2.54..ZIMBABWE One of a Kind
What to expect when you press PLAY
Farai Madzima is a man of and for the people. He is a leader, teacher and speaker who's passionate about managing people humanely and authentically, regardless of who they are. He celebrates diversity in all areas of life, including in business. He speaks about how we (as managers, leaders and people) must focus on individuals instead of purely on results. Farai's roots are firmly planted in Zimbabwe but he has been living in Canada since 2017. This experience uniquely places him in a place to talk about cross-cultural competence.
LISTEN TODAY - HERE
KEY TAKEAWAYS
As Farai has called many places home, including Canada, Zimbabwe and the UK, it gives him unique insight into the places, he can see them differently from the people who have only ever lived in one place.
As early as school, Farai felt separate from others. Although living in his home cTODAY ountry, he altered his name and accent to fit in with the white children he went to school with.
When moving in different circles Farai still makes an assessment of which version of himself to portray. His differences can be an advantage and present opportunities or it can make him feel in peril.
The many differing traits Farai has collected from his travels create an ‘otherness’ when he goes to Zimbabwe.
One of the topics Farai is passionate about and presents on, is the benefits companies and businesses could achieve from hiring a more diverse workforce.
Farai also coaches and advocates for managers to drive and manage their teams in a humane and much more thoughtful way rather than solely focusing on output.
Different cultures work differently! From how to give feedback and deal with conflict to how to motivate, inspire and get the most out of your workforce. Farai calls dealing with these complexities cross-cultural competence.
Many of us can be one of a kind in a room, this can often be visible by race or gender or can be more hidden. The importance is that managers know how to manage and deal with this.
BEST MOMENTS
5:02 “Wherever we go we are learning to pick up our lives, plant them in new places and let them flourish”
08:09 “Fitting in better there meant I could succeed in that world but it also meant I was separating myself”
13:19 “You could be managing people across the globe from multiple different cultures and those cultures teach us different things”
14:19 “When we have good conflict we can make an idea better”
15:27 “What is it like to be one of a kind in a room, what do managers need to know about that”
16:29 “To not look at people as resources but take the responsibility for the people that report to them”
