INTRODUCTION
Conundrum, amusement or confusion
WHEN YOU BUY A BOOK or get it as a gift or pick it up out of curiosity - or are being coerced to read it for an examination - you are bound to hope that by the time you reach the last page of the last chapter you will be able confidently to state that you are clear about the message the book has set out to convey and, importantly, that you understand it.
Before you begin Chapter 1 I wish to share two illustrations with you that encapsulate the main theme of this book, namely, the issue of what constitutes 'the obvious choice'.
The first is extremely powerful as it relates to someone who lived a fulfilled life and was revered by many people around the globe. The words are Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela's and he spoke them in 1964. They are extracted here from the book Great Speeches of the 20th Century, which carries the text in full:
'In my youth in the Transkei I listened to the elders of my tribe telling stories of the old days. Amongst the tales they related to me were those of wars fought by our ancestors in defense of the fatherland. The names of Dingane and Bambata, Hintsa and Makana, Squngthi and Dalasile, Moshoeshoe and Sekhukhuni, were praised as the glory of the entire African nation. I hoped then that life might offer me the opportunity to serve my people and make my own humble contribution to their freedom struggle.'1
As early as 1964, Nelson Mandela saw himself as the choice (what I refer to as the obvious choice) of leader who had the hope then that life might offer him the opportunity to serve his people. This hope materialised 30 years later when he became President of South Africa and served his people. It is fair to state that he was right, and his wish or hope materialised, and, in my assessment, he was a great president. We all know that leadership roles are assessed in many ways. If we were to engage in debate about his tenure as president and how he performed in the role, not everyone would be in agreement. There will be some who may feel, or believe, that he was not such a great success.
This was how he ended that speech:
'During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.'2
Reading this speech today, and in particular that last paragraph, you could be forgiven for thinking it was written during his time as president, and not almost 60 years ago. This is what makes me believe that he was the obvious choice to become our president. Knowing him as humble, he might not have thought so, but he did believe he was the leader of the people. My assessment of President Mandela's presidency is that he was a resounding success. He delivered hope to the nation and the world and he united us as South Africans.
The second illustration is a personal one. It relates to a visit I made to a dealership that sells some of the finest motor vehicles in the world. It was a nice warm Saturday morning and I wanted to just view and admire these beautiful European cars. As I strolled around, I was immediately drawn to one car in particular. It was beautiful, unique in a way I could not put my finger on. I approached the salesperson. As he explained to me in detail the key features of this car, its specifications - and the price - I realised that it was indeed special. And unique. Only a limited number of these cars are manufactured and they are intended for certain specific buyers or collectors who have purchased the cars over years and are loyal to the brand.
Did this information - that even if I wanted to purchase this car, it was not available to me to acquire - upset or disappoint me? No, it did not. I accepted that this car was manufactured for the obvious choice buyer, who would walk into the dealership and be well known as a favoured customer. Turning this around, for that prospective purchaser this unique car was their obvious choice too, because it would fit in with their collection at home or wherever they stored their prized vehicles.
These two stories illustrate the message in this book about obvious choices.
There are choices that are obvious and there are individuals who can be obvious choices in roles, in missions, in projects and in life generally.
In Chapter 1 I offer a broad brushstroke view of the theme of obvious choices, highlighting a few greats who, it would seem, must surely have been an obvious choice. But what set them apart? Was it something inherent or was it only after they achieved success that people were able to say they were the obvious choice?
In Chapter 2 I travel the journey of life, using some of my personal experiences as illustrations, pausing to consider those key moments in time when we are affirmed by certain people and how such positive affirmation affects us going forward. With me I was told that I would become a great soccer player one day. I believed it. I thought I was the obvious choice of soccer player, that I would be successful one day.
My aim in Chapter 3 is to assist you, as a young, up-and-coming leader, to identify some of the lifetime choices you will make. I focus on what one should consider when choosing a spouse, for example, and asking the question: are they the obvious choice for me?
In Chapter 4 my aim is to help you recognise things that might look or feel like setbacks in your journey, things that make you believe you are not the obvious choice. Such setbacks could be ones that were created by the environment you grew up in, or things said by certain people who look like detractors but are simply ignoramuses, who are heard because of the noise they make but do not deserve attention. What can you learn from these setbacks?
The purpose of Chapter 5 is to show you that you have people who think highly of you and that these people are your supporters. They want you to succeed, not to despair.
In Chapter 6, I unpack the complex issue of succession, whether in business or in families. While we continue to live our lives, we must recognise that we are growing older and that there will be those who will have to take over from us. Put simply, the question we need to engage with is: who should be next in line? Who is that obvious choice?
Chapter 7 highlights the need for qualifications and the need to recognise talent, but argues that these cannot be enough to make us the obvious choice. We may be recognised for our talents, and we may also have invested in studying hard to get the requisite qualifications for whatever goals we have set ourselves, but that is not enough. Resting on our laurels and believing that we are, or we will be, the obvious choice for roles into the future is simply not an option.
Chapter 8 is about preparation. The aim is to prepare you to be ready to be considered for a role that will be significant and important to your industry, your country and the entire world. You will be prompted to ask yourself these important questions: are you the right person for the role, the right choice, or the obvious choice? Some of these roles will test your humility and humbleness.
Chapter 9, similar to Chapter 5, where the focus is on those who believe in and support you, sheds light on those who not only think highly of you but also believe that you deserve to be recognised for what you do or have done. Awards will come your way, but for the right reasons. You are not entitled to awards, nor will you be chosen because you were the obvious choice.
Chapter 10 shares a message that is very simple, but which many people find difficult to follow. Show up and deliver - it's that simple. As someone once said: when God shows up he shows off.
In Chapter 11 I caution that, much as we are all ambitious in whatever we do and wish to grow and advance, we should not be stupidly obedient, docile and subservient for the sake of advancement and promotion. It is contradictory to have someone obedient, docile and subservient to expect to advance to influential roles in life and be respected. Don't drink the proverbial Kool-Aid!
Chapter 12 deals with the confidence bosses develop in certain people and the reason that these people always seem to be given big assignments and others passed over. There are individuals in the business who will always be assigned to great and exciting projects and assignments and as a result, they find themselves in the detail and know about the direction, mission and future of the business. Some of the questions I explore include: why were you not selected? Were you not favoured? Were you being discriminated against? Are you known for just falling flat and disappointing when given projects or assignments to execute?
Chapter 13, similar to Chapter 8, discusses selection. If you are selected or elected to a role, such as that of chairman of some important organisation, you must be ready to work hard but remain humble about your abilities. You cannot be the obvious choice for every chairmanship that becomes vacant.
In almost every country in this world specific names of individuals who are influential in their specific fields crop up continually. They always seem...
