Don't take Shit from Hyenas in the Workplace

A DRAYTONIAN CHANGEMAKER The Story of a Social Entrepreneur

by

SUSAN MAUD STEINMAN

THESIS

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree

DOCTOR PHILOSOPHIAE

in

LEADERSHIP IN PERFORMANCE AND CHANGE in the

FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT

at the

UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG

PROMOTER: PROFESSOR WILLEM J SCHURINK APRIL 2008

This thesis is dedicated to:

Dr Bill Drayton

Founder and CEO of Ashoka

for making it possible for

social entrepreneurs like me

to follow our dreams

Ashoka – Innovators for the Public

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Table of Contents

Page i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS P1

1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS P1

2. JOURNEY SYNOPSIS P4

3. JOURNEY NAVIGATION P7

4. ETHICS IN RESEARCH: GUIDELINES AND PROCESS P8

4.1 Aim P8

4.2 Domain of Application. P8

4.3 The Context of these Guidelines P8

4.4 The Role of the Faculty Ethics Committee P9

4.5 Guidelines P9

4.5.1 Ethical Obligations of Researchers P9

4.5.2 Specific Guidelines P9

4.6 A Process to ensure Ethics in Research P11

5. INFORMED CONSENT P13

5.1 How Informed Consent was Obtained P13

5.2 Standard Letter of Informed Consent P14

6. GLOSSARY P15

PART I: MAPPING THE TERRAIN P16

1. INTRODUCTION P17

1.1 Introducing you to my world P17

1.2 The journey: using autoethnographic inquiry as vehicle P18

1.3 Diverse moments, many roles. P20

1.4 What is a social entrepreneur? P21

2. AIMS AND EXPECTED CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY P22

2.1 The aims of the study P22

2.2 Expected contributions of the study P23


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2.2.1 Methodology P24

2.2.2 Scientific knowledge P24

2.2.3 Practice P26

2.2.4 Policy P27

2.2.5 Other Insights P30

3. THE AUTOETHNOGRAPHY, CULTURAL SETTING AND THE SOCIAL INNOVATION

P30

3.1 Presenting lived experiences P30

3.2 The cultural setting of the Draytonian Changemaker (Social Entrepreneur) and autoethnography

P32

3.3 Social innovation P33

4. THE STATE OF THE ART OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP P38

4.1 Social Entrepreneurship: An emerging field of inquiry P38

4.2 Clarifying social entrepreneurship P39

4.3 The social entrepreneur as catalyst for change P43

4.4 Bill Drayton, the founder of Ashoka P50

4.4.1 Drayton’s views on social entrepreneurship P52

4.4.2 Drayton’s Ashoka P53

4.4.2.1 Measuring effectiveness: The indicators P57

4.4.2.2 Ashoka’s flexibility P58

4.5 THE VALUE OF CHANGE THEORIES P60

4.6 SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR A CHANGING COUNTRY P61

PART II: JOURNEY ORIENTATION P62

LETTER TO RIëTTE P63

ANNEXURES TO THE LETTER P81

ANNEXURE PII - A: MY RESEARCH APPROACH P81

1. A qualitative research orientation P81

1.1 Phases in qualitative research P84

1.2 Social constructionism P88

2. My Ontological and Epistemological Beliefs P90


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- Ontology

- Epistemology

P90

P92

ANNEXURE PII - B: QUALITY, SOUNDNESS, RIGOUR AND RESEARCH ETHICS

P94

1. Quality, soundness and goodness P94

2. Research ethics P96

2.1 Informed consent P97

2.2 Anonymity P98

2.3 Taking care of self—divulging personal information P99

ANNEXURE PII - C: RESEARCH DESIGN P102

1. Presentation P103

1.1 Style techniques P103

1.2 My presentation and style P103

2. Case study or casing P105

ANNEXURE PII - D: THE STORIES P107

1. Selecting personal lived social entrepreneurial events and experiences

P107

2. Collecting relevant material P108

3. Capturing and storing data P112

4. Pictures P113

5. Writing the story of my lived experiences P113

6. The research story P115

7. Displaying data P116

PART III: THE JOURNEY P117

Chapter 1: Out on a limb P118

Chapter 2: Reclaiming purpose and meaning P140

Chapter 3: Launching dignity P164

Chapter 4: Outreach and networking – Ashoka enters P190

Chapter 5: Towards the 99th monkey P215

Chapter 6: Living in the fullness of time P243

Chapter 7: Magnificent outcomes P273


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PART IV: TOUR GUIDES AND ULTRA CITIES P302

AN INTRODUCTION TO TOUR GUIDES AND ULTRA CITIES P303

SECTION 1: TOUR GUIDES P309

I. Signing up for the journey P310

II. Meeting the travel company P313

III. Approving the itinerary for the journey P316

IV. What about a picture? P320

V. It is crunch time! P322

VI. What about ethics? P325

VII. Are you scientifically rigorous enough? P329

SECTION 2: ULTRA CITIES P333

1. Framework Guidelines for my Toolkit for Autoethnographic Regression

P334

A The First Ultra City with Pieter A marrow expiration of the soul

P334

B The Second Ultra City with Pieter Revisiting meaning, purpose and words

P339

C Ultra City with Me: My toolkit for the inner journey

1. Who am I?

1.1 What is my meaning and purpose in life?

1.2 My needs

1.3 My values and beliefs

2. Loving Me, Loving You

2.1 Dealing with anger and negativity

2.2 A vocabulary for survival

2.3 Forgiveness

3. Framework Guidelines for the Toolkit

P342

P343

P343

P344

P346

P347

P347

P348

P349

P350

2. Ultra City with Mom P353

3 Ultra City with the storage boxes P359

4 Ultra City with Anton P361

5. Ultra City with my girlfriends – do you smoke? P364

6. Ultra City with Magriet P367


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7. Reflections of a survivor P370

8. Keeping the lights burning P373

9. Ultra City with Dr Bill Drayton

9.1 Prior to 7 November

9.2 7 November...

9.3 The early hours of 8 November 2007...

9.3.1 Life cycle of Social Entrepreneurship

9.3.2 The Gender Dimension of Social Entrepreneurship

9.3.3 Identifying Social Entrepreneurs Early

9.3.4 University Involvement

9.3.5 The End

P375

P375

P377

P378

P378

P378

P378

P379

PART V: MY LONG WALK TO DIGNITY P380

SECTION A P381

1. A suitable conclusion P381

2. What have I learnt? P383

2.1 Acquiring new writing skills P384

2.2 Cognitively engaging in the art of reflection P386

2.3 Dealing with traumatic events from the past and finding closure P387

2.4 Relating my story to existing constructs about social entrepreneurs and change

P388

2.4.1 The uniqueness of the idea or approach to solve a social problem

P389

2.4.2 Creativity P389

2.4.3 Focussed approach P390

2.4.4 Ability to network P391

2.4.5 Transformative forces to bring about systemic change P391

2.4.6 Ethical fibre P392

2.5 Comparing my personal change model with other models P393

2.6 The unfolding of social entrepreneurial talent P396

3. Is this a good autoethnography? P397


Page vi

4. Did the reader learn something about social entrepreneurship and my social innovation?

P401

4.1 Social Entrepreneurship P402

4.2 Social Innovation: Dealing with workplace violence and workplace bullying

P402

5. Towards social change: A luta continua P402

5.1 Recommendations P402

5.1.1 Social Entrepreneurship P403

5.1.2 Social Innovation: Addressing workplace violence P403

SECTION B P407

IT IS A ROUNDTRIP P407

REFERENCES P424

List of References P425

Websites visited P438

ANNEXURES P440

Annexure 1: Résumé (Major achievements) – Susan Steinman for purposes of doing an autoethnography.

P442

Annexure 2: Selected examples of recent media coverage not mentioned in the autoethnography.

P447

Annexure 3: Work Document for Data Collection (October 2006): sourcing relevant life experiences to the study of social entrepreneurs.

P458

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: The social entrepreneur or changemaker, the challenge and social innovation

P10

Figure 2: Graphic illustration of the four-phase life cycle of a social entrepreneur

P55

Figure 3: The relationship between the social entrepreneur and other stakeholders

P47

Figure 4: Maslow’s Hierargy of Needs P345


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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Summary of main findings of authors (Mair et al., 2006) P41

Table 2: Key qualities of Social Entrepreneurs P388

Table 3: Criteria for evaluating autoethnographic projects P398

LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS & GRAPHICS

Key Words Page

position Page

Bill Drayton (CEO Ashoka). 1st

Ashoka logo. 2nd

Dedica-tion

page

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

Ilan Steinman (Susan’s husband). 1st 1

Prof. Willem Schurink (Susan’s promoter). 2nd 1

Prof. Willem & Evanthe Schurink. 3rd 1

Connie Nel (Chief Language Editor). 1st 2

Karin Janneke. 2nd 2

Western Printers logo. 3rd 2

Florah Tshonkane (Susan’s Helper). 4th 2

Jenny Siegel (daughter). 1st 3

Grandchildren. 2nd 3

The Steinman dogs. 3rd 3

PART 1: MAPPING THE TERRAIN

Ashoka logo. 1st 17

Road (Picture – E. Schurink). 2nd 17

Workplace Dignity Institute logo. 3rd 17

Collage of Change-makers. (Ashoka Website). 4th 17

Susan (Seven years old). 1st 20

Susan and friends ( Ashoka Awards Evening - 2003). 2nd 20

Family (Susan, Mother Emily, Daughter – Jenny and Granddaughter – Mayah).

3rd 20

Susan and Ilan (Wedding day – 1998). 4th 20

Corporate Hyenas at Work (Susan’s First Book – 1997). 5th 20


Page viii

Marion Borcherds, Bethany Brady and Susan (At Gauteng Department of Health’s Exhibition in Washington DC, USA).

6th 20

Magnificent Outcomes (2006) . 7th 20

Workplace Dignity Institute logo. 8th 20

Susan’s Website – www.worktrauma.org. 9th 20

Prof. Willem Schurink and Susan (First Meeting at News Café in Auckland Park, Johannesburg).

Only 22

Collage of Changemakers (Ashoka Website). Only 43

Ashoka fellows at work (Ashoka Website). Only 46

Collage of Leaders. (Ashoka Website). Only 49

Dr. Bill Drayton (Founder & CEO Ashoka). Only 51

Ashoka Logo. Only 55

PART 2: JOURNEY ORIENTATION

Corporate Hyenas at Work - How to Spot and Outwit them by being Hyenawise (2006) .

1st 109

My Hyena Journal – The Survival Toolkit for Victims of Workplace Violence (2006).

2nd 109

Magnificent Outcomes – An Account of the Struggle and Victory over Workplace Violence in the Health Sector (2006) .

3rd 109

Don’t Take SHIT from Hyenas in the Workplace – Reclaim Your Dignity – Be Hyena-Wise! (2007).

4th 109

People Wisdom in the Workplace (2007) 5th 109

PART 3: THE JOURNEY

Susan (1994). Only 125

Jenny and her poodles. Only 138

Newspaper clipping 1994. Only 142

Cartoon by Tony Bloem (San custom). Only 172

Cartoon by Tony Bloem (Halo Hyena). Only 173

Susan Steinman and Magriet Herman (1997) by Tony Bloem used as introduction in Corporate Hyenas at Work (1997).

Only 174

Tony Bloem illustrates medical kit for Hyena Positive Organisation.

1st 175


Page ix

Tony Bloem depicts spotting the corporate hyena during the interview.

2nd 175

Minister Tito Mboweni, Susan Steinman, Joe Diescho & Magriet Herman at the launch of Corporate Hyenas at Work, 1997.

Only 177

Tim Field (Pioneer in of workplace bullying in the UK). Only 196

Ilan and Susan wedding day. Only 177

Joshua (first grandson at birth). Only 217

Susan and two friends at first international conference on work trauma.

Only 237

Press cutting (The Star, November 9, 2000). Only 239

Australia – tour of the wine industry. Only 264

Susan with Charmaine Hockley in Australia. Only 265

In Torinno, Italy attending a conference. Only 269

Graduation ceremony. Only 277

Susan holding first granddaughter Only 282

Susan and friends at the Ashoka awards, 2003. Only 284

Jenny with family and friends in South Africa, 2003. 1st 292

Emily with great grandchildren and Susan 2nd 292

Joshua and Tattiana 3rd 292

Jenny and her family, 2003. 4th 292

Susan and Marion Borcherds at the launch of the new publication in 2007.

1st 295

Drs Gary and Ruth Namie with Susan in Washington. 2nd 295

Joshua and Mayah with five-day old Ilana. 3rd 295

Ilan, Joshua and Mayah. 4th 295

Three grandchildren Only 298

PART 4: TOUR GUIDES AND ULTRA CITIES

Landscape with road (E. Schurink) Only 303

Microsoft (cartoon) Only 307

Tour guide (Microsoft clipart [MSC]) Only 304

Susan’s thesis unit Only 314

Prof. Willem Schurink and Prof. Koos Uys 1st 317


Page x

Prof. Koos Uys and Prof. Havenga (looking at the presentation)

2nd 317

Susan, Dr Philna Buys & Prof. Jos Coetzee 3rd 317

Prof. Van Tonder – discuss autoethnography with panel. 4th 317

Prof. Willem Schurink with his favourite pet. Only 321

Slow people crossing (MSC). Only 323

Road sign (MSC). Only 325

Shell Ultra City (W Schurink). Only 333

Slippery road, wild animals and loose stones (MSC). Only 334

Depression (MSC). Only 336

Picture of a soul (free background download). Only 342

Landscape (free background download) Only 350

Susan’s Mom, Emily. Only 353

Storage boxes (MSC). Only 359

Prof. Anton Senekal. Only 361

Designated no smoking zone (MSC). Only 364

Marietjie Baruffol. Only 365

Magriet Herman. Only 367

Survivor logo (downloaded from CBS Television website). 1st 370

Gunman (free imagine download, internet). 2nd 370

Telephone. 1st 375

USA map. 2nd 375

Dr Bill Drayton. 3rd 375

Clinton Global Initiative. Only 376

Susan’s home. Only 407

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Travel Documents: Acknowledgements

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1 - ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A journey is hardly ever a solitary one. It is the people you meet along the way – some of whom eventually accompany you – who invariably make the voyage worthwhile. My sincere gratitude to those who turned my journey into an exhilarating experience.

Ilan

First and foremost, a special word of thanks to my husband Ilan, whose unconditional love carried me through the long days and nights of working on this thesis. Taking care of household chores and other responsibilities, Ilan alleviated the burden in order for me to follow my dream. Without your support and love, I would not have been able to finish the “faeces”. Thank you “Hussy” for your unselfishness – what we have is very special.

Prof. Willem Schurink and his Evanthe

My promoter, Prof. Willem Schurink, is one of a kind! I fondly refer to him as “Proffie”. He is also introduced in Part IV, Tour Guides and Ultra Cities, as my “tour guide” on this particular journey. He introduced me to qualitative research and autoethnography in particular, and shared the road of discovery with me into a world of endless possibilities. He was there for me every step of the way; always with a word of encouragement, or alerting me to new articles and the latest

trends. Proffie, you are a compassionate and creative promoter and your guidance and mentorship are much appreciated.

Thank you to your “better half”, Evanthe, too. We all know what Evanthe means in just being there to organise your jam-packed schedule. I’ve come to value and appreciate her contributions and her keen interest in my work. Thank you for sharing this precious part of your life with your students. Your most important contribution as the proponent of autoethnography in South Africa is the fact that you can enthuse and motivate students to follow the road less travelled.

Language Editing

I was blessed with language editors of note!


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Chief Editor: Connie Nel

Connie is a special person in my life. She makes an appearance as a character in my story but, in the context of the thesis, she was responsible for the overall supervision of the language editing. She paid special attention to Parts III and IV (the narratives), which form the core of the thesis. Connie is an old friend (fondly known as My dear Editor) and certainly one of the best editors in South Africa.

She comes from a publishing background and is also an author herself. Under her guidance, books by many prominent South African authors saw the light. Connie, my heartfelt thanks for your labour of love, despite your enormous workload. I am so proud to have you as a friend and My Editor, and I will always remain your Dear Author.

A warm thank you to Prof. Craig MacKenzie who edited parts of this thesis, as well as Dr Neil Barnes who was responsible for editing the references.

The Production Team

Graphic Artist: Karin Janneke

Karin is a marketing manager and graphic artist. She is responsible for the beautiful artwork throughout this thesis. Her insight into abstract concepts and her high level of creativity resulted in these stunning designs. Thank you, Karin, for your outstanding work and your enthusiasm.

Printers: Western Printers in Roodepoort, Johannesburg

My thanks to Vanessa and the team at Western Printers for always being willing to go the extra mile.

My Staff: Florah and Tlaks

A special word of thanks to Florah Tshonkane, my office assistant and general aid and Tlaks Banda, my personal assistant, for their unstinting support during this period.

Cast of Characters

The cast consists of people who form an integral part of my life story. As a social entrepreneur, one inevitably meets many people along the way. Some will remain


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lifelong friends; others have since departed from this world. All of them played an enormous role in my life and I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. I would like to pay due tribute to those who made my journey easier, or who challenged me, those who fed me, comforted me, gave me unconditional love and enriched my life on this journey to dignity. Without them, this story would not have been possible.

I also want to thank those characters in my story who agreed that I could use their real names and who assisted me in telling my story with truth and authenticity.

Photos, Images and Clipart

The many photographs featured in this thesis were either taken by me, my husband Ilan, a family member (or bystander) or provided by the portrayed themselves, such as Prof. Willem Schurink and his wife, Evanthe. My earnest appreciation to all who provided me with images, including those downloaded from the Ashoka website with their permission. Some pictures were used for aesthetic purposes only. Where possible, I will indicate the source of the photo in the thesis. I also made extensive use of Microsoft clipart for illustration purposes.

My Friends and Family Last but not least! My friends and family know who you are and the many ways in which you have assisted me over the years. Therefore, a warm and heartfelt thank you to all my friends and family members, who also feature as characters in my story. You have all made an indelible impact on my life. In particular, I would like to thank:

Jenny, you and my grandchildren have been a constant inspiration. Our daily Skype telephone conversations kept me going and instilled in me the belief that I could complete this thesis before the end of 2007. Thank you for the love, support and caring I received from New York. Love you.

Mom: A special word of thanks. You perhaps unknowingly, encouraged me to always strive for excellence and not to settle for mediocrity. You understood that my visits and telephone calls had to be shorter than usual, but gladly sacrificed the time that I could tell my story.

The “Hairy Children”: To Boikie, my loveable Boston terrier, Kelly, the peaceful miniature fawn pug and Bully the magnificent black pug with the gentle soul – thank you for making me feel good by always wagging your tails for me.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Travel Documents: Ethics in Research: Guidelines and Process

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2 - JOURNEY SYNOPSIS

My social entrepreneurship case study, and in particular my life as a “Draytonian

Changemaker”, takes the form of an autoethnographic dissertation journey (Garratt,

2003). You are cordially invited to witness this journey, which will be presented by

using a relatively new qualitative method.

Autoethnography, a relatively new qualitative method, represents: “… a multilayered,

intertextual case study that integrates private and social experience and ties

autobiographical to sociological writing …” (Ellis, 1995, p. 3). I trust that you will enjoy

my expedition as a social entrepreneur but, more importantly, in the words of the

leading social entrepreneur of autoethnography, Prof. Carolyn Ellis (University of North

Carolina, USA), urge her readers to “experience the power of autoethnography, feel its

truths as well as come to know it intellectually!” (Ellis, 2004, p. xix).

You will encounter the many people who influenced my life, amongst others, Prof.

Willem Schurink, my promoter, who acted as my “tour guide” and “Ultra City” en route.

I am an activist by nature and this characteristic naturally has also taken root in my

writing (see Sparkes, 2002). Ultimately, I would like you to embrace my world: the

world of the Draytonian Changemaker, of people who believe that we can change the

world with our burning desire to make a difference through revolutionary social

innovations. The following points are of particular importance for this rather unusual

journey:

• The journey also represents the cultural setting of my world – the world of

Susan Steinman – the social entrepreneur, activist and workplace violence

expert in the greater universe of social entrepreneurs. This relatively new

concept is explored in Part I of this thesis in which the terrain of the journey is

mapped by acquainting the reader with the concept of social entrepreneurship

as it is understood by scholars, as well as the viewpoints of Ashoka, a

fellowship of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs.


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• Autoethnography, a relatively new qualitative research approach, will serve as

the vehicle or mode of transport through the various landscapes of my life.

Autoethnography, unfortunately marred by confusion and controversy, seems to

have been widely misunderstood by scholars – most of whom insist on

theoretical substance. Even the University of Johannesburg, at which I am

enrolled for this study, seems to be moving back and forth between embracing

the new methodology by allowing students to use this method of inquiry versus

insisting on using using this method underpinned by a theoretical framework.

The reader will encounter my arguments in favour of autoethnography in Part II

of this thesis and will, hopefully, come to understand why this vehicle is best

suited for exploring complex phenomena such as social entrepreneurship, as

opposed to other less controversial modes of inquiry.

• My world is a landscape of painful beginnings, loss, betrayal, activism,

acknowledgement and change. In brief, the world of the lived experiences of a

social entrepreneur, portrayed in the form of a novel in Part III of this thesis

starting with Chapter 1, “Out on a Limb”, and concluding with Chapter 7,

“Magnificent Outcomes”. You will also encounter imagery and metaphors, such

as the “workplace hyena”, which relate to bullying and violence in the

workplace, and my interventions in this regard. My transformation to an

acclaimed social entrepreneur will “show” rather than “tell” what the Draytonian

Changemaker ultimately represents. We will, therefore, visit the roots of my

activism, thereby gaining insight into the reason for, and manner in which social

entrepreneurs set out to change the world and how my social innovation is

currently impacting on the workplace in South Africa and beyond.

• The research story is dealt with in the symbolic Part IV of my thesis, “Tour

Guides and Ultra Cities”, taking the metaphor of a journey a step further. You

will meet my promoter, Prof. Willem Schurink, the panel who approved my study

and the obstacles I faced, added to which you will have glimpses into my

periods of reflection and discovery. You will also be introduced to the many


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people from whom I drew guidance and inspiration while writing the thesis,

including Dr Bill Drayton whose organisation, Ashoka, identifies and supports

social entrepreneurs through social venture capital – and who all made a

significant difference to my life.

• “My long walk to dignity”, Part V, analyses the lessons I have learnt on various

levels, resulting in the realisation that “autobiographical stories really make

theory and history come alive.” (Ellis, 2004, p. 23). Furthermore, so-called

criteria for “good autoethnogaphy” are explored, availing the opportunity to

compare my thesis with the guidelines provided by renowned scholars in the

field. This Part also attempts to address the question as to whether the reader

has gained adequate knowledge of social entrepreneurship and my social

innovation. It concludes with further advocacy for social change. A luta continua

(“the struggle continues”) is a phrase often used in sub-Saharan Africa. Indeed,

I conclude that the struggle against violence continues and that social

entrepreneurs require of the humanities at tertiary level to pursue this emerging

field of inquiry with greater vigour.

• Section B of Part V is called and ethnodrama called, “It’s a roundtrip”. This

section deals with the examiners’ comments and reports and how I dealt with it.

This particular journey requires none of the traditional travelling prerequisites, bar an

open mind and the ability to recognise the road less travelled…


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3 - JOURNEY NAVIGATION

I have deliberately designed the thesis in such a manner that any Part could serve as a

point of entry. The work is divided into five parts: Part I, Mapping the Terrain, relates to

social entrepreneurship as an emerging field of inquiry and should provide the

necessary background to meaningfully evaluate the journey. Should you be familiar with

the concept of social entrepreneurship, you may very well decide to read this Part at a

later stage.

Part II, Journey Orientation, takes the form of a letter to a friend who holds assumptions

that may be labelled as positivist/quantitative, persuading her to join the journey. This

letter serves as an orientation to qualitative research, in particular the autoethnographic

method of inquiry, as well as why the latter is appropriate in the context of this thesis. If

the reader is not familiar with qualitative research, and more specifically, this rather

radical application thereof, this part could be a good starting point to enable you to enjoy

the journey and the concepts you will encounter along the way.

You may choose to start with Part III, The Journey, which can be viewed as the heart of

the thesis, or even with the research story (i.e. the manner in which I went about my

doctoral research) in Part IV, Tour Guides and Ultra Cities, if you so wish. The only

requirement is that the reader takes full cognisance of what each Part can bring to

his/her understanding of social entrepreneurship.

It is, however, recommended that Part V, My Long Walk to Dignity, be read in

conclusion.


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4 - ETHICS IN RESEARCH: GUIDELINES AND PROCESS

Ethics of the Department

FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES1 4.1. Aim

The ethics of science concerns what is wrong and what is right in the conduct of research. Because scientific research is a form of human conduct, it follows that such conduct has to conform to generally accepted norms and values as determined by the scientific community (Mouton, 2001). The scientist has the right to search for the truth, but not at the expense of the rights of other individuals in society. Herein lies the importance of ethics in research.

The aim of this policy is to � create an awareness of the importance of applying ethical principles when

conducting research, and � to provide guidelines on how to incorporate ethics in research. 4.2. Domain of application The document applies to all forms of research conducted in the faculty. This includes, but is not limited to, research by staff members, students’ research and contract research projects. 4.3. The context of these guidelines The guidelines should be interpreted within the broader framework of policies and codes of ethics that exist in the university, e.g. University Of Johannesburg’s core values, the code for academic ethics, the code for ethics in tuition and any other applicable guidelines for ethical conduct. Researchers that are registered with or affiliated to professional bodies need to also interpret the guidelines of relevant professional associations to ensure alignment. Funding agencies may require adherence to their own specific guidelines on ethics.

1 This document is currently in draft due to the merger between the Rand Afrikaans University and Technikon of the Witwatersrand to form the University of

Johannesburg and is in the process of being finalised. This study, however

, adhered

to the ethics as stated in this document prior to the official merger.


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4.4. The role of the Faculty Ethics Committee The main aim of the committee is to promote ethics in research in the faculty. In this regard it has an advisory and educational role, e.g. the co-ordination of efforts to educate researchers on ethics, the compilation of the guidelines as proposed in this document, as well as the design of a procedure to ensure adherence to the guidelines. 4.5. Guidelines 4.5.1 Ethical obligations of researchers The broader ethical obligations of researchers and research supervisors are to

� do value-adding research � set high standards in research, teaching and practice � familiarise themselves with research and reporting methodologies � familiarise themselves with research ethics and applicable guidelines � ensure that those under their supervision

o are adequately equipped with research skills o are adequately familiarised with principles of research ethics o adhere to these principles o maintain an awareness of the principles throughout the research process.

4.5.2 Specific guidelines In being ethically accountable, researchers aspire to 1. Achieve objectivity and maintain integrity, by

� Setting high ethical standards in research, teaching and practice � Always indicating the limits of their findings and the methodological constraints

that determine the validity of such findings � Representing areas and degrees of expertise accurately and justly when

required to submit their credentials � Fully reporting on findings � Refraining from misrepresenting results � Refraining from fabricating, falsifying or changing data or observations at all

costs � Ensuring the ethical use of psychometric instruments and the results thereof.

2. Record and disclose their own data, by

� Being prepared to disclose their methodology and techniques of analysis � Co-operating to make raw data and final results available to other researchers

except in cases where confidentially, the client’s rights to proprietary information and privacy or the claims of a fieldworker would be violated

� Keeping research data for at least three years. 3. Follow ethical publishing practices, by

� Including appropriate reference to the contributions made by all participants in the research


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� Acknowledging the work of co-researchers, research students, research assistants and technical officers in any publication derived from research to which they have made a contribution, in a manner that is appropriate and that accurately acknowledges the extent of the contribution

� Respecting the copyright of materials used � Determining authorship of publications by prior mutual agreement in writing � Acknowledging any source that has been consulted, either directly (through a

quote) or indirectly that has made a contribution to one’ s work � Refraining from submitting identical manuscripts to more than one publisher or

journal at a time � Not committing plagiarism.

4. Be accountable to society, by � Avoiding involvement in secret or clandestine research � Being committed to the free and open, but sensitive and responsible,

dissemination of research results in a full, open and timely fashion � Being honest with and responsible to funders and sponsors of research

without in any way compromising the integrity of the funder/researcher and/or the institution with which the study is registered

� Formally acknowledging their contributions and sponsorship.

5. Be sensitive to and respect the right to privacy of their subjects, by � Respecting the right of subjects to refuse to participate in the research project � Not manipulating people to inadvertently provide information that will be used

in the research project � Only engaging subjects at times which they deem to be convenient � Accepting the refusal of subjects to provide information which they choose not

to divulge � Adhering to the time and duration of the information gathering session as

agreed upon prior to the session � Withholding information when explicitly requested to do so by the subjects.

6. Be sensitive to and respect the right to anonymity and confidentiality of their

subjects, by � Respecting the right of participants to remain anonymous whether explicitly

promised or not � Informing participants of the workings of data gathering devices, e.g. cameras,

tape recorders. � Respecting the right of participants to reject the use of data gathering devices � Considering potential threats to confidentiality � Keeping information gathered confidential whether there is a legal obligation

to do so or not � Informing all people with access to research information of confidentiality

obligations.

7. Be sensitive to and respect the right to full disclosure about the research (informed consent), by


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� Communicating the aims of the research to participants � Communicating anticipated consequences of the research to participants � Informing subjects of what will happen (according to a script) and obtaining consent – a script to ensure that informed consent is obtained should contain

the following information: o Details of approval for the research o A clear statement of what institution is represented o What the research is about, benefits of the research and who will benefit

from the research o Reassurance of subjects that they will be protected from physical and

psychological harm o Informed consent o Explanations of possible risks o Explanation that they may opt out at any stage and still receive benefits for

their help o Debriefing them when where applicable o Asking them for suggestions to improve the research procedures o Assuring them of having respect for their confidentiality o Providing access to results where applicable.

8. Protect subjects from harm (physical, psychological, emotional) by

� Not exposing subjects to substantial risk or personal harm � Obtaining informed consent (in writing) when the risks of the research are

greater than the risks of everyday life � Obtaining informed consent from an individual who is legally responsible for

the subjects in the case of research with minors � Being sensitive to the unique problems of using vulnerable groups (e.g.

children, the aged, the illiterate, etc.) as subjects � Taking cognisance of special legislation governing AIDS-related research

when conducting this type of research. 9. Protect the integrity of the environment, by

� Ensuring that the consequences of the research do not harm or damage the environment in any way

� Respecting the right of future generations to also enjoy the environment. 4.6. A process to ensure ethics in research The ethics protocol for conducting research projects in the faculty consists of a three-step process:


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Orientation Researchers, research assistants and students conducting research must are orientated in the ethics of research (e.g. by means of a sub-module in research ethics as part of a module in research. The broad outlines of this process should also be incorporated in the applicable sections of student registration forms, the General Regulations yearbook of the university, as well as related faculty brochures and documents.

Informed consent See pages 13 and 14.


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5 - INFORMED CONSENT

5.1 HOW INFORMED CONSENT WAS OBTAINED

The standard written consent form of the University of Johannesburg’s Human

Resources Department (see p. 14) was used for the purpose of this study and signed by

a number of people (i.e. characters) referred to in this study.

Others were approached via e-mail and the following standard letter was used in all

instances:

Dear ____________

Hope that you are doing well! I am a week away from submitting my second doctorate –

an autoethnography. I am enrolled with the Human Resources Department of the

University of Johannesburg for the purpose of this study. The autoethnography deals

with my work and social entrepreneurship around workplace violence and bullying, and I

would like to refer to you as follows in the narrative sections of the thesis:

(The relevant reference is quoted.)

You can provide your consent by simply replying “yes”, or if you have any queries, I will

respond to these and will even be happy to give you a call. Should I not receive a

response from you by 22 November, I will accept that mentioning your name and/or our

relationship in the autoethnography carries your full consent.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Kind regards

Susan Steinman

Subsequently, most recipients responded in the affirmative, while others did not tender

any objections before or on the stipulated deadline.


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5.2 STANDARD LETTER FOR INFORMED CONSENT

This agreement serves to confirm that the research subject (participant) mentioned below gave her/his consent to participate in a qualitative process study regarding the Change Process followed within Group Payment Systems. The research participant agrees to provide the researcher with his/her experiences and views of the area of research to the best of his/her ability. The undersigned participant understands the purpose and nature of this study and understands that her/his participation is voluntary and that s/he may stop the interview at any time. The participant further grants permission for the data collected to be used in fulfilment of part of the requirements for the degree DPhil: Leadership in Performance and Change, including a dissertation and any future publication(s). The data collected will be used for research purposes only; the researcher undertakes neither to disclose the identity of any of the participants, nor the origin of any of the statements made by any of the participants. However, the undersigned participant understands that the researcher may make use of verbatim statements in order to give the perspectives of participants a voice in the research report. The participant grants permission for the audio recording and that the researcher may make notes of her/his views and experiences. The participant undertakes to give a true representation of her/his perspective and/or her/his experiences.

I, …………………………….the undersigned participant, agree to meet at mutually agreeable times and duration(s) or other means of communication, e.g. by e-mail, as reasonably necessary to enable the researcher to gain a thorough understanding of the process researched. I further acknowledge that I received a copy of this agreement and that I may contact any one of the under mentioned if I have any subsequent queries. Signature of research subject:___________________ Researcher: Title, initials & surname: ___________________ Employer: Tel: Date:_______________ Fax: Place: ___________________ Cell:

Research supervisor: Tel:_______________ Cell:_______________ E-mail:_________________

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Travel Documents: Glossary

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6 - GLOSSARY

ABBREVIATION MEANING

CCMA Council for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration

COU Commonwealth Open University

ICN International Council of Nurses

ILO International Labour Organisation

ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Programme

The consortium of the International Labour Organisation, the International Council of Nurses, the World Health Organisation and Public Services International Joint Programme to Address Violence in the Health Sector

PSI Public Services International

PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

PTSR Post Traumatic Stress Reaction

RAU Rand Afrikaans University – it was renamed the

University of Johannesburg in 2006.

UJ University of Johannesburg

WHO World Health Organisation

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part One: Mapping the Terrain

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1.2 THE JOURNEY USING AUTOETHNOGRAPHIC INQUIRY AS VEHICLE

You are accompanying me on my life’s journey and therefore, you need to acquaint

yourself with my different roles. In the first instance, to do so would require you to

understand social entrepreneurs and my social innovation of addressing bullying and

violence in the workplace. To this end, I will familiarise you with the vehicle for the

journey, namely what has become known as autoethnographic inquiry. A form of

qualitative inquiry, it is still in its infancy, but gained prominence in 1995 through the

work of Carolyn Ellis, a professor of Communication and Sociology at the University of

South Florida in the United States of America (USA) with her publication Final

Negotiations: A Story of Love, Loss, and Chronic Illness (1995).

Prof. Ellis, referred to by her students as “the purple diva”, is the best-known proponent

of this form of research in the post-modern era. She has authored and co-authored

several books, including Investigating Subjectivity: Research on Lived Experience co-

edited with Michael Flaherty (Ellis: 1995). To my knowledge, autoethnographic work

goes as far back as 1984, with the publication of the best-selling business book, The

Goal by Eliyahu M Goldratt with Jeff Cox. In his cover blurb, world-renowned business

consultant and author Tom Peters comments: “A factory may be an unlikely setting for a

novel, but the book has been widely effective.” The same can be said about

autoethnographic work – a story may be an unlikely setting for a thesis, but it is very

effective.

Researchers have different world views. Well-established scientific beliefs (such as

positivism) propose a relatively orderly or static social reality where cause and effect

apply. Emphasis is placed on the observable, where “objective research” is the core

principle and is synonymous with the “neutral” and “distanced” researcher (Mouton et al.,

1988). Furthermore, Mouton et al. (1988) point out that positivism accepts that the

natural sciences model for research is acceptable for and can be replicated in social

sciences. This view of social research would emphasise that there are set laws for

human behaviour which could be based upon objective or “controlled” observation and

measurement.

My world view has always been that of a constructivist.2 Long before autoethnography

emerged as a method of qualitative inquiry, or even long before I could ever imagine

that I would one day engage in an autoethnographic study, I realised that we live in a

2 The constructivist paradigm will be discussed at length in Part II of this thesis.


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world of synthetic propositions, that we not only give meaning to experiences or events

in our own unique way, but do so continuously. My stance is perhaps best captured by a

poem which I wrote in 1984:

The Philosopher

tonight in the wanton freedom of a wine

let our arguments run wild

let’s talk about good and evil

wonder about God and Sartre

let me be the child

play with me the game of doubt

about constructs like heaven and hell

let’s seek, discover and unearth

the meaning of our existence, our worth

with synthetic propositions abounding

the philosopher aborts?

a priori

Love

Happiness

and Meaning

remain ever elusive and undefined

Now that my view of reality is emerging, I invite you to discover more by means of

photographs, portraying me in my diverse roles and stages of my lived experiences.3

3 My work and life are also well-documented in several publications and media. A description of my work,

publications, media profile and achievements as social entrepreneur is attached as Annexures 1, 2 and 3..


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1.3 DIVERSE MOMENTS, MANY ROLES...

Seven years old, skew fringe

and no front teeth. I was already on my way to earn my nickname, “Dreamer”.

Celebrating – Susan, the Social Entrepreneur. The

Ashoka awards evening (2003) with family and friends.

Four generations of “steel magnolias”.

My mother, Emily (81), here with me, my daughter Jenny and granddaughter

Mayah.

My favourite photo with my new

husband Ilan on our wedding day in 1998.

The Gauteng Department of Health sponsored an exhibition in Washington DC, USA, at the Global Health Conference. From left to right: Marion

Borcherds (Gauteng Health) Bethany Brady (Ashoka volunteer) and Susan. To the left, my first book, Corporate Hyenas at Work (1997); to the right

Magnificent Outcomes (2006).

I founded this small but powerful non-profit organisation for strong

advocacy against dignity violations

My website www.worktrauma.org receives on average approximately 40,000 hits per month.

The saying, "I am many things to many people", applies perfectly to my position that,

although I am primarily referred to as a Draytonian Changemaker (social entrepreneur

and Ashoka Fellow), best known for my social innovation of preventing and dealing with

violence, abuse and bullying in the workplace; for the purpose of this thesis, my

relationships with various persons invariably represent different roles. To Ilan I am a

wife, to Jenny a mother, to Joshua, Mayah and Ilana, a grandmother. I am also a

daughter, a sister and a friend to a significant number of other people. The manner in

which others interpret my role as Draytonian Changemaker may vary from being an

“expert” advisor on bullying and other forms of violence in the workplace to being an

advisor, facilitator, confidante, researcher, programme manager, consultant or mentor.


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1.4 WHAT IS A SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR?

In this thesis I am presented as the Draytonian4 Changemaker. Drayton, the founder of

Ashoka, a Washington-based association of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs,

coined the term “leading social entrepreneur” (Ashoka, 2006). Leading social

entrepreneurs bring about systemic change. In a conversation with to Chimene Chetty,

the former Southern African Director of Ashoka, towards the end of 2006 (exact date not

diarised), a social entrepreneur will show somebody how to catch a fish, while a leading

social entrepreneur will revolutionise the fishing industry. In reviewing available

literature, I have not yet come across any other logical distinction beyond that of

Ashoka’s. This lack of clarity in my opinion, reflects a dire oversight by social

entrepreneurship scholars.

In a personal telephonic interview with Dr Bill Drayton on 8 November 2007, he told me

that a social entrepreneur brings about the systemic changes, while a changemaker can

work for the social entrepreneur, but does not initiate the project. This adaptation of

“leading social entrepreneur” to “social entrepreneur” and “social entrepreneur” to

“changemaker” indicates Ashoka’s flexibility in accommodating the terminology used by

scholars and the public in general.

Academic researchers suggest that the concept of “social entrepreneurship” could

include the social entrepreneur (who will show a person how to catch a fish), as well as

the leading social entrepreneur (who will revolutionise the fishing industry). Since the

term “leading social entrepreneur” may sound arrogant or pretentious, I have decided on

the terms “Draytonian Changemaker” and social entrepreneur.5 In so doing, the

Draytonian Changemaker or social entrepreneur is subjected to the criteria laid down by

Ashoka for leading social entrepreneurship. For the purpose of this thesis, I will use the

terms “social entrepreneur” (SE), “changemaker” and “Draytonian Changemaker” (DC)

interchangeably in order to accommodate both academic research and the current use

of terminology by scholars and the wider public.

4 In honour of Dr Bill Drayton of Ashoka. (Bornstein (2004), in his book How to Change the World, refers to

Drayton as the “foremost social entrepreneur”.) 5 The role of Bill Drayton in promoting social entrepreneurship of a systemic nature worldwide and Ashoka

Fellows’ ability to bring about systemic change will be discussed under “The State of the Art of Social Entrepreneurship” in detail as point 1.3 of this section (Part I).


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From aforementioned arguments, it is clear that, in the public arena and also among

scholars, the concepts are still being debated and no clear definitions have emerged as

yet.

Before moving on to my life’s work as a Draytonian Changemaker, it is perhaps apt to

provide some insight into how this thesis came about.

2. AIMS AND EXPECTED CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY

2.1 THE AIMS OF THE STUDY

The decision to embark on my second doctorate was taken when Prof. Schurink “lured”

me to the News Cafe in Auckland Park, Johannesburg. After a few hours of considering

appropriate options for this undertaking6 and having studied my previous doctorate and

my CV, he proposed the autoethnographic approach. Prof. Schurink believed it would

enable me to obtain a meaningful second doctorate and, at the same time, provide me

with the opportunity to document my lived experiences as a social entrepreneur.

This study would afford me the

opportunity to reflect on some of

my past initiatives related to

workplace violence. He spoke

with much enthusiasm about

autoethnography and this

methodology instantly appealed to

my creative side. After all, nothing

could be more challenging than a

road considered to be “unusual” –

if not “deviant” – by many scholars

and, consequently, seldom

embarked upon by them.

The field of social

entrepreneurship is indeed autoethnographic-friendly and a study of this nature would

give effect to my social innovation, and its underpinning principles and assumptions, by

6 This process also forms part of the ethno-dramas and narratives in Part IV: Tour Guides and Ultra Cities

of this thesis.

My first meeting with Prof. Willem Schurink at the News Cafe

in Auckland Park, Johannesburg. (Photograph taken by one of the waiters)


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describing select events and experiences from my life. This study, in turn, would afford

me the “luxury” of reflecting on my life in a meaningful and constructive manner.

Once I had decided on this route, I determined my rationale for this study:

• Firstly, I believe that reflecting on the key decisions that I have taken up to this

stage of my career will provide insight and a learning opportunity by evaluating

successes and mistakes along the way.

• Secondly, I believe that obtaining insight into my authentic subjective experience

of social entrepreneurship and my personal experiences (including the death of

my father, victimisation, discrimination, single motherhood and dealing with my

daughter’s learning disability) will strengthen my passion for the protection of

human rights by making a small contribution (however insignificant in the global

context) to making the world a better place for someone, somewhere.

• Thirdly, exploration of the impact of these life experiences may contribute to

affecting social change as the study provides appropriate guidelines to (a) social

entrepreneurs and (b) victims of workplace violence, respectively. It may also

benefit certain stakeholders such as corporate social responsibility (CSR)

divisions dealing with grants to the social sector, human resources professionals,

organised labour and government departments dealing with labour issues[1].

2.2 EXPECTED CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STUDY

There is evidently a growing citizen sector worldwide and in South Africa that may

benefit from a better understanding of how social entrepreneurship functions, and the

best possible way in which to introduce social behavioural change programmes.

In the broader sense, my experience could be valuable, not only to this sector but also

to sponsors and/or donors and academic institutions. By undertaking a carefully and

systematically conducted study of my social entrepreneurship, this work will have the

potential to be helpful to others in the citizen sector, especially in South Africa with its

dire need for changemaker.

[1]

Doing the study also addressed the need for the documentation of my career and experience, both as a recognised social entrepreneur and expert on workplace violence. I am visited frequently by local and international scholars, as well as the media, who require more information on either social entrepreneurship or programmes to address workplace violence.


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Specifically, my experience will demonstrate that workplace violence is a difficult issue to

address and my efforts in this regard may serve as guidelines for others wishing to

follow suit. However, this contribution will go beyond the issue of workplace violence.

I will now engage in outlining specific contributions which, I believe, this study can make

in terms of methodology, scientific knowledge, practice, policy and other insights:

2.2.1 Methodology

The methodological approach best suited to a study inspired by my life experience

would by its very nature be qualitative and would allow “my story” to become a legitimate

research program.

As far as I could establish, no autoethnographic work exists in the local study of social

entrepreneurship. In fact, the lack of this type of research applies to the international

arena as well. Looking at related fields, such as industrial psychology and leadership

studies in South Africa, very few autoethnographic studies have in fact been undertaken

in this country. Richards’ (2003) journey towards becoming a psychotherapist and

Avraamides' (2006) story of her internship as an industrial psychologist resort under the

few examples of studies of this nature. In light of the obvious shortage of existing

material on autoethnographic work, my contribution would therefore be of value.

2.2.2 Scientific knowledge

In search of the true meaning of theory, I came across the following question posed by

Gbrich (2007) in Qualitative Analysis – An Introduction:

But what is theory? Theory is abstract knowledge which has been

developed as an account regarding a group of facts or phenomena. It is

derived from the exploration of phenomena, the identification of

concepts and the interrelationships between concepts surrounding

phenomena, from which an explanatory framework can be developed

(Gbrich, 2007, p. 186).

There are different types of theoretical framing and three types or ranges of theories can

be distinguished according to Gbrich (2007):

• Micro level – theoretical framing is provided by simple slices of abstract thought

identifying common aspects of phenomena like “power”, “socialisation” and so on

– these slices of abstract thought are known as concepts.


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• Theories of the Middle Range – combination of concepts with variables and

propositions leading to a particular discipline focus.

• Grand theories combine concepts, propositions and statements to provide an

abstract overview which can be applied over several disciplines.

Classical ethnographic approaches relating to theory are theory directing (testing) and

theory generating as a result of research. Postmodernism is characterised by

fragmentation and the “rejection of grand theories as power-laden discourses” (Gbrich,

2007, pp. 188-189). Other forms of qualitative theory are grounded theory,

phenomenology, feminist research, content analysis, semiotic analysis of visual images,

the hermeneutic approach and theory building through metaphor (Gbrich, 2007).

In new ethnographic approaches an extensive display of data replaces elaborate

theorising and therefore, some autoethnographers display the story first; then light-

frame it by using particular concepts (Gbrich, 2007), while other autoethnographers

choose to completely avoid theory.

Ellis (2004) contends that she is currently more open to include traditional analysis in her

story than in the past. She recounts that she totally rejected theory for a while “because

theory had always been privileged over stories in social science” (Ellis, 2004, p. 44) by

offering the extreme to that position. Ellis (2004) suspected that she had gone “too far”

when her students claimed that they could ignore theory as autobiographical stories

really make theory and history come alive, while Bochner claims that “There’s nothing

more theoretical than a good story” (cited in Ellis, 2004, p. 23).

The role and place of theory in qualitative research remains an issue of debate.

Accordingly, an examination by Anfara and Mertz (2006) of the most prominent material

on the issue revealed that readers are left with three understandings:

• Theory has little relationship to qualitative research;

• Theory relates to the researcher’s methodology and the epistemologies

underlying that methodology in qualitative research;

• Theory is broader and more pervasive in its role than methodology.

The following observation of Anfara and Mertz (2006, p. xvii) is one of the best I’ve come

across regarding the use of theory: “A useful theory is one that tells an enlightening

story about some phenomenon. It is a story that gives you new insights and broadens

your understanding of the phenomenon.”


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Therefore, as far as theoretical concepts are concerned, I believe that describing some

of my lived experiences and outlining what I have learnt from these could generate

useful analytical tools. These too include definitions, concepts, empirical propositions or

statements, and perhaps conceptual frameworks (e.g. typologies, theoretical constructs

and research traditions) (Mouton & Marais, 1996; Mouton, 1996) pertinent to the study

of social entrepreneurship and in particular, as far as this relates to the Draytonian

Changemaker. According to Stunk (2006) autoethnography involves a “multi-layered,

integrated account” being achieved by overlaying theoretical concepts with one’s own

lived experiences. However, the building blocks of science (Mouton, 1996), for example,

theory, should be informed by our experience and learning has to reappear as scientific

knowledge.

2.2.3 Practice

Grounding social entrepreneurial, and particularly the Draytonian Changemaker

experience, is necessary to establish “building blocks” (Mouton, 1996) of social science

for programmes related to systemic change. Such programmes aimed at systemic

change include behavioural change interventions to address challenges, such as

disease and violence.

Practice is extremely important when engaging in interpretive policy analysis. The value

of practical experience in informing theory was emphasised in a number of

conversations with Ashoka Fellows. They all seem to be of the opinion that one of the

major challenges facing social entrepreneurship is the fact that there is a marked

difference between the richer and poorer countries in this regard. This difference, they

contend, is due mainly to an increase in theories and business models being forced on

changemakers in the poorer countries without taking the diverse cultural, social and

economic realities facing the social entrepreneurs in different parts of the world into

consideration. In my opinion, the social entrepreneur in a poorer country relies on grants

and donations to a larger extent than those in richer countries.

Mention of the way in which the social entrepreneurs of the richer and poorer countries

go about their “cause” or social innovation is found in Wikipedia:

The North American organizations tend to have a strongly individualistic

stance focused on a handful of exceptional leaders – while others in


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Asia and Europe7 emphasize more how social entrepreneurs work within

teams, networks and movements for change (Wikipedia. Social

Entrepreneurship. Retrieved on August 20, 2008 from

http://www.Wikipedia/social_entrepreneurship).

I believe that one of the root causes of the confusion around the concept of social

entrepreneurship is that the word “entrepreneur” could be responsible for the

phenomenon of social entrepreneurship drawing the attention of mainly business

schools and not the humanities at the university level. Subsequently, social change is

perceived as primarily a business opportunity rather than a service to humankind.

Therefore, the practical experience of the bona fide Draytonian Changemaker is of the

utmost importance (and this goes beyond the value of behavioural change

interventions): it touches the future of social change leaders since it is very important

that the phenomenon be understood by donors, scholars and the public at large.

In my telephonic interview with Bill Drayton on 8 November 2007, he conceded that

there is a need for more interest in the concept of social entrepreneurship by the

humanities at the university level. As many social entrepreneurs have a humanities

background, it is essential that the humanities, together with the business schools,

engage in research on social entrepreneurship.

2.2.4 Policy

A Draytonian Changemaker will engage in interpretive policy analysis owing to the latter

being an important tool to bring about change. The development of policies and

programmes for both social entrepreneurship and workplace violence are of great

importance in my case.

The field of social entrepreneurship has witnessed the development of a number of

instruments to measure the social impact which informs policies of major donors for

social entrepreneurial ventures. In the field of workplace violence, the approach I follow

in the implementation of policies and framework guidelines resulted in measurable

impact and change in reducing levels of workplace violence. This study has the potential

7 My personal opinion is that the reference to Europe in the above citation may refer to the poorer Eastern

European countries (from the old Communist block) and not the affluent “old Europe” which could be compared to Northern American organisations in terms of individualism as their economies are similar.


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to contribute to these policies and guidelines in respect of social entrepreneurs and the

assessment of workplace violence.

Yanow (2000) contends that policy analysis is carried out on many levels by different

stakeholders:

In short, policy analysis is conducted at federal, state, regional, and local

levels of government; in private, public and non-profit realms; by liberals

and conservatives; by single interest groups and those that cover a

broader spectrum. This text is written with the understanding that policy

analysts work in many capacities:

• As advisors to policymakers;

• As advocates for community groups or as community organizers;

• As staff in non-profit agencies or lobbying groups

(Yanow, 2000, p. 3).

The impact of policy on the target population, the desired outcome and whether the

policy or programme is the right one to address a specific problem, are of importance in

policy analysis (Yanow, 2000). Work – in my case, my social entrepreneurship and/or

my effort related to workplace bullying and violence – could shape policy decisions and

strategy for donors, government and business (Hatch, 1997).

Interpretive methods presuppose multiple interpretations because “living requires

sensemaking, and sensemaking entails interpretation, so too does policy analysis”

(Yanow, 2000, p. 5). Knowledge is, therefore, acquired through interpretation by all

stakeholders.

Interpretive analysis often focuses on tensions of two related sorts (Yanow, 2000) and it

becomes clear in Part I, III and V that certain policy tensions are emerging between the

richer and poorer countries in terms of social entrepreneurship, while similar tensions

are evident when it comes to bullying and workplace violence too. Of particular interest,

would be my publication Magnificent Outcomes (Steinman, 2006), where the interpretive

approach resulted in the “South Africanisation” of the original ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI

programme. In the area of bullying and workplace violence, interpretive methods were

followed through extensive networking with all stakeholders to develop policies and

codes of good conduct.


