all, what does that really mean-to regulate the media? To me that is another way of saying do not challenge us or else you will cease to exist. This is a backwards step and our leadership should not have entertained this line of thinking. Democracy thrives on free and open communication of ideas and opinions. Democracy believes that in our disagreements we're made stronger, not weaker. <br />Frankly, this was a display of timidity and insecurity and a lack of leadership savvy on our leader's part. Can we agree to disagree? Can we have a robust debate without insults and still see ourselves as Zambians wanting the best for their country? Our Leaders need to grow up and someone must be the bigger person. Frankly, I hope our leadership elevates the level of the political discourse so that we, the people can benefit. Mr. President we're waiting for your leadership.<br /> <br />Charisma in Leadership only goes so far. There must be a turning point that ushers in transformation. We've been waiting for that moment for almost 20 years. We the people also have a part to play in our nation. We need to hold our elected leaders to the fire and ask the tough questions. We easily fall prey to politicians with silver tongues promising the world but we have to<br />ask them; how do you plan on achieving your goals? What kind of a nation are we handing down to our children?<br /> <br />WE must demand that they speak our language and not the common ambiguous political jargon that leaves us scratching our heads and my uncle's friend in Mbeleshi cannot understand. WE must demand that they manage our resources well. WE must be an active citizenry. WE also must realize that our leaders will not do everything for us; we have a part to play. WE must be innovative and demand that our leaders create an atmosphere in which our innovative spirits can thrive. WE must be active participants in the creation of our national destiny.<br /> <br />The politics of insults don't help anyone and they certainly don't help our nation. "Everything rises and falls on Leadership". Will the real leaders please stand up?Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com59tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-38168973576646406772009-11-24T16:53:00.001-05:002009-11-24T16:54:53.300-05:00"We" are the Solution: The case for Social Enterprise in ZambiaI have really been thinking of how Zambians can change Zambia. Social entrepreneurship is something that is foreign to our nation and has not been given the attention it deserves. For profit enterprises are the most common. A for-profit enterprise looks at the profit margin as its measurement of progress. Market share is another factor that is given much attention. There is of course nothing wrong with for-profit enterprises and entrepreneurs engaged in it should be encouraged because they are the engine of job creation in an economy though we are yet to see their impact in Zambia.<br /><br />Social enterprises are driven, not by profit but rather by lives changed or improved. Their goal is to alleviate poverty or confront social ills by offering solutions through the vehicle of enterprise. These entrepreneurs should be encouraged to emerge and act on their ideas.<br /><br />In an economy like Zambia, there of course many challenges for social entrepreneurs one of them being the fact that most of them do not have a steady income and, therefore, are more inclined to form for profit enterprises. This fear stems from the misconception that one cannot make a profit and solve social problems at the same time. The key to profitable social entrepreneurial ventures is to have a business model that is driven first of all by a strong social change agenda that has the potential to be an income stream.<br /><br />For example, a social entrepreneur can be driven by a desire to solve the food crisis problem in a village by teaching peasant farmers how to grow crops that can yield more and can withstand drought conditions. At first glance this seems like a service that is given free of charge. However, after getting a good foundation in place and having buy-in from the villagers, the social entrepreneur can eventually offer this service for a small percentage of the harvest. He then can turn around and sell this harvest for a profit.<br /><br />The other way would be to enter into partnership with the farmers in which the entrepreneur offers his knowledge of crop production and or high yield seed while the farmers contribute the land and labor. At harvest time, after making sure that the farmers have enough food supply for the year, the surplus can be sold for a profit which is shared by all involved. Again the entrepreneur achieves his goal of alleviating the food crisis and also turns a profit, however small it might be. This venture can grow if all parties involved decide to continue their partnership and expand the percentage of land cultivated.<br /><br />This concept can be applied to solving many other social problems. My point is that WE the people are the solution. While I believe that government should be in the forefront of fighting social ills, we the people also have a role to play. We need to change perspective and look at the opportunities around us. We must take it upon ourselves to change our world and not rely on the politicians and technocrats to come up with a magical way to solve all our problems.<br /><br />So what social ills around you can you solve? The ball is in your court.Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com207tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-71594486382597620862009-10-13T17:53:00.001-04:002009-10-13T17:55:34.292-04:00Africa's new apartheid<strong><em>The continent is doing a booming business selling diamonds, oil and coffee to China, but is it benefiting Africans? Economist Glenn Hubbard weighs in.</em></strong><br /><br />NEW YORK (Fortune) -- There's an irony afoot on the African continent. After years of state control of their economies, African governments are opening up to foreign business as never before. <br /><br />Foreign companies are lining up to pump African oil, dig African minerals, build and run African ports, export African coffee and cocoa. But what about local companies? The World Bank's latest "Doing Business" report tells a very sad tale.<br />Let's take Angola. It has diamonds, oil and coffee. These commodities boomed over the past decade, and the government gave licenses to foreign companies to produce and export them. <br /><br />These days, that includes the Chinese: Angola is now China's biggest African trading partner. China is also building infrastructure for the Angolan government using everything Chinese, including labor and cement. There are far more foreigners in Angola now -- European and Asian -- than there ever were in colonial times.<br />But what about local Angolan business? According to "Doing Business", Angola ranks now 169 out of 183 countries around the world. That means that the Angolan government essentially does not allow its own people to start and run their own businesses. <br /><br />This restriction makes for a new kind of apartheid: the business community of Angola is European and Asian, not African. That might not be the intent, but it certainly is the result.<br />The same is true in country after country of sub-Saharan Africa. But not everywhere. Rwanda stands out as a positive model: it went from 143 on the list in 2009 to 67 in 2010. After years climbing the list, Mauritius now ranks 17. <br /><br />These two countries show that it is possible for African governments to free their people to start and run their own businesses, and overcome the de facto apartheid that has spread through the African business sector.<br /><br />China's role in this new apartheid is especially ironic. Twenty years ago Deng Xiao Ping freed the Chinese people to start and run their own businesses, for a very simple reason. He and his fellow leaders had become Communists fifty years before because they genuinely believed it would bring greater prosperity to their people, but over the decades it became obvious that wasn't true. <br /><br />Just across the border, Korea was a clear example: the Communist North remained poor, and the pro-business South prospered. So Deng Xiao Ping switched. Today, 80% of China's employment and 60% of its GDP comes from local small and medium businesses, which barely existed twenty years ago.<br /><br />In the old days, Communist China claimed solidarity with Third World peoples -- but what about today? As most countries of the Third World suppress their local business sectors, especially in Africa, China just goes right along.<br /> <br />Chinese leaders will argue that they do so to respect the sovereignty of national governments: if Angola wants to suppress the local Angolan business sector, China has no right to make them change. <br /><br />But how is that different from South Africa under apartheid? In those days, the South African government put up enormous obstacles to prevent black Africans from starting and owning their own businesses. China joined the rest of the world in condemning South African apartheid, and rightly so. But today, China joins the rest of the world in turning a blind eye to the ongoing apartheid of the local business sector throughout most of Sub-Saharan Africa.<br /><br />But of course, the western powers are no better than China. They continue to lavish foreign aid on countries that suppress their local business sectors. <br />There is a collective amnesia among prosperous countries about how they themselves rose from poverty: their local business sectors. They have forgotten their liberal roots -- the term "liberal" first referred to pro-business Europeans struggling against feudal "conservatives." <br /><br />China and the western powers today are only half-liberal: they foster their own domestic business sectors but tolerate the suppression of the domestic business sectors in the poor countries of the world.<br />There is an alternative, but it requires political will and leadership among China and other prosperous countries. They can redirect their foreign aid to help foster the local business sector in poor countries. <br /><br />And there's a powerful precedent: the Marshall Plan of post-war Europe. It made loans to local European businesses, which repaid them to their governments, which used the money for commercial infrastructure like ports and railways. That same model can work today.