The Untold Stories

It’s a beautiful day in Kitwe and Tamari is excited about going to school for her college as she had passed her matrix. Her expectations and drive to face new realities are turned on as she sees beyond obstacles to make it. She lives in a timeless time zone as she is determined to make a name for herself and to make her mama proud. Nothing will stop an intelligent lady with a mission to unfold college mysteries. Much awaited in her path in the realization of her dreams. Walking down the passage she feels confident she is in the right place according to her parent’s success equation. Days won’t matter as they are just numbers counting down for her to finish her degree, get married and spend the rest of her life with her ideal man. All this puts a grin on her face as her eyelashes frame her vision. The well ironed clothes and books set just reflect feelings of pleasure inside her. Weeks down and she has made some friends and blending in well to the new environment. 

The joys of her youth are awakened when she met Tonga, a fine young man who makes her head spin but she doesn’t unravel that to him. Every day was fruitful as they would attend lectures, eat meals and escort each other home. They both show love and affection to each other getting besides their differences, but the love they share blanket them. Everyone who would see them thought they are siblings. Tonga loved Tamari unconditionally and he had many ways of showing his affection to her. You have to understand when a woman is loved she becomes love herself, she will give love you back multiplied. The excitement of love made Tamari to get pregnant whilst in college. Tonga upon realizing that, he makes an attempt to pay school fees for her empowering her all the way. Her mother cries swiftly but there is nothing she can do but accept the situation. 9 months later a baby is born and all the sorrows are drained away with the beauty of a new fetus. The mother gladly accepts to take care of Tadiwa as she wants her daughter to finish her degree.

4 years down Tamari graduated and she is leaping with joy to finally be with her family full time. Tonga keeps loving his family and made sure there is enough on the table despite the economic hardships. Everyone admired the couple, they would invite their friends for braai and enjoyment sharing priceless moments. Tonga felt that he can empower his lady by looking for job to have another source of income in the family. It went well Tamari started off as a cashier and was very excited. For someone without experience it was a good deal for her since it was flexible. Danger stepped when she was overwhelmed and started having an affair with her boss, being in the industry it came with benefits. She was burning the candle on both ends despite the glow. However an old proverb in Shona say “rina manyanga hariputirwe” and everything has consequences. Tonga came to realize of this assertion and it broke his heart, he breathed heavily as he was trying to comprehend everything. He couldn’t believe that his better half had broken her promise to love him for the rest of their lives. The man broke down in tears unbelievable to his eyes. Tamara had to run away with guilty conscience and all was in shambles. 

She asked for forgiveness sincerely but it was dirty to Tonga`s ears. Surely there is a thin line between love and hate because days went by and no one looked for another. Sad moments for both ends it was, until Tonga decided to listen to her pleas and took her back. They carried along but trust was lacking, which is an expensive gift and never expect it from cheap people. Tonga never mentioned this to his family because they so much loved their daughter in law. However he never looked at Tamari the same way, whenever he looked at her he would feel a burning sensation to hit her. Revenge grew into his heart little did he know he was applying kerosene into the fire. He got involved with their helper and she became pregnant. Tamara didn’t take it well as she felt she has done best to keep her marriage nevertheless it was shakened. They would quarrel more often intensively and it wasn`t good for their kid. Small fights were magnified and they majored the minor. A broken family had resurrected with no direction. Relatives came for mediation and they failed to find amicable means of resolving their issues as they both kept the real issue a secret. Moths passed and Tonga committed suicide leaving unsolved mysteries in his family.

The Singapore Taxi

Shiv Khera, a renowned author and management trainer writes about his experience in Singapore:

"Six years ago in Singapore I gave a taxi driver a business card to take me to a particular address. At the last point he circled round the building. His meter read 11$, but he took only 10. I said Henry, your meter reads 11$ how come you are taking only 10. He said Sir, I am a taxi driver, I am supposed to be bringing you straight to the destination. Since I did not know the last spot, I had to circle around the building. Had I brought you straight here, the meter would have read 10$.