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Earlier, I referred to the issues being debated by Ashoka Fellows. These tensions are

excellent examples of the focus of interpretive analysis. In the latter instance, these

differences would equate to the difference between seeing and understanding, rather

than between right and wrong (Yanow, 2000).

Interpretive policy analysis is democratic and therefore, the clarification and varied

interpretation of policy meaning by different groups, the various elements through which

meanings are communicated, and the interpretations of underrepresented groups are of

importance.

To summarise, Yanow (2000) explains the six steps of interpretive policy analysis as

follows:

• Firstly, identify the artefacts (language, objects, acts) “that are significant carriers

of meaning” (value, beliefs, feelings) for interpretive communities relative to a

given policy issue.

• Secondly, identify those “communities relevant to the policy issue” that create or

interpret these artefacts and meanings leading to different interpretations of each

artefact (thereby leading to different interpretive communities).

• Thirdly, identify the “community discourses” - the various meanings carried by

specific artefacts for those different interpretive communities.

• Fourthly, the analyst “identifies the meanings that are in conflict or among groups

and their conceptual sources”.

The analyst may stop at this point where intervention may begin or,

• Fifthly, the analyst may show the policymaker “the implications of different and

conflicting meanings for implementation” or intervention, e.g. if a group will not

“buy in” because of what the programme means to that group.

• Sixthly (and lastly), the analytic process could take on the form of “negotiation or

mediation in which the conflicting interpretations could be identified and explained

as such”.

(Yanow, 2002, p. 20-23)


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2.2.5 Other insights

The study should provide valuable insights into leadership studies, and particularly into

Ashoka’s Draytonian Changemaker as the leadership qualities of the social

entrepreneur is an emerging field of inquiry. The question may rightfully be asked – is

the Draytonian Changemaker linked to social entrepreneurship or social leadership?

Furthermore, descriptions of my reflections on my innovation in the area of workplace

violence should lead to a better understanding of the phenomenon, its impact on the

victim, and the most suitable interventions.

Having outlined the expected contributions of this study, I turn now to how the lived

experiences, the cultural setting of the Draytonian Changemaker and the social

innovation will be presented.

3. THE AUTOETHNOGRAPHY, CULTURAL SETTING AND THE SOCIAL

INNOVATION

How will I present my lived experiences in this study and how do I define my cultural

setting in terms of this autoethnography? Because the social innovation is inseparable of

the social entrepreneur, the social innovation as part of the social entrepreneur is dealt

with in this section:

3.1 PRESENTING LIVED EXPERIENCES

At the time of embarking on this study, I raised the following questions: Is

autoethnography the domain of the extrovert or could I use this form of inquiry and exit it

as private as I was when I entered the study? Will I not expose myself too much in such

a study? Will writing about my own experiences not be regarded as self-indulgence?

How do I reconcile research about “I, me and my” with my view that the individual is less

significant than society? How will it link with my view that the earth’s relation to the

universe is that of a big cabbage in a huge vegetable garden? I am one of the six billion

bacteria living off that cabbage. The principle of ubuntu8 – I am a person through others

– also makes good sense to me and I believe that too much emphasis on the individual

could hurt society.

8 “Ubuntu” is a Zulu word and tradition.


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An element of glorification and destruction could be present in a self-narrative. To say

the least, the option of autoethnography was frightening and I realised that my

promoter’s support would be essential. Even though I am one of six billion people, I

have a story to share. I found Prof. Schurink to be a sensitive and compassionate

person who had his share of achievement and pain in life – someone to whom I could

relate. His eleven-year old daughter, Ilona, died of Ewing sarcoma (cancer of the bone)

in 1984 while his youngest son, Ewan, became mentally impaired after a bicycle

accident approximately a decade later. He encouraged me to use my personal

experiences for the purpose of scientific study and assisted me greatly in making first-

time revelations outside my own, very private circle of trusted persons.

In presenting the narratives, it became clear that certain events had a more significant

impact on my becoming a social entrepreneur than others. In fact, it was soon evident

that the careful selection of experiences and information would form an integral part of

the study. Some events may not have led me to become a social entrepreneur, but

might have triggered relevant decisions or actions that sent me on this journey. I wish to

present only the “social entrepreneurial” slices of my life. Of course, many events and

actions could be linked directly to this facet of my work but, as I reflected on my life

history, I realised that particular indications of entrepreneurship were already present in

my early life. I believe that, in particular, painful events enhanced my inherent

compassion for people thus shaping me into becoming a social entrepreneur instead of

a business entrepreneur.

Self-narratives provide a framework or context within which these selected snapshots

from my personal life and career are shared. The self-narratives in Part III, The Journey,

contain relevant information from my lived experiences in becoming a Draytonian

Changemaker. These narratives reflect:

(1) General information relating to myself and my childhood;

(2) Major events and experiences in my life that had a significant impact on

my passion for human rights, in particular in the workplace, which, in turn,

directed me towards using my talents as a social entrepreneur;

(3) My social innovation, namely addressing workplace bullying and violence

and my approach to bring about changes;

(4) Ashoka's intervention and the impact it had on my career;

(5) The rewards of being a social entrepreneur or Draytonian Changemaker.


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3.2 THE CULTURAL SETTING OF THE DRAYTONIAN CHANGEMAKER (SOCIAL

ENTREPRENEUR) AND AUTOETHNOGRAPHY

Social entrepreneurship is a culture, and an autoethnography “provides one with the

opportunity to examine one of the forces that shapes/shaped one ... as a member of a

group or culture sharing the same beliefs, values and traditions ...” (Schurink, 2006, p.

1).

The thesis is an account of my development as a social entrepreneur or Draytonian

Changemaker by presenting slices from my personal life and career experiences,

establishing their impact on my own life, as well as on the lives of the people affected by

the application of my social innovation.

At this point, it is important to take note of the following cultural groups identified by

Schurink (2006):

(i) cultures into which we are born, e.g. racial, ethnic, gender and so on;

(ii) cultures which we choose, e.g. athletic, social, political and so on; and

(iii) cultures into which we fall or are classified, such as education, occupation,

parenthood.

I would add another category to the above list:

(iv) cultures to which we are elected as a result of certain talents, activities,

values and beliefs. For instance, a fellowship of social entrepreneurs,

company board members and city council members.

In terms of the above groups, I would place myself in the last category (iv) on the basis

of my Ashoka Fellowship, awarded in 2002. It is important to note that one cannot

nominate oneself for this fellowship: one has to be nominated and proposed by a Fellow

or an Ashoka official. A fellowship award is preceded by a vigorous, even gruelling

selection and screening process of the prospective fellow. The social entrepreneurs

must meet certain criteria as defined by Bill Drayton, the founder of Ashoka.

In this autoethnography I will be connecting my personal experiences to my cultural

experiences because, my experience becomes the topic of investigation in its own right

– it is a first hand account of the cultural world of the social entrepreneur. According to

Ellis and Bochner (2000, pp. 733-734), autoethnography entails a form of writing that “…

make[s] the researcher’s own experience a topic of investigation in its own right” rather

than seeming “… as if they’re written from nowhere by nobody”. For these authors


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autoethnography is “… an autobiographical genre of writing that displays multiple layers

of consciousness, connecting the personal to the cultural” (Ellis & Bochner, 2000, p.

739). Accordingly, autoethnographers “… ask their readers to feel the truth of their

stories and to become co-participants, engaging the storyline morally, emotionally,

aesthetically and intellectually” (Ellis & Bochner, 2000, p. 745).

From an autobiographical perspective, my personal self would be connected to my

cultural dimension by means of narrating the role of my social innovation.9 A brief

overview of this novelty is provided below:

3.3 SOCIAL INNOVATION

What is social innovation? The term “social innovation” has been in use since the sixties

in the writings of people such as Peter Drucker and Michael Young (founder of the Open

University and dozens of other organisations). French writers such as Pierre

Rosanvallon, Jacques Fournier and Jacques Attali used the word in the 1970s

(Wikipedia/Social_innovation, 2007). Benjamin Franklin referred to social innovation as

small modifications within the social organisation of communities that could help to solve

everyday problems (Mumford, 2002).

Under the heading “Social Innovation”, Wikipedia (2007) describes the phenomenon as

new strategies, concepts, ideas and organisations that meet social needs of all kinds –

from working conditions and education to community development and health – and that

extend and strengthen civil society (Wikipedia/Social_innovation, 2007). The innovation

could take the form of a project, programme or manner in which the social entrepreneur

deals with the social situation or challenge he or she identified.

A plethora of information is available through blogs, websites and the proliferation of

organisations “working on the boundaries of research and practical action”. To this end,

several currents have converged in this area, including:

• rethinking innovation in public services, with Scandinavian and Asian countries

taking the lead.

• “the developing field of social entrepreneurship, which includes various academic

centres, like Stanford, Harvard, Fuqua and Oxford; NGOs like Ashoka (which has

9 The presentation of the self in the narratives will be dealt with at length in Part II, Journey Orientation.


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pioneered support for individual social entrepreneurs) and various schools for

Social Entrepreneurs; and foundations like Skoll and Schwab” (Wikipedia, 2007;

emphasis in the original).

• networking among grassroots innovation networks like microcredit organisations.

• business is increasingly interested in innovation in services.

• there are new innovations in the area of democracy developing in India and Latin

America.

(Wikipedia. Social Innovation. Retrieved on July 20, 2007 from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_innovation.

It is clear from the above that the concept of social innovation has been around for some

time. In the hands of a social entrepreneur, social innovation however, is powerful and

leads to outcomes that may change or transform societies and communities and

influence policy (Bornstein, 2004).

The innovation for which I was awarded an Ashoka Fellowship, and on the basis of

which I regard myself as a Draytonian Changemaker, relates to addressing workplace

violence, specifically bullying, by the use of different strategies to reach out and assist

the various stakeholders.

The Social Entrepreneur or Changemaker, the challenge, and the social innovation can

be illustrated as follows:

Figure 1: The Social Entrepreneur or Changemaker, the challenge, and the social innovation


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Social innovation and a thorough understanding of the social entrepreneur or Draytonian

Changemaker are of the utmost importance in the study, purely because it is difficult to

abstract the social entrepreneurial individual from the system in which he/she operates

(Hindle, 2005). My innovation is closely linked to my social entrepreneurship – which

cannot be understood without illustrating it and applying it to a social innovation.

My innovation of working towards violence-free workplaces is underpinned by the

following beliefs:

(a) Workplace violence with its devastating impact on the victim is unacceptable,

whether it be physical or emotional. With physical violence (assault or attack) the

visible scars can be treated. In the case of emotional violence (verbal abuse,

bullying or mobbing, sexual and racial harassment and threats) the scars are

invisible (Steinman, 2006). In particular, bullying is the worst form of emotional

violence, and its escalation worldwide has a devastating effect on the victim’s

well-being, health, emotional and social development (Steinman, 2007).

(b) Therefore, the priority intervention is to develop a culture of human rights and, in

particular, the right to dignity and respect in the workplace by strictly adhering to

the United Nation (UN)’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and

Clause 10 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996) dealing with

the inherent dignity of every person.

These beliefs inform my approach to a harmonious and dignified work environment.

But what underpins my modus operandi with regard to my social innovation? My

strategy is based on the following personal beliefs:

(a) In particular, that by convincing organisations through research and educational

training programmes, and by raising awareness (through publications and other

methods) that bullying and violence affect the dignity and well-being of

employees and impact on productivity, these organisations (be they in the public

or private sector) will eventually put policies in place that will lead to positive

change

(b) That the validation or formal acknowledgement of the victim’s experience of

bullying or any other type of violence by the employer in the workplace and


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subsequent empowerment of the victim, takes centre stage in the development of

any programme

(c) That advocacy should focus on the plight of the victim, the impact violence and

bullying has on society and the loss of productivity in the workplace

(d) That raising awareness should include strong recognition of the principles of

dignity and respect in the workplace

(e) That my work must be strengthened locally and internationally through

international networking with organised labour, activists, professionals, business

leaders, as well as academics to contribute to knowledge on a tertiary level

(f) That an international service must be provided for victims on the Internet and

telephonically and that Internet and local support groups must be established

(g) That I need to be flexible in my approach and constantly review and alter my

position to benefit the victims of workplace violence

(h) That interventions should primarily focus on the prevention of workplace violence

(i) That the intervention should follow a systemic (holistic) approach in accordance

with which other psychosocial problems should be addressed simultaneously.

To achieve my objectives my methods are robust and innovative, amongst others,

advocacy through websites and media exposure, research projects, joint projects with

the UN agencies, breakfast meetings with leading businesses, conferences, seminars,

workshops, using international events such the 16 Days of Activism against Women and

Child Abuse during November/December, setting up “Hyena hearings” to help

employees act out frustrations and by introducing My Hyena Journal (2002-2007) for

victims of workplace violence and so on. The message of dignity in the workplace found

resonance with numerous people. International borders, racial and cultural divides, as

well as political differences faded in the presence of such a strong message, taking

away the shame and silence cloaking bullying and violence in the workplace (Field,

1996; Steinman, 2007). Workplace victims felt their experiences had been validated.

Research on the topic proliferated worldwide, and I became conscious of the fact that

there is power in numbers. I, therefore, made it my business to establish contact with a

large number of academics, professionals and activists. In the process of bringing these

role-players together, I led the international Internet discussion group on workplace

bullying and trauma.


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In South Africa I pioneered the country case study of the first research into workplace

violence in the health sector. This study was part of an international research project

involving select developing countries (Portugal, Bulgaria, Thailand, Brazil, South Africa,

Mozambique and Lebanon) which was sponsored by a consortium of the International

Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Council of Nurses (ICN), the World Health

Organisation (WHO) and Public Services International (PSI) (jointly referred to as the

ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Programme). My involvement started with an effort to obtain a

grant to study workplace violence in the health sector for my first PhD. When the head of

the Safework Division at the ILO discovered that I was looking for a sponsor, the Joint

Programme approached me to undertake the South African case study and granted

permission for me to use it for my PhD.10 This study revealed high levels of physical and

emotional violence in this sector and resulted in the subsequent roll-out of a programme

to manage violence in the workplace.

The UN and its agencies, led by the ILO, embarked on a campaign to make the

workplace “decent” and to raise awareness of the problem of workplace violence. The

ILO works actively with the UN and other multilateral agencies to develop policies and

programmes that support the creation of decent work opportunities as a central plank of

efforts to reduce and eradicate poverty:

Decent work sums up the aspirations of people in their working lives. It

involves opportunities for work that is productive and delivers a fair

income, security in the workplace and social protection for families.

Decent work means better prospects for personal development and

social integration, and freedom for people to express their concerns,

organise and participate in the decisions that affect their lives. It entails

equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men (ILO.

Decent Work. Retrieved on March 25, 2007 from

http://www.ilo.org/public/english/decent.htm).

Similarly, the business and service sectors realised that violence – whether physical or

emotional – could not only harm the individual, but also damage the organisation. This

change is clearly evident when one compares issues of major magazines like

Newsweek of the 1990s (Sloan, 1996, Sloan et al.,1996), when “downsizing” and “mean

and lean” became the buzz-words, with today’s trends emphasising the wellness of

employees. The year 2005 marked the beginning for “Decent Work in America” and

10

Workplace Violence in the Health Sector of South Africa (Steinman, 2002)


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Monkerud (2005) wrote in Counterpunch that better working conditions lead to a better

economy according to a study by the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the

University of Massachusetts/Amherst. One needs to look no further than South Africa

and its boom in the wellness industry (Steinman, 2007) to realise that employers have

taken heed.

In South Africa, government departments and business concerns are adopting voluntary

measures against physical and emotional abuse in the workplace and many of my

clients have put these to good use. A number of European countries like France and

Canada have already adopted measures against physical violence and moral

harassment in the workplace (Steinman, 2007).

This brief orientation to my social innovation will suffice.11 Below follows an overview of

the state of the art of social entrepreneurship.

4. THE STATE OF THE ART OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

4.1 SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: AN EMERGING FIELD OF INQUIRY

When Prof. Muhammad Yunus, founder of The Grameen Bank, Ashoka Fellow and

Ashoka Global Academy Member, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, the media and

public started taking note of Ashoka and its social entrepreneurs.

What knowledge do we have about social entrepreneurs and, most importantly, do we

understand social entrepreneurship? Are there different types of social entrepreneurs,

and when researching this phenomenon, do we do so from an ideological or political

stance, or do we measure social entrepreneurship in terms of the social enterprise? Do

we understand it to be a charity, and do we imply social innovation, or do we look at the

person(s) behind the venture – the social entrepreneur?

Social entrepreneurship is an emerging field of academic inquiry and therefore the

absence of clear theoretical boundaries should come as no surprise (Marti in Mair et. Al.,

2006), neither should the fact that the work of individual social entrepreneurs is being

documented by non-fiction authors and journalists in different regions of the world.

11

Detailed information about my social innovation will be provided in Part III: The Journey.


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It is evident that the phenomenon of social entrepreneurship is understood differently by

the various stakeholders. Studying the available literature indicates that academic

disciplines are mainly preoccupied with social entrepreneurial enterprises or

organisations’ ideology, methodology, financial management, problem identification,

social impact, sustainability and enterprise type rather than the leadership of the social

entrepreneur. On the other hand, it is clear from studying brochures, magazines and

Internet websites that organisations and foundations supporting social entrepreneurs

and journalists, and non-fiction authors (like Bornstein, 2004) are preoccupied with the

social entrepreneur and his/her ability to move an idea (or innovation) and the positive

impacts and outcomes as the focal point of the phenomenon.

A number of organisations support social entrepreneurship:

Organizations such as Ashoka, Innovators for the Public, the Skoll

Foundation, the Omidyar Network, the Schwab Foundation for Social

Entrepreneurs, Echoing Green, UnLtd (UK), the School for Social

Entrepreneurs (UK), the Manhattan Institute, the Draper Richards

Foundation and Civic Ventures, the Canadian Social Entrepreneurship

Foundation (Canada) among others, focus on highlighting these hidden

changemakers who are scattered across the globe. Ashoka's "open

sourcing social solutions" initiative Changemakers

(www.changemakers.net) uses an online platform for what it calls

collaborative competitions to build communities of practice around

pressing issues (Wikipedia. Social Entrepreneurship. Retrieved on

August 20, 2008 from http://www.Wikipedia/social_entrepreneurship).

There are also differences in emphasis as to what constitutes a social entrepreneur

within these supporting organisations.

4.2 CLARIFYING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP

As pointed out above, there is a lack of consensus in terms of definitions, and this

confusion is, to a large extent, due to its complexity. The citations below illustrate the

ongoing debate:


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There are continuing arguments over precisely who counts as a social

entrepreneur. Some have advocated restricting the term to founders of

organizations that primarily rely on earned income – meaning income

earned directly from paying consumers. Others have extended this to

include contracted work for public authorities, while others still include

grants and donations. This argument is unlikely to be resolved soon (Social

Entrepreneurship. Retrieved on August 20, 2007 from

Wikipedia/social_entrepreneurship).

In a recent literature review of research on social entrepreneurship, Johnson (2000)

notes that

defining what social entrepreneurship is, and what its conceptual

boundaries are, is not an easy task ... in part because the concept is

inherently complex, and in part because the literature in the area is so

new that little consensus has emerged on the topic (Johnson, 2000,

p.5).

Definitions offered by Austin, Cho, Robinson, Mair, Hockers and others (Mair, Robinson,

& Hockers, 2006, pp. 4-6) compound Johnson’s (2000) viewpoint. Alberto Cho (2006)

quite rightly remarked that more problems could arise from restrictive definitions

because new ways to explore the phenomenon are emerging (Cho in Mair et al., 2006).

Austin (Austin in Mair et al., 2006) noted that the new field of social entrepreneurship

offers exciting opportunities for scholars:

There is a plethora of research opportunities in SE (social

entrepreneurship). That is the exciting dimension of an emerging field and

many pioneers have begun the journey along a multitude of important

paths of inquiry (emphasis and explanation added) (Austin in Mair et al.,

2006, p.23).

This is indeed evident in this summary of the main findings listed from the contributions

offered in Social Entrepreneurship (Mair et al., 2006 pp. 7-10) below:


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Table 1: A summary of the main findings of authors: (Mair et al, 2006)

Author Chapter Main Findings Austin, J. (Austin in

Mair et al., 2006)

3 Three areas for future research, namely comparative

analysis (time, place, form, actor, practice), studies in

corporate sector and social alliances or networks.

Suggests interdisciplinary research as the desired path.

Cho, A. (Cho in Mair

et al., 2006)

4 His critique of social entrepreneurship explores

theoretical perspectives of the ‘social’ of ‘social

entrepreneurs’ and contends that social entre-

preneurship is an inherently political enterprise (Mair et

al., 2006). He warns that SE should not be seen as a

cure for the gaps left open by markets or social welfare

systems.

Perrini, F. & Vurro,

C. (Perrini & Vurro in

Mair et al., 2006)

4 While it could be fruitful to explore links most studies on

social entrepreneurship focus on separate elements of

the process.

Robinson, J.

(Robinson in Mair et

al., 2006)

7 Explores the economic, social and institutional barriers

to market entry for social entrepreneurs by studying six

social ventures.

Mair, J. & Noboa, E.

(Mair & Noboa in

Mair et al., 2006)

8 Intentions to develop a social venture are influenced by

perceptions of desirability, affected by emotional and

cognitive attitudes (empathy and moral judgment),

feasibility plus self-efficacy and social support.

Desa, G. and Kotha,

S. (Desa & Kotha in

Mair et al., 2006)

11 As the organisation evolves there is a shift toward an

interaction with socio-political dynamic – the activist,

philanthropic and volunteer communities.

Haugh, H. (Haugh in

Mair et al., 2006)

12 Studies economic, social and environmental outcomes

over time. Offers socio-economic regeneration of

resource-poor environments.

Clifford, A. & Dixon,

S. (Clifford & Dixon

in Mair et al., 2006)

14 Successful ‘ecopreneurship’ is related to mission-driven

values and ideals.

Seelos, C. Ganly, K.

& Mair, J (Seelos et

al. in Mair et al.,

2006)

15 Social entrepreneurs’ talent to combine scarce

resources and creating value networks in adverse

conditions could help to achieve Millennium

Development Goals.

None of the above researchers interviewed or used research or material from Ashoka or

Bill Drayton, which could have been very helpful in providing in-depth information as


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Ashoka supports close to 2,000 Fellows (social entrepreneurs) worldwide and has been

around since 1980.

Business schools find social entrepreneurship and its potential for scholarship attractive

(Mair et al., 2006). The reason for this emerging relationship is a preoccupation with

entrepreneurship, the business model, sustainability and corporate responsibility – but

not always with the social value or changemaker in the social venture. One need only

look at the courses for social entrepreneurs offered by the Gordon Institute of Business

(University of Pretoria) in South Africa to realise that business schools will, because of

their history and private sector expectations, focus on project management, fundraising,

sustainability, corporate governance and the operational or functional dimension of

social entrepreneurship. An Internet search proved that this focus is indeed an

international trend. However, the business aspect is very important in driving an idea; it

should not be the focal point of academic interest.

It is important to note that “social” precedes “entrepreneurship” – and is therefore an

important point of departure in understanding this complex phenomenon. Social

entrepreneurs are also called changemakers, implying that leadership and

transformation play an important role. Ashoka refers to its social entrepreneurs as

“public innovators” too, but seems to be using this term to a lesser extent as the term

“social entrepreneur” is more widely used by scholars.

I believe that the use of the terms “social innovators” or “social changemakers” would

have caused less confusion. The argument that the Draytonian Changemakers have the

same qualities as business entrepreneurs and should, therefore, be called “social

entrepreneurs” is weak, because if X and Y both have brilliant mathematical and

analytical skills and X decides to become a statistician and Y decides to study medicine,

it does not imply that their occupations must have similar names because of their similar

talents. To me, this is an unfortunate flaw in the reasoning behind the coining of the term

“social entrepreneur”. It is clear to me that the humanities have a considerable

contribution to make in research to bring about a better understanding of the

phenomenon of the social entrepreneur, or rather Draytonian Changemaker, leadership,

and the ability to move ideas to concrete solutions for social problems.


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4.3 THE SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR AS CATALYST FOR CHANGE

The social entrepreneur has been the focal point at the start of the “public venture” or

“social innovation” and will, I believe, remain there. I contend, and my narratives in this

thesis clearly show, that the social entrepreneur remains central and is indeed the

catalyst in the change process and the enterprise (usually a non-profit entity) driving the

innovation. However, making the social entrepreneur one of the elements in the

comparative avenue of inquiry (Austin in Mair et al., 2006) may not always lead to a

better understanding of the phenomenon as a whole. Therefore, a holistic approach and

recognising the “social entrepreneur” rather than “social entrepreneurship” as the focal

point could be more appropriate and would lead to a better understanding of the

phenomenon in my opinion.

Bill Drayton contends that, although everyone will not be a social entrepreneur,

everybody can be a changemaker by supporting social entrepreneurs (Photograph from Ashoka website [www. Ashoka.org]).

For me, therefore, “social entrepreneur” is ideal for qualitative research and specifically

ethnographic and autoethnographic inquiry as very little is known about the leadership

style and qualities of the social entrepreneur and the becoming of the social

entrepreneur.

One of the reasons why social entrepreneurs as change agents remain central is that,

while most people are influenced by belief systems, by parents and peers, and by

powerful images that bombard them daily through the media and other sources, the

social entrepreneur holds onto an internal vision:

What fascinates me most about the social entrepreneurs, at a

personal level, is the way they hold to an internal vision no matter how

many disruptive forces surround them. Somehow they find ways to

construct meanings for themselves and hold to those meanings. On a


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daily basis they manage to align their interests, abilities and beliefs,

while acting to produce changes that are deeply meaningful

(Bornstein, 2004, p. 279).

This notion of holding onto an “international vision” connects with Senekal’s (1989)

exposition of the concept of “directionality”. Senekal (1989) contends that directionality

(a directional course) is characterised by directional fluidity at times and that human

beings are being evaluative on the move, choosing between evaluative opposites all the

time:

This movement occurs in terms of the evaluative directives from a

chosen directional source whereby a directional vision on the right and

good to be realized is created. According to the directives a definite

directional course is outlined (i.e. how to get there) and a definite

directional destiny is implied (Senekal, 1989, p. 13).

I would like to contend that the social entrepreneur holds onto this internal vision, no

matter what, because of a strong sense of directionality and fluidity within the

directionality (flexibility) through his/her strong sense of meaning and purpose.12

There are different types of entrepreneurship: the traditional entrepreneur who creates

jobs with his/her socio-economic impact on the community, and the social entrepreneur

and Draytonian Changemaker whose impact becomes visible throughout the “citizen

sector”. I found the following remarks by Rehn (2005) particularly important:

Entrepreneurship is first and foremost a mindset. To seize an

entrepreneurial opportunity, one needs to have a taste for

independence and self-realisation. But one also has to be prepared to

handle uncertainty that is inherent to entrepreneurship. And

entrepreneurs need to be able to transform opportunity into economic

value, by blending their creativity and knowledge with a strategic vision

and sound management (Rehn, 2005, pp. xiii-xiv)

In his doctoral thesis on organisational transformation, Sep Serfontein, a leading

management consultant in South Africa, contends that people identified as

12

The concepts of meaning and purpose in life is dealt with extensively in Part III, The Journey, as well as in Part IV, Tour Guides and Ultra Cities.


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entrepreneurs in companies usually show a predisposition towards active, risk-taking

behaviour and the use of resources beyond the individual’s direct control.

�� Entrepreneurs as individuals are agents of change who break with

existing ways of doing things in order to create what has not been

created before.

�� Successful entrepreneurs are in control of their destiny. They

transcend their culture and genetic determinants by becoming

conscious of their uniqueness and differentiation.

�� Successful entrepreneurs are expert collaborators and networkers

inside and outside their enterprise. This integration, along with their

uniqueness and differentiation, determines the success of their

enterprise.

�� They deal effectively with chaos and crisis. They view this as a

normal condition. They are survivors of many battles. Most have failed

at least once in a previous endeavour.

�� Attitude is considered to be more important than knowledge and

skills in determining their success (Serfontein, 2006, p. 78)

Serfontein’s (2006) views connect with those of Bornstein (2004) in his groundbreaking

work about social entrepreneurship, entitled: How to Change the World: Social

Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas (Bornstein, 2004) and other research on

entrepreneurs’ behaviour, which highlight six crucial characteristics:

•••• Flexibility: While social entrepreneurs believe they are right, they have the ability

to correct themselves promptly when they feel it necessary. They have the ability to

focus on the goal and are not preoccupied with tactics, and can, therefore, change

strategies easily.

•••• Acknowledging others: They have the ability to share the spotlight and are

generous in giving credit to others; the objective is to make something work, not to

promote their own agendas.

•••• Bypassing systems: Social entrepreneurs go beyond the ordinary and usual

structures; they start new and unusual kinds of organisations.


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•••• Networking ability: Social entrepreneurs work across conventional divisions and

between disciplines; they network with people from various backgrounds, bringing

together unusual perspectives resulting in a fresh vision and solution.

•••• Being purposeful and modest: Social entrepreneurs often keep low profiles for a

long time, slowly influencing people or small groups, sometimes never claiming

credit for their contributions.

•••• Being solid on ethical behaviour: Social entrepreneurs are driven almost entirely

by deep ethical motivation, with a dramatic turning point or tragedy often leading

them to commit their lives to change some unacceptable status quo.

Social entrepreneurs measure success in lives changed, not money made. Draytonian

Changemakers take risks. They are driven to excel and, in the words of Bornstein

(2004), are “restless people”. The Draytonian Changemaker is drawn to a cause – and

the cause absorbs his/her time and resources. They are typically independent thinkers,

prepared to deal with uncertainty and have a burning desire to transform the problem

and make a difference. The social entrepreneur presents a blend of creativity,

knowledge, unshakable determination, strategic vision and sound management, as is

the case with the traditional entrepreneur who begins a small business. The

entrepreneurial drive and energy are channelled towards social change (Bornstein,

2004).

Ashoka Fellows... working towards social change on a global scale. (Photograph from Ashoka website [www. Ashoka.org]).

A wealth of books is available on change management. Research and popular literature

are in abundance on the topic of entrepreneurship in the economic sense of the word.

However, when it comes to social entrepreneurship, limited research is available. In my

search I have come across an autoethnographic study of traditional entrepreneurship


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but, according to Ashoka’s Global Academy for Social Entrepreneurs, at Ashoka’s

headquarters in Washington District Columbia (DC) in the USA, my study will indeed, to

the best of their knowledge, be the first autoethnography of social entrepreneurship in

the world. Social entrepreneurship is a new and growing field of academic interest and

research worldwide and, hence, academic resources are scarce.

Social entrepreneurship is, as I already suggested, an exciting form of social change

leadership. Academic institutions locally, in the USA and the United Kingdom (UK) are

increasingly incorporating social entrepreneurship in their leadership programmes or are

developing short courses which are directed at social entrepreneurship. During the past

year some business schools, like the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) of the

University of Pretoria, embarked on research on the phenomenon of social

entrepreneurship, and in 2005 established a colloquium for social entrepreneurs (CSE).

This interest in social entrepreneurship is in line with the increasing popularity of the

designation “social entrepreneur” in the USA, where some leading American universities

offer courses in social entrepreneurship. However, these academic institutions focus on

how to generate revenue or to manage the non-profit sector, while social

entrepreneurship, and especially the Draytonian Changemaker, is different:

… social entrepreneurs are transformative forces: people with new

ideas to address major problems who are relentless in the pursuit

of their visions, people who simply will not take 'no' for an answer,

who will not give up until they have spread their ideas as far as

they possibly can … they advance systemic change ... they shift

behavioural patterns and perceptions. (Bornstein, 2004, p. 1)13

Although Bornstein (2004) uses the term “social entrepreneur” it is clear that he is

referring to system-changing social entrepreneurs or Draytonian Changemakers.

The sector in which the social entrepreneur operates is referred to as the “independent

sector”, the “non-profit sector”, the “third sector” or the “citizen sector” (Bornstein, 2004).

It is estimated that in recent years employment in this sector in the USA has grown by

25% (Bornstein, 2004). According to Goff (2006) the citizen sector’s growth is three

times as fast as the rest of the economy since the early 1980s. “According to research

13

It is clear that Bornstein (2004) is referring to the Leading Social Entrepreneur (LSE) and not the social entrepreneur, but simply uses the phrase “social entrepreneur”.


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from John Hopkins University, the sector employed 31m people in the mid-1990s” (Goff,

2006, unnumbered).

While no reliable figures are available for other countries, indications are that this

phenomenal growth is being experienced worldwide.

The worldwide mobilisation of citizen-sector organisations is new in several respects

(Bornstein, 2004):

• It is occurring on a scale never seen before.

• Organisations are globalised.

• There are systemic approaches to problems.

• Citizen-sector organisations are independent from church and state, and exert

pressure on governments.

• Citizen-sector organisations are forging partnerships with business, academic

institutions and governments.

• Citizen-sector organisations are attracting top talent, resulting in increased

performance.

Johannisson (1996) argues that entrepreneurship is not restricted to the economic

sphere alone, but is also associated with renewal in society at large:

Here I associate entrepreneurship with creative organising and

value where both the mode of organising (by spontaneity and

passion) and the value created (socially better worlds) separate it

from instrumental reason and resource efficiency, that is,

phenomena usually associated with management (Johannisson,

1996, p. 2)

While one may have the impression that Johannisson (1996) could be referring to social

entrepreneurship, it is evident that he has the socio-economic advantages of

entrepreneurship in mind. Of importance is that, while the social entrepreneur may have

all the qualities of the traditional entrepreneur, these qualities are applied to social

change and seldom generate wealth, although some social entrepreneurs may benefit

financially from their innovations and some could even be considered wealthy.


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Business Week of 3 May 2004 (Tyson 2004) encapsulated the phenomenon of social

entrepreneurship as follows:

Corporate scandals and excessive compensation packages for

rapacious CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) have dominated business

news during the past three years. Profiles of visionary corporate heroes

have given way to cautionary tales about greedy villains and public trust

in business has plummeted. At the same time, however, a new kind of

business hero, the social entrepreneur, has been gaining media

attention and capturing the public’s imagination. Even students and

faculties in the world’s top-ranked business schools – a typically jaded

and hard-headed group – are becoming inspired (Emphasis and

expansion added) (Tyson, 2004, para. 1).

The front cover of Bornstein’s book, How to Change the World (2004), carries a

message or review by former South African president, Nelson Mandela:

Wonderfully hopeful and enlightening... The stories of these social

entrepreneurs will inspire and encourage many people who seek to

build a better world (Bornstein, 2004 cover).

Emphasising the leadership qualities of the social entrepreneurs... (Photographic collage from Ashoka website [www.ashoka.org]).

This message expresses the hope placed on social entrepreneurs by people like Nelson

Mandela that they will make a difference to the communities they serve. According to the

European Commission, South Africa is a country where the citizen-sector is flourishing

(http://ec.europa.eu/comm/development/body/country

/country_home_en.cfm?cid=za&lng=en&status=new14)) and is supported by both

government and the private sector.

14

This is the webpage of the European Commission – www.ec.europe.eu


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According to media reports, the world is currently fast awakening to a new order of

changemakers. In an article entitled “The Rising Power of NGOs: Transnational Groups

are Making Their Voices Heard, and Governments and Corporations are Taking Notice”

in the Tapei Times, Nye (2004) wrote that, as a result of globalisation, the global civil

society “is acting as a counterweight to government and business on the global stage in

pushing for all aspects of sustainable development including human rights, poverty

eradication and environmental conservation” (Nye, 2004, p. 9).

My experience of African, and particularly Zimbabwean social entrepreneurs, is that

these changemakers are already taking over the responsibilities of government in

countries where governments fail to deliver on their promises to the people. The role of

the non-profit sector and social entrepreneurs in countries such as Uganda, Nigeria and

particularly Zimbabwe, where non-profit organisations are viewed as a threat to the

regime of Robert Mugabe, are heroic, to say the least.

Does the above new role and the growing citizen sector pose an alternative form of

government? It is, therefore, very interesting that Björkman and Sundgren (2005) talk

about “political entrepreneurship”. This concept emerged from their work as “insider”

action researchers in an ethnographic study. It is, however, true that many non-profit

organisations are perceived as a threat in countries where the regimes are oppressive.

Up to this point, I have shared with you what I believe to be important from the limited

literature and information available on this new evolving field. However, to give you

better insight into this issue, it is appropriate to take a closer view at the “father” of the

leading social entrepreneurship, namely Bill Drayton, the founder and CEO of Ashoka, a

social movement.

4.4 BILL DRAYTON, THE FOUNDER OF ASHOKA

Drayton, according to a Fast Company magazine article (Hammond, 2005) the world’s

“foremost social entrepreneur”, has been a trail blazer in setting criteria and identifying

social entrepreneurs worldwide.


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Dr Bill Drayton, the Founder and CEO of Ashoka

and the world’s foremost social entrepreneur (Photograph from Ashoka website [www.ashoka.org]).

A brilliant academic, he graduated from Harvard with the highest honours, and went on

to study at Balliol College at Oxford University. In 1970 he graduated from Yale Law

School, and was professor at both Stanford Law School and Harvard’s Kennedy School

of Government. He joined McKinsey and Company in New York in 1970, was involved

with the US Environmental Protection Agency during the Carter era and returned to

McKinsey in 1981 when he launched Ashoka. He received the MacArthur Foundation’s

Genius Grant in 1984 for his work in building Ashoka on a part-time basis. This grant

afforded him the opportunity then to devote himself full-time to the organisation.

The most recent of the numerous awards and honours bestowed on Drayton, was his

selection as one of America’s Best Leaders by US News and World Report and

Harvard’s Centre for Public Leadership. Simultaneously, he received the Yale Law

School Award of Merit, the highest honour it can bestow. Other awards are: (i) The

National Wildlife Federation’s Conservation Achievement Award International; (ii) The

Vanguard Award for Contributions and Achievements in Non-profit Law from the

American Bar Association; (iii) The Common Cause Public Service Achievement; and

(iv) The National Service Award from the National Academy of Public Administration and

American Society for Public Administration (Drayton, 2006).


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4.4.1 Drayton’s views on social entrepreneurship

According to Drayton the business entrepreneur’s has exceptional vision, creativity and

determination to create new industries. The same leadership qualities can be found in

social entrepreneurs, but “he or she devotes them to coming up with new solutions to

social problems.” The Ashoka Fellow’s ideas are revolutionary and it spread beyond the

point or place where it was first demonstrated (Pillay, undated brocure).

For Drayton the most powerful force in the world is a pattern-changing big idea in

the hands of an entrepreneur of equivalent ambition.

Each such major pattern shift triggers cascades of follow-on

innovations, adaptations, and local application. The railroads of

today’s digital revolutions are prime business examples. (Cusano,

2001, p1)

That is how entrepreneurs work. Having decided that the world must

change in some important way, they simply find and build highways

that lead inexorably to that result. Where others see barriers, they

delight in finding solutions and in turning them into society’s new and

concrete patterns (Drayton, 2006, unnumbered page).

Drayton contends that the flow and sustainability of social innovations depend on

society’s support of the entrepreneurs. As was the case of business entrepreneurs,

society will also have to learn to appreciate social entrepreneurs. Social

entrepreneurs made governments nervous they experienced more persecution

than assistance for a long time. This led to various problems within the social

sector. However, for the last two decades the social sector had been breaking out

of the mould of squalor, and Ashoka’s purpose is to support the new development.

Social sector organisations matured and evolved and became more effective

(Cusano: 2001). Accordingly, Drayton believes that:

The job of the pattern-change social entrepreneur is to recognize

whenever a part of society is stuck in an inefficient or harmful patter, to

conceive a better and safe alternative, to make that vision realistic and

then a refined reality, and then to persuade his or her entire society to

make the leap to this new way. Spotting and solving these problems

requires the entrepreneur because only he/she is married to a vision


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and cannot rest until it has transformed all of society. No other type

has this inner need (Cusano, 2001, p. 4).

Persisting for years and decades irrespective of resistance or adversity, social

entrepreneurs are drawn to solutions that will work universally with some

adaptations to provide for societal differences. They are flexible and readily do

away with unworkable solutions.

Another important ability of social entrepreneurs or Draytonian Changemakers is

that they are able to catalyse other changemakers into being and inspire others to

step forward and seize their ideas. The viral spread of social innovation has

become common: it was almost unthinkable a decade ago that an idea from South

Africa, for example, could affect communities in Brazil or Bangladesh and vice

versa. Muhammad Yunus’ impact on the spread of micro-credit is a shining

example. Drayton points out that the idea is “enormously contagious” (Drayton,

2006). The mobilisation of ideas by social entrepreneurs has led to a positive

response to change instead of resistance.

Drayton urges that the number of changemakers should be increased to address

the most critical problems in the world today. However, to make this possible,

social entrepreneurs need social investors providing medium- to long-term

investments (Drayton, 2006) and they deserve loyalty. Social entrepreneurship is

not a job; it is a way of life.

4.4.2 Drayton’s Ashoka

Ashoka takes its name from a leader who unified India in the third century BC. He

dedicated his life to social welfare and economic development and was known for his

creativity, tolerance and global-mindedness. Ashoka, the emperor, is considered to be

one of the world’s earliest social innovators. He was acclaimed for constructing hospitals

for animals and people alike, and renovating major roads throughout India. Ashoka

defined the main principles of non-violence, religious tolerance and treating friends,

servants, parents, priests and all other people with dignity and respect (Wikipedia.

Ashoka. Retrieved on July 22, 2007 from http://en/wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashoka).

Drayton’s Ashoka, the international, USA-based association for leading social

entrepreneurs is based upon the venture capital model (Bornstein, 2004).


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Social entrepreneurship entails involvement with a group or culture and I therefore, see

it as an existential reality, not an abstract notion that can be manipulated. While social

entrepreneurship cannot be taught, it can be nurtured – it is an innovation outside “the

box”. Therefore, Ashoka members also refer to their Fellows or social entrepreneurs as

public innovators.

Ashoka’s head office is situated in Washington, DC in the USA. With offices in South

Africa, the organisation is at the forefront of identifying and sustaining the world’s

leading social entrepreneurs. While a large number of enterprises support projects run

by social entrepreneurs, Ashoka is one of the few organisations providing financial

support in the form of living stipends to the leading social entrepreneurs – not the

project.

According to the Ashoka brochure (Pillay, undated brochure) the social entrepreneur

and his/her innovation go through a well-understood four-phase life cycle which typically

takes 15 or more years to complete.

1. The Apprenticeship Phase usually lasts about a decade. Social

entrepreneurs master their field of interest and their social innovation and

acquire the complex skills to effect major structural social change.

2. The Launch Phase. The social entrepreneur is ready to devote 100% of

his/her time to the social innovation or to becoming an agent of change.

S/he needs to step out and find the necessary freedom to bring about the

change. Neither the social entrepreneur nor the idea is well known and the

3-5 years of the launch phase is a period of heightened risk.

3. The Take-off Phase. Having demonstrated the innovation the social

entrepreneur establishes a supporting programme and begins to spread

the new idea – nationally and even internationally.

4. The Mature Phase. The social entrepreneur has become recognised and

may expand the initial idea, introduce several other new ideas, or branch

off into other dimensions of public life (Pillay, undated brochure).


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Pre-Fellowship Members of the Fellowship

Ashoka Status

Stages of Development

APPRENTICE Learns field and How to effect

structural social changes

8 – 10 years

ASSOCIATE or FELLOW

LAUNCH 100%

investment in demonstrating new idea in the local context 3 – 5 years

TAKE-OFF Spread the

innovation to the regional and national levels 5-15 years

MEMBER

MATURE The major social innovation is accepted:

launches other ideas and/or provides other social service Rest of life

There are a number of ways that social entrepreneurs may become involved in Ashoka’s global Fellowship. Fellows and Associates are elected during the launch to take-off phase while social entrepreneurs who are in the mature phase can join the Fellowship as Members. The difference between Fellows and Associates is the level of confidence Ashoka has in their idea and its potential for structural social impact on a large scale.

Figure 2: The Ashoka Phases (Pillay, undated brochure)

In my telephonic interview with Dr Bill Drayton on 8 November 2007, I questioned him

about the abovementioned projections and asked him if these claims had been formally

researched or whether they were merely observations. Bill Drayton responded that these

are his observations over many years of interviewing business entrepreneurs and from

hundreds of interviews with social entrepreneurs.

Ashoka has elected close to 2 000 social entrepreneurs as Ashoka Fellows, providing

them with living stipends, professional support, and access to a global network of peers

in more than 60 countries.

The Ashoka logo

Ashoka Fellows inspire others to adopt and spread their

innovations – demonstrating to all citizens that they too have the

potential to be powerful changemakers and make a positive

difference in their communities.


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By unleashing the same innovative and entrepreneurial mindset

which has driven business sector growth over the last two

centuries, Ashoka is leading a dramatic transformation in society,

fuelling the citizen sector’s unprecedented growth. With our global

community of social entrepreneurs, Ashoka develops models for

collaboration and designs infrastructure needed for this growth

(Ashoka. Retrieved on July, 18 from http://www.ashoka.org)

According to an article FAST Company, a business magazine, Ashoka measures its

Fellows against the following five essential criteria:

• Is the idea unique and will it take off? Could the idea truly change society

or bring about systemic change?

• Does this person have a track record of creative thinking or creativity?

• Is this person an entrepreneur? “True social innovators need to change a

pattern across society. They are drawn to problems, constantly searching

for the next advance.”

• What would the impact of the idea be and would it spread?

• Is there ethical fibre? Is this a person of integrity and is he or she

trustworthy? (Hammond, 2005, p. 4).

In 1997 Ashoka was challenged to measure the impact that its Fellows had, and it

developed a measuring tool for both external communication (especially to donors) and

internal reflection. Since then, each year’s study for measuring effectiveness has

focused on a class of Fellows who were elected five or 10 years earlier (Pillay, undated

Ashoka brochure).

Accordingly, a multi-choice questionnaire relies on “proxy indicators” that serve as

measures of their leading social entrepreneurs’ success. The results, as they appear in

the undated Ashoka Impact brochure, are set out below:


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4.4.2.1 Measuring Effectiveness: The Indicators

1. The Original Vision Ashoka seeks out social entrepreneurs with a life-long commitment to their vision for the future. This

continued dedication signals a Fellow’s ongoing effort to spread a new idea

or practice in society.

2. Independent Replication Fellows who succeed in inspiring replication have

moved beyond direct impact to influence the way other groups approach problem-

solving.

3. Policy Influence Changes in government

policy signal the adoption of Ashoka Fellows’ ideas in the public sphere, expanding the

reach of their impact.

4. Leadership Building As Ashoka Fellows develop

institutions that lead their fields, they not only spread their own ideas, but also

reinforce the building bocks of the social sector.


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5. Ashoka Leverage How has the relationship with

Ashoka contributed to the success of our Fellows’

work?

(Ashoka Impact Brochure. Retrieved on February 19, 2007 from http://www.ashoka. org/impact/effectiveness) (Headings bolded in original)

The tool for measuring effectiveness could be used to develop a framework guideline to

measure impact by social entrepreneurs within the Ashoka paradigm by future

researchers.

4.4.2.2 Ashoka’s Flexibility

During the past few years the thinking in Ashoka changed from an organisation which

focused solely on social entrepreneurs (an Ashoka Fellow) to one that envisions

everybody to be a changemaker.15 Accordingly, Ashoka believes that this new vision

complements its mission statement to “create a competitive, entrepreneurial and globally

integrated citizen sector” and that the social entrepreneurs could serve as models to the

citizen sector.

After a strategic workshop in February, 2005, and through informal conversations, some

considerations regarding the South African Ashoka fellowship emerged and it was

established that Fellows expected Ashoka to provide:

�� Technical support.

�� Assistance with problem-solving.

�� Access to potential funders.

�� The creation of awareness of and status for the Ashoka Brand.

�� Accountability to Fellows.

�� Communication between Ashoka Head Office, Ashoka Southern Africa and

Fellows.

15

I prefer the word “changeworker” here because Ashoka does not imply that a changemaker is a pattern-changing social entrepreneur.


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�� Information-sharing so that learning is not lost to the Ashoka community.

�� A fraternity where Fellows could feel accepted and could be amongst their

peers.

�� Fellow personal development

(Ashoka Southern Africa. Retrieved on February 19, 2007 from

http.www.ashoka.org.za).

The South African chapter of Ashoka also expressed the need for the creation of a

developmental focus, developing a knowledge management system and a mutually

beneficial relationship, and for programmes to be developed around the needs of the

Fellows.

Ashoka’s planning session in Arlington, USA, saw a new vision for Global Fellowship,

underlining its desire to increase collaboration on all levels – for instance, problem

solving sessions, learning circles and Fellow re-orientations. It was proposed then that in

terms of global Fellowship, some of Ashoka South Africa’s priorities would be:

�� An All-Africa orientation coupled with an All-Fellows Meeting that will

include, as part of the activities, a re-orientation of Fellows.

�� Learning circles for Fellows.

�� Stimulation, facilitation of collaboration and funding for national and global

collaborations between the Fellows.

�� Establishing a local marketplace (or corporate brochure) showcasing the

work of Ashoka Fellows.

�� Problem-solving sessions where Fellows get together to solve mutual or

Fellow-specific challenges.

�� Opportunities to meet potential funders in the form of breakfasts.

�� Ashokitos – association of Fellows’ children to be exposed to social

entrepreneurship

(Ashoka Southern Africa. Retrieved on February 19, 2007 from

http.www.ashoka.org.za).

The graphic presentation of the stakeholders in Figure 3 below illustrates the

relationship between these role-players, especially the interface between organisations


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such as Ashoka and Echoing Green with the private sector on the one hand, and the

social entrepreneur on the other hand:

Figure 3: The relationship between social entrepreneurs, government, the non-profit sector, social entrepreneurs and the private sector – and the interface of organisations like Ashoka with social entrepreneurs and the private sector.

4.5 THE VALUE OF CHANGE THEORIES

Ashoka does not subscribe to a specific change theory, although the lifecycle phases

could be regarded as a guideline. However, the Skoll Foundation and Aspen Institutes

are champions of specific change theories and require that social entrepreneurs, when

they are entering for competitions or applying for funding, should explain their projects in

terms of these theories. When comparing my own modus operandi that effected change

with the mentioned models, there are no drastic differences. However, I think that forcing

specific theories into a mould for social change rather than using them as guidelines

may be counterproductive and may inhibit the social entrepreneur’s innovative

methodology.


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Therefore, in the narratives of this thesis16 I will relate my own construct and compare it

with change theories that are offered to social entrepreneurs by some support

organisations for social entrepreneurship, as this would bring about a better

understanding of how change is effected.

4.6 SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR A CHANGING COUNTRY

In conclusion, in my brief discussion of the state of the art of social entrepreneurship, as

well as from my own tacit knowledge, I have pointed out that this young field is lacking in

various aspects, e.g. conceptualisation, theorisation and methodology.

South Africa, in particular, is a country most certainly faced with the challenge of

cementing social entrepreneurship, not only for the sake of social science, but also for

the consolidation of our democracy and to enable it to meet some of the many varied

challenges facing this country. The knowledge of becoming a social entrepreneur is very

important in this instance.

In the next part of the thesis I will explain why the autoethnographic approach is, in this

case, essential in answering the research question and exploring the phenomenon of

social entrepreneurship.

16

See Part III: The Journey.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part Two: Journey Orientation A Letter to Riëtte

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PART TWO

JOURNEY ORIENTATION

Susan Steinman

P O Box 2873, 1731 WILROPARK

17 October 2007

Dear Riëtte

When visiting you last, I was delighted to discover that your sense of humour is

still intact, despite being subjected to the immense work pressures at

University of Johannesburg (UJ)! It is amazing that the lapse of time in our

friendship (I haven’t seen you for a few years) did not erase the unique – and

humorous – rapport I have with you. Therefore I’m delighted that you agreed to

my writing you a letter in this section of the thesis. Your recommendation that I

shorten the body of the letter drastically and arrange some of the information

into annexures to this letter, has been taken to heart. This change will

definitely result in easier navigation of the relevant material.

As the head of Statcon17, you symbolise the “local quantitative scientific

community” for some. You may well feel that you are but one person, but your

contribution within the context of your position at the UJ has been influential

and you’ve earned yourself a good reputation over the years with your expertise

in quantitative surveys. Small wonder the School for Business Leadership at the

University of South Africa (UNISA) offered you a professoriate. Your

impending departure at UJ was certainly met with disbelief and shock, but I

understand your need to make a change.