<br />Two decades ago, outside pressure helped overturn apartheid in South Africa. Tomorrow, outside pressure can help overturn business apartheid in most of Sub-Saharan Africa. It's time for worldwide solidarity with the struggling local businesses in poor countries around the world. The new apartheid calls for a new movement against it. Who will lead the way?<br /><br /><em><strong>--Glenn Hubbard, a former chairman of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers, is co-author, along with Bill Duggan, of a new book, Aid Trap -- Hard Truths About Ending Poverty. He is also dean of Columbia Business School. </strong> <br /><em></em></em>Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-24751172976908481362009-08-07T21:00:00.003-04:002009-08-07T21:23:34.499-04:00The Politics of InsultsI've stopped reading news from Zambia of late because it does nothing but frustrate me. Our people deserve better. We do not need more visionless political parties or power hungry leaders; what we need is radical change. <br /><br />Our current leadership has not been leading but rather maintaing the status quo. They have not been representing our interests but rather engaging in the politics of insults and character assassinations. This kind of political theatre does not help the ordinary Zambian. If our political leaders have no vision and plan, they should simply step aside and let others lead. <br /><br /><br />While I applaud the formation of new parties, they look like more of the same and while I applaud the efforts of other citizens forming semi political NGOSs, I am skeptical about their motives. If there is one thing we Zambians know to do is talk and a lot of talking is happening right now but I do not see any visionary leadership emerging. I am still waiting for the real leaders to stand up; Zambia's Obama if you will and we will know him/her when we see his/her vision for Zambia. <br /><br />While we wait for the real leader to emerge, we the people need to remind ourselves that no one will bring the change we seek unless we demand it through our actions and words. Here are a few worthy things to fight for and pressure our government to deliver:<br /><br />1. Quality education:<br />2. Quality Health care<br />3. JOBS<br /><br />These are a few of my thoughts. What do you think?Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-88288509033747889672009-06-13T16:56:00.003-04:002009-06-13T17:04:31.816-04:00NEW ORGANIZATION PUSHING FOR TANGIBLE CHANGEThere is a new pressure group advocating for real leadership and vision for Zambia. Visit their website at www.zambiaunite4change.orgCampbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-65496683830701127082009-06-04T11:41:00.001-04:002009-06-04T11:43:49.342-04:00ERADICATING CORRUPTION IN ZAMBIAIn recent weeks we have heard of how ministry of health workers and officials diverted funds in the ministry boost their own personal coffers. While the saying, “crime does not pay”, may be applicable in this case, we have to pose and think about the things that feeds this corrupt culture and indeed they are many. However, I would like to draw your attention to a few.<br /><br />Firstly, the culture of corruption has been fueled by our country’s lack of sophisticated management systems that hold leaders and everyone accountable. For example, in the USA the president’s tax records are public knowledge because they are deliberately published. These records tell the public how much the president made that tax year and where his extra income came from if any. This is not the case in Zambia. The only time we hear of our leader’s net worth is when they are running for political office. Why don’t we institute a system by which we know how much our leaders make every year and how they have acquired that wealth. This will surely keep people accountable. <br /><br />However, one can make the argument that people will simply hide their ill gotten wealth through corrupt avenues and that is a legitimate argument. However, if we ask for the cooperation of financial institutions and empower the Zambia Revenue Authority to enforce tax codes and an effective tax return reporting system, we will make tremendous headway. But the biggest problem in my view is leadership. <br /><br />Our current political leaders MUST retire. They have run their course and should accept the fact that they cannot lead Zambia to a better future because they do not know how to lead in this new political and global economic climate. They continue to seek political office because of the benefits they reap through corrupt practices. Corrupt leaders should be pursued and prosecuted and pay a steep price for their corruption. Long prison sentences would help to this end because if someone faced the possibility of a 2o year prison sentence they would think twice about stealing from the Zambian people.<br /><br />Secondly, poverty is another contributing factor to fueling a culture of corruption. While am reluctant to heap a huge amount of blame on this factor because of the entitlement overtones that legitimize people’s lack of ingenuity in seeking solutions to their poverty, I must admit that it plays a role in creating a culture of corruption. <br /><br />If government does not make better conditions of service for civil servants a priority, people will be forced to find the much needed extra income elsewhere and corruption is the easiest way. However, this issue also has to be seen from the view of the “corrupter” because it takes 2 or more parties to make corruption work. Why do people pay other people to have certain services provided when such services should be offered upon request without further prodding? Therein lays the dilemma of civil service corruption. I think that if great customer service became a priority and the mantra of our government agencies and that this was acted upon, people would become less inclined to corrupt someone in order to have better service. <br /><br />In his book “Leading at a higher Level,” Ken Blanchard says that organizations should focus on the triple bottom line: Becoming the provider of choice, the employer of choice and the investment of choice. In a nut shell, government agencies should offer such an excellent service to the public that they become the provider of choice. These agencies should also provide excellent conditions of service that people are waiting in line to work for them and thirdly, if these agencies do the first two things right, then they will attract investment from both the general public and the donor community. <br /><br />Failure to do these 3 things, in my opinion, will not help the fight against corruption and if anything, this scourge will become an irreversible pandemic affecting generations to come.Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-43336029728374819302009-05-12T12:31:00.002-04:002009-05-12T13:12:58.578-04:00ZAMBIA'S LEADERSHIP CRISIS"PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader Michael Sata has said he will contest the 2011 presidential elections despite some people suggesting that he is too old and needs to groom a younger person (TIMES OF ZAMBIA)."<br /><br />The insistence of Mr. Sata to contest the 2011 elections speaks to the leadership crisis that our nation faces. For the last 18 years, no viable young politician has come to the Zambian political scene and offered a sensible alternative to the old guard. Our leadership crisis has hampered development as we've had a shortage of radical ideas that would revolutionize the way development is perceived and pursued.<br /><br />It is very easy for the old guard to say young people should be involved in national leadership but their words do not line up with their actions. How can young politicians rise to leadership positions if the right environment is not created for them? There must be systems within our political parties that allows young leadership to be groomed and allowed to test their leadership skills. This only happens if the old guard creates an atmosphere in which genuine sharing of ideas can happen coupled with a firm commitment to change. If these things do not happen, then young people will continue to be absent from the political leadership landscape.<br /><br />On the flip side of things, young politicians can decide to form their own political parties and formulate their own agenda for development. They, however, have to overcome a great challenge; the people of Zambia. As Zambians, we are too patient almost to a fault. We will hang on to political promises for a very long time. It takes us a while to change and see the promises for what they really are; empty political gimmicks. <br />Therefore, if young people are to take charge and lead, they need to be in it for the long haul. They need to devise ways to communicate their agenda to the Zambian people and do so in a convincing way. There is no doubt in my mind that this can and must happen for our country to gain economic independence. <br /><br />Our philosophy of political leadership must also change. Those of us outside the established political system must begin finding creative ways of implementing change in our communities through partnerships and the harnessing of the people's hunger for change and turning it into productive energy. As Zambians, we waste a lot of time talking instead of acting. We focus so much on government's ability to change our lives instead of focusing on our own ability to change dire situations in our communities. For example, when rainy season comes, drainage becomes a problem in many communities. Why not get together as a community to clean our surroundings and implement a food for work program. We will be helping to solve 2 problems; the drainage problem and the hunger problem. <br /><br />Please do not get me wrong; I am a big proponent of government's involvement in changing the course of a nation by providing the framework and infrastructure for the people to maximize their potential and create economic freedom. However, WE THE PEOPLE, also have a solemn obligation to MOVE our government when it becomes idle through our ACTIONS and words. The person who gives the people a cause and shows them a better way of life will eventually become the leader. My challenge to Zambians is to start thinking of creative ways you can change your own community.Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-27428167343406340152009-04-07T15:46:00.004-04:002009-04-07T15:54:02.057-04:00RURAL DEVELOPMENTI am usually skeptical about posting specific political party information on my blogs but since we are talking about Zambian politics I might as well.<br />I have been following The Citizens’s democratic party and they have just posted a new page on Rural Development . www.cdpzambia.wordpress.com<br /><br />There are some interesting things in there and I have some execepts below.<br /><br />The CDP approach is informed by several factors:<br /><br />1. Much of Zambia’s arable and fertile land and other natural resources are in good rural areas.<br /><br />2. Poverty, disease and hunger levels are higher in rural areas than they are in urban areas.<br /><br />3. Traditional leaders and NGOs directly work with the people most affected and would be a great partner in bringing direct aid and development to these areas.<br /><br />4. The nation cannot have food security if it does not invest in these areas. Their success is Zambia’s success.<br /><br />CDP will gauge the success of its approach if the following benchmarks are met:<br /><br />1. Is rural Zambia producing enough food for itself and the nation? Is rural Zambia winning in the fight to provide good nutrition to its people?<br /><br />2. Does rural Zambia have access to quality healthcare by way of good, well staffed clinics and medications?<br /><br />3. Is rural Zambia winning the fight against malaria and other infectious diseases?<br /><br />4. Does rural Zambia have access to quality primary, secondary and higher education? Does it have enough schools, teachers, and educational materials to accommodate the population?<br /><br />5. Is rural Zambia well connected by way of good and well maintained roads, land, air, and water transportation, communication and electricity infrastructure? Do the people have access to mobile and computer technology?<br /><br />6. Is rural Zambia benefiting from its natural resources by way of taxes, royalties and other commercial activity in the area? Are these resources being used to better the lives of the people?<br /><br />These are the questions that our approach will answer and ensure that Zambia emerges an economic titan in Africa.<br /><br /><strong>THE VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT TRUST</strong><br /><br />CDP will form what we are calling Village Development Trusts (V.D.T.). Each village will form one and its role will be to facilitate and manage local development with a focus on defeating poverty, disease and hunger. CDP realizes that for this approach to work, all stake holders must be part of the formulation of the plan. Though in here we outline the basics, our desire is that stakeholders will feel free to change the plan to suit their particular rural situation.<br /><br />At the center of our approach are the traditional leader and his team who are the custodians of the people’s resources and culture. Other stakeholders such as NGOs working in the area as well as other donor partners will also have representation and a voice on the V.D.T.<br /><br />Central government, in conjunction with donor partners will provide funding, infrastructure such as roads, schools, clinics, medicines, trucks, tractors, computers, stand-alone electric generators and communication equipment; technical support such as teachers, doctors, health workers, agriculture extension officers and agri-industry consultants will also be provided by government.<br /><br />The V.D.T. will focus on Agriculture, Health, Education and infrastructure.<br /><br />Read the rest of their document at www.cdpzambia.wordpress.comCampbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-12838541164296594522009-04-02T15:06:00.001-04:002009-04-02T15:09:28.534-04:00JOB CREATION NOT IMPOSSIBLEA story that recently appeared in The Zambia Daily mail quoted the Minster of works and supply Mr. Mike Mungoloti saying that “GOVERNMENT is in the process of establishing an internal monitoring and audit unit under the Roads Development Agency (RDA), which will pursue contractors that fail to rehabilitate roads effectively……..has directed the RDA to terminate contracts for local and foreign contractors that fail to fulfill their obligations.”<br /><br /><strong><em>The only question I have is “why is the government using foreign and local private contractors to construct roads instead of equipping our local councils to do this? </em></strong><br /><br />Furthermore, “RDA executive director, Erasmus Chilundika said reintroduction of advance payments to contractors was being addressed. Mr. Chilundika said once the practice was reintroduced, the agency would be strict in issuing advance payments to ensure that funds were utilized prudently by contractors.”<br />In other words, money is available to do the job but government stills opts to give such jobs to the private sector even when they have shown that they do not have sufficient operating capital. I believe in supporting local businesses but not at the expense of meaningful development. <br /><br />For the past 15 years or so, the MMD government has failed to create jobs and they have said that free market policies and private sector investments will accomplish this. In my view they are doing this the wrong way. I believe that government should use its existing structures, with some much needed improvements, to drive development and create jobs. I am not advocating for a return to UNIP policies but there are ways to profitably put people back to work while at the same time upholding free market principles. Government cannot completely relieve its self from the role of creating jobs because it’s the only structure in our nation that is big enough to accomplish some big things. <br /><br />For example Mr. Erasmus Chilundika also said “When you apply for advance payment, we will require you to specify what you want to acquire and we will make sure we follow you to verify if the equipment is bough.”<br /><br />Wait a minute. Since when does government advance payments to private entities to buy equipment to do a job that they are being paid to do? I guess I shouldn’t be that surprised but if all the money given to contractors was used to equip local councils to construct roads and bridges, Zambia would have been investing in its short and long term development. Employment would increase, along with it a demand for goods and services which in turn will advance local economic development. However, this whole process would have been the result of a forward thinking leadership which Zambia lacks right now.Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-2238560299237413152009-03-28T19:17:00.001-04:002009-03-28T19:19:23.700-04:00DIVERSIFICATION AS A KEY TO ZAMBIA'S ECONOMIC GROWTHThe Zambia-Economist blog has some very interesting questions about diversification as it relates to Zambia’s economic growth. It is worth a read HERE or copy this link into your browser: http://zambian-economist.blogspot.com/2009/03/five-questions-on-diversification.htmlCampbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-11633669817810256782009-03-28T19:16:00.000-04:002009-03-28T19:17:21.584-04:00ZAMBIAN DIPLOMATS: ARE THEY NECESSARY?President Banda just appointed some new diplomatic representatives for Zambia. Personally I think our role in certain countries should be reviewed in order to cut costs. While I appreciate the fact that we need to maintain relationships in this global economy, our country is in some cases not able to sustain the operational costs of our embassies.<br />Apart from cost, we also need to look at the mission of our embassies. Why exactly do they exist? How can we effectively use them to further relationships and development?Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-71566908875883045852009-03-13T17:32:00.005-04:002009-03-13T17:44:14.542-04:00UPND's Hichilema Meets President BandaExcept Courtesy of Lusakatimes.com (click the title for the full story)<br /><br />"United Party for National Development UPND- president, Hakainde Hichilema, says his meeting with President Rupiah Banda should not be politicized.<br /><br />Mr. Hichilema says he met the president to consult with him on a range of issues affecting the nation.<br /><br />He says the meeting gave his party an opportunity to make suggestions on the economic recovery of the country.<br /><br />Mr. Hichilema says the substance of the meeting was essential and it is up to government to accept the UPND proposals or not."<br /><br /><strong>THIS IS GOOD NEWS</strong><br /><br />I am glad that Mr. Hichilema had a meeting with President Banda and if the substance of the meeting was what Mr. Hichilema said, then it shows that suggestions from our recent article titled "impotent governance" were correct. This is not the time for political grand standing but rather a time to pull together as Zambians and solve our nations problems. I only hope that the president listened and took what Mr.Hichilema said seriously.<br />Therefore, there is no need for Mr.Hichilema to defend his meeting with the president.Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-80844773011790017482009-03-11T15:59:00.005-04:002009-03-12T19:28:59.080-04:00IMPOTENT GOVERNANCEZambia is facing a major economic crisis and we are beginning to see people lining up to get mealie meal. Soon this trend will spread to other basic commodities if government does not come up with a concrete plan to shore up the economy.<br />This is an all too familiar picture from the Kaunda era and unfortunately, President Banda does not have any answers for the Zambian people. He is busy playing politics and trying resolve wrangles in his own party instead of instilling confidence in the Zambian people by charting a vision for economic recovery and development. He is also resorting to the same old economic philosophy of government take over mining companies that have been operating at a loss.<br />Zambia needs to diversify its economy and move away from relying on copper as major a revenue earner and if these mines are failing, let them fail. That's a basic business principle- you do not invest in a company making losses especially when profitability is not in the near future. The one thing MMD has failed to to do in the 17 years is create jobs in other sectors of the economy and our current president has no plan to do so.