Why should you be paying for my ignorance ?

He said Sir, legally, I can claim 11$ but Honestly and ethically I am entitled to only 10.He further added that Singapore is a tourist destination and many people come here for three or four days. After clearing the immigration and customs, the first experience is always with the taxi driver and if that is not good, the balance three to four days are not pleasant either. He said Sir I am not a taxi driver, I am the Ambassador of Singapore without a diplomatic passport. In my opinion he probably did not go to school beyond the 8th grade, but to me he was a professional. To me his behavior reflected pride in performance and character. That day I learnt that one needs more than professional qualification to be a professional. In one line be a "Professional with a human touch and Values " that makes all the more difference.

Knowledge, skill, money, education, all comes later. First comes Human Values, Honesty and Integrity 

Professionalism: It's NOT the job you DO, It's HOW you DO the job."​

15 common interview questions and how to answer them:

So, tell me a little about yourself.

I’d be very surprised if you haven’t been asked this one at every interview. It’s probably the most asked question because it sets the stage for the interview and it gets you talking. Be careful not to give the interviewer your life story here. You don’t need to explain everything from birth to present day. Relevant facts about education, your career and your current life situation are fine.

Why are you looking (or why did you leave your last job)?

This should be a straightforward question to answer, but it can trip you up. Presumably you are looking for a new job (or any job) because you want to advance your career and get a position that allows you to grow as a person and an employee. It’s not a good idea to mention money here, it can make you sound mercenary. And if you are in the unfortunate situation of having been downsized, stay positive and be as brief as possible about it. If you were fired, you’ a good explanation. But once again, stay positive.

Tell me what you know about this company.

Do your homework before you go to any interview. Whether it’s being the VP of marketing or the mail room clerk, you should know about the company or business you’re going to work for. Has this company been in the news lately? Who are the people in the company you should know about? Do the background work, it will make you stand out as someone who comes prepared, and is genuinely interested in the company and the job.

Why do you want to work at X Company?

This should be directly related to the last question. Any research you’ve done on the company should have led you to the conclusion that you’d want to work there. After all, you’re at the interview, right? Put some thought into this answer before you have your interview, mention your career goals and highlight forward-thinking goals and career plans.

What relevant experience do you have?

Hopefully if you’re applying for this position you have bags of related experience, and if that’s the case you should mention it all. But if you’re switching careers or trying something a little different, your experience may initially not look like it’s matching up. That’s when you need a little honest creativity to match the experiences required with the ones you have. People skills are people skills after all, you just need to show how customer service skills can apply to internal management positions, and so on.

How are you when you’re working under pressure?

Once again, there are a few ways to answer this but they should all be positive. You may work well under pressure, you may thrive under pressure, and you may actually PREFER working under pressure. If you say you crumble like a pack of cards, this is not going to help you get your foot in the door.

What motivates you to do a good job?

The answer to this one is not money, even if it is. You should be motivated by life’s noble pursuits. You want recognition for a job well done. You want to become better at your job. You want to help others or be a leader in your field.

What’s your greatest strength?

This is your chance to shine. You’re being asked to explain why you are a great employee, so don’t hold back and stay do stay positive. You could be someone who thrives under pressure, a great motivator, an amazing problem solver or someone with extraordinary attention to detail. If your greatest strength, however, is to drink anyone under the table or beat your opponent in a game of FIFA11, keep it to yourself. The interviewer is looking for work-related strengths.

What’s your biggest weakness?

If you’re completely honest, you may be kicking yourself in the butt. If you say you don’t have one, you’re obviously lying. This is a horrible question and one that politicians have become masters at answering. They say things like “I’m perhaps too committed to my work and don’t spend enough time with my family.” Oh, there’s a fire-able offense. I’ve even heard “I think I’m too good at my job, it can often make people jealous.” Please, let’s keep our feet on the ground. If you’re asked this question, give a small, work-related flaw that you’re working hard to improve. Example: “I’ve been told I occasionally focus on details and miss the bigger picture, so I’ve been spending time laying out the complete project every day to see my overall progress.”

