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Category: Mergon Invest

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Mertech Marine: a circular economy solution

Mertech Marine: an underwater environmental solution

One of the guiding investment principles within our diverse investment portfolio is to develop the capacity of our businesses to forge long-lasting, positive change and become a vehicle for good. Mergon investee company, Mertech Marine, is one such example. Their innovative model of submarine cable recovery and recycling is offering some unique and interesting solutions for environmental sustainability. In today’s world of ever-increasing demands on our planet’s pressing resources, Mertech Marine is playing its part in the circular economy.

Mertech Marine: a circular economy solution

 

When we think of the internet, our thoughts tend to ascend upward, to images of cyberspace and satellites. But the reality is, the cloud is under the sea. Across our oceans’ seabed lie a planetary system of undersea cables – an interconnected web of over 1 million kilometres worth of fibre optic pipelines facilitating our global connectivity. Each cable, as thick as a garden hose, carries hundreds of terabits of information per second. These cables comprise a state-of-the-art technological design that sits kilometres deep, relatively undeterred by weather and connecting our continents at the speed of light.

But the system has its vulnerabilities to disruption. Cables break, whether it be from external aggression caused by human activity such as fishing or general abrasion over time. Not only do cables suffer wear and tear – they need to be laid at a breakneck pace to meet the global appetite of our 21st century digital world.

‘To meet the demand for high-speed connectivity, every year thousands of kilometers of brand-new cables are being laid, often crossing existing cables and cable routes. This congestion of cables in some areas increases the risk of a break due to abrasion of one cable on top of another,’ says Alwyn du Plessis, CEO of Mertech Marine. Although these cables occupy a minute amount of space on the vast ocean floor and have been shown to be benign in terms of environmental impact, you can imagine that if you extrapolate that over the next 50-100 years, there will be a lot of cable down there. Taking a holistic view and considering a wide range of factors in each instance such as environmental, sustainability, economical and cable security, clearing up as much of these cables as possible makes a lot of sense.’

Since 2004 Mertech Marine been at the forefront of innovating the recovery and recycling of out-of-service telecommunications cables. Using their own marine fleet, the company has recovered and recycled in excess of 75,000 km of out-of-service cable at their land-based processing facility in South Africa, which comprises 30,000 sqm, the only one of its kind in the world.

Today Mertech Marine is recognised to be a pioneer and world leader in turnkey solutions in submarine cable recovery and recycling, particularly in shore-end projects where cables crisscross and converge as they approach landfall. Mertech Marine is uniquely positioned to safely remove these redundant cables with greater efficiency and affordability by combining these often expensive shallow water projects with deep-sea recovery operations.

Mertech Marine is also playing its part in the circular economy.

There’s an incredible opportunity to make a meaningful, large-scale contribution to the green economy here,’ says Alwyn. ‘Although these cables are no longer operable, they should never be seen as waste. They’re packed with raw materials that can be repurposed and circulated back into the economy.’

He explains: ‘Consider the carbon footprint companies leave by conventional mining of virgin plastics, copper and steel, and then manufacturing these materials into marketable commodities. Now consider how much lighter the carbon load could be if these materials could be ‘recovered from the sea’ and regenerated as new, value-add products on the market.’

Through significant investment of its shareholders and years of research and development, Mertech Marine’s unique process of recovery and dismantling these out of services cables, has proven to avoid greenhouse gas emissions when compared to mining virgin material from ore. Their Port Elizabeth facility is ISO14001:2015 accredited and a fundamental part of their mission is to find environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions towards recycling these cables. ‘We not only supply quality components to the copper, polyethylene, steel and aluminium industries all over Africa – we do it in an environmentally sustainable way,’ says Alwyn.

Mertech Marine has found their anchor in world class innovation and sustainable design. It’s a model that Alwyn sees as ‘part of our responsibility as businesses in today’s changing world’.

‘We have to move from linear to circular thinking in our businesses, finding innovative ways to generate value from the resources we already have. The sooner we can make the shift to a circular economy in our businesses, the greater advantage we’ll have in the long run.’

Mertech Marine is an investee company of Mergon. To read more about Mertech Marine visit https://mertechmarine.co.za.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2018 Mergon Group.

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Stewarding our joy

 

By Almero Strauss

It’s that time of year again, when we’re all running at full speed to tie up loose ends and power down our laptops for a while. The pressures and pace of this year all seem to be culminating in this last final stretch – and we are tired. It’s understandable, and to some degree, an inevitable reality for every November of any year.

