Doing business with purpose

Apr 13, 2020 |

The definition of 'purpose' that has always resonated with me is " the reason for which anything is done, created, or exists." (Free Dictionary). In 2018, I had the opportunity to sit on a panel at the Holmes Report's (now PRovoke) In2Summit Africa. The topic of discussion was “Finding Post-Truth Purpose: Why Addressing Societal Needs Is More Important Than Ever" and we explored the concept of Purpose-Driven Communications. My view then - and now - is that every organisation needs to have a purpose, to begin with. If you consider some of the standard objectives that businesses have,...

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How are you planning for an uncertain future?

Apr 9, 2020 |

"The question for certainty blocks the search for meaning. Uncertainty is the very condition to impel man to unfold his powers." Elrich Fromm Uncertainty should force us to shift away from business as usual. Uncertainty should force us to be creative with how we approach what has been our status quo. While, when submerged in the turmoil, it can be difficult to look beyond and plan for an unknown future, we have to try. Watching the way many have embraced the digital media over the last two weeks has been awesome. People have been stretching themselves, finding authentic ways to share...

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What it means to be a conscious parent

Apr 8, 2020 |

Becoming a father had - and continues to have - a profound effect on my life. I always knew I wanted to be a father yet, like everyone else, I can't say I was ready for it when it happened. Becoming a parent is one of those things that you can never really be prepared for; you have to experience it to get it. One of my favourite quotes about becoming a parent is from Elizabeth Stone, “Making the decision to have a child - it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ” How do you prepare for that? Today, I had the opportunity to participate...

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Being more than your job

Apr 7, 2020 |

The question that gets asked more at social events than any other is probably "So what do you do?" Don't quote me on this though, I have no empirical evidence that suggests it is so. It just feels that way to me. The minute you give an answer to this, the asker immediately decides on the kind of person you are off the basis of whatever stereotypes or thoughts they have of people in the same profession. Other than a stint as a magazine editor, when I had a clear answer to this question, I have been generally been left at a loss for words when asked. Amongst the different jobs I have had,...

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Is this the end of busyness ?

Apr 6, 2020 |

In their book Make Time: How To Focus On What Matters Every Day, Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky reference what they call ‘the Busy Bandwagon’. “The Busy Bandwagon is our culture of constant busyness – the overflowing inboxes, stuffed calendars, and endless to-do lists. According to the Busy Bandwagon mindset, if you want to meet the demands of the modern workplace and function in modern society, you must fill every minute with productivity.” Tim Kreider, in his 2012 article titled The Busy Trap, laments how ‘busy’ has become a boast, and writes, “Busyness serves as a kind of existential...

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Maserati: The Strength and Vigour of Neptune

Apr 3, 2020 | ,

Towards the end of 2018, I travelled to Italy with Maserati South Africa to not only experience the Levante SUV, but also to gain some insight into the brand’s history. At the time, I wrote an article for the magazine that I was working for, but then it went out of business. I have decided to share that article, with some images here. Navigating the Italian Countryside It is a random Thursday autumn morning and I am driving relatively delicately over narrow gravel and dirt roads through the Italian countryside up the road from the Varano De’Melegari circuit, not far from Palma. Next to me is...

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