Let’s talk about salary. What are you looking for?

Run for cover! This is one tricky game to play in an interview. Even if you know the salary range for the job, if you answer first you’re already showing all your cards. You want as much as possible, the employer wants you for as little as you’re willing to take.

You may want to say, “well, that’s something I’ve thought long and hard about and I think someone with my experience should get between X & Y.” Or, you could be sly and say, “right now, I’m more interested in talking more about what the position can offer my career.” That could at least buy you a little time to scope out the situation. But if you do have a specific figure in mind and you are confident that you can get it, I’d say go for it.

Are you good at working in a team?

Unless you have the I.Q. of a houseplant, you’ll always answer YES to this one. It’s the only answer. How can anyone function inside an organization if they are a loner? You may want to mention what part you like to play in a team though; it’s a great chance to explain that you’re a natural leader.

Would you rather work for money or job satisfaction?

It’s not a very fair question is it? We’d all love to get paid a Trump-like salary doing a job we love but that’s rare indeed. It’s fine to say money is important, but remember that NOTHING is more important to you than the job. Otherwise, you’re just someone looking for a bigger paycheck.

Would you rather be liked or feared?

The genuine answer should be “Neither, I’d rather be respected.” You don’t want to be feared because fear is no way to motivate a team. You may got the job done but at what cost? Similarly, if you’re everyone’s best friend you’ll find it difficult to make tough decisions or hit deadlines. But when you’re respected, you don’t have to be a complete bastard or a lame duck to get the job done.

So, explain why I should hire you.

As I’m sure you know, “because I’m great” or “I really need a job” are not good answers here. This is a time to give the employer a laundry list of your greatest talents that just so happen to match the job description. It’s also good to avoid taking potshots at other potential candidates here. Focus on yourself and your talents, not other people’s flaws.

Finally, do you have any questions to ask me?

I’ll finish the way I started, with one of the most common questions asked in interviews. This directly relates to the research you’ve done on the company and also gives you a chance to show how eager and prepared you are. You’ll probably want to ask about benefits if they haven’t been covered already. A good generic one is “how soon could I start, if I were offered the job of course.” You may also ask what you’d be working on. Specifically, in the role you’re applying for and how that affects the rest of the company. Always have question this one with a blank stare is a rotten way to finish your interview. 

Good luck and happy job hunting.

SEVEN LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES TO LEARN FROM AN EAGLE....

Eagles fly alone and at high altitudes. 

They don't fly with sparrows, ravens, and other small birds.

MEANING; Stay away from narrow-minded people, those that bring you down. Eagle flies with Eagles. Keep good company.

Eagles have an accurate vision. 

They have the ability to focus on something as far as 5km away. No matter the obstacles, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it.

MEANING; Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacles and you will succeed.

Eagles do not eat dead things. 

They feed only on fresh prey. MEANING; Do not rely on your past success, keep looking for new frontiers to conquer. Leave your past where it belongs, in the past.

Eagles love the storm. 

When clouds gather, the eagle gets excited, the eagle uses the storms wind to lift itself higher. Once it finds the wind of the storm, the eagle uses the raging storm to lift itself above the clouds. This gives the eagle an opportunity to glide and rest its wings. In the meantime, all the other birds hide in the branches and leaves of the tree.

MEANING; Face your challenges head on knowing that these will make you emerge stronger and better than you were. We can use the storms of life to rise to greater heights. Achievers are not afraid to rise to greater heights. Achievers are not afraid of challenges, rather they relish them and use them profitably.

When a female eagle meets a male eagle and they want to mate, she flies down to earth, picks a twig and flies back into the air with the male eagle in hot pursuit. Once she has reached a height high enough for her, she drops the twig and let it fall to the ground while she watches. The male eagle chases after the twig and catches it before it reached the ground, then bring it back to the female eagle. The female eagle grabs the twig and flies to a much higher altitude and drop the twig again for the male eagle to chase. This goes on for hours with the height increasing each time until the female eagle is assured that the male eagle has mastered the art of picking the twig which shows commitment. Then and only then will she allow him to mate with her.