We all want to end strong – and we can. But to do so, it requires us to stay focused on the right things – things that lift our gaze and lighten our burdens as we go.

Lately I have been thinking about our role in Mergon as stewards – not only of God’s entrusted capital but of every aspect of our lives, including our joy. I believe the more we grow in and live from the understanding that ‘God owns it all’, the more effective we will be in stewarding our joy and energy levels in any season. Here are some thoughts that I hope will help take you strong over the 2021 finish line.

The pressure is off

Somewhere in this past month, as the first signs of ‘Novemberitis’ started showing, a thought suddenly dawned on me: God gave us talents to enjoy them. So often, however, we can turn those talents into burdens. We live and work within a predominantly performance-based culture that prizes hard work as the means to earned success. We are brought up to believe that our talents are given for the sake of excellence and achievement. Our worth is then determined by how well we use and multiply our talents for the sake of God’s Kingdom. If we succeed, it goes to the head. If we fail, it goes to the heart. Either way, it puts the onus on us and takes the focus off God, the only One who can ultimately write this story. Suddenly that which was meant for God’s pleasure, becomes a burden and a drain.

Received, not earned

There is joy from doing something with excellence. But this joy should be rooted in the act itself of producing excellence, not driven by an appetite to achieve or outperform. There is an unspoken satisfaction in partnering with creation in bringing beauty and innovation to the fore. Whether it be painting, or pouring the perfect cappuccino, or brokering a major investment – we were made to pull heaven down to earth and make things better.

What helps us to stay joyful and light? I believe it’s in understanding heaven’s posture towards humanity, one in which God does all the giving, and we simply open our hands to receive it. In a Faith Driven Investor podcast entitled Who Do You Think You Are?, Tim Keller shares from Luke 10 how the seventy-two returned from the field to report their ministry success to Jesus. ‘Even the demons submit to us in your name!’ they boasted, to which Jesus replied: ‘do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’

Jesus was saying here that their joy should not be in what they accomplished, but in what God initiated and generously gave in His kindness. Their names, like ours, do not deserve to be written in the book of life. They could not earn their spot on the page. Jesus was essentially saying, ‘don’t fall into the trap of defining your worth based on your ministry outputs – rejoice in the fact that your worth is defined by My unmerited grace.’

Although God wants us to succeed, we must mind the fatal gap of self-importance and think He somehow needs us to multiply our talents. He’s shown us through a little boy’s lunch box in Matthew 15 that He can multiply things without us. But if we work from an understanding that everything we have – our money, influence, health, time, talents – is a gift, then we will operate under a light yoke and do more than we could have ever accomplished in our own strength.

Strategising for joy

To maintain the joy of what we do requires strategy and discipline. Aside from our spiritual disciplines, we need to ensure our work or ministry is in balance with other areas of our lives. Stewardship begins with self, so boundaries are key to safeguard our health and wellbeing. Family and friends are vital – we need to carve out time to invest in these relationships. Hobbies and interests, rest and recreation – all these things are important in the eyes of God and should be woven into our weekly rhythms.

As the Mergon leadership team we have also been asking the question, how do we ensure our people are getting ‘larger’ and not smaller in their capacities, their vision and their passion for what they do? Are our work rhythms sustainable? Do they nurture a culture where we are inspired and equipped to steward every area of our lives? And though we don’t have all the answers, we are committed to learn how best we can help our people, and our partners, to thrive. It’s an ongoing learning journey for our team and for me personally, but one that I feel privileged to be on.

As you head into this holiday season, my prayer is that you’ll find your rest and strength in His – the One who owns it all.

Almero Strauss is a director of Mergon and serves on the boards of multiple investee companies within Mergon’s investment portfolio.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2018 Mergon Group.

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Chart the course, steer the ship

 

By Gideon Galloway

Gideon is the chief executive officer at King Price Insurance. King Price Insurance is a strategic asset in Mergon’s portfolio of investments.

There’s a saying: ‘When a student is ready, a teacher will appear.’ Over the years, I’ve learnt a lot from the teachers who appeared in my life, from church camp counsellors, to experienced mentors, to business leaders. Many entrepreneurial ventures down the line (some successful, some not so much) I still look for guidance. Everyone should.

