#HOPE: How to grow hope & inspire

By Lena le Roux, Staycold International MD. The culmination of different factors has indeed upturned business as we know it in South Africa. Inflation, massive commodity increases, unreliable supply chains and the energy crisis to name a few of these ever-changing influences.

But, I have realised that if all your attention is on these “mountains” and not on the day-to-day small steps you take, you are setting yourself up for failure. Failure is part of the process, but it’s getting back up daily, focusing on the next step, and trying a new route, that counts.

The last three years has been the most challenging of times in all my years of managing a business and it is still continuing! But I strongly believe in these few basic principles that we can focus on, to help give hope to our retail sector in 2023. We as leaders can give hope by taking positive action. Hope is a passive term but becomes an action when it generates positive energy through positive actions.

Grow hope

I will start with what I believe is the order of importance of these factors, to grow hope.

1. Firstly, it’s the small steps taken daily that leads to big things. What you do every day, you may think is insignificant but becomes the foundation of something wonderful. We as leaders need to make our staff aware, it’s the little repetitive things they do with diligence and focus that result in big success. They need to see the reward of this energy and commitment, which results in magnificence.
2. Secondly its structure and discipline. Discipline creates alignment in climbing the mountains.
3. Third, it’s always a team effort. Every member has a function, responsibility and a part to play, with the sum being bigger than the parts, leading to greatness. But it’s showing the staff daily that they can make a difference. No-one person can generate this greatness alone and no-one can generate hope alone! We are all interdependent, to reach better. We need committed and focused team players that fulfill their function with passion and energy.
4. Then, it’s the trust you each have in each other, that builds hope. This is allowing authenticity, that builds and enhances trust with each other, the cornerstone of a great company. This authenticity also allows you to show that it’s all right not to be all right, but to draw on the wisdom and energy of each other. As long as you get up tomorrow and take your next step, this is what counts.

To conclude, there is hope in small things, not in big things. So, build this hope into your company with your employees in every instance you can. Celebrate the small wins.

Staycold International is a sponsor on RetailingAfrica.com and with Retailing Africa, is publishing a series of thought leadership articles on the refrigeration industry in South Africa and Africa. Staycold International is a South African refrigeration company which manufactures self-contained commercial fridges and freezers for South Africa and the African continent from their factory in Parys, South Africa. Their business began in 1979 in Parys, where their home base factory is still located; and where they manufacture units primarily for the beverage and hospitality industries. They have been running for over 40 years with the principles of quality, efficiency, performance, reliability and durability.

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