My thesis for this second doctorate takes the form of an autoethnography,

using the metaphor of a journey. In Part I, I mapped the terrain of my

metaphoric journey in becoming a social entrepreneur with the innovation of

addressing bullying and workplace violence. This letter serves as an orientation

17 Statistical Consultation Service of the University of Johannesburg.


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to give you insight into the “vehicle” and the issues that will be encountered, and

I hope to lure you aboard. But more about the “journey” later...

You were involved in my first doctorate when I undertook research for the

ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI18 on workplace violence in the health sector. You guided me

through those endless cross-tabulations Geneva19 required for the report.

Fortunately, they allowed me to use my work in the survey for my PhD. This time

round, I am venturing into the qualitative, postmodernist field with an

autoethnography.

In short, an autoethnography is a reflexive variant of the field research

qualitative tradition whereby the researcher and subject are one, using

participant and non-participant data-gathering techniques (Philaretou & Allen, p.

65).

The best definition of autoethnography that I have encountered so far is

one by Ellis (1995, p. 3). She maintains that autoethnography represents: “… a

multilayered, intertextual case study that integrates private and social

experience and ties autobiographical to sociological writing …” (emphasis added).

Ellis (2004) continues by stating that autoethnography is a strategy which

requires that researchers look both inwards and outwards. It is simultaneously

research, writing, story and method that connect the autobiographical and

personal to the cultural, social and political. Finally, it features concrete action,

emotion, embodiment, self-consciousness and introspection, which are portrayed

in dialogue, scenes, characterisation and plot.

Spry (2001) stresses that autoethnography can be defined as a self-

narrative that critiques the situatedness of self with others in social context.

However, autoethnography is exciting and Bochner (2005) expressed himself as

follows:

18 The International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Council of Nurses (ICN), the World

Health Organisation (WHO) and Public Services International (PSI). 19

We referred to the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Programme, who operated from their offices in Geneva, Switzerland as “Geneva”.


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As I contemplated the feelings that were running through me, I felt a

rush of optimism about the future of social science inquiry. Yes! I

shouted to myself. This is what social science is missing. This is

what social science needs to become in order to make a difference

in the world – daring, honest, intimate, personal, emotional, moral,

embodied, and evocative refusing to hide behind academic jargon

and citations, making us feel the truth of her story in our guts

Bochner (2005, p.52).

To a great extent, Bochner (2005) captures the feeling of liberation that a

scientist embarking upon autoethnography for the first time may feel – it simply

makes social inquiry better and more truthful. Similarly, Rorty (1991) strongly

prefers narratives over theories: “Autoethnography is a species of narrative

inquiry that has blossomed in reaction to the excesses and limitations of theory-

driven, empiricist social science ... the human sciences need to become more

human” (Bochner, 2005, p. 55). In this respect autoethnography challenges the

tyranny of abstraction by enabling us to hold on to the fundamental embodiment

of problems and keep us closely connected to the needs, pains and desires of

bodies (Bochner, 2005).

Similarly, Pelias (2004) makes a plea for a “methodology of the heart” that is

located in the researcher’s body:

a body deplayed not as a narcissistic display but on behalf of others,

a body that invites identification and empathetic connection, a body

that takes as its charge to be fully human (Pelias, 2004, p. 1).

Sparkes (2007) responded to Pelias’ plea and wrote an insightful article

“about the embodied struggles of an academic at a university that is permeated

by an audit culture... In the end, the story simply asks for consideration”

(Sparkes, 2007, p. 519).

Now that you have been exposed to the “heart” of autoethnography, you may

want to refresh your memory about qualitative research in general. You can also


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study my research methodology and my scientific beliefs in particular, as set out

in “Annexure P2 – A” of this letter. This annexure contextualises

autoethnography within the qualitative paradigm.

I am a sentimental person; and that is why I like the familiarity of featuring

you in this doctorate too. You may well criticise or decide not to go along with

the journey; that is your prerogative as scientist. Either way, your decision will

be respected.

Ironically, in the midst of trying to complete this thesis using the highly

controversial autoethnographical methodology, I am also, as you are aware, the

research consultant for the The University20 currently busy with a primarily

quantitative survey into overload and I approached Statcon and specifically you

to provide the in-depth analysis from the data obtained online. The manner in

which one poses the questions is so important and I would like to thank you once

again for your contributions with the questionnaires.

When you said, “As a quantitative person I actually want to say let’s go

qualitative and leave the last question open-ended,” I was slightly surprised.

Even though you are the expert on quantitative research and head of Statcon

(having seen many students through their doctorates), you actually saw the need

for a “qualitative” component to this particular survey, since it involves human

experience.

Your viewpoint that autoethnography is “weird”, has challenged me to

convince you that there is a place for this type of approach in the academic

environment. If I can get you, the ultimate quantitative expert on board, I know

that I may be able to persuade others as to the validity of this creative new

development in qualitative inquiry.

But first, let me share a story with you. A while ago a journalist of the

Afrikaans daily, Beeld, phoned me after a psychologist referred her to me for

comment. She wanted to write an article about blogging on the Internet. What

prompted her interest in this direction is that some bloggers, in this case a male

20

“The University” is a pseudonym to protect the identity of the university where I performed research on work overload.


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prostitute, uses the medium to bully, name and shame so-called prominent

members of the public using his services. The psychologist friend thought that

doing an autoethnography may just be similar to blogging! Of course I was taken

aback and told her that autoethnography is in no way similar to blogging and that

bully-bloggers is a public menace. When I put the phone down, I had time to

reflect. Is blogging, like a journal, a form of autoethnography?

In essence a web blog can be regarded as a journal, a platform or even a

soap box. One could argue that the popular Internet videos featured on

“YouTube” serve the same purpose as a web blog. It provides a space for the

individual to negotiate his or her personal, social, economic, cultural and political

identity online. Keren (2005), an Israeli scholar, contends that blogs could

include the new life-writing genres referred to by Rainer in Your Life as a Story:

Discovering the ‘New Autobiography’ and Writing Memoir as Literature (1998).

Among these, autobiographies, memoirs, confessions, meditations, personal

essays, travelogues, autobiographical short stories and novels, portraits,

conceptual writings, family histories, and so on, are listed as examples (Keren,

2005). He continues by arguing that bloggers are providing society with meaning

and guidance, because intellectuals fail to do so in the present-day Israel (I do

not think that this is restricted to Israel).

Furthermore, Keren argues that, if Schils’ functional assumption that every

society needs a social stratum providing meaning and guidance is accepted; it is

evident that civil society will look elsewhere and take advantage of the Internet

for social dialogue owing to the fact that intellectuals are distancing themselves

from civil society (Keren, 2005).

Finally Keren (2005) argues that, although blogging is an exciting arena for

public discussion, the anonymity of the Web and the dangers of being guided (or

misguided) by irresponsible individuals; fail to provide a social dialogue for the

real word. Dialogue should not be maintained in the virtual reality, but in real

life.

After studying Keren’s (2005) views, I am inclined to believe that

autoethnography may just close the gap between scholars and society, making


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knowledge and science more accessible, providing the meaning and guidance

society so desperately seeks and opening new avenues of social discourse. Have

you read Ellis’s book The Ethnographic I: A Methodological Novel about

Autoethnography (2004)?

This text book contains everything you want to know about autoethnography

in the form of a novel. Did you know that the text book, The Goal by Goldratt

and Cox (1984) widely used in business schools, is actually one of the early

autoethnographic works? One of the first advantages I saw in autoethnography

is that it can change the boring way in which most text books are presented; it

can liven up science, and it may very well result in better pass rates at our

universities. I also suspect that it can lead to greater social dialogue.

You told me that you will be writing a book about statistics to assist “non-

quantitative” people to use statistics without fear. This book will explain

statistical analysis in a narrative style. I can only imagine that such a book would

be very helpful, but why not do an autoethnography?.

You remarked, “It is said that some people do not engage in quantitative

research because they fear stats, and quantitative people do not engage in

qualitative research because it seems fuzzy and they don’t understand it.”

Although this may not be applicable in all cases, I cannot deny that it may very

well be true and that quantitative and qualitative people need to understand one

another better – for the sake of science.

Let’s get back to autoethnography. Is it really that new? I belong to a Yahoo

newsgroup on autoethnography together with a number of academics from all

over the world, including Prof. Carolyn Ellis. Ellis could be regarded as the

pioneer in promoting the use of autoethnography in the USA and beyond.

Recently one group member, Mel Alexenberg, drew attention to the non-

academic blog www.artiststory.com.

He told members of this newsletter that he used autoethnographic

methodologies in his interdisciplinary doctoral dissertation (art, science, and

cognitive psychology) in 1969 at New York University, as well as in his research

at MIT's Center for Advanced Visual Studies in the 1980s. Alexenberg


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contends: “In the 1970s, I teamed up and taught the doctoral research methods

course with anthropologist Margaret Mead when I was a professor of art and

education at Columbia University. It seems strange to me that people are now

having trouble using a methodology that was honoured by the likes of NYU,

Columbia, and MIT decades ago” (Yahoogroups – autoethnography newsletter, 8

August 2007).

This is indeed news to me! Can you believe that autoethnography reared its

head as early as 1969 in the USA? Sometimes I think that autoethnographers

are too defensive about their methodology – it is clearly a very useful form of

inquiry. According to Ellis (2004, p. 38), the word “autoethnography” has been in

circulation for two decades and anthropologist Karl Heider already used it in

1975, but David Hayano is usually credited as the originator of the term, which

supports Mel Alexenberg’s claim of its earlier use.

Another point is that there is an increase in the popularity of and interest in

autobiographies and biographies – especially in the business world – and,

according to Choles (2006) (an expert in using narrative techniques in the

corporate world), the rise of the corporate autobiography as bestseller at

airports is proof that we need stories rather than benchmarks, human

connection instead of policy and procedure manuals.

This shift is of academic importance in my opinion, because society – such as

those who purchase books at airports - is signalling to us what it needs. There is

a yearning for the armchair storyteller and intimacy – the public wants to absorb

knowledge in a warm, intimate way they can relate to; a way in which their

humanness is celebrated, where we talk about people and not subjects. The aloof

scientist should therefore embrace this new trend to keep academic discourse

relevant and alive. That is why the stories of Richard Branson, Donald Trump and

other business giants are more interesting to corporate executives than, for

instance, a scientific book on entrepreneurship. It is not about changing science,

it is about presenting science.

Consider the following statement by Etherington (2004, p. 20): “Social

constructionism has challenged modernist notions of truth and reality, and


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invited us to explore how meanings and identity are created through language,

stories and behaviour and to think about how we know what we know” (McClead,

1997). Etherington (2004) contends that postmodernism is characterised by a

loss of confidence in what has been called the grand narratives of the past and

therefore, social constructionism forms part of the shift.

Richardson (1997) succinctly advocates in favour of this shift too:

Although qualitative research topics often are riveting and the

research painstakingly executed, the monographs are under-read.

Unlike quantitative work, which can carry its meaning in its tables

and summaries, qualitative work depends upon people reading it.

Qualitative work could be reaching wide and diverse audiences, not

just devotees of the topic or the author. It seems foolish, at best,

narcissistic and wholly self-absorbed, at worst, to spend months or

years doing research that ends up not being read and not making a

difference to anything but the author’s career. Can something be

done? One way to create vital texts is to attend to writing as a

method of inquiry (Richardson, 1997, p. 87).

My excitement about autoethnography should be clear by now, and as such,

should also shed some light on my position. Before outlining my position, I would

like to quote Potter (1996):

For most of us in everyday life, the words ontology and

epistemology do not arise, nor do the questions they pose. Our lack

of concern for them derives from axiomatic nature; they require us

to take a position based on belief, not proof. Similar axiomatic

questions include, is there a supreme being? What is beauty? And

what is moral life? The answers to these questions are beyond fact

and logic; they require an answer based on belief. Once we have

recognized our belief, then we can use logic to fashion arguments

and practices to follow from it. When these practices become

established, we need not think about them, we take them for

granted


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However, when we enter the world of formal scholarship, it is

essential that we examine the foundations of our thinking. When we

do this, we discover that there exist alternative answers to each

foundational question. Two scholars who hold different beliefs of

ontology and epistemology may be interested in examining the

same phenomenon, but their beliefs will lead them to set up their

studies differently because of their differing views of evidence,

analysis, purpose and research (Potter,1996, pp. 35-36) (emphasis

added).

You may ask if I have altered my position on ontology and epistemology? While I

will clarify my stance later, but keeping the above quotation in mind, my answer

is that my philosophical beliefs evolved over time. So the answer is “yes”, I

discovered my truth both on an ontological and epistemological level. You may

call it change, but in my opinion, it represents growth.

It is my belief that in certain scientific disciplines, and particularly in the

natural sciences, positivism /empiricism may be absolutely appropriate and social

surveys are useful. Is autoethnography the best way for social inquiry? The

answer is “yes, in some instances” since we can learn more about a phenomenon

through autoethnographic inquiry; and “no, in other cases”, since it is not about

“all or nothing” and, in certain other instances other qualitative methodologies or

mixed methodologies (Creswell, 2003; Tashakkori & Teddlie, 1998) would be

more suitable.

Autoethnography is not for everyone – I believe that the different genres

contribute to the diverse facets of knowledge and therefore, autoethnographic

inquiry can co-exist with other qualitative genres.

You once made the statement that one can lie with statistics, but cannot tell

the “truth” without them. A sweeping statement, yet it has merits. I am the

first to acknowledge that autoethnography is not for everyone and that

qualitative research also has its limitations. I am proposing greater tolerance for

the different methodologies which may be used alone or in combination with one

another. While I will be pointing out the limitations of quantitative research,


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please accept that I am aware of the many advantages it holds when researching

specific phenomena and of course the natural sciences.

Some of the limitations of quantitative research became clear to me while I

was working on my first doctorate. Bochner (2005, p. 54) highlights this

research style’s shortcomings when disadvantaged groups such as women, blacks

and people from developing countries who gained access to graduate programmes

“revealed convincingly how a model based on neutrality, objectivity and scientific

detachment could function as a tool of oppression and domination.” Richardson

(1997) also alludes to the narrative shifts occurring with collective stories of

other groups of people:

Within American society, certain sociologists have positioned

blacks, women, gays and lesbians, the aging and ethnics within a

liberation narrative. And we have extended the liberation narrative

to Third World countries, no longer conceptualizing them as

“developing,” a metaphor that implies their current inferiority but

their eventual future as Western clonettes. Instead, the notion of

ethnic nationalism is gaining ascendancy. The implicit liberation

narrative is consistent with liberation movements (Richardson,

1997, pp. 17-18).

Allow me to take you back to the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI research of 2001. The

questionnaires were administered at different hospitals and at one of the larger

hospitals a pregnant physician asked me whether the use of a knife could be

classified as “violence with a weapon”? It turned out that she thought a weapon

actually constitutes a gun. I remember clarifying the concept of “a weapon”, but

being horrified that any person, let alone a pregnant woman, could have been

subjected to such violence. On some level I felt that she was reaching out to me,

because she was still traumatised: she needed to talk to someone, but I could

never grasp the depth of her anxiety and trauma through a simple question. Was

this perhaps what she was really telling me?


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In the first “hyena book”21 we wrote that one third of the world is either

unemployed or underemployed. Statistical data can never reflect the state of

poverty, feelings of hopelessness, powerlessness and anger experienced by this

category of people! Yet, that piece of statistical data (i.e. “one third”) is as

important to bringing home the message of poverty as a description of the

feelings of those experiencing poverty.

There were other instances during which I also wondered whether

individuals’ responses are not influenced by what they understand it to be,

rather than the definition itself. Clearly a survey is useful, but it remains a blunt

instrument. I sometimes felt that it left me with more questions than answers.

Yet, I am the first to acknowledge that certain research projects, especially

those in the natural sciences or, for example, household surveys, can only be

carried out with methods generating quantitative data.

A friend of mine once said that reality is a social construct – that may very

well be the case for truth too. For instance, the public tend to feed on a supply

of numerical data, whether the data is generated through academic research or

a marketing poll – there really is no distinction; and statistical data has clearly

earned some sense of “regard” with the person in the street. This is my personal

observation over many years of working and acting as the interface between

victims of workplace violence and employers. You actually confirmed this in our

conversation the other day. When one links a percentage to the specific

violation, for example bullying, the public feels that it is truthful and real. Of

course, one is likely to be probed by scientists in this regard!

In the case of workplace violence, I fear that statistics can actually be

misleading. For instance, the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI used “self-labelling” questions

where the respondents label themselves as victims, such as: “Have you been

bullied/mobbed during the past 12 months?” While some respondents would

certainly answer “yes”, South African men in particular are likely to answer “no”

when it comes to bullying, probably to retain their “macho image”.

21 Corporate Hyenas at Work by Susan Marais (now Steinman) and Magriet Herman.


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This was indeed my experience when I investigated workplace bullying and

violence at the health department of one of our larger municipalities. I

administered two questionnaires – the one I used for the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI

survey in 2001 which you are familiar with, and my own questionnaire. The

questionnaires were returned in pairs and therefore I could make a comparison.

To my surprise, the male correspondents indicated in the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI

self-labelling questions (with clear guidance as to the definitions) that they had

not been bullied. However, when I inspected the same persons’ responses to my

questionnaire referring to incidents and the frequency of these, it was clear

that they had in actual fact been bullied.

In focus group discussions more women than men indicated that they had

been victims of bullying/mobbing and other forms of emotional abuse and teased

the men that they were “too shy” to admit that they had been bullied.

Fascinated by this discrepancy, I corresponded via e-mail with Dr Helge

Hoel, a workplace violence expert working with Prof. Cary Cooper at the

University of Manchester’s Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) in the

UK and shared my findings with him. He wrote back and confirmed that, indeed,

he also had the same experience – self-labelling questions can inhibit certain

respondents and influence the response outcome when dealing with a complex

phenomenon such as workplace bullying.

On the other hand, the value of a quantitative survey was clearly illustrated

with the shocking figure of 17% of respondents reporting to have been

subjected to physical violence (of this 11,5% attacks had been with a weapon) in

the health sector over a 12-month period. Furthermore, 25.5% of all

respondents witnessed an incident(s) of physical violence during the same period

(Steinman, 2002). The numerical data proved to be very helpful in convincing

health sector authorities that there is a need to do something about the high

levels of workplace violence.

Prof. Carolyn Ellis (1995) recalled a similar experience when she and her

partner at that time, Prof. Gene Weinstein, examined jealousy:


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Although we administered a survey about jealousy experience, our

main source of information consisted of our own episodes of

jealousy buttressed by friends’ description of their experiences. In

our essay, Gene and I played down our introspective method and

emphasized instead informal interviews and written descriptions we

had collected from students. The reviewers rejected our paper

saying we need numerical data. When we inserted a few statistics

from our survey, the article was published (Ellis 1995, p. 7).

Riëtte, one of the burning issues I have with research reports is the way in

which we refer to ourselves. In my first thesis I referred to myself as “the

researcher” to prove that I am an objective, neutral, distant and aloof scientist.

In this autoethnography I write in the first person from my lived

experiences and this is generally criticised, since it deviates from the so-called

scientific way of writing. Therefore, it is not surprising that some scholars

contend that autoethnography is “schizophrenic”. In my opinion, one could argue

with the same venom (it is vicious if not bullying to pathologise others in trying

to make a point) that claiming that one is two persons – a scientist and private

person – may similarly be regarded as “schizophrenic”. Moreover, one could argue

that I am being “schizophrenic” by stating that theory can be important in

certain instances of inquiry, but that in other cases narratives or a good story

provide the best theory (Ellis, 2004).

Look what I’ve come to – dissecting others’ arguments with equal venom. This

“black-and-white” or “all-or-nothing” mentality is beyond my understanding – it is

harmful to social inquiry. Whenever I look at the research results of our study,

my first inclination (given my background) is to look at how many people are

being bullied sometimes to “often” at The University. More than 25%! It must be

difficult to work in a place where the “right thing to do” is to brutally put others

down with the armour of a specific scientific stance. There is no room for

diversity! Our friend, Anton Senekal of Sociology, calls it “civilised swearing”.

Thinking about this, I can’t but wonder if autoethnography with its humane

touch cannot bring dignity back to social inquiry.


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While writing to you, I just checked whether Prof. Ellis didn’t do something

similar and I was so surprised to find her letter, dated December 5, 2001, to

“Bill” in answering his critique on autoethnography. She had received a value-

adjustment of 9/11 that she (Ellis) could not get herself into the “academic,

critical argumentative, put-down mode, in which ‘the critic’ defends and tries to

defeat the oppositional voice that has condemned or trivialized her or his work”

(Ellis, 2002, p. 400).

Let’s forget the bullying language in academia and rather frame this in a

neutral context. I always had to apply my negotiation skills in the positions I

held during my entire career. Therefore the Other’s viewpoint has always been

important to me – I understood reality to be a social construct as far back as

1984, when I suggested that nothing is a priori (p.19). The negotiator is at work

again and I guess that I am negotiating a place for autoethnography in your

quantitative heart, Riëtte!

Positivism, invented by Comte, is in some cases too restrictive for social

research. Quite correctly, Grich (2007) points out that the objectiveness of

objectivity is an issue, as are views on rationalism, reason, order and logic that

are limited when compared with newer and more flexible theories of chaos and

complexity.

In pointing out some of the weaknesses in positivism, I am not running it

down, since I recognise the value and application of positivism in many instances.

Like many scholars, I believe there is room for different methodologies in

research. In fact, more “scientific tolerance” and less absolutism could bring us

closer to what each of us perceive to be the “truth”. Maybe this is a new

frontier for a social innovation by a changemaker?

When my research proposal was approved by the Human Resources

Management’s Departmental Forum at UJ, with Prof. van Tonder, Prof. Jos

Coetzee, Prof. Koos Uys, Dr W Havenga, and Dr Philna Buys and of course Prof.

Willem Schurink as the panel members, I believe that a paradigm shift took

place at the Department.


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The issue of “scientific tolerance” per se was not on the table, but my

proposal led to a colloquium about more openness, about acceptance of other

realities. (If you stick with me on this journey, you will come across my account

of the approval of my research proposal.) In accepting autoethnography as

methodology, the panel made it clear that it is not the preferred methodology

for everybody and those students considering this methodology in their

research will have to be subjected to a rigorous selection process. Prof.

Schurink told me recently that, in sharp contrast with the acceptance of my

proposal, the debate was reopened the other day, and the obsession with theory

resurfaced. The Department has returned to its stand that it would only

approve proposals for autoethnography if these include a theoretical element.

But first, let us have a look at qualitative research and in particular

autoethnography. In her preface to The Ethnographic I, Prof. Ellis (2004)

invites her readers “to experience the power of autoethnography, to feel its

truths as well as come to know it intellectually” (Ellis, 2004, p. xix).

The Annexure P2 following this letter, will enable you to consult these as and

when required rather than bombarding you with close to 63 pages of reading.

Hopefully, at the end of this chapter, you will experience the “a-ha” provoked by

autoethnography.

“Annexure P2 – A” will expose you to my research methodology and

ontological and epistemological position. The question may well arise: How do I

assure quality, soundness, rigour and ethical conduct in the presentation of

autoethnographic narratives? Therefore I’ve included Annexure P2 – B, to

answer any questions you may have regarding the above. These annexures will

definitely be helpful in answering any further questions you may have.

Now that we have dealt with the pain and the pleasure of embarking on an

autoethnographic journey, I would like to focus on another thorny issue, namely

the literature review and the role of theoretical concepts in qualitative

research. These concepts are not easy matters to deal with, and over the years

have led to rather heated discussions among researchers who practise various

forms of qualitative research.


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Although I have dealt with theory in qualitative research in Part I, I would

like to touch on it briefly again in this letter to you. It is quite clear that there

has been little consensus about using abstract constructs in qualitative research

(Flinders & Mills, 1993). In a new book entitled Theoretical Frameworks in

Qualitative Research, the editors, Anfara and Mertz (2006) claims:

“Students, as well as experienced researchers who employ

qualitative methods have trouble identifying and using theoretical

frameworks in their research. This trouble is typically centred on

finding a theoretical framework and understanding its pervasive

effects on the process of conducting qualitative research”. Having

discussed the use of theory in qualitative research (Anfara and

Mertz, 2006, p. xiii).

Creswell (2003) says the follwing about the use of theory in qualitative

research:

In qualitative research, inquirers employ theory as a broad

explanation much like in quantitative research, such as in

ethnographies. It may also be a theoretical lens or perspective that

raises questions related to gender, class, or race, or some

combination. Theory also appears as an end product of a qualitative

study, a generated theory, a pattern, or a generalization that

emerges inductively from data collection and analysis. Grounded

theorists, for example, generate a theory ‘grounded’ in the views of

participants and place it as the conclusion of their studies. Some

qualitative studies do not include an explicit theory and present

descriptive research of the central phenomenon Creswell (2003, p.

140).

Blenkinsopp (2005) states that case study research permits theory building and

also to some extent theory testing. I am following Ellis’ (1995) approach and I

am also looking at the work of other autoethnographers who incorporate existing

theoretical concepts into their work, although they are sometimes ambivalent

about using them. Therefore, my study is theoretically informed by my

autoethnographic stance. I would also like to argue that theoretical concepts


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may – even on a subconscious level – suppress the flow and presentation of the

narratives in the autoethnography. Indeed one must avoid the research data

being “poured” into a given theoretical “mould” (Smyth & Shacklock, 1998, p. 6)

and therefore I will instead, towards the concluding parts of the thesis, relate

my experiences to some key abstract social entrepreneurial and other scientific

concepts to construct a bridge between research and practice. Indeed,

Etherington (2004) contends that using reflexivity means that the researcher

has to be openly creative while reflexive awareness may involve using

autoethnography and other forms of qualitative inquiry, constructing a bridge

between research and practice (Etherington, 2004).

In conclusion: in theorising from data my position varies from applying key

existing abstract concepts to applying “light theoretical interpretations of a

conceptual nature” (Grbich, 2007, p. 165). All in all, in the spirit of

postmodernism I am minimising theorising.

My research design is therefore of great importance and Annexure P2 – C,

which deals extensively with my research design and casing, will be helpful in

understanding the rigour with which I will approach this issue.

My research setting is that of the social entrepreneur with my social

innovation of addressing workplace violence. You do know me a little, but I know

the risk associated with autoethnography. I can be labelled (Plummer, 1983) or

even pathologised. Autoethnography is risky and labelling could be respectful or

disrespectful. Therefore, I need to face the possible risk of a label, but my

hope is that my story will give others the courage to assist in bringing about

social change, wherever necessary, in order to make a (small) contribution to

society.

I have never thought of writing a story about my lived experiences, and I

guess one may perhaps see my story as the result of the phenomenon of social

entrepreneurship, or may see it as being a chosen route in accordance with

autoethnographical considerations such as the criteria set out in the annexures.

For this study, my self-narrative of my experiences is the first (to the best

of my knowledge) to pioneer addressing workplace violence and bullying in South


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Africa. I trust that it will provide a unique case of the work of a Draytonian

Changemaker that can be described and analysed deeply (Ellis, 2004).

The manner in which I will present my story and go about it is set out in

Annexure P2 – D. This will give you an idea of the high level of skill required to

do an autoethnography. In particular, I will pay attention to the selection of

personal lived social entrepreneurial events and experiences, the collection of

relevant material, capturing and storing data, and the use of pictures, how I will

write the story of my lived experiences and the research story or methodology.

It is also of importance to deal with the manner in which data will be displayed.

The task is definitely not an easy one and it requires a great deal of thought and

planning.

Riëtte, I went to great lengths in this letter with its four annexures to

explain my study, what it involves and how I have gone about it and the

preceding account will suffice. I have already secured people who will be

accompanying my life’s journey and hope that you will also be joining. As a

colleague and friend, and somebody holding perhaps different scientific beliefs

to my own, I believe your experiences of the journey will be crucial. Are you on

board?

Warm regards

SUSAN

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part Two: Journey Orientation A Letter to Riëtte: My Research Approach. Annexure PII-A

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Annexure PII – A

MY RESEARCH APPROACH

1. A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH ORIENTATION

Strauss and Corbin (1990), two acclaimed scholars of grounded theory, claim that

qualitative methods are useful for providing a better understanding of any

phenomenon about which little is known. As I have indicated already, I believe that

autoethnographical studies, whereby scholars can learn from their own

interpretation of experiences, offer the ideal qualitative approach for investigating

social entrepreneurship and specifically the Draytonian Changemaker22.

In the case of social entrepreneurship, a complex phenomenon is

presented in a familiar way to the reader. “If you want people to

understand, better provide them information in the form in which they

usually experience it” (Lincoln & Guba, 1985, p. 120). In my opinion,

autoethnography would make a modest contribution to the study of

social entrepreneurship by leading to subsequent research and a

better understanding of it, since the resultant new insights into the

lived experiences of a social entrepreneur “may be epistemologically

in harmony with the reader’s experience” (Stake, 1978, p. 5) and

therefore, more meaningful.

It is necessary, I believe, at this juncture to familiarise ourselves with qualitative

research and particularly to outline some salient developments in this research

style; both abroad and locally, including some of its philosophical issues, if not

controversies. In doing so, I will borrow extensively from Schurink’s summary

(2003).

From Schurink’s (2003) brief overview of the literature on qualitative research, the

following trends are evident:

(i) An increase in social science attention to qualitative research and

its associated terms was experienced, particularly over the past

three decades. This change has been exceptional and has led to

a large variety of books being published and journals on

qualitative research being established.

22

Should you wish to read more about social entrepreneurship, you should read Part I of this thesis too.


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(ii) A wide range of intellectual and disciplinary traditions has invaded

qualitative research, resulting in various philosophies and

methodologies. Not unexpectedly, these developments have

resulted in many scholars not having consensus on what

qualitative studies entail. In fact, “qualitative research” means

different things to different people. While this state of affairs has

surely influenced researchers in deciding to choose qualitative

methods, it has not kept them from utilising these methods.

(iii) Qualitative researchers hold different perspectives based on their

world views, particularly with regard to ontology and

epistemology, that is, what should be researched and what

scientific “truth” entails (Schurink, 2003). Hence, it is difficult to

describe qualitative research in a way that would satisfy

everybody.

The following views of two prominent scholars illustrate some of the differences,

as well as key commonalities of qualitative research:

o Mason (1995):

Qualitative research is grounded in a philosophical position which is

broadly interpretivist in the sense that it is concerned with how the

social world is interpreted, understood, experienced or produced.

Whilst different versions of qualitative research might understand or

approach these elements in different ways (for example, focusing

on social meanings, or interpretations, or practices, or discourses,

or processes, or constructions), all will see at least some of these

as meaningful elements in a complex — possibly multi-layered —

social world; based on methods of data generation which are

flexible and sensitive to the social context in which data are

produced (rather than rigidly standardized or structured, or

removed from ‘real life’ or ‘natural’ social context, as in some forms

of experimental method); and based on methods of analysis and

explanation building which involve understandings of complexity,

detail and context. Qualitative research aims to produce rounded

understandings on the basis of rich, contextual, and detailed data.

There is more emphasis on ‘holistic’ forms of analysis and

explanation in this sense, than on charting surface patterns, trends

and correlations. Qualitative research usually does use some form

of quantification, but statistical forms of analysis are not seen as

central Mason (1995, p. 4)


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• Bogdan and Biklen (1998):

We use qualitative research as an umbrella term to refer to several

research strategies that share certain characteristics. The data

collected have been termed soft, that is, rich in description of

people, places, and conversations, and not easily handed by

statistical procedures. Research questions are not framed by

operationalising variables; rather, they are formulated to investigate

topics in all their complexity, in context. While people conducting

qualitative research may develop a focus as they collect data, they

do not approach the research with specific questions to answer or

hypotheses to test. They also are concerned with understanding

behaviour from the subject’s own frame of reference. External

causes are of secondary importance. They tend to collect their data

through sustained contact with people in settings where subjects

normally spend their time — classrooms, cafeterias, teacher’s

lounges, dormitories, street corners (Bogdan and Biklen, 1998, p. 2

(emphasis added).

Of course, it should be obvious by now, that my own preference would be that of

the views expressed by Bogdan and Biklen (1998) above. Qualitative research has

seen many changes, especially during the last 15 years, and these have resulted

in the field becoming much more diverse and “challenging”, if not reflecting

controversy and turmoil. Bogdan and Biklen (1998) describe these challenges

vividly:

While “qualitative research” gave affiliation to people in the 1970s

and 1980s, in the 1990s shifts in the field began pulling adherents

apart. The approach has attracted many who were trained in a

more quantitative approach to research. They have championed a

brand of qualitative research which is more structured and

systematized than earlier methods, an approach which emphasizes

qualitative technique more than a qualitative way of thinking. At the

same time, other qualitative researchers were attracted by

scholarship in the humanities which emphasized post-modern

approaches to inquiry. These researchers de-emphasized the

careful collection of field data and concentrated more on research

as representation through writing, and on the politics of research

(Bogdan and Biklen, 1998, p. x) (emphasis added).


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Having briefly reviewed the available literature, Schurink (2003) points out that as

a field of scientific inquiry, qualitative research crosscuts disciplines, fields and

subject matter, and has a complex, interconnected family of terms, concepts and

assumptions. These include traditions associated with positivism, postmodernism,

poststructuralism and the many qualitative research perspectives, or methods,

connected to cultural and interpretive studies. According to Denzin and Lincoln

(2000), these features of qualitative research operate in a complex historical field

which crosscuts six historical moments, and which simultaneously operate in the

present. Hatch (1997) points out that the assumptions raised from within these

moments have crystallised into three paradigms of inquiry, viz. the modernist, the

interpretive, and the postmodernist.

1.1 Phases in qualitative research

Schurink (2003) summarises the following five phases which are important to this

study.

• The modernist phase (the 1940s to the 1970s). This phase has been

characterised by the interpretation of reality by means of formalised qualitative

methods and rigorous data analysis (for example, analytical induction and

grounded theory). Examples of this perspective (which still prevails in recent

studies) include most particularly the symbolic interactionist perspective, but

also phenomenology, a particular school of ethnography, critical theory, and

applied and action research. Strategies of inquiry range from grounded theory

and the case study, to the methods of historical, biographical, ethnographic

and clinical research. Methods of data collection vary from interviewing and

participant observation to the study of documents.

• Blurred genres (1970 to 1986). This phase originated from critiques levelled

at the preceding phase, namely that it is impossible for qualitative researchers

to discover the real world, that is, as the people who live in it know it.

Qualitative studies thus reflect the researchers’ interpretations of subjects’

experiences. What is taken as objective knowledge and truth is actually the

result of a particular perspective. Moreover, knowledge and truth are

constructed, and not discovered by the mind. Critical theory, including neo-

positivism, neo-marxism, materialism and participatory inquiry, came to the fore

during this period.

• Crisis of representation (the mid-1980s). During this phase, new models of

truth and method believed to best describe and interpret the experiences of

people and settings have been sought continually. The basic assumption here


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is that the researcher cannot be objective and value-free, and that rigorous

studies of social processes (such as traditional grounded theory) are

impossible. This assumption demands a serious rethinking of concepts such as

validity, reliability and generalisability. Issues such as class, gender, race and

values have also been pertinent. The research process, therefore, has to

become more reflective, and fieldwork and writing have to converge.

Consequently, researchers and subjects have increasingly started to become

partners in the research process. This perspective has given rise to cultural

studies and feminist and action research.

• The fifth moment (the 1990s). This phase is defined and shaped by the

assumption that qualitative researchers cannot directly capture lived

experiences. Data should, therefore, not be interpreted or analysed. Rather,

the researcher should gather and present data in such a way that the subjects

speak for themselves (Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Lived experiences cannot be

created in the social text written by the researcher. Theories are, therefore,

written in narrative terms as tales of the field. In this moment, researchers

remain preoccupied with the representation of the Other and the question of

how to develop a social science that includes the Other.

As neither the issue of representation nor the issue of validation could ever be

resolved, a double crisis is viewed as presently confronting qualitative

researchers (Denzin & Lincoln, 1994). Here the issue is whether the truth can

ever be captured and represented by means of qualitative research, because

even if the Other is empowered to become a researcher, differences in power,

knowledge and so on, will remain part of the relationship between researchers

and participant(s). The final product will continue to be that of researchers and

not that of research participants, implying that uncontaminated truth cannot be

established – or may not even exist. After all, the researcher, even by

“removing” her- or himself from the field as per the grounded theorist, does not

relate to reality in the same way as his or her research participant(s). It is clear

that in order to solve this crisis of validation, qualitative researchers need to

develop new criteria that will allow them and their readers to make a

connection between the text and the external world.

It is increasingly being believed that the Other should be empowered to

undertake their own historical or social investigations, or that researchers

should engage together with the Other in “narrative adventures” and

“experimental” or “messy” texts (Ellis, 2004). Therefore, researchers should

merely become the link between the field text and the community –


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empowering the Other to become co-researcher(s) who will speak for

themselves.

In their later discussion of these and the other qualitative phases, Denzin and

Lincoln (2000) talk of “a triple crises of representation”, namely:

legitimatisation, and praxis “in which the inevitably creative and interpretive

nature of qualitative writing is put under the microscope, including the

perspective of the qualitative writer, and searching questions are raised about

how to evaluate the quality of qualitative research and evaluation” (Patton,

2002, pp. 79 – 80).

• The sixth moment or “post-experimental” phase (1995 to 2000). According

to this position qualitative research’s boundaries need to be expanded to

accommodate creative non-fiction, autobiographical ethnography, poetic

representations and multimedia presentations.

Schurink (2008) focus the attention on further developments in qualitative inquiry:

• The seventh moment: the methodological contested present (2000 to

2004). The introduction of two new qualitative journals (Qualitative Inquiry and

Qualitative Research) framed this period. Denzin and Lincoln calls it “... a time

of great tension, substantial conflict, great methodological retrenchment in

some quarters...” The authors further contend that this period sees the

“disciplining and regulation of inquiry practices to conform with conservative,

new liberal programs and regimes that make claims regarding truth...” (Denzin

and Lincoln, 2005, p. 1116).

Accordingly Lincoln and Denzin (2005) predicts that the methodological backlash

currently experienced together with the evidence-based social movement in the

ninth moment will put methodologists in two different and opposing camps.

Schurink (2008) remarks that according the Lincoln and Denzin (2005) the

important issues to be debated will include:

(i) the question of ethics in the context of technological

developments in the global world

(ii) the continuing challenge of finding appropriate criteria to

assess qualitative research, and

(iii) the ongoing question of representation.

(Schurink, 2008, p. 9)


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But what is the situation regarding qualitative research in South Africa? From

Schurink’s (2003) synoptic study of the local literature, it is clear that while

qualitative research has been institutionalised at certain South African university

departments, most notably sociology, psychology and education, and at certain

centres and organisations, it is certainly not widespread (see Mouton & Muller,

1998). These scholars, Mouton and Muller (1998) state that as one moves outside

South African anthropology and history, examples of qualitative empirical studies

become harder to find.

It is important to note that social anthropology commenced in England at the time

of the spread of the British Empire. It has had a strong following in Australia over

the past century while cultural anthropology has had a similar profile in America.

Traditional ethnography was the fundamental research methodology.23 While this

might be the case, it is clear that many local qualitative studies have been

undertaken rather sporadically, and are quite diverse.

Regarding qualitative South African research, Schurink (2003) concludes as

follows:

• Local qualitative work is quite similar to that of the modernist paradigm,

especially to the extent that South African researchers make use of the “real”

world in informing and shaping their theorising.

• An increasingly wide variety of local qualitative studies utilising different

methods and traditions of such research are evident.

• While qualitative research has been conducted in South Africa for at least four

decades, there has been a particularly keen interest in utilising qualitative

methods since the late 1970s, which escalated since the 1990s.

• It seems fair to state that, in terms of Denzin and Lincoln’s (2000)

developmental stages of qualitative research, many local qualitative studies

resemble the modernist paradigm, but that there is some interest in the

postmodernist phases, most noticeably the blurred genres, and crisis of

representation phases.

• While, conceivably, local qualitative research may be typified as belonging to

the so-called fifth moment, it seems unlikely that much South African work

reflects the so-called sixth moment or “post-experimental” phase.

• Like qualitative research abroad, but to a lesser degree, (i) all known traditions

and types of qualitative research are found in local qualitative studies; (ii) the

mixing of quantitative and qualitative research methods is often found in

23 I gratefully acknowledge this suggestion by one of the examiners of my research proposal.


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qualitative research abroad, and local scholars are increasingly employing both

qualitative and quantitative methods; and, (iii) as is the case with qualitative

research in South Africa generally, local qualitative organisational research

does not represent only one type or a single tradition, but utilises different

methods and traditions.

The particular qualitative methodological approach I wish to follow is the

autoethnography, which falls within the sixth moment or “post-experimental”

phase.

1.2 Social constructionism

The autoethnography falls within the postmodernist/post-structuralist genres - and

I would regard my approach as that of social constructionism (also referred to as

“interpretivism”). Social constructionism is regarded as a feature of the

postmodern movement and has had a significant influence on the field of cultural

studies. The following description found in Wikipedia is particularly useful:

Within social constructionist thought, a social construction (social

construct) is an idea which may appear to be natural and obvious

to those who accept it, but in reality is an invention or artefact of a

particular culture or society. The implication is that social

constructs are in some sense human choices rather than laws

resulting from divine will or nature... The focus of social

constructionism is to uncover the ways in which individuals and

groups participate in the creation of their perceived reality. It

involves looking at the ways social phenomena are created,

institutionalized and made into tradition by humans (Wikipedia.

Social Constructionism. Retrieved February 28, 2007 from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social constructionism).

Mahoney (2004) maintains that five basic themes pervade the diversity of theories

expressing constructivism: (1) active agency, (2) order, (3) self, (4) social-symbolic

relatedness, and (5) lifespan development:

With different language and terminological preferences,

constructivists have proposed, first, that human experiencing

involves continuous active agency. This distinguishes

constructivism from forms of determinism that cast humans as

passive pawns in the play of larger forces. Secondly... human

activity is devoted to meaning-making processes.... a third


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common contention, constructivism argues that the organization

of personal activity is fundamentally self-referential or recursive...

The fourth common theme of constructivism is that individuals

cannot be understood apart from their organic embeddedness in

social and symbolic systems. Finally, all of this active,

meaningful and socially-embedded self-organization reflects on

ongoing developmental flow in which dynamic dialectical

tensions are essential (Mahoney, 2004, p. 361)

According to Schwandt in the Dictionary of Qualitative Inquiry (1997), there is an

inevitable historical and socio-cultural dimension to this construction. He

distinguishes two broad strands of constructionist thought:

Firstly, radical or psychological constructivism in which

knowledge is a process of inner evolution and construction

– therefore knowledge is mediated by cognitive structures

(Schwandt, 1997, pp. 30-31). The central idea is that

human knowledge cannot exist if it exists apart from the

person’s experiences. Knowledge is defined as process of

inner construction. The reliability of the constructs is

determined instrumentally in terms of evolutionary viability

(Schwandt, 1997, pp. 30-31).

Secondly, social constructionism focuses on social

process and interaction and has some affinity to symbolic

interactionism and ethnomethodology, emphasising the

actor’s definition of the situation (Schwandt, 1997, p. 31).

Social constructionists reject the view that essential or natural givens precede the

process of social determination. Schwandt contends that constructionists seek to

explain constructs in a specific linguistic, social and historical context and

distinguish between three types of social constructions:

(a) items or objects that are in the world in a

commonsensical meaning of the phrase – for

example, states (childhood), practices (domestic

abuse), conditions (health), actions (labelling

something criminal or deviant), behaviour (attention

deficit disorder), experiences (or being disabled),

and relations (gender);


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(b) ideas, including conceptions, beliefs, theories and

attitudes toward; and

(c) facts, truth, reality and knowledge – in sum,

everything (Schwandt, 1997, p. 32).

According to Schwandt (1997) there are weak and strong versions of social

constructionism. Both versions accept that concepts, theories, ideas and so on do

not necessarily chart, map, represent or mirror:

(i) The weak strand would not hold that everything is a

social construct. Weak social constructionism does not

deny reality “in the ordinary commonplace sense of that

term”

(ii) The strong strand does appear to deny any ontology of

the real whatsoever (Schwandt, 1997, p. 33).

I endorse the strong stand of social constructionism and writing an

autoethnography further compounds this perspective, because our “reality” or

narrative is mediated through history, culture and language. This ties in with my

poststructural position that I construct my understanding of my experience – hence

the narrative is a social construction.

It is important to put this into perspective by outlining my beliefs regarding science

and research in the next section.

2. MY ONTOLOGICAL AND EPISTEMOLOGICAL BELIEFS

In the present era it has become a custom to “unpack” one’s beliefs, or what

esteemed local methodologist Mouton (1995) refers to as metaphysical

assumptions and preconceptions, when one wishes to undertake a qualitative

study. Firstly, this work involves stating one’s position regarding the study subject

and views in terms of what scientific knowledge implies (Schurink, 2004; Mason,

2002). Secondly, one needs to obtain clarity in terms of conducting one’s

envisaged study within the existing research ethical norms set by the social-

science research community.


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• Ontology

What is the nature of the phenomena, the entities or things, the social reality you

want to study or your object of research? Mason (2002) writes as follows:

… this question requires you to ask yourself what your

research is about in a fundamental way, and probably involves

a great deal more intellectual effort than simply identifying a

research topic. Because it is so fundamental, it takes place

earlier in the thinking process than the identification of a topic.

It involves asking what you see as the very nature and

essence of things in the social world or in other words, what is

your ontological position or perspective (Mason, 2002, p. 14)

(emphasis added).

From my review of the literature and discussions with Prof. Schurink, it is clear that

researchers have conflicting beliefs regarding the nature of the phenomena and

how they intend to study these. They may believe that:

(i) social phenomena exist “out there” and, as researchers, we need to

study scholars’ views of these phenomena by “testing” hypotheses

derived from the existing abstract scholarly literature

(ii) rather than scrutinising existing constructs, such as “theories”, in order

to assist us in our understanding of phenomena we should, at least

initially, establish and describe people’s everyday experiences (that is,

how they make sense of the their reality) by using methods sensitive to

it; and

(iii) social phenomena are constantly created by people, and when we study

these phenomena we actually co-construct what we study.

Like the exponents of interpretive and related constructivist paradigms, I am

interested in understanding the world of lived experience from the point of view of

those who live it. We should focus on particular actors and, more specifically, on

some events and phenomena through long-lasting processes of interaction,

including history, language and action. For me, social reality is not a given, but is

built up over time through shared history, experience and communication. In other

words, a person is an agent who actively constructs meaning within an ever-

changing social and historical context. Therefore, I am adopting (iii) above as my

stance. That which is taken for “reality” is what is shared and taken for granted as

the way the world is perceived and understood. In order to appreciate the lived


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world of experience, we must engage and participate in it; we must actively

interpret it (Locke, 2001).

• Epistemology

Epistemology or theory of knowledge is the branch of Western philosophy that

studies the nature and scope of knowledge (http://www.wikipedia.org/epistemology

retrieved on 28 February 2007). How do we know what we know? What is

knowledge? What is reality? Schwandt (2007) writes:

This is the study of the nature of knowledge and justification.

There are many theories of epistemology. For example,

empiricist epistemology argues that knowledge is derived from

sense experience. Genuine, legitimate knowledge consists of

beliefs that can be justified by observation. Rationalist

epistemology argues that reason is the sure path to

knowledge. Rationalists may claim that sense experiences are

an effect of external causes; that a priori ideas (concepts,

theories, etc.) provide a structure for making sense of

experience; and/or that reason provides a kind of certainty that

the senses cannot provide. (Schwandt, 2007, p. 87)

Mason (2002) says that questioning what we regard as knowledge or evidence of

things in the social world entails the epistemological question. In general, these

questions are designed to:

… help you to explore what kind of epistemological position

your research expresses or implements. It is important to

distinguish questions about the nature of evidence and

knowledge — epistemological questions — from what are

apparently more straightforward questions about how to

collect, or what I shall call ‘generate’ data. Your epistemology

is, literally, your theory of knowledge, and should therefore

concern the principles and rules by which you decide whether

and how social phenomena can be known, or how knowledge

can be demonstrated. Different epistemologies have different

things to say about these issues, and about what the status of

knowledge can be… Epistemological questions should

therefore direct you to a consideration of philosophical issues


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involved in working out exactly what you would count as

evidence of knowledge of social things (Mason, 2002, p. 16).

On an epistemological continuum, objectivism and constructivism would represent

opposite extremes (Gergen, 2006). While objectivism is clearly delineated, it is not

the case with the differences between the varying perspectives on constructivism

(Gergen, 2006).

Epistemology also asks questions about how knowledge is constructed and here

the following aspects are important:

(i) Developing knowledge by applying the methodology of the natural

sciences “objectively” to social phenomena and mathematically

proving relationships between variables or causes.

(ii) Building knowledge by applying non-quantitative methods to social

phenomena and reconstructing the experiences and views of people

involved in such phenomena.

(iii) In building knowledge, acknowledging that researchers cannot

remain aloof as the preceding positions suggest since they co-

construct the data to create knowledge.

My position is (iii) above because I believe a researcher cannot remain aloof. This

position is also illustrated in my careful reflecting and discussing of particular lived

experiences, I am of the opinion that this autoethnography will bring about

important insights into how I constructed my social entrepreneurship with my

social innovation and consequently, contribute to building knowledge in this field.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part Two: Journey Orientation: A Letter to Riëtte: Quality, Soundness, Rigour & Research Ethics Annexure PII-B

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Annexure PII – B

QUALITY, SOUNDNESS, RIGOUR AND RESEARCH ETHICS

There are many ways in which qualitative researchers can present their findings.

Denzin argues that there are several styles of writing, ways of describing, inscribing

and interpreting reality (Denzin, 1994). However, this simply does not mean that

“anything goes” (Sparkes, 2002). According to Sparkes (2002), questions of

judgement regarding new writing practices in qualitative research have been raised

by a number of scholars. Sparkes (2004) recalls how two reviewers reacted totally

different to the same article, as they used different sets of criteria.

In dealing with criteria, Sparkes (2002) argues that any kind of research can be

dismissed, trashed and trivialised if inappropriate criteria are imposed on it.

There is no longer a unified research philosophy: therefore we cannot demand a

unified criterion that validates all research (Markula et al. 2001). Accordingly, Sparkes

(2002) argues that we need to become connoisseurs of different forms of qualitative

inquiry and the associated new writing practices so that we appreciate the

contribution they make to our understanding – we need to recognize the difference

and judge the genres accordingly, using appropriate criteria as discussed below:

1. QUALITY, SOUNDNESS AND GOODNESS

Schurink (2005) points out that there are presently at least three distinct approaches

to assessing quality, soundness or rigour of qualitative research. These are:

(i) applying the same measures to evaluate qualitative and quantitative

research;

(ii) using guidelines that have been particularly developed to assess

qualitative research; and

(iii) abandoning assessment standards altogether, in what Holloway and

Wheeler (2002) call criteriology.

Because of their particular ontological and epistemological perspectives, strategies

assessing the soundness of modernist qualitative research cannot be applied readily,

if at all, to autoethnography, the genre I opted for in this study (see Garratt &

Hodkinson, 1999; Sparkes, 2000). However, the lack of criteria in respect of


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autoethnographic research does not imply that there are no guidelines for conducting

rigorous autoethnographic research. Holt (2003), for example, points out that since

people’s experiences do not occur in a vacuum, their “social worlds” may be verified

by comparing them with others’ similarly lived experiences. More importantly, as

arguably the most prominent autoethnographer Ellis (1995, p. 318) states, when

using evocative storytelling:

… the story’s ‘validity’ can be judged by whether it evokes in you,

the reader, a feeling that the experience described is authentic, that

it is believable and possible; the story’s generalisability can be

judged by whether it speaks to you, the reader, about your

experiences.

It must be noted that this conception of “generalisability” is rejected by those

researchers who view “experience” as a discursive formation (Brewer, 2000;

Tomaselli, 2004), for example, a person may vomit after eating a meal; their

understanding of that experience will be a product of their notions/discourses of food,

vomiting, illness, health. Other notions would, no doubt, be implicated. Hence, the

possibility of sharing an experience is rejected: the analysis would centre on the

sharing – or not – of ways of knowing or understanding what the participants bring to

an event24.