Somewhere along the way, people also started asking me for guidance. I tell them that everyone can be a leader, irrespective of where they sit on the company organogram. Leaders live and work with integrity and have a purpose that others buy into. Leaders can’t be leaders without followers – and you can’t force anyone to follow you.

Leaders must lead. A leader’s job isn’t to please everyone; it’s to do the right thing, even when a decision that has to be made is going to be unpopular. Leading isn’t always going to be easy.

What are some of the lessons I learnt along the way?

Focus: I started lots of small companies that didn’t really take off, so I asked myself what these companies would be like in 10 years’ time. Then I focused on the ideas that would have a long-term payoff.

Vision: You should also be able to define ‘what’ you want to be; what your purpose is. People who know what you stand for, and who want the same thing, will help you to get where you want to be.

Partnerships: When choosing who to do business with, do proper due diligence checks.

Documents: Draw up proper legal documents upfront. Everything is great when you’re starting out, but you need to be prepared for when things go wrong – and they will.

Perseverance: Being an entrepreneur sounds glamorous but if you can’t work hard, as in 24/7 hard, then don’t start your own business.

Change: If plan A doesn’t cut it, roll out Plan B or C. Or even plan F. At King Price, we often say that we built the ship while we were already sailing, but we’ve weathered all the storms.

Risk: If you’re overly risk-averse, you probably shouldn’t start a business. With risks come rewards.

Balance: Do you need a perfect solution? Or do you need a solution now? Sometimes, a quick decision or a speedy implementation will be more important than a perfect solution.

Skills: The skills necessary to be a good leader? Good communication, active listening, showing empathy, building trust, leading by example, emotional intelligence. Also, an innate EQ is crucial.

Emotions: Managing your emotions means not only being aware of your feelings, but knowing how to deal with them. It’s a key skill for these crazy times and it’s a lot harder than it sounds!

Service: Being a leader is a calling. It’s much more than a job or something you train for; it’s part of your destiny and it starts young, by serving others.

If I learned anything during this coronavirus pandemic, it is that leading through uncertainty isn’t for the faint-hearted. In fact, the last 18 months are among the toughest periods of my professional life. Leading through constantly changing and uncertain times means that you have to be more agile and flexible, more connected than ever to your people and your clients, and more in touch with your authentic self. That’s true leadership.

This is a summary of Gideon’s chapter in the recently-published book, The Book Every Leader Needs to Read.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2018 Mergon Group.

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Choosing to live generously

By Gauché Radley

We asked Mergon’s COO, Gauché Radley, to share some thoughts on choosing to live generously and why there is nothing quite like the privilege of giving. 

It was 2010, but the day feels like yesterday when I heard Mergon’s story for the first time. I wasn’t halfway through my cappuccino before my head was nodding yes to an invitation not yet even extended. Salary was irrelevant in that moment; I just wanted in. It was as if everything I had ever envisioned and dreamed of – architecting business with a redemptive and restorative agenda – had culminated in that one conversation; and I literally found what I didn’t quite know I was looking for.

It’s 11 years later, and I still feel most days like I’m living the dream. Not because Mergon is perfect, or because we haven’t had to navigate deep challenge over time – but simply because, by God’s abundant grace, my calling still aligns to the mandate we’ve kept clear. We are stewards in amazement, called to catalyse stories of Kingdom impact through generous giving. 

Scratch at our core, and I believe you will find in Mergon, a heart that aims to be radically generous.

Nothing more powerfully conveys the character of Christ than the act of giving – for God so loved the world He gave….Love compels us to act; to move towards the problem at hand, with compassion and conviction to carry the burden as our own. When we open our assets and wallets, our time and talents, for the sake of others, it’s as the glass shards of shattered ceilings fall; and new vistas of hope and opportunity are unveiled.

There is nothing quite like the privilege of giving. Here is what I have learnt about generosity, both in my personal and professional capacity, over the years – packaged as principles to unlock what 1 Timothy 6 calls, ‘a life that is truly life’.

Generosity Principle 1: it’s actually not about giving; it’s about receiving. 

The reality is, we can only give that which we have been given. God is the original ‘Landlord’; we are the tenants entrusted to manage and multiply His resources and benefits. The fact that everything we own is on heavenly loan, means that it’s not ultimately our money to spend; it’s rather God’s money to spend as He directs. As we grow in this understanding, we change our perspective on true ownership and shift the narrative from building dams to forging streams.

