Background to give context to perspectives that connect to leadership conversations. Keeping it down the middle.
If you want loyalty, get a dog.
A routine visit to the South African Police Services (SAPS) to close The Powder Keg’s (TPK) trading license in firearms turned out not to be so routine. A discovery of an alleged fraud where employees were selling firearms for their own account using the firearms trading license of the business.
The business property could not be handed over to the buyer.
Although the premises were empty, the alleged illegal trading of the employees resulted in a situation where the records of the SAPS reflected the business having a few hundred firearms which were not on the premises. Were annual safe inspections by SAPS complicit?
It does not land with me.
My proactivity, always taking accountability and responsibility, cost me, it was coupled with ignorance. About 6 years back I stopped all retail selling of firearms because I could not be sure in 100% accuracy of the records. I learned that every gun shop has a person appointed responsible for firearms, and reporting of the suspected fraud completed my obligations.
The question begs?
If the buck did not stop with me, why did I stop selling firearms, cutting off the main revenue stream of TPK? I had materially misstated my accountability. I was given “competency to trade” rights without any training or any tests. Still I cannot blame a broken system.
Is your ladder leaning against the right wall?
A leader determines whether a ladder is leaning against the right wall. I had my clothes off. A web of dishonesty was feeding off my ignorance of the process and my absence. Recognising that the problem is always on the inside is the first step in the solution. Still I recommend that a non residence never be allowed to own a gun shop.
Act on what you read.
Through challenging times, it was my living the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey, that showed itself in my resilience and actions. Reading widely is beneficial, but reading the 7 Habits several times and acting on it has served me better than reading many and not acting on any. My life is shaped by the habits that I repeat.
Sometimes shit just sucks.
I previously wrote about my scars in the ownership of TPK. What I now realise is that I did not have scars, only bruises. The accumulation of mistakes processed honestly has made me wiser. But I also learned that challenges are not all lessons. Sometimes shit just sucks. That is when I say to myself, I could not have changed it, because I did not. Karma will come later, or it won’t, but I am fine either way.
A hair-trigger response to the slightest stimulus?
Stuff like this, worthy of a Netflix documentary, would trigger me before, now I am no longer angered by it, just curious about people’s values and principles. Struggle is where growth happens, which made this off-road journey meaningful. Hard times demand growth. I reinforced the fundamental concept of effective living, that proper values and principles at your centre are the lighthouse giving you security and guidance to act decisively.
Know the calibre of your circle.
I learned that you have friends for reasons, friends for seasons and friends for life. Know who fits what category. Getting older my tolerance for shallow people has tightened, giving clarity to the categories of friendships. Friends for life don’t only want you to win, they help you win. Remember that!
Who will climb the mountain with you?
In challenges you separate the “draad sitters” (Afrikaans expression for those who sit on the fence) from those who will climb the mountain with you. If it took a decade of hell to discover who was who in my friend circle, then it was a worthwhile journey.
A leopard does not change its spots.
Your energy is the signal to who you attract. All the signals of corrupt employees were there; you could see it by who showed up. Their apologies were just noise because their behaviour did not change. Dishonesty backed by money can have short term benefits, but doing the right thing no matter what, wins medium and long term.
Turn your back, change your zip code, move forward.
You will not get closure from dishonest people; I made my own closure. Moving forward determines the quality of your next moment. It is the best form of revenge. As soon as I processed that stuff like this wont matter to me in 3 years’ time, I never spent even 3 minutes again being upset about the TPK web of dishonesty.
The power of stepping away.
It takes one big win to cancel out all the losses, so know when to leave the party. I stayed too long because burning the bridge felt like quitting. Wisdom has taught me that achieving more does not come from pushing harder, but by eliminating distractions, everything that is an energy leak or emotional tax.
You choose peace by what you ignore, what you stop giving your energy to.
Love my old-timer.
In the TPK journey I’ve experienced people short on character and long in money. It’s never a nice ending. They are so poor that all they have is money. Being generous when you have everything is easy. I understood the concept of “own yourself before owning a new expensive car”. When you are not validated by others, your life is rich.
Thank you!
Dave Hurr handing out fines. Great times in nature. The one friend who ate the elephant with me, one bite at a time. In 1 word. Authenticity.
Thanks to W who represented me. It is premature to name him, but nice to know that there are genuine people in the legal fraternity. People who want to see the right thing done no matter what.
Thanks to Marius of Arms For Africa. In every business closing you have “sharks” circling, people with personal insecurities, scripted in win/ lose. Marius supported TPK closing in a total philosophy of win/ win.
