"Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu" or "I am, because you are" is an African philosophy known loosely as a sense of belonging. "I am because we are". Ubuntu as a philosophy speaks to the fact that we are all connected and one can only thrive if those around you also thrive. It is an acknowledgement of the interconnectedness of our lives in human society.
With the dawn of the new democratic South Africa in 1994, traditions and concepts such as Ubuntu became prominent reference points in negotiations around the emerging political dispensation, creating an environment that respects human rights and fundamental freedoms and in which people can exercise their freely expressed will.
In our Responsibility Area: Operations and Finance, we interact with each other daily. We inform, negotiate, debate, create and innovate. We talk face-to-face, through emails, and online. It has been my great pleasure to work in this environment since 2017 and it is an abiding pleasure to work with our committed and outstanding staff at all levels. Sometimes, mercifully infrequently but nevertheless, we find ourselves in situations where we react out of frustration or even anger, opening the laptop and typing an email without thinking clearly. The result is mostly a reply email in the same tone of voice. After several of these, where you've cc'd in an ever-growing chorus of bystanders, we call in the mediators and consultants to resolve the situation and start anew.
While not all such cases end in the chambers of our University's truth and reconciliation committees, they leave our colleagues disappointed, angry, and despondent because of a thoughtless email or unresolved conflict which often could have been prevented.
Google or ask ChatGPT for the top ten solutions to resolve conflict in the workplace, hire the best life coaches and phycologists, or put a red sticker on your send button. Write on it: "pause". Stop, think, and breathe. And always ask yourself what you would have done if you were receiving that specific email. How would you feel? How would you react? The “golden rule" teaches us to treat others as we wish to be treated, and there is a reason why this is common to almost all moral codes.
I have spoken about our University's values at a number of our RC events, and specifically about the value of Respect. You will recall what I called “owed" respect: The respect we owe each other as colleagues (and students) since we are all inherently valuable and we acknowledge the important, though different, contributions we all make to creating this world-class University.
Respecting others as you respect yourself. It is not rocket science nor a nice-to-have quality. If you are valued and respected in your workplace, you will soon enable a positive work culture in which you are fulfilled, loyal, engaged, and motivated to perform at your very best ability. In the same way, you need to value and respect those around you.
One of my colleagues told me they start all their meetings by reminding each other of our University's values: Compassion, Equity, Accountability, Excellence, and Respect. It is essential to remind ourselves about these values every day as it also affects our lives outside of work.
Our values:
Compassion: Recognition of and care for the well-being of all our students and staff
Equity: Restitution in response to our past legacy and fairness in our aspirations
Accountability: Accepting the highest level of responsibility for our actions
Excellence: Academic freedom to pursue knowledge that adheres to the highest standards of integrity, innovation, and relevance
Respect: Civility in our mutual and public discourse due to regard for the freedom, equality, and dignity of all and respect for the environment.
During the pandemic, we were reminded of the importance of staff wellness in many ways, including supporting our fellow colleagues. No one knows what is going on in other people's lives – hence why we should always be mindful of how we treat each other. No matter your position in a company's or organisation's hierarchy – we are all as vulnerable as the situation we face at any given time.
Finally, I believe respect creates the fair and supportive environment we all want and need. As an employer, the University provides us with many opportunities to flourish as a person or a team, showcasing our skills and knowledge regardless of where they come from. Respect prevents playing favourites and allows everyone to be heard. And for you to hear, you need to listen.
“I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is the garbage man or the president of the university." — Albert Einstein
Enjoy your June newsletter
Prof Stan du Plessis