<br /><br />Here is what others outside government are suggesting and if the president has no ideas then these might help. You and I dont have to agree with these opinions but we might want to think about them as solutions to our economic mess. <br /><br />The Citizens Democratic party recently put out a statement on its site suggesting a few things that goverment can do immediately(Follow this link or paste it into your browser)http://www.thecitizensdemocraticparty.com/nationalissues.html<br /><br /><strong>1.Re-negotiation of Zambia’s debt:</strong> <br />We cannot keep on servicing our debts while our people lose jobs and <br />die of hunger. This economic crisis offers us an opportunity to go to our creditors and ask that Zambia’s debts be renegotiated or cancelled. The government needs to be relentless in the pursuit of this goal otherwise we will not recover.<br /><br /><strong>2.Contain and reduce costs: </strong><br />There is no justification for some government and political positions and/or <br />programs. We simply have to eliminate some positions and divert the supporting funds to more critical areas of our economy, which include support for the mining and tourism industry.<br /><br /><strong>3.Revise the current Tax bands: </strong><br />In order to put more money in people’s pockets and help the private <br />sector economy, the Government needs to raise the PAYE threshold to K1.5m. Furthermore, taxes for the other bands as outlined in the 2009 budget should be adjusted as follows: 25%, 30% AND 35% respectively.<br /><br /><strong>4.Create Jobs:</strong> <br />The CDP is of the opinion that government creates jobs by heavily investing in <br />infrastructure by working with local councils, the ministry of works and supply as well as government and donor agencies. Water and sanitation infrastructure, communication infrastructure, city roads and highways, clinics, as well as low cost housing are all examples of investments that can be made. This plan should be focused on creating jobs for the people in the 0% tax band because that money will flow quickly into the economy thereby, creating demand for goods and services and in the process supporting private <br />sector businesses.<br /><br /><br />My friend CHO in the UK at www.zambian-economist.blogspot.com also has some great ideas:<br /><br /><strong>Consult openly -</strong> <br />The government is notorious for not issuing Green and White Papers as is customary. These papers have now been replaced by "Cabinet Policy Papers" that ordinary Zambians never get to see. If we are lucky we sometimes get to hear the odd "Ministerial Statement". Consultation is the hallmark of effective government. Whether its ZAMTEL or bailing out Zambian Airways or reforms on FSP or dealing with the failed mines or borrowing more externally, Zambians need to have a say in these things. Things have become so bad that the State House website has been under permanent "under construction". Some government ministries simply have no websites and those that do hardly update them. Nearly all , ministers are basically unreachable via email or telephone. The situation is so poor that when Minister Musokotwane made available his email after the Budget 2009 we thought it was manna from heaven! Surely an e-mail address is the minimum we should expect from all ministers?<br /><br /><strong>Allow criticism -</strong> <br />Divergence of opinion in government and outside is critical for creative and innovative solutions. It is critical that government recognises that no man knows everything. Rather than seeing people with divergent opinions as "enemies" it should see them as critical partners in ensuring that its policies are perfected. This is a serious point because things have become so bad that we are seeing running battles between Government and The Post. It is most sad when you read the President being insulted. My view is that such insults, however unwarranted, can be reduced if government was perceived to be more "listening". It would make it easier for those us that feel that the holder of the Office of the Presidency must be respected to come out and say so. <br /><br /><strong>Bring all talents on board -</strong> <br />Zambia is blessed with many experts in many fields at home and abroad. A way must be found for putting together a brilliant group of these experts to provide government with the best advice in the core areas - finance, mining, transport, education and health. There should be room also for those in opposition to advice government. A government of national unity is perhaps beyond us given the entrenched nature of our politics and with 2011 on the horizon, but open and direct engagement with the leading opposition parties (Pf and UPND) would bode well for finding lasting solutions to our current problems. <br /><br /><strong>Plan for the long term</strong> -<br /> The danger of the current challenges we are facing is that we turn back the clock and implement dangerous policies that look like they are intended to save the day but imprison us in the long term. For example : we may start borrowing senselessly; or attract the wrong investors; or eliminate crucial taxes to please a certain group; or reduce certain taxes that do nothing for the average person; or enact bad media laws to deal with a particular newspaper; or maintain poor spending commitments just to control opponents (e.g. NCC); or handover our resources (and sovereignty) to outsiders. Desperate people do desperate things. This we must avoid at all costs. Yes we should strive for a better today, but equally we should be prepared to take the pain of today to secure a better future for our children. This calls for continuous updated long term planning that has the buy-in of all Zambians. <br /><br /><br />These and many other ideas can be tapped by our president to give Zambians hope in this crisis.Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-52991582784177835522009-02-24T15:03:00.004-05:002009-02-24T15:48:44.457-05:00A NEW ZAMBIAN POLITICAL PARTYThanks to Multi-party politics, there is a new zambian political party on the rise. Though the party is yet to register with the registra of societies, they have outlined their vision and are working to change the face of Zambia's politcal scene. I was recently approached to sit on a commitee that looked at the 2009 Zambian budget. Though I am not an economist, I found the discuss fruitful and some of the commitee's opinions were pupblished on their site. Follow or copy this link into your browser. http://www.thecitizensdemocraticparty.com/nationalissues.htmlCampbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-19972623145598329972008-12-21T22:19:00.003-05:002008-12-21T23:19:43.361-05:00TAKE CHARGEWith all the turmoil going on in the world, its very easy to shrink back from our big dreams and actually find ways of justifying our timidity. However, life does not give its best to the people it pities, rather life rewards those who pursue its treasures.<br /><br />I have a simple message for you today; TAKE CHARGE. Times may be difficult but titans rise in the most difficult of circumstances and you have the potential to be one of them. My quote of the month is from Sir Winston Churchill who once said, "history will be kind to me for I intend to write it." That sounds arrogant but true. You write the story of your life. You might say, "I am not in charge of unforeseen circumstances" but I would argue that the most important thing is not what happens to you buy rather what you do with what happens. You might not be able to control what happens to you but you certainly can control your response to it. Note I say RESPONSE and not REACTION. These are two very important concepts to understand if you are going to take charge. Response is a thoughtful, measured and objective set of actions that one takes to tackle a problem. Reaction on the other hand is quick, thoughtless and usually an emotional set of actions that one takes to tackle a problem. You might be saying, Campbell I don't feel in control of my life? How do I take charge? Before I answer that question, know that I believe that you cannot achieve anything without God. For me that is the starting point. I must find my strength in him otherwise all I do will be useless. Now I will give you a few tips on how you can learn to take charge.<br /><br /><strong>1. CONTROL YOUR INTERNAL WORLD</strong><br /><br />Most people lose control of their lives because they do not know how to control their internal world. The center of your internal world is the mind. If you can learn how to control your thoughts you can control your emotions, reactions and responses. Emotions do do not act independent of your mind; they are a product of your thoughts. The feeling of fear is as a result of meditating on negative thoughts as is anxiety. Optimism on the other hand is a product of positive thoughts as is confidence. <br />Therefore, control what you think by regulating your mental diet. Feed your mind with positive things and your thoughts, life and emotions will be follow suit.<br /><br />I know that most of you reading this are entrepreneurs and this simple principle also applies to you in business. Don't dwell on the negative news of the so called "global economic crisis." You do not know crisis and your mind should not go into crisis mode otherwise you will fail. You MUST think of opportunity and success amid what the world calls crisis. You are not like any other person; you are a success.<br /><br /><strong>2. STEP BACK </strong><br /><br />This is the best technique that you can ever learn in life. No matter what is thrown at you life, you must learn to step back, think and conduct a situational analysis and take appropriate action. This stepping back process can take seconds, minutes, hours, days or even months in some cases but its a skill that will save your life. Stepping back allows you to take an objective look at the situation, ask some tough questions before you step back in to take appropriate actions. If you own a business and you are feeling the pinch right now, take a few moments to step back and ask some very tough questions and then make some decisions that will propel you to the next level. In my last post I talked about making adjustments but these adjustments should only come after one has taken the time to step back and analyze the situation.