From the CEO's Desk
I hope we have all had a great start to the new year. As we position ourselves to achieve big things, I have a few announcements to allow us to be on the same page.
Firstly, I am pleased to announce that Sanlam Emerging Markets has officially changed its name to Sanlam Pan Africa (SPA) as the descriptor for the SEM African operations. This means we will now refer to ourselves as being part of Sanlam Pan Africa. However, SEM will remain as the legal entity as it also caters for both the India and Malaysia operations.
I would also like to recognize one of our own - Stanley Mazorodze, The Zimnat General Insurance MD who has just celebrated 30 years in the General Insurance industry and has been appointed the CEO of Zimnat General Insurance. He has extensive experience in the insurance industry and is a qualified Fellow and Associate with the Insurance Institute of South Africa. The lesson we can draw from Stanley’s success story is that hard work and determination pays off. We wish Stanley all the best as he continues to seek out the best opportunities for the organisation and to ensure it lives out its purpose of Making life better.
We also had a positive milestone lately as a group. For the first time Zimnat Client Advisors (Agents) from the group came together in Harare and awards were presented to the top performing advisors in 2018. It was a great experience to see the men and women who have dedicated their lives to making life better for customers, employees and shareholders. The sales teams are the engine that drives the organisation and their success must be celebrated.
As we position ourselves for growth this year and in the coming years, one thing that will completely differentiate us from the rest of the competition is customer experience. How are you making life better for the customer? As a Zimnat brand ambassador, how are you being relevant to the customer needs not just within your business space but within the Zimnat Group as a whole.
With these few thoughts I leave you to get on with achieving those big hairy audacious goals for yourself and the organisation. Go out there and Make life better!
Email etiquette
When the use of email became common in the early 90’s the business world changed, email now takes up a significant portion of our workday. People receive so many emails each day and many end up making embarrassing mistakes that could be detrimental in a professional interaction. For example, you can easily miss a spelling error while typing out an email, or you may come off as too casual or unprofessional in tone or content.
While we try to work faster and more efficiently, we must not forget the social rules that accompany any form of communication. Here are a few tips on email etiquette;
* Include a clear, direct subject line
People often decide on whether to open an email based on the subject line. Choose one that lets readers know you are addressing their concerns or business issues.
* Think twice before hitting “reply all”
With many people getting notifications of new messages on their smartphones or distracting pop-up messages on their computer screens. Refrain from hitting "reply all" unless you really think everyone on the list needs to receive the email.
* Use professional salutations
The relaxed nature of our writings should not affect the salutation in an email. Laid back colloquial expressions like ‘hey’ will not be appropriate, use ‘hi’ or ‘hello’ instead.
* Be cautious with humor
Humor can easily get lost in translation without the right tone or facial expressions. In a professional exchange, it's better to leave humor out of emails unless you know the recipient well.
* Proofread every message
Don't rely on spell-checkers. Read and re-read your email a few times, preferably aloud, before sending it off.
* Add the email address last
You don't want to send an email accidentally before you have finished writing and proofing the message. Even when you are replying to a message, it's a good precaution to delete the recipient's address and insert it only when you are sure the message is ready to be sent.
Health tips in the office
On average, a person spends at least 8 hours in the office and it is best that a healthy lifestyle is maintained. Most, if not all of these office hours are spent sitting and looking at the computer which causes strain. We may not be able to control the amount of work or the work environment but we certainly can change the way we live by being healthy. As Jim Rohn rightfully puts it “Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live in”. Follow the link below and find out how you can stay healthy in the office at Zimnat.
Upclose with Workmore Chimweta
NAME: WORKMORE
SURNAME: CHIMWETA
POSITION: LIFE MANAGING DIRECTOR
DATE OF BIRTH: 4 MAY 1977
WHO YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF WORK: Workmore is a husband to Cynthia and a father to three children - Tana, Tanya and Tate. He is a lover of the outdoors, preferring to spend quiet time in the garden tending to his plants and domestic animals amongst which are chickens, ducks, and rabbits. He is particularly fond of his 4 dogs and is constantly mindful of the need to make sure the dogs (Boerboels and German Shepherds) do not eat any of the other pets. It's a tricky balance. Workmore, being a passionate creative at heart loves to sketch and paint as well as to have a go at writing.