But what is a “good” story, or how would a story become scholarship? Bocher (cited

in Ellis 2004, p.23) believes that “… there is nothing more theoretical than a good

story”. She (Ellis, 2004) gives advice on how to edit personal narratives. Some

guidelines for a good story simply are good grammar, punctuation, proper use of

words, focused phrasing and synthesis, and avoiding overly long sentences or

paragraphs. The story should be a coherent whole, with a beginning, middle and end,

with the end and the beginning dovetailed. It must “show” rather than “tell”. For

example, the characters and scenes must be developed and enough concrete detail

must be supplied. The storyteller/researcher must guard against a plot that is too

general and must develop each idea fully; nothing must be left unclear. The story

must preferably be a page-turner; it must evoke feelings with the reader and to a

certain extent the author must make himself or herself vulnerable to the observer.

Careful consideration needs to be given to ethical questions such as the feelings of

participants: the way such feelings are portrayed should be obvious to the

observer/reader. And, finally, there should be an astute and enlightening analysis

that comes from, and stays close to, the story, using appropriate literature.

24 I gratefully acknowledge this suggestion by one of the examiners of my research proposal.


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Richardson (2000), in turn, highlights the following five important criteria against

which an autoethnographic study needs to be assessed:

• Substantive contribution. Does the study contribute to our understanding of social

life?

• Aesthetic merit. Does this piece succeeds aesthetically; is the text artistically

shaped, satisfyingly compelling and not boring?

• Reflexivity. How does the author come to write the text? How is the author’s

subjectivity implicated both as a narrator and actor of this text?

• Impact. Does this story affect me emotionally and/or intellectually and does it

generate new questions or move me to action?

• Expresses a reality. Is this a lived experience? Is it authentic?

Similarly, Denzin (2003) contends that good autoethnographic studies should be

robust and idealistic, and should challenge things that are taken for granted, evoke

moral and ethical dialogue, engender resistance, “show” instead of “tell”, exhibit

sufficient interpretation, be adequately representative to lead to a better

understanding, and must show commitment on political, functional and collective

levels in order to move the reader to social change.

I find the above criteria (Richardson, 2000; Denzin, 2003) very useful and would even

apply this later, in Part V, in evaluating my own story. However, I agree with the

viewpoint of Ellis’ partner, Art Bocher (Bochner cited in Ellis 2004, p.252) contends

that “criteria are found rather than made”. This viewpoint emphasises the evolving

nature of autoethnography and is true to the spirit of poststructuralism that there is no

“one truth”.

Having shared my views on ensuring quality, soundness and goodness, I will now

state my position regarding research ethics.

2. RESEARCH ETHICS

According to Heikkinen and Syrjälä (2007), Aristotle commented that ethics was an

essential dimension of narratives, and that good narrative is a combination of ethos,

pathos and logos.


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Recognising the above, I fully accept the Department’s ethical code, and I will follow

these principles throughout the research process.25 In particular, I will familiarise

myself with the following:

• Maintaining integrity in the research

• Recording and disclosing all data

• Being sensitive to, and respecting, my research participants’ rights to privacy

• Being sensitive to, and respecting, my research participants’ rights to

anonymity and confidentiality

• Being sensitive to, and respecting, my research participants’ rights to full

disclosure about research (informed consent where possible)

• Protecting my research participants from emotional harm.

With the assistance of my supervisor, Prof. Schurink, I will take all precautionary

measures as far as colleagues and former colleagues are concerned, not to

jeopardise in any way the position or standing of anybody in the course of the

research. I undertook to, before finalising my thesis, discuss the inputs about or

received from all participants with Prof. Schurink, and should we feel that any of

these may cause harm in any way, they would be camouflaged or removed.

2.1 Informed consent

A crucial question is whether it is ethical to show participants, such as significant

others, passages or findings that relate to them that could possibly be misconstrued.

As far as possible, I will endeavour to request people to whom information is provided

to consider the plausibility of the findings – as a consideration in terms of credibility

and also as an ethical consideration.

Informed consent for participation in this study is only possible if my conduct is

transparent and potential participants are fully informed of all possibilities, including

the possibility of being traced. I would, therefore, sit down with the potential

participant and outline all the possibilities, advantages and disadvantages of being

recognised or traced. Should the participant still feel comfortable with the information

and consent to participate, such a decision would be obtained in writing.

25

The Department’s ethical code is included under the section Travel Documents, for easy reference.


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2.2 Anonymity

One of the questions that I have had to ask myself is: how will I deal with sensitive

information or the possibility that some people could be identified or traced? In this

instance I decided to treat all participants with dignity and respect, and if their rights

were to be infringed in any way, I would use pseudonyms, but would inform all

participants of this possibility in order that they could make informed decisions.

The issue of anonymity of others mentioned in the autoethnography has been

criticised by Janice Morse (2000) in an editorial which appeared in Qualitative Health

Research:

With due respect to autoethnography, I usually discourage students

from writing about their own experience. There are many reasons

for this. First, the narrative is rarely their own. It includes

information about others who are, by association, recognizable,

even if their names have been changed. As such, writing about

others violates anonymity. If these ‘others’ do not know about the

article, it still violates their rights, for they have not given their

permission and they do not have the right of withdrawal or refusal

the informed consent provides (Morse, 2000, p. 1159).

Acknowledging the above dilemma, Ellis (2001) feels that it needs to be handled with

care but that the “truth” of the researcher’s experience is better than a manufactured

“clearness” that is based on prescribed rules. Etherington (2004) advocates

transparency and feels that Ellis can serve as an example as she shares her

concerns and struggles openly. In her view, the simplest way to provide anonymity is

for the author to remain anonymous by using a pseudonym, with its obvious

disadvantages in academic circles (Etherington, 2004). However, Bruni (2002)

contends that pseudonyms for the author is in fact of no use, for the same reasons of

transparency as pointed out by Etherington (2004).

The strongest defence against unethical behaviour is one’s own personal moral code

and I believe that my set of beliefs will steer me away from such behaviour. Ethical

behaviour requires sensitivity for ethical concerns that researchers internalise

(Neuman, 1997).

Bruni (2002) too poses the question as to what constitutes ethical autobiographical

research: thus, the ethical autoethnographer will engage in research practices which

affect the possibility that the study will not have a negative impact on themselves and


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others who may be implicated in their study. The dominant practice according to

Bruni (2002) is that of reflection and asking oneself the question whether the

researcher will be positioned as someone harming others. For this purpose, self-

interrogation by the researcher is of great value. Questions like, for example, do I

wish to explore a certain topic? Which material should I deconstruct? What is the

impact of disclosure of such material like photographs, films or drawings on

“significant others”, family, students? Could disclosure jeopardise employment?

Indeed, Bruni (2002) recommends interrogation of one’s process of research

throughout the study.

To add to the preceding guidelines provided by Ellis, Etherington and Bruni, I would

like to add that my life’s work is about the dignity and rights of others and that these

will also hold for an autoethnography. I will simply subject myself to the standards I

proclaim to be best practices. One of the “tests” when writing about others is: will I be

comfortable if the person I write about reads the passage? I have therefore decided

that I will be innovative by using new qualitative writing styles or experimental writing

(see Sparkes, 2000): write and rewrite to be truthful and yet remain protective of the

other person’s dignity.

Another ethical aspect to consider is the way in which I will be able to protect myself

as a researcher. In fact, I need to treat my own story with the same dignity and

respect I want to show others. If I cannot treat myself with dignity and respect, I will

fail to do it for others!

2.3 Taking care of self – divulging personal information

Divulging personal information is indeed a very sensitive issue. Although I have

already dealt with this issue in Part I, I would like to contextualise it again. You

rightfully asked whether autoethnography is not self-absorbed and narcissistic. Let

me answer by saying that in terms of the definition of narcissism, autoethnography

cannot qualify as narcissism – simply because narcissists tend to present themselves

in a way they are not (Wikipedia. Narcissism. Retrieved on March 21, 2008 from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissism) Can we say it is self-absorbed? No. Carolyn

Ellis (2004) answered a student who asked the same question by saying that it is

indeed self-absorbed to pretend that you are somehow outside of what you study and

not impacted by the same forces as others. She continues:

It is self-absorbed to mistakenly think that your actions and

relationships need no reflexive thought. To write about the self is to


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write about social experience, argues Mykhalovskiu. If culture

circulates through all of us, then how can autoethnography not

connect to a world beyond the self? That doesn’t mean that

autoethnography is never overly self-indulgent; it can be self-

adoring or self-hating without being sufficiently self-aware or self-

critical, and without taking into account cultural constraints and

possibilities. When that happens, what gets written is not useful to

anybody, not even to yourself (Ellis, 2004, p. 34).

Reflecting on my life has turned out to be a wonderful experience and

autoethnography has indeed proved to be personally enriching. It certainly involves

pain, but that should ultimately result in growth.

But let me take you a step further to the advantages and disadvantages of being a

“reflexive researcher”. Prof. Schurink cautioned me that during the research process I

may have to deal with some extremely difficult and personal issues which may be

traumatic. Yet it was more traumatic than I ever imagined, because I forgot – can you

believe it – I forgot that certain events in my life were extremely traumatic and by

reliving these I would be retraumatised. I assumed that my life experiences and

particularly my background in the non-profit service sector, dealing with child welfare

and work trauma, as well as my training by the International Labour Organisation

(ILO) in psychosocial problems, would be valuable resources safeguarding me from

emotional hurt.

This assumption was wide off the mark and in Part IV of this thesis, I write about the

fact that I had actually been retraumatised and even developed “Framework

Guidelines or Toolkit for Autoethnographic Regression”. This essay, delivered in

three parts, mainly represents the “Autoethnographic Susan” helping to heal the

“Shattered Susan” encountered in the first part of the story. I hope that my “toolkit”,

an unforeseen contribution, induced by the autoethnographic methodology, will make

a modest contribution that will assist other students and guide them in taking the

necessary precautions when embarking on this type of journey.

Other autoethnographers contend that, despite the blessing the autoethnography has

offered, it leads to intense self-examination:

... the process was also to prove confronting, and in some ways

extremely unsettling. A number of the themes that I was exploring

were profoundly questioning to my identity and sense of life and

purpose. Fierce doubts were raised, and my authenticity, which I


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held dear and which had remained up to this point somewhat

unquestioned, was now deeply challenged, at times threatened at a

core level. This was a difficult transit to navigate, and the

temptations for flight were considerable (Doherty, 2006, p. 8).

Ellis (1995) deals with the “risk” of divulging personal details about one’s life that may

show flaws, disappointments and bad decisions, as well as strengths, achievements

and the better judgements. These risks are, however, not insignificant:

I have not been swayed from my conviction that the

sociological imagination can touch on the complexities, ironies,

and ambiguities of living only by showing the bad as well as the

good, what has been private and confidential as well as what is

public and openly accessible, what makes us uncomfortable as

well as what makes us comfortable (Ellis, 1995, p. 3).

In this thesis I divulge personal information with sensitivity where I feel that it is

necessary to reveal such information for the greater good and, if, to my mind, an

event or information is crucial to explain the cultural context – in my case social

entrepreneurship and my social innovation. In my experience, our good and bad

moments in life are always in relation to others and sometimes we may look good,

while at other times we may look less admirable.

Etherington (2004) points out the risk of being pathologised by others when we

expose our vulnerabilities in writing and research, but balances this possibility with

her notion that writing about herself in research had been personally enriching to her,

despite the fact that she may have been pathologised. But she also sounds a note of

caution – she only took the risk when she had achieved a PhD and was firmly settled

in her career (Etherington, 2004). Ellis (2004) talks about the painful nature of

autoethnography at times and prepares her students for the pain they may

experience when others respond to what they write. The risk is up to me, but I want

to embrace this challenge because I already know that pain leads to growth.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part Two: Journey Orientation A Letter to Riëtte: Research Design - Annexure PII-C

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Annexure PII – C

RESEARCH DESIGN AND PRESENTATION

The traditional positivist scientific report parodies the style of the physical sciences

with tables and tested hypotheses. The style here is largely that of the external

privileged merely reporting what has been found (Plummer, 2001).

This thesis is by no means traditional and there are various ways to present the

research, as well as a variety of techniques that could be applied.

Ellis (2004) writes:

The interpretive, narrative, autoethnographic project has the

following distinguishing features: the author usually writes in the

first person, making herself or himself the object of research. The

narrative text focuses on generalization within a single case

extended over time. The text is presented as a story replete with a

narrator, characterization, and plot line, akin to forms of writing

associated with novel or biography. The story often discloses

hidden details of private life and highlights emotional experience

(Ellis, 2004, p. 30)

She points out that at this stage the text is transformed from realist ethnography to

narrative and from representation to evocation (Ellis, 1995). Here one needs to

make use of deconstructive writing conventions as inspired by postmodern writers

by viewing writing as an active rather than passive form of representation. Drawing

from poets, novelists, and dramatists, Sparkes (2002) describes how we could apply

new writing practices, ranging from confessional to fiction, in an attempt to make our

research reports more readable.

It is important to emphasise that in an autoethnographic study there is also “the writing

story” (Ellis, 1995). "This story generally tends to be more technical, including, for

example, how the text was conceived and reconceived – initially as science and then

as interpretation, first as realist ethnography and then as an evocative narrative” (Ellis,

1995, p. 10). Here, as Richardson (1994), Ellis (1995; 2004) and others propose, I will

write evocatively, hopefully producing highly personalised and revealing texts in which

I will relay my own lived experiences.


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1. PRESENTATION

There are various ways of presenting the narrative. According to Riessman (1993)

there is no binding theory of narrative but, instead, great conceptual diversity. In

presenting my lived experiences, I embraced the principle of diversity.

1.1 Style Techniques

Data presentation in the case of the autoethnography endeavours to capture

readers’ attention and bring them into an active and emotionally empathetic dialogue

with the text (Grbich, 2004) using open text such as performance text. Grbich (2004)

cites as examples Professors Carolyn Ellis and Art Bochner performing personal

stories. Ethno-drama allows confrontational theatre to bring about emotional

catharsis in the audience and by using various options of presenting these ethno

dramas, blurring the boundaries between actor and audience (Grbich, 2004). Simple

layering involves more than one layer to reveal the story while complex layering will

use a number of layers to expose a relationship or the notion of epiphany (Grbich,

2004). Spaces and gaps can be used to provide a segment of a story and give the

viewer the opportunity to fill the gap.

Regarding metaphor, Grbich (2004, p. 100) says that in postmodern displays,

metaphors are often used to create another level of imagery in order to reflect and

refract the data presented or to provide another dimension or lens or frame within

which the reader can toy with the images presented. Parody through imitation and

mimicking for purposes of irony and ridicule is close to pastiche, which is an imitation

of the style or content of an existing text. Other forms of presentation are

juxtaposition of models, short stories - as fiction, the author’s story, and a thrice-told

tale – poetry, including the narrative poem, vignettes, photo-ethnography and

autobiology (Grbich, 2004).

1.2 My presentation and style

There is no mould. Isn’t it great that I can simply present my narratives in the way I

choose. I can use my creativity to arrange my autoethnography in a manner that

would make it accessible to everyone. Therefore, I decided to divide my thesis into

five parts and use the metaphor of a journey. While the metaphor of a journey can be

regarded as archaic in the autoethnographic context, it has definitely not outlived its

value for me. I quote Muncey (2002) on her journey:


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I have likened the world of research to a superhighway (Muncey,

2002). As I reflect on my journey, I note how apt this analogy is.

Superhighways are straight and dull to travel on; they have strict

rules of behaviour and are devoid of those idiosyncrasies that make

country roads interesting. Most important, they stride across the

country by passing the lived experience of all the small towns and

villages, which eventually become ghostlike and neglected by lack

of interest. Mainstream research appears to me to be like this, tied

up in rules and conventions that make the results appear dull and

flat, and ignoring completely the idiosyncrasies of the lived

experience of the communities that it bypasses, so that in time,

their stories become at best forgotten and at worst untold.

Autoethnography is as personally and socially constructed as any

form of research, but at least the author can say “I” with authority

and can respond immediately to any questions that arise from the

story (Muncey, T. (2005). Doing autoethnography. International

Journal of Qualitative Methods, 4(3), Article 5. Retrieved on 24

August 2007 from http://www.ualberta.ca/~iiqm/backissues/

4_1/html/muncey.htm).

My journey is presented in the form of a “guided tour” with a “tour guide”. The tour

guide, of course, is my promoter, Prof. Willem Schurink. We will travel the super

highways and visit the villages and the ultra cities; take dirt roads and call on the

museums of my lived experiences too. Sometimes, revisiting a lived experience is

painful: temporarily you are no longer on the highway or en route; you may even feel

that there is no destination or that you are lost. But the magic of the autoethnographic

journey is that it allows you to be there and it can deliver unexpected outcomes like

my very own “Framework Toolkit for Autoethnographic Regression” in Part IV of this

thesis.

In mapping my journey, I have decided on the following: Firstly, I will compile the

index, acknowledgements, executive summary and so on in the form of a brochure in

full-colour. I also intend inserting some photographs and one of my own drawings.

While some pictures are historical, others were taken during this year . I will apply

these selectively throughout the thesis whenever I believe visual presentations will

evoke the interest of the reader.

The thesis is not presented in chapters, but in parts, while sub-divisions (for instance

the narratives in Part III) are referred to as “Chapters”. Part I, Mapping the Terrain, is


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largely a formal introduction to the study, social entrepreneurship and my social

innovation of addressing workplace violence and bullying. Part II, Journey Orientation,

is this letter to you. Part III, The Journey, consists of seven chapters in the form of a

novel. Part IV, Tour Guides and Ultra Cities, is the second story or research story

(Ellis, 2004), which I referred to earlier and takes the form of short stories. The thesis

concludes with Part V, My Long Walk to Dignity, which will focus on the value of the

journey and also provides some recommendations. Finally, I will use an “Afterword” or

“Postscript” to work in new insights, comments by the examiners..

Although UJ requires the Arial 12 font type for theses, I am using variety of font types

for the different parts to obtain special effects. This letter to you is a good example – it

is printed on tinted paper using the Comic Sans font. Another creative example is

found in the narratives where time lapses are indicated with seven Ashoka logos

(trees) in a row. The format of my thesis must under no circumstances be regarded as

disregarding prescripts for theses – it is the blending of an artistic, postmodern

presentation with the traditional approach and rules.

My oil paintings and drawings may be useful in the thesis – one may be creative when

doing autoethnography. Not that I am a renowned artist, in fact I can be regarded as a

beginner who taught myself. One Saturday when my promoter, Prof. Schurink, was

going through the work with me, one of my oil paintings caught his eye and he

recommended that I use it as a picture of the journey in my thesis. Well, I was flattered

that he thought my paintings are good enough to use. I’ve decided to dare and do!

2. CASE STUDY OR CASING26

My work is a case study. The origin of the term is linked to that of case history, which

is widely used in clinical fields, such as psychology and medicine (Berg, 2004). The

case study is emphasised by some researchers because it draws attention to the

question of what specifically can be learned from a single case. It is both a process of

learning about the case, as well as the product of such learning (see Denzin, 1994;

Stake, 1978). Merriam (1988, p. 21) writes as follows about case studies: "A

qualitative case study is an intensive, holistic description and analysis of a single

instance, phenomenon or social unit.”

Case studies are of great value, providing intimate insight and familiarity with

people’s lives and culture. Neuman (1997) puts it as follows:

26

Casing is increasingly used as a synonym for case study or studies, especially amongst American scholars.


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A case study researcher faces an overwhelming amount of data but

has been immersed in it. Immersion gives the researcher an intimate

familiarity with people's lives and culture. He or she looks for patterns

in the lives, actions and words of people in the context of the

complete case as a whole (Neuman, 1997, p. 331).

As is evident from the preceding, a case study often entails a life history or a life

story. But, how do these two relate? What about biography or autobiography, and

why life history and not life story? It is fair to argue that a life history attempts to

establish how something happened in the life of an individual or a group, while a life

story focuses on a life or a segment of a life as reported by the person concerned.

According to Denzin (1994), the two blend in their “telling”.

In line with qualitative research generally, the case study is a way of exploring a case

or small number of cases of the phenomenon in its context (Holloway & Wheeler,

1996). Case studies are often used in areas where little or nothing is known about

the phenomenon under study. Hence, conducting an intensive study of one subject,

or a small number of subjects of the phenomenon studied, can be instrumental in

producing detailed descriptions of case studies. Finally, the case study tends to

combine different data-collection methods (Eisenhardt, 1989).

In my thesis I will use the case study to explore and describe some of my

experiences in becoming a social entrepreneur in my professional career and in so

doing, answer the research question: “How did I become a social entrepreneur?”.

The case study design is appropriate in this instance, since I am closely involved in

the field, and as a Draytonian Changemaker have had many relevant and rich

experiences which can be narrated and which, in turn, can contribute to knowledge in

the field of social entrepreneurship, particularly in South Africa.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part III: The Journey. Chapter 1: Out on a Limb __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Annexure PII - D

THE STORIES

1. SELECTING PERSONAL LIVED SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURIAL EVENTS AND

EXPERIENCES

“First, think back to (the) event(s) that was particularly emotional for you or think

about one you are currently going through. Type out or write down all you can

remember about the experience” (Berger & Ellis, 2001, pp. 151–166). While I have

already given my experiences as a social entrepreneur considerable thought, I still

need to obtain clarity on which events and experiences of my career as a Draytonian

Changemaker I need to focus on. As Ellis (2004) advises, one needs to select events

that one can deal with in a reasonable period of time. While she (Ellis, 2004) provides

guidelines for papers presumably shorter than fully-fledged theses, there are most

definitely also constraints as far as a doctoral study is concerned. Thus, I will keep

the following suggested autoethnographic techniques in mind:

o Snapshots, metaphors, artefacts and journeys making up a patchwork of

feelings, experiences, emotions and behaviours that portray a more complete

view of life (Muncey, 2005).

o Writing poetry that is very similar to autoethnography.

My unpublished poems from as far back as the early 1980s have also proved to be

useful. In particular, I recall how I had to pay meticulous attention to positioning a

particular poem and not deviating from the central theme.

“A detailed description of a few events is better than a more generalised description

of many events” (Ellis, 2004, p. 365). This is indeed a crucial statement prompting

one to provide a focused and orderly account of the events that may be directly or

indirectly relevant to one’s research topic. Certain experiences are easy to convey

because of their entertaining value, and they make one “look good”. Then again, one

is less proud of certain other experiences, while others again are just (still) too painful

(Ellis, 2004). Writing makes one vulnerable. It can be likened to baring one’s soul,

and because of this it would be foolish to think that one could hide the truth behind

clever word-smithing (Ellis, 2004).

While by no means final or exhaustive, Annexure P2 - C to this thesis gives an

account of major events in my life, presented as far as possible in chronological

and/or logical order. This appendix will become a working document during the


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study.27 I believe that new relevant events will surface during the research phase.

Gauging from my early experiences in poetry, I know this to be true and, therefore,

Prof. Schurink and I will deal with new information on an ad hoc basis, and determine

its relevance to the study of a Draytonian Changemaker in the field of workplace

violence and bullying.

While the autoethnography is a journey, the selection of personal lived events and

experiences as a Draytonian Changemaker will be personal and focused.

2. COLLECTING RELEVANT MATERIAL

Even before my research proposal was approved by the departmental panel, in fact,

from the very first day that I met Prof. Schurink, I immediately began to document the

material he provided. I reflected on the parts of my life as a Draytonian Changemaker

that were documented. To my surprise and delight I discovered that my life has been

well-documented:

• Annual reflective reports (Ashoka). Being an Ashoka Fellow since 2002 required

that I write annual reflective and complete reports about my activities for the

period I was stipended (2002 to 2005).

• Media exposure. My exposure in the media locally and abroad, including

Newsweek (August, 2000, European Edition) where the media focused mainly on

my role as an activist and pioneer with regard to workplace bullying and some

career highlights in my positions as public relations and communications manager

for employers in my earlier career.

• Website. The website, www.worktrauma.org, which I established to assist victims

with advice and empowerment, academics with research documents and

professionals with programmes and interventions on workplace violence and

bullying. The website receives approximately 40,000 hits per month, contains

relevant material and plays an important role in providing data for the various

target groups I serve.

• Correspondence. The thousands of letters, as well as other correspondence, from

victims of workplace violence I have on file, as well as my responses to some of

these letters. These letters certainly illustrate the extent of my work as a

Draytonian Changemaker and serve as an example of how I used (and am still

using) technology as a means of intervention.

27 I have already indicated what material is already available.


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• Support groups. I initiated the first international Internet support group for victims

of workplace violence.

• Networking and community building. The first international Internet group drawing

together professionals and academics with an interest in “work trauma” as a result

of workplace violence.

• My first doctoral study. Being an extended study of the research report I did for

the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Council of Nurses

(ICN), the World Health Organization (WHO) and Public Services International

(PSI), jointly referred to as the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Programme on Workplace

Violence, also provides valuable information.

• Experience as international researcher. My experience in being responsible for

the South African leg of cross-country research into workplace violence in the

health sector of developing countries with the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint

Programme, which was certainly a major highlight in my career as it informed

many subsequent developments. In this regard, my research, as well as

forewords I wrote for publications of colleagues in this field, is also well-

documented.

• Publications. My publications, namely Corporate Hyenas at Work – How to Spot

and Outwit them by being Hyenawise (1997), Magnificent Outcomes – An

Account of the Struggle and Victory over Workplace Violence in the Health Sector

(2006), and My Hyena Journal – The Survival Toolkit for Victims of Workplace

Violence (2006) and Don’t take Shit from Hyenas in the Workplace – Reclaim

Your Dignity – Be Hyena-wise! (2007) and People Wisdom in the Workplace

(2007), all contain valuable data. Below is a display of some of my publications:

Collage of Photographs: This is a collection of the front covers of some of my publications over the past few years for this display.

(Photographs scanned versions of the different publications)


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• Television interviews. Some of the television interviews conducted with me were

taped and I have collected most of the newspaper and magazine articles in which

I was featured.

• Discourses of international experts. I have extensive documentation available on

the type of debate engaged in by my Internet discussion group comprising

international professional and academic experts. These records provided

excellent material as it bears testimony to how I, as a Draytonian Changemaker,

engaged with my cultural group.

• The Secret Diary. At an earlier stage in my career I experienced some resistance

to my ideas, resulting in disillusionment and disappointment. It was difficult to

launch my ideas on dignity and respect in the workplace, and to avoid falling into

the trap of depression, I kept a journal of my feelings. This journal is very intimate

and personal and while I had to use it with discretion, it provided a window into my

pioneering work against workplace violence and bullying.

The preceding list does not exhaust the data I have available. There are also

photographs, programmes of conferences, speeches I intermittently made at

international conferences, and much more.

Selecting relevant snippets from this cache of lived experiences and hands-on

accounts of my work, proved to be a challenge. Notwithstanding, I managed to create

order, break the available data down into manageable units and distinguish between

what is relevant, important and what would be consistent with the criteria set out for a

Draytonian Changemaker.

Together with the data and documents available, I decided on using field notes to

reconstruct my story. Ellis (2004) writes as follows about this:

Field notes are one selective story about what happened written

from a particular point of view at a particular point in time for a

particular purpose. But if representation is your goal, it’s best to

have as many sources and levels of story recorded at different

times as possible. Even so, realize that every story is partial and

situated... Whether you’re writing during, immediately after, or

much later, I recommend that you start by taking retrospective field

notes of your life... Include all the details you can recall. I find it

helpful to organize my writing chronologically first, using the main

events to structure the tale... remember you are creating the story;

it is not there waiting to be found. Your final story will be crafted

from these notes (Ellis, 2004, pp. 116-117)


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When undertaking an autoethnographic work such as mine it is important to sit, walk,

eat and talk with a diary in close proximity and to document all ideas, thoughts, and

feelings related to this study. In fact, Ellingson (2005) recommends that, firstly, one

should take note of everything around one. Secondly, and equally important, one

should watch others, learn from them and observe all interactions very closely (i.e.

how you interrelate and how others respond). This attention to detail is almost similar

to the way in which an artist would view the object of a painting; it is necessary to

note everything around you and write it down. Field notes should reflect insights,

emotions, thoughts and ideas. One should learn the art of capturing and discovering

to become a good ethnographer. Ellingson (2005) also points out the importance of

caring for people and accepting them where they are at and not where one would like

them to be.

In writing from both introspective and reconstructed field notes, Ellis (1995)

recommends a process of “emotional recall”. The researcher needs to be placed

back into situations until he or she becomes immersed in the event emotionally in

order to retrieve the experience authentically.

Ellis (2005) asks that if participants do not remember the events the researcher has

written about, whether that implies that the researched has got them wrong? The

answer is “no”. It is important to know that we all hold multiple versions of “the truth”

and that one’s field notes would be one’s own construction of the truth, which

represents a valuable tool in gathering data.

In instances when I did not have my autoethnographic field note book with me, I

would take notes on any appropriate material – a piece of paper, a serviette – as long

as a feeling, emotion, a piece of information, a sudden memory could be captured.

Prof. Schurink even used toilet paper when compiling field-notes of the gay club he

studied in the 1970s! (Toilet paper was probably of a better quality then!)

I have interviewed significant others, colleagues and friends and gained clarification

or information where I lacked the necessary detail, for instance the order of the

programme when I received my Ashoka fellowship, who attended and so on.

Interviews have been treated according to the ethical practice outlined earlier and

where possible, participants signed an informed consent form while others gave

consent via e-mail.

It was not always easy to incorporate others’ perceptions of the truth into my story;

hence, I expect differences of opinion because “truth” remains a construct. However,


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as is the case with field notes, interviews required some “emotional recall” from me

and the interviewee and interviews could, therefore, appear to be unstructured and

interactive. Each interview required a different format to reflect its different qualities.

Some interviews would take the form of monologues others would be ethno-dramas.

Ellis (2004)28 says that the interaction comes in when you write and reflect. Narrative

is the way we remember the past, turn life into language, and disclose to ourselves

and others our truth of our experiences.

In putting the story together, Philaretou and Allen (2006, p. 68) note that, when the

autoethnographer “reads and rereads his/her personal documents, certain words,

phrases, patterns of behaviour and thinking, and events repeat themselves and stand

out.” My understanding is that one searches for patterns of significance in a process

of autoethnographic coding and then writes down words and phrases representative

of these patterns, developing themes and sub-themes. This exercise proved to be

particularly useful in coding my social entrepreneurial skills and characteristics.

In conclusion: it is important to be cognisant of the fact that I would indeed be writing

two stories – the story about me, the researcher, and that of me, the Draytonian

Changemaker; both of which require careful reflection due to their importance within

the context of the thesis.

3. CAPTURING AND STORING DATA

Face-to-face interviews to clarify information or to shed new light on experiences and

events in my life so as to provide a multilayered approach were recorded verbatim on

my laptop or desk-top computer, with a tape recording to back up the interview. This

back-up method was extremely helpful in instances when I was unable to capture the

full contents. The use of the computer was determined by the location of the

interview, e.g. when my mother or friends visited at my office. Capturing the material

in this way was possible due to my fast typing skills, rather than having to resort to

the dreaded and long-winded route of handing over the audiotape to a dictaphone

typist to transcribe. My method of capturing the interview, I believe, enhanced the

validity and confidentiality of what was said. I read the transcript of what was said

back to the interviewee. In some instances I listened and then formulated what was

said and typed the discussion minutes afterwards, merely because I was intent on

maintaining eye-contact and observing body language too.

28 Rambo (2005) referring to Prof. Ellis as “the purple diva of autoethnography


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4. PICTURES

Thanks to the digital age, I have been able to use pictures abundantly to visually

illustrate some of the events in the autoethnographic inquiry. I took photographs or

asked the nearest person to give a hand, for example, taking pictures of meetings in

which I was involved, and so on. Prof. Schurink and his wife Evanthe took

photographs of long, winding roads whenever they went on holiday. These were

stored on my computer in order to make a final choice. Unfortunately, I was only able

to use a fraction of the stored pictures, but I also included some hyena illustrations to

liven up my thesis.

Believe me, autoethnographic writing is definitely not boring.

5. WRITING THE STORY OF MY LIVED EXPERIENCES

Following Ellis (1995), I reconstructed events that I deemed important, firstly, my

focus was to answer my research question - to capture, describe and appreciate my

becoming a social entrepreneur and how I carried out my daily activities in the field of

workplace violence and bullying. These events were captured by means of field

notes. Since these were created long after the events I described actually took place,

it is clear that, like Ellis (1995), I experienced some difficulty in recollecting the detail

of the various events. As indicated, I was fortunate in having existing documents,

letters and photographs to my disposal, as well as people to whom I could talk – even

if they did not necessarily form part of the events captured.

Writing the narrative required that I revisit events, situations and emotions and that I

would be able to conjure up details until I, once again, became emotionally absorbed

in them. “Because recall increases when the emotional content at the time of retrieval

resembles that of the experience to be retrieved …, this process (stimulates) memory

of more details” (Ellis, 1995, p. 310). Ellis (1995, p. 310) uses “emotional recall” “… to

give a convincing and authentic performance, [so that] the actor relives in detail a

situation in which she previously felt the emotion to be enacted”.

Like Ellis (1995), I wrote the first draft of my lived experiences subjectively,

incorporating my feelings and staying as close as possible to the reconstructed

events. The following passages from Final Negotiations: A Story of Love, Loss, and

Chronic Illness describe the elements of drafting the first version of the “relationship”

story vividly:


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I tried to describe the complexity of experiencing contradictory and

ambiguous thoughts and feelings at the same time, and across

times, as well as alone, loud voice screaming inside my head or the

raw gnarling within my gut. I wrote down, whenever I could, what

many competing voices in my head were saying …

I told what happened chronologically, sometimes generalizing

about events that happened often, such as trips to a doctor’s office.

Generalizing allowed me to handle many repetitious events quickly

and to show sociological patterns. Occasionally, when scenes were

described in detail in my field notes or on tape or I had a particularly

vivid remembrance, I used dialogue and described specific scenes.

While writing the manuscript, I checked for consistency. Did my

description and interpretation of this event cohere with other similar

events I described? Was the order of events accurate? Did I

describe my feelings differently here than in other related

situations? If so, why? (Ellis, 1995, pp. 310-311)

I was aware that I would have to discuss certain events which I found very difficult to

recollect with whomsoever was present at that time. Ellis (1995, p. 311) points out

that these discussions were helpful in constructing an account “… as close to the

lived experience(s) as possible”.

Relevant parts of Part III, The Journey, and Part IV, Tour Guides and Ultra Cities,

have been presented to colleagues, family members and friends. The individuals

identified to assist me with my recollections of experiences were:

o My husband, who has always been there for me.

o My mother, who knows me better than anyone else.

o My daughter, who has inspired me to work towards a more just world, free of

discrimination and abuse.

o A friend who co-authored Corporate Hyenas at Work and with whom I

shared a very difficult period in my life and career.

o A friend and research assistant who was acutely aware of the personal

sacrifices I made to pioneer a movement against workplace violence in

South Africa.

o A friend who attended the ceremony at which I was awarded the Ashoka

Fellowship.


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o A participant of the First International Conference on Work Trauma in South

Africa.

o The country director for the Southern African leg of the Ashoka Fellowship.

In addition to discussing these events, I also recorded these interactions (audio

and/or visual), as well as taking detailed notes.

6. THE RESEARCH STORY

The “research story” forms an integral part of the autoethnography and, therefore,

Part IV: Tour Guides and Ultra Cities, deals with this important aspect of the thesis.

Prof. Schurink acts as the “tour guide” providing direction. An Ultra City is a place of

rest and reflection - and is used as interludes in the study - in some cases simply

illustrating the challenges I encountered whilst writing the thesis.

The Framework Guidelines for Autoethnographic Regression forms part of this

section, as well as my panel presentation during which my research proposal was

approved. I have also added events or discoveries to the research story in this

section, which blend perfectly with the idea of a journey. The research story is

important and Day (2002) conceded that she, like many researchers, originally

described her research project as a journey, but broadened the metaphor to

encompass not one, but two, constructed journeys:

While my research interest clearly focussed on the outcome of finding out

more about people’s use of technology as an element of organisational

communication, I also wanted to critically explore the research process

itself as a complementary journey of discovery. In charting this second

journey, I have documented significant moments of the transformation

process as I progressed beyond being a novice researcher. Throughout

this article, I use both words and images to illustrate my reflections on the

continuing story of these two journeys (Day, 2002, p. 3).

While Day sees her personal story and the research story as two separate journeys, I

regard “my” story as the vehicle and not as two journeys. The research journey takes

place within the landscape of my life and I have, therefore, approached it as such in

the thesis.


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7. DISPLAYING DATA

Displaying the data includes graphic summaries, quotes, case studies, interactive

approaches, vignettes, anecdotes, layers, pastiche, juxtaposition, parody and irony,

poetry, narrative, drama, aural and visual displays – while the type of research

approach does not dictate or limit the form of data display (Grbich, 2007). Prof.

Schurink loves lyrics and therefore lyrics of popular songs can be added to this list.

There is no set of rules to suggest that one form of display is more appropriate than

others – the only limitations would lie in the lack of audio and visual data available to

the researcher (Grbich, 2007, p. 206).

I love metaphors. This predilection is evident in my published work e.g. the hyena

typologies and in my poetry. Therefore the use of a metaphor for this study, namely a

journey is logical and the data is also displayed to indicate the journey. As Noy

(2003, pp. 2, 11) quite rightly contends, “With narrative, wondering where does it all

begin is intelligible .... personal narrative enacts, performs and evokes, rather than

conveys”.

I hope that you now understand why I have decided on using mixed methods of

presentation and to apply my creative instincts in the thesis. In short, a combination

of all the styles described by Grbich (2007) has been used, taking the

appropriateness or value of a particular style into consideration at each juncture.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part III: The Journey. Chapter 1: Out on a Limb _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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1.1 CHAPTER 1

Out on a Limb

My stilettos squeak eerily while I am walking down the half-lit

corridor; I don’t even glance side-ways into the offices of my colleagues as

I’m accustomed to doing. There is an uncanny silence after the slaughter.

The offices are all empty and the mere thought of everyone ‘bleeding’

somewhere hastens my pace.

South Africa is on a knife’s edge; Nelson Mandela has just been

released from prison and the negotiations for a first democracy are in their

final stages. The first general elections are just a few months away.

Everybody seems to be living as if there is no tomorrow and it is a time of

intense transformation on all fronts. I too am leaving my workplace never

to return – this being my last working day.

Being so preoccupied, I don’t even notice the CEO approaching me.

She attempts to stop me in the passage. “Are you okay?” she asks

routinely and even reaches out to hug me – a show of concern in stark

contrast to the bloodletting that took place at The National Feeding Chain

(NFC)29 earlier that day.

“No, don’t touch me please,” I respond, holding up my hands to

ward her off. I am on the brink of tears, my lips are trembling and there is

a colossal lump in my throat. The slightest touch or interaction with

another human being could well trigger a collapse. I feel vulnerable; an

overfull bath tub of which the plug needs to be pulled, but not here and

not now.

A few hours earlier I warned Magriet, my colleague and friend, “The

angels of death have arrived,” as I watched the NFC’s chairperson and

deputy cross the street from my office window. They were on their way to

retrench staff on director level and we were all fidgeting in our offices –

nervously awaiting our fate.

A quarter of the staff had already left voluntarily, opting for

retrenchment packages – my staff, in particular. They simply had had

enough of the bullying and backstabbing always endemic to the

announcement of staff cuts. I tabled a report a few months ago warning

29 This is a fictitious name. The name of my employer had been changed to conceal identity.


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that drastic staff cuts could have an adverse effect on staff morale and the

ability to raise funds for the organisation.

This report was purposely ignored. “Social engineering,” according

to the CEO was necessary to rid the company of debt. Although there was

something odd about the statement, I was too shocked and amazed at the

cold and calculating manner in which staff members were being booted

out and how personal friendships and relationships were sacrificed to

retain jobs, to pay any attention to the logic of the argument at the time.

How the workplace had changed! In hindsight, I am still not sure how I

managed to get to my car. Between the attempted hug, walking out the

door, taking the lift down and watching the doors open, I must have

switched off.

Getting into the car I reach for my cigarettes, light one which tastes

bitter – similar to what I am experiencing. For the past few months this

unhealthy habit has become a crutch, a way of coping with the stresses of

my personal and professional life. My hands are shaking slightly and I

notice how thin my arms have become.

Self-pity is a simple option, considering the ordeal I’ve been

through. I lean forward to rest my forehead on the steering wheel. An

overwhelming feeling to just surrender grips me; I desperately want to pull

the plug and cry. Instead, I pull myself together.

“You have to be strong now!” I reprimand myself aloud. Numbness

sets in and I feel a sense of relief – nothing.

The feelings of an eminent collapse subside. I welcome my new

reaction – for now, the lack of feeling is way better than tears. Pulling into

my yard, I can’t remember how I got there: where was the traffic, the

traffic lights, the hooting of taxis on Louis Botha Avenue, the evergreen

trees, the little shops, the buzz of big city life?

A wide-eyed Jenny opens the door and I can sense the tension in

her body as she hugs me. She knows that I am home early because I have

lost my job. I remain silent, unable to utter any words. She knows me well

enough not to say anything just yet.

She follows me to the room and silently watches me take off my

jewellery. “You are so talented Mom, you will soon find something,” she

tries to reassure herself and comfort me.

“Of course, I will,” I respond, somehow managing to sound cheerful.

It is a hot day; in the background I hear the flurry of the ceiling fan. I


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suddenly feel nauseous and rush to the bathroom. Instead of vomiting, I

put a wet face cloth to my forehead.

“It is such a hot day, this is cool!” Jenny, having followed me into

the bathroom, remains concerned; her classic cheekbones protruding

more than usual and her blue eyes filled with unspeakable fear.

“Are you sure? Your voice is cracking a bit, like when you’re really

upset,” she observes. Jenny is sharp, sensitive and on the brink of

adulthood – yet, very dyslexic. To get her through high school required

recording all her lectures, summaries and text books on tapes. She

excelled with oral examinations and even experimented with green reading

spectacles to assist her. But right now my vocal cords feel strained

because of the stressful morning and she senses it.

“No, I did some tapes for you last night when I couldn’t sleep and

probably just stressed my vocal cords. I’ve prepared myself for this

scenario,” I assure her.

Jenny was a victim of a carjacking a couple of months ago. She is

still recovering from the trauma and surgery she faced. The medical costs

ran into thousands of rand. She now needs love and stability more than

ever, no matter what happens, I realise. My daughter had her fair share of

pain and again I promise myself to protect her at all costs. I raised her

almost single-handedly and our relationship is a very close one. I need her

as much as she needs me.

We sit down and I turn to Jenny. “I will be phoning some friends

tomorrow, or maybe I can even start up my own business? I know I have

entrepreneurial skills – remember when I worked at the Vaal Triangle

Technikon30 and they wanted a magazine but didn’t have the budget at

the time? I obtained advertisements which paid for the entire publication

and it became the flagship publication for the sponsors, alumni and

business community.”

“Ah, yes, the Tempo magazine!” she exclaims. “And remember when

you had a catering business when I was small?” How could I forget the

business which landed me a deposit for our first home?

My mind is suddenly filled with numerous options, but I know that

there are simply too many jobless people in the country and it is almost

impossible for certain categories of professionals to find a job or a

30 The Universities of Technology was previously called “technikons”


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substantial assignment now – top jobs are frozen and people are leaving

the country in droves because of the political turbulence.

The era of downsizing has dawned on South Africa too. New buzz

words such as “restructuring”, “downsizing” and “mean and lean” are

abound. The profound restructuring of the economy is being used as a

vehicle to transform the South African workplace. Most of these changes

do not reflect the demographics of the country. The demand is high for

black professionals in particular. I feel a need to do a reality check with

Jenny.

“It is going to be tough, baby, but I will do it my way.” At this

particular moment I don’t have a clue what “it” entails, but all I know is

that it will probably be a long and painstakingly difficult journey.

“I know you can do it, Mom,” and then she moves closer to me.

“Let’s go to the Grand Café31 and have a cup of coffee and discuss all the

options.” Jenny always manages to get a “yes” from me in a second. Since

she became a teenager an outing to the Grand Café was always a special

bonding ritual between us. I realise instinctively that her way of coping

with the change is to ask for a special mother-daughter outing to consider

our options. I feel claustrophobic and agree to her request.

For the first time the Grand Café does nothing to lift my spirits. It

feels as though I am in my own world, watching life pass me by – almost

like being in limbo.

“Smile, face the world, you will feel better,” I keep on reassuring

myself. Afterwards, Jenny and I stroll into a CD shop and I block out the

world to listen to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Needless to say, I love music.

The long day is over; I phone and inform the rest of my family that I

no longer work for the NFC. As can be expected, they utter feelings of

sympathy, immediately followed by “sound” words of advice. “Accept

anything that comes your way, remember ‘beggars can’t be choosers’, you

know. You’ll have to tighten your belts.” All I really needed to hear was,

“We’re here for you, no matter what.” No words of reassurance and a

sudden fear grips hold of me. I feel abandoned, unloved and lonely. It’s

time to go to bed, but I roll around restless, feeling confused and betrayed.

The same sense of helplessness I felt when Dad died of emphysema when I

was 13 years old.

31

The Grand Café used to be well-known meeting place in the Rosebank Mall, Johannesburg.


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I rearrange my pillows to be able to sit up and I have a sudden urge

to scream out loud: “What am I to do? What will happen to us?” Sitting up

in the dark, I bargain on an answer from somewhere, someone – maybe

even God.

As soon as I had uttered those words in my mind, I am suddenly

aware of another presence in the room. My dad is sitting right next to me!

As a child I was a night owl who loved chatting to my dad long after bed

time. He made up poems with me, talked to me about politics, history, the

problems ordinary people faced, and so much more – those late nights

were my mentoring sessions.

I have never forgotten those special times and since his untimely

death Dad, somehow, always has a way of ‘appearing’ when I am in deep

despair. “Even though you feel let down or alone, don’t judge. Job loss is a

traumatic experience and very few people understand what you are going

through. Being human, they probably think you did something to deserve

this. There are no easy answers and there is no easy way out. Nothing in

life is incidental or without purpose.” Dad’s wisdom is intended to comfort.

“But do you know that companies are not filling vacancies and life is

on hold for all. The timing is really bad! The general attitude is that of

‘wait and see’. Forget my credentials. This is the worst time in the history

of this country to be jobless, 40, white and specialised in ‘soft skills’ like

public relations and communications.” I sigh and stare into the night.

“But why are you limiting yourself to public relations and

communications? Maybe this is the beginning of a new career for you?

Maybe you should be making a difference elsewhere?” He leans forward to

give me a hug.

“I don’t know...I loved my job and what I was doing at the NFC to

make a difference in people’s lives. I felt so alive, so worthy...”

“Are you saying that you are worthless now?” Dad challenges me.

“No, I am saying I have changed. Ubuntu32 probably rubbed off on

me. I doted on public relations and communications for many years and

was one of the first accredited PR executives in South Africa, as you know,

but I discovered that making a difference in people’s lives is so much more

meaningful that I cannot imagine a life without it.” It is always difficult to

convince anyone that being a change-worker is so much better than

32 “Ubuntu” is a Zulu word and is part of the African culture, meaning: “I am a person through other people”


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earning a huge salary, or the enjoyment of all the perks money can buy. It

is ultimately about a mission in life, connecting with the best that God has

bestowed on you. Once you’ve tasted the satisfaction of assisting – even in

a small way – making a difference in others’ lives, you almost get addicted

to it.

“Ah... you are telling me that you have changed,” Dad rephrases.

“Yes, I did and so did the workplace. People are resorting to

ruthless, callous behaviour at work, because they are desperate to hold

onto their jobs. It has become a cut-throat environment and this is

sickening. Perhaps I won’t miss the workplace as much as I will be

missing the work itself...”

Dad politely interrupts, “You loved making a contribution, but you

must realise that it is not the only contribution you can make. When you

worked at the city council you also felt you made a contribution by

revolutionising the way they communicated with the industrialists.”

“Yes, I enjoy altering the status quo or coming up with new solutions

to old problems.” As soon as the words are out, I suddenly feel as though I

have discovered something new about myself.

“Reflect, take time out, take stock and see where your heart leads

you. After all, you need to mourn the loss of a highly satisfying job.

Connect with yourself; try to understand that your life has meaning and

purpose beyond that job, however rewarding it was. Maybe it prepared you

for something else. ‘Retrench’ is not a first name or a surname and neither

is it an occupation. You are more than that.” Dad smiles and I experience

his warmth and love for me. And then he is gone, as quickly as he came.

Today was traumatic, no two ways about that. I realise that it is good

to cry, but a cathartic experience, breaking down and tears probably

aren’t meant for me. I feel numb, but speculate that if I could postpone or

cancel the weeping and mourning related to what happened today, I might

just find a way to cope. Yes, that is exactly what I am going to do; I will

take control when I feel like crying.

After all, given my age, background and knowledge and all the

hardships I survived, I will probably not go through all the so-called

phases of mourning the loss of my job and my career. Dad may just be

wrong for once, but I can most certainly try to find new meaning in life.

There I am between four walls and many permutations for the


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future running through my head until the early hours of the morning.

“I had to take control back and took the voluntary package. They were set

on humiliating me with tests to retain my job. I’ve been working there for

18 years, for crying out loud!” I’m having tea with Magriet at the La

Grande Café in Rosebank, Johannesburg. Two weeks have lapsed since

that fateful day and she seems relaxed, dressed in black and red.

Magriet loves black, and her dress code is unrevealing, hiding her

curves conservatively – this being in contrast with her liberal attitude. She

seems to do the same with her emotions: she is indirect, hints, plays

clever communication games, and refuses to talk through issues or to

simply share her authentic self with anyone. She camouflages her

emotions with her soft-spoken disposition, cleverly disguising her sharp

edge. The volume, pitch and tone of her voice seldom vary, whether she is

excited, in acute pain or arguing. She always maintains that my laughter

sounds like bells and her equivalent is a chuckle.

To understand Magriet, I no longer listen to how she says things,

but I focus on what she says and then try and decipher the hidden

messages. My friends have now also taken my word for it that Magriet’s

outward appearance and mannerisms are smokescreens – the fact that

she is hiding her truth doesn’t mean that she is false. This is her way of

getting by and sometimes her obvious communication games are

endearing to me. Her voice never adequately reflects how she feels, let

alone the pain following the betrayal she experienced by the NFC.

“You did the right thing, they are a bunch of hyenas,” I assure her.

About a year ago, I told Magriet in confidence that a colleague who really

tried to undermine me exhibited behaviour reminiscent of that of hyenas

in nature who wear their prey down. She was amused. When the “social

engineering process” started at the NFC, the “hyena” reference was

commonplace and we used this secret word frequently for a number of

staff members who betrayed their colleagues in order to be selected as

“reliable allies” during the final countdown.

She then tells me about her letter, how she handed in her

resignation and opted for the voluntary package. I can’t help wondering

what the letter really looked like. Magriet is a scientist. Her writing is


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formal. She can turn any letter into a mini-thesis!. “Did they understand

why you opted to leave and how you really felt about them?” I ask

curiously.

“Sure, they wanted to control and humiliate me. I just wanted to get

out of that negative environment. Anyway, enough of me, tell me what

you’ve been up to?” Magriet heard me very well, but deliberately avoids

probing and expressing herself by pretending to have heard something

completely different, probably too painful for her to talk about. I give up

and attempt to answer her question.

“Quite frankly, I feel more relaxed and relieved that I am out of that

tense atmosphere and maybe I will find something to do in the interim to

keep Jenny and myself alive. The employment agencies tell me that once a

person has been retrenched, you are stigmatised and unlikely to find a

position with the same status as that which you were accustomed too. I

actually doubt that, but decided in any way that I would like to do my own

thing – maybe a small business as a consultant. I am actually phoning

and visiting anybody who may need my services already.”

1994... In my “consultant uniform” – trying to make ends met Photograph taken by my daughter Jenny.

Magriet then leans forward and lifts her small finger, a habit which

indicates that she wants to make a point. “Let’s write a book about the

empowerment of women,” she says.

“No, I want to write a book about the corporate hyena syndrome,

and I grin. I just love the sound of the phrase and it is a particularly apt

title for corporate politics and the bullies operating in the workplace


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nowadays. In any event, I am really not in a mood to write about the

empowerment of women.

Magriet grasps immediately what I mean and chuckles, thinking

that I am joking. She repeats her previous statement, adding that she

wants me to co-author the book. She can be quite forceful at times and I

am not in the mood to be steered into a direction that I don’t feel

comfortable with. I reiterate my wish to write a book of my own –

especially one about hyenas in the workplace. Not that I am really in the

mood for writing a book now; I would rather use my talents to do creative

feature articles for magazines that would certainly bring in some form of

an income.

Magriet remains amused and now probably realises that I am

serious. Then follows the suggestion: “Can’t we combine the topics?”

