weekly newspaper.
South Africans are a talkative, argumentative, critical lot. That is good in an emerging and let’s face it, struggling, democracy. We need to have the difficult conversations, we need to point out the frailties in our systems, in our institutions, and in our leaders.
To lead in this country means that you put yourself on a pedestal and invite scrutiny of your efficacy in the position — because, God knows, we need good leaders. So scrutiny comes with the territory and requires that you have thick skin.
On the business front, skins are thinner, possibly because business leaders are less used to criticism. However, when the criticism is justified one has little sympathy for the recipient whether they have thick skins or not. I’m thinking of the VBS villains and the likes of Markus Jooste here. But what about when we get it wrong? What about when the individual has been unjustly castigated, judged, found wanting and discarded? With the skills deficit in this country can we afford to throw out the good with the bad?