Mandela's cadeau aan de wereld (geschreven door Leontine van Hooft)

Een groot en gerespecteerd mens is heen gegaan. Een leider, geliefd en gerespecteerd in de gehele wereld, ongeacht iemands  sexe, kleur, geloof, rang of stand. Een man die boven zichzelf uitsteeg en tergelijkertijd nederig klein was. Een man , gepokt en gemazeld door het leven. Zijn levensverhaal heeft velen, jong en oud geinspireerd. Velen hebben energie, om persoonlijke uitdagingen aan te gaan, uit hem geput.

Hoe kon hij de innerlijke kracht vinden om boven zichzelf uit te stijgen? Wat waren zijn drijfveren?

Hij werd geen voorbeeld voor velen omdat hij zo lang in de gevangenis heeft gezeten;  Hij werd een rolmodel omdat hij de ambitie had om iets te veranderen! Met zijn positieve kijk , creativiteit en volhardendheid als overlevingsmeganisme heeft hij bergen verzet.

Sterke leiders, zoals Mandela,  beschikken over een rijke balans tussen visie, lef, passie en compassie.  Zij hebbben een ijzersterke missie en weten dromen en idealen om te zetten in werkelijkheid. Zij beschikken over charisma en authenticiteit en weten een wij-gevoel te creeëren dat mensen energie geeft en hun verenigd. Het leiderschap wordt hen als vanzelfsprekend gegund.  Zij weten hun omgeving naar een hoger plan te brengen.

Hoe komt het dat Mandela geworden is wie hij was?

Gewoon, omdat hij zo is opgevoed. Mandela is grootgebracht in een omgeving waar community values de norm vertegenwoordigen. De ruggegraat van deze communities vormt de humanistisch Afrikaanse  filosofie ‘ Ubuntu’ en betekent zoveel als:’I exist because of we’. Verbinding staat daarbij centraal. Je kunt als mens niet functioneren als je geen deel uitmaakt van een groter geheel. 

Logischerwijs heeft zijn opvoeding zijn stijl van leiding geven en zijn kijk op organisaties sterk beinvloed. Hij stuurde het ANC aan zoals een community. Hiermee maakte Ubuntu zijn entree als Afrikaans model voor organisatie ontwikkeling.  Afrikanen passen inmiddels deze humanistische filosofie toe in alle sectoren van de samenleving. Van politiek, rechtspraak en religie tot gezondheidszorg, onderwijs en economie. Het verklaart mede de nu sterke opkomst van het Afrikaanse continent.

Wat zou er gebeuren als we het Westerse individualistische  denken ’Ik ben dus ik besta’, zouden vervangen door ‘I exist because of we’? Wat zou er gebeuren als Ubuntu het morele kompas zou worden voor Westerse organisaties en het model voor  de Westerse samenleving ? Wat zou er gebeuren als de nalatenschap van Mandela oprecht toegepast zou worden?

Een groter geschenk is niet denkbaar.

Kijk eens naar de sterren....een beter moment voor herijking is er niet.

Leontine van Hooft is inclusief ondernemer in Afrikaanse opkomende markten, corporate antropologist, spreker en auteur van het leiderschapsboek: De kracht van Afrikaans denken; over Ubuntu, verbindend leiderschap en een nieuwe wereld.

A new world needs new leadership:

Africa's gift to the world.

The book offers inspiration and lessons for leaders and managers of today. It talks about Ubuntu, the humanistic philosophy of life rooted in the genes of the African people. It explains the relationship between this philosophy and the blooming of the African Renaissance and how it can be used in the challenging business of today.

The world is facing Challenges

Many great changes are happening now, with no end in sight. It promises to be a captivating period, which demands proper leadership in the twenty-first century, in all its complexity and with its global questions. The power of multinationals and hugely wealthy leaders has become larger and more influential than governments and administrations during the last few decades. Rising economies see these multinationals and leaders more as catalysts and partners in the fight against poverty. The individualism in the western world is fully examined. In the world of today there are more problems facing developed countries with the Western World facing recession.  With all these challenges, very special kind of leadership is necessary to best anticipate and profit from it; not the sort of leadership at the root of the crisis, but rather leaders who know how to rise above their own importance. These are leaders with courage, audacity and the ambition to share with others at this complex time. But such leaders are difficult to find.

Type of Leaders wanted in the 21^st Century.

