Quinton Douman Incompetence, or just plain toxic behavior of employees, negatively affects the culture, and by extension, the overall success of an organisation and yet there are not enough people getting dismissed for this. While it is a cumbersome legal process and often tough to prove or even to correct, the main reason is that management is unwilling to have honest and tough conversations that ultimately lead to difficult decisions. This is a leadership deficiency that we see in small businesses as well as within executive teams in big organisations and in governments. CEO of 212 Consulting , Quinton Douman, explains further. Organisations are filled with employees who really don’t want to be there. We all know them, they are the ones who will not contribute in meetings, instead they will have a separate caucus after the real meeting and it will often only be with people who are equally miserable. But dare I say that sometimes the disgruntled employee is a result of their own c...

Quinton Douman Strong leadership skills are widely acknowledged as vital tools in providing companies with a competitive edge in today’s business environment. Quinton Douman, MD of 212 Business Consulting; personal development coach and a professional speaker, elaborates that if you are a leader – be it of a franchised business, a global corporation, a family or a country - it’s always decision time. The role of leadership, by definition, means that the weight of decisions falls onto your shoulders. Should your business purchase more stock despite a downturn in demand? Can you really afford to send your daughter on that school trip? Should you be making that particular amendment to this specific charter? The art of decision-making doesn’t have to be a continuous cycle of “what ifs”; when it comes down to the core of any matter, there are three questions that need to be answered before you can identify the wisest course of action: What should start? What should continue? W...

Quinton Douman As we come to the end of 2015, most people are looking towards the new-year with renewed vigour, redefining their path and putting together new resolutions. Personal development coach and a professional speaker Quinton Douman offers sage advice on how to hold on to your enthusiasm and visions of success, and to power through 2016 with your self-respect firmly intact. Too often, the excitement and enthusiasm we have for our goals and ambitions wanes as we’re weighed down by disappointment and disillusionment. The result is that we chip away at our self-respect with each broken promise, failed objective or unrealised dream.  But wait, what if I told you that there are only three decisions that you need to make in order to see your goals through? But, before you get started, you need to define your values, as these will become the foundation for solid decision making and goal setting. Once you have defined your values, the first decision you need to make is ...