Douglas Mboweni shares success principles in new book

EVERY leader faces trying times. He or she has to grapple with both internal and external turmoil. It is the external struggle — beyond the individual’s control — which often times is more difficult to contend with.

Econet Wireless CEO, Douglas Mboweni

In Zimbabwe the current business climate has generated many common problems for managers across the board, regardless of the sector they are in or type of business they operate.

So, when the chief executive (CE) of a blue-chip counter who has been at the helm of the company for nearly two decades writes a book it is not a secret that the book will be a must read for executives, aspiring leaders and everyone who wants to learn.

In this part of the world, it is rare for corporate leaders, let alone serving CEs, to openly share the secrets of their success with everyone.
This makes the new book by Econet Wireless CE Douglas Mboweni — A Dusty Road to Success: Principles of An Extraordinary Life, which is based on the foundation of Christianity, a gem.

One’s past does not have to define their future, is Mboweni’s call in the book. It creates an environment for every leader to make space for reflection, navigate and communicate constant change, make progress amidst chaos, stay ahead of the competition, and build a strong management team.

It also captures how to create safe and supportive environments, stay relevant and professional on social media, take a stand on social issues, nurture a strong company culture, choose the right opportunities and define a legacy

The book was written in a simple, easy-to-read style, that its intended readers — the generality of the public and young executives — can read in less than a week. The book is not an 800-page tome, which would take the average reader months on end to read.

But rather, it is a crisp, 140-page work that delves straight to the point as the author lays out the seven principles that he says have helped him to succeed. These are: Identity, Purpose, Empowerment, Balance, Success, Action and Legacy, which he refers to as the ‘IPEBSAL’ model.

One’s past does not have to define their future.

Mboweni puts a lot of emphasis on purpose and action. Very often, people and organisations fail because they do not have a clear sense of purpose, which in turn affects their execution, or ability to take decisive action in bringing their goals to reality.

On page 67 Mboweni suggests that it is almost impossible for anyone to reach their destiny and achieve their goals, when they do not understand their purpose, and when they do not commit the required effort to reach their goals.

“The amount of effort you place in what you were born to be will determine whether you reach your target or not. The more effort you put in, the faster you will propel yourself towards your target. The less effort you exert, the less chances of you hitting your target,” he says.

The principle that clarity of purpose, accompanied by skilled execution, will drive extraordinary results is evident all around us in the world today. Successful global businesses, such as Tesla, Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Alphabet ― worth trillions of dollars ― understand their purpose and are famed for their diligent execution.
Mboweni notes that without action, even brilliant ideas will die natural deaths.

“You need to learn to live a life of action. You can never produce much when you are slack at hand. Never! You need to learn to be diligent in your prayer life, work, in your career, your business… The diligent hand will rule. A lot of planning with no action leads to no results,” he says on page 117.

In summary, the book talks about the need for people to understand their identity here on earth, to pursue their God-given purpose, and to work it into being through focused and consistent action. The quick-read, coming from one of the most successful CEs of our time, will be a useful tool in the arsenal of any young person who wants to excel in life.