<br /><br /><strong>3. MAKE BIGGER, BETTER AND BOLDER DECISIONS</strong><br /><br />Now is not the time to think small. Now is the time to raise the stakes. Now is the time to think bigger, better and bolder. The decisions you make today will determine the direction of your life or business for the next 5 to 10 years. Don't just think of surviving today, think of living tomorrow. Be bold about the direction you want to take in life. Have a bigger vision and become a better decision maker. People like to follow leaders who are not afraid to try something big and new. People want to reach for the stars but they need someone to lead them. I know that you want to see your dreams fulfilled so don't shrink back. Just go for it and make some big and bolder decisions.<br /><br />These are just a few things I think will help you take charge of your life. Now go and make a world of a difference.<br /><br />To your success,Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-56230006654082907742008-12-08T22:13:00.002-05:002008-12-08T22:56:42.067-05:00BAD ECONOMY=UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITYThe global economy has been in a slow down for a few months now. Big economies such as the USA and other European economies are now in recession and the ripple effect of this down turn is having adverse effects on third world countries. For the past few months I have been encouraging entrepreneurs to follow their dreams but the economic climate can be discouraging. What do you do now? Do you shelve your dream and settle for an average life? <br /><br />I believe that there will be unprecedented opportunity in this climate. People will have the chance to establish thriving businesses and create meaningful social change. Those who have some savings should take advantage of this situation and begin to acquire some assets that have been reduced in price. This is a moment ripe with opportunity for those who have vision and you should not stop in your tracks and be discouraged. Remember that with every economic contraction, there is an economic expansion. The next 2-3 years will be a contraction period and then the expansion will come. Those who make steps in the contraction period will reap a bountiful harvest when the economy expands. <br /><br />With that in mind, I want to take a few moments to give you some pointers on the kind of out-look you should have and the simple steps you can take in this contracted economy. <br /><br /><strong>1. <strong>DON'T PANIC</strong></strong><br />The last thing you want to do is lose control of yourself. If you lose control of your internal world, you will have no control over your external world. Panic produces instability and causes you to make bad emotional decisions. Keep your cool and be guided by your vision. <br /><br /><strong>2. ADJUST</strong><br />Some of your plans will have to change because they are based on yesterday's assumptions. Make some small adjustments in order to be effective and stay afloat. In your personal life you can look at your budget. Where can you save some money? Do you have to buy your lunch everyday or can you make something at home to bring for your lunch break? You cannot live the way you did a few months ago; things have changed.<br />If you are already in business, think of ways you can save without getting rid of jobs. Maybe you need to go digital and save on paper. I know that most of my audience is from third world nations but this applies to you too. Such kind of small adjustments will save you money and time. <br /><br /><strong>3. FOCUS AND TAKE CHARGE</strong><br />You cannot lose sight of what you want to achieve in life. This is the time to focus. You need to manage your life better and match your priorities with your vision. Review your written vision and make sure that you have a plan ready to go. I believe that there will be an injection of capital into the world economies one way or the other but the people that will benefit are those that have a plan and are focused enough to recognize opportunity when it knocks. <br /><br />These are just a few things you can do right now that will chnage your life. <br /><br />Now go and be a success!Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-43456610237380270772008-11-05T09:02:00.003-05:002008-11-05T09:56:58.545-05:00WHY OBAMA WON AND McCAIN LOSTAs you know by now America has a new president; President Barack Obama. I woke up at 5;30am on Tuesday to take my wife to the polls so she could vote for Barack. She is a registered republican but Obama stole her heart and mind. Before she got out of the car I said to her; go vote for both of us. Wow!<br />But how did Obama win?<br /><br />Obama was extremely disciplined with his message and his campaign strategy. There were times he was criticized for not changing strategy or message to suit the moment but in the end he came forth as prepared, calm and steady and plain presidential. I remember that he was criticised for not coming out quickly enough to make a statement on President Bush's proposed economic rescue plan or share his plan when the economy took a turn for the worst. But what everyone did not know was that behind the scenes, Barack Obama had read Bush's proposal and had convened a team of economic advisers from the Clinton years, the CEO of google and Warren Buffet the second richest man in the world to mention a few. His questions to them were simple: What is going on and what can we need do? In fact one of the advisers said; 'Barack said just give me the facts and what needs to be done-not a political answer to the crisis.' After this meeting Barack came and made a statement to the nation with a set of proposals to shore up the economy and prevent a collapse. He came forth as a candidate who understood what was exactly going on and how to fix it and again he looked presidential. <br />From this one situation we learn a few leadership lessons:<br /><br /><strong>1. Maintain your cool.</strong><br />You cannot afford to panic as a leader in a time of crisis.<br /><br /><strong>2. Solicit Advisers</strong><br />You don't know everything.Obama knew that he was not an economist so he brought in people who knew exactly what was going on.<br /><br /><strong><strong>3. Ask questions</strong></strong><br />Obama asked questions of his advisers. He wanted the facts and the suggested solutions. Someone who had worked with Obama in Chicago said; "when you are on a team led by Obama, the silent people will be interrogated until they share their ideas. He wants to know what everyone is thinking and then make a decision.<br /><br /><strong>4. Make a decision</strong><br />With all the information you get from your advisers, make a decision. This is your task as the leader.<br /><br /><strong>5. Inform </strong><br />The last thing Obama did was inform the nation of proposals. He drew a line in the sand and said this is where I stand. He was still flexible to other suggestions but he had some non-negotiables in his proposal as well.<br /><br />This response and McCain's reaction to a crisis changed the trajectory of the election. Obama started leading the polls and this election was won on that day.<br /><br />McCain on the hand did not have a measured response to the crisis. Firstly, he did not read Bush's proposed rescue plan until the 5Th day after its release. He was asked by a reporter in an interview about what he thought of the proposal and his answer was shocking. he simply said; "I have not read it and will get back to you after I do so." That statement was telling. He was a leader who had not taken the time to study the nation's present crisis and yet was running to be the crisis solver in chief.<br />Secondly, on September 15Th when it was announced that America lost jobs and that the stock market was going down the tubes, McCain said to the nation and I quote; "The fundamentals of our economy are still strong." That statement lost him the election. He showed himself to be a leader who did not understand the economic crisis and had no suggestions for fixing it.<br />As if this was not enough, McCain announced that he was suspending his campaign to go back to Washington and help solve this crisis. He got there and did not manage to move congress to work together. <br />So what did America see in these two leaders? They saw a steady, calm, knowlegdgable and visionary leader in Obama and an erratic, undisciplined, uniformed leader in McCain and America made its decision.<br /><br />Therefore, as a leader remember that crisis can either make or break you. When you are faced with a difficult situation, take a step back, seek help and understand the problem and what it will take to solve it. This will establish your leadership and make you a success.<br /><br />Now go and make your dream a reality and lead in a transformational way!<br />To your Success,Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-50985874748385238682008-10-11T21:12:00.005-04:002008-10-11T21:33:52.758-04:00World Changer of the Month: Lubuto Library ProjectI believe that we need to promote other people doing good in our continent. Every month I will post a story of an organization or individual making an impact in Africa or any where in the world through innovative ideas and projects. If you know of such a story please email me at destinyleadershipinc@gmail.com. The article below is courtesy of www.azaonline.org<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">BUILDING LIBRARIES FOR STREET KIDS </span> <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Written by azaonline.org <br />Monday, 23 June 2008<span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span><br /><br />The Lubuto Library Project grew from a seed planted at the end of the 1990s. From 1999 to 2001, Jane Kinney Meyers, the Lubuto Libary Project's President, was instrumental in establishing a ?street kids library? at the Fountain of Hope drop-in shelter in central Lusaka, Zambia.<br /><br />More of a reading room than full-fledged library, it grew out of a weekly reading program that Jane Meyers began, which attracted a whole cadre of volunteers. As word of the reading program spread, individuals, publishers and schools in both the United States and the United Kingdom donated thousands of new and used children?s books.<br /><br />A used 20 foot shipping container was adapted for use as a library by adding a door, windows, shelving and carpeting. Local embassies, businesses, charitable organizations and members of the Zambia Library Association facilitated the opening of the library. Two Fountain of Hope staff members were appointed to run the library.