MEANING; Whether in private life or business, one should test the commitment of the people intended for partnership.

 Eagles prepare for training; They remove the feathers and soft grass in the nest so that the young ones get uncomfortable in preparation for flying and eventually flies when it becomes unbearable to stay in the nest.

MEANING; Leave your comfort Zone, there is no growth there.

When the eagle grows old, his feathers becomes weak and cannot take him as fast and as high as it should. This makes him weak and could make him die. So he retires to a place far away in the mountains. While there, he plucks out the weak feathers on his body and breaks its beaks and claws against the rocks until he is completely bare; a very bloody and painful process. Then he stays in this hiding place until he has grown new feathers, new beaks and claws and then he comes out flying higher than before.

MEANING; We occasionally need to shed off old habit no matter how difficult, things that burden us or add no value to our lives should be let go of.

Profile-TV Presenter: Geraldine Mandengenda

Geraldine Mandengenda, one of the hosts of popular local youth TV show Y.G.T, says she knew she was destined to be on Television one day.

The Young, Gifted, and Talented (pun intended) granted us this official interview and talked to us about her experiences as a television presenter.

Q. Who is Geraldine?
Geraldine is a girl born and bred in Harare and I’m 22 years old currently studying Bachelor of Arts in media studies. I’m in the broadcasting world right now and I’m in the entertainment industry and I’m loving it. I’m the only girl in a family of 3and I got 2 elder brothers. I’m more of a reserved person but when it comes to my job, when it comes to presenting I’m a totally different character. I’m all bubbling and talking even more and yes basically that’s me.

Q. Did you know that you were going to here by this time?
I never thought that I’m going to be here by this time you know. It actually hit me by surprise, of cause I did attend auditions when I started presenting that is like 7 years back but I never thought that I would still continue to be in the broadcasting industry. It was that kind of thing that I thought I was just doing it for fun because I was really really young when I started because was only at the age of 15.  So I just thought I’m just doing it for fun and most probably I’m going to take up another career that is after I finish my A`s or after I finish my degree in whatever that I’m going to study but I never thought that this time around I will be actually here and especially with the fact that where I am right now I’m inspiring a lot of youths a lot of young girls. I am on a stage and point in my life where a lot of people look up to me so it’s something that I never dreamt I will be actually doing right now, but I would like to say that it’s something really exciting especially with the fact that I’m really passionate about it
 

Q. What inspired you to choose this career path?
Well presenting is something that I have always loved. I have always being passionate about it ever since I was little girl and I always looked up to my aunt. My aunt being Prisca Utete who is one of zbc main correspondences and she has always inspired me. So ever since I was a young girl I have always wanted to be in the broadcasting industry and I have always liked it so that is why I choose this career path.

Q. If you could stand up for something what would it be
Well if I could really stand up for one thing that will be to really help all the child headed families that we have all across Africa because most policies only tend to focus on women and children and yet we have child headed families that is those who don’t have parents, who don’t even have mothers who actually take care of them. So yes that will be child headed families. Something needs to done in relation to helping them you know with their upkeep if it means with their school fees or funding in relation to clothing, food u know whatever is necessary that they need and that will be to stand up for child headed families that we have in Africa.

Q. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
Well on the next 5 years most probably I’m going to be having my very own media house because I have always wanted to produce my very own media house, because I have always wanted to produce my very own talk show and yes that’s means I want to remain in the broadcasting industry producing my own shows and presenting at the same time. So guess I’m going to be producing my own shows soon (laughs).
 

Q. Tell us one thing we don’t know about you
One thing that a lot of people really don’t know about me is that I love cooking. I actually enjoy being in the kitchen most of the time helping my mum dong different dishes. I really love inventing new recipes in the kitchen. A lot of people think that I’m that kind of girl who wouldn’t cook in the kitchen but I’m actually a good cook, I’m not that bad, but I love inventing new recipes in the kitchen.