The twenty first century is an interesting but particularly complex era. There is a growing realization that another type of leader is necessary to steer us through all the crises of the west, environmental problems, rising terrorism, the growing division between the rich and the poor, the lack of trust between citizens and consumers, and the increasing awareness that things must change. These are leaders who can build a tribal community, and whose most important objective is the well-being of the community rather than their own personal success. They have a commanding personality, driven by a mission greater than himself, with inner resources, dreams and passion. These are people who are capable to share and connect, and possess a sense of justice. They do not become rich at the expense of others, nor do they allow corruption or extreme wealth to cause harm to their leadership. Good leadership in the twentieth century is impossible without a good balance between attitude, competencies and emotions. These are leaders like Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Kofi Annan, Obama, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf e.t.c. Their type of leadership unites social, physical, mental and spiritual dimensions.

The Gift of Africa: Ubuntu, the humanistic philosophy.

It is the essence of being human, it embraces hospitality, caring about others, being willing to go the extra mile for the sake of others. A person is a person through others. Therefore Ubuntu clearly shows that we cannot function without being part of a stronger connection. Ubuntu is based on the principles of: respect, trust, courage, entrepreneurship, compassion and dignity. Good leaders approach their employees from a perspective of human value rather than superior attitude. If people feel truly connected with each other, there exists a dynamic of positive energy which can lead to great results. Tribal leaders strongly connected and closely linked to their employees and they know how to create a climate of trust, where people are encouraged to grow and learn from their mistakes. They are intuitive listeners, they know how to stimulate and motivate people and give them self-confidence. They are able to approach everything, including the company, from a wide context, which means that they put the ‘I exist because of we’ principle into practice.

Ubuntu is now able to take its rightful place on the world’s stage, which means that the African Renaissance can serve as an example for the western world. Ubuntu in fact offers to the western world suggestions and requirements for a better life, both for the individual and his surroundings, and for sustainable economic development. A strongly rooted tribal principle has contributed to rapid economic growth in African countries. The people of Bhutan used Ubuntu principle and they believe in Gross National Happiness not Gross National Product which according to them leads to greediness and corruption. They have successfully used it in their government and their happiness is measure by number of children playing in the streets. In South Africa it is called Ubuntu, In Zimbabwe its Hunhu, in Tanzania its Ujamaa, in Botswana its Botho, Umundu in Kenya e.t.c. Ubuntu is being implemented in Botswana, Tanzania, South Africa, Ghana, Liberia and other African countries.

Does Leontine walk the talk?

Leontine van Hooft and Léon van Rijckevorsel are the directors at GreenDreamCompany. For Leontine it was not the love of just writing a book, but she also practice good leadership that she preaches every day. At GreenDreamCompany they practice Ubuntu. Everyday employees drink coffee/tea together and share jokes. All employees are equal; the working environment is friendly and with flexible working hours. They practice charismatic leadership and employees have greater room to be creative and suggest whatever they think. This makes employees enjoy their work. This is the same type of leadership at Axiz in South Africa and SEMCO in Brazil. Leontine van Hooft is the author of the book; she is a speaker and an entrepreneur. In 2011 she won the prize of the entrepreneur of the year.

For your own hard copy or e-book go to Amazon.com. 
The hard copy’s ISBN number is 978-90-820987-0-9 (or click).
The e-book ISBN number is 978-90-820987-1-6 (or click).

To have a look at the chapters in the book please follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEBX3GIYaU8   

For those with no access to Amazon.com they can order the book directly from Leontine van Hooft at:
leontinevanhooft@gmail.com or l.van.hooft@greendreamcompany.com 
Twitter: @ubuntu_for_you
 www.leontinevanhooft.nl 
www.greendreamcompany.com.

The Book: The Power of African Thinking

The waiting is over, the English version of the book is now available at Amazon.com.

This book is about Ubuntu, unifying leadership and a new world. Ubuntu means as much as ‘I exist because of we’. It describes what exactly it is, that good leaders like Nelson Mandela, Kofi Anan, Ellen Sirleaf and Desmond Tutu found their roots in Africa. It includes Leontine’s personal experience in doing business in Africa. Furthermore, it also explains the growth of the African economy and what the Western world can learn from it. The Dutch version of the book is called ‘De kracht van Afrikaans denken’.

Watch the video below showing the book and its chapters. 