<br /><br />The street children loved the library, and treated the books with respect. Some children used the library to study for the secondary school entrance exam, and were able to pass, earning a right to attend public high school, which in Zambia are boarding institutions, and a better future. The need to build on this experience was clear, and the Lubuto Library Project was born. <br /><br />Lubuto libraries are special places where Africa's street kids and other marginalized children can read for themselves, look at books or have books read to them. In Lubuto libraries, children come in contact with and explore the world and their human heritage.<br /><br />Lubuto library buildings are designed to give homeless children profound and rich spaces, a ?home? to read and learn in. The libraries are havens from a harsh life, where children can just be children, and where books can allow them to dream and envision a better future.<br /><br />Giving vulnerable children the opportunity to learn to read and to learn, even if they are excluded from formal schooling, will help them to go in positive directions with their lives, knowing that society is providing a place for them and cares about their welfare.<br /><br />Lubuto Libraries introduce the communities in which the are established to the role libraries can play ? and have played in the U.S. ? in opening doors of opportunity for marginalized populations. That these libraries focus on the youngest and most vulnerable members of society makes their societal impact potentially very powerful. Adults, and youth from intact families who attend school, will also want to be in Lubuto Libraries ? and the resulting interaction will allow Lubuto's kids to be more connected to their culture and society, to others.<br /><br />Donations:<br /><br />We need your help ? and even small donations make a big difference when every penny you give goes toward building and stocking Lubuto Libraries!<br /><br />The Lubuto Library Project is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) public charity and donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. You may make a convenient and safe donation online by clicking the button at the left. We have partnered with Network for Good to securely process your donation by credit card. Make a one-time donation or pledge sustaining support to be charged monthly to your credit card. Our non-U.S. supporters can make a credit card donation on PayPal via Network for Good.<br /><br />After you have made your donation, you will be returned to our website.<br /><br />Alternatively, you can mail a check or money order payable to the Lubuto Library Project, Inc. in U.S. dollars to the address below:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.lubuto.org"></a>Lubuto Library Project, Inc.<br />5505 Connecticut Ave., NW, #368<br />Washington, DC 20015-2601<br />U.S.A.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">www.lubuto.org</span>Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-52449297547214043272008-10-02T07:07:00.002-04:002008-10-02T08:28:18.706-04:00An Entrepreneur's 1st StepsEntrepreneurship is a noble pursuit and could change the world for the better if approached in the right way. I believe that enterprise is one of the ways to fundamentally deal with social issues such as poverty, health and education. That is my philosophy. <br />Many people of religious persuasion have been taught for a long time that business is evil. This has been an erroneous teaching and has short-changed many a third world nation. Imagine if people with character, a love for humanity and a greater purpose beyond themselves, were engaged in enterprise-oh what difference they would bring to the world of business. <br />However, there are some important steps to take. <br /><br /><strong>DREAM BIG</strong><br /><br />Most people limit their ideas to something small. Something to just meet their immediate financial needs. Entrepreneurs are big thinkers. They have big ideas that go beyond the average and change the world. If you are simply pursuing enterprise for the advancement of your own interests, then you are not living at all. You are merely existing. <br />In his book, "The Art of the Start" (By the way a must read for any entrepreneur-believe me),Guy Kawasaki talks about "making meaning" as the first step to your business. He says, "meaning is not about money, power of prestige. Its not even about creating a fun place to work. Among the meanings of "meaning" are: Make the world a better place. Increase the quality of life. Right a terrible wrong. Prevent the end of something good."<br />He closes this section by asking you and I to complete an important statement about our business and dream. He says, " If your organization (or business) never existed, the world would be worse off because (complete the sentence)."<br />That is an important statement to complete right now because your business should seek to make the world a better place because entrepreneurs should not just be "profit conscious" but "socially conscious" as well.<br /><br /><strong>EXTERNALIZE</strong><br /><br />What do i mean by externalize? Dreaming is an internal exercise. It happens in your mind and your heart of hearts. But that dream now has to be communicated and lived-out. You can do this by simply forming what Kawasaki calls a "Mantra". Most companies call this a mission statement but Kawasaki argues that these can be long, boring and unmemorable. A mantra is a simple statement or sentence that summarizes what your business is all about. A mantra should be short but powerful. It can be as simple as "THINK" (IBM's mantra) or "Authentic Athletic performance (Nike's mantra). These are powerful statements that remind you of what you are all about because the fact is that when you get going, its easy to forget why you got into the business in the first place.<br /><br />In concluding, Kawasaki advices us not to confuse mantras with tag lines. He says, "A mantra is for your employees; it's a guideline for what they do in their jobs. A tag line is for your customers; it's a guideline for how to use your product or service. For example, Nike's manta is "Authentic athletic performance." Its tag line is 'just do it."<br /><br />This is an important step in developing your business idea because it will serve as a guide and encouragement to you.<br /><br /><strong>JUST DO IT!</strong><br /><br />You can spend a lot of time just dreaming your business. The best thing you can do is DO IT. Begin working on your dream to make it a reality. Have you noticed that most people are always planning? They are always thinking of a business idea? They are always crunching numbers? But they never get going and they have several excuses which include: Fear of failure, Procrastination, Lack of capital,Age (too young or too old) and the list goes on. President Franklin Roosevelt said, "The only thing to fear is fear itself." And Eleanor Roosevelt said, "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face." <br />In dealing with fear my philosophy is that You MUST <em>understand</em> your fears. <br />You MUST <em>Confront</em> your fears. But most importantly, you MUST <em>Overcome</em> your fears.<br /><br />Guy Kawasaki says, "the hardest thing about getting started is getting started...You should always be selling-not strategizing about selling." <br />Get going no matter what. For you it might be simply doing the things I've written about in this article. For another it might be buying the first product for your store or making a few phone calls to some would be suppliers. It can be as simple as getting business cards for yourself or making that headed paper you've been dreaming about. Whatever it is that you need to do to get going, DO IT!<br /><br />Do these things and you will have a date with destiny!<br />To your Success!Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-21226353226908032862008-08-19T00:30:00.003-04:002008-08-19T00:37:04.408-04:00AFRICAN ENTERPRISEAfrica stands at the cross-roads as once again we have become the attention of the whole world as we now offer a new surge in natural and human resources. Ours is a continent blessed by God in ways many continents can only dream of. However, we also face great challenges such as poverty, HIV/AIDS orphans, street kids, poor education and health standards, poor governance and economic policies to mention a few . I have been looking for practical ways to solve these problems and I’ve come to the conclusion that enterprise is a great starting point. Enterprise is defined by the American heritage dictionary as “the industrious, systematic activity, especially when directed toward profit.” Enterprise is usually undertaken by individuals and not governments. Therefore, economic change comes from the bottom-up. However, government has a part to play in ensuring that the economic environment and policies support and sustain enterprise. America is a great example of how enterprise can build and sustain a nation.<br /><br />Entrepreneurs are simply individuals who are involved in enterprise. They form businesses that provide services and products to the public while creating a profit. Entrepreneurs also create jobs and lead in innovating new products to solve emerging challenges. Entrepreneurs are an integral part of the development of any nation and as such should be supported. I believe that Africa must promote entrepreneurship as a solution to problems such as poverty and that we as Africans must realize that governments exist not to provide our daily needs but rather facilitate our efforts to meet our needs. This shift in thinking is necessary if we are to develop into a great continent that solves its own problems. Of course I do believe that governments have a responsibility to take care of their citizens but how this is achieved is certainly not through handouts. Handouts impoverish while incentives empower. This is why Africa must promote and support African entrepreneurs.