Is she being serious? I am not going to get her off the book track

and I am not up to writing a book with her or anybody else. I have always

been extremely independent and I just can’t, for the life of me, imagine

how it would be. Magriet writes in a long-winded way; I prefer metaphors

and crisp, succinct sentences. But she is a friend, probably needs me and

maybe I can still use the hyena topic and integrate her contribution on the

empowerment of women. Who knows, it might work. After all, I am a

novice in the non-fiction genre too. “Okay,” I succumb. “In any case, when

describing the behaviour of hyenas, one needs to empower people too.” I

realise that we need each other.

“Lets get together again soon with our ideas, how we are going to

approach the subject matter, and so on,” she suggests. We discuss our ex-

colleagues, some of them finding it hard to cope too. “I still feel that this

whole process was unnecessary and I want to get to the bottom of it,” I

say.

“Let go, let’s start a new life,” is Magriet’s advice. She is obviously

tired; she fought the retrenchments like a tiger, despite her soft-spoken

disposition. I supported her emotionally at the time, but remained in the

background. A possible job cut seemed unimportant in the face of my

daughter’s carjacking trauma. Nursing her back to wholeness occupied

every free minute, even while my livelihood was slipping away at the NFC.

“What they did was inhumane,” I retort. I am restless and resentful.

This should not have happened to me or anybody. I’m experiencing the

same sensation I did a few years ago when I was sexually harassed and


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bullied at work. Work shouldn’t hurt. Although my “corporate hyena

syndrome” idea sounds more like a mischievous remark than a serious

book proposal, I am filled with a sense of determination.

Back home I listen to my voice mail, check the fax machine and

walk to the mailbox. Jenny has found herself a job and has just returned

from work. “Anything to get excited about?” she inquires.

“No responses to my job applications and business proposals yet,” I

answer softly. I sense her anxiety and immediately reassure her: “Don’t

worry – we can survive the next two months and then we’ll dip into our

savings, and so on. Your income is enough for pocket money, clothing and

your entertainment. But I will need to cut to essentials only.”

“What do you mean?” she asks quickly. I guess that the “essentials”

are quite frightening to my daughter who is so used to getting not only

what she needs, but what she desires. “We need to be debt-free. For

example, I can sell my fancy car, pay off the loan and buy a car for cash.

But I don’t need a loan and monthly repayments right now.”

“Sounds wise,” is Jenny’s comment. There’s a knock at the door and

her friends walk in. They have made plans to go and watch a movie and I

will get to spend the evening on my own.

The phone rings, and it’s my mom, just wanting to know how I’m

doing.

“I am busy with some contract and temporary work all over the city.

A Jill of all trades! Freelance journalism, promotions, office work, and so

on – and I am even making and selling jewellery and perfumes!” Having

said that, I brace myself for my mother’s well-intended criticism, which I

know will be forthcoming.

“What perfumes? Don’t waste your time with that nonsense. You are

not getting any younger.” A predictable reaction and I smile.

“Oh, the perfumes? Actually it is an aphrodisiac. People put it on

their pillows and it improves their sex lives.”


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“What a load of bull. People who buy that rubbish from you do it

because they love you, that’s all.” I’m not sure, but I detect a smile in my

mother’s voice. “I hear from Claude that you have started a new book.”

I shared my plans with my brother Claude. Although he could

probably be regarded as a materialistic person, he is more accepting of my

“bleeding heart” instincts. "I am busy writing a book with Magriet about

corporate hyenas in the workplace. I have actually had a lot of calls from

people who have experienced this. They have nowhere to go – it seems to

be the new phenomenon all-round,” I respond.

“New phenomenon, my foot! You are too much of a ‘softy’. Rather

find a job in your line of work and do something worthwhile that brings in

real money.” Mom has always been practical and does not believe that

making a difference in others’ lives will put food on the table.

“But I want to go into training, helping people to cope with bullying

at work and get them accustomed to the changing workplace.”

“You have to help yourself first. Don’t waste your time by helping

people without charging them!” I hear the aggravation in her voice. “And

you earn far too little with the other odds and ends to survive.” Mom is

concerned and sounds a little impatient with me.

“I know, Mom. But I am learning in the process and gathering

material for my book. I actually see it as part-time work or a hobby,” I

respond gently. I don’t want my mother more concerned than she already

is.

I know pretty well that my resources are being drained by not

charging people for consultations and researching the new workplace. By

helping others, I am somehow also helping myself come to terms with and

understand the changing workplace. I know intuitively that this is the

start of a new phase in my life, an essential phase and I will not settle

down until I have changed the work environment forever.

It makes good sense to me that one needs to understand the

phenomenon of the changing workplace and changing behaviour first,

then raising awareness through research, followed by training and offering

solutions. Only then will my ideas become financially lucrative. But the

business world needs to comprehend that it is counter-productive to be

apathetic about workplace bullying and I need to prove it to them. For that

to happen, I need to increase my knowledge substantially.


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Claude somehow manages to put together a computer for me so that

I can write and earn an income with it. He is concerned about my financial

status. My contract and temp work, a workshop or presentation here and

there, a part-time assignment or some translation work will simply not

yield the financial stability I need to survive and pay off the enormous

debts incurred with Jenny’s illness prior to being retrenched from my job.

“Are you going to pursue the matter of the retrenchments?” my mom

asks.

“Yes, I am working through documents and we discovered that there

was a lot of disinformation, to say the least, and that the process was

substantially and procedurally unfair. I am determined to do something

about it.”

Mom sighs, but she once again gives her habitual practical advice,

“Why don’t you just get on with your life? People will always be deceitful.

Accept it, be careful and know that you can’t change the world on your

own.”

“This is part of my new life, Mom. I need closure, to make sense of

what happened to me and what is happening in the workplace...”

Mom is slowly getting angry. “You’ve always been one to follow your

own head.” Maybe, just maybe, she recognises her own stubbornness in

me.

“I will make a difference, Mom. It may take time, but I will.” For the

first time it dawns on me that I will probably only go back to work

temporarily and I am certainly bound to do something else.

“I know, you have character, but you are an idealist too. You are so

stubborn and brave and you have always had a great sense of

determination – but remember it brought you a lot of pain in life...” and as

an afterthought she concedes, “and also a lot of joy.” Mom is referring to

my decision more than 20 years ago to raise Jenny single-handedly out of

wedlock. I became very self-reliant, excelled in my career and studied

part-time. At that time I didn’t think about being brave or foolish – I did

what I felt was the right thing to do. But, in hindsight, I am amazed at just

how courageous I was in the face of so many odds such as the health

problems I experienced, the resistance from family and friends, my limited

ability to earn an income and the discrimination I faced. Yet, I survived

and I will certainly survive and grow from this experience too.


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“Perhaps my new baby will turn out well too,” and I laugh to make

her feel better.

Laughter has always been my escape from pain. When I was

pregnant with Jenny I was sent to a farm with two old ladies to be “away

from the public eye”. The old ladies both suffered from depression and I

missed laughter. But I created my own laughter by enjoying cartoons and

by reading these over and over in the magazines. Since then I have always

known that when any form of pain becomes unbearable, I should force

myself to laugh until my spirit is lifted to a comfortable place.

Right now, though, it is extremely difficult to even think of laughter,

joy and creativity. I feel older and burdened – not only with my own

problems, but also with the discomfort and pain that others are

experiencing because of the situation they’re finding themselves in.

Charlize33 is journalist, vivacious and sporty, with a very likeable

earthliness, but not someone to cross swords with. You are likely to end up

being the loser. One can always hear her from a distance; her voice carries

well. Her language is colourful and she often uses powerful swear words to

brighten up her conversations.

She tells everyone the story that her mouth is so big that when she

opened it as a demonstration model to dental students, their professor told

them that hers was the biggest mouth he had ever seen. We love to gossip

benignly – a hidden talent I have discovered frequently in her presence. Of

course Charlize listed “gossip” as one of her hobbies on her CV – because

she reckons that people who are interested in your hobbies on a job

application deserve an answer of this nature.

She knows how I had been harassed and bullied once and she has

always followed my career with interest. According to Charlize, I am a

“journalist’s dream” and she loves quoting me on all sorts of topics.

Sometimes I need to remind her that I started out as a journalist too and I

know what she needs for a good story.

33 Charlize is a pseudonym to protect the privacy of the real character. The choice was to either use a pseudonym or remove the swear words she uses because of her religious affiliation. This would have watered down her character and therefore a pseudonym is the appropriate choice.


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“Once a journalist, always a journalist,” I say.

Charlize nods and replies, “It’s in one’s blood. I look at the news

value of everything I see and hear.”

“I am earlier because I want to talk to you about the hyena

syndrome – this has become quite a hit in my newspaper.”

I’ve been feeding her with “corporate hyena syndrome” articles lately

and it seems to have become quite a popular topic in “her” local

newspaper. I’ve identified four types of corporate hyenas, but still need to

refine these categories. Magriet and I both appeared in the newspaper as

the originators of the hyena stories.

Charlize leans forward. “Tell me, how do hyenas hunt down their

victims, I mean how do they operate in a pack?”

“The Power Hyenas seem to be everybody’s worst nightmare. The

kingpin is of course the Makhulu and his/her side-kick, the Protégé. In

nature this would represent the leading female or matriarch and the

favourite sibling or princess. By virtue of leadership qualities, the Makhulu

Hyena will be a boss, nothing less. Driven by power, the Makhulu Hyena

prefers to manipulate. The Makhulu is a serial bully and will lead the Clan

into the corporate battlefield, but they manipulate other hyenas to finish off

the victim.”

“Just refresh my memory on the hyenas quickly,” Charlize interrupts

before I can give a detailed description of the corporate battlefield.

“Well, you have different types of Power Hyenas. For instance, the

Extrovert can be dynamic, expressive and their opinion counts with the

Clan. They have huge egos, can be charming and intelligent, but can also

scream, shout and throw their toys out of the cot. They insult and

humiliate their victims and their behaviour almost represents emotional

torture, not saving the victim an ounce of dignity and reducing them to a

shadow of what they were, through continued psychological harassment.

But beware; they can even appear to be helpful and to have some heart. In

the hunt, the Extrovert enjoys the process, is likely to torture the victim

and wear them down and then affords himself the largest portion. The

Extrovert is usually a very competent person.”

Charlize listens intently. “But the Incompetent Hyena is different?”

“Not really, they have all the traits of the Extroverted and Introverted

Power Hyenas, but they resort to constant nit-picking and criticism. They


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like to ridicule and ignore the victim and they are good at humiliating them

and setting them up for failure in the Corporate Hunt. They steal others’

work and present it as their own, they like showing off their power and can

be extremely cruel. They even prey on the private lives of the victim or the

victim’s integrity. They can coerce Clan Members into lies and distortions

about the victims and they are gluttons when it comes to Corporate

Killings.”

“And the Introverted Power Hyena? What is its role in the Corporate

Hunt?”

“Intelligence. They believe that knowledge is intelligence and

intelligence or Den Privilege over others implies power – power to the Clan;

and they are normally in charge of gathering intelligence for a Corporate

Killing. This intelligence or data makes this quiet one very dangerous,

because you may not see him/her lurking around the Den.

“They seldom open up; they converse with inaudible messages in

secrecy. Introverts may come across as even-tempered, but hang around

long enough and you will see that their tempers equal that of Extroverts.

They have a sense of humour and they jump to conclusions easily. Lesser

Clan Members normally report to the Introvert.” My response is lengthy

and by this time, Charlize has already taken out her notebook to write my

comments down.

“In the last case study you described the Competitive Hyena. They

actually seem to be as dangerous as the Power Hyenas?” Charlize raises

her eyebrows.

I shiver, thinking of the many Competitive Hyenas who hunted me

down during my career. “The Competitive Hyena is a cold-blooded

opportunist and this is a person who has clearly lost the art of playing as a

child. For them it is about winning all the way. The Competitive Hyena is

on his or her way up the Corporate Ladder, and don’t you dare get in the

way. Show signs of Hyena Time and you are finished. They are always

competing and they will kill a fellow-hyena for a higher ranking.

“Even if you are not in competition with Competitive Hyenas, they

will force a competition, especially when you are in Hyena Time. They will

use dishonest methods to win the contest they created in the first place

and during a Corporate Hunt they will do some clap-trapping whilst

finishing off the victim. They are forever comparing themselves with others

and are real copycats. ‘Everything you can do, they can do better’ is their


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slogan, but because they are lower-ranking, they abuse Hyena Time all the

way.”

“What is this Hyena Time?” Charlize is intrigued.

“Sir Laurens van der Post wrote in The last World of the Kalahari

about a sick old San34 who wakes up in a cave in the Kalahari Desert. He is

thirsty and drinks his last bit of water. He heard the hyenas laughing the

previous night and realises that they can’t be too far off and that they will

probably reach him by nightfall. His loved ones left him behind in a desert

cave with just enough food and water to survive for a few days.

“His age and chronic illness prevented him from keeping up with the

rest of the folk. He had become a stumbling block and they had to move on

to survive. This is a San tradition. As strange as it may seem, one of the

oldest races on earth regards this as practically inevitable. He waits

throughout the day, knowing that death will come swiftly through the jaws

of hyenas. The San people call this ending ‘Hyena Time’. Hyena Time is a

period of disempowerment and great vulnerability.”

“Oh, it is so sad!” Charlize is visibly upset.

“The Competitive Hyena is the one on the look-out for Hyena Time

victims. For instance, during the retrenchments at NFC, I was in Hyena

Time because of Jenny’s trauma and I became an easy prey. But it could

be anything, like ill health, divorce, financial problems, depression or even

a reaction to bullying – post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – that can

land you in Hyena Time in the corporate world.”

“Are victims selected on the grounds of Hyena Time only?” Charlize

asks.

“No, Hyena Time just makes a person an easier target, but that is not

the only reason. Sometimes women will gang up against a prettier and

younger woman, simply because she gets too much attention. A popular

and competent person who may threaten the career aspirations of Hyenas

could also become a target. A very young or older person can also be

selected and nowadays, because of downsizing, older workers are at risk of

victimisation.”

“This is very logical,” and Charlize takes a sip of her cool drink.

34

The San is one of the oldest indigenous tribes in Southern Africa and were previously known as the “Bushmen”. The San settled in the Kalahari Desert, Namibia and parts of Botswana.


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“Of course the lesser Hyenas called Support Hyenas also play a

significant role in identifying a prospective victim. They are actually the

dummies of the Clan and they often give the Corporate Hunt away before it

starts. You will find some Den Creepers there too.”

“You mean Den Creepers like in ‘ass creepers’?” Charlize giggles.

“Exactly. That is why it makes sense to have your ear on the ground

and your eyes wide open. One must remember that the Corporate Hyena

does a thorough risk assessment before taking on a victim.”

“Very true. But you said some companies hire Hyenas to get rid of

staff.”

“Yes, I actually read an article not so long ago about companies

employing bullies to get rid of staff so that they need not pay out huge

amounts on severance packages. You know, the language of downsizing is

bullying.” When I eventually lift my cup of coffee, I don’t take a sip, because

I feel a sudden urge to tell Charlize about Tersia35.

“A victim called Tersia phoned me. She wanted to commit suicide

because she was severely bullied and emotionally tortured in her

workplace. Her Hyena colleagues started subtly by putting her down,

making her feel inadequate, calling her names and leading her to think

that she was verging on insanity. The Extroverted Power Hyena shouted at

her and the Competitive Hyenas knew that she was extremely stressed.

“The Clan went to a lot of trouble to determine her weaknesses and

the reasons for her Hyena Time. They would phone her and pretend that

the call was from the kindergarten and that her daughter was ill. When she

arrived there, nothing was wrong and the Clan would have a good laugh at

her. They played mind games with her and then locked her into a store

room for two days. During this time one of the Hyenas raped her.

“Nobody believed her and the Clan convinced her husband that she

was crazy. She is now receiving psychiatric treatment and is medically

unfit to work due to PTSD. She asked me to help her write a letter to

President Mandela. I told her to write down as much as she could.”

Charlize seems astounded.

“Why did you tell her that?”

“Because nobody is interested in listening to her at this stage. She

needs to verbalise her experiences and if writing her emotions down is the

35 Pseudonym to protect the privacy of the victim.


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best therapy, so be it. But I cannot help her beyond that. I then phoned her

psychiatrist and told him about our conversation and that she is suicidal.

He told me that she is severely traumatised, and that there must be truth

in the bullying story.

“She is dysfunctional as a result of PTSD36. I am so worried about

the impact of bullying and downsizing – which are both forms of aggression

– on society. The workers are mothers and fathers who need to go home

and be with their families. This woman’s little daughter is suffering and the

bullies got away with it. Victims go home and the children and spouses

suffer. The impact is felt far beyond the workplace, let alone the career

executions which take place.”

“Your heart is in the right place. This is fantastic stuff. You can write

a textbook! It may be helpful to “abuse” Magriet’s PhD title to give the

hyena behaviour a bit of an academic slant,” says Charlize.

“I know you would love scientific proof! But no, no, no. It is not

academic and I have difficulty because Magriet also thinks the hyena idea

is bright, but that the use of the hyena metaphor must be justified on a

scientific level. I believe a good metaphor needs no explanation or

justification. There are enough obvious and superfluous comparisons

between hyena and human behaviour for the metaphor to find resonance

with most people. This is a right-brain thing. If somebody with a doctorate

uses the metaphor, it is not going to lend any validity to the subject matter.

One need not understand it on an intellectual level and this is most

certainly not a scientific discovery!”

“Mmm...” Charlize listens attentively.

“In the movie, the Lion King, which will be coming to South Africa

soon, I believe the hyena also symbolises betrayal and duplicity. The hyena

is an obvious choice, not a wolf or a jackal. The same with the corporate

hyena; a corporate jackal may have been less successful. When the hyena

is used as a metaphor, the victim actually benefits.”

“That’s absolutely right,” and Charlize lifts her hand, indicating that

she is connecting with my viewpoint.

“One can argue that we are mischievously abusing the hyena to

benefit the victim and it is probably right. Many African folklore stories like

The Hare and the Hyena and idiomatic expressions in some of our

36 Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.


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languages do the same. At some stage scientific research into how the

metaphor of the hyena benefits the victim, would be valuable.” Having said

that, I wish I had the money to do the research.

“True, true. This could trigger some valuable research. People are of

course crazy about the metaphor, merely because it is easy to understand.

The newspaper is not an academic journal. Ordinary people from all walks

of life read it. What was I thinking?” Charlize smiles.

”The metaphor became so real for you that you actually wanted

scientific validation?” and I start laughing. “The case studies I provided you

with seem to work pretty well, because people are using the phone number

you provide in your articles and my phone hasn’t stopped ringing ever

since.” I always gesture when talking and lift my hand to my ear. “They

mostly talk to me about their own problems with bullying and abuse in the

workplace.”

The calls and the many stories surfacing have led me onto a new

road of discovery. Thousands of people have been retrenched from their

jobs. After all, it is the 1990s and “downsizing” is the new buzzword. The

more I interact with victims of retrenchments and bullying, the more I

realise that I will not settle down until I’ve done something about the

misery in the workplace.

Charlize suddenly looks more serious. “You know your own case

study at Crackston Council37 could be a stand-alone hyena story. They

were terrible. One of the female board members told me that you had a lot

of problems because you refused to sleep with the management members

on the board.”

“Oh yes. Do you still remember Danny38?””

“That asshole!” Charlize rolls her eyes.

“Well he threatened to destroy me when I refused his invitation to go

to a hotel to do you-know-what with him. The worst was when I went to

complain about the sexual harassment to the principal officer39. He then

told me that he couldn’t blame any guy for wanting to take me to bed

because I have a gorgeous body. Can you believe it?”

“What!” exclaims Charlize. “So you were complaining to the Hyena in

Charge?” She giggles.

37 Concealing the real name of the workplace 38 Concealing real name of board member 39 Not the real job title to conceal identity of the employer


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“The problem is that Danny was the strategist or the Makhulu40

Hyena, planning to make my life miserable or to work me out. The principal

officer was high ranking in the Hyena Clan. He refused to get involved in

the hunt, but he openly supported it. Danny brought in other board

members and officials aligned to him and the principal officer was forced to

get involved in the end.

“My liaison officer was a Competitive Hyena and she wanted my

position badly, while the control officer, Myrna, who was in fact Danny, the

Makhulu Hyena’s princess, or in corporate terms, the Protégé Hyena, tried

to expand her empire. She would have loved to take over my Public

Relations and Communications department, because it was a high profile

position which could lead to the upgrading of her own job level. She even

used my subordinates to gang up against me.”

“The ‘flippen’ cow!” Charlize interrupts with an angry snort. “They

started making my life a misery and overloading me with work, spreading

stories and rumours about me and setting me up for failure. The attack

was not sporadic; it was persistent and prolonged, and I was hunted down

and humiliated. Corporate bullying is malicious and intentional. They even

changed my line of reporting so that I had to report directly to one of the

so-called Power Hyenas.

″The Power Hyena was actually incompetent and could do nothing

without Danny’s support. He then delegated the supervision of my

department to Myrna, the control officer – you know, the brunette you once

met – and that was a dream come true for her. They ganged up and Danny

was orchestrating the whole set-up with glee. At committee meetings he

would regularly veto and stall my reports purposely.”

“I actually attended one meeting and observed it,” Charlize reminds

me.

“Even when that principal officer retired and that guy with the puppy

eyes was appointed, things didn’t improve. He told me that he could not

protect me because he needed to watch his own back. In positions of that

nature they only take care of themselves and the victim is normally blamed

for everything that goes wrong.”

“Gosh, and you survived all that shit!” Charlize responds.

40 Zulu word for “The Great One”


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“Yes, I did and paid a price in terms of stress. I suffered from yuppie

flu, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as the medical profession calls it. It was

stress-related because when I left that place, the Epstein Barr virus

“deactivated” itself after a while. But I walked into another hyena nest. Can

you imagine having it twice in a row?”

We both start laughing in disbelief. Then I hear a car in the drive-

way and check outside to see Annamarie and Chris, my good friends of

many years. It is Jenny’s 21st birthday and she invited her friends for a

small celebration and asked me to invite some of my close friends and

family too so that we could all celebrate this special day.

“Jenny seems to be getting well now,” says Charlize.

“It took a lot of love to get her over the trauma of the carjacking and

interested in life again,” and I start welcoming the avalanche of friends

entering through the front door.

Annamarie and I met when Jenny was two years old. Jenny was her

flower girl at her first wedding and has a special place in her heart. She

hands Jenny a huge hamper of beauty products. Then she walks over to

me and gives me a hug. “Jenny tells me that she wants to work on a

kibbutz in Israel.”

“Yes, I think it could be a healing experience for her. I just wish I

could let go,” I respond.

Jenny with her Maltese poodles.

Photograph taken by her husband 1997 in New York.

“You need to give her wings and a sense of self-sufficiency, you know

that.” Annamarie sounds a little pedantic for a moment but, as an old


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friend, she has earned herself the right and her advice comes from the

heart.

“My family will always be there for her,” offers Ilan who has arrived in

the meantime. I love the sound of his Israeli accent and give him a hug.

It is photograph time and we take pictures of everybody with the

birthday girl. Jenny and Ilan have their photograph taken and then Magriet

requests a picture of Ilan and me. He puts his arm around me and holds

me tight for the pose. For a moment it feels as if we have never been apart.

Magriet phones me that evening. “You know that Ilan is still crazy

about you. He still loves you – it absolutely made his day to put his arm

around you.”

“Impossible,” I respond, “he is dating someone else and we are just

good friends now.”

“I am telling you his whole face lit up – I captured a moment of

truth...”

“You are an incurable romantic, Magriet,” is my only comment. I

know that Ilan loves me as a person and at times I still feel the attraction

between us, but try to suppress these feelings as there can never be a

reunion between us. I don’t tell Magriet that I have never stopped loving

Ilan. I dare not admit it, because I cannot act on it – I am simply too busy

surviving.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part Three: The Journey Chapter 2: Reclaiming Meaning and Purpose _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________ Page 140

Chapter 2

Reclaiming Purpose and Meaning

It’s been six months since I’ve left the NFC and I can feel the pinch. My

pension money should be due in a month or two and then I can breathe

again, but it is crunch time. I am cash-strapped and have delved deeply

into my bank overdraft. I have beautiful furniture and I decide to get rid of

some classic items to generate money. I’ve been fortunate enough to secure

a smaller apartment and so will therefore need less furniture. My

temporary assignments are certainly not bringing in enough money.

Everhard arrives with his truck to take a beautiful Blackwood

bedroom suite away. It was a gift from my mother and should have been

Jenny’s inheritance. He is also there to collect my dining room suite. As a

friend who is trying to help me, he has offered to sell the items in his

furniture shop without taking any profit. I will be able to live off the

proceeds for a month or two.

Magriet is there to support me. She intuitively knows that this is a

traumatic experience for me. As I watch Everhard loading our belongings,

Jenny’s inheritance gone forever, I am suddenly overwhelmed by emotion.

It’s the moment of truth. I can no longer postpone the tears; I have feared

this moment, thought I was smart enough to make it go away. A raw sob

escapes from my chest and I am crying, loud and uncontrollably. I cover

my face with my hands, feeling so ashamed about exposing my grief in

such an undignified way.

Everhard and Magriet are also upset. I wish I could stop, but the tub

is eventually overflowing; the dam wall has burst. This is the breaking

point I feared.

“I hate them for what they did to you,” says Magriet and her voice is

full of emotion. She puts her arms around me and turns to Everhard.

“Today is not a good day to do it, let’s rather wait.”

Everhard is happy to oblige and I try to persuade them between the

tears. “It must be done, take the furniture, I will be okay. It’s natural to

cry...” But it seems too much for Magriet to bear. Her husband is a

successful businessman and takes care of her. I suppose she grasps the

extent of my predicament as a breadwinner for the first time today.


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Magriet and Everhard agree that he will wait two weeks so that I am

mentally better prepared. Magriet makes tea for us and eventually my tears

subside. We talk about the political situation, the weather, and so on.

When Everhard leaves, my crying is under control, my red eyes are clearing

up and I apologise again for being such a big baby. I realise that even

though I have less money, I am still loved by so many people.

There are no easy solutions to these problems. I remember that my

mother always used to tell others that I was the problem-solver in the

family, the clever child. Selling our beautiful furniture seems like a very

unwise solution – it is a mistake, however well-intended.

“I am just very thankful that Jenny is in Israel at the kibbutz - today

would have broken her heart. She is probably learning to speak Hebrew

now...”

Magriet interrupts, “And peeling potatoes!”

“Perhaps this is why I was so determined to send her to Israel to

work there – to save her from experiencing a day like this.”

Then Magriet suggests that we carry on with our preparations for the

book. “It will take your mind off the furniture and missing Jenny,” she

suggests.

She spends the day with me and we plough through volumes and

volumes of documents from the NFC – wanting to prove that the

retrenchments represented a different agenda and that the process was not

transparent at all. At first Magriet seems a bit reluctant to take them on

again, but after what happened this morning, she is adamant to see justice

done. I realise that my pain was a defining moment for Magriet too. We’ve

actually grown very close.

“This is the funniest story I’ve ever read,” says Charlize. “How the

hell did you pull this one off, and on such a prominent page of a major

Sunday newspaper? You, Magriet and Shirley Bassey in the same

photograph?”

“We actually did not ‘pull it off’ as such. Rapport41 approached us

and they wanted some comments on the NFC, because they got hold of a

Parts of these chapters contain passages from my earlier writings in the book, “Corporate Hyenas at Work. How to spot and outwit them by being Hyenawise” with Magriet Herman.


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receipt for a very expensive diamond necklace which was bought for Shirley

Bassey. Of course we had a negative take on that – you cannot retrench

staff and buy an international star a diamond necklace as a gift. Non-profit

Organisations don’t do diamonds. Period. Rapport then wanted to take a

picture of us in front of the offices of the NFC to make a point that senior

and talented people had lost their jobs, while others were buying diamonds

for superstars. I said “no way” and suggested the hyena cages at the Zoo.

Magriet, of course, was very happy about the suggestion and rushed over

from Roodepoort.”

“That’s enough to make any journalist sing!” Charlize bursts out

laughing.

“Well, the hyenas are nocturnal predators and of course they were

sleeping, so we took a picture under the hyena signpost which was just as

good. How they managed to have us look so forlorn and in shock was

actually a surprise.”

The newspaper headlines...my friend Magriet and I with Shirley Bassey and her diamond necklace and the receipt for the expensive gift.

“Yes. You look as though butter couldn’t melt in your mouth and

Magriet looks as if she is being caught saying ‘f**k off’ to somebody. The

headlines say that Bassey received an expensive necklace from NFC and

These writings had been repeated in my latest book; Don’t take SHIT from Hyenas in the Workplace (2007). 41 Largest South African Sunday newspaper for Afrikaans-speaking audience.


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look, the subtitle announces that she was entertained like royalty while

staff was being laid off!” Charlize’s body is shaking with laughter. “They

even stated that Shirley Bassey, on receiving the diamond necklace sang

‘Hey Big Spender’ to the NFC’s management. Where the hell did they get

that information? The story has ‘inside job’ written all over it!” Charlize

starts laughing again. I join her, because the article is actually hilarious.

“Wouldn’t know. We just expressed our disgust at all the stories of

big spending. And they deserved it ‘good and plenty’. They need to know

that we will be watching them and we will speak up if there is anymore

bullying or bad governance.”

Charlize smiles. “You are a very easy going person, but I think people

underestimate your capacity to deal with enemies or wrongs.”

“I know. People often confuse friendliness with weakness.”

During the day I receive many calls from people commenting on the

newspaper article. I realise that the promise of a book about corporate

hyenas in a national newspaper certainly forces us to work harder in order

to deliver on our commitment.

It is the evening of a rather eventful day filled with laughter. I sit

down to write a couple of passages comparing the natural hyena to the

corporate hyena in a fun and informative way. I’ve actually formulated it

in my mind already and just need to put it to paper. As I turn to a box

containing all my writing materials, magazines and brochures from over

the years, I come across poems which I completed in 1984.

Ten years ago! I smile. Maybe my search for truth started then. Prof

Spannenberg, a well-known Afrikaans literary critic at the University of

South Africa (UNISA), was impressed with my poems and recommended

them for publication. The publishers, Perskor, maintained that the poems

I submitted were too few to make up a proper selection. I was young and

felt rejected. Writing poems was a cathartic experience; it ripped into my

essence and I felt empty. I couldn’t write anymore and I left it there.

It turns out to be a night filled with memories for me and I end the

day on a sad note, looking at the destruction that bullying causes in

people’s lives. I turn to a poem dedicated to the memory of David, my late

brother who died in 1975. David was ill; he suffered from amnesia and

increasing epileptic fits at the time of his death.

Because of his illness colleagues discriminated against him in the

workplace, saying he was “mad”. There are many theories about how he


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died – maybe he committed suicide or maybe he forgot that he had already

taken his pills and died of an overdose. The death certificate stipulated that

his death was due to “an overdose of anti-epileptic drugs, possibly suicide".

There was no goodbye, no farewell note and forever the speculation.

He died alone, in a small room. In this poem I compared David’s illness

with a wild runaway horse, trembling in a vaulting, final trot and

eventually dying in anguish – the last verse ending in a reproach to God:

“When the sun set the fiery left

All that remained was the pride and the pain.

The suffocating anguish of betrayal

when God turned away, forgot to unsaddle her,

walk her round to cool her down at the end of

that, your darkest day.”42

Somehow the chilling verse comes back to haunt me tonight. Did

God forget me too? It is with some anger that I think of friends who visited

me last week and asked whether I had discovered the “lesson God wants to

teach you”. As if I had been a naughty child serving time out. Tonight I can

relate to how David felt. People sometimes accused him of having

inadequate faith in God or doing “something wrong”, reasoning that this

was the cause of his illness.

I suddenly realise that their motives formed part of the process of

finding purpose in their own lives again. Many people tend to compare

themselves favourably with others and so have probably come to the

conclusion that I made the gods angry, blaming my predicament on my

own stupidity.

Similar to many old stories, the story of the biblical Job, rings forever

true. Job also dealt with pious friends who thought that his adversities

were the result of his own doing and evil nature. They deserted him when

he needed them most. Some people abuse religion to justify hurting or

42 This is a free translation of the unpublished poem “Toe dit donker word” (When Darkness fell)” from the volume poems “Maanstad” (Moon City) by Susan Marais (now Steinman) completed in 1984.


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abandoning others, or to make themselves look good – it happens in all

religions.

Adversity should be regarded as an opportunity for growth.

Sometimes suffering assists you in rebuilding your life. There can be no

future without personal transformation; there can be no rebuilding

without sacrifice. I cling to the thought that a financial burden is a small

price to pay when my own personal transformation can benefit others. I

sense that there is a purpose in the pain I am enduring, since I am

rediscovering myself.

Many victims of workplace violence have told me how their friends

suddenly got an ego boost on account of their predicament. They use it as

a platform to boast about themselves, and use God as the icing sugar.

One told me: “My precarious position somehow made my friend feel good

and she told me every time that her business was doing so well and that

‘God has been so good to them’. Almost as if she were being rewarded for

being a good person and insinuating that I perhaps did not have an

amicable relationship with God. Some cosmic favouritism happening, you

know.”

Remarks such as these cause bitterness. I remind her (and myself)

that God is good, even when bad things happen to us. My anger towards

my friends’ and family’s remarks subside when I realise that I am

experiencing exactly what so many of the victims of workplace violence

relay to me about their situation.

Apart from those who imagine themselves to be holy, many people

do not associate with the idea of being a “victim”. Instead, they believe

that if they do things right, nothing bad will happen to them. We are

brought up with the idea that good behaviour is rewarded, bad behaviour

is punished and pain is covered with a bandage and some medication.

Even the word “victim” has been altered to “target” or “survivor”;

“disability” has been changed to “challenge”, and so forth, because the

state of being a victim is shameful – almost comparable to the situation

years ago when child abuse thrived, because of the silence and shame

that accompanied it.

For me, the way to change these perceptions is not to change the

word “victim” to that of “survivor” as though victims are losers, but rather

to change people’s perceptions about violence, particularly emotional

violence. The task is enormous; how do we de-stigmatise victimhood?


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For the first time I understand that my emotional pain will certainly

lead to spiritual growth and maturity. David’s pain was caused by his

illness and exacerbated by hyena colleagues, a few nasty individuals with

self-righteous attitudes. Whether he committed suicide, or not, is

immaterial now. I am overcome by a sense of purpose and I know that

God has not forsaken me, nor am I serving ‘time out’.

“I want justice ‒ a decent settlement,” and I hold up the rather thick

document Magriet and I compiled. I look my former boss and their lawyers

straight in the eye. They sit opposite us in the offices of the Council for

Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). The CEO seems somewhat

concerned and her lawyer’s face is rather ash-stricken too, which somehow

puts my mind at ease – he will be easy to read.

This is a conciliation hearing and, if we do not reach an agreement

today, the case will be due for arbitration. On our side we have Richard, a

competent labour consultant appointed by our insurer, Legalwise.

The content of the file is a can of worms. Today I am reclaiming my

dignity; and the NFC will be confronted with some facts about their unfair

conduct and purposeful deceit of their staff. I want to tell them that I am

aware of the facts, that I am nobody’s fool, that I deserve respect.

I speak direct and from the heart, with confidence and without fear. I

point to new information at hand, the substantial and procedural

unfairness. Perhaps this changes the landscape somewhat, since the CEO

now realises that staff are assisting us from within the organisation. While

I am articulating what needs to be done, I realise how much I’ve grown. I

may be without financial means and hurting, but I am getting stronger and

more focused day-by-day.

By the end of the meeting it is clear that the NFC will eventually

settle with me first, while Magriet will have more difficulty because she

opted for voluntary retrenchment. I’ve done my homework and according to

Richard warned me, “You have to sit it out for the next nine months at

least.”


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Jenny is back from Israel. Although she enjoyed the kibbutz

experience, the routine became boring and she spent all her money visiting

Ilan’s family and places of interest. She decided to come back to South

Africa after six weeks and has found a job again.

It is around bed-time when the telephone rings. Hilde, Magriet’s

daughter, is sobbing and can hardly speak. “Something terrible happened;

my mom was in an accident!” Magriet had been injured in a serious car

accident on her way to her mother and she is in a hospital about two and a

half hours’ drive from Johannesburg.

I walk to Jenny’s bedroom, wake her up and share the bad news with

her. When she starts asking me questions, I realise that I had been too

shocked and devastated to obtain the essential information.

“Now that I have my breath back, I need to get the facts straight,” I

tell Jenny and phone Magriet’s home again to get more information from

Hilde.

The next day, Toon, Magriet’s husband, phones to make travel

arrangements. Magriet’s injuries are bad. He explains that she might loose

her foot, and then elaborates on how brave she was, lying there with her

injured foot and telling him to tell me she will be OK soon again.

“That’s just Magriet, even under these circumstances worried about

letting me down...” I swallow back the tears and we make arrangements to

travel to the town of Klerksdorp together.

When visiting her the next day, I notice how pale she is and Jenny

observes that her breathing is similar to that of someone in pain.

“Something is wrong!” Jenny is very intuitive.

Magriet’s situation deteriorates when she starts coughing up blood

and she is airlifted to Johannesburg to the intensive care unit. I fear losing

my dearest friend. But she survives the next few days and is eventually

discharged with her leg in plaster and a guarantee of a few more operations

to get her foot reasonably functional again.

“Her life has changed forever,” I tell Jenny. “Today I ran some

errands for her. I collected a wheelchair and bought her a portable phone

so that she can get organised around her house while recovering. But it will

be an uphill battle. She will eventually be able to use her foot again, but

she will in all probability be crippled to some degree.”


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“It is so sad. Maybe the prospect of writing a book with you is one of

the things that will give her something to hold on to, otherwise she’ll

become very depressed,” says Jenny and I agree that the project could, in

Magriet’s case, be a healing experience.

“But it will take more than writing for Magriet to heal,” I warn Jenny.

I also have a nagging feeling that, because Magriet usually suppresses her

feelings, the emotional trauma of this horrific accident may only manifest

later.

A two-month assignment at the investment bank comes as a

welcome relief and Jenny and I are moving to another, more economical

apartment. I am also steadily expanding my circle of friends.

“It is actually not so bad to do contract work because you are not a

threat to anybody; you are a friend to them, making them look better. I talk

to them about bullying, collect stories in the process and in so doing,

become a confidante, even to top management.” I am more relaxed and

share with Jenny the joy of working on assignments in a non-managerial

position.

“You are a people’s person” she says. “Maybe this is the ideal job for

now, because you are sourcing information and doing research for your

book simultaneously.”

“The job with the bank ends tomorrow and I have been offered a job

at an import and export logistics company. A long-term assignment with a

pompous and grumpy boss and there probably will be lots of bullying.” I

start laughing at the prospect of an abundance of bullying cases becoming

a “fringe benefit” and a learning curve for me.

“Did you accept the offer?”

“Of course I did! That old Prima Donna is going to provide me with

lots of hyena stories. This job is anything but stimulating, but I will have a

steady income. You know that all my resources are drained. On the upside

it is a low key position and I can even moonlight, affording me enough time


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to do research on bullying, building up case studies, seeking solutions and

writing the book.”

My labour law consultant is excited. “The NFC will make an offer to

settle at the pre-trial meeting.”

“Gosh, that is great. I really don’t want to take time off for a tribunal

now.” I can just imagine my grumpy boss’s reaction.

The NFC suffered a psychological blow when Magriet won the right to

proceed with a tribunal as a voluntary retrenchee a few months ago. I know

that they are in no mood to go ahead with my case. I remember pretty well

how this victory lifted our spirits.

The CEO attends the pre-trial meeting. She greets me kindly and

enquires about Jenny. I’m courteous too and then the NFC breaks the ice:

they have decided to settle and make a reasonable offer. I accept and have

an immense feeling of being validated and acknowledged.

The NFC’s settlement amount takes care of all my debts. For the first

time I am debt-free – I settle my overdraft and reimburse family and

friends.

Victims of bullying often tell me that they feel validated when they

discover that there is a name for adverse behaviour in the workplace and

that others have been targeted too. Validation, I know, is the first and most

essential step towards healing.

That evening Jenny and I celebrate the outcome of the hearing -

closure as far as my old career is concerned, but I am well aware that this

is the start of a new career.

I lift a glass: “To justice, being free at last and a bright future.”

Jenny smiles. “To you and Ilan, and getting back together again.” She

wants to see us reunited more than anything in the world. We are seeing

more of each other. He broke off with the lady he was seeing some time

ago, but we are still exploring our possibilities.

“That is about to happen in the near future, but he needs to commit

to me only. It could be soon, are you ready for it?” I ask Jenny.


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“Of course, I couldn’t be happier to have my dad back in our lives,”

and she touches the Magen David necklace and leans forward. “He will

definitely encourage you to write. How is the book doing, by the way?”

“The book is proceeding well and Magriet writes to make her feel

better.”

“But tell me more about your writing. You are actually succeeding in

making the connection between hyenas in nature and hyenas in the

corporate world?” Jenny leans forward and her eyes seem amused and

lively.

“Yes, it is simply amazing how easy it is. I call it the soul of the

hyena. By making the connection in a less abstract way, I actually assist

the victims by naming the demon in a fun and educational manner. There

is a strange duplicity about the hyena that is simply amazing: they laugh

and kill; their eyes are sad, but they are dangerous. Legend has it that

their backs slope in shame of their abominable behaviour. Do you know

that perpetrators also often portray themselves as victims or as pitiful

bystanders who only tried to help?”

“Wow,” comments Jenny and she moves forward. “And the fact that

they are nocturnal animals poses no problem?” she asks.

“That’s right. They hunt at night. The Corporate Hyena will wait for

the appropriate dark hour to launch an attack on a victim. They are smart.

Do you know that Claude Makhubella, the nyanga43 you introduced me to,

tells me that it is incredibly difficult to track down a hyena. They are able

to deceive even the best of trackers. Once the hyena knows that you are

tracking him, he will suddenly change his course for a few hundred metres

and then start running again.”

“Okay,” Jenny smiles.

“Now this also happens in the corporate world and there are many

examples. When an accountant was about to be fired because she openly

declared that she was gay, the Corporate Hyena was alerted to the fact that

he would be engaging in discriminatory work practices and stopped raising

her sexual preference as an issue. He changed his course and a month

later he started a process of restructuring. Of course her position was

declared redundant.”

43 African healer, man of wisdom


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“This makes great sense and Claude Makhubella will be so pleased if

he is mentioned in the book!”

“Of course I will acknowledge all my sources.”

“But tell me how you connect the hyena’s laugh to the corporate

world?”

“Well, the Shona people believe that a hyena shrieking close to the

kraal44 symbolises the death of a relative. If the hyena is close to the kraal,

a nyanga is consulted because it is considered to be a bad omen. When a

Corporate Hyena pays an unplanned visit or suddenly becomes friendly for

no reason, one should be suspicious and ask questions.”

Jenny giggles. “The other night I read that witchcraft is closely linked

to the hyena.”

“Hyenas are both loathed and respected in Africa. The belief is that

the forces of darkness are on the side of the hyena.”

“What does that have to do with the corporate world?” Jenny is

amused, probably thinking that I will link corporate hyenas to some form of

witchcraft.

“By thinking someone has extraordinary powers, one actually affords

them power. The same superstition surrounds the Corporate Hyenas. They

are given more power in the minds of people than they actually have.

People fear the Corporate Hyena instead of trying to outsmart them or just

standing up to them.”

Then I tell Jenny about the natural hyena prefers to scavenge. If

their backs weren’t sloping, causing them to be slower, they would be the

strongest of all predators. The same applies in the corporate world.

Corporate Hyenas are so much less than they could actually be.

The natural hyena hunts in packs or clans and exhausts their prey in

the chase. Corporate Hyenas exhibit the same sense of persistence when

they go for the prey: they tire out the victim until he or she no longer has

the inclination or energy to fight back. Hyenas create chaos to steal food

from other animals and the Corporate Hyenas operate in much the same

way. Natural hyenas are strong animals and large clans even attack

wildebeest, zebra, waterbuck or sickly lions.

44 African village


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“The Corporate Hyena will go for a vulnerable person, but find popular,

competent colleagues, an adversary or a whistleblower evenly attractive if

there is enough protection. There is no such thing as a victim profile, but

the Corporate Hyena does a thorough risk assessment.”

This notion catches Jenny’s attention. “No victim profile, Mom?” she

asks surprised.

“No victim profile. It is about the Corporate Hyena not respecting the

dignity of others. Hyenas are gluttons and the corporate counterparts also

do not afford their victims an ounce of dignity. The other reason why I do

not believe in a victim profile is mainly this: by saying some people

predictably become victims, we are actually implying that they deserve

such treatment. Nobody deserves to be bullied, harassed or violated in any

way.”

“Mom, having been there too, I also feel validated.45” After a short

silence Jenny asks, “How do retrenchments link with hyena behaviour?”

“Well, some people say the natural hyena’s job is to ‘clean the planes’

and I contend that Corporate Hyenas ‘clean the corridors or shop floor’ in

business. The Corporate Hyena can certainly clean the floors with you.”

I continue, “You know, I even developed a hyena language in

Orwellian style. For instance, the way Corporate Hyenas talk is called

‘Hyena Speak’. The Corporate Hyena’s gossip is called ‘Den Privilege’ and

when you are empowered, you are ‘’Hyena Wise’ or a ‘Hyena Buster’. It is

fun to play with these concepts and very healing, believe me!”

Jenny laughs and her blonde bob moves with her head. “You are one

crazy mother! Magriet likes your creativity too.”

I am not sure whether Jenny is making a statement or asking a

question: “Oh yes, she appreciates my creativity and I value her insightful

ideas on ethical management and empowerment, which form an important

contribution to the book. I try to edit and liven her parts up with creative

language or ‘HyenaSpeak’46 too.”

Then Jenny tells me that she wants to visit a friend in the USA and

she would like to take a copy of the hyena book along to obtain her friend’s

opinion.

45 Validated is a term used by workplace violence professionals – it is the affirmation or acknowledgement that the incident (s) happened and has an enormous impact on the victim. 46 ‘HyenaSpeak’ is written and used in the Orwellian fashion.


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“Gee, I just hope that I can finish all the bits and pieces, Jenny.”

“Maybe it is good to get an American marketing expert’s opinion on

the book and then you can make some final adjustments,” she suggests.

“I will print the book on the work’s computer over a weekend before

you leave. I will buy my own ink cartridge and paper because you know my

boss is from hell,” and I start laughing at the prospect of the company CEO

knowing about the book. I have to be careful, because some of the case

studies are derived from the office.

“You can laugh now, but that guy is no joke,” and she moves closer.

“He is definitely what one would call ‘a hyena from hell’. When you bought

that book about famous murder cases, I thought that you were planning to

kill him!”

We burst out laughing. Jenny simply cannot believe the extent of

harassment I am tolerating from my boss.

“Well,” and I try and look serious, “That asshole deserves

extermination...” Jenny nods, smiling.

“But I will never match evil with evil. He is ridiculous. After all, he

gave me some good material to write about. Enough is enough, though, I

feel that it is time to leave this job and broaden my horizons. I need large

corporate experience to be able to make better comparisons.”

Jenny, in a dramatic gesture, throws her hands in the air. “You

should stop writing, Mom. You are working so hard, moonlighting three

nights a week as a public relations lecturer, working all day, forever talking

to victims of bullying, doing most of the home chores and still suffering

abuse. In addition, you still somehow manage to get the time to love me

and others too. I am actually glad that the book is more or less finished.

We can now spend some quality time together and you can take better care

of yourself and have some romance in your life.” Jenny’s rambling is

similar to what I am told by Charlize, Annamarie and my other friends all

the time.

The next few weeks are spent trying to find a language editor to

prepare the book for publication and also to provide Jenny with the names

of books about publishing and literary agents in the USA, in order for her

to purchase copies there for me.


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My daughter is at last whole again. It took her almost three years to

get over the carjacking that traumatised her, but she is full of plans,

laughter and fun.

Trauma has a debilitating effect on sufferers. People who have been

subjected to bullying, traumatic job losses, abuse or physical violence at

work tell me that the after-effects of abuse stay with them for very long

periods. I still receive phone calls from people who have learned about

hyenas in the workplace in Charlize’s newspaper or by word of mouth, and

I spend many an evening returning calls. Some victims even move from one

abusive situation to another.

Those who have inadequate support structures claim that the effects

of violence last for many years. But those, who in some way received

validation by their employers, just seem to be in a better position to face

the trauma and deal with it. Those who tend to forgive mend quicker

according to my observation. In fact, those who forgive their perpetrators

are notably in a better position. Jenny too forgave her perpetrator and that

seemed to have healed her.

Later that evening Ilan phones and asks me to dinner over the

weekend. We have a romantic dinner together and enjoy being together,

being close and affectionate. The jealousy, possessiveness and insecurity

that marked our relationship previously seem to be something of the past.

The next morning I close my bedroom door and Jenny is already

having breakfast in the kitchen. She wants to borrow my shoes and I stop

her from storming into my bedroom.

“I’ll get it for you,” and I block her from rushing past me to the

bedroom.

Jenny is quick to put two and two together. She realises that Ilan

slept over and she doesn’t hide her delight. “I am so happy that he is back,

I need him too, even if he is a very strict dad and forever tells me that my

‘thong’ should be connected to my brain.” I laugh. Ilan’s Israeli accent is

legendary. He pronounces “tongue” as “thong’” and I am thankful that we

are a happy family again.

“You actually appreciate his brutal honesty, even though it can

sometimes be harsh?” My observation is posed as a careful question.

“Exactly, I am so much like him.” Jenny identifies strongly with Ilan


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and takes pride in being a no-nonsense person who always speaks her

mind.

The South African Airways flight from Miami has just landed. Jenny

is back from her three-week visit to the USA. I spoke to her a few times and

know that she enjoyed her visit. “Hard Times and Corporate Hyenas” has

been declined by a number of publishing houses and Jenny’s friend

remarked that the book definitely requires further editing and possibly

even some rewriting.

Jenny comes rushing towards me and I am delighted to see her

again. Her bob bounces and she gives me a long hug. On the way back

from the airport she talks non-stop about the USA. How safe it is to walk

the streets at night, the shopping malls and the general sense of greatness.

I listen, ask questions and silently envy her. Much later, while unpacking

her suitcases, I ask about the book.

“You will have to rewrite the book, Mom. Certain sections are very

long-winded. It must be shorter, crisper and in one style. It can’t be

published in its current format.”

“I know. I’ve had a few reports from local publishers already.”

Although I am disillusioned, I have decided not to give up like I did with my

poetry many years ago. The books on publishing actually warn that a

manuscript could be rejected many times before it is eventually accepted.

The next day I phone Magriet during my lunch time and give her an

account of Jenny’s trip and the news. She is disappointed, but has a new

interest: she wants to write a book with someone else and is no longer so

concerned about our book. I realise that I now have an opportunity to

change the style of my book.

“Would you mind if I rewrite, reorganise and edit the book as I feel fit

to make it publishable?

“Not at all, I am in any case too busy with the other manuscript with

Danny47 and, as I said, I think that book has as a better chance than the

hyena book.” Since her accident, Magriet has gradually developed other

interests and I realise that we have grown apart. I work long hours while

47 Pseudonym to protect the privacy of the person.


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she has stopped working and has had to face quite a number of operations

after the accident.

Although I feel hurt, I somehow understand this change of direction.

This might even be a blessing in disguise. “Watch this space, Magriet!” I

think, but I don’t say it. A book is not something one writes overnight; you

‘chew on’ it, write and rewrite sections and perhaps the different author

styles can now be blended and unnecessary sections deleted entirely.

I fetch Jenny from the salon where she is working at. She started

work immediately again and on the way back to our apartment she tells me

that she would like to do au pair work in New York. The travel bug has

really bitten her and she is eager for me to support her. What it boils down

to, is that she needs about four months to prepare herself for her next

adventure.

Ilan is back in my life. We have our own apartments and see each

other mainly over weekends. He is not sociable at all, while I love

entertaining and enjoy going out whenever I have the time. My weeks

become routinised: I first spend time with my daughter, then with my

friends and weekends are put aside for Ilan. My tenure at the import and

export logistics company has come to an end and I now have a new

assignment in the health sector at a private hospital.

I was under the impression that I was being appointed in a

marketing position, but for some rhyme or reason I am expected to work in

the theatre where the medical procedures that I should be marketing, take

place. My incompetence in the area of practical healthcare and looking at

wounds and pain soon becomes visible to all. I talk to Charlize often and

being a good listener, she somehow encourages me to face up to the theatre

experiences.

“Health workers are fascinating, you know,” I tell her. “When they

want to bully a colleague, they simply ignore them.”

“You mean they don’t talk to the victim at all?” she asks.