Generosity Principle 2: it’s not about volume; it’s about the heart.

When we talk about generosity, people tend to think we’re talking about money – and lots of it. The problem with this way of thinking, however, is that you end up assigning yourself to one of two camps. Either you’re left disqualified because you don’t have a lot of money to give; or you’re left deceived to think your greatest assets are predominantly material.

But the Bible presents a much richer view of generosity, whereby money is only one of several currencies. Volume is not what’s relevant – the posture of the heart is. Jesus after all used a 2-coin offering to show the world what extravagant giving looks like. Generosity extends far broader than what we can see or measure, to include the less-tangible treasures of our lives: our time, talents, relationships, thoughts, emotional wellbeing and yes, our money.

Generosity Principle 3: it’s not about hand outs; it’s about locking hands. 

When we move towards problems and people with a generosity of spirit, we have the opportunity to write a different story over the old ‘hand out, top down’ paradigm. We build a more authentic expression of partnership that brings not just our ‘social capital’ – like knowledge, skills and networks – but our very selves to the table: the best and the worst of ourselves.

If we are both committed to walk the long haul with one another, then we can risk an ‘all in’ approach to the relationship, leaving some leg room for failure and risk. This architects an atmosphere for healing – an environment where people and their exceptional work can be dignified.

The reality is, none of us have all the answers to society’s problems. But the more that we can work together, and lock arms across industries and societal sectors, the more effectively we can co-carry the load and enjoy the privilege of partnering for change.

Generosity Principle 4: it’s not an obligation; it’s an invitation.

Although we technically know that money can’t buy happiness, society suggests that we should at least try to buy our way there. We clench our fists tight around our ‘hard earned money’; and only when there’s good reason or legitimate guilt driving our decisions, will we occasionally open our hands. Generosity is admirable in any culture; but it’s often gravely misunderstood to be some kind of moral obligation, a necessary step in the lifelong striving to becoming a ‘good person’.

But Jesus turns obligations into invitations, by pointing our attention to what lasts beyond eternity’s sliding door. He urges us in Matthew 6:20 to ‘stockpile heavenly treasures that cannot be stolen and will never rust, decay, or lose their value. For your heart will always pursue what you esteem as your treasure.’ He seems to suggest that we can outrun the pace of greed and materialism, live a ‘life to the full’, and safeguard our investments here on earth, by giving our treasures away.

Generosity Principle 5: it’s not a formula; but it is a discipline.

Like everything we do, our giving should be responsive and free, not prescriptive or formulaic in our expectations to gain a return on our investments. It’s tempting to want something on the other side of our giving. After all, reaping begets sowing; and who doesn’t want to get something in return? But generosity is literally defined in 2 Corinthians 9 as a ‘simple goodness that gives without reserve’, void of hidden agendas or dangling carrots, whereby the reward is in the giving itself.

And though there is no formula, there is a definite degree of skill, discipline and focused planning needed to grow and diversify our giving. Even the best of intentions are entropic in the absence of a well-defined strategy to scaffold them, especially in the post Covid world we live in today. The avalanche of unprecedented challenge which descended on our planet last year, has forced us to mine our methodologies, and to seek new, innovative ways to keep honouring our commitments to our partners. Without the expertise and exceptional ingenuity of our stakeholders involved, we would not have been able to sustain our giving through the chaos.

I’m grateful for the journey, and for the opportunity to keep learning what generous living really looks like, over our dining room and boardroom tables. I often get it wrong, but by God’s grace, I’ll keep trying to fall forward into true financial freedom. This is not the kind of freedom that keeps you stockpiled, impervious to financial trouble; but it’s a freedom to give happily and unreservedly, as God inspires. That is the kind of legacy we want to leave behind at Mergon, and the only one I believe will heal this nation.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2018 Mergon Group.

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Building a lasting, Kingdom-focused investment group

 

By Pieter Faure

More and more contemporary writers refer to the value and importance of a core purpose as a key to attracting the right people and building a great organisation. In reality, the world is just discovering what Scripture has taught us for millennia: ‘Where your treasure is there your heart will also be.’ (Matthew 6:21).

Mergon always had a sense of purpose, or ‘calling’, but it was only in the last few years that we’ve really started to place that calling – to be catalysts for Kingdom impact – at the centre of all we do.

