‘HIRE FOR ATTITUDE, TRAIN FOR SKILLS’ IS THE APPROACH WE NEED
Impressive and informative article, but a future South Africa with no hope for the white child is a South Africa with no hope for a black aspiring child as well.
The resistance from certain white sections of our population to open opportunities for black children is a problem and as evil as black politicians trying to settle the score by being corrupt to the core.
Extreme caution and balance are needed and require a quality educated leadership, in particular in politics and in government.
Last, the media is required to exercise due influence in this regard.
Ezrom Nhlanhla Zama
I agree with your observations that “it is clear that South Africa is a very long way from becoming an equal opportunity society for all who live here” and that the issue of racial representation in the workplace can “easily plunge us into the emotionally charged morass of racial polarisation that will further divide us, when what we need is more understanding, more working together for our common good…”
I fear that the framing of the issue, that is measuring racial representation in senior management positions against the racial
mix of the South African population, is a flawed approach because of the circumstances that you explain: “only 17% of the 81% black African population to have the skills, experience and knowledge to reach senior management positions and lead companies, is just plain nuts”.
It seems to me to be obvious that it is important to appoint people who have the requisite skills to positions of influence in business (and elsewhere, including government and SOEs).
An approach to hiring that has been recommended in business for decades (popularised by Herb Kelleher, the successful CEO of Southwest Airlines) is to “Hire for attitude, train for skills”.
I understand this to mean that, when recruiting, one should hire people with traits like enthusiasm, humility, work ethic, integrity, initiative, passion – because these kinds of personality traits are difficult (if not impossible) to learn.
Experience and qualifications are considered to be sine qua non, and the job-specific skills can be taught.
If this approach is accepted, then I suggest that the following elements are required for a person appointed to a senior managerial position to succeed: basic education; appropriate qualifications; experience; job-specific skills; and attitude.
The responsibility for reducing inequality in the workplace therefore rests with government, employers and employees. It is easy for one of these groups to point a finger at the others, and there may be justification for each to do so.
Government is certainly attempting to hand off its responsibilities to employers through the proposed employment equity regulations.
I believe that the responsibility to reduce inequality in the workplace, especially in senior management positions, lies with all three groups.
The best way to make progress in this worthwhile endeavour is for each organisation or person involved to acknowledge that it starts with them.