For more information contact:

leontinevanhooft@gmail.com
l.van.hooft@greendreamcompany.com
Twitter @ubuntu_for_you @leontinevhooft
www.leontinevanhooft.nl

www.greendreamcompany.com

AFRICA: THE SHINNING STAR

Investment Opportunities in Africa

Many investors have been skeptical when it comes to investing in Africa. This is due to the bad publicity and the way Africa is portrayed in the western media. But the reality on the ground is that, according to IMF Africa has 11 of the 20 fastest growing economies in the word. Rwanda and Ethiopia are among the best performing economies in Africa. Furthermore according to the World Bank African countries are also improving in terms of easy to do business with and Rwanda is at number 3 and Ethiopia at number 13 in Africa. Africa is very suitable for investment as witnessed by its growth rate as compared to the developed markets and other emerging markets. In sub Saharan Africa GDP growth is expected to average 5% in the next 10 years which is higher than 2.5% expected in USA and 1.5% expected in Western Europe. According to the Business Report Ethiopia expects 11% economic growth rate in the year 2013/2014 and Rwanda is expected to grow by more than 7%. Furthermore Rwanda is now the second most stable country in Africa after Botswana.

The company that seems to understand the African continent better is GreenDreamCompany in the Netherlands. They have planned to spend 15 Million Euros of investment in Ethiopia and Rwanda. GreenDreamCompany transforms rural areas into world class tourism destinations. Their aim is to make a positive change in people's lives and reduce poverty. Their projects are developed, realized and exploited according to the European standards. They have three projects which are explained as below:

Their first project- Their first project is in Ethiopia and it’s called the Gorgora Nova Rock Resort. It will consist of a world class hotel and villas. The structures of the buildings are inspired by the surrounding king’s palaces. The resort will have beautiful family parks that can be used for relaxation, family pick nicks and weddings. This is achievable as the gardeners’ have already started planting trees and flowers for the park. The hotel will have facilities for conferences, meetings and marriages. The other activities that will be found at this resort are some water sports in the form of sailing. Those who would want to learn the sport will receive some lessons from a well qualified instructor. Furthermore there will be a recreational boat that can be used for business meetings, for wedding purposes and other uses. This project is at an advanced stage as compared to the other projects because a pilot building has been constructed which is being used as an information center, roads are being made, plants and flowers are being planted, and the ground has been leveled. This project has its own facebook page as shown below. For more information, photos and videos of this project please visit: https://www.facebook.com/gorgoranovarockresort?ref=hl

Their second project-The second project is in Rwanda at Lake Kivu and it is called Mbabara Island Eco-Resort. They will build hotels and hotel villas on the island using the modern ecological technology. This will be accompanied by a sailing school and some water sports. This project will be successful as it is the first of its kind in the country as it will create entertainment and facilities for business meetings and weddings. This island was selected together with the minister of Tourism and International Trade as the government want the area to be an attractive tourism destination in the future.

The third project- The third project is Addis Hills Wine Estate. This project is in the hills around Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and it is in the pre-initiative stage. 

All these projects are developed, realised and exploited according to the European standards. The projects will be successful because the locations are well known for their rich natural and cultural heritage. Furthermore, they will be part of the Solomon’s Hidden Treasure Franchise Formula, which offers advantages in comparison to other hotels.

VC4Africa (Investment Opportunities)

GreenDreamCompany is currently looking for investors who are willing to invest in its projects. Investors can choose the project they want to invest in and it is also possible to invest in more than one project. In this quest the organisation has registered its venture (the three projects) at VC4Africa as it is a platform to share ideas with other entrepreneurs and to look for investors. The venture is registered under the name GreenDreamInvestments. In return for their money investors can get shares or they can get their money back within agreed period in future which means it will be regarded as a loan. For those who are members of VC4Africa and willing to invest they can log in and send a message to GreenDreamInvestments but for those who are not members of VC4Africa, they can send a massage using the contact details given below. For more information please visit: https://vc4africa.biz/ventures/greendreaminvestments/

More information about the company, its projects, photos and videos please visit the company site at: http://www.greendreamcompany.com/ and facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/Greendreamcompany. You can also call at 31 0418517435.

Verduurzaming waardeketens cruciaal voor succesvolle (gebieds-) ontwikkeling

Voor het succes van een gebiedsontwikkeling is het vormgeven en verduurzamen van waardeketens een belangrijke voorwaarde. Denk hierbij aan de waardeketens (value chains) en de toeleveranciersketens (supply chains).
Door lokale samenwerking ontstaat er, naast het ecologische voordeel, een duurzame economische stimulans, die bijdraagt aan vergroting van de werkgelegenheid en groei van de regio.


