Every time I try and defend this issue, I get taken back two steps. What issue you may wonder. The issue of the ignorant black executive, silly. Not stupid by any stretch of the imagination. No sire. This guy is possibly well educated. If he is not, he is quite experienced in the world of business, through either his own efforts or those of BEE. He has only one problem. He likes being the “only black”. I won’t go deep into this at this time, suffice to say this guy always boasts to whoever has the stomach to listen, about how he was the only black to do this or that, and how in most of his directorships he is still the only black. As if that is some sort of achievement. His ignoramus arse doesn’t realise how many others he is closing doors on by keeping this dumb “only black” tag.
I’m only mentioning this as a precursor to what I really wanna talk about; the ignorant black executive. This one is rampant, probably more rampant than the corrupt politician. Or maybe it’s the same guy? Doesn’t matter. Ignorant black. Very very important black. So important that he keeps all sorts of staff working under him. Better if most of them are white; that way he feels superior, like he has defeated colonialism, slavery and apartheid all by himself. All at once. Best if these folk call him sir or Mr So and So. Whatever man!
What is the BEEf with Mr So and So? Well this big shot never returns calls. Never. Those who know me will tell you that sometimes I don’t answer my phone myself for whatever reason. Not at all. But they will also tell you that if they leave a message I will be sure to call, SMS or email them back. I will. Promise. Mr BEEg Shot doesn’t even keep his own PDA cell phone; he has two PAs for that, one for each phone. And they always want to know what you are calling their boss for. “What is it in connection with?” I’ve heard more times than I want to remember. “Email me details of what you want to talk to him about, and I’ll get back to you with an answer”. Dude, are you Mandela or something? Are you the keeper of the golden key to heaven? Damn!
Someone I know once called 40 CEOs of companies in Mzansi as part of his research while completing his MBA. Twenty were black, the other half white. Twenty got back to him and provided all the answers he sought. In fact, one even called him personally, all the way from London, apologising for not being able to entertain him because he was overseas, but promising to do so as soon as he was back in Mzansi. Which he did. Twenty totally ignored his calls, emails, pleas…Guess which 20 was which. Ja. That’s right. Mr BEEg, chasing borrowed paper, forgetting that to build a winning nation you need to inspire the next generation.
I was reminded of this story today when I was reviewing some proposals I had emailed to 25 government departments in the past year. Twenty five I say. Of the 25, only 4 are headed by white people. I got back five responses, only one from a black HOD. Are the other 20 black HODs too busy to hit me back? Maybe they are worried I want to be the second black and take away their status? I promise, your little job with the 5x5 office is safe from me. Or am I just too small a fish to swim alongside them? We all know the wheel turns, so maybe some day I will also be a BEEg fish who refuses to swim with THEM? Looking forward to it!
I’m only mentioning this as a precursor to what I really wanna talk about; the ignorant black executive. This one is rampant, probably more rampant than the corrupt politician. Or maybe it’s the same guy? Doesn’t matter. Ignorant black. Very very important black. So important that he keeps all sorts of staff working under him. Better if most of them are white; that way he feels superior, like he has defeated colonialism, slavery and apartheid all by himself. All at once. Best if these folk call him sir or Mr So and So. Whatever man!
What is the BEEf with Mr So and So? Well this big shot never returns calls. Never. Those who know me will tell you that sometimes I don’t answer my phone myself for whatever reason. Not at all. But they will also tell you that if they leave a message I will be sure to call, SMS or email them back. I will. Promise. Mr BEEg Shot doesn’t even keep his own PDA cell phone; he has two PAs for that, one for each phone. And they always want to know what you are calling their boss for. “What is it in connection with?” I’ve heard more times than I want to remember. “Email me details of what you want to talk to him about, and I’ll get back to you with an answer”. Dude, are you Mandela or something? Are you the keeper of the golden key to heaven? Damn!
Someone I know once called 40 CEOs of companies in Mzansi as part of his research while completing his MBA. Twenty were black, the other half white. Twenty got back to him and provided all the answers he sought. In fact, one even called him personally, all the way from London, apologising for not being able to entertain him because he was overseas, but promising to do so as soon as he was back in Mzansi. Which he did. Twenty totally ignored his calls, emails, pleas…Guess which 20 was which. Ja. That’s right. Mr BEEg, chasing borrowed paper, forgetting that to build a winning nation you need to inspire the next generation.
I was reminded of this story today when I was reviewing some proposals I had emailed to 25 government departments in the past year. Twenty five I say. Of the 25, only 4 are headed by white people. I got back five responses, only one from a black HOD. Are the other 20 black HODs too busy to hit me back? Maybe they are worried I want to be the second black and take away their status? I promise, your little job with the 5x5 office is safe from me. Or am I just too small a fish to swim alongside them? We all know the wheel turns, so maybe some day I will also be a BEEg fish who refuses to swim with THEM? Looking forward to it!
1 comment:
Word...
If you black and street enuff tho, I triple dare u to send this blog to the non-responsive BEEgie Smalls and see what (doesn't) happens.
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