Business leaders have been asking a question repeatedly since January 2008: “What am I going to do with my staff? After all the ethnic strife and bloodshed, some of them don’t want to sit with each other on the same table. There is mistrust and acrimony in the air, all over my company. All that team-building, gone up in smoke…what shall I do?”
The last CEO to ask me that question received a brusque reply: “Why don’t you just close down your company?” Harsh, I know, but there was a point I was making. The more reasoned response is as follows: “When did you stop being a leader? Just because the country has ethnic problems, is that a reason for you to abdicate your leadership role? Who, other than you, can solve this? Why can’t you set the example and lead the way to communal harmony, in your company? Why can’t your organisation become a model of what Kenya could be? Is it not within your power to demonstrate a higher calling to Kenyans than mere ethnicity?”
I am always surprised by how few Kenyans there are (including leaders) who want to take responsibility for events. Our ethnic conflagration was not our fault, it was someone else’s. The British, the Americans, the global media, tribal warlords, rapacious leaders, primordial anger, dumb natives – there’s always a scapegoat we can find. But we educated, business-minded, sophisticated, urbane managers can never be responsible for such a thing, can we?
Oh really? Then why were we the ones gleefully sending on hate-filled text messages and e-mails? Why were we donating funds for ethnic militias? Why are we the ones who can’t discuss anything with any fellow Kenyans until we know their name and home area – so that we can proceed with an armload of prejudices and stereotypes? And why, when we could see the negative ethnicity present all around us for years, did none of us ever step forward to do something about it?
Give it a break, people. That song is out of tune. We all live in this country; we must all take responsibility for its state and do something about it.
So, there are you are sitting at the board table with your top team before you. You see that your Luo executives are counting the number of Kikuyu at the table for ‘enslaving’ them, and the Kikuyu are glaring with barely disguised resentment at the Kalenjin, for dispossessing them and taking ‘their’ property.
What should you do? Be a leader! Whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Don’t let these feelings simmer: they’ll boil over one day and turn very ugly. Face the demon, and bring it out into the open. When it is removed from the darkness, you’ll see that it is a rather small and not very scary animal.
Appeal to your team’s higher nature, the one that transcends tribe and birthplace. Everyone has such a higher nature – without it we would be beasts of the jungle. Banish and outlaw boorish, bigoted behaviour in the organisation – and punish it ruthlessly if it happens. But also understand the resentments that cause this sort of thing: pay deep attention, and focus on the child inside the adult who feels thwarted and belittled.
Some leaders are able to do this just fine. At Bidco’s Thika refinery, ethnic problems flared up in January just as they did everywhere else. But at Bidco they weren’t allowed to escalate. When communities started exchanging ultimatums, the leadership team swung into full gear. Company-wide meetings were called to denounce the threats. The police and the local MP were brought in to quell misgiving and unease. All employees were given mobile phone numbers to call, day or night.
In addition, Bidco employees held hands and sang the national anthem every morning, in addition to their regular ‘Kaizen’ pledge. Staff members were encouraged to speak freely about their fears and anger, and issues were discussed openly. Needless to say, the problem did not last long at Bidco. The company is one Kenya’s most admired businesses, and aims to be an Africa market leader very soon. Are you surprised?
We are all given a sphere of influence in our lives. Few can affect the entire nation, but most of us have a spouse, a family, a neighbourhood, a community, an organisation. We can extend great influence in this arena. We can set an example, and we can show a better way. We can instil good values, and talk the good talk. But do we do it? Mostly, no. We sit back and let madness build around us, without for a moment thinking through the consequences of our inaction.
Will President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila and Minister Karua deliver national healing and reconciliation? Is that what we are waiting for – commissions of enquiry, national task forces, fine words? Or are we – you and I – going to embrace each other, do the right thing and spread the right message?
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Sunny
Sorry to say this but your article was a bit cliche’ for me.We have all heard many times before about how we need to be Magnanimous and ‘love our neighbour as we love ourselves’.
Solutions are what lack. I had hoped you’d give your opinion of what ought to be done to permanently solve our problems besides holding hands and singing the national anthem.
This is what me think:
Land issue in Kenya
1. Ministry of lands to identify irregularly allocated land in country and reposses it.Purpose of this exercise would be to correct injustices committed.
2. Ministry of lands to make public( at district level) what land is owned by whom in each area eg. names of Land owners in thika district be published at Thika district HQ. Purpose of this is to let people know what thay own so as to avert double ownership of land. This is a regaular problem in kenya , where people hold legal title deeds to the same piece of land.
3. Gazetting of ancestral land, by ministry of lands ,in all districts so as to ensure each community retains its piece of earth. In the same breath , land that is non-ancestral should also be made known.
Nicholas
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Nicholas:
Don’t be sorry! I agree with you that the land issue is vexed and complicated, and must be addressed to everyone’s satisfaction.
But while we wait for that, a poison grows unchecked in the country. My article was an appeal to all: don’t allow ethnic bitterness to grow under your feet. We may not all be able to solve the land issue, but we can all prevent tribal hatred from growing in our presence.
You may feel cynical, but all that I wrote about Bidco has actually worked there. I heard about it and went to see for myself. So no cliches, just facts on the ground.
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Leadership begins not necessarily at hom,e. But it begins with service and it ends with service. That really should be hammered into all heads.
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This article makes an interesting reading. If we all have to do our part no matter how minor, the problem of ethinicity will be no more. But most kenyans me included never lead by example they expect our “leaders” to lead us out of our myriad of problems. Will they ever ? your guess is as good as mine
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Its refreshing to read your articles every week becuase your views are alawys so refreshingly honest. Personally I would like to thank for the advice you gave in regard to dealing with individuals who show up late for meetings. I used to take it personally and get angry but these days i simply carry a book. Its amazing how time flies when you are enjoying a good book. I sometimes fail to even notice that the person is that late. I also enjoyed your article on the new breed of normad workers who do not work from there offices. Currently I am trying to start a viable business venture and most of my time is spent either walking or coffee houses. Its just good to know that I am not the only one who practices these habits. Keep up the good job and I hope to attend one of your talks soon.
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This sounds like the water to quench my thirst. It does not taste like the bitter waters of Mara that the Israelites drunk and that we keep drinking. Kudos for Bidco.
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