In 1962, President JF Kennedy walked into NASA like a VIP guest doing a surprise visit. People were polishing machines, adjusting helmets, running around trying to look busy you know how we behave when the big boss shows up.
Then Kennedy meets a janitor holding a broom. Casual question: “Young man, what do you do here?” And this brother without blinking, without sweating, without calling HR for help says:
“I’m helping put a man on the moon.”
Ahh! That answer was so powerful it could give a motivational speaker goosebumps. Because my guy wasn’t just sweeping floors… He understood purpose. He connected his broom to the mission.
THE AFRICAN PROBLEM: YOUR EMPLOYEES THINK THEY JUST ‘CAME TO WORK’
Let’s be honest, my fellow entrepreneurs. If you ask your employees why they’re at work, you might faint from the answers:
- “Boss, I’m here for my salary.”
- “I’m here so I don’t starve.”
- “I’m here because kombi money is expensive, so I must come.”
Some will even say it proudly like it’s a national achievement.
But from the guard at the gate, to the receptionist, to the accountant, to the CEO’s office, everyone has ONE job:
Deliver the vision of the company.
Full stop. Period.
HERE IN AFRICA, WE LOVE TITLES MORE THAN PURPOSE
You’ll find someone titled “Office Assistant”, but their purpose is:
- To create order
- To support efficiency
- To remove friction so production flows
But ask them what they actually think they do… “Boss, I make tea and open the gate.”
No purpose. No mission. Just existence.
The reason NASA succeeded isn’t because they had the smartest engineers (though they did). It’s because everyone including the janitor understood the mission.
When your team doesn’t know the mission, you become that company where:
- Salespeople don’t know what they’re selling
- HR doesn’t know why they’re hiring
- Management doesn’t know why they’re managing
- And customers don’t know why they should trust you
And then the company starts dying slowly like a DSTV subscription you forgot to renew.
PURPOSE MAKES SMALL JOBS FEEL BIG
Let me bring it closer to home:
The lady at reception isn’t “just answering phones.” She is the first smile that customers meet. If she frowns, your brand frowns.
The cleaner isn’t “just wiping tables.” She is maintaining an environment where productivity breathes.
The messenger isn’t “just delivering letters.” He is carrying the company’s image in his hands.
When people see themselves as part of the mission, everything changes. They work like owners. They think like contributors. They don’t wait to be pushed they pull the company forward.
AFRICAN METAPHOR TIME:
Running a company is like cooking sadza. If one person forgets to add mealie meal… If another one doesn’t stir… If the firewood guy disappears… My friend, you’re eating disaster.
But when everyone knows their role, even the one blowing the fire knows: “I’m helping produce a meal.”
ENTREPRENEURS, HERE IS YOUR REAL ASSIGNMENT
Stop complaining that:
- “Employees have no passion.”
- “People are lazy these days.”
Ask yourself:
Have you explained the mission clearly?
Do they know WHY the company exists?
Do they see how their role contributes to that vision?
Or are they just working for the 30th?
Because a team without purpose is like a kombi without a conductor chaos, noise, and no direction.
FINAL TAKEAWAY:
Your company will transform the day your team stops saying: “I work here.” And starts saying: “I help build this.”
When the guard says, “I protect the company’s dreams.” When the cleaner says, “I maintain the company’s environment for success.” When the accountant says, “I guide the financial direction.” When the CEO says, “I lead the vision.”
Then and only then you will see NASA results in your businesses.
Does your people understand your vision and how they’re contributing towards it, we assist with sales training, leadership development, entrepreneurship coaching, and** strategy formulation** that builds accountability, initiative, and real business growth. Let’s turn employees into value creators and companies into high-performance teams +263 77 961 9739 | +260 972 936 033
By The Chartered Vendor
