Ubuntu: A Remarkable Tale of African Teamwork and Collaboration

When I received the review copy of Ubuntu: A Remarkable Tale of African Teamwork and Collaboration, I was thrilled to see an autographed page with a special message from Bob Nelson. It said, Ivana – Love your work, Keep it up Sawa Bona – Bob Nelson. As someone who enjoys collecting autographed copies, I was excited to discover what Sawa Bona meant. Little did I know that the answer awaited me within the pages of this extraordinary book.

While I was fortunate enough to receive Ubuntu as a review copy, the subject matter aligns perfectly with my MBA studies, which place a strong emphasis on teamwork and collaboration. Even if I hadn’t received it as a gift, I would have eagerly purchased it myself. Its compact size of 5 x 7 inches, along with its 132 pages printed in a comfortably large font, make it a pleasure to read – even for my middle-aged eyes.

Guess what? Bob Nelson, the author of the super popular book 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, and Stephen Lundin, who co-wrote the bestselling book Fish, joined forces to create something amazing. They came up with a business story that’s packed with tons of valuable management lessons, and get this—it only takes a couple of hours to finish!

Now, let’s dig into the core of this thing called Ubuntu. What is it, really? Well, it’s a beautiful concept from Africa that goes like this: our humanity is deeply connected to the humanness of others. In other words, we are who we are because of the people around us. And here’s an inspiring quote from Nelson Mandela that captures it perfectly:

“If we want to achieve something in this world, we owe it to the work and successes of others. This idea is called Ubuntu.” — Nelson Mandela

Ubuntu is the incredible tale of John Peterson. I’ve always been a fantastic employee at BullsEye, but when I got promoted to a managerial position, I discovered that I had more obstacles to overcome than I expected. And to make matters worse, my personal life was falling apart too. It seemed like everything was going wrong all at once.

But then something unexpected happened. Enter Simon, a young student from South Africa. Simon overheard me expressing my frustration about having to come in over the weekend, and without hesitation, he decided to skip his college final and lend a helping hand on Saturday to assist me with some poorly completed paperwork. When I asked him why he did it, Simon responded with a simple explanation: It’s Ubuntu. From that moment on, I became Simon’s student, learning about the principles of Ubuntu.

Guess what? I have some exciting news to share! BullsEye is organizing a contest, and guess who won the grand prize? That’s right, it’s Simon, one of our own! And you know what the prize is? A fabulous trip to South Africa! Isn’t that amazing?

So, Simon, along with John and a few other lucky BullsEye employees, embarks on this incredible journey. And let me tell you, it’s an absolute once-in-a-lifetime experience! They get to learn about the principles of Ubuntu firsthand, which is just extraordinary. And you know what happens next? They come back to BullsEye with a solid plan, and lo and behold, the company undergoes a remarkable transformation. Not only does it become an awesome place to work, but it also achieves great success.

Now, let’s talk about how to approach reading this book. You see, it’s not like reading a fancy Shakespearean masterpiece. That’s not the purpose here. Instead, treat it like an allegory, a story that conveys deeper meaning. As you go through the characters’ lessons and experiences, take a moment to reflect on yourself and what you can learn from them. The authors even provide you with outlines and notes that the characters made, which can serve as inspiration for you.

Oh, and before I forget, let’s dive into a few key lessons you can find in this book:

We all create stories to understand what happens in our lives. Being connected to others gives us a chance to question the stories that may be holding us back. It’s important to challenge ourselves and grow.

Ubuntu doesn’t mean accepting poor work, but it does mean showing respect to the person who does the work.

There are still people who see themselves as unimportant, and that means we still have work to do when it comes to Ubuntu.

I don’t know about you, but I can think of times when I could have used these principles. It’s never too late to go back and acknowledge the people affected by my actions.

So, who should read Ubuntu? Anyone who wants to understand the power of connection and respect.

Ubuntu isn’t just for business owners or HR professionals. If you volunteer or are involved in church or school organizations, you’ll find a lot of value in Ubuntu. Actually, a great way to bring your team closer together before starting a project is to get everyone a copy, take the weekend to read it, and then talk about how you will use the principles to work together.

What’s Sawa Bona and How Should You Respond?

I started this review by telling you that Bob Nelson signed his note with Sawa Bona. Sawa Bona is an African phrase that means I see you. It acknowledges the connection that we share as human beings. The proper response to Sawa Bona is to smile widely and say Sikhona — which means I am here. It reminds me of the greeting Namaste, which means I see the light inside you.

As I finished reading the book, one very important idea stuck with me: the first step towards Ubuntu is gratitude and recognizing the connections we all have.

Ubuntu is an amazing book that you can read with ease, and it’s packed with valuable lessons that will help you throughout your life when working with others. Sikhona.

Ubuntu is an exciting book that you can read quickly and gain insights that will stay with you forever, shaping your interactions with people. Sikhona.