Q. What do you do to keep you level headed?
Well what I always make sure that I do to stay level headed when it comes to presenting is that as a person you have to be knowing where you are going. Know your aims and goals, your mission. What you aiming at and what you really  want to be in life and never let success get to your head and that really help me a lot to be always be level headed in my career and my life so yes that helps me a lot.
 

Q. What are your top 5 habits?

MAKE UP LOVER
I constantly click to make up things be it lip stain, mascara, lip-gloss obviously make up has to be one of a girl best friends a yes I really love it and I constantly check out the latest trending in makeup and what’s on, what’s good you know what’s bad and yes I always make sure that I follow tutorials on different social network platforms be it on YouTube, be it international videos and local videos. I really love makeup yes I want to say I’m a really really great make-up artist but yes might just get there it’s not like it’s going to be something that’s going to be branching from my main career that is presenting but I could see myself one day with a make-up studio doing people`s make up and stuff. I really love it, even my friends and family know that if they want to buy make up stuff they also get some advice from me, I’m like their make-up therapist.

PROACTIVE PERSON
The 4th habit is that Ito like say I’m a proactive person. That means that I’m not a person who would wait for an opportunity to knock at my door and say it came locating me, well actually I’m the locator. I always try to create new opportunities for myself and I always make sure that I go out there and grab my destiny by the horns you know I never wait for opportunities to locate me. I’m a self-determined person so I always make sure that what I feel is good for me or what I feel is going to change my life for the better and for the positive I actually do it with determination u know that resulting in success and yes I’m a proactive person.

ALWAYS LEARNING NEW THINGS
It is very important and very essential in anyone`s life to make sure that willing to do new things. Personally this allows me to be constantly learning and it gives me the room for self-growth and whatever situation that is presented in my life you know it’s never difficult to tackle. So I love learning new things so always learning for me is one of my top 3 habits actually in my top 5 habits.

TIME MANAGEMENT
The second of my top 5 will be time management, constantly I make sure that I know my schedule and I manage my time very well especially with the fact that right now I’m studying, I’m going to school and at the same time I’m going to work. I make sure that I know what I’m supposed to be doing, where I’m supposed to be at so that I avoid any clashes in my time table, any clashes in my schedule. I make sure that I always plan maybe a day or a week a before you know it there is something that is supposed to be happening or if there is an event that I’m supposed to be attending, if there is a show that I’m supposed to be recording, if there is an exam that I’m supposed to be having. I always make sure that I manage my time if its school time its school time and work time is work time, so time management will be my number 2 of my top 5 habits.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
The 1st one of my top 5 habits is I always make sure that I know what is going on like the current news be it celebrity gossip, be it politics whatever, Because as a presenter you need to what is happening especially with all the presenting you know and as for me I actually do live television shows and you need to know what is happening around so that your viewers get to know new information every day and it actually captures your audience attention and mind you know. You need to know what is happening so always make sure I do my research, know what is trending, know what’s not trending, know the latest gossip, and know the latest news all the time that is really part of me and important.

POWER OF ATTITUDE

We’ve all heard about the power of our attitude and that it’s our attitude that determines how much we succeed in life. Statements such as “It’s not just our aptitude but our attitude that determines our success” are often sprouted and I think we’d all agree that people with a positive attitude just seem to enjoy life more and are generally happier and more successful. 

1. Be honest with yourself.
If you’re feeling bad or down and your attitude towards life or work is quite poor, then admit it to yourself. Don’t live in denial. Accept there is an issue because only once you’ve accepted something for the way it is can you make a change.

2. Get some rest
Have there been times when you’re overworked and stressed and you’re not getting as much rest as you should? How do you feel during those times? I bet you’re agitated and the smallest things can set you off. Often just getting some rest and forcing ourselves to take a break can be the best thing for our attitude. Adequate rest and sleep is a vital ingredient to maintaining a positive attitude.

