dispatches from the new world of work

Two Great Days (Actually, Four Great Days)

As usual, great days in Johannesburg. This is about my 10th trip since the end of Apartheid in '94. Lots has changed. No surprise, in '95, my first trip, about 5% of my relatively senior business audience was Black. The number has consistently grown, to, I'd guess, about 60%.

While South Africa is still fraught with problems, the business community has remained vibrant. For instance, among the first 50 of the Africa 500 businesses, South Africa accounts for some 43. And the entrepreneurial class is really beginning to bloom.

One of the most amazing success stories in the new South Africa is a new college, serving thousands of kids mostly from the townships, in downtown Johannesburg called C.I.T.A. The founder, Taddy Belcher, and C.I.T.A. have won every S.A. "best innovator" award there is. I was delighted to be introduced by Taddy at the Global Leaders Africa Summit at which I spoke. Each of the "schools" at C.I.T.A. has a "patron." And Taddy reminded me and the audience that he had created a school a couple of years ago so that I could be its patron. I'm Patron of the School of Miracles—if you don't think that caused tearing up, you are nuts.

Again, Africa still has enormous problems, topped by HIV/AIDS, but there are also signs of emergence. (The Chinese mega-push for raw materials doesn't hurt!) Both my Botswana and S.A. trips were heartening and enlightening—and fun. As usual the "making new friends" bit was the highlight. (I plan to take the Botswana folks who offered to show me some of the amazing parts of the bush and veldt up on their offers.)

Enjoyed a couple of Americans, too. Among others (Rudy Giuliani, Rev Jesse Jackson, Michael Porter) who spoke were Carly Fiorina and the Nike-Starbucks brand-builder-inventor Scott Bedbury. I spent a lot of time with both of them (and Carly's delightful husband Frank). She is an amazing person with enough energy and intelligence to sink an armada of ships; ironically, ever so many of her cherished and controversial strategic initiatives at HP are now paying off Big Time. (I won a rather big smile when I told her that I thought that the Jim Collins Wall Street Journal Op-ed column trashing the then-prospective HP-Compaq merger was "one of the stupidest, ill-informed things that I had ever read"—which I did and do. In fact the HP-Compaq link-up is one of the rare BigCo mergers that I've ever supported. And, BTW, it's mostly working.)

Flew all night last night to London. And will hike all weekend in glorious Cornwall on England's matchless Coastal Path. Then an event here mid-week, back to the U.S.A. for another event, in MI—followed by a full month "on the Farm" in VT. (Coincidentally, my next time out after that is three S.E.Asia speeches in early August where Ms Fiorina and I will amuse and entertain—and perhaps occasionally enlighten—a few roomfuls of folks.)

Gotta go—walk in Hyde Park beckons, followed by my ritual visit to "world's best bookstore"—Hatchards on Picadilly.

Tom Peters posted this on 06/23/06.

Comments

Tom, thanks for the update. I'm reading Paul Theroux's travel book about Africa called "Dark Star Safari." It's the closest I'll get to visiting Africa anytime soon and has opened my eyes to the many problems over there. Have fun hiking!

Tim in Chicago

Posted by Tim at June 23, 2006 10:16 AM

I had the immense and awesome pleasure of visiting South Africa three years ago for a month. If anyone needs a reminder about how lucky we are in our UK and American economies - go visit the townships and I defy you not be moved. I would love to work there one day to learn from the locals.

Enjoy your trip to Cornwall - I lived in neighbouring Devon for 20 years. The coastal paths are indeed spectacular.

An ancient Devon and Cornish custom here for you Tomâ€¦.

Visitors to ye olde Devon and Cornwall are called 'Grockles' and 'Emmits' respectively so if anyone calls you either donâ€™t get offended â€“ just smile and say â€˜Thank you my beautyâ€™ â€“ By the way you have to try the local Cider!!!

Posted by Trevor Gay at June 23, 2006 11:32 AM

If you have a chance in future, check out Daunt Books in Marylebone High Street, the best bookshop in London for travellers and a wonderful original Edwardian interior...

