October 2017

What we say, do, or do not say or do has an impact. This impact could be either positive or negative. In the last few weeks, I have been reflecting on what it is that holds us back from working together. What is it that holds us back from working together for the common good? Why do some people sabotage other people’s work? Why do we fail to see the bigger picture in what we say, do, or do not say or do? Why do we fail to focus on the results of our actions, reactions and inactions? Common good has no single definition. Commonly, it is see as that which is beneficial for all or for most. The concept of common good was there in the writings of Plato and Aristotle 2,000 years ago. Today the concept is still applicable. In a family, an organization or in society, every member has a unique role. Ideally,…

As it appeared in the Daily Nation on October 17th, 2017 There is too much talk about service to our external customers but little action. Just a few weeks ago, we witnessed great enthusiasm as organizations interacted with their customers during the Customer Service Week celebrations. Unfortunately, most external service initiatives are short lived. This is mainly because we fail to address the underlying link that external customer service has to the quality of our internal service. Unless we get it right internally, service to our external customers will remain a hassle. Internal service quality is rarely top of the mind in many organizations. This is despite study after study painting a clear picture of the critical role that internal service quality plays in driving overall organizational success. In many organizations, success defined in terms of customer retention, growth in customer numbers or customer spending, profitability and reputation is linked to the quality of external service…

As it appeared in the Daily Nation on October 10th, 2017 I had the pleasure of ushering in a visitor to JKIA a few days ago. The young Dutch lady seated next to me was taking time off to volunteer in Africa before joining college. It was her first time travelling out of Europe. The only other airports she had visited were Heathrow in the UK and Schiphol in her home country. She seemed excited about coming to Africa for the first time. As I reflected on her excitement, it struck me that her overnight stay at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) would form a major part of her first impressions about Kenya. Disembarking on the tarmac was part of that experience. Luckily, I had explained that we have great weather all year with temperatures never going to the extremes. She however wondered what would happen in case of rain. I assured her that raincoats would…

As it appeared in the Daily Nation on October 3rd, 2017 Dear Customer, today I write a very special letter to you. First, I write to you because you are the reason business exist. Secondly, I write to you because this is your week. It is the week when a bank might polish your shoes, give you a rose flower or serve you some hot chocolate. It is the week we are supposed to take our customer experience a notch higher. Every effort this week should result to better customer experiences that go beyond Friday. I am writing to all customers. Every person who occasionally buys a product or uses a service from another qualifies to be a customer. I am glad that we all qualify to be customers. Almost every day, we as customers buy products or use services provided by the thousands of businesses around us. We use our mobile phones, we use a…

As it appeared in the Daily Nation on September 19th, 2017 Every year, millions of youth in Kenya are ready for the job market. Unfortunately, many of these young people take too long to secure gainful employment or to get into self-employment. While some are clear on the path that their career will take, others are clueless as they transition into the job market. Some take up whatever opportunity comes their way and make the most out of it; many take much longer selecting between the few options available, while others simply never settle down into anything productive and gainful. Unemployment is a major tragedy that we continue to face as a Nation. According to the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) 2017 report, Kenya’s unemployment is at 39.1 percent. As I have reflected on this figure, a number of questions have lingered in my mind. Are we having an honest national conversation on job creation…