<br /><br /><strong>THE ENTREPRENEUR DNA</strong><br />All entrepreneurs have certain traits in common and I want to show you that this person exists in you. Yes, there is an entrepreneur in you. Many Africans I’ve met think they need to be really special to come up with an idea that will dazzle the world. They think entrepreneurs come from somewhere else other than their own backyard. These are misconceptions we must deal with as Africans. We are intelligent, hardworking, creative and certainly world-class material. We are entrepreneurs. Here is how you can recognize the entrepreneur in you. Entrepreneurs are:<br /><br /><strong>1.CREATIVE:</strong> Entrepreneurs are creative people. They are always thinking of how to do something better and make a business out of it. They solve problems by being creative. Creativity is not hard. All you need is the time to sit down and think through an idea. Brainstorm ways you can do something better or simply create a new product all together. Creativity is part of your DNA as a human being, therefore, use it.<br /><br /><strong>2.PASSIONATE:</strong> Entrepreneurs are people who pursue their ideas with passion. They put their all into an idea to make it a success. <br /><br /><strong>3.VISIONARY:</strong> Entrepreneurs are people of vision. They develop a clear mental picture of their future and pursue it. They can see what is coming down the road and prepare for it. They re visionaries.<br /><br /><strong>4.RISK-TAKERS:</strong> Risk is part of the definition of an entrepreneur. They are always pushing the envelope and trying out new things. They are not gamblers but rather strategists who carefully weigh their risks and know the consequences of their decisions. They gladly embrace adversity and see it as an opportunity to improve themselves and their ideas. They realize that in adversity lie great opportunities. <br /><br /><strong>5.CONFIDENT:</strong> They are sure of themselves and of their ideas. They do not listen to naysayers but rather maintain a positive attitude even in the face of failure. They are confident in their abilities and take the time to develop and use them. They realize that they are their greatest asset.<br /><br /><strong>6.DETERMINED:</strong> They never say die. When they fall and fail, they simply get up and try again. They never give up and never take no for an answer. They are determined to make their ideas a reality.<br /><br />These and many more are traits of an entrepreneur. Now this person exists in you and I ask you to simply believe in yourself. Begin to see this person in you. Look beyond the negative notions that have been planted in your mind by the naysayers in your life. Look beyond the damage caused by a low self-esteem that developed as a result of hearing people repeatedly say to you; “you will never amount to anything.” Look beyond the wounds caused by failure and begin to dream again because there is an entrepreneur in you. You were meant for greatness and in you is the next big idea.<br /><br />I am absolutely confident that if we can have a few Africans dedicated to becoming entrepreneurs, our continent will never be the same. A band of young men and women whose sole desire is to see Africa rise above her troubles through the idea of enterprise. I challenge you to begin finding peers that are like minded and begin to pull resources together and venture into business. As we will learn in a few weeks, there is power in “WE”. So go ahead; dream, create, innovate and change the face of Africa. <br /><br />To African’s Success,Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-17590780401393131062008-08-07T12:08:00.002-04:002008-08-07T12:53:57.823-04:00THE POWER OF AN IDEALook around you. Everything you see is a product of thought. Before it became, it was idea in some one's mind. An idea is a thought, a conception, a powerful impression in one's mind. The computer you're looking at was first an Idea in someones' mind before it was made. Ideas are all around us and most importantly IN us.<br />As a leader, you have ideas and remember that I've always said you don't have to be in a position of authority to realize your leadership because you are first and foremost a leader of one follower-YOU! <br /><br />Ideas are powerful and in fact the possession and actualization of an idea usually establishes one as a leader. Take for example Bill Gates who had an idea of developing computer software and putting a computer on every desk in the world. That idea birthed Microsoft Windows and established him as the leader in the industry. Ideas birth leadership. So what Idea do you have? <br /><br />However, the presence of an idea does not guarantee its actualization. For an idea to be realized you must do certain things.<br /><br /><strong>1. WRITE AND THINK IT THROUGH</strong><br />Many ideas die because people do not take the time to write them down and to really think about them. Will this work? How will it work? Will it meet a need? All these and many more are questions that come up when one becomes focused on a written idea.<br /><br /><strong>2. WORK AT IT</strong><br />Just do it. Its that simple. Some people might do the first but they have every reason imaginable for not doing this second step. Everything from having no time to my wife doesn't like it, you name it. Many of us sabotage our own success by not acting on the ideas we have. We procrastinate and talk ourselves out of success. Many people want to be wealthy and some even pray for it. However, God's answer is not a trunk of money falling from heaven but rather an idea or opportunity. Henry Ford once said that <em>"many people miss opportunities because they come wearing overalls and they look like work."</em> Many of us want effortless success but no such thing exists in this world. So what are you doing to make your idea a reality? <br /><br /><strong>3. DISCIPLINE</strong><br />Discipline is simply regimented activity that develops or improves an idea, skill or self. Discipline is the key to making your ideas a reality. If you purpose to work on your idea everyday without fail, you are exercising discipline and you will make your idea a reality. Habit is disciplined activity and we all must make a habit of working on our ideas.<br /><br />As a leader, your ideas can propel you to greater success but it takes thinking, action and discipline. Keep on working on those ideas because your mind is the richest Goldmine in the world.<br /><br /><strong>LIVE TO SUCCEED</strong>Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-79797194331541945342008-07-14T09:02:00.003-04:002008-07-14T09:24:14.524-04:00AFRICA ROBBED IN BRAOD DAYLIGHT: Watch out for China and RussiaHello everyone,<br />I've watching the situation in Zimbabwe with keen interest and concern for our brothers and sisters suffering at the hands of a dictatorial leadership. Russia and China just vetoed a vote for sanctions against Zimbabwe and Mugabe. Russia and China are not interested in peace for Africans because they want our natural resources; plain and simple. Their economies are growing at a very fast pace, therefore, needing inexpensive resources and Africa has become the source for that. Supporting turmoil is a strategy to rob us blind. As long as we keep on fighting with each other it shifts our focus from developing and guarding our resources. Is our African leadership so blind and selfish?<br /><br />Mugabe should be removed from power at all cost. He is nothing but an old colonial leader who is unfortunately showing his true colors. Where are the Kaundas and Mujomas as statesmen? Mandela spoke his mind but where is Mbeki's backbone? Our African union failed to act. What's their use if they cannot even protect Africa. I believe a change is coming and when it does every leader will be held accountable. China should stop fueling the war in Dafur and pay world prices for all the oil and minerals they are getting from Africa. They should succumb to the same investor policies that actually help Africa rather than rob her. Our current leaders may be old, selfish and blind but their is a brand of Leaders rising and they will deliver a new kind of leadership.<br /><br />I just thought I should get that off my chest. Thanks for listening.Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-57537575456090118262008-06-26T18:02:00.002-04:002008-06-26T19:08:31.269-04:00LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM OBAMA-PART 2In my last post we looked at what we could learn from Barack Obama as leaders. Here is the second installment.<br /><br /><strong>4. LONG-TERM STRATEGY</strong><br />When Obama began his campaign, he was realistic about his chances of success. He knew that it would take a lot for him to win his party's nomination. The one thing he really understood was the fact that delegates and not popular vote decided the nominee. This understanding shaped his campaign's strategy. He competed wherever he could pick up delegates and also challenged his opponents in the more traditional battle grounds. He won eleven straight victories after super-Tuesday in small states and picked up a lot of delegates putting him ahead of Hillary Clinton. Clinton thought it would be over on February 5th and never had a plan for February 6th, therefore, she lost the nomination fight.<br /><br />As a leader you must face reality if you are to succeed. Do not be deluded by your won ambitions but critically look at your chances of success. <br />Secondly, formulate a winning strategy and execute it with precision and patience. Strategy is simply a plan for fulfilling your end result. It has specific action steps and measurable goals which are implemented on a daily and consistent basis. Strategy is what separates Great leaders from good ones.<br /><br /><strong>5. INNOVATION</strong><br />Innovation is simply something new or the introduction of new methodologies and the Obama campaign had no shortage of this. They used the Internet to raise funds for their campaign at a rate never seen in U.S. politics. Obama raised millions of dollars by engaging the common man. He invited donations of 3,5, and 10 dollars. All of a sudden an ordinary American felt part of the political landscape and part of a Movement. The Internet also helped the campaign make a family on the web that allowed hundreds of thousands of people to know exactly what was happening next in the campaign. This also became a pool of talent that the campaign used to get volunteers as well as big crowds at events.<br /><br />As a leader, you must innovate or you and your organization will die. We live in a world that is constantly changing and doing so at a very fast pace. Your organization has to embrace new ways of doing things and meet your customers where they are. Innovation is the life-line that will ensure your survival as a leader and as an organization. Many leaders get comfortable doing things the same way as long as its working for them. If it ain't broken, don't fix it; right? WRONG!