VALUES AND HOW THEY INFORM YOUR CAREER GROWTH AND DIRECTION: Workmore believes in the value of leadership starting with leading the self. He believes in the first instance that the greatest human need is to be led, whilst at the same time believing that the first and most consistent leader one has is the self. One has to first lead themselves before they can be led or lead others. Leadership is the "miracle spectacles" of life which gives clarity and vividness to what we all aspire for, what we can achieve and how we can achieve it in a fulfilling manner. When leadership fails, many a time it is the failure of one to lead themselves, to have a vision, a personal goal, a plan and many times, even with these, it is a failure to execute on them diligently and persistently. Because of this view of life, Workmore's style in life and in the workplace is to seek opportunities to collaborate with colleagues to lead each other towards iconic goals. Leadership, in his eyes is not defined by title nor by rank. It is a state of mind which everyone and anyone can manifest if they so choose.
YOUR WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO OTHER COLLEAGUES: A word of encouragement from Workmore is to confidently dream big, boldly set audacious goals and enthusiastically take action, because "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams".
Zimnat assists Hatcliffe centre for children with disability
On the 6th of December 2018, the Zimnat Group handed over goods worth more than $7 000 to St Christopher’s Children with Disability Centre in Hatcliffe, a centre that provides services for children with disabilities. The goods, included a storage container, bed linen, and an examination bed.
St Christopher’s Children with Disability Centre’s provides various types of therapy, such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, aimed at improving or restoring children’s lost functions or compensating for them through the provision of various aids.
It also offers activities to help children with disabilities cope with daily living and improve their quality of life and that of their families. Support and counselling services are also offered to the children and their families.
Zimnat Group Marketing Executive Angela Mpala said Zimnat, which aims to make life better for others, was happy to be able to partner St Christopher’s Centre in making life better for disabled children.
“St Christopher’s Centre is providing much needed assistance to children with disabilities. Apart from the various forms of therapy it offers, its efforts to combat and eliminate discrimination against children with disabilities and their families is very much in line with our own motto of making life better for others,” she said.
“We fully identify with their goal of working towards a society in which children with disabilities participate fully and enjoy the fundamental rights that we are all entitled to.
“The different forms of therapy provided at St Christopher’s Centre are important in helping children with disabilities overcome the challenges they face as a result of their disabilities.
“We are happy to be able to partner the centre and support its work through the donation of bed linen, an examination bed and a storage container, all of which the centre identified as among its major needs,” Ms Mpala said.
Cebisani Ndlovu undergoes surgery with Zimnat help
Cebisani Ndlovu, the Bulawayo gentleman for whom Zimnat organised a fund-raising marathon last November, is recovering at home after undergoing spinal surgery at Mater Dei Hospital last month.
Speaking from his home in Bulawayo’s Ntumbane suburb, Mr Ndlovu expressed his appreciation of the assistance Zimnat had given him and the support of the 740 people who took part in the half-marathon that Zimnat organised in Harare to raise funds for his surgery.
The marathon raised almost $7 000, including donations from well-wishers unable to participate in the run themselves. Zimnat added to this to meet the nearly $9 000 eventually required for the surgery and related costs.
Mr Ndlovu said he had been trying in vain to raise funds for his surgery for some time before he approached Zimnat.
“I am really grateful to Zimnat for making my life better and to the hundreds of people who participated in the fund-raising marathon that Zimnat organised,” he said.
A nurse aide is looking after him at home, while he recovers from the operation. With the help of physiotherapy he is gradually recovering the use of his limbs following the operation.
Prior to the operation, Mr Ndlovu had difficulty walking, even with the aid of crutches, due to a spinal cord bone growth. He hopes to be able to walk normally once he has fully recovered from his operation.