The Day the Boss Nearly Lost His Mind
At a growing company in Harare, the CEO let’s call him Mr. Chikwama was stressed. Not because sales were bad, but because his team was behaving like a confused football squad.
One employee, Tino, was a genius with spreadsheets but couldn’t keep time to save his life. Another one, Ropa, arrived at 6 a.m. daily, prayed for the company, watered the office plants but her reports? Disaster.
Then there was Tapiwa, who had neither the skill nor the commitment always late, always tired, and always “sick” on month-end.
Mr. Chikwama knew something had to change. But how do you fire people without turning the office into a telenovela?
The Secret Graph of Truth
So, he drew a graph.
On the vertical axis, he wrote CAPABILITY how skilled someone is.
On the horizontal axis, he wrote COMMITMENT how willing and dedicated someone is.
Then he plotted every employee on that graph. That’s when the truth slapped him like an unpaid bill.
The “C Players” Fire First, Ask Questions Later
These are the ones with low skill and low commitment.
They can’t do the job, don’t want to learn, and still ask for a salary review.
When you call them for a meeting, they come with excuses longer than a kombi driver’s playlist.
“Boss, my cousin’s goat was giving birth…”
“The Wi-Fi was down in my dreams…”
If you talk to them twice and they don’t change let them go. You’re running a business, not a rehabilitation centre.
The “B Players” Type 1 The Loyal But Lost
These ones are committed but not capable.
They’ll come early, sweep the office, and even volunteer to make tea but their work? Eish.
They have the heart, not the hands. But don’t fire them yet. Train them.
They can become stars if you invest in their skills because loyalty can’t be taught.
But if you train them and nothing changes… refer to paragraph above.
The “B Players” Type 2 The Talented but Tired
Now, these ones are the most confusing. They’re highly skilled but low on commitment.
They do great work when they feel like it.
They come to work late, leave early, and complain like it’s part of the job description.
Sometimes, all they need is vision a reminder of why the company exists. Inspire them, motivate them, and if they still drag their feet…
Fire them gently, before they infect your A Players with bad energy.
The “A Players” The Gold You Must Protect
These are your diamonds. High skill. High commitment.
They understand the vision, deliver results, and inspire others.
Reward them. Promote them. Pay them well. Because when your competitors start poaching, these are the ones they’ll go after.
And trust me losing an A Player hurts more than losing a tender.
Running a business without understanding your team is like trying to herd goats during rain season chaos!
Use the Capability vs. Commitment graph. It’s not just a tool; it’s a life-saver.
Some employees need training, others need talking to, and some just need transport money and farewell cake.
Because in business, not everyone deserves a second chance but everyone deserves to be placed where they truly belong.
By The Chartered Vendor
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