3. Get clear on exactly what is causing you to have such a bad attitude
What exactly is bothering you? Is it your boss? Your partner? Your kids? There have been many times when I know I’m not quite feeling right but I can’t put a finger on exactly what’s bothering me and until I can figure it out, my attitude remains bad. However, once I figure out exactly what is bothering me (and that usually only takes a few minutes of quiet reflection), I can then do something about it and my attitude immediately changes.

4. Look at the Consequences of your Bad Attitude
For example, are you stressed at work because of impending deadlines? Is that causing you to snap at your kids and walk around the house with a bad attitude. If so, look at the consequences of that. Your poor kids and your partner have got nothing to do with how things are at work. So why should they cop the brunt of your poor attitude? If you continue with this, what’s going to happen? Things at home will only get worse and that will only make your attitude even worse. It’s a negative spiral which is very tough to get out of. So get clear on the consequences of your bad attitude. Who are you hurting as a result of being grumpy?

5. Do Something to change your attitude
What can you do to improve your attitude? For example, if you’ve had a bad day at work and you’re about to walk in the door and see the family with that same bad attitude, what can you do to change the way you feel? If I’m walking home, I will often take a longer route. The added exercise and fresh air often helps clear my head or I’ll start listening to some uplifting music which immediately improves my attitude. I might also go for a run or head to the gym. What can you do to change your attitude.

6. Change the way you are looking at the situation
We all have trigger situations that cause us to get into a bad mood and to have a bad attitude toward life. Remember it is not the event, experience or problem itself but rather the way we respond to it that makes us feel the way we do. For example, if you feel like you have too much to do at work, rather than complaining and wishing it will go away, take on your extra work as a challenge. Imagine how good it would feel to get through all this work and have your head about water again. Then, with your new positive attitude attack your workload with a new enthusiastic gusto. I guarantee that when you change the way you look at something, your attitude and your results will immediately change.

7. Have an attitude of gratitude.
When Sir John Templeton was interviewed and he was asked what the definition of wealth is, he replied, “Live with an attitude of gratitude”. Everyday, look for things to be grateful for. I don’t care how tough things get, there is always something to be grateful for, whether it is as simple as the fact that you have eyes to see things with, a roof over your head or a bed to sleep in. Look for 5 things to be grateful for everyday, seek to live with an attitude of gratitude and watch your entire attitude towards life change.

Think of everyday as a fresh start. Looking in the past can only do harm, and no matter how old you are there is always room to grow. So forget about the past and look onward to the future with positivity. Whoever said “you can't teach an old dog new tricks” was wrong.

*TIPS ON HOW TO REMAIN POOR*

*1. _Never wake up early._*

 Keep stretching and turning in bed until you get too hungry to continue dozing. If there are no bed bugs,
why hurry to get up?

*2. _Never plan how to spend your money._*

 Whenever you get money, start spending it right away and when it's finished, you try to count and recall how you spent it.

*3. _Don't think of saving until you have real big money._* 

How can you save when you earn so little? Those telling you to save are not sympathetic to your burning needs.

*4. _Don't engage in activities usually reserved for the"uneducated"._* 

How can you, a graduate, engage in petty trade, network marketing or home-based production? That's for people who never went to school!

*5. _Don't think of starting a business until an angel comes from heaven and gives you capital._*

 How do they expect you to invest before you get millions? Even though more than half the businesses in your town were started with little capital, you as a smart person can only start with millions.

*6. _Complain about everything except your own attitude and laziness._*

Blame the system, the government and the banks that refused to lend you money. They are all bad and do not want you to get rich.

*7. _Spend more than you earn._*
To achieve this, buy consumer products on credit and keep borrowing from friends and employers.

*8. _Compete in dressing._* 

Make sure you're wearing the latest clothes. Intimidate the congregation with your trendy
fashions every Sunday. Whenever your neighbor buys a new phone, you get one that is more expensive.

*9. _Get yourself a nice second hand car_*

That costs more than three times your yearly salary.

*10. _Give your children everything they ask for since you're such a loving parent._*
They should not struggle for anything because you do not want them to suffer that way, they will grow up lazy and hence poor enough to ensure they can't help you at old age