27th May, 2011 
This is an excerpt from the Chapter, ‘Winning in the Workplace’ (unedited) from my-soon-to-be launched book, ‘Achievement Values for Young Adults – Creating self-motivated carriers of change in a competitive world.’
……Self assessment also demands that you ask yourself where you come from. This refers to circumstances that may have influenced the way you think. Young people who come from poorer families have priorities and interests that are a little different from those who are from wealthier families. The circumstances of poverty in my upbringing have largely contributed to the way I think (especially in my desire to help many other people escape poverty)…..
Our own cultures silhouette the way we think and this is evident in the workplace and business. Some cultures are much more wealth oriented while others value self-aggrandizement. Exposure to education shapes the way we think, too. I have found that those who went to Catholic schools look at life a little differently from those who went to government schools. Though many companies are equal opportunity employers and job adverts hardly reflect school orientation, many global companies have a way of capturing affluent young people. It is for this reason the majority of those who went to government schools have no problems working for government agencies while those who were educated under private schools largely work for the private sector…..
The most painful experience I have had in management meetings is to reject promotion appointments of promising young people on account of educational lapses. Those who make an effort to study generally experience a healthy career growth path. They rise from simple clerks to senior managers within a few years. Those who thought success was based on reporting for work 24/7 got highly frustrated when those they once supervised became their bosses…. I have further observed that young people who have had exposure to western education easily find space in a very competitive work environment and will earn their promotion within a short time. These understand that a conceptual approach to issues and people leadership counts more towards promotion than technical skills.
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Hey Chibamba.. looking forward to that book… if i must add…I like the piece on self awareness… as you correctly point out the issue of lack of self awareness is a great challenge for our Zambian teen… and youth (i am not ruling out the adults as well)
See i came across an advert by a tutor offering tuition and a parent expressed interest to have her child tutored by this person advertising. And the tutor asks “is your child dull or just needs grooming? ” I figured thats where the greatest problem is. We entrust the young to “mentors” that are just completely wrong!” What do you expect from such a tutor!
I dont believe there is no one who is dull. Yeah forget the IQ test! but i think rating dullness is as unfair as asking a conventional personal to design a system, to ask a entrepreneur not to sell, to ask an artist to work within a box!Education does shape the way we think but i sure hope that someone out there appreciate that people are different and education is about appreciating those differences to avoid missing out on ones inner skills and more importantly their occupational personality coz thats what tell you how they fit in and win in the work environment
Hai Mr. Chibamba,
I think your commentaries are purely appropriate in the manner we persive society i.e. who we are, what we are, who we become, why, and so on. Life more especially, in the zambian context is mixed and the gap between cluster groupings of our society is huge in every aspect of our lives. Hey my brother, keep the spirit, this is what we want to here,educating and helping one another and evening us who live abroad want to participate in this initiatives and contribute more to the mother zambia. God bless.
Jack Manjimela
I just cant wait for your book mr Chibamba,u inspire me.your articles are just good.Keep the fire burning.You are a trail blazer.
So inspiring..keep up with the spirit we are behind you.
I was educated in a private catholic school,and at UNZA by the govt. I’ve never been able to pay back to Zambia for who I am today. I’m married and have been living in Nigeria for 30 years. I’m able now to offer my services to my country to serve in the government.Whether my services will be used, that only God knows,…what I do know is I’m not just going to sit by and talk, I’m going to DO,…in my thoughts, in my words and in my DEEDS!… in all ways I can…SO HELP ME GOD!
In my individual perspective, i think that Zambia as all country has got enough skiled people from top management to bottom who can tranform the country ecomomy in tranfering there skill on the young and upcoming leaders who have a mission and a vision to contribute in building and moving the country ahead.
i am a your skilled personnel living in cape town South Africa. born in zambia from congolese parents and for a decade i am been contributing in corporate SA and i feel like it time to tranfer my existing skill to young citizens as well. every time i meet a Zambia out of the country if asked i found that they are doing some thing constructive. is there any work that expertriates can as well contribute to our enocomy by maybe introducing a government skilled programme to attract Zambians to come back home and invest.