For us, being catalysts for Kingdom impact refers to our passion to:

– see the good news of Christ shared and people being discipled to become Kingdom ambassadors.
– transform culture by inspiring redemptive stewardship of God-entrusted resources.
– see the poor and marginalised uplifted, filled with hope and experience dignity restored.
– bring about reconciliation and peace in our nation and beyond.

We actively communicate and cultivate this calling and recognise that each person in our organisation, from receptionist to CEO, has a unique opportunity to relate to it and express it, in different ways, in different spheres.

The result for our organisation is that:

1. We are taken out of the centre, as we surrender our own ambitions for something greater than ourselves, and remind ourselves that we are merely instruments in the hand of the Master.

2. It changes our decision-making priorities, becoming our true north as we filter everything through the lens of ‘how will this facilitate increasing Kingdom-expansion impact.’

For example, our investment mandate is specifically geared towards our calling to ‘generate growing, sustainable distributions for maximum Kingdom impact.’

3. It breaks the sacred/secular divide, ensuring that we do not regard those team members who engage in business as ‘secular’ and those who engage in ministry as ‘sacred’. Rather, we are all part of the Kingdom Expansion team. As we put calling at the center, we continue to discover the expanding nature thereof, we find new and diverse ways to give expression thereto, and we continue to grow towards becoming the fullest and truest expression to which God has called us.

A counter-culture of stewardship

A culture of biblical stewardship — our shared set of values, beliefs, and behaviors — underpins the character of Mergon. It applies to us collectively and individually and finds expression in three ways:

1. Being ambassadors of Christ compels us to:

– be relational – distinguishing ourselves by purposefully caring not only about outcomes but also for the people with whom we work.
– be servant-leaders – using our influence to serve, equip and encourage.
– be above reproach – act with integrity in all we do.

2. Being faithful with what we’ve been entrusted with and expressing it through our core values:

– humility (teachable; stewards – not owners)
– courage (innovation, risk, conviction)
– mastery (diligence, excellence)
– partnership (building together, no power plays)

3. Being dependent – committing ourselves, individually and corporately, to work from a place of relationship with our majority ‘Shareholder’. We enquire of Him and wait on Him, trusting He will guide us through wisdom, unity and peace.

Though seemingly obvious, it is highly challenging to live out this culture authentically in a world of complex negotiations and tough funding decisions. The extent to which we remain true to these tenets has a direct influence on our credibility and impact across all spheres of engagement.

Commissioned to be catalysts

Why catalysts? A catalyst is a small dose of substance that, when released into the right environment can cause a disproportionate effect: scripture talks about a small seed sowed to yield a great harvest.

We ask ourselves how we can leverage that which has been put in our hand — funds, knowledge, experience, networks, and relationships — to facilitate a disproportionate impact. This has led to various groundbreaking strategic and innovative initiatives and partnerships. As we mix our endeavors with faith we entrust them back into God’s hands with an expectation that He can do so much more than we can ask or imagine.

Despite many challenges, we have successfully transitioned from a founder/entrepreneur-led business into a sustainable, next-generation group that is committed to being effective instruments for the Kingdom.

We trust that our journey and the principles briefly shared here will encourage fellow entrepreneurs to prayerfully consider how they can facilitate similar transitions. What you have heard, entrust these things to faithful men who themselves will be able to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)

All rights reserved. Copyright 2018 Mergon Group.

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Culture: drive it from the top, see it in the bottom line

 

By Marno Boshoff

We asked Marno Boshoff, Culture Evangelist at King Price Insurance to share some thoughts on the importance of a healthy organisational culture and how that affects the bottom line. King Price Insurance is a strategic asset in Mergon’s portfolio of investments. 

What’s the biggest influence on the culture of an organisation? Can an organisational culture be changed? And does culture actually affect the performance of the business? These are questions I’m asked all the time – and I usually answer by telling the story of one of the iconic software companies of our time, Microsoft.

Since being founded, Microsoft has had three CEOs: Bill Gates (25 years), Steve Ballmer (14 years), and most recently, Satya Nadella, who has been in the position for six years. Each brought their own unique style to the organisation – and ultimately, their own culture. That’s because leaders are the biggest influence on the culture of any organisation: the culture bears the fingerprint of the CEO and the senior leadership team.

Since Nadella took the helm in 2014, Microsoft’s culture, along with its entire business approach, has undergone some rapid, and necessary, changes. During one of the first shareholder meetings he attended as CEO, Nadella stressed that Microsoft’s ability to change its culture would be the leading indicator of the company’s future success.

