My Lockdown Journal - 9 July 2020

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 has risen during the lockdown period. It is a time during which managers should be sensitive and compassionate towards employees. It is not a time to show who is in control. It is also not a time to manage employees, but rather manage the work, product, or service. Why? Because we are all in the same pandemic panic. Managers must establish loyalty and trust if they want to handle the situation properly. They must prove to their supervisors and teams that they truly care about their well-being. It does not cost money to just listen to their concerns and be supportive during this difficult time.

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁-𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀. Now is not the time to treat employees badly, humiliate them because of a manager's own insecurities or whatever personal issues he/she might have. This can have a severe impact on job performance in times of crisis, compromising quality, and productivity. Workplace bullying can be a gradual build-up of little incidents and misunderstandings that can wear employees down.

It might sound easy to give employees instructions or tasks, but who delivers the message does not matter more than the way it is delivered. Just the tone of a manager's voice can create unnecessary hostility and tension. Trust can be built in many ways. One way is for managers to demonstrate thought-leadership and compassion now, and positive results will follow. It is the best way to 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘆-𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳.

During the lockdown, leaders are expected to take control, be a resource, and provide support by communicating with a positive attitude. Don't be downright rude and arrogant.

Mister Taxi Driver (Poetry)

mister taxi driver

taxi driver, djy’s ’n gateway na hel ou pêl

hoe haatsee is ittie om te sien

djy issie gepla oo ôse lewens’ie

ôse harte kadoef-kadoef oppie beat

van djou aansteeklike rhythm

wat speed straps lielik duck en dive

skielik hoo ‘n man skreeuende tyres

en ‘n groot slag en tientalle opslag

dood toe die emergency ouens appear

taxi driver, ek sêrit soesit is

djy gaan nog ôs ammel uit wipe

wan djy’s ‘n brug tussen lewe en dood

en als net vi djou ennie taxi laanie se daily brood

© 2020 Selwyn Milborrow

NB: Image is subject to copyright

Taxi Queen (Poetry)

𝘁𝗮𝘅𝗶 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗻

𝗃𝗒 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗌𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗂𝖾𝗇 𝖾𝗇 𝗆𝖺𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝗌𝖾 𝗄𝗅𝖾𝗂𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀

𝗆𝖺𝖺𝗋 𝗇𝗈𝗎 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗍𝖺𝗑𝗂 𝖽𝗋𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗌𝗂𝗍𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀

𝗃𝗒’𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗈𝗂𝗍 𝗅𝖺𝖺𝗍 𝗏𝗂𝗋 ‘𝗇 𝖿𝗋𝖾𝖾-𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖾

𝖾𝗇 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽 𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗄 𝗇á 𝗌𝗄𝗈𝗈𝗅 𝗄𝗈𝗆 𝗁𝖺𝖺𝗅

𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗃𝗒’𝗌 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝖽𝗋𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝖾 𝖻𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖾

𝖺𝗅𝗐𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖾𝗇 𝖻𝖺𝗂𝖾 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝗌𝗂𝖺𝖺𝗅

𝗆𝖺𝖺𝗋 𝗆𝖺𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝗌𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗌𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗍 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗀𝖾𝖾𝗍

𝗈𝗆 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀-𝖺𝖿𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗉𝗂𝗅 𝗍𝖾 𝗏𝖺𝗍

𝗇𝗈𝗎’𝗌 𝗃𝗒 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗀𝗀𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝖾𝗇 𝗁𝗒 𝗂𝗌 𝗄𝗐𝖺𝖺𝖽

𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗀𝗂𝖿𝗍𝗌 𝗁𝖾𝗍 𝗁𝗎𝗅 𝗏𝖺𝗅𝗎𝖾 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗅𝗈𝗈𝗋

𝖾𝗇 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗋𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗍 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝗀𝖾𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽

𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝖽𝗋𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝖾𝗇 𝗀𝗎𝖺𝗋𝖽𝗃𝗂𝖾 𝗂𝗌 𝗈𝗉 𝗃𝗈𝗎 𝗌𝗉𝗈𝗈𝗋

𝗈𝗆𝖽𝖺𝗍 𝗃𝗒 𝖽𝗋𝖾𝗂𝗀 𝗈𝗆 𝗍𝖾 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗋𝗍

“𝗀𝗈𝗎, 𝗆𝖺𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝗌𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗌𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝖾, 𝗃𝗎𝗆𝗉 𝗎𝗂𝗍 𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗍𝖺𝗑𝗂

𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝗄𝖺𝗇 𝖽𝗂𝗍 𝗇𝗂𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗉 𝗇𝗂𝖾

𝗃𝗒 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖽𝗂𝖾𝗇 𝗇𝗂𝖾 𝗁𝗂𝖾𝗋𝖽𝗂𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗒𝗌 𝗇𝗂𝖾”

© 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟬 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝘄𝘆𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄

It only takes one person to make a difference in the life of another

My wife, Sharon Liberty, wrote this beautiful and poignant piece about a primary school teacher that impacted her life:

"It only takes one person to make a difference in the life of another, and in my case, it was my primary school teacher. A great teacher not only inspires, but shapes the character, calibre, and future of a child.

I'm eternally grateful for Mr Schuster who helped me after I've developed a bad stutter problem in primary school. I became withdrawn and kept to myself. Because of this, Mr Schuster had me do my reading and oral presentations privately; not in front of the class. One day after several reading sessions, he gave me this piece of advice: “Stand in front of the mirror, take a deep breath and talk to yourself. Ask yourself questions, answer yourself, and also start reading out loud.”

I took his advice and did this exercise every day until high school. When I have reached standard 7, I overcame my stuttering problem! It really changed my life because I went from being shy and insecure to a more confident person.

Thank you, Mr Schuster, I'm forever grateful to you for changing my life. I'm firm in my belief that a teacher lives on through the memories of his or her learners. It not only proves that good teaching is forever, but that the teacher is immortal." - Sharon Liberty

#GetOverIt
#BrokennessToBreakthrough

Lockdown Journal - Day 22

My Lockdown Journal 2020 – Friday, Day 22:

It’s now three weeks since South Africans embarked on a lockdown to stop the spread of COVID-19. From what I’ve heard yesterday is that the government intends on gradually lifting restrictions on the lockdown. Apparently, the government is planning to slowly send children back to school according to their grades. It raises concerns and a lot of tough questions. I’m just thinking of the psychological effects this is going to have on learners and teachers. Has the government given any thought to Professor Jonathan Jansen’s advice that the 2020 academic year be called off due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic? Or is it not that simple or easy?

It’s an uncertain time for all. There are so many tough decisions to be made but let me rather focus on the lockdown days. Imagine closing your eyes while hugging a tree. Can you feel your cheek pressing against it? Can you feel the warmth and currents flowing from the tree into you? This is exactly what Iceland’s forestry service suggest people do to overcome the sense of isolation many people suffer because of COVID-19 preventative measures. I don’t see it happening in our concrete jungles though; maybe people in our small town’s where there are lots of trees. I doubt it if there are permits in South Africa for such an unusual approach to counter cabin fever.

During the lockdown, many women, men and children are stuck at home with their abusers. There is no excuse for abuse during or after lockdown. The bravest thing you and I can do is to help someone who needs help or is asking for help. Call the Stop Gender-Based Violence Helpline on 0800 150 150.

World COVID-19 count:
2,167,955 Infections - 550,987 Recovered - 146,055 Deaths.

#LockdownJournal
#LockdownSouthAfrica
#CoronaVirus