De legende van 'de stenensoep'
Deze legende verhaalt over een soep die in lang vervlogen tijden geïntroduceerd werd door een reiziger, die precies wist wat er nodig was om de gemeenschapszin in een ingeslapen dorp een nieuwe impuls te geven en om samenwerking onder de mensen te stimuleren: een stenensoep!
De reiziger begon met een pan water en deed daar een steen in. Daarna werd elke dorpsinwoner gevraagd een bijdrage te leveren in de vorm van zijn of haar unieke ingredient. Zo ontstond de lekkerste soep die niemand individueel had kunnen bereiden. De eerste steen was slechts het beginpunt en de katalysator om de dorpelingen aan te zetten tot het creëren van iets wat ze voorheen niet voor mogelijk hielden.

Relatie met gebiedsontwikkeling
Deze metafoor kan tevens één-op-één gelegd worden onder een succesvolle gebiedsontwikkeling, waarbij door de introductie van een 'katalysator' (in de vorm van een economische trekker) een gebied tot wasdom komt door directe participatie van de directe omgeving in die ontwikkeling. Waardeketens worden geactiveerd door het vinden van toeleveranciers in die directe omgeving en door deze te stimuleren om consistent en kwalitatief juist te kunnen leveren. Hierdoor wordt gewerkt aan een duurzame relatie, die zekerheid biedt naar de toekomst en door samen te werken aan kennisontwikkeling en innovatie worden deze waardeketens inhoudelijk verder ontwikkeld.

In de praktijk
Concreet voorbeeld is de ontwikkeling van toerisme in een landelijk gebied, waarbij de komst van een camping of hotel als economische trekker fungeert en als katalysator werkt op de omgeving: de ontwikkelaar investeert in een passend plan, de overheid pakt haar rol door het aanleggen van de benodigde infrastructuur, de boeren in de directe omgeving worden toeleverancier van dagelijks vers vlees, groenten en fruit, kennisinstituten bevorderen de uitwisseling van 'know-how' en de lokale bevolking laat zich opleiden tot uitstekende werknemers en zijn de ambassadeurs voor de gehele regio. Het oppakken van je eigen rol maar samen werken aan het geheel is de basis voor een duurzame (gebieds)ontwikkeling.

In bovenstaande aanpak ligt het principe van de Ubuntu-filosofie besloten:  'I exist because of we''. Deze uit de Zulu-cultuur afkomstige samenwerkingsvorm is gebaseerd op het principe  dat je zelf slechts kan excelleren wanneer je het collectieve belang dient.

GreenDreamCompany: What can Ubuntu mean for Dutch companies?

GreenDreamCompany: What can Ubuntu mean for Dutch companies?: "By Sylvia Tallam The earlier blog suggested that Ubuntu, an African philosophy has a positive impact on business. It is perceived to bear..."

What can Ubuntu mean for Dutch companies?

By Sylvia Tallam

The earlier blog suggested that Ubuntu, an African philosophy has a positive impact on business. It is perceived to bear fruits if embraced by organisations. According to the blog, the current financial crisis is attributed to little corporation between the companies and its employees for a common organizational goal.

A solution could be found by borrowing Ubuntu aspects. An in-depth look at the philosophy can mean we are like a thumb (Mbigi 1995; 111): in order to work effectively we need corporation with the other fingers. A thumb symbolises the company while the fingers symbolise the employees. There is need for employers and employees to assist each other. Practically, there is need for corporation and being open to collective forums in the organisations.

The following African philosophy aspects can be helpful for organisations to be successful:

The first aspect is contribution. Every employee brings in something that the organisation needs. Therefore it can be effective if everyone contributes in decision making and in daily chores of the organisation. It is important to consult employees on decisions that will affect them. On the contrary, most companies make decisions with less consultation. It is good to give everyone room to present their views. This can boost organisations sensitivity.

Secondly is the aspect of mutuality whereby every member benefits in the organisation. This can best be well described as creating a win-win situation. An organisation can benefit from employees while employees benefit from the organisation, the partners can also benefit from each other in a joint venture. ‘I need you, you need me and at the end of the day we all benefit’. An organisation can also share its benefits; this can be done through profit sharing and establishment of a reward system whereby good performances are apprehended.

Commitment is the third aspect. Everyone has different obligations in an organisation and aims at achieving a common goal, just like a thumb and its fingers. This is actually a common thing in almost all organisations but Ubuntu emphasises for the reason that ‘you must work to eat’; hence you must be committed to work. It is important to encourage every single person in a company to work hard for success.

Finally, a supportive environment is built whereby alignment becomes possible. Employees enjoy working when their areas of expertise and personal interests tally with their roles in an organisation. At this point organisations will be able to retain its employees for long, gain more responsibility and thus more profits and business expansions. Many times, employees whose personal values are aligned to those of the organisation tend to be perceived as the best performers.

Let’s give this philosophy a trial and achieve success!