So does culture have an effect on the business? Let’s look at the facts. When Gates left the CEO role in 2000, Microsoft’s share price was $58 per share. Ballmer, the archetypal hard-driving salesman, left 14 years later with the share price at $38 per share – and many industry experts questioning whether Microsoft’s time had come. Under Nadella’s guidance, the share price has ballooned to its current levels of around $210 a share – in less than six years.

What makes Nadella special? For one, he was a long-time ‘insider’. Insiders are the people who build culture and take ownership. And their mission is to create as many insiders as possible, and as few outsiders. A critical element of his culture overhaul was to instill what he calls a ‘growth mindset’, as opposed to the internal politics and warfare that had held sway until then.

As marketing head Chris Capossela famously said: ‘We went from a company of know-it-alls to a company of learn-it-alls’. This is vital. Embracing a learning culture lies at the root of change and growth. The moment we think we’re better than anyone else, or that we can sit back and watch the rest of the industry, we’re in trouble.

Creating a healthy, happy workplace

At King Price, we’re all about creating a healthy, happy workplace that makes our people want to bounce out of bed, come to work with a smile on their faces, and be their best selves all day long. There are a couple of reasons for this. One, we genuinely love our people. And two, a healthy workplace is the foundation for a successful business. Happy employees are more productive, deliver better client care and help build a more profitable business.

Our drive to maintain our culture starts with hiring new people. We ask two questions: do they create clarity or confusion? Do they create energy or suck energy? Ultimately, we want people who create energy and are clear about their mission. Coupled with a clear sense of purpose and mission from the top, we shape a culture that many companies envy. It’s something we work on every day, because it’s business critical.

Workplace trends to expect in 2021

There’s no denying that Covid-19 changed the dynamics a bit last year. Well, more than just a bit – and we’re going to see the effects in workplaces across South Africa and the world. So what are some trends we can expect in the coming year and how can you build your company culture around it?

1. Remote work is here to stay

Even before the pandemic we were already looking at remote working models for certain areas of our business. Covid-19 just showed that it could work. In 2021, we’re going to see a lot of companies formalising their remote work arrangements, with clear benefits for the business and the employees alike.

A 2019 study found that 73% of all departments will have remote workers by 2028. We can agree that figure will be even higher now. The challenge for businesses will be to build agile work structures to support the new trend and keep their people engaged and connected.

2. A bigger focus on employee wellbeing

We’ve seen mental health issues, burnouts, and stressed workers becoming ever-more widespread in the workplace over the past decade. Covid-19 brought even more stress and worry into the workplace, with people worrying about their health and whether they would keep their jobs through the crisis. On top of that, the downside of remote working is that people battle to separate their home and work lives.

That’s why employee wellbeing is going to be right at the top of the list for many organisations this year. People’s wellness needs have shifted, and we need to respond. As businesses, we must show our people that self-care is a shared value, and encourage them to take more downtime and spend time with their families, friends and hobbies.

3. More social purpose, please

The Coronavirus pandemic highlighted a lot of things that are wrong with our society, including poverty and inequality. What this means is that employees and clients alike are looking to work for, and do business with, companies that live their values and demonstrate a real commitment to social responsibility.

At King Price, #MakingADifference is embedded into our business model. We’ve seen how companies that put social responsibility into action stand out in a highly competitive marketplace. The social needs in our country have rarely been higher, and I believe South African companies will step up and make a real difference in 2021.

4. Soft skills are the future

A couple of months ago, I wrote a blog about the need for emotional intelligence (EQ) in the workplace, and how it accounts for as much as two-thirds of job performance. As companies continue to digitise, and we see more technologies like AI coming into the workplace, the role of soft skills will only become more important in 2021 and beyond.

Soft skills can be difficult to measure, but they’re the key driver of the human connections that are needed for high-performance teams. In a time of change and uncertainty, it’s up to businesses to not only upskill their people in work competencies, but soft skills too.

For us, culture starts at the top, and filters right through the business. But while the CEO has to be the culture champion, he has to get his people on board. Culture isn’t something that’s cooked up in a boardroom with strategists and HR people. It is modelled, and lived, every day. It is shaped by leaders interacting with their people.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2018 Mergon Group.

Mergon is an entrepreneurial investment company that exists to create Kingdom impact and equip others to do the same.

+27 21 816 1111
[email protected]

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