Page 89 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 16

Economy

authors argue that managers need
to learn and understand the import
of active listening. They discuss the
role of personality in interperson-
al communication processes. The
chapter is concluded with a touchy,
yet thought-provoking story of the
beggar that clearly demonstrate that
there is a better way to communi-
cate and elicit the intended positive
responses.

Chapter Ten deals with engaging in
fast learning. Learning is the life-
blood of entrepreneurship. Kuada change the trajectory of their enterprises for the better. Attributes of positive
and Mangori discuss the role of human energy include appreciation, collaboration, virtuousness, vitality, and
absorptive capacity in learning. That meaningfulness. Kuada and Mangori contend that the inherent positive char-
entrepreneurs assume they know a acteristics of employees means that they should be managed as “assetsˮ in
lot more about running their busi- contrast to “resourcesˮ. Because individual human beings are transmitters of
nesses than they actually do often energy within organizations, they should be encouraged to transmit positive
prevent them from investing requi- energy to induce self-reinforcing effect. Finally, drawing on Asian religious
site time and resources to upgrade philosophies, the authors discuss 10 fundamental life tendencies of human
their knowledge. Rather than engage beings. Of these, six are lower level life conditions (hell, hunger, animality,
in such self- deception, entrepre- anger, tranquility and rapture) which are governed by external circumstances,
neurs need to humble themselves while the four higher level life conditions (learning,
and recognize the inadequacy of realization, altruism, and compassion/wisdom), are inner-driven and attain-
their knowledge and seek opportu- able by deliberate personal efforts.
nities to improve on it. The authors
delineate four stages of learning or In Chapter Twelve, Kuada and Mangori tackle entrepreneurial effective time
the hierarchy of competence that management. Central to effective time management, they argue, is the ability
will be helpful in guiding the entre- to appropriately define and label those tasks that are urgent or not urgent as
preneurs to be aware of the need well as important or unimportant. Effective entrepreneurial time manage-
to adopt constant learning mindset. ment is informed by the well known adage that “time is moneyˮ. Entre-
Henry Ford, the pioneer entrepre- preneurs in Africa often conflate social and business affairs during working
neur in the U.S. automobile industry, hours. Time squandered on trivialities will not be available for “urgentˮ or
is reputed to have said that “Anyone “importantˮ tasks facing the company. The authors discuss the importance
who stops learning is old, whether at of delegation and the associated concepts of authority, responsibility, and
twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps accountability in time management. Managers who understand and practice
learning stays young.” effective delegation would free up their valuable time to deal with thorny
issues confronting their companies. Managers who show fidelity to these
Chapter Eleven is concerned with guidelines by putting them into effect will evolve a new entrepreneurial cul-
how to generate and sustain pos- ture with potential to raise employee productivity and performance without
itive human energy to drive firms extra resources or costs.
to higher levels of achievements.
Entrepreneurs are encouraged to Chapter Thirteen advocates for putting customers at the center of man-
become conversant with emotional agement decision-making. In this chapter, Kuada and Mangori articulate
knowledge to enable them explore the pivotal role of customers in the success of any business venture. They
ways to energize themselves and provide practical guides to entrepreneurs on how customer orientation can
their employees. Engaging in medi- help them develop a strong business management culture that can enhance
tation and self-reflection could help the prospects of their business performance. The authors highlight meeting
them sharpen their intuitive capa- the customer expectations as critical to building up customer support base to
bilities to make decisions that could

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