Posted by Julian Boulter at June 23, 2006 11:56 AM

Hi Tom,

Make sure you visit Tintagel Castle in Cornwall if you haven't already done so. All the best, James.

Posted by James Wight at June 23, 2006 12:21 PM

Sorry I missed you this time, caught you last time you were here.

Glad you're spreading the world, Taddy's a super-hero and has a story more people just need to hear.

Chris Anderson, get this guy to TED.

Cheers Tom...!

Posted by Rich...! at June 25, 2006 5:59 AM

These are great times for South African business people, especially black entrepreneurs. I'm a South African living in Boston. Fortunatly me and my new American family we return regularly to witness and experience unprecidented changes. My US born children think SA is the "coolest" place on earth and their experiences their have given them a perspective on the world no classroom could ever provide. Every US child should visit Africa to see just how lucky they are here in the US.

It is heart warming to see how many black South African's now contribute to the growing middle and upper class.

I have been delighted to see so many of our SA friends previously based in the US or UK heading back home. We'll miss them but SA really needs is diaspora to return with their precious knowledge of how mature economies work. My only fear is that Africa's notoriously corrupt politics will be the greedy hand that dampens the excitement.

Posted by Richard Banfield at June 25, 2006 7:10 AM

We heard a Sermon from a South African Minister today who told us 1100 people in Africa are dying - mainly youngsters - EVERY DAY through Aids or the symptoms of Aids.

People in Africa are afraid of the disease Aids... how spooky that the word â€˜afraidâ€™ is made up of 2 syllables as follows; (AFR) (AID)

He also told us that ONE THIRD of the entire population of the planet goes to sleep every night wondering if they will have enough food to live tomorrow as a result of extreme poverty.

These are amazing stats that should make us all reflect seriously donâ€™t you think?

Posted by Trevor Gay at June 25, 2006 12:45 PM

I visited Joberg in South Africa for a week - and was blown away by it. It was amazing.

Three crucial points stood out.

South African companies prefer to grow in Africa rather than any other places. As one manager there put it, we're more cautions about doing business in the rest of the world rather than Africa. We "get" Africa.

South African companies are incredibly good at marketing and sales. They needed to be since they operated in a closed economy so long during the time of the Apartheid sanctions.

AIDS is a way of life there. if you're a team leader at any level in a company, you need to be able to deal with a workforce that's 20 - 30% infected with HIV/AIDS. So that adds a new dimension to all succession/career planning processes in companies.

Posted by Arun Sadhashivan at June 26, 2006 10:39 AM

Hi Arun - Great insights â€“ your comments make a lot of sense :-)

One point â€¦'AIDS is a way of life there.' â€“ Mmmmm â€¦ not sure about that â€¦. It implies we have to accept it â€¦.

I remember when I visited South Africa for a month three years ago the priority of Mr Mandela was education so hopefully in future generations it will not be 'a way of life'

There is clearly a long way to go but the rest of the world cannot just stand by and ignore it as if it is not â€˜ourâ€™ problem. It is â€˜ourâ€™ problem of course because we are talking about fellow human beings.

Posted by Trevor Gay at June 26, 2006 10:52 AM

South Africa has to be one of the most fascinating places on earth right now. Inflation and interest rates are at the lowest that they've been in decades. Business optimism is sky-high. The rest of Africa beckons as a market. Direct foreign investment since 1994 has disappointed, but now suddenly the Chinese are here in force with open cheque books. There is an palpable "can-do" attitude in the market.

The success stories of SAB Miller (now the second largest beer brewing company in the world) and others have proved to South Africans that "the sky's the limit." Are there warts? Sure, piles of them. HIV/AIDS and crime continue to debilitate. So does the continuing tragedy in Zimbabwe. The Rand's volatility doesn't help. Corruption is actually less of a concern overall, though, as NEPAD and other African governance enhancing structures begin to have an effect and corrput politicians and others in South Africa end up on the front pages of the newspapers at least and in court.

Where will South Africa be in a decade / two decades time compared to today? My best is: a FAR better place than today. Perhaps astoundingly better.

Posted by Rob Millard at June 28, 2006 1:34 AM