“Yes, you could actually say ‘my dad dropped dead last night’ and

nobody would blink an eyelid. They’ll merely carry on as though nothing

happened.”

“That is unbelievably cruel. They are bitches!” she exclaims.


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“Total social isolation. Bullying in the health sector is very devious

and yet so direct. They go to great lengths to work people out of a job. I’m

told that if the doctors don’t like a nurse, she is unfairly dismissed.”

“Get me a story on this. I’d love to write about it. But how are you

coping in that atmosphere?” Charlize enquires.

“I am actually fascinated by it and would like to do more research on

health workers. But, I’ve been conned, this is a position for someone with a

nursing background and there is no infrastructure, or budget for

marketing. Maybe there is a shortage of nurses and the health sector is

desperate. Can you imagine me working with wounds? I am not used to

blood and I don’t have the necessary training at all.”

“Quite frankly, I can’t see you doing anything remotely similar to

that.” Charlize giggles nervously when she realizes how traumatic the

experience must be for me.

“The other day I panicked when an anaesthetist fell asleep during an

operation and wanted to wake him up to alert him to the fact that the

patient was turning blue. The nurses told me that if I do that I would be

fired. I had to leave because I became nauseous. There is probably a

purpose for everything in life, but heaven knows why I need to see the

health sector’s worst unit!”

The next day I arrive at work and the laser machines are

dysfunctional. No power, and the patients are due to be in theatre soon. I

phone the electricity department, but before they could arrive, I discover

that somebody has tampered with the plugs and I manage to reconnect the

wires myself.

“Someone wants to make life difficult for you,” says one of the

nurses. “There is a lot of bickering because you earn more than the

registered nurses and this is a job for a nurse.” The auxiliary nurse

explains to me that I’ve become a target of envy and I shake my head in

disbelief.

“So they’re ganging up against me?” A different type of bullying

prevails in the health sector and I am fascinated by this phenomenon. Does

the “female factor” have something to do with it, I wonder, or is it due to

the strictly hierarchal structure, or perhaps the stress accompanying the

profession?

“Watch your back!” is her good advice. I smile because she must be

under the impression that I will react to bullying like any normal person


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would. The truth is that bullies may be able to damage my career or delay

my progress, but I will no longer allow them to cause me any form of pain

or distress. I will never again permit anyone to have that kind of power over

me.

Over the next few weeks, my suspicion that bullying in the health

sector has a nature of its own is confirmed in conversations with mainly

lower level staff. The interesting aspect is that bullying in this sector tends

to be collective most of the time and not one-on-one. A group decides to

bully a staff member and everybody participates in the process.

“But this does not apply to all sections within health institutions.

Where there is good leadership, such nonsense is not tolerated,” the

assistant nurse tells me. I am pleased to hear that and deliberately start

associating with other sections. I also realise that everybody seems to know

that I am finding it hard to cope in theatre as a non-healthcare worker. I

persist in viewing the bullying as experience and case studies for my book

and so it doesn’t affect me in the slightest – I’ve become my own person

with my own mission.

I am eventually able to leave the stressful health sector earlier than

planned but definitely an amicable separating of ways. When I’m told by

the marketing manager that the nursing staff members are upset because I

am not coping with the nursing chores in theatre, I respond by telling him

that I am not supposed to be doing nursing chores in the first place.

When he accuses me of not performing any marketing activities, I

retort: “I am too busy in theatre; I haven’t been given an office, desk or

chair, paper or even a telephone directory, for that matter!”

We decide to part ways and I am relieved. I am able to go home, pour

myself a glass of wine and start phoning employment agencies to find

something new. I know intuitively that it is not the last of the health sector

for me – I feel drawn to render assistance in an environment where the

wounds caused by external victimisation and the way staff members relate

to one another are not overtly visible, but certainly need to be addressed.

I am approached to join the Human Resources department of a

mining house two days later for a long-term assignment. The environment

is bully-free and I immediately make friends and connect well with

everybody. The work is interesting and I am exposed to new technology and

new computers. The internet opens up an exciting world to me. My


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colleagues take an interest in my work and the hyena book and allow me to

test and share my ideas with them.

Jenny is ready to leave for the USA to au pair and it is an emotional

farewell. I realise that she wants to explore the big wide world and I am

very tearful when she leaves, wishing that I could accompany her. Ilan

returns from Israel earlier than planned, wanting to be in time to say

goodbye to Jenny, although he hates goodbyes.

“I’m scared, Mommy!” and I realise that she needs to hear that it will

be okay and that it is normal to feel reluctant and hesitant.

“I love you!” and then she slowly walks to passport control, dragging

her feet it seems.

When I leave the airport, I feel angry. Angry that I am separated from

my daughter and angry that I am just ‘getting by’ financially and so will

therefore not be in a position to visit her soon. For the first time I feel that I

am having a raw deal in life. I am too sad to be happy about Ilan’s

premature return, but he understands.

He is exhausted after his trip and we make plans for the weekend

while I help him to unpack his suitcases. When I return home, I try to sing

my personal motto, “Just hold on tight to your dreams”, but the lump in

my throat prevents me. I feel a great sense of loss.

Telephone calls are expensive and I treasure every call from Jenny. We

regularly phone one another, albeit for a few minutes. She is enjoying

herself and a few months after her arrival in the USA, she announces that

there is a special friend in her life. Jenny is five months in the USA and not

happy with her au pair family. She phones to tell me is leaving her au pair

position to get married the very next day to the special friend, an American

citizen, she had been dating for some time. She has always been

adventurous and I am extremely concerned. I want to be there, I want to

approve the man. Jenny is my only child and for so long my life has

centred around her.

“Can’t you wait a bit?” I ask cautiously, but concerned.


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“No, otherwise I will have to go back to South Africa first. We are in

love, but if it doesn’t work out I can always get a divorce. I would like to

take a chance.”

Jenny is determined to start a new life in the USA. She’s had it with

the crime in South Africa. Maybe she is in love with the USA? My financial

position is such that I can’t afford to walk away from my time-limited

contract. I wish Ilan and I could both go to be there for her.

“She will be okay,” Ilan assures me, “and she will make a success of

everything.”

“We don’t know the person she is getting married to.” I can hear the

pain and fear in my voice.

I feel resentful and angry. We should just take our savings and fly to

the USA to be there for her big day. “All mothers attend their daughters’

weddings,” I say and I detect bitterness in my voice.

Ilan realises my need to be in constant contact with Jenny. A ticket

to New York is not a long-term solution for him. “You should have that

new thing called e-mail on the internet. It will give you peace of mind and

then you can be in contact with her all the time. We can even use a video

cam to talk to her live. Imagine that! That computer Claude gave you has

had its days, and you need a computer to write the book and to do some

extra work.”

He takes me to a shopping centre the following Saturday morning. I

find one of the computers very appealing and Ilan agrees that we can buy

it. The computer has internet access and I will be able to e-mail Jenny

every day.

“Everything you want, you’ve got it!” Ilan sings a phrase from the

popular Roy Orbison song and gently puts his arms around me. I feel

closer to him and the cyber world where I can have unlimited contact with

my Jenny.

“Ilan and you have moved in together! When are you getting

married?” Annamarie is happy for me.

“In the fullness of time!” I answer her with a wise crack and then

quickly change the topic. “Do you have access to the internet? It is simply


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wonderful! A new world has opened up to me,” I tell her. “Apart from being

in contact with Jenny and sending her an e-mail every day, I am

broadening my knowledge.”

“You mean with the bullying topics you are into?” Annamarie asks.

“Yes, I discovered a guy called Tim Field in the UK who also

investigates workplace bullying. He wrote a book about it and he will be

sending me a copy of Bully in Sight soon. Oh, and then there are authors in

the USA too: Judith Wyatt and Chauncey Hare. They co-authored a book

called Workplace Abuse and they will be sending me a copy too!”

“That’s great that they are sharing their work with you and that you

are actually building up an international network. Your name should be

changed to ‘Internet Susan,’” she laughs, but I know that she is happy for

me.

A few months later I learn about Gary and Ruth Namie of San

Francisco. They are psychologists devoted to writing a book on bullying too.

They share their experiences with me and we share contacts and do

internet searches together. I discover academics from universities,

unionists and activists all over the world – a handful of like-minded people

who have suddenly become my new best friends.

My contract with the mining house has since come to an end and I

decide to use my writing skills to stay alive. Ilan agrees to back me up ‒ he

will provide the capital, but I need to make the closed corporation (cc)

profitable.

“I want you to do creative work again, while pursuing your cause.”

Ilan gives me a big smile. I’ve had enough of assignments and temporary

work. I want to be free. We start a closed corporation and I ask Ilan what

the Hebrew word for octopus is. “Tamnun... why do you want to know?

“It is the best name for the cc, I feel like someone with many arms

and legs, pulling everybody into my network.” Ilan laughs.

“Tamnun it is!”

Saturday is bookshop day and I just love visiting the nearest store to see

what is new or interesting on the shelves. In my favourite bookshop I see a


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title by Kagiso Publishers in South Africa and decide to look them up and

ask whether they would be interested in the hyena book. I write the

publisher’s details down on a piece of paper.

Early on the Monday morning I phone the publishers and speak to

Christo. He is friendly and it sounds as if he is fascinated by the topic of

hyenas and workplace bullying. I persuade him to have a look at the book

and undertake to send them a book proposal I’ve compiled. He asks me to

call his colleague Linda Hendricks, the non-fiction manager, after lunch

and we arrange to meet at Magriet’s house. Our small townhouse is simply

unsuitable for a meeting and first impressions are important.

The discussion with Linda and Christo goes well and Linda and I

connect immediately. We are both intuitive and spiritual beings. She is

enthusiastic and I have a positive feeling about the book being considered

for publication.

When I get home that evening, Ilan wants to know everything. “It is

also great that you are friendly with the editor. Linda sounds like a good

person.”

“She is fantastic and she is the type of person that can become a

good friend. We clicked and talked non-stop.”

Linda soon passes the book on to a psychiatrist for evaluation, as

well as an editor of a local newspaper and she stays in contact with me all

the time.

“I don’t have an inch of doubt that the outcome will be positive,” she

assures me, “just hang in there and start working on additions and so on.”

“Let’s wait and see!” I am always cautious.

Three weeks pass since the first contact with Kagiso Publishers. Linda

phones me on my cell after a management meeting and sounds jubilant.

“Congratulations! We are going to publish the hyena book.” I jump with joy

in the middle of Balfour Park Shopping Centre.

Nothing else matters for now. I jubilantly raise my fist up in the air.

“Yes! Yes!” My laughter is crystal clear, filling the little shop I find myself in. I

don’t care if the people around me think that I am crazy. My cup is

overflowing with joy as I slowly move to a more private corner in the centre.

“The decision was made on the basis that we think the book is a good

product; therefore it will be an economical venture.


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“But we also feel a moral obligation to expose the issue of bullying,

downsizing and the trauma it causes in the workplace.” Linda gives me more

information about the publishing debate, the people we will be working with

and the exact requirements to get it print-ready. This is going to be an

exciting journey.

I listen, drink in every word and know that a new era has dawned for

me.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part Three: The Journey Chapter 3: Launching Dignity _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________ Page 164

Chapter 3

Launching dignity

“You never answer the phone anymore,” my mom complains. She’s been

trying to reach me, but I’m hard at work in the evenings and usually running

around during the day. The acceptance of the “hyena book” by the publisher

has brought with it a period of excitement, appointments and, of course,

work ‒ at times exhausting, but mostly exhilarating. The book needs more

work and the suggested changes have required immense effort – day and

night – together with the publishing house, the external editors, the

illustrator and reviewers.

“I know, unbelievable Mom, but once the book is published I can take

a break.” I take out my notebook and scribble down an idea for my afternoon

meeting. My mom got married to Don a few months ago, a good, kind man. I

sense that she would love us to develop a closer relationship, but I am still

″daddy’s girl” ‒ no one can ever replace my father.

As a result, my relationship with my mother has become slightly

superficial, more formal since Don entered her life. In a peculiar way it feels

as though I’ve lost a part of her to this new life she’s created for herself.

Sometimes she tells me that she loves Don more than she did my father and

it hurts. She may never realise how deep my loyalty for my father runs and

now that the new love of her life has taken my Dad’s, and his memory’s

place, I am experiencing a sense of detachment.

Eventually I promise Mom I’ll drop in and say hello over the weekend

and then rush off to Kagiso Publishers in Midrand.

“Would you like a Coke?” Linda asks, and then passes the cool drink.

“You must find someone to write a foreword and a blurb for the back,”

and then she starts fiddling with her large ear rings, “but most importantly –

obtain reviews from people whose opinion will have an impact.” While she

takes a sip from her cool drink I quickly take down notes. I’m an obsessive

note-taker and in our fast-paced world my strongest memory is weaker than

the palest ink.


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“Okay, forget the blurbs now,” I smile. “You said you were going to give

me your own hyena story for the book. Let’s talk about it.” I love listening to

stories.

Linda moves uncomfortably in her seat. “It was a traumatic event for

me. Did you know that I had to go for therapy to come to terms with it?” I

glean from her body language that it was a painful experience.

“Tell me about it.” I touch her hand to make her feel more comfortable;

I know from experience that this event could be painful for her to recall. I

lean forward, ready to take notes. Ilan tells me that my face reflects all my

emotions when I listen to others. I do it instinctively, but I know that it is so

important for people to be heard in order to have their experiences validated

– it is not just a story, it is called workplace bullying.

“Well, I really admired Marja48 with her flourishing clothing business.

You know, she even went on television to tell the world that her business

belongs to God. I wanted to be like Marja, so steadfast in her faith. Of course

when she told me that I, Linda, am a god-send, I was so flattered.” Linda

becomes sad when she moves on to how she left a secure position to be with

her role model and to learn at her feet.

“Then all hell broke loose. I was tasked with assignments such as

paying her accounts, sorting out her personal problems, serving her coffee

and collecting her children from school. But even worse, she had a terrible

temper!”

“The ‘Holy Schmoly’ actually dropped her mask in front of you?” I ask

surprised.

“She really took pleasure in humiliating me, and,” Linda touches my

arm to alert me to the bomb she is about to drop, “then she would lecture

me afterwards about forgiveness. But I saw how she hired and fired staff for

no valid reason.”

“Didn’t the red lights start flashing for you?” I am surprised.

“No, a part of me wanted her to be a hero, a model.” Linda seems

embarrassed when she reflects on her naivety. “I felt confused and after six

months I started looking for work closer to home and had two job offers, but

Marja persuaded me to work from home on a commission basis. The 20%

commission was a verbal agreement between us and then Marja gave me a

beautiful cameo broach to affirm our life-long friendship and trust.”

48 Marja is a fictitious name to conceal the identity of the perpetrator.


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“The broach sounds like a catch.” I’ve heard so many hyena stories

that I can almost predict the ending to this story.

“Exactly!” Linda becomes agitated and her brown eyes become darker

as she speaks. “The next thing is that she heard God talking, God Himself,

mind you, telling her that my commission should only be 12%.”

“The hyena!” I am angry at Marja for abusing a decent person like

Linda. I write everything down and then light a cigarette, a habit I always

enjoy when I get worked up. “What did you do then?”

“Well, by that time the two job offers expired had and I was in a

desperate position. When I confronted Marja, she gave me an ultimatum:

either I accept the direct God-given 12%, or our business relationship would

be terminated. But fortunately, I found a job before the ultimatum expired.”

“That must have been a relief.” I am about to finish my notes when

Linda bursts out laughing.

“And that wasn’t all!”

“Don’t tell me there’s more,” I gasp.

“Marja then phoned to tell me that I should return the cameo broach!

But this time I was clever. I told her I’d think about it, then phoned her back

and told her that God told me not to give it back.” We burst out laughing.

“Linda, this is a Power Hyena, but one that uses religion to mislead

her friends and to keep them off track.” I sit back; consider my response and

then suddenly the image of a hyena with a halo, similar to the halos in the

medieval pictures of Christian saints, leaps to mind. I jump up and

announce: “I am going to call Marja the ‘Halo Hyena’!”

Linda’s eyes sparkle and her black hair moves like waves as she

throws her head back and laughs. “That’s brilliant!” Like all victims, Linda

feels relieved that her perpetrator now has a name. What happened to her is

a workplace phenomenon and not just stupidity or weakness or a personality

type. This “a-ha” moment, which can be very cathartic to any victim of

bullying, I call “a moment of validation”. I realise that by identifying the

bully, by calling Marja a “Halo Hyena”, Linda is closer to healing from that

hurtful experience.

The people we love or admire often hurt us the most, but by using the

hyena as a scapegoat for behaviour of this nature, anger is somehow


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diverted. The metaphor certainly has healing qualities.

The wondrous world of the internet brings new knowledge and adds

value to the hyena book. The book of the English author, Tim Field, Bully in

Sight, and another, Work Abuse of the American authors, Wyatt and Hare,

support my observations of characteristics and modus operandi about the

nature of the ‘hyenas’ in the manuscript. I request permission to quote them

and spend a lot of time exchanging information over the internet with Tim

Field in particular.

“Communicating with a virtual boyfriend, are we?” Ilan teases.

“Yes, you should try it too,” and we burst out laughing. “Jokes aside,

Tim told me about Andrea Adams, the pioneer of workplace bullying in the

UK who died in 1995. She co-authored the book, Bullying at work: How to

confront and overcome it, with Neil Crawford in 1992.”

“The first British book in 1992? Not bad, South Africa is usually ten

years behind Britain and the rest of the world; you’ve managed to cut that

down to five years.” Ilan has a dry sense of humour.

Then I read to Ilan what else Tim has written about Andrea Adams.

She was a British journalist credited for creating Britain's first

groundbreaking book on the workplace bullying phenomenon. Adams died of

cancer in 1995, but her work lives on. The Andrea Adams Trust, the first

national charity in Britain dedicated to addressing workplace bullying,

continues to support professionals and activists in the field.

“I have taken on Andrea Adam’s work in the UK and it is a great

responsibility. There are so many victims and most of them are helpless,”

Tim writes.

Then I ask Tim if I could quote him in our book and he responds that

he would be flattered. He has a keen sense of humour and takes time to

share his research findings. His website is the best on the topic of workplace

bullying that I have seen and I decide to create my own website one day.

Tim had been severely bullied in the workplace in 1995 and left his job

to write a book on bullying. He set up a help-line for victims of workplace

bullying even though he was in a state of emotional pain because of the


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bullying he endured. He is a sensitive person who was deeply wounded by

his ordeal and I realised that it would take him years to deal with this issue.

I write to him: “Have you ever thought of taking the message to the

corporate world? Would they listen to you?”

Tim’s answer is somewhat disheartening. He contends that corporate

companies generally do not believe that there’s a problem and when they do,

it’s not something they care too deeply about addressing. It is an impossible

world to penetrate and he has only succeeded in drawing the unions’

attention.

I am surprised. I believe that it can be difficult, but one would have to

convince the business environment in the long run that workplace bullying

and retrenchments (the hyena way) are counterproductive. Tim, however, is

adamant. According to him, I will get nowhere in trying to educate the

business world. Give it up, is his advice, and take care of the victims ‒ they

need you.

How can I be of assistance to victims of workplace bullying if I ignore

the source or root cause of the problem, I wonder. “To ignore business is

foolish!” I respond.

He writes back: “Why is business so important to you?”

“Because they can and should make a difference. One day the

business world will listen to me,” I confidently tell Tim. He writes back,

“Good luck,” with a virtual smile and hug, followed by a challenge: “Tell me

how.”

I write back: “Well, this is the awareness phase among victims which

will be followed by the business awareness phase and the book Corporate

Hyenas at Work will fulfil that function in our country. I then foresee a

period of research, conferences and working at the interface between society

and business, getting the victims to talk to businesses and facilitating the

dialogue. These activities must be followed by a strong message to business

that it is advantageous to address bullying and all forms of victimisation in

the workplace. And in-between, I will liaise with the unions to get the

necessary legislation in place.”

The flurry of e-mails between us ends with Tim’s usual: “Keep up the

good work!” He has appointed himself as the cheerleader and motivator of

the close circle of international friends who share his interest.


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Soon after, I receive the book back from the publisher’s external editor

who has decided to turn the book upside down to our disbelief and horror.

We cannot find the beginning and we can’t locate specific passages.. The new

format is simply unacceptable and Magriet and I decide to accept some of

the changes, leave the rest out and fortunately, our publishers are in

agreement.

Linda is delighted that I am challenging the external editor. “You are a

fearless person,” she remarks. I am acutely aware that I can twist an arm or

two, but twisting arms and trying to get what you want in life can be viewed

positively or negatively.

“My fearlessness also has a downside – I am a risk-taker.”

It takes days to get the book into shape again. I spend up to 16 hours

in front of the computer on some days. All the while, Magriet sits in close

proximity reviewing grammar and providing valuable input.

Magriet and I differ about victims. She feels that the victims are not

assertive enough and that there is something called a “victim mentality” –

one would need to move the victim beyond that. I, in turn, feel that

derogatory phrases such as “victim mentality” stigmatise the victim.

At one stage I angrily ask her: “Whose side are you on?”

Eventually Magriet understands my reasoning for protecting the

victim, or she merely gives in. She leaves in the early evening and Ilan wants

to know why we argued and why I sounded so passionate, even raising my

voice. I summarise the whole difference of opinion in a few sentences, but

realise for the first time that Magriet and I differ in our world views.

“Did you solve it?” he asks, looking concerned.

“Of course, we did. It is actually great to have such debates. But I am

exhausted now. It sharpens me and prepares me to defend my viewpoint

though.”

Ilan laughs. “Never give up on your principles,” he advises.

“You bet! But I am going to take a bath and then I just want to sit

down and relax with you.”

Ilan realises that I missed The Bold and the Beautiful. “Wow. You didn’t

even watch your favourite soapy?” It is my one vice and he (understandably)

has difficulty dovetailing it with my very down-to-earth and logical approach

to life and everything else about me. But I’ve discussed my vice with


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Charlize, Annamarie, Magriet and even Linda and they have also admitted to

“vegging” out to watch The Bold & Beautiful or Days of our Lives.

“Leave my soapies alone. A while ago I read somewhere ... I think it

was in the Sunday Times, that happiness does not equate to a bottle of

vintage wine or a Cuban cigar, but watching a good old-fashioned soap

opera, according to an Oxford University professor, Michael Argyle.49 ” Ilan

looks totally confused for a moment.

”Bullshit!” He starts laughing.

“Truly, the characters, however annoying, become surrogate friends

and neighbours who make us happy and unhappy. Viewers enjoy these

characters and vicariously live the gripping storylines that draw them into a

world of colourful characters and colourful events, but ultimately leave them

unharmed.”

“You’re bluffing.” Ilan is less sure of himself.

“No, I’m not. That is why a support structure is so important for

victims of bullying and abuse in the workplace. Just imagine how difficult it

would have been for me if I did not have Magriet who went through the same

ordeal. In fact, a close friend is highly recommended as therapy in the hyena

book.”

“Okay, but what if a person does not have a close friend?” Ilan loves

playing devil’s advocate.

“Valid question,” I acknowledge. “They need to go out there and engage

with others, network with people who have been through a similar ordeal. A

way to feel better is to watch soap operas and become part of this crazy

world. It was Carl Jung who said that our world is both cruel and brutal, but

also divinely beautiful. Nothing depicts this duality better than so-called

soapies, which of course make us realise that there is a little bit of a hyena

or a dark side in all of us.”

“But in what way is the hyena book similar to a soapy?” Although I am

exhausted after the marathon debate with Magriet, I am also happy that Ilan

is interested. He always asks very valid questions.

“The point is, we try to befriend the victim in the book, tell them that

they are not alone ‒ probably on some level, the hyena book fulfils the same

role as a soap opera. The book creates a safe place and of course, the

49 Information memorised and confirmed from webpage: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/entertainment/186823.stm


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storyline of the hyena is intriguing and actually presented in the form of a

good gossip session. It is simply easier to refer to a person as a hyena than a

bully, a predator or some pest – and it’s fun!”

“Mmm... your arguments hold true. Do others, like Linda, agree?”

“Oh, yes. Linda took our book to a psychiatrist, David Oberholzer. He

believes that the metaphor has tremendous therapeutic value and said that

he could actually kick himself for not thinking of this earlier; it is so logical.

Then Gary and Ruth Namie, the two psychologists from the USA, reckon that

we engage people where they are at and make them feel that they aren’t

freaks or a problem, but are still an essential part of the world.”

“Okay, you have convinced me,” and Ilan puts both his hands up,

indicating the end of the exchange. “You are building and contributing a vast

amount of knowledge to this world, do you realise that?” His eyes are filled

with pride.

“Magriet also tells me that I’ve grown strong, but she probably means

that I have more self-confidence and I can stand up to anybody. The feelings

of inferiority which haunted me after my job loss have certainly faded and I

am proud of my contribution. But I still feel that this topic is in its infancy

stage. This work really represents, at best, the tip of the iceberg. There is so

much work needed.”

Ilan smiles lovingly. “I know, and I will always support you, hopeful so

that, at some stage, you can bring in some money.”

“I will get there too,” and then I walk towards the bathroom with one

wish ‒ to end this day with a warm bath, followed by a glass of dry white

wine in front of the TV with Ilan.

At the publisher’s offices, Magriet and I are waiting to meet Linda and

Christo. We need to go through some of the aspects of publishing, such as

the cartoons. I show Magriet a piece of paper.

“Look at the blurb Michael Finley, the co-author of Why Teams Don’t

Work, gave us. Did you know that he and Robinson were the winners of the

Financial Times/Booz-Allen and Hamilton Business Book Award?”


___________________________________________________________________ Page 172

“How did you manage that?” She reads the blurb. ”The hyena

archetype described in this powerful book is more than a curiosity. It is a

wonderful surprise to see African tradition coming to the rescue of an

organisational world driven half-mad by its own contradictions and

confusions.” Her mouth drops open in surprise and then she smiles from

ear-to-ear.

“The internet, of course! I hunted Finley down on the internet and it

was great of him to respond.” I sit down and sift through the rest of the

papers in the file. I then show her the other blurbs: one from Ed Furter, the

editor of an East Rand newspaper, Sipke de Vries, a well-known

Johannesburg journalist and Gilbert Tsotetsi of the Avmin mining house’s

human resources department.

“Your networking capabilities are unbelievable!” Magriet is delighted.

“What is happening with the foreword?” she asks.

“Well, last New Year’s Day Charlize invited us over to spend the day

with her and her many friends, and I met Professor Marius van Wyk of the

UNISA School of Business Leadership there. We had a great conversation

about restructuring and downsizing and I called him and asked him to do

the foreword.” Magriet shakes her head in disbelief.

Linda and Christo then walk into the meeting room and Linda proudly

shows us the pictures: “How is this for a head taller than the hyena? This is

definitely the picture for Chapter One of the book.” Linda laughs and we all

join her.

Cartoon by

Tony Bloem

illustrating the

San custom for

youngsters to

first become

“taller than a

hyena” before

accompanying

their parents

on a hunting

expedition.


___________________________________________________________________ Page 173

“What do I hear about you getting an advertisement to pay for the

registration of your trademarks?” she asks and laughs.

“As you know, the attorneys charge an ‘arm and a leg’, so I managed to

get an advertisement for the back of the book from the Wits Technikon’s

Business School, which should hopefully cover a large part of the costs.” I

rush through the last few words of my sentence, turn around and sneeze ‒

too much pollen in the air this time of the year.

“Susan, let me show you what he did with the Halo Hyena!” I feel a

tear slip down my cheek. “Tony Bloem is terrific, Linda. Where did you find

him?” But I don’t even listen to her reply. The animation is simply amazing

and Linda feels that her own story will definitely draw a good deal of

attention.

Cartoon of the “Halo Hyena” by Tony Bloem from Corporate Hyenas at Work

The other drawings are equally pleasing and I am grateful that Kagiso

Publishers got hold of this talented illustrator.

“The cartoon of the authors is also brilliant!” Linda proudly shows us

what Tony Bloem did with our portraits.


___________________________________________________________________ Page 174

Cartoon by Tony Bloem from Corporate Hyenas at Work. From left to right:

Susan Steinman (left) and Magriet Herman (right) busy with ‘corporate game-spotting’.

We sit down and go through a lot of detail pertaining to the book, the

launch and the publisher’s attempts to invite the Minister of Labour, Tito

Mboweni, to be the guest speaker at the occasion. The launch is scheduled

to take place at the Johannesburg Zoo in about six week’s time and it is

crunch time for the title of the book. Linda turns to me.

“We decided to settle for your suggestion of Corporate Hyenas at Work with

the subtitle How to SPOT and OUTWIT them by being Hyena-wise. Now we’ve

come to the proof-reading stage, and preferably no more additions.” Linda is

firm and I smile. Stories never end, but at some point one has to let go.

The six weeks pass quickly.

Tattiana is my short and jovial Greek friend and one of the best make-

up artists I’ve ever met. She talks non-stop to the shy and listens with great

attention and love to voluntary confessions about the most intimate life

experiences of her clients. This happens because she does facials, bronzing,

removes facial and nipple hair and advises her clients when it’s time to

enhance the bikini wax with plastic surgery. Now that’s pretty close to

revealing and baring your soul!


___________________________________________________________________ Page 175

She is the natural choice to prepare me for my big evening ‒ the

launch of Corporate Hyenas at Work with the subtitle How to SPOT and

OUTWIT them by being Hyena-wise.

“You’ve come a long way, my friend,” she says while colouring my face.

“I’m a bit nervous,” I confess. “And I don’t really like the cover of the

book. But that was the publisher’s choice and we have to live with it.”

“Don’t worry, the content is important,” she assures me and then tells

me to look down so she can apply the mascara. When I look in the mirror, I

am amazed at her talent. For the first time in years I feel like a princess and

as soon as Tattiana leaves I rush to Ilan, swirl around and dance for him.

“How do I look?” Of course I know that I look good, but I need some

validation on this very important evening.

It is still early when Ilan and I arrive at the Johannesburg Zoo. The

publishers are there, and then Magriet arrives with her husband Toon and

their daughter Hilde. I detect an uncomfortable silence between Magriet and

her husband. There are big posters of the book cover and the cartoons

everywhere.

Cartoons by Tony Bloem. Left the “Hyena medicine” for a Hyena Positive

Organisation and to the right the cartoon depicts spotting the Corporate

Hyena at the interview stage.


___________________________________________________________________ Page 176

The publishers are setting up the podium with a backdrop of the book

and officials of the Johannesburg Zoo enter with two framed certificates.

Magriet and I will be receiving these certificates for adopting a hyena we

called “Phiri Suma”. For some reason the spelling of “phiri” (which is the

Tswana word for hyena) and the peri-peri seasoning were mixed up and

‘Phiri Suma’ read as “Peri Suma” on the certificate. Magriet and I burst out

laughing. Nothing can ever spoil this wonderful evening. Of course we

adopted the hyena to show that we have nothing against the natural animal.

While waiting for the guests to arrive, Tito Mboweni, the Minister of

Labour who is also the guest speaker, calls me aside. “Tell me about

yourself. Who bullied you?”

I am amazed that a Government Minister would take such an interest

in our story. Magriet has sidled in next to me, but the Minister makes the

conversation confidential by holding his ear closer to my mouth. I

immediately take to his very humane approach. No bodyguards, no pomp,

just a great person. I tell him how our lives were turned upside down and

how I got interested in workplace bullying and other forms of victimisation.

I elaborate on the dangers of the restructuring syndrome so prevalent

in our economy and the devastating effects it has on people. He listens

attentively, his eyes turned side-ways. He is evaluating and I realise that he

is no ordinary person. He has a sharp intellect coupled with a gentle way

with people.

The Master of Ceremonies, Joe Diescho, a well-known and rather

controversial TV personality, introduces Lindiwe Mabandla, the Managing

Director of Kagiso Publishers. Lindiwe is handsome and eloquent; his wife is

the Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture.

“We present you with our creative geniuses!” According to Linda, our

publishing editor, Lindiwe Mabandla, took a personal interest in the hyena

book right from the start. He talks about books serving a cause, making the

world a better place and how they, as publishers, looked beyond the

financial benefits and decided that our book would benefit society.

I am standing next to Magriet and across the aisle our nyanga, Claude

Makhubella, who we quoted in the book, takes his place next to the Minister.

Magriet pokes me in the ribs. “Check who’s right next to the Minister. Maybe

he can use some magic tonight.” We start giggling and wonder whether Tito

Mboweni knows that South Africa’s most famous nyanga, Claude

Makhubella, is standing right next to him.


___________________________________________________________________ Page 177

Then the Minister moves forward and the television cameras hone in.

In his speech he asserts that the book is both controversial and a surprise,

especially from two white women who have both internationalised and

dedicated the book to trade unionists, whilst exposing corporate inequities

from Johannesburg to Seoul.

From left to right: Minister Tito Mboweni, Susan Marais (now Steinman), Joe Diescho and Magriet Herman. Photograph taken by Kagiso Publishers

at the launch of Corporate Hyenas at Work

“I sometimes find myself between two hyenas,” the Minister continues.

“On the one hand there is organised labour and on the other hand, it’s

business. I have to keep both happy and that is not always easy.” He then

goes on to say that the metaphor is great, the book is empowering and the

time has come for decent workplaces. I am overwhelmed by a sense of

warmth and thankfulness.

Some of my family are also at the launch; I am presumably, at least

for now, forgiven for being a poor dreamer and an idealist. But the one guest

that I want here more than anybody else, Jenny, is not here to share the

evening with us. I miss her so much and in this wonderful moment I feel a

little empty. And somewhere, I imagine, invisible but present, is my dad

standing next to Ilan.

As the leading author, I make the speech on behalf of the authors. On

my way to the podium I feel nervous. I begin with the need for employer-

employee relationships and the social responsibility of big business - play

with the hyena metaphor and talk about our struggle to write the book, how

strongly we feel about workplace bullying and retrenchments.


___________________________________________________________________ Page 178

It is time for change, for responsible leadership and less greed in the

corporate world. “The major restructuring of the workplace could result in a

political backlash, poverty needs to be addressed. Workplace bullying is the

discourse of the restructured workplace,” I tell the audience. And there,

standing at the podium, I am amazed at how far we have come; people are

actually listening. My eyes catch Ilan’s in the audience and he smiles,

assuring me in his own special way that I am doing okay.

A television crew for the SABC’s breakfast programme does some pre-

recording and asks us how the book came about. They ask pertinent

questions about victimisation and the restructuring of the workplace. The

metaphor draws a lot of interest. In his foreword to the book, Prof Van Wyk

notes that after initial scepticism, he too succumbed to the charm of the

metaphor because it engages people on a different level. It is indeed

therapeutic and he now seems to relate to it with ease. The hyena, we

explain to the interviewers, is the most sociable of animals, making them an

ideal metaphor for human social dynamics.

In his back cover blurb for the book, Dr David Oberholzer recommends

the book for its therapeutic value. I quote from the hyena book for the

interview:

In fact, in Analytical Psychotherapy, wild animals symbolise the

pre-verbal, and primeval needs and emotions of humanity. The

hyena is a symbol of unresolved drives, Eros50 and Thanatos51,

Freud’s Life and Death drives. The smiling or laughing hyena

scavenge and eat other animals in excess of the fulfilment of his

hunger needs. In the symbol of the hyena, the Life drive –

represented by laughing – combines with the destructive Death

drive. The hyena is usually interpreted as a symbol of duplicity and

obscured evil in dream analysis.52

The media also takes an interest in the systemic approach we offered

and in particular, the account of the dung beetles. I love telling this story

which was relayed to me by Professor Leon Hugo of the Department of

Geography of the University of Pretoria:

50 The God of life and love in Greek mythology 51 The God of Death in Greek mythology 52 Marais, S. & Herman, M.: 1997. Corporate Hyenas at Work. p. 2. Kagiso Publishers, Pretoria.


___________________________________________________________________ Page 179

When the first settlers arrived in Australia, they brought livestock

with them. The indigenous dung beetles were used to the hard,

dry dung of the indigenous mammals and could not cope with the

soft moist cattle dung. The dung remained on the soil for

prolonged periods of time and killed the grass underneath. This

dung also became an ideal breeding substance for indigenous

flies. Very soon plagues of flies were to be found everywhere.

Dung beetles from South Africa were imported to solve the

problem. It seemed as if the problem was solved, but suddenly

another unexpected problem arose. The dung beetles became easy

prey for bullfrogs and consequently there was a tremendous

increase in the frog population. The solution was to import tougher

dung beetles with very hard carapaces and very strong forelegs,

once again from South Africa. The frogs also swallowed the ‘new’

dung beetles, but these beetles managed to claw their way

through the stomach of the frogs to the outside world and after a

day or two the frogs died. This led to a decrease in the number of

frogs, which gave the original dung beetles the opportunity to

multiply again.53

The point is clear. The systemic impact of change needs to be

considered when positions are retrenched. It can often result in larger

problems than those one would like to solve. If a business is in trouble,

retrenchment is not the only answer and businesses should try to be more

creative.

Magazine and newspaper journalists attending the launch all request

interviews and click away with their cameras. We happily answer their

questions and when some journalists take a keen interest in the different

types of hyenas, I draw their attention to the diagram of the typology of the

corporate hyena clan and its counterpart in nature as set out in the book54:

53 Marais, S & Herman, M. (1997). Corporate Hyenas at Work. pp. 107-108. Kagiso Publishers, Pretoria. 54

] Marais, S & Herman, M. (1997). Corporate Hyenas at Work. p. 53. Kagiso Publishers, Pretoria.


___________________________________________________________________ Page 180

The metaphor does amazing things for people. I notice how even the

most cynical journalist immediately identifies with the metaphor. I see the

amusement, the validation and recognition and know that this metaphor has

touched the hearts and minds of the audience too. As Prof Van Wyk states in

the foreword:

…call it pre-cognitive or right-brained, or whatever label you wish to

attach to it, the intuitive appeal of the colourful narratives painted by

the authors lies not in any depersonalised analytical style, but in their

ability to provide a template on which to project one’s own work

experiences and frustrations.55

After the interviews one of the journalists tells me that the downsizing

trend is really putting a lot of people out of work:

55

Marais, S & Herman, M. (1997). Corporate Hyenas at Work. Foreword (unnumbered page). Kagiso Publishers, Pretoria.

HYENAS IN NATURE CORPORATE HYENAS

Top structure hyenas

• Matriarch (leading female)

• Princess (favourite female offspring)

Rest of the top structure

• Dominant and high-ranking females

• Dominant and high-ranking males.

POWER HYENAS

Royal members of the Clan

The Makhulu Hyena

The Protégé

Other Power Hyenas

• Introverted and Extroverted Power

Hyenas

• Halo Hyenas and Incompetent

Hyenas

Females and males bidding for higher

ranking

COMPETIVE HYENAS

ORDINARY CLAN MEMBERS

• Supporters of high-rankers, but have

no or little interest in advancement in

the hierarchy.

• Small groups who move from clan to

clan to join in the festivities.

• Cubs

SUPPORT HYENAS

• Den Creeper Hyenas

• Temp Hyenas

• Hyenas-in-Training

Loner hyenas that choose to go it solo and

also adopt other survival strategies and

diets when out of reach of any clan.

LONER HYENAS


___________________________________________________________________ Page 181

“You are absolutely right. Downsizing is similar to castor oil. It

cleanses your system, but too much castor oil can dehydrate a person. This

applies to organisations too. They get dehydrated, or downsizing disturbs the

ecosystem and causes other problems.” The journalist and I walk towards

Linda who seems to be enjoying the evening.

Linda introduces me to the Deputy Minister of Arts and Culture,

Brigitte Mabandla. We talk about how the book came about and I am

introduced to her and Lindiwe’s daughter. While talking to them, I realise

how hungry I am and almost as though reading my mind, Ilan brings me

some snacks.

“I know you are on a roll, but please eat.” Ilan is so considerate. I rest

a few moments with him, but he probably knows that we will have all the

time in the world when we get home later tonight.

Then I start mingling with the guests again. Our language editor,

Edmund, is enjoying himself and walks over to me. “We should try to get you

on a speakers’ circuit,” he says. “You are really cut out for the stage.”

I look at him in surprise and he assures me that it is true. What

Edmund doesn’t realise is that while I’m at ease in small crowds, I always

feel anxious when getting on stage. The first time I did public speaking was

a humiliating experience for me because I was shaky and short-breathed on

stage and burst out in tears afterwards. Even though it was a good 15 years

ago, I will never forget the experience.

On the way home, Ilan and I talk non-stop. “Kagiso gave us an

unforgettable evening.” I feel delighted and realise that I am so excited that I

will probably not be able to sleep. “You were so busy, I had nothing of you,”

he complains with a smile.

“Now I am all yours.” And I wonder whether he will ask me to marry

him. It is such a perfect night.


___________________________________________________________________ Page 182

It is 13 January 1998 and the phone rings at 6:30 am. It is Linda and

she is excited. “Buy the Beeld56 today, you had an excellent review on page 2

of the business section,” and she starts reading: “The book has an appealing

style with humorous cartoons. There is an uncomfortable similarity between

the natural hyena and the one at the workplace. A wide variety of readers will

find it interesting. The management of organisations, as well as ordinary

workers should also be interested.”

“Fantastic news, Linda!” It seems as if the media has really taken to

our book. We’ve had only good reviews so far and every so often another

newspaper or magazine requests a copy of the book.

Another day, and it’s Zolili Nqayi of City Press57, a Sunday newspaper

on the line. “I loved Corporate Hyenas at Work. You can buy City Press on

Sunday, there will be a review.” I sense that he is smiling on the other end

and thank him sincerely.

The last few weeks have been very busy with magazine, newspaper,

radio and television interviews.

It is Sunday, 25 January 1998 and I cannot wait to get hold of the City

Press newspaper. The front page announces the Book of the Week as our

Corporate Hyenas at Work. The long and favourable review on page 13 is

pleasing. Zolili Nqayi summarises the essence of the book in his last

paragraph as follows:

The authors take up this powerful imagery to illustrate corporate iniquities

‒ from Seoul to Johannesburg. Corporate Hyenas at Work covers extensive

ground in the whole area of labour relations and captures the daily work

experience of hundreds of thousands of workers. This is an absorbing read

that should not only appeal to those who fall victim to hyena behaviour, but

also to corporate captains who should be on guard to inhibit their own

hyena tendencies.

Magriet also bought the newspaper and we marvel at our book being

selected as the book of the week. It is a triumph for the victims, I realise.

Another favourable review follows in The Citizen newspaper on 2 February,

1998 and by spring corporate in-house magazines are also reviewing the

56 Beeld is an Afrikaans daily newspaper, mainly distributed in the northern provinces of the country, including Gauteng.


___________________________________________________________________ Page 183

book. The write-up by Clover, a giant in the dairy industry, appears in their

October 1998 staff magazine. One of the paragraphs reads as follows:

This contemporary work with its global appeal is a pioneering book

on the impact of organisational and individual workers’ survival

behaviour in the Information Age. It is a unique African “lifesaver”

for every worker.

The book is selling well according to the publishers and we are looking

towards overseas markets until we are warned that it is unlikely that a book

first published in South Africa will be picked up by overseas publishers. In

spite of this, reviews are coming in from all over the world and San Francisco

doctors Gary and Ruth Namie’s review is exceptionally pleasing. They send

me a long review for publication on my website and one of the paragraphs

read:

The ease with which the authors move the reader along, comes from

a fine word-smithing we can appreciate. The book is a wonderfully

crafted trip through a world hardly known to those of us Americans

who don’t safari Africa but which effectively delivers us to the front

office door that we know so well. We were enthralled, impressed

and humbled.58

During a visit to South Africa in 1998, Nicholas Jaakola, the

International Managing Director of ICS Deloitte Touche International, says

that Corporate Hyenas is “a powerful and well-written book. It should appeal

to workers all over the globe.”59

Linda phones and tells me that she appreciates the media coverage

Corporate Hyenas is receiving and my role in marketing it.

“I am looking into the possibility of selling the book via the internet and

setting up a website,” I tell her.

58 The review by the Drs Namie was issued some time during 1998 and published on my website. 59 The short review by Nicholas Jaakola was related to me in an e-mail during 1998 and placed on the website with the permission of Kagiso Publishers who obtained the blurb.


___________________________________________________________________ Page 184

“That is a very good idea. You know, the other day I attended a seminar

and according to one of the speakers the internet is going to take over our

lives.” Linda always offers good advice.

“I can believe that - the internet changed my life!” I tell Linda about my

network of internet friends who are also all interested in workplace bullying

and how we are sharing information.

Magriet is a board member of the Network Against Child Labour. The

Global March against Child Labour, a huge project organised by the

network, is in trouble. She phones me: “I suggested that they contract your

services. You are excellent at public relations and the only one who can pull

the event back into shape.” Magriet tells me more about the beleaguered

project. “You will have to help them with the African leg of the march.”

It is a challenge I cannot resist and I am thankful that Magriet told the

network about me. “Great. Some activism suits me fine!” And I now find

myself happily submerged in work for the next two months.

We consult the union federation COSATU to assist us in getting

publicity and arrange a meeting with the national broadcaster SABC.

Brian van Rooyen, representing COSATU’s agricultural sector, comes

along with his COSATU tracksuit and conference bag. The SABC also takes

our delegation seriously and promises a programme on child labour.

The Global March against Child Labour introduces me to the world of

non-profit organisations and change-makers who make a difference in this

country and worldwide. In the process I also meet activists from the anti-

slavery movement in the UK and realise that child labour is just another

form of bullying and workplace violence that is yet to be explored in this

country. “I have moved a step closer to figuring out how to advocate for

legislation,” I tell Ilan.

“Legislation is not always the answer,” is his only comment.


___________________________________________________________________ Page 185

One morning I phone Magriet. “We are going to organise a picket at the

Indonesian embassy in Pretoria – they are not acting against child labour.

Are you coming with us?” I know that I do not need to invite her twice.

When we arrive at the Indonesian Embassy a group of supporters from

the Department of Labour and COSATU joins us. We walk around with

posters demanding the abolition of child labour and invite pedestrians to

walk with us. Helicopters hover over the protest and a police force of about

20 materialises to monitor us.

“This is hilarious; nobody has ever been scared of me!” I whisper to

Magriet and two other protestors as the police approach us.

“The Indonesian ambassador has requested our protection against

you. Maybe it is best that you leave,” a young sergeant says with a twinkle in

his eye.

We burst out laughing. After a moment the rest of the protestors and

then even the police join in. It’s absurd; the police eventually outnumber the

protestors! We agree, but just to demonstrate our resolve we decide to

protest for another half an hour against Indonesia’s child labour practices.

“There is so much power in activism. We’re a handful and just look at

the commotion we’ve caused.” I point at a police helicopter chattering angrily

over the grounds and at the policemen who had been summoned to protect

the Indonesian embassy from these “dangerous” protestors.

On my way home I realise that placing workplace bullying and violence

firmly on the agenda in South Africa will require more than a book. What is

needed is activism, conferences and a high level of awareness. I’ve learnt

something from this Global March against Child Labour and I know that my

struggle against workplace bullying is entering a new phase.

Linda phones. She and others I have come to know well are leaving

Kagiso Publishers. It is a voluntary retrenchment.

“Why?” I am totally surprised.

”Kagiso Publishers has been taken over by Maskew, Miller and

Longman (MML). They are going to sell Corporate Hyenas for now, but sales

have already started to drop.”


___________________________________________________________________ Page 186

“Isn’t MML into the school text book market?” I ask.

“Yes, they specialise in educational books, but they are a huge

company, so we’ll see.” Linda is trying to give the situation an optimistic

spin, but I know that bigger is not always better.

“This is not fair...” I feel powerless. Marketing is very important and we

have a good relationship with Kagiso Publishers. “The good news is that

Connie is not leaving and she will take care of Corporate Hyenas. She is

brilliant,” Linda assures me, but I wonder whether Connie will have the kind

of logistical backup with MML that she and Linda had with Kagiso, especially

now that the robust selling that took place after the launch is over.

Tim Field introduces me to many of his colleagues on the internet and

informs me of Vicky Merchant’s International Conference on Workplace

Harassment taking place during May of 1998 in Oxford, England. My

worldwide newsgroup of people interested in the study of workplace bullying

is steadily increasing towing to friends introducing other friends. I also meet

Andy Ellis, a gentle and kind friend from Manchester in the UK.

I’ve worked very hard and was paid an hourly rate for the Global

March against Child Labour project. At last I have enough money to go

overseas. I decide to visit the UK and participate in the conference and also

to go to the USA to see Jenny again after not seeing her for nearly two years.

Vicky Merchant slots me into her programme for the international

conference in Oxford and Andy arranges for me to give a speech at Ruskin

College. Tim Field tells me to bring 50 copies of Corporate Hyenas at Work to

the UK – he will buy them from us to sell over there.

“Can’t you wait a while?” Ilan asks. His leave is not yet due and he

feels that we should make the effort to visit his parents and Jenny in one

trip.

“No. This is a great opportunity to advance the book and at the same

time visit Jenny. British Airways has a special never-to-be-repeated special

via London to New York – actually the price is the same, whether to London

or New York. We can always visit your parents later.” Ilan is disappointed,

but I feel that I’ve suffered enough and can’t wait to see Jenny and meet her


___________________________________________________________________ Page 187

husband. My need to see my daughter is overwhelming and although I know

I am being stubborn and selfish, nothing is going to stop me from seeing her.

I would have loved to meet Ilan’s parents in Israel at a later stage, but

that would mean not being able to see my daughter sooner. My longing for

her has become unbearable and lately I have slipped into a low-grade

depression, feeling constantly sad about the physical distance between me

and my only daughter. Jenny and I share a bond that he will never

understand mainly because he wasn’t a part of the years when I brought her

up single-handedly, helped her cope with her dyslexia and fought together

for a place under the sun. I know that if I don’t see her soon, my depression

may deepen.

Magriet decides to accompany me to the conference. She wants to

deliver a paper too and I arrange a slot for her. She does not realise that my

delivering a paper at the international conference is really a pretext for

seeing my daughter. But knowing Magriet, she’ll still think she’s missing out

on something!

“Enjoy the trip, hug Jenny for me and I hope it brings us good

fortune.” Ilan hugs me at the airport. I am going to miss him immensely and

he knows it. I know that he is sacrificing our trip to Israel, because he

understands that I need to see Jenny and it makes me love him even more.

Attendance at Vicky’s international conference is lower than the

previous year. My presentation deals with the characteristics of the

perpetrator and Magriet’s deal with the systems approach in general.

The keynote speaker at the conference, Professor Staale Einarsen of

Norway, really impresses me. He is a relaxed and friendly person with a

wealth of knowledge about workplace bullying. He refers to very blatant

bullying as ‘predatory bullying’, a phrase which interestingly echoes the core

metaphor of Corporate Hyenas. The Scandinavian countries are streets

ahead of us in acknowledging workplace bullying as a modern workplace

issue. They refer to it as “mobbing”.

In Sweden, Professor Heinz Leymann, a psychologist, is the pioneer in

this field and he received a $1 million grant from the government to assist

victims of workplace bullying. Professor Leymann pioneered research into


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mobbing in the 1980s. He also noted that PTSD is a severe problem facing

former victims of workplace violence. I ask Staale if he works with Leymann.

“Leymann is very ill with cancer,” Staale informs me.

At last I meet Tim Field face-to-face when he visits me at the guest

house. He is also a speaker at the conference and I realise how popular and

well-loved he is in the UK. He buys 50 copies of Corporate Hyenas at Work

and we appreciate this gesture – his website attracts visitors from all over

the world and it is a welcome opportunity to market our book.

Oxford is a beautiful city and the university is most impressive.

However, now that the visit is over, I am eager to get back to London where I

will board a flight to New York.

At the JF Kennedy (JFK) airport I scan the sea of faces for my Jenny. I

catch a glimpse of her and my heart jumps. Tears of joy run down my cheeks

as I rush forward and put my arms around her. Our cheeks touch, our tears

mix and we’re laughing and crying while her husband hovers respectfully in

the background. How I missed her and longed for this moment. I suddenly

realise: there is no greater joy than a mother and child reunion.

New York is an exciting city and I can’t believe what a great place the

USA is. I enjoy reading the New York Times and a trip to Central Park in

Manhattan introduces me to wondrous sights that had previously been mere

postcard images in my mind. I am happy that Jenny is living in a

comparatively much safer country where crime seems to be under control –

she will never have to relive the nightmare of endemic crime again.

Americans are able to walk in the streets at night. In South Africa crime has

changed many of our lives forever and we now live behind high walls with

barbed wire.

The two weeks pass agonisingly quickly. The goodbye is heartbreaking.