<br />This may have been alright 15 years ago but the current market climate will not forgive such a misconception. You have to constantly evaluate yourself and your organization and ask the tough question: Can we do it better? Can I be better?<br />This kind of thinking is what is propelling companies such as Apple, Google, Microsoft and so many other entrepreneurs.<br /><br /><strong>6. FOCUS</strong><br />In the heat of a campaign, Obama maintained his focus on the issues that mattered most to him. He did not answer every critic but rather chose the important issues to handle. He had a few challenges especially with the incident involving his ex-pastor but even this was a lesson for the campaign and I think he learnt that when problems come up, deal with them promptly other wise they will derail your focus. When this issue subsided he called his staff and confessed to them the loss of focus and put the whole organization back on track to winning the nomination. This is what great leaders do.<br /><br />As a leader,understand that you are not superman or wonder woman; you are human and as such will make loads of mistakes and may lose focus. Focus is essential to your success and must be closely checked. Remind yourself of why you are leader and why you are doing what you are doing as an organization. This will help you maintain focus. Keep your eyes on the prize. Here are some distractions to your focus:<br /><br />a. <em><strong>Criticism:</strong></em> Don't take this to heart. Learn how to objectively take criticism even when you know that the critic maybe be wrong.<br /><strong>b. <em>Ego:</em></strong> Get "yourself" out of the way. You are not the center of attention nor does your organization and staff exist to serve you.<br />c. <strong><em>Failure:</em></strong> Learn how to successfully fail. Failure is not really a bad thing because it allows you to make adjustments to your strategy. However, many people don't know how to take this. They think that failure is a death sentence and this kind of thinking throws your focus off. Learn how to successfully fail.<br />d. <strong><em>Unclear goals:</em></strong> Your goals should be crystal clear otherwise you will lose focus. Know what you want, how you want to get there and what it will take to get there. Your goals should address these areas.<br /><br />These are just a few things I learnt from Obama. They have helped me and am sure will help you also in your leadership. Keep on leading and stay the course.<br /><br />Live to Succeed<br /><br /><strong></strong>Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-82731338787711485112008-06-10T23:16:00.007-04:002008-06-11T00:20:59.912-04:00LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM OBAMA-PART 1I am sure most of us are so excited to live at this time when history is being made in the world of politics. Barrack Obama, a junior senator from Illinois clinched the democratic nomination for president and now stands at the verge of becoming the first African American president of the United States and the free world. As a leader I was curious to know how he won the primary elections and what we can learn from him and his campaign as it pertains to leadership and success. Here are some lessons we can all apply to our areas of Leadership.<br /><br /><strong>1. KNOW AND USE WHAT YOU HAVE</strong><br />Obama is a gifted and articulate orator and he used these gifts to his advantage. His ability to inspire through words and action were key to his success. Obama did not look firstly to what was around him instead tapped into what was in him. <br />If you are to be a successful leader you must tap into the gifts, potential and talents that are already in you. YOU are your best asset. People will notice and gravitate to you once you announce who you are, what you have to offer and the confidence you have in your self to achieve your vision. What is in you? What gifts do you have? Use them and you will succeed as a great leader.<br />Obama also tapped into the life skills he had learnt and had been improving all of his adult life. He brought his community organizing skills to build what many have to call the best political organization in US history. What skills do you have? How can you use them in your organization to get the best results?<br /><br /><strong>2. KNOW YOUR MESSAGE AND STICK WITH IT</strong><br />For a leader, your vision must be translated to your people through a concise but powerful message. Obama achieved this by having one message-CHANGE. The message itself covered a large spectrum of issues but they all pointed to one word-CHANGE. His message was consistent and spoke to people's aspirations. <br />As a leader your role is to take people to a place that you alone have seen. Your message is the brush that helps paint a clear picture of your vision and solicits your followers undying support. Therefore, your vision should be easy to understand,speak to the aspirations of people, as well as paint a convincing picture of your destination.<br />One more thing-be consistent with your message. Consistency has to do with maintaining the content of your message as well has the number of times your message is presented. People don't like leaders who change their minds everyday-they love consistency. People also need to be frequently reminded of what you want to achieve. Share your vision as often as possible until it becomes the mantra of your organization.<br /><br /><strong>3. BUILD AN "A" TEAM</strong><br />Obama could not have succeeded without the help of a dedicated and talented team. The Obama campaign was filled with people with all types of backgrounds who brought their skills to the campaign and used them to be virtually unbeatable. Obama's speech writer is only 24 years old and his website was created and run by one of the co-founders of facebook. Obama managed to assemble what Napoleon Hill would call the mastermind- a team of gifted individuals. He also managed to attract people who were calm and even tempered like himself to avoid in-fighting. This was brilliance at its best.<br />As a leader you are responsible for creating a team that takes you to your vision. Your team should understand you, be innovative, flexible and talented. Your team should have some people that strongly share your views as well as those who strongly disagree with you and yet are willing to reach a comprise and make sound decisions. What kind of people have you surrounded yourself with? What do they have to offer? Do they share your views or disagree with you?<br />One thing Obama emphasized to his team in one of his first meetings was that he did not want any drama-no drama Obama they would call him. As a leader its important to communicate to your team how exactly you would want them to work with you. You are responsible for setting the ground rules failure to do so will result in divisions and misunderstandings. Such things will derail and delay your progress. <br /><br />There are many more Leadership lessons we can learn but for now let's reflect on these 3 and watch out for part 2 of Leadership Lessons from Obama.<br /><br /><em><strong>Until next time-Live to Succeed</strong></em>Campbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5579807570354735917.post-1041025730939330622008-05-30T22:58:00.003-04:002008-05-31T00:02:09.661-04:00LIVE TO SUCCEEDWe are at the half way mark in the year 2008. Most of us are already looking forward to next year but are we archiving what we set out to achieve for this year?<br />Its almost tradition for me to set sometime aside to plan at the beginning of the year and also a separate time in June to reflect on my progress and recalibrate my goals to line up with my vision. I would suggest that you do the same as well.<br />For those of you who read this blog you might remember that I posted something along these lines to help you with your vision in the new year but I will remind us of a few things<br /><br /><strong>1. Celebrate your successes</strong><br /><br />This is SO important because most of us get caught up in focusing on the negatives. What have you achieved in terms of your goals? Celebrate no matter how small it may seem. May be you said to yourself at the beginning of the year that you will join a gym but you are only getting to it half way through the year-Celebrate that effort. Self-encouragement releases doses of the winning attitude in you. Don't beat yourself up about your failures; instead develop the art of celebration. Magnify your successes and feed the champion in you.<br /><br /><strong>2.Refocus</strong><br /><br />Yes you have lost track of your goals but its not too late. There are six more months in 2008 and this can be your most productive time. Every so often the lens of a camera loses focus but by turning some dials the focus can be regained. What dials do you need to turn in your life to regain focus? You can turn the dial of time management so that you effectively use your time on the things that bring you closer to your vision instead of spending it on things that don't value to your life. You can turn the dial of self-discipline and develop the habit of self-development through reading books and listening to motivational and educative CDs etc. We lose focus when we stop looking at the vision we see in our hearts. Get back in touch with your vision and refocus.<br /><br /><strong>3. Plan your Work and Work your Plan</strong><br /><br />If you're serious about changing your life then you must have a plan. A plan is your road map to success and most of us start the year with a plan. Unfortunately as months go by we lose sight of that plan and begin to roll with the pouches. There is nothing wrong to roll with the punches but this is just your back-up. You should only do this when things are not going according to plan but not as your strategy. <br />You have a plan? Work it. If its too complex and overwhelming, break it down into bite size chunks and work it. Divide your plan into goals; goals into objectives; and objectives into action steps. Before you know it, you will be standing in the winners circle. Plan your work and work your plan.<br /><br />This is it for now.<br />Live to succeedCampbell Lumbilahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08035953535449892900noreply@blogger.com2