I don’t want Jenny to see me break down, and once she’s out of sight, I walk

into JFK and then can no longer contain myself. I am anonymous and


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nobody knows this crazy woman walking through the terminal whose body is

shaking as tears stream down her cheeks. There is a difference between

crying and weeping ‒ I am not crying, I am weeping.

I suddenly realise that I’ve lost so much over the years. I have lost

people and things that are precious to me ‒ my child, my job, my home, my

furniture and even my family. A sense of loneliness grips me. My gains and

achievements suddenly seem insignificant and the idea that I will probably

be a granny one day in a far-away land compounds the feelings of unfairness

and awakens the rebel in me. There and then I decide that one day Ilan and I

will live in the USA. I need more qualifications and money to be admitted at

my age, but I will see my grandchildren grow up.

By the time I board the flight, my tears are under control but my red

eyes are a mother’s tell-tale. The woman in the seat next to me gives me a

warm smile. Our accents give us away. The “hallo” is enough to determine

we are both South Africans. She introduces herself as Elize.

“You cried, was it hard to say goodbye?” she asks.

“Just said goodbye to my one and only daughter,” I respond.

Momentarily I sound a bit sorry for myself, but I don’t care. I need sympathy.

“Difficult to have your child this far away.” She tells me that she is

also a mother who lost her only child to the USA. “But our children are safe,”

she says, trying to comfort us both.

“The worst part is the goodbye,” I sigh and then turn and stare

through the window. Jenny’s husband is somewhat aloof, but at least she

seems very happy. It then dawns on me that I can draw courage and comfort

from the fact that Jenny is happy and safe and I can bury myself in my work

and make a difference while working my way to the USA.

After a while Elize and I start chatting and laughing. The elderly male

passenger next to me starts snoring and farts with every snore. It is a

hilarious cacophony and Elize and I start laughing along with passengers in

the row next to us who are also enjoying the weird orchestra. Suddenly the

journey is much shorter.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part Three: The Journey. Chapter 4: Outreach and Networking: Ashoka Enters _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Chapter 4

Outreach and Networking :

Ashoka Enters

My heart jumps with joy when I see Ilan at the airport. I am exhausted, but

have so much to share with him. After hearing all about Jenny, her husband

and the big and wonderful USA, he asks about the progress I have made in

promoting dignity and respect in the workplace.

“I foresee a long battle to have the issue of bullying ‒ let alone

workplace violence ‒ acknowledged. I spoke to Tim, Vicky and Staale in

Oxford, and they also seem to be struggling. The only country with some

form of legislation against bullying is Sweden. There is no money in misery.”

“But how are they making ends meet?” Ilan wants to know.

“Tim mainly lives off his book sales and some training he does from

time to time, while Vicky engages in a variety of management consultant

activities, and Staale Einnarsen is a professor at the University of Bergen.” I

watch Ilan’s face closely.

“You will find a way,” he assures me and I agree with a tired nod. I

then look down at my feet and notice that they are both swollen. “Oops, look

at my feet. It’s that old man who sat next to me. I could hardly move, being

in the middle seat.”

“Just have a good rest and then I’ll take you out for dinner tonight and

you can tell me everything!” Ilan hugs me and I am happy to just close my

eyes and rest my head against his shoulder.

My professional Internet chat-group is growing by the day and the debates

are often heated – especially those between the academics and the victims of

bullying. I’ve come to realise that the academics have a difficult time finding

common ground with the non-academic members of the group (especially

those who have been through the ordeal of being abused) and vice versa.


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The perennial and insoluble dichotomy between theory and practice

rears its head repeatedly and neither party seems willing to concede that

each contribution has its special qualities to add to the discourse. A third

group, the activists, survey the whole from a higher moral ground: “Fighting

is nobler than writing,” writes an activist from Australia.

One of the members is keen on taking leadership of the group and

suggests appointing a newsgroup host, to which I agree. The newsgroup is

rapidly swamped by contributions from both victims and activists who all

seem to be voracious writers. My need to learn more is overwhelming and

some of the academics exit quietly and decide to join my new “work trauma”

professional newsgroup.

Soon after the new group start their debates, I lay down the rules and

the group becomes exclusive. Not because we are snobbish, but mainly

because people who have not yet recovered from a violent or bullying

experience tend to misinterpret the theoretical and analytical stance of the

academics and lash out at them. One of the conditions states that victims

should first join the support group (which I originally started and which was

subsequently taken over by Andy Ellis); and once fully recovered, are

welcome to join the debates. “Although we hold different views, there is no

reason why we shouldn’t treat one another with dignity and respect,” I write.

The exchanges immediately become more reasonable. The British

component of the group still remains very competitive with almost everyone

trying to take the late Andrea Adam’s place as doyen. With many conflicting

opinions circling, I write to the group:

Hallo Everybody!

There are no easy answers. Psychologists tend to focus on

personality issues, organizational professionals on systems, social

workers on the social issues involved, those who had "The

Experience" on the process ‒ but each one adds a new dimension in

the attempt to unravel a very complex phenomenon. We are getting

somewhere.

What is really at stake and what are the real issues? It is the

victims' hurt and the fact that no human being deserves to be

bullied. Whether it is a sociopath responsible for these acts or just

an opportunistic co-worker, and whether the victim has a few

personality minuses are relevant, but the broken lives and career

executions are the hard realities we are facing. Although questions


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such as "What caused the fire, the matches or the lighter?" and

determining the answers are very important, solutions must receive

equal attention. To eradicate such behaviour and help victims

restore their lives are a priority ‒ and to do so begins with good

legislation, a Code of Conduct, increasing public/business

awareness and understanding and helping the victim to find the

empowering messages within themselves to grow beyond the hurt

and shame, take action and become functional again at all levels.

Regards,

Susan60

All the “big names” in the field of workplace bullying and violence start

joining the internet group. Scholars like Professor Cary Cooper, Professor

Charlotte Rayner, Dr Helge Hoel of the UK, Professor Staale Einarsen of

Norway, Professor Kenneth Westhues of the University of Waterloo in

Canada, Professor Loraleigh Keashly of the USA, Dr Charmaine Hockley of

Australia, Dr Marie-France Hirigoyen of France, Vittorio Di Martino of the

International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva and Steve Faulkner (a

well-known international trade unionist based in South Africa) and others

now throw their collective weight behind the cause.

The debates are lively and everybody feels that being a part of the

group is therapeutic to some extent.

To my delight, Ken Westhues, the author of Eliminating Professors, also

contributes and expresses his joy at being part of the group:

Dear Susan, Rita, Carol, Noa, and other fellow travellers in the

movement for human decency in the workplace,

Orchids and African violets to Susan for setting up this list, initiating

discussion, and going to all the work of writing blurbs on the

various researchers. This is community building at its best.

I'm sure consulting psychologists and similar mental-health

professionals have rescued thousands of targets or victims of

workplace mobbing/bullying, and I know a number of such types

whom I would trust to do that. In none of the roughly 50 case

studies in my files, however, have such professionals challenged an

60 Worktraumagroup: Summaries of Digests, 1997-2000


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authoritarian structure of power in the workplace. Sometimes they

have helped the target work through the trauma and survive.

More often they have acted as labellers and demonizers, lending

professional legitimacy to the stigma placed on the target.

I think it's Carol who has made the point that just placing a name

on the process, mobbing or bullying as the case may be, is a giant

step forward. I've just finished a few weeks on this topic in my

Sociology of Work course, and have been amazed at how these

concepts have resonated with the students' experience.

One of them gave an extraordinary presentation last week, recalling

how he and a half dozen friends in a Grade-10 clique six years ago

had ganged up on one of their number, shunned him, more or less

for the hell of it ‒ I suppose it reinforced the group solidarity of the

remaining members.

As part of his research for my course, this student looked up the

fellow who had been ostracized and interviewed him at length

about how he had reacted.

The guy said he had cried alone at home in his room, and that he

has learned not to trust. For my student, reporting all this to a

surprised class of 50 appeared to be a form of public penance for

something he is now ashamed of. It was quite a moving

presentation. I've urged him to write it up. Moral of the story:

reconciliation is not an impossible dream; there is hope for all of us

and for our world.

Noa says it's organizational culture that is key, in particular the

attitude of the CEO. I think she is right. Human nature being what it

is, people take cues from the top down.

I'll close with a recommendation of a book: Philip Hallie, Tales of

Good and Evil, Help and Harm (Harper Collins 1997). Hallie was an

American pragmatist philosopher, best known for his study of Le

Chambon, the Christian fundamentalist village in the Loire valley of

France that sheltered thousands of Jews during the Nazi

occupation.

In this book Hallie updates that study, adding in particular the

results of his research on the Nazi commanding officer, one Julius

Schmaeling, who looked the other way. I mention Hallie's book here

for one of the main conclusions he draws: look less at people's

words than at their actions, and don't let noble pronouncements

distract from the realities of what is going on. His point is relevant, I

think, to corporate mission statements and Human Resources


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department policies: the test of whether lofty words are or are not

window-dressing (Susan's very useful term) is how many

traumatized workers or ex-workers there are.

Best wishes to all. I count it a privilege to be part of this circle.

Ken Westhues61

During one of the debates, the role of the psychiatrist and generally,

the lack of understanding of the phenomenon by third parties come under

scrutiny. Tim Field responds to the contributors:

Dear Colleagues

Anita wrote:

Unfortunately I have had some bad reports from clients who turned

to psychiatrics for help. They (the psych.) have not always

understood the real trauma and the substantial situation that the

patient is in. They have labelled the person with a psychiatric

diagnosis and medicated them.

Jennifer replied:

Some targets have told me that they feel the denial by those around

them is worse than the actual bullying experience.

I have experienced this may times. After dealing with around 4 000

cases of workplace bullying ‒ most of which have resulted in, or are

about to result in loss of job, career, livelihood and health (been

there, done that), I have come to the conclusion that the psychiatric

injury is caused by several factors:

Primarily

1) the original bullying and abuse, which might last from several

months to several years

2) the denial that surrounds the bullying, especially by the bully,

management, personnel, and the bully's supporters, deniers, and

apologists both inside and outside the workplace, especially those

who deny the sociopathic nature of the serial bully (the serial bully

is at the centre of at least 90% of my 4 000 cases). At the launch of

the Moira Anderson Foundation in Scotland in February 2000,



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Diana Lamplugh OBE highlighted the importance of identifying and

overcoming the apologists and deniers in child sex abuse cases who

in some cases, from my experience, would appear to also be serial

bullies in the workplace

and worsened by

3) having to re-live the abuse by going through grievance

procedures

4) having to re-live the abuse by going through the courts

and occasionally worsened by

5) inappropriate attitudes and treatments by some medical and

mental health professionals who in a few cases have insisted on

immediate incarceration in psychiatric units containing drug addicts

and schizophrenics ‒ people with genuine and often severe mental

health problems ‒ and subjecting the traumatised target to

medication with ill-advised drugs designed for mental illness. The

sudden enforced transition from professional working environment

to psychiatric unit adds to the trauma.

It is my belief that mental illness and psychiatric injury are distinct

and should not be confused – see

http://www.successunlimited.co.uk/PTSD/index.htm#Differences

for the differences.

Paradoxically, the stronger a person is, especially in terms of

character and integrity, the longer they are able to withstand the

abuse, but the greater the injury to their health. Therefore, many

people who have stress breakdowns are in fact the strongest people

with the highest integrity – and not, as deniers maintain, "weak

people with a mental health problem". It is always the bully (or

abuser) who is the weak person with the mental health problem.

Tim Field62



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Tim Field, my good friend and a pioneer in the study of workplace bullying in

the UK. Photograph retrieved from his website, http://www.thefieldfoundation.org/ after his death in January 2006.

I respond to Tim’s input that we cannot blame psychiatrists and

psychologists for not “being there”. They too need to be trained about

workplace bullying. We need greater awareness to move forward.

When Chris and Annamarie visit I am in the middle of responding to a

newsgroup message. I explain to Annamarie what it is all about.

“Aren’t you getting tired of it?” she asks surprised.

“Never, never,” I respond. “This group is my pride and joy and an

invaluable source of information. Like the time when the group discussed

‘intense’ personalities as possible victims. A good debate erupted and

exchanges such as these are so informative.”

Annamarie laughs. “What are ‘intense’ people? Someone who eyeballs

you too much?” She giggles and takes a sip of her coffee.

“Best description I can give is that of a very focused, sharp, passionate

and ‘intense’ person, the kind of person where, after an hour of conversation

with them, you feel exhausted. Now, some of us feel that ‘intense’ people

could be bullied more easily.” As I talk, I lean forward and narrow my eyes to

illustrate to Annamarie how an “intense” person comes across.

“I know an ‘intense’ person who eats too much garlic. Those deserve to

be bullied!” Annamarie and I burst out laughing as she tries to catch Chris’

eye in the next room.


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“One of the group members says that Professor Michelli at St. Olaf

College in Minnesota contends that intense people has the kind of

personality which is not easily tolerated. But my argument is that

personalities like that can, of course, also be perceived as bullies.” I reach

across the table for a biscuit.

“How come? How can they be victims and bullies?” Annamarie seems

intrigued.

“Well, for the last year I’ve been researching communication and

‘communication irritators’ and have studied the role of verbal and non-verbal

communication and the link between a person’s voice and workplace

violence. The respondents indicated that loud voices, excessive gesturing,

mumbling, talking too slowly, or talking too fast are irritating and I think

that the intense persona falls into a similar category or, at least, has certain

communication idiosyncrasies that some may experience as threatening or

bullying.”

“Sounds interesting,” Annamarie smiles. “But tell me, how is Corporate

Hyenas doing?” Annamarie, like many of my other friends, hoped that I

would sell millions of copies overnight, but, of course, this didn’t happen.

“The books are still selling, but not enough to pay the water and lights

bill. I do training in conflict and workplace bullying, communication skills,

write magazine articles and help victims of workplace bullying.” I don’t tell

Annamarie that most of the victims simply don’t have money to pay me.

I am so tired of trying to explore ways to introduce the world to the

concept of equitable, non-violent workplaces. Am I ahead of time? Even when

it makes economic sense to get a job – anything, somewhere – I cannot give

up on my mission in life. It is my cause, my passion and if I dare let go, I will

let many people down. There should be ways of supplementing my income

more aggressively without giving up on my advocacy work. I am simply not

doing enough and I decide to push myself further.

One of the work trauma group members, Frederic Caufrier, a microbiologist

who frequently contributes with references to newspaper articles and books,


___________________________________________________________________ Page 198

writes a letter informing me of an organisation called Ashoka which assists

people in bringing new ideas to the world.

“They have a branch in South Africa and I wrote and told them about

your work,” he writes. “You should also contact them to follow up.” I am

delighted. Frederic is a resourceful person. That evening, I visit the Ashoka

website and fax them a letter, hoping that I might be able to meet with them

to discuss my work.

It is late 1998 and Val contacts me, asking if I could appear as an expert

witness on workplace bullying at the CCMA hearing. She had been bullied by

her supervisor for eight years and his letters and e-mails are all testimony to

this situation. She had steadily built a case and then took it to management

but the ostracism, the sarcasm, gossip and remarks simply didn’t stop.

Fortunately, the individual concerned could not find any fault with her

work, but continued to make her life a nightmare in many other ways. He

even went as far as making a joke about her being stalked by a serial killer

known as the Yeoville Rapist. She snapped, hit him with her telephone and

walked out. She is now claiming constructive dismissal.

This is a serious case and I turn to my work trauma group asking for

advice. Tim Field, ever resourceful, responds:

Susan,

Well done on being asked. However, if the SA courts are anything like the

UK courts, the defence lawyers will try to make a meal of you.

The tactic is often "[You] don't have any recognisable qualifications in any

discipline that would qualify you to talk knowledgeably about [psychiatry,

psychology, harassment, personnel matters, blah blah], therefore this court

cannot and does not recognise you as having any validity."

Suggested defence: "I am an author with an international reputation on the

subject of bullying and harassment in the workplace, I am the co-author of

South Africa's only book on the subject, and I am in constant daily touch via

the Internet with the experts and leading authorities on workplace bullying

in several countries (e.g. UK and USA). At present there is no academic


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course of study in this field. However, I am pleased to report that a number

of academic institutions have approached me for information which will

ultimately be incorporated into their coursework."

The defence lawyers won't buy this but don't let them bully you!! You wrote:

“I think it is going to be a difficult case because the victim actually threw a

telephone at her boss after 3 years of harassment of all sorts.”

"Provocation" is a good defence strategy. It takes away the need to explain

"her actions and instead focuses on the *cause*, i.e. her boss’ behaviour

towards her over three years.

Point her to my (unreferenced) web page

www.successunlimited.co.uk/words.htm which will provide her with the

phraseology and tactics to identify and unmask a serial bully.

Tim Field63

Ken Westhues of Canada also responds:

I join Tim Field in congratulating Susan on being asked to be an expert

witness. Good luck! I would urge Susan, and anybody else doing this job,

to get hold of the relevant rules for expert witnesses in whatever jurisdiction

the trial is to be held in. I'm currently serving as an expert witness for a trial

in British Columbia, where the Supreme Court has a list of about 20 rules.

For instance, the written statement has to be filed 60 days in advance. It

has to be accompanied by a separate statement of the expert's

qualifications. The facts and assumptions on which the opinion is based

have to be spelled out. The expert witness has to be personally available for

cross-examination in court if the other side requests, but if the court decides

the cross-examination is not necessary, it can assess costs from the other

side.

Tim is right that any expert witness can expect to be pounced on by the

other side: in the case I'm currently involved in, the other side says it will

object to the admissibility of my report, "on the grounds that the report is

irrelevant, biased, argumentative and that Dr. Westhues is not qualified to

give the opinion." I believe this is how the game is normally played.

Ken Westhues64

63 Worktraumagroup: Summaries of Digests, 1997-2000 64 Worktraumagroup: Summaries of Digests, 1997-2000


___________________________________________________________________ Page 200

I feel empowered by the solid advice received from Tim and Ken and

hope that the case will be heard soon. The lawyer in this case is a very kind

man, but he is not a labour lawyer and this leaves me concerned. However, it

seems that increasing numbers of people are beginning to take issue with

bullying in the workplace.

The phone rings. It is a woman named Lindi65 who is being sexually

harassed and bullied at her workplace.

“I heard you a while ago on the radio,” she says, “and I need to see you

urgently!” Lindi sounds desperate and rather depressed.

“I have a bad flu and will gladly meet with you if you can tolerate my

watery eyes,” I respond.

We agree to meet close to her workplace and I request that she bring

along any evidence she may have.

I wait at the designated coffee house and a woman with a sturdy figure

and red hair walks in. I instinctively sense that it is Lindi and wave.

When Lindi sits down, she is nervous and hyper-vigilant, constantly

looking over her shoulder to make sure that she hasn’t been followed. I sense

that she needs some reassurance and I touch her hand, “I am Susan. You

are safe and I am going to help you.”

Lindi’s eyes fill with tears. “I can’t take it anymore. I’ve become totally

paranoid.”

“You are more resourceful than you think.” I know post-traumatic

stress when I see it, but realise that I will have to refer her to a psychologist

for assessment. I direct my eyes to the two big files she has brought along.

“By the looks of it, pretty organised too?”

“I compiled a file of evidence,” she announces. “He is not getting away

with this.”

“We will get there, but I would first like to know more about you.” I

realise that this may be a very serious case of sexual harassment, but I need

to know as much as possible about her life, thoughts, values, etc.

65

Lindi is a pseudonym to protect the identity of the person.


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“My life has not been easy,” she tells me. This is clearly evident from

the story unfolding of a little girl raped at the age of five, who then became a

high school dropout, then a battered woman and eventually, an alcoholic.

She lost everything in the process, amongst others, her marriage and her

beloved home. Lindi’s story is also that of a woman who managed to fight her

way back and overcome her alcohol abuse. She met her soul mate at an AA

meeting and found herself what had been a decent job until the sexual

harasser, “Mr K66”, came along.

“Did he start making advances straight away?” I ask.

“No, he was actually very kind at first, but then he got ‘too comfortable’

with me. He usually goes to gym at 16:00 and then he would start

undressing in my presence!” When I look puzzled she shows me a

photograph from her file. I am amused when I see the flabby bum of a rather

tall, skinny Eastern man67. She shot this picture through the glass partition

between his office and hers.

“Did he turn around or did he only show his back to you?” I am

fascinated.

“Not at first.” She looks away, trying to process the sordid details of

her ordeal.

“What did he do next?” I ask gently.

“He left pornographic magazines all over the office and asked me to

book an appointment with two or three prostitutes at a time, which I was

compelled to do.” I sense that every recollection of her abuse affects her

deeply.

“One day he actually called me into his office and asked me to massage

his feet. He sat naked in the chair and had a full erection, and,” she leans

forward, “his penis was huge! I felt so humiliated.”

“Did you tell him where to get off?” I ask, annoyed by his chauvinistic

arrogance.

“No, I massaged his feet,” she says.

“Why? Why did you do it?” I have difficulty in keeping my tone neutral.

66 Pseudonym for the harasser to camouflage the case and true identities of all the parties involved. 67 To camouflage this case, I indicate the cultural affiliation, but not his country.


___________________________________________________________________ Page 202

“Because he didn’t ask me for sex and I thought that it might be a

cultural thing with Eastern men, you know... the foot massage, you know

what I mean?” I don’t know what she means and Lindi, very embarrassed at

this stage, doesn’t make eye contact with me. I finish my cup of coffee and

tell her that I need to light a cigarette. Actually, I need time to think.

“Please go ahead, I don’t mind you smoking. My fiancé always smokes

and it doesn’t bother me,” she says and I realise that this woman will tolerate

anything for fear of being rejected.

The ritual of lighting the cigarette and taking the first puff gives me

time to process some of the details I have just heard.

“Okay. You might have been naïve, but that won’t go down well at a

tribunal, for instance.” My explanation seems hollow. I realise that her

reaction was probably due to deep-rooted feelings of inadequacy manifesting

itself in an unequal power relationship.

“How did you feel after doing that?” I ask.

“I’ve been on anti-depressants ever since. It was the most humiliating

experience I’ve ever had.” She starts sobbing.

“Can you tell me what he did next?” I speak in a comforting tone, but

know intuitively that I should obtain as much information as possible in

order to help her come to terms with this horrid experience.

“Whenever I walked over to the copier machine, he would follow me

and grope me from behind and rub his penis against me. I then told him to

stop it. That is when he started bullying me.” More tears.

“That is referred to as ‘sexual assault’,” I respond angrily. “He bullied

you because you refused?” I am overcome with sympathy. I was also bullied

when I refused sexual advances years ago, although the circumstances were

different. Lindi is a poor, uneducated woman in her 40s; I was a young, 30-

something educated manager then. But like Lindi, the sexual harassment

and bullying also reduced me to tears.

Sexual harassment is not about sexual attraction; it ultimately boils

down to power. I know that she must be feeling utterly worthless at this

stage.

“I received a final warning.” She hands a letter to me. “He sent me this

after my lawyer confronted him in a letter about the sexual harassment.” The

manager’s letter has been written by his attorneys and appears to be the

standard, bloodless ‘boilerplate’ for an employer wanting to rid his company


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of an employee. It is phrased and sugar-coated in such a way so that it

sounds like counselling. As such it gives the imminent threat an air of

respectability. I give her a hug.

“I am not going to let you down. I will help you fight this case.” Yet, I

don’t share my concern about Lindi’s emotional well-being. She has been

through so much and I suspect that she is close to breaking point.

“Do you know what he told me when he handed me this letter?” I look

up, knowing that her response will be the leverage I was looking for. “He said

he wanted a nice, young, attractive woman.”

I smile. “That’s excellent. If we give him enough rope, he will definitely

hang himself. But you, what do you want out of this?” It is obvious that Lindi

hasn’t even given thought to this. Does she want her manager disciplined,

sent back home, transferred, damages, an apology? “Think about what you

want and I’ll arrange for us to meet with an excellent labour consultant on

Saturday, who will give us some legal advice on the matter.”

“I will think about it,” she assures me, but even so, I know that she is

going to need assistance in outwitting this hyena.

Back home I realise that this case may very well end up at the CCMA

or even in the Labour Court. Lindi is certainly not ready for a tribunal. She is

extremely emotional and traumatised and I hope that the matter can be

settled out of court, and so give her an opportunity to recover.

That evening I recount Lindi’s ordeal to Ilan. He travelled the world as

a youngster and I enquire about the “Mr K”’s culture and how sexual

harassment is perceived and managed in that particular Eastern culture.

“Massage is very much part of “Mr K”’s culture and within this

context, it was probably fine for him to ask her to massage his feet,” he

explains. But when I give a snort, he immediately rephrases: “Although it is

not unusual in his culture, he should have known better. The nudity, even

for men from his part of the world, is unacceptable. But tell me...” Ilan can’t

contain his amusement.

“Don’t joke. Sexual harassment is a serious offence. She is

traumatised!” I retort. Ilan leaves the lounge to take a bath and I decide to

relax after a stressful day by watching my favourite soapies.


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Richard Byrne is deeply fascinated by this case and I don’t have to ask him

twice to take it on.

“There they are,” I tell him as we approach Lindi and her fiancé in the

mall. Richard is keen to render advice on the legal aspects of the case and he

agrees with me that we have a strong case.

Lindi hands Richard a file containing explicit photos of the sex pest in

flagrant and he smiles. He is a lawyer and professionally disposed to

patiently building cases, but I get a sense that he does not really understand

the urgency of the matter. Lindi is beyond coping. She shows me another

threatening letter from the manager’s lawyer. Apparently someone has been

phoning the manager’s wife and disclosing details related to his misconduct.

“What do you know about this?” I ask her. I am direct. Harassment of

the wife serves no purpose and can only damage her case.

“Dean did it.” She points at her fiancé. Dean is immediately apologetic.

“So sorry, man, I just can’t take what that man is doing to my woman.”

He is embarrassed and tries to justify his actions. I feel sorry for him, but

need to reprimand him.

“Stop it immediately. You are damaging Lindi’s case.” I give him my

stern activist look and he promises not to interfere again.

Richard undertakes to talk to “Mr K”’s lawyer and I ask Lindi to

contact me every evening. I remain extremely concerned about her state of

mind. In fact, there and then I resolve to call her employer on Monday

morning to arrange a face-to-face meeting with him.

It is Monday morning and “Mr K” has granted me an interview. I sit down in

his office with Lindi beside me.

“I believe you want to get rid of Lindi to bring in a young woman who

will be an easy victim.” I look him straight in the eye. He gasps for breath

and then chuckles uncomfortably.

“Not really. I just think a younger woman will be nicer.”


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“Easier prey?” I feel like a cat with a little mouse in her claws.

“No, no!” he exclaims.

“Really? I believe you, Sir. Visit a house of pleasure and force Lindi to

make the necessary arrangements? That is illegal. Not to mention you sitting

stark naked on that chair demanding that Lindi massage your feet. You are

not a king!”

“Yes, yes, I was a bit naughty,” he stutters pathetically.

“You stop your nonsense and stop bullying Lindi now!” I feel my

cheeks warming up, a sign that I’m angry.

“Yes, promise,” and he humbly bows as I leave his office. I know that

he is in shock and although I managed to obtain an admission from him, I

also saw slyness and coldness in his beady little eyes. I am on full “hyena

alert”, fully aware that this encounter will lead to a career assassination

attempt on his part.

Lindi hugs me on the way out. “You got him,” she says excitedly,

“maybe my hell will be over.” She is overjoyed.

“Don’t count on that,” I warn. “He is dangerous and you need to be

extra careful over the next few days. I am just worried about your stress

levels.”

Predictably Lindi contacts me a few days later, weeping uncontrollably.

She has received yet another letter from “Mr K”, in which he reprimands her

for taking sick leave due to depression. He is doing his utmost to rid himself

of Lindi in order to make way for his “younger woman”. I know that she has

reached the end of her tether.

“Lindi, this is enough. Can Dean take care of you while we take him to

the CCMA? You know that there aren’t many jobs around nowadays.” I need

to know that she will not find herself in a financial predicament if she leaves

her job.

“Yes, he will take care of me,” she assures me.

“Then I want you to hand in your resignation and state in the letter

that he is making it impossible for you to work there and that you regard his

letter to you and his attitude as constructive dismissal. Richard can assist

you with the letter.” Normally, I would not take the risk of advising someone

to leave his or her job, but Lindi has endured enough and I feel that it is the

right thing to do in light of her current mental well-being.


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I am not taking any risks and refer her to my friend Pieter Kitshoff, a

clinical psychologist. In the event of us going to court, I need to be able to

prove that the sexual harassment and bullying resulted in depression and/or

post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Pieter consults with Lindi and diagnoses her with clinical depression

and post-traumatic stress syndrome. Her progress, however, is slow and she

is having difficulty relating to her lawyer, Richard, and another labour lawyer

who is also assisting with the CCMA hearing. The lawyers are at the point of

giving up on her, owing to her emotional and irrational responses. They do

not seem to understand how post-traumatic stress affects her interaction

with others. I am worried and make an appointment with Pieter to discuss

Lindi’s issues.

I meet with “Mr K”’s lawyer and he is a tough nut to crack. The big

Ralph Raymond68 of Houghton is not a lawyer to mess with and he is

adamant that he and his client will not settle. I tell him that “Mr K” admitted

sexual harassment to me and for a moment I can see the uncertainty in his

eyes, but he regains his composure and remains resolute.

That evening I decide to send a fax to the company’s head office in the

East. I want to put this matter to rest as Lindi is no longer in a position to

tolerate the stress. I am hopeful that “Mr K”’s head office will pressurise his

attorney into speeding up the process.

Pieter and I discuss the case and Lindi’s emotional state. Apart from the

situation with “Mr K”, she also has a fair share of problems with her teenage

daughter. Pieter is helping Lindi and the family cope. Then I feel the urge to

confess.

“Pieter, is it very unethical to be so curious about “Mr K”’s penis size?

I’ve heard that Eastern men...,” and then I start giggling.

Pieter grins. “Not at all. I also had to know and I asked her. She said it

was huge!” I feel very human and appreciate that my otherwise professional

colleague shared a moment of curiosity with me.

68

Pseudonym to protect the identity of the lawyer.


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Then I turn serious again. “I don’t think that she is emotionally fit to

withstand arbitration or appear in the Labour Court, for that matter. She is

emotionally and physically run down and will not create a good impression.

Do you see her being well enough in the near future to be able to do this?”

Pieter bites his lip. “I doubt it, Susan. Keep her away from the court,

she is too vulnerable.”

“This means I have to convince Big Ralph Raymond to settle.” Pieter

nods. “Lindi has been through a number of attorneys and I get the

impression that the two of us are the only people she trusts.”

“Understandably so,” Pieter comments.

Big Ralph Raymond is friendly and asks how I am. Niceties dispensed with,

we begin to discuss “Mr K” and Lindi and I tell him about the revealing

photos Lindi took of “Mr K” through the glass partition while he got

undressed in his office.

“Are you blackmailing me, Sue?” Ralph Raymond is amused.

“Maybe. I just want to see justice done.”

“Forget it, you want too much!” He ends the conversation abruptly. On

my way out, I turn around once more. I am close; he is bluffing.

“We can do better than this. We can take a decision to settle.”

“Sit down, let’s talk,” he responds and suddenly the atmosphere is

relaxed.

I manage to negotiate double the amount Lindi and her many lawyers

were prepared to accept, plus my professional fees. My first real taste of

success! Lindi is relieved when I contact her during the negotiation process

to obtain her approval.

“Promise me that you will not stop your visits to Pieter. It will take you

a long time to heal,” I warn her, feeling very protective of my brave victim.


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“Promise, and I want to take you to lunch to say thank you!”

The Department of Labour contacts me to present a workshop on workplace

bullying in Pretoria. This workshop is the first of its kind and I am very

excited.

“Let us hope this is the beginning of many more; go break a leg!” Ilan

says as he kisses me goodbye. It is 6:30 in the morning as we both leave.

I prepared 30 files for the participants, but 60 people turn up at the

venue. They are even seated on the steps and the floor, but they seem eager

to listen. I can see the “a-ha’s” on the faces, the nods and, in some instances,

the pain. While I am talking, a young lady starts crying and I walk over to

comfort her.

“It’s okay to cry if you have flashbacks of being violated,” I tell the

participants. Some of the social workers move around to comfort the more

vulnerable in the audience.

The participants listen attentively, and as I talk, I realise that people

need to hear the facts in order to commence a journey of healing. The

problem is much larger than I anticipated.

Afterwards, the young lady comes to me. “Thank you for

understanding. It is the first time that I have not been asked what I did

wrong, but was told that nobody deserves to be bullied.”

“It makes a difference, doesn’t it?” and I give her a hug.

The telephone rings and it is Anu Pillay of the Southern African office

of Ashoka, an international Fellowship of social entrepreneurs. She would

like to meet with me.

I am very excited and phone Ilan at his work. “Guess what happened?”

He is patient – as always: “What?”


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“Ashoka, you remember that organization that gives people grants?

They called me and want to meet with me. I’m on my way there now. Please

cross your fingers, I can do so much more if I can get the necessary financial

backing.”

“I’ll even cross my toes,” he says.

Ashoka’s offices are small and located in a building in Braamfontein69,

which houses mainly non-profit organisations. Anu is a pleasant person and

I take an immediate liking to her gentle, down-to-earth manner.

She explains to me how Ashoka works. They are interested in my work

but would like to observe and understand the nature of the cause first. “You

will go through a rigorous process conducted by the local and international

panel before we will admit you to the Fellowship,” she warns. “I must also be

convinced that you have a unique way of dealing with workplace bullying

and violence. You are actually still building capacity and are not yet ready for

Fellowship. We sustain our Fellows through monthly stipends for a period of

three years to get their projects off the ground.”

She hands me brochures on Ashoka and various other social

entrepreneurs. I am fascinated and tell her that I am eager to become an

Ashoka Fellow since I believe that my project is unique and can make a vast

difference. Anu smiles. “Well, you certainly have the tenacity and spirit, but

you will have to convince us that your project is very special. Keep in touch!”

While I’m ecstatic that Ashoka has contacted me, I realise that it is not

going to be easy to persuade this powerful international organisation (with its

headquarters in Washington DC, USA) to support me. I read about Bill

Drayton, the president and CEO of Ashoka with great interest. There are

already 900 Ashoka Fellows worldwide and the numbers are growing.

“Tell me more about this Ashoka,” Ilan asks that evening. He is preparing

dinner and I am leaning against one of the kitchen cupboards, just enjoying

his company.

69 Braamfontein is close to down-town Johannesburg and the buildings are predominantly office blocks.


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“Firstly, Ashoka is not an acronym for something, but is actually the

name of an ancient Indian ruler commonly regarded as a social entrepreneur

or changemaker. To belong to the Fellowship you must have the qualities of a

social entrepreneur or social innovator.”

“How do they classify you or measure your idea?” Ilan wants to know.

“First you are nominated, then they conduct independent reference

and background checks, site visits and interviews. The local Ashoka staff

drafts a profile of the candidate, highlighting the candidate’s new idea, the

problem which it addresses, the implementation strategy and the candidate’s

personal background,” I tell him.

“So you are going to be investigated?” Ilan is surprised.

“Yes, and that is not all. Once the one member of the local office has

made his or her recommendation supporting a candidate, that candidate

then undergoes an intensive second opinion review by a senior Ashoka

professional who has never laid eyes on the person or the cause before and is

based overseas.” I take a sip of tea.

“This interview takes typically four to seven hours. Only then will it

proceed to the selection panel. This panel consists of four people and each of

them meets with you for an hour. It is the panel’s responsibility to ensure

that those elected are likely to become truly first-class social entrepreneurs

on a national scale. Only then does the panel meet, take a decision based on

consensus and forward a recommendation to the Washington office. But this

process can take years. For instance, they need to determine that my ideas

and methods for tackling bullying and violence in the workplace are truly

unique and in which way my methodology differs from others in the field.”

“Apart from the fact that it sounds as if you’ll be going through hell to

get the Fellowship, I want to know how you differ from others like your

Internet ‘boyfriends’, for example.” Ilan asks.

“Well, they work with victims; they study the phenomenon and write

articles for journals. But I venture out there and talk to the business world,

develop programmes and so on,” I explain.

“Is that all?”

“No. I admit that I need to develop my advocacy more; I need

conferences and I also need to network with NGOs and the organised labour

movement, but I will get there.”

“So you will not receive any help or relief tomorrow?” he asks.


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“Unfortunately, not. But you know, this social entrepreneurship is

fascinating and it is critically important, especially in our country. The faster

society changes, the more it is needed.” Then I find the Ashoka brochure and

read:

Moreover, the spread of democracy is lowering the barriers that

historically caused social entrepreneurs to lag behind the

development of business entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurs ‒

citizens who care for their neighbours and cause significant social

changes ‒ are in many ways the cutting edge of the democratic

revolution, not least because they quickly become role models for

others. Ashoka helps them launch their visions and their careers. It

also provides the framework and support that enable them to find

and help one another and to articulate and share their professions’

methodologies, especially the most effective approaches to bring

about structural social change70.

“It will be wonderful for your cause if you can become a Fellow. How do

they assist social entrepreneurs?” he wants to know.

“Fellows are given a monthly stipend. If you are earning R10 000 per

month, for instance, they equal it and tell you to leave your job and build

your project for a period of three years.” I am curious to see how Ilan will

react to this statement.

“What?”

“Yes, isn’t that great?”

“But what other criteria are there except for having a bright and

unique idea for solving a problem?”

“Creativity is criterion number one.” I grab the brochure again and

read out to Ilan:

Successful social entrepreneurs must be creative both as goal-

setting visionaries and in the essential follow-up problem solving.

They must use their creativity day after day, year after year to

succeed. Creativity is also a wellspring of the entrepreneur’s

motivation. Because they own their vision, they are far more

dedicated to making the idea the new reality than any employee

could ever be71.

70 Selecting Social Entrepreneurs. Ashoka Brochure. Arlington, VA, USA. 71 Selecting Social Entrepreneurs. Ashoka Brochure. Arlington, VA, USA.


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“But how would they actually be able to determine whether the person

is creative?” Ilan is still not convinced.

“Well, according to the brochure the prospective Ashoka Fellow will

have a vision of how a human need can be met and they will have their own

idea of how to implement it. Then, of course, they do background checks to

see if you have a history of creating and implementing new visions. For

instance, the fact that I started running my own newspaper at school for the

Standard 6 class was of great interest to Anu. They will also look at other

innovations. I’ve initiated many magazines, brochures and newsletters in my

life. I was even the pioneer of premarital sex in my family!”

Ilan bursts out laughing and gives me a hug. When I fell pregnant out

of wedlock at the age of 20 I was in deep trouble. My family treated it as a

tragedy and Magriet believes that they have never forgiven me for “shaming”

them, hence their behaviour. I suppose Magriet is right, but it is always

painful to be reminded of the years of indirect rejection.

Ilan steers the conversation back to Ashoka. “Other criteria?”

“Well, they also look at entrepreneurial quality,” I tell him.

“A-ha, that can be tricky – everyone from the corner café to the big

business mogul claims that they are entrepreneurs.”

“Yes, but what Ashoka actually means by entrepreneurial quality is

men and women who are so passionate about an idea and who will persevere

in refining, testing, then spreading and marketing it until it has become the

new pattern for society as a whole. They are not only visionaries, but “how-

to” people too. Their idea is their mission; they are zealous and their total

absorption is critical to transforming the new idea into reality.

“They do not rest until this is achieved, but they are also the ultimate

realists – they simply want their ideas to work. Furthermore, entrepreneurial

qualities imply that they are risk takers. From the outsider’s perspective, the

leaps seem risky but it is carefully thought through by the social

entrepreneur and they will stick with an idea despite obstacles, owing to

their drive and extraordinary persistence. The entrepreneur turns vision into

reality, and is therefore profoundly different. Ashoka will decide if the idea is

concrete, if you are ‘possessed’ by the idea, if you are realistic, a practical

engineer and if your track-record shows determination and has delivered

extraordinary results.”


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“That will probably be the toughest part for them to determine and for

you to prove. To see determination they need only look at how you refused to

part with Jenny against all odds ‒ given the family you were born into and

how you raised her single-handedly, and still studying part-time.”

“They want guts, and I have it. I deserve to be an Ashoka Fellow some

time in the future,” I respond confidently.

Ilan smiles. “Well, you have the idea, creativity and entrepreneurial

qualities they will be measuring you against. Any other criteria?”

“Oh yes, they also evaluate the social impact of the idea. They are only

interested in ideas which they believe will change the field significantly and

that will trigger nationwide impact or, for small countries, broader regional

change. The project must have systemic impact.” Ilan holds out a spoon and

gives me a taste of sauce. I suddenly realise that I am starving.

“The last criterion, of course, is ethical fibre. You must be a person of

integrity and trustworthy. That’s why the background check is so important,

as well as the impression you leave with the panel.”

“You must be an extraordinary person to become an Ashoka Fellow,”

Ilan remarks as I start setting the table.

“I have an extraordinary cause and that is ultimately what counts,” I

respond.

“Until then it will be very hard for us to survive only on my salary.”

“I know.” Financial issues always depress me and I just hope that my

time for Ashoka will come soon.

That evening I roll around in bed. I am worried that I don’t bring in

enough and that I am being unfair to Ilan. I never want him to feel used and

I know that he will support me to the end. Despite this, I would really like to

become more independent. I decide to explore alternatives for an additional

income in the meantime ‒ at least until I am awarded the life-changing

Ashoka Fellowship.

Jenny is pregnant and Ilan and I am happy for her and overjoyed by

the prospect of our first grandchild being on the way. The South African

currency is spiralling downward against the mighty dollar and I realise that,


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unless a miracle happens, I will not be able to attend my first grandchild’s

birth. I find myself buying baby clothes and knitting. The prospect of

becoming a granny is delightful and it overshadows the struggle of having to

promote my cause. Whenever I can, I send Jenny a parcel and we often chat

on the phone.

One day Jenny phones again. “When are you and Ilan getting married?

You have a grandchild on the way...” There is an impatient tone in her voice.

The pressure is definitely on.

“Maybe sooner rather than later?” is all I can guess, and Ilan smiles.

“Shall I make you a decent woman?” he asks, knowing how much I

detest chauvinistic phrases like that and I counter-challenge, “Shall I make

you an honourable man?”

We somehow both realise that our time has come.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part Three: The Journey Chapter 5: Towards the 99

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Chapter 5

Towards the 99th Monkey

I’ve spoilt Ilan with coffee in the bed right from the start.

“Thank you, my wife” He likes calling me his wife. We are non-religious

and we got married on his birthday at the local Home Affairs office. It was a

small wedding, but a meaningful step for us. We had a small reception

afterwards and decided to take a honeymoon later.

Ilan and I waiting to get married with my mother next to me.

Photograph taken by my step brother, Don Williams.

My friends from all over the world who form part of my discussion

group congratulate us and wish us well. There is also a mazeltov e-mail

from Ilan’s family. We spoke to all of them the day before. Ilan’s parents are

unfortunately too old to travel.

Ilan peeps over my shoulder and he glances through the digest. “Gosh,

we got married yesterday and you are already back with your internet

boyfriends!” he teases. Our home is filled with flowers and joy after the

festivities of the previous day. Ilan took a few days off work and he is

relaxed.

“They all send their very best,” I tell him. He knows that my virtual

group means the world to me. My dedication to this group is almost an

addiction. “You said that you had some new thoughts on promoting your

project?” Ilan asks and diverts my attention from the screen.

“Yes, I actually have a very good idea. I am going to sell the hyena book

online! I also want to do a survey online too and improve my website with

research papers, advice and this will hopefully promote this website and my


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services all over the world. Tim Field gave me brilliant ideas on how to

popularise one’s website. My workshops relating to customer service are

good and I can always bring in a bully angle too.”

The virtual world and possibilities are exciting and Ilan shares my

absolute fascination with the wonder-world of technology, but smiles at my

persistence of never letting go of my cause.

“You are a fighter and will not give up on anything you believe in. But I

am concerned that you are becoming a PC geek....” and we burst out

laughing. Ilan pulls me away from the screen towards him and I put my

arms around him. “Let’s get in the car and just spend time outdoors,

enjoying this beautiful summer day. After all, we’ve only been married for 26

hours...”

The joy in his eyes is a reflection of my own overflowing happiness.

Love makes the world go round and for now, my cause is forgotten and I am

enjoying my husband’s company and the smell of a glorious summer all

around us.

Late one afternoon, Jenny phones. She has gone into labour earlier than

expected. I feel like the utmost failure. I do not have the resources to go to

the USA to be with my daughter and it is the birth of my first grandchild! I

stay with her on the phone for most of the night, talking her through the

pain, being there for her. I am cradling her in my arms in my imagination,

but my heart is breaking.

I feel like an incompetent mother – I should have been with my Jenny

and I am angry that Ilan does not agree with me that we should dip into our

reserves and get to New York for this special occasion. He believes in saving

for a rainy day and I am the opposite – I am perhaps too generous. Yet, this

long night of 7/8 July 1999 is my rainy day; a day I should be with my

daughter and welcoming our first grandchild into the world.

“Mommy, the pains are bad now.” Jenny’s voice is shaky on the other

end of the phone and I wish that I could simply embrace her.

“Take a deep breath and let’s time how far apart your contractions

are.” We talk about the time she was born and then Jenny announces:

“Oops, water is running down my legs. Its time for me to go to hospital now.”


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She hastily tells me that someone will call me as soon as the baby arrives.

The miracle of life is about to re-enter my world.

Sleep evades me and I find myself literally watching the telephone in

anticipation of the call. Finally, it rings and it is Mark. Joshua Aaron Siegel,

our grandson, is healthy and beautiful. I wake Ilan by jumping on the bed. I

am thrilled!

Ilan looks a bit grumpy and bewildered, but manages to smile. He

gives me a kiss after hearing all the detail. “A blessing right in the middle of

tough times,” he says.

“Today I am going shopping and I will be sending our Josh a big

parcel. Also just something enjoyable for Jenny too.” The prospect of sending

gifts gives me immense pleasure.

“I want to phone my mom; she is also knitting something for Josh and

she can just mail it straight away,” says Ilan.

“Mark says he’ll be sending us a picture of Joshua via e-mail. I want to

check if the photograph hasn’t arrived yet...” – and I dash to the computer.

“It must be the photo, because this e-mail is taking ages to come through.

We’ll be seeing our grandchild in a few minutes.” I want to fast-track this

whole process, and watch my PC’s inbox intently.

When the first picture of Joshua finally arrives, Ilan and I cannot stop

looking. This is our very own grandchild. I feel tears running down my

cheeks and then I cry uncontrollably. “Sorry my Baby, Gran will make this

up to you one day, I promise.”

Photograph of Joshua Aaron’s Siegel’s first day: 8 July 1999

taken by Jenny’s husband, Mark.


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Ilan realises for the first time how much I am hurting and tries to

comfort me, but I am angry at him and the world. I feel robbed of this time

with my grandchild and am suddenly overwhelmed by self-pity.

“Don’t be angry. You’ll be able to see as much of Joshua as you wish

one day,” Ilan tries to comfort me.

As the day goes by and the congratulations start pouring in, my anger

subsides. I just feel immensely relieved that Jenny is well and Joshua is

healthy. The challenge to have it all – my husband, daughter and

grandchildren ‒ is up to me and at some stage it will all fall into place. I need

to wait for the fullness of time.

It’s early morning and while Ilan is getting ready for work, I download my e-

mails, hoping to find pictures of Joshua’s brit. Jenny has kept her promise –

the photos are there. “Brit” is the Hebrew word for Covenant. A brit is a

ceremony on the eighth day of life during which a baby boy is brought into

the covenant of the Jewish people. The complete ceremony includes

circumcision and is also called “Brit Milah” (i.e. Covenant of Circumcision).

With this ceremony, Joshua's Jewish identity is affirmed. A Mohel

officiates at the brit and performs the circumcision. Rabbi Barras is very

special to Mark and he seems delighted to perform the ceremony.

I realise that, should I allow myself to hit rock-bottom with every

ceremony, or every opportunity I miss, I will merely become too depressed.

Best thing to do is to snap out of it and work as hard and fast as I can to

make a difference and internationalise my work.

Ilan takes much delight in looking at the photographs. “Did I tell you

about my brit?” he asks.

“No?” I am curious.

“Well, I was born without eyelids. On the eighth day when the Mohel

performed the circumcision, he suggested that my doctor use my foreskin to

make eyelids for me.” I start giggling. “My mom was worried that I will be

cock-eyed, but the doctor assured her that I will have foresight.” I burst out

laughing and decide to e-mail Ilan’s joke to Jenny’s husband.


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Times are tough and although I stay in touch with Ashoka, nothing happens.

“Any good news from Ashoka?” Stefan asks and I note some concern in

his voice. Stefan Sonderling is a senior lecturer in the Communications

Department at the University of South Africa and we met because of my

interest in “communication irritators”. We soon became friends and now

share a healthy sense of humour. He is creative and loves imaginative ideas.

Although Polish, he grew up in Israel and always chats away to Ilan in

Hebrew.

“They haven’t committed to anything yet,” I answer, finding it difficult

to keep the despondency out of my voice. “I realise that I should focus on

surviving, rather than hoping for a fellowship. I am at least at the stage

where I have good relations with international unions, but am also slowly

moving closer to our local unions. Do you know that workplace bullying and

violence is of no concern to them? They contend that poverty and HIV/Aids

are the main issues of the day.”

“But that’s wrong!” Stefan retorts and he bangs his fist on the table to

emphasise the point.

“I know,” I respond, “South African trade unions are lagging behind

the rest of the world.” My frustration with our unions is probably very visible

to Stefan. “But I keep on making contact with a wide variety of people, and

not just unions. I often talk on the radio, I write articles for magazines, and

Charlize, my friend who is a journalist, also writes articles about the cause

and my work. The radio talk-shows draw a lot of attention and a lot of people

phone in,” I continue. I wipe a loose strand of hair behind my ear, almost in

anticipation of Stefan’s comment.

“You really need a sponsor,” he says. Stefan is always thoughtful;

pondering all possibilities for me. “Have you tried the Kelloggs Foundation

and other companies for funding?” He has a receding hairline and his frown

is clearly visible.

“No, to do that, I need to start a Section 21 non-profit company first.

Corporate governance and other issues are important to the corporate world

‒ and the organisation needs to have an annual audit. Just imagine the cost

of keeping a Section 21 company on the books with a cheque account and

no money to show for it. The trick is to generate income through funding or

products eventually,” I respond.

“But why don’t you get on with that?” Stefan seems impatient and

picks up our black pug puppy. I fetched her from a breeder in Potchefstroom


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earlier in the week. Kelly is intelligent, yet tiny. Maybe on some level we

needed to cement our marriage with our four-legged child. She even sleeps

with us. My thoughts wander off...

I stroke Kelly’s black fur while Stefan is holding her. “I’ll have to find

the money and partners to set up the Section 21. Will you become a board

member?” I ask, suddenly excited about changing strategy.

“Of course, I will.” Stefan reassures me and then gently puts Kelly

down on the floor.

“Ashoka actually told me that I should consider a Section 21 non-

profit company at some stage, but I first need to find some funds.”

“You will find a way,” my good friend tells me.

Stefan has also been drawn into my professional newsgroup. All my

friends seem to be part of it ‒ not because they are interested, but because I

believe that they need to be exposed to new ideas. I also want them to share

in my world.

When Stefan leaves, I return to my computer, just to find an e-mail

debating the cost of bullying in the workplace. Andy Ellis, a UK lawyer,

replies to Andy Liefooghe’s statement that workplace bullying should be

addressed as an ethical issue rather than a financial issue. He writes:

Hi Everybody,

In relation to the cost discourse, I guess it is true that it is a critical

issue for employers. But then I think I would also agree with Andy that

it should be the ethical issue that matters.

I get quite frustrated in the Employment Tribunal when I hear

arguments about how the employee failed to invoke the grievance

procedure when in the end, it shouldn't matter that the employee, for

whatever reason, fails to take positive action themselves if we start

from the assumption that the employer has an obligation to treat the

employee with dignity and respect in the first place.

Once we accept that the employer does not owe this duty as an

inalienable obligation in and of itself, human dignity takes a second

place to arguments of profit and loss. It then follows from this that we

will be unlikely to obtain an outright legal prohibition of workplace

bullying simply because we have accepted that there is a balancing


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exercise to be entered into; and this by its very nature will always be

subjective.

Hence managerial prerogative will continue to trump human dignity,

which really and truly is our primary objective I think.

But in any event, whilst we are talking about cost to employers,

research from Leicester University Law School (published in January

1995 in the Police Journal (p72)) indicates that the most significant cost

to industry arising out of bullying and general mistreatment of

employees may be that of the consequential increase in white collar

crime within those organisations.

And when one considers that this is thought to be in multiples of all the

robberies and burglaries, etc all put together that's some wad of cash.

Not all will be connected of course, but Leicester University found

significant evidence that companies who mistreated employees had a

more significant problem than others, and moreover that there were no

feelings of guilt within the employees concerned and so one of the

greatest inhibitors was removed.

Andy Ellis

I find myself pondering over Andy’s letter. There should be more evidence

that there is a relationship between white collar crime or fraud and

workplace bullying. It makes perfect sense. Bullying is a form of social

control for the fraudster.

“But not all bullying is necessarily indicative of fraud,” I tell Magriet on

the telephone discussing Andy’s letter. Although I believe that Magriet has

lost interest in the topic, I believe that by keeping her informed, she might

regain her passion for the cause. In any event, I love networking and I see no

reason why my co-author should not form part of my newsgroup of

treasured people. One can hardly be a friend of mine without being drawn

into this group.

“Sure,” Magriet responds.

“I was so amused when I read the article about Berend Howard, a 30-

year old computer programmer who took revenge on a major chain store

when his salary was slashed by half, in a local newspaper recently. Berend

became the first hacker in South Africa to face criminal charges for

computer sabotage after he crashed the computers of over 600 Edgars stores


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for an entire day, causing losses of more than a million rand. This is

something new – when people are bullied in the workplace, they could revert

to sabotage. He admitted wanting to draw attention to his plight, but his act

of spite ended in a High Court interdict.”

This is indeed an interesting case study and I decide to post the full

content of the newspaper article72 for my internet group’s information, as

well as for that of my victim support group, which is moderated by my

friend, Andy Ellis.

I order the ILO’s publication on workplace violence. Violence at Work by

Vittorio Di Martino and Duncan Chappel is a first for this United Nations

(UN) agency and it is interesting to see how this international agency tackles

the issue of workplace bullying.

I decide to correspond with Vittorio Di Martino, who happens to be the

ILO’s senior consultant for Safe Work and Employee Well-being. Vittorio is

also interested in my virtual newsgroup and accepts the invitation to become

a member.

“The manner in which the ILO is tackling the issue of workplace

bullying as part of workplace violence is most fascinating. This is definitely

the more acceptable route,” I write, “because, for some unknown reason, it is

just too difficult to tackle bullying as a stand-alone issue. Anyway, the word

‘bullying’ remains problematic.”

I share my excitement about the ILO’s interest in the subject matter

with Stephen Faulkner of Ditsela. Ditsela is the training arm of South

Africa’s largest union federations, Cosatu, Fedusa and Nactu.

“The ILO is powerful and when they take an interest, the unions are

likely to follow,” Stephen advises during a telephonic conversation. “To get

Vittorio Di Martino on board is huge. How the hell did you manage that? I’ve

been trying to get an appointment with him for five years.” Stephen chuckles

and I feel like a winner.

“Maybe Vittorio sensed my desperation to move the agenda forward, or

maybe he is just a nice person having a good day,” I respond laughing. I am

actually also astounded. What seemed to be a fairly easy exercise to me

72 Sunday Times, 19 March 2000 front page. CRASH. One bitter worker brings national retail chain to its knees for one day.


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surprised even my colleagues. Instinctively, I feel that a new era has dawned

for the cause.

Apart from the excitement of linking up with Vittorio Di Martino in

Geneva, Switzerland, the victims of workplace bullying and harassment need

my attention more than ever. I am extremely busy and have been requested

to appear as an expert witness at Val’s tribunal, which is due any day. I

engage in last-minute preparations, as her case has been dragging on

forever.

After a long day of waiting at the CCMA offices, I am disillusioned with

her employer and share my experience with my virtual friends by posting an

e-mail to the group:

Hi Everybody! You will recall that I've been asked to act as an expert

witness in a workplace bullying case. The case was postponed today,

but I had the opportunity to meet with the victim's trade union

representative and during the long wait I learned something new.

It seems as if her employer has 18 cases against trade union

members pending and asked her bully to start a rival right wing trade

union in order to destroy the Cosatu-affiliated trade union. What is

even more disturbing is the fact that the union representative had no

knowledge of this. All this was done hush-hush and I asked her to

gather information, facts, figures and witnesses to present at the

tribunal. This surely is proof of the fact that this employer is acting in

bad faith and is prepared to bully any opposition.

Is this a world-wide trend? Business setting up sweetheart "trade

unions" to disempower workers? Most importantly, shouldn't there be

legislation against such conspiracies?

Regards

Susan

This message sure got the members thinking again, and Peter Jones73

reacts:

Boy, is this topical Susan!

73 Pseudonym. The person who wrote the letter could not be traced for consent.


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I haven't heard of an employer setting up a trade union, but I have

observed a trade union becoming a sweetheart union. I believe that I

belong to one such union. I have even been treated in a less than civil

manner by certain representatives, because I've created disharmony

between the bully managers and the union.

I've had a senior union official make a deal with one of my bully

managers, concerning me, without ever consulting me. They actually

handed over evidence to the management after I personally

telephoned them and told them not to.

I've also had an official from union HQ attack me on the union

intranet. I still find it hard to understand why an organisation that is

there to support its members can behave like this. Is it because of

corruption, or just because the union officials want a quiet life?

Whatever the answer is, it does at times seem as though nobody

believes or cares about a bullied union member.

Peter Jones

Michael Weissman, a shop steward from Washington State reacts:

This is a common tactic of companies in the US, although it can take several

forms. For context, please note that union membership is very slowly increasing

in the US after decades of right-wing agitation against them. We are seeing

union movements in trades that never had them before: janitors, hotel maids,

tech company employees, lawyers, physicians.

The first tactic is for the employer to 'force' a strike. Then, strike-breakers or

replacement workers are invited to join a new union (not the one representing

strikers). The new union is less antagonistic to the employer; frequently it is a

smaller union desperate for new members. A union certification vote is taken,

and since all the old union members are out on strike, the new union is easily

certified. The courts have generally found this to be an unfair labor practice.

Where things get sticky is when the strike finally ends, and now you have

employees represented by two different unions.

Another tactic, drawing from experience in Europe, is to appoint a management-

employee relations governing board. Although lacking the legal standing such

boards have in Europe, these are intended to diffuse employee demands by

sending the implicit message that employees are listened to and have influence

on management. These are common at white collar companies like hospitals,

universities, aerospace and technology firms. Unions dislike them because they


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give employees the false impression that these boards can substitute a labor

contract and union representation. The boards may have some power in Europe,

but not in the US, where their role is usually more public relations and window

dressing.

Michael J. Weisman

Shop Steward

USA

Carol Fehner of the AFL-CIO union federation of the USA also joins in. As

a national union activist, she has observed the positive and less positive

aspects of union responses to bullying. If the union leadership is unaware of,

or rejects the concept of bullying, their reaction to such situations will be

inappropriate. Of this, she has had first-hand experience.

She developed a curriculum for union activists to deal with the matter.

She believes that most behavioural patterns displayed by unions can be

explained in terms of their inability to fathom what workplace violence, and

more particularly workplace bullying, entails.

Jan Gregersen of Norway shares his experiences about ineffective trade

unions with the group and it seems as if the rise of “sweetheart trade

unions” may be a world-wide phenomenon and something to be guarded

against.

One of the members of the work trauma discussion group, Owen, sends

me a newspaper article by Barrie Clement, which appeared on page 8 of the

Independent on Sunday newspaper in the UK on 1 August 1999. A union

official is facing bullying charges. The powerful West Midlands Regional

Secretary of the GMB (Britain’s General Union) is under investigation.

I immediately respond via e-mail: “Maybe greater union support for the

cause will only be forthcoming once they learn how to deal with bullying in

their midst. You cannot heal others when you yourself have an infectious

disease.”

In South Africa I’ve heard noises that workplace bullying is rife in unions

too and that some of the officials holding powerful positions treat those who

report to them in an undignified manner. Even though it is highly unlikely

that Cosatu-affiliated unions will engage in “sweetheart activities” with

employers, they need to come to grips with bullying in their own ranks too

before they will be in a position to help others. For now, they are still in


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denial about the issues of workplace violence and bullying.

That evening I work on my website again. I’ve taught myself some web design

skills and though not perfect, I am very proud that I am able to save the cost

and give my website a personal touch. More people are inquiring about my

services on the Internet and I am thankful that the website is drawing the

necessary attention.

However, I know that I am ready for the next phase of development and

that there is no room for complacency.

“I want to organise an international conference on work trauma – covering

everything that can cause trauma in the workplace, such as bullying,

mobbing, whistle-blowing, sexual and racial harassment and physical

violence,” I say to Ilan, taking a seat next to him. “This should take place in

Johannesburg. We need to move the issue forward.” Ilan looks up from his

book, surprised.

“When you say ‘we’, it means that I have to give the money and you will

do the work.” He smiles and raises an eyebrow, as though asking a question.

“How can you just decide it is time for a conference?” There is slight

amusement in his voice.

“Nothing will happen unless I make it happen,” I answer, probably

looking overly serious. “More people need to gain insight into this

phenomenon. I seem to be more well-known internationally than I am in my

own country. It is time that business and the unions get together and listen

to the real issues at stake. South Africa is lagging behind.”

“South Africa has been lagging behind in everything for ages,” Ilan

teases.

“Agreed, but just look at Charlotte Rayner’s exciting studies. She is from

the Staffordshire University Business School in the UK and her research into

workplace bullying for the members of Unison, a union federation, is simply

amazing. Did you know that 18% of the respondents indicated that they


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were currently bullied, while 24% of them witnessed bullying?” I ‘ask-tell’

Ilan.

“How were they bullied?” he asks.

“Well, 42% regarded the withholding of information as the most common

form of bullying,” and then Ilan interjects.

“Withholding information? Oh, shame! Are they a bunch of sissies or

what?”

“Ilan, it can be very frustrating,” I say in my sternest of voice. “But evenly

frustrating are belittling remarks, persistent criticism, unrealistic

performance targets, intimidation, meaningless tasks and excessive

monitoring, to name but a few.” I glance through the two sheets of statistics

sent to me by Charlotte Rayner, who is also a member of the virtual group.

“Interesting. How did they react to it?” he asks.

“76% were stressed, 67% experienced anger, 65% felt that they had been

undermined and 60% felt powerless; all of which was followed by feelings of

depression, sadness, humiliation, confusion, isolation, fear and shame. It

has a huge impact on the victim, as we know.”

Ilan nods and then starts reading his book again.

But I’m not finished. “Charlotte Rayner should come along as well. We

need to stimulate interest in research on the topic in this country and learn

from other countries’ surveys. That might just change the status quo for us.”

“I am really into this book right now,” he says, “but I think your idea is

good and if you can run the conference on an economic basis, it could mean

a lot to your cause,” is his final advice.

The next morning I call a company to supply me with a list of the human

resources managers of a large number of corporate entities in and around

Johannesburg. I set the dates for the conference as 24 and 25 September

2000 and prepare a letter of invitation. Magriet seems excited when I phone

her, especially in view of the fact that this event would provide an

opportunity to sell our hyena book too.

The time to start my Section 21 non-profit company has arrived and I decide

to register the company. I do not have the time to request unions,

businesses and other stakeholders to nominate representatives and request


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Ilan, Magriet, Stefan, Chris, Annamarie and my brother Claude to join the

company as board members on a temporary basis, while I am requesting

other stakeholders to nominate members to represent them. Magriet

assumes the position of Deputy Chair. Her marriage is going through a crisis

and I hope that her attention will be diverted by becoming involved in my

ventures.

My auditor advises me that the company may lay dormant for years and I

need not open a bank account immediately. However, the Section 21 non-

profit company is in place, and should the project become economically

viable, I’ll be happy to cite the organisation for advocacy purposes.

The telephone rings. It is Magriet. “Have you managed to obtain any

sponsorships?” she asks.

“Yes, Croxley delivered some folders, but my visit to the South African

Airways (SAA) turned out to be very successful,” I happily announce.

“Are they going to sponsor you?” Magriet sounds surprised.

“Yes, the Labour Relations Manager promised to send 15 participants

and to sponsor the flight costs of five international speakers.”

“That is great! Who are you thinking of inviting?”

“I want to invite Vittorio Di Martino to deliver the keynote address at the

conference, and we need to get international scholars such as Charlotte

Rayner, Gary and Ruth Namie and Andy Liefooghe over here, as well. Other

professionals and scholars in my newsgroup indicated that they are

prepared to pay their own flights and accommodation.” My excitement is

audible.

“South Africa will be fortunate to have them,” Magriet comments.

“Another opportunity is that, through Steve Faulkner’s involvement,

Cosatu has agreed to support my appeal to the Labour Council for funding,

so that they too can send delegates to the conference. Almost sounds too

good to be true.”

“Is there interest from the private sector?” Magriet asks.

“Private companies are registering and paying in advance for the

conference. That is really helpful at this stage.” While talking to Magriet, I try

counting the number of registrations.

Stefan Sonderling phones shortly thereafter.

“How are you doing with the programme?” he asks.


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“The programme is diverse and exciting. Prof. Deo Strumpher of the Rand

Afrikaans University (RAU)74 agreed to deliver a keynote on resilience, while

Prof. Tina Uys of the Sociology Department will be sharing her findings on

whistle-blowers. Claire Thomson, a unionist from Australia, has also agreed

to present her findings on research into workplace bullying in Australia.

Other speakers include Vittorio Di Martino, Gary and Ruth Namie, Charlotte

Rayner, Andy Liefooghe, and so on.”

“Wonderful!” Stefan exclaims.

It is early July and Johannesburg is chilly outside. Karen Lowry Miller, a

reporter from the European edition of Newsweek, phones. Ken Westhues

and Tim Field referred her, and she asks me to comment on workplace

mobbing.

We talk about workplace bullying and the work of European researchers.

She quotes Prof. Ken Westhues (Canada), Dr Tim Field (UK), Prof. Dieter Zapf

and Dr. Alfred Fleissner (Germany), Dr Harald Ege (Italy) and Dr Vittorio Di

Martino (ILO) and then she asks my opinion about bullies and the issue of

forgiveness.

About six weeks later, the article appears in Newsweek (14 August 2000)

under the heading, “They Call it Mobbing” – A new kind of workplace

harassment, or an old one with a new name? Either way, Europeans are

upset.” I read the paragraph with my comment in the three-page spread on

workplace mobbing: “And anyone can be a bully, adds Susan Marais-

Staidman (sic), head of the Foundation for Workplace Trauma in South Africa.

She was hired to solve a mobbing situation at the same large corporation

where she had been bullied earlier on in her career. They said, ‘We’re sorry for

what we did to you; now will you help us?’ she says. ‘If only it were always

that simple.’”75

74 The University of Johannesburg was known as the Rand Afrikaans University (RAU) prior to 2005. 75 Miller, K. Newsweek. 14 August 2000. Business. They call it ‘mobbing’. A new kind of workplace harassment, or an old one with a new name? Either way, Europeans are upset.


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My small contribution was important enough to be mentioned in one of

the most influential publications in Europe. I am from an African country

and it is so much harder to receive international recognition because for

most, Africa is equated to poverty, wars and stupidity. I am elated and wish I

could receive equal recognition locally.

To top it all, there is a display of books on page 40 and right in the centre

is our hyena book, described as, “A generous serving of self-help,

empowerment and metaphors.”

“Wow, I feel as though I’m on a roll,” I comment to Ilan. He knows what

every bit of positive news means to me and hugs me.

“You’ve arrived!” he exclaims.

The debate regarding the causes of workplace violence is on. For some, like

Tim Field, most bullies are sociopaths, while others (like myself) believe that

the causes are multiple and rooted in a range of organisational, economic,

strategic, environmental and individual factors. I make my contribution to

the debate by posting an e-mail:

Jan and Everybody

I think that most researchers will agree that the causes of workplace

bullying are multiple. Here follows an extract from one of my web

pages:

Why and when do colleagues and bosses bully?

- When their positions or authority are threatened.

- A small percentage of bullies are sociopaths (2 to 4%), while some are

mildly to marginally anti-social and they bully for various reasons

ranging from power play and their obsession to control the

environment, to being threatened by competency, popularity, good

looks, etc.

- Some bullies are just opportunistic and would bully those who are

down on their luck or vulnerable, so as to improve their own positions.

- When the corporate culture of an organisation permits hostile

behaviour, some colleagues will follow the leadership and their

managerial style mindlessly. But even if the corporate culture is co-

operative, workplace hostilities will go "underground" and tend to

become very sophisticated.


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- Opportunistic bullying could also be directed at vulnerable groups, for

example HIV-infected people, gay people, people of another race or

culture, previously traumatised people. Bullying of this nature normally

takes place in sectors where workers are not organised and/or

sufficiently protected.

- Some circumstances encourage hostile work environments. These

could include managerial factors such as ineffective job descriptions,

inappropriate and/or inadequate communication, low moral standards,

lack of stimulating and challenging tasks and poor supervisors.

- Frustrations and conflicts relating to rights, obligations, position and

poor interpersonal relationships.

- The need for a scapegoat.

- The appointment of professional bullies or so-called “serial corporate

killers” to get rid of excessive staff and prevent companies from paying

out large severance packages.

- Changes like restructuring, looming retrenchments and mergers can

spark off workplace wars in a normally peaceful environment.

- Globalisation (see my notes elsewhere).

- There is a little bit of hyena in all of us!

Jan Gregersen of Norway is the first to respond. He is a knowledgeable

contributor to the group discussions and I secretly hope that he will be able

to obtain a sponsorship to attend the conference. Jan succinctly points out

the difficulties of determining the causes of workplace bullying, echoing my

concerns, but also pointing out the problems witnesses have in instances

when they do stand up for the victim.

The causes of workplace bullying remain an inexhaustible research topic

and the conclusions compounds the feeling that we are only dealing with the

tip of the iceberg at this stage.

The preparations for the conference are labour-intensive and I eventually

decide on appointing a temporary assistant. A few days before the event, I

receive the news that SAA cannot make good on their promise due to

restructuring. In fact, I get the distinct impression that SAA perpetually

restructures. As if this isn’t bad enough, the Labour Council is no longer

able to sponsor the registration fee for the unions.


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While contemplating what to do, Magriet arrives. She is traumatised and

devastated after being in the divorce court, but she puts up a brave face by

telling everybody how friendly the people were in the crime-ridden Small

Street76.

It comes across as a comedy of errors and Tattiana, another friend

visiting, bursts out laughing: “You are ‘flippen’ traumatised, Magriet! Dear

God...” and my friend roll her eyes theatrically as if she is witnessing a Greek

tragedy and utter spectator stupidity.

Magriet, however, denies that she is traumatised or sad. Tattiana decides

to prepare a meal for everyone. She takes care of Magriet while I try to

absorb all the bad news, feeling utterly helpless. True to her character,

Magriet is totally out of touch with her feelings again, but I still feel guilty

not being able to give her all the attention and love she needs on the worst

day of her life.

I cradle my head with both hands, as though preventing it from

exploding.

“I’ve taken a decision,” I say, whilst walking over to Magriet and Tattiana.

“At this stage I need to postpone the conference and accept that I will not

have enough sponsorships.” I’m visibly upset and they both get up to give me

a hug.

While I welcome Magriet reaching out, I wish it could be under better

circumstances. She needs more attention and love than I am able to give at

this moment. She understands that a hug and being there, aware of her

pain, is the best I can do and she is content. Words are unnecessary. I

decide to pull myself together and then start phoning everybody locally and

internationally. The hardest part is to tell the speakers that the sponsorship

of flights has fallen through and the only way for them to attend is by paying

their own way.

Tattiana takes me to one side. “That friend of yours is lekka traumatised,

ag shame77” and she expresses her disbelief at Magriet’s unnatural

behaviour after her divorce. I just shake my head and smile.

“I didn’t expect Magriet to react in any other way,” I assure her.

76

Small Street, close to the Supreme Court in down-town Johannesburg, is notorious for pick-pocketing and petty crimes. 77 “Lekka” means “very much so” in this context and “ag shame” is an expression of sympathy for South Africans.


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It is early one Friday evening. The phone rings and it is a senior official

called Barbara from the AFL-CIO Union Federation in the United States. She

is sorry to hear that I had to postpone the conference, but tells me not to

give up. “One day, a critical mass will hear your message and this will make

the impact you’ve been waiting for,” she says. She then shares the story of

the 100th monkey:

“Some decades ago, on a Japanese island, scientists were providing

monkeys sweet potatoes and dropped them in the sand. While the monkeys

enjoyed the raw sweet potatoes, they were not fond of the sand and would

rather not eat the sweet potatoes than eating it covered in sand.” She

breathes and I can hear her pulling on a cigarette on the other side of the

phone before she continues:

“But one of the females found a solution to the problem. She washed her

potatoes in a nearby stream and she taught the trick to her sister and

playmates who taught their mothers and playmates too. Within five years,

the majority of the monkeys learned to wash their sandy sweet potatoes in

nearby streams. Up to a certain point 99 monkeys learned how to wash their

sweet potatoes. Mind you, this represents a hypothetical and symbolic

figure. But let’s assume there were 99 monkeys who washed their potatoes;

this would equate to the saturation point for change. Then it happened.

When the 100th monkey started washing his potatoes, the behaviour

suddenly spread and by that evening all monkeys were washing sweet

potatoes. This method was soon used spontaneously by neighbouring

islands’ monkeys without any prompting from external sources.”78 I can hear

her taking another puff from her cigarette.

“What a great story!” I exclaim.

“You will get your 100th monkey, Susan; believe me you will and everyone

will listen to you. I admire your persistence and we support you

wholeheartedly. Don’t get despondent and don’t give up.” Her deep voice is

soothing after the long day of disappointments.

Putting the phone down, I suddenly realise that I needed a few words of

encouragement and that this union activist must have sensed that I could be

at low ebb. My determination to get the conference on the map again soon

grows. I will get to my 100th monkey.

78 Extract from Steinman, S. 2006. Magnificent Outcomes. An account of the struggle and victory over workplace violence in the health sector.” The People Bottomline, South Africa.


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“Of course, we will help you!” My ex-colleague, now with one of South

Africa’s largest mining companies, offers me the company’s well-equipped

and modern auditorium as a venue for the conference, free of charge.

I’m delighted. “Thank you so much! Should I get a caterer or will the

canteen be able to assist us with refreshments?” I inquire cautiously and

secretly hope that I will be able to secure refreshments and meals at the

subsidised prices they offer to staff members. But I don’t want to push my

luck too far.

“We will cater for the refreshments and food at the subsidised cost,” he

assures me.

I realise that he believes in my cause and wants to help where he can.

We compare diaries and decide on a date early in November 2000.

Back home, I go online again and inform my newsgroup. Steve Faulkner

of Ditsela responds by e-mail: “Bloody hell, you have guts!” I feel like telling

him that I probably have more guts than brains to pull this one off.

I decide to invite Ashoka to the conference too and although a number of

the overseas presenters cancel because they cannot afford the flights, Claire

Thomson’s Australian union decides to sponsor her trip. Unfortunately,

Vittorio Di Martino cannot make it due to other arrangements but he,

nonetheless, offers to present the opening address via satellite, or should

this not be possible, for someone to read it to the audience.

TJ van der Merwe, a Senior Commissioner at the CCMA agrees to chair

the second day of the conference, as well as the session on a Code of Good

Conduct to Prevent Bullying and Violence in the Workplace. Forty-odd people

will be attending the conference, and I realise that my cause is at last on the

table. Union members refuse to attend unless entrance is free, and I decide

to accommodate them as I need their cooperation.

“Are you running the conference at a loss?” Ilan asks when I give him a

run-down of the latest developments.

“No, I’m breaking even,” I respond hesitantly. “Avmin is providing the

venue free of charge, as well as the refreshments at a minimal cost – and

this has really helped tremendously.” I see the relief on Ilan’s face.


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“What about those who can’t make it and who paid for the earlier

conference?” he asks.

“Well, I cut a deal with all of them to give them a free one-day workshop

at their places of employment instead of giving the money back.”

“That was silly!” Ilan retorts. “Now you are working for nothing.”

“Not really, I am not letting go of anyone who wants to know more about

the topic,” I respond heatedly. “Even though it isn’t profitable, I am not

losing any money, and I’m gaining friends.”

I suddenly think of friends who have been generous and kind recently.

“There are many other blessings too. Magriet lent me her computer for the

time being, so that the temp can do her work...”

“And I can play computer games in the evening without disturbing you!”

Ilan interrupts.

I continue, “…and she even offered to accommodate the overseas visitor.

All the speakers agreed to participate free of charge. The world is lending a

helping hand and I am not going to be greedy.”

As Ilan is about to answer, there is a hoot at the gate. It is Stefan

Sonderling with his new young Bulgarian wife, Vicky. He has since started a

small business on the side, selling second-hand computers and seems to be

doing well. Vicky assists him and I have not seen him so happy in all the

time I’ve known him. He recently promised to fix my computer and the

computer unit he brings back seems to be in another unit or simply

different. .

I greet them outside and they seem eager to get to my desk. Whilst

setting up the computer, he tells me, “Your computer was shit. We decided

to give you a gift and put a larger computer together for you so that you can

do your work properly. I’ve transferred all your data; don’t worry.” Stefan

takes joy in seeing my excitement and I hug them both again. I feel a rush of

excitement and cannot wait to put my hands on the computer.

“Thank you, thank you so much! Apart from my work, this will also help

with my studies; you know that I’m doing my MBA too.” I am breathless; a

bigger, better computer for me from my friends. Ilan looks at me in disbelief

and smiles. He knows I am right: life is about giving and receiving.

“Only a pleasure,” Stefan smiles. “I saw the article about bullying and the

conference in the Careers section of the Sunday Times.” Stefan is obviously

impressed that the conference has drawn the Sunday newspaper’s attention.


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“Yes, they actually wrote an article about workplace bullying and quoted

some UK research. I contacted the journalist, Jane Bennett, and told her

about my work and the upcoming international conference. I just hope we

get more bookings.”

“Good, and of course I am going to stir shit at the conference by taking a

non-capitalist stance,” Stefan announces and I start laughing. Controversy is

always good to get debate going and he is definitely the right person to be

there.

The 2th of November arrives and it is a summer morning, approximately six

weeks after I had to postpone the conference for the first time. It is drizzling

outside and the cool morning wind compels me to cover my arms. My temp

workers arrive at six in the morning and Tattiana prepares something to eat

before we head for the Avmin building in down-town Johannesburg.

“Break a leg!” Ilan wishes me well. He is a loner at heart and possibly

welcomes the fact that the conference and all the activities are coming to an

end. Our small apartment has been abuzz with temp workers, speakers and

friends, and of course, our “child”, Kelly, the black pug.

The opening of the conference is a huge success, and although Vittorio

Di Martino cannot be there in person, his words of encouragement are

appreciated. One of the most important observations he makes is that, if we

want to address violence in our country, the most apt point of departure is

the workplace as it certainly has the resources to make a difference.


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From left to right: Susan Steinman, Marlene Dunkers (Hospersa Health Sector Union) and

Mavis (temporary assistant) in the reception area of Avmin’s auditorium on the occasion of the First International Conference on Work Trauma in South Africa.

(Photograph taken with Ilan’s camera by Tattiana.

Stefan Sonderling promised to “stir shit” and so he does. He creates

controversy by playing devil’s advocate and accuses psychologists of

conspiring with business, rather than taking up the interests of workers who

have been traumatised due to workplace violence. A heated exchange follows

between Stefan and a psychologist. Steve Faulkner, who is chairing the first

day’s sessions, finds Stefan’s comments amusing. I glance sideways and see

Stefan smirking at the “traitors”.

“How are we doing with time, Steve?” I whisper.

“We are doing fine and having fun; relax,” he whispers back.

Prof. Tina Uys of the RAUs presentation relates to the trauma of whistle-

blowing and contains an interesting case study on a Reserve Bank employee.

It seems that the whistle-blower experienced some difficulty in getting on

with his life after being vindicated. The trauma remained.

Claire Thomson’s paper draws a lot of attention from the union members

attending the conference.

“She is a ‘comrade’ and her telling the unions that workplace bullying is

real and that something should be done about it will be very helpful,” Steve

remarks during the refreshment break.

Steve has also arranged for Claire to spend some time with Ditsela whilst

in South Africa. Her research on workplace bullying in Australia resonates


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with the findings of Charlotte Rayner of the UK. Although Charlotte was

unable to attend, I present her findings at the conference. Of interest is her

costing of workplace violence with its subsequent impact on talent retention.

I am painfully aware of the Ashoka representative watching every move I

make and although there is hardly any time to worry about it, I hope that she

will find my cause worthy of support.

The next day TJ Van Der Merwe chairs the sessions. From 12:00

onwards, the conference attendees participate in compiling a Code of Good

Practice to deal with Workplace Bullying and Violence. There is lively

participation from the floor and some interesting recommendations for

change.

“This Code should be presented in the format of the Code on Sexual

Harassment to be acceptable to all parties,” TJ recommends. There is a spirit

of cooperation and a shared sense of new things to come.

“I am tired and happy. The first conference was a huge success, not in

terms of numbers, but in terms of quality participants and commitment,” I

tell the delegates from Toshiba who have decided to present me with a used

laptop as a donation and token of encouragement. I thank them for their

generosity, realising that my life’s work has taken a turn.

Ilan is clearly relieved that the conference is over. “A member of the family

with the pugs phoned earlier this evening,” he says, “you can collect the

black pug tomorrow.” We’ve been looking for a male for Kelly to breed with

and were fortunate enough to come across an advertisement for a beautiful

four-year old black male pug.

“I will fetch Bully tomorrow afternoon. His real name should be Blackie,

but I think that Bully will be a more memorable name,” and I smile. “But

guess what, I got the article by Eddie Jayiya that appeared in The Star

newspaper of 9 November today!” I wave the press cutting in the air.


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“This is wonderful publicity for you,” Ilan says. “At least, everybody is writing

about you now.” Ilan smiles as he picks up Kelly’s food bowl.

“Yes, I even got a spot in the Institute for Personnel Management’s

magazine to their members. Every little bit helps to raise awareness,” I

respond whilst passing the bag with Kelly’s pellets.

“How many spots have you had on television, radio and magazines since

the hyena book?” Ilan asks as soon as Kelly tackles her pellets gluttonously.

“I’ve actually made a list to publish on my website,” I respond. Suddenly

excited at the thought of all the publicity, I rush to my computer and start

reading:

“It starts just after the book launch:

• 23 November 1997 in Rapport, the Afrikaans Sunday newspaper,

page 8, announcing the book with a hyena cartoon and a

photograph of the authors;

• 5 December in the Sandton Chronical;


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• 5 December, an interview on the Vaal Community Radio’s

Women’s World;

• 7 December in Rapport again, page 14, under “Political Comment”;

• On 18 December 1997, Magriet and I were interviewed on Punt

Radio, which mainly broadcasts in Gauteng and the Western Cape

Province;

• On that same day, we were also interviewed by Radio Jakaranda,

which broadcasts in Gauteng, Northern and Western Province;

• On 12 January 1998, Radio SAFM interviewed us on Women

Today, being a national broadcast;

• 13 January 1998 in Beeld, the Afrikaans daily on page 2 of the

Business section;

• Keur magazine, 16 January 1998, a full-page, full-colour article

with a photograph of the authors preceded by a radio

advertisement announcing the article a week before the

publication;

• On 23 December 1997, SABC Television, The Breakfast Club,

between 06:00 and 08:00. Two three-minute spots; one at 06:15

and one at 07:27 that same morning;

• 21 January 1997, SABC3 Television, Options programme at 18:30

to 19:00, featuring Magriet and myself in a programme about office

etiquette in a 3-minute slot;

• 10 August 2000, SABC2 Television, News and Current Affairs,

18:00 – a feature about my work as the main news of the day;

• 28 January in Beeld under the “Kalender” section, listing the

hyena book as 5th on the list of English best-sellers;

• Reviews in five Caxton newspapers in the Vaal Triangle during

January 1998;

• City Press (Sunday newspaper), “Book of the Week” on 25 January

1998;

• The Edgars clothing group’s Club Magazine (February 1998), a full-

colour photograph of the book plus a review;

• The Citizen on 2 February 1998, under “Book Reviews”;

• A two-hour late-night talk show on Punt Radio, 3 February 1998;


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• A 90-minute live interview on bullying on Radio 702 (2 April 1999),

linking up with Tim Field in the UK and Gary Namie in the USA;

• Another 5-minute interview with Radio 702 on 30 December 1999

on the topic of workplace bullying;

• An interview on Monitor/Spektrum (peak hour national broadcast)

relating to workplace bullying and the International Conference…”

“I remember that very well,” Ilan interjects, and I continue:

“I was interviewed by Radio 702 again on 13 August and here

follow the rest:

• The Getaway magazine of April 1998 carried a full-colour

photograph of the book plus a review;

• An article in the HR magazine, People Dynamics, during May 1998;

• Rooi Rose (May 1998), a two-page article about the book and the

issue of workplace bullying;

• Sunday Times (May 2000), “Bullies rampant in SA office”, an

article by Jane Bennett in the “Business Times” section about my

work;

• Newsweek International Edition, 14 August 2000, as you know,

and then this article in The Star Today, of 9 November 2000.”

“That’s the whole lot!” and then I feel a need to explain to Ilan: “It doesn’t

happen by itself you know. I worked very hard to obtain all this publicity.

Some may argue that my background in public relations has been helpful

and perhaps it is so, but if I did not have the will to go out and make it

happen it would never have happened.”

“The book’s success is largely due to your marketing skills,” Ilan agrees.

Landing at Johannesburg International Airport, I cannot wait to see Ilan. I’ve

missed him so much. I’ve lost weight and the soles of my shoes are coming

off. Spending a month in New York and helping Jenny through a difficult

period in her marriage has taken its toll. She needed me and I moved heaven

and earth to be with her. Bonding with Joshua and being with my daughter

were worth the sacrifice.


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Once home, Ilan tells me that Magriet phoned regularly to enquire about

my well-being. “She seemed very concerned,” he says.

“I missed her too and I will phone her later. But for now, I just want to be

held; I’m so happy to be home.” The month was too long and as the days and

weeks went by, I realised more than ever how much I love Ilan.

“Did you help them solve their problems?” Ilan asks while gently stroking

my hair.

“Only time will tell. I can only be there for Jenny and Josh whenever they

need me. I cannot live her life or tell her what to do. But my being there

empowered her to tackle her problems and to stand up for her rights.” I move

myself into a comfortable position on the couch, enjoying the conversation

and just our being together.

“That is good enough,” Ilan replies and hugs me again as if he cannot

believe that I am home again.

The break was good for me on another level too. I had time to discuss my

work with Jenny too. In some way, Jenny made me realise that people in

distress needs to a good support structure more than anything else. One’s

resilience is strengthened by good support. I decided to balance my approach

in the case of workplace bullying with a stronger victim-centred approach.

Pondering on the issue of strategies to help victims in the workplace the

next day, I realise the need for research on workplace violence and bullying. I

decide to write a letter to Vittorio Di Martino enquiring about a possible

sponsorship by the ILO once I get back into the swing of things again.

But first, I want to enjoy home before giving my work all the attention.

New York was covered in snow and bitterly cold. I missed my husband, South

Africa’s sunshine and summer landscapes – Johannesburg is, after all, said

to have the best climate in the world. When I tell Ilan that, he comments,

“And the best husbands too.”

“Agreed,” I smile and hug him.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part Three: The Journey Chapter 6: Living in the fullness of time _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Chapter 6

Living in the fullness of time

The voice on the other side of the phone is desperate. “Oh please, Susan, you

must help us! We work for a terrible Hyena.” There is a distinct feminine tone

in Harry’s voice and I realise that he is an artistic, sensitive person.

Harry is a graphic artist at a public relations company and he has been

working there for 11 years. His boss, Sean, is a brilliant public relations

executive and is well-known in the industry. I sense that working with such

renowned personalities can be quite daunting. I agree to meet him at a coffee

house.

Harry’s feeble manner immediately evokes my maternal instincts. He is

close to tears. Sean, he tells me, has a history of being emotionally volatile

and unstable. He apparently used to throw temper tantrums as a teenager,

antagonising his parents. This behaviour seems to have continued in the

workplace and then he decided to opt for a lobotomy79 so that he could be

more “rational.” The lobotomy had the desired effect: Sean stopped his

ranting and raving, and, to crown it all, he could work for 30 hours non-stop

without fatigue setting in. The results were amazing, but...

“He is still a Hyena. He treats me and his other colleagues like rubbish.”

Harry starts sobbing and tells me how frequently Sean humiliates him.

“The dilemma is that one cannot see the trouble coming,” Harry

complains. “Whether he is angry or content, Sean shows no emotion ‒ all

because of the lobotomy. Management is fully aware of Sean’s behaviour, but

they turn a blind eye. After all, he is the company’s money-making machine.”

“The only way you can do something about it is by petitioning

management to discipline Sean, or, if all else fails, you and your colleagues

can turn to the CCMA. Nothing I can say at this stage will make the abuse

disappear. You and your friends need to manage the situation with the

lobotomised hyena.”

“I know, Susan, but I am so scared...” Harry is a nervous wreck and I can

sense the fear in his voice.

79 A lobotomy is a surgical technique that involves making an incision in the brain's frontal lobe, severing several nerve tracts. This procedure used to be a relatively common way to pacify aggressive mental patients.(From: http://ask.yahoo.com/20041101.html visited on 1 November 2007)


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I reach over and take his hand. “It is not so difficult to stand up for

yourself. You will soon need more anti-depressants and will live in fear of

Sean for the rest of your time with this company. You may even change your

job, but you will only have real closure if you stand up to him and try to

resolve the issue.”

I also brought him a copy of the hyena book, hoping that it will give him

the courage to deal with the lobotomised hyena.

“We need a bigger apartment, my husband. I’m finding it difficult to do my

work and study here. I need to be able to receive clients. It is awkward to

meet clients in coffee shops. Office space in this area will simply be too

expensive right now. Just something more elegant.” I am serious and Ilan

looks up from the computer.

“Well, go and look for another apartment and then we can decide,” is his

reaction.

“Why don’t you come with me?” The place I have in mind is not far from

us.

“Check it out first,” Ilan insists. He doesn’t like going out after work, and I

decide to drive to the apartment, determined to find something better.

The apartment is beautiful and I decide that Ilan needs to see it. The

owner is extremely nervous and for a moment I recognise trauma, wondering

whether she had been assaulted or raped, but put my detracting thoughts

aside. The place is very safe and seems to have good security. I realise that I

have lingered too long. It is getting dark and it is time to go home.

This area is close to a notorious abduction zone, around the corner from

the township of Alexandra where both women and their cars disappear on a

regular basis. The car is stripped and sold while the woman can land up as a

sex slave in one of the many illegal taverns in the sprawling informal

settlement.

When I take the next turn, I notice four men in blue overalls standing on

the street corner ahead of me. It seems odd and I automatically accelerate,

taking the turn to the right at a higher speed than normal. But when I reach

the corner, I find myself looking into the barrel of a gun. I look straight into

the reddish cold eyes of a poker-faced gunman .


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Within a split second, I decide that these men will not get to me. I am not

going to stop for them – I will rather take my chances. I am not prepared to

be dehumanised. I’m in survival mode – and almost hear my own voice

shouting instructions to me. “Fall flat on the seat; the road is straight; keep

your hand on the wheel and speed.” I follow the instructions with ease;

almost as if I am an experienced escape artist used to doing this sort of thing

all the time.

Then a thought crosses my mind, “Shouldn’t I pray?” – immediately

followed by my own voice answering, “You are okay, you said your prayers

this morning...” I hear shots being fired at the car and think that a bullet

might pierce my body at any given moment. Yet, I am looking down at myself

from a very peaceful place. I am no longer one with my body. I am in a place

where there is no fear, no anger, and no danger. Suddenly, I feel myself

snapping back into my body. I am still alive and everything is intact.

I have progressed 500 metres away from the hijacking corner. As I drive

home a numbness sets in. No shock, just a feeling of nothingness; a

desperate black hole. Back home I don’t greet Ilan and walk straight to the

lounge. My legs feel heavy. I cannot move or talk. I slump down on the couch

and simply stare into space. After a while Ilan walks in.

“You are awfully quiet.”

“I was just almost hijacked.”

“What? Where? That can’t be – just look at you!”

“You need not believe me.” I feel drained. I couldn’t care whether Ilan

believes me or whether he is fooled by my calm outward appearance. I just

want to absorb the fact that I survived this ordeal.

“Did you phone the police?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because...” my lips start trembling, “because I feel like I’m dreaming.”

Ilan eventually manages to get the story out of me. I tell him about my

out-of-body experience and my great escape. He phones the police and I

realise that this is simply just another attempted hijacking. They will

probably not even investigate the matter.

The next day I meet with a colleague and he persuades me to go for

counselling. He explains that my “out-of-body experience” is a trauma


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reaction and that it is common for victims of hijackings to report this type of

occurrence.

The counsellor wants to use an “implosion” technique by taking me back

to the scene.

“No, I’m not up to it,” I tell him and decide to terminate his services. I

want to hibernate and work through it myself. I don’t want to be forced to

relive that experience. In any event, I surely have enough knowledge to help

myself.

But sleep evades me. I keep on seeing the hijacker’s face and the barrel of

the gun. I feel anger at criminals.

I find myself searching for his face in crowds. Maybe he will remember

my face as clearly as I remember his. Maybe he’ll shoot me on the spot before

I can shout out, “This guy is a hijacker!”

One of the victims of workplace bullying once told me, “I replay the event

over and over in my mind... this is trauma.” Then I decide to take my own

advice and talk about my experience to get it out of my system. I am simply

too traumatised and I ask all my friends and acquaintances to help me, to

allow me to tell them over and over again what happened to me.

My general practitioner prescribes a mild sleeping tablet so that I can get

back into a sleeping pattern again. The post-traumatic stress reaction

subsides and I find myself just being very nervous when driving around at

dawn.

Time is a great healer. I somehow find renewed meaning because of this

incident, as well as my reaction thereto, by gaining new insight into the

phenomenon of trauma and how very important a good support system is for

the victim of any kind of trauma.

Richard Byrne, the labour law attorney who helped Magriet and myself way

back in 1994, calls me with a request to talk to one of his clients who has

been accused of sexual harassment.

“Oh come on, I don’t waste my time on perpetrators!” I am brutally

honest.

“He is the victim. I promise you, he is a victim.” Richard sounds sincere.


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“Okay, but I will first assess and then give you my opinion,” I respond and

Richard seems happy with the arrangement.

The alleged perpetrator has since lost his job and all his ex-colleagues

make themselves available to provide me with a better perspective of the

situation. I meet with them in a restaurant and the perpetrator immediately

strikes me as being quite normal, although, as Richard puts it, “Just a little

chauvinistic, but harmless.”

I wriggle uncomfortably in my seat when I hear what he did. He sent an

SMS to a lady friend in the office and many of his other friends at the same

time. The SMS read: “Vodacom has a new ring tone. It vibrates. Put it in your

pussy and I will ring you continuously.”

“But that’s sexual harassment.”

“No,” he, his friends and even Richard disagree.

“Listen to this one!” one of his colleagues exclaims. “The woman who he

allegedly harassed is forever disclosing the gory details of her sex life. She

calls her genitals…uhh, you know, the p-word...” I nod quickly and indicate

with my hand that he should move on with the story.

“Well,” he says moving closer, “She also calls it her ‘stinker’!” There is a

roar of laughter around the table and I keep a poker-face. Then I start

questioning the group, women and men alike. They all confirm that the

alleged perpetrator had no sexual interest in the woman; they were simply

friends and shared their intimate news on a daily basis.

On one occasion, she told the perpetrator and other staff members that

her ‘stinker’ was giving her endless problems and that she could only tolerate

one position during sexual intercourse because of this situation.

The perpetrator thought that the “p”-word sounded better than “stinker”

and sent her and all the other colleagues the SMS as a joke. He felt it was

safe to do so.

“There was a very religious woman standing next to her when the SMS

came through and that is why she reported him. So as not to lose face with

her religious friend,” one of his colleagues fills me in.

“I have to think about this, but the more I hear, the more it sounds like a

reciprocal use of profanities rather than sexual harassment.” I lean forward.

“But all of you, let this be a lesson. The corporate environment can be

difficult and you have to take care of your jobs. You need to understand that

you cannot cross the line in a place where you earn your bread and butter. Is

that clear?”


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“Will you help me?” the perpetrator asks looking pathetic.

“I will let you know tomorrow.” I first need to have a conversation with

Richard again and ponder the situation. The accused’s choice of friends

landed him in big trouble and he really should be more careful from now on.

It is June 2005. I once again write a letter to Vittorio Di Martino informing

him that I would like to research workplace violence in the health sector. I

enquire whether the ILO would be willing to sponsor the study.

I have found the health sector to be extremely volatile and violent, and

it seems to have become worse since my short-lived career within this

environment a few years ago. I cite this as the reason for my research. I feel

that our health workers are exposed to a great deal of violence both within

their working and external environments. It is a long shot and I hope that

Vittorio will find time to answer my letter.

He responds within 24 hours informing me that the ILO, together with the

International Council of Nurses (ICN), the World Health Organisation (WHO)

and Public Services International (PSI) formed the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint

Programme to address violence in the health sector. Several countries are

participating in a cross-country survey and South Africa does not feature on

this list but, should I be willing, they may consider me for the South African

case study. He mentioned my interest to them and Dr Christiane Wiskow, the

coordinator, will make contact with me soon, he writes.

I phone Ilan and some of my friends with the news. “Can you believe it? I

want to research the health sector at the exact time the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI

get together for the same cause. My letter was addressed to one of the

committee members. This is almost too good to be true!” I exclaim.

Christiane Wiskow contacts me shortly after, requesting that I do the

South African case study relating to violence in the health sector in

developing countries for the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Programme. I am

required to send my Curriculum Vitae together with the application form. It is

a formal procedure.

I receive a vast number of documents from Christiane within the next few

days. These include the research background, the research protocol, the

questionnaire for data gathering, a guide on training field workers, questions

for the semi-structured focus groups, time tables, definitions, and much


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more. It is clear that the cross-country survey will make provision for

individual differences between countries, but their templates for the cross-

tabs will allow them to make the necessary comparisons. I will be using a

mixed method – quantitative and qualitative methods in the survey.

“Who are your supervisors for the study?” asks Prof. Sandra Marais. She

is affiliated with the Medical Research Council and did a study on criminal

violence in the health sector in the Western Cape.

“Dr Naeema Al-Gasseer and Dr Alex Butchart of the WHO. The WHO will

be paying for the South African case study,” I respond.

“They are good people, very knowledgeable,” is her comment. Sandra is

extremely helpful when it comes to budgeting for the project. I also obtain

permission from the Joint Programme to use my study for a PhD at a later

stage.

I quickly send an e-mail to Ashoka, informing them of the research and

how this development will impact on my cause. It is important to keep them

in the loop, even though I have little hope of being selected for the sought-

after fellowship.

Way into the project, I realise that I need an assistant to help me with the

research.

“The project is enormous and I have to cover a large number of healthcare

facilities and providers in the Greater Johannesburg areas. I need the unions’

cooperation and I need to obtain statistics. It is a very comprehensive survey

and at this stage I feel completely overwhelmed,” I whinge.

“Are you going to advertise for the job?” Ilan asks.

“No, I will phone the recruitment agency and ask them to send me

someone. They never charge me.”

“Lucky you.”

Very soon Marietjie Baruffol starts working for me. She is tall, blonde,

sharp-witted and attractive. I immediately take a liking to her and am happy

to hear that she smokes as well. I don’t need someone whose lungs will

collapse every time I light a cigarette.

“Smoke as much as you want to,” I tell her.

Audrey Mahlele, a young woman, joins us as a volunteer. This is an

opportunity for her to acquire some skills to further her career.

One morning at 07:30 I meet Dr Laetitia Rispel, the Head of Department

of the Gauteng Department of Health, in a parking lot, the only time and


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place she could fit me into her busy schedule. We discuss the survey and I

tell her that I need a letter allowing me to conduct the survey at the various

hospitals. She agrees.

“I will also write a circular letter to all the facilities requesting them to give

you all possible assistance,” she says.

It is a daunting task right from the word “go”.

“Have you managed to get a list of all the facilities in the Greater

Johannesburg area?” I ask Marietjie.

“Now, that is a good question,” she responds. “I’ve had several promises

and wrote a few letters, but using Dr Rispel’s letter still gets me the best

results.” Marietjie starts looking through the documents while having a

smoke-break.

Getting the statistics from the bureaucrats, the enormous task of

obtaining the necessary permissions and gathering data from the provincial

and private hospitals, classifying the institutions and stratifying the sample

become more intimidating as the days go by. Drs Al-Gasseer and Butchart

provide me with excellent guidance and I am pleased when my research

proposal is accepted and the WHO releases the first $2,000.00 for my study.

The rest of the grant will be paid at a later stage and I make the necessary

arrangements with the bank to go into overdraft.

Field workers need to be trained and this task will take a few days. The

project is enormous.

“Why don’t you contact my friend, Cathy Collins, to help with the training

of the field workers,” Magriet suggests. “I will assist her too.”

“Good idea, lets meet her. I have provided for field workers and trainers in

my budget.”

Dr Kathy Collins has retired from the Department of Social Work at the

University of South Africa. She is keen to run the workshop for the training of

field workers for the semi-structured focus groups, as well as a team who will

be administering the questionnaires at the different facilities. The students

are trained by Kathy and Magriet while I pay a visit to the health sector

unions.

Denosa represents approximately 80,000 nurses in the public and private

sectors with a head office in Pretoria.

“I hope that we can help you,” says a friendly Nelouise Geyer, one of the

deputy CEOs of Denosa. Her colleague, Thembi Mngomezulu, is equally

friendly. They’ve set up a focus group and I will be able to test the definitions


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for workplace violence of the ILO/ICNH/WHO/PSI Joint Programme with

them.

“These facilities are even better than Cosatu’s,” I comment when I see the

neat boardroom. Nelouise smiles and offers to be my scribe while I conduct

the focus group.

The focus group gives me valuable feedback. When asked how they would

describe violence, one of the participants says that “physical violence spills

over from the community”. They clarify the definitions and to my surprise,

health workers understand pretty well that violence can be both physical and

emotional.

While talking to the health workers, I come to realise the stress they are

subjected to and the enormous impact that the inadequate staffing levels

have on their day-to-day lives.

“All our members get from management is more pressure and budgetary

cuts. In addition, they are prone to withholding information and abusing

their power,” the group tells me. It is clear that the impact of workplace

violence is extremely negative and that there is no support for victims of

workplace violence.

Back at the office, Marietjie informs me that “Mr P-word” phoned. She

laughs and shakes her head. She finds the case amusing. “His case will be

heard at the CCMA early next week and they have asked that you be there to

give an opinion. I’ve diarised it for you.”

“These cases always seem to come at the most inopportune times,” I say

irritably. Marietjie is still enjoying the fact that I will have to act as an expert

witness on the use of profanities, but my thoughts are back with the health

sector, the pressures the workers experience and I can’t wait to tell Marietjie

the good news.

“Denosa decided to make a small donation towards the survey when they

realised that the budget for the survey is very conservative.”

“So happy for you!” Marietjie exclaims and immediately switches the

kettle on to make us some tea.

“That’s not all. Nehawu, another health sector union, decided that they

will print the 2,000 questionnaires free of charge as their contribution to the

study. This is a good saving; we simply don’t have money to waste,” I tell her.

“While we are talking, let me quickly update you. I managed to get you 18

more focus groups. They are homogenous and I am involving all levels.

Pharmacists, professionals allied to medicine, staff nurses, auxiliary nurses,


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administrative staff, midwives, and so on – public and private hospitals.”

Marietjie is excellent at putting the logistics together.

“Thank you. Once we’re through the focus groups and get the definitions

clarified, we need to administer the questionnaires within a period of three

weeks,” I respond.

“Have you made arrangements with the university for the data analysis?”

she asks, hoping that I haven’t forgotten. There are just too many things to

remember.

“Done that. Dr Riëtte Eiselen, the head of Statcon of the Rand Afrikaans

University gave me a very reasonable quote.”

“Let’s rock and roll.” In the midst of a seemingly never-ending sea of work,

Marietjie manages to be cheerful.

“And in between, I have to rock and roll with the literary survey too. They

won’t release the next amount unless the literary survey has been submitted.

I will have to complete it this week and submit my invoice. But judging from

the time it took for the first money to be released, the second payment is not

going to be easy either – I need to do it as soon as possible.”

“As long as everybody is patient and realises that you’ll only be able to

pay when the WHO has paid you, its fine,” Marietjie comments.

“Maybe I’ll earn some money in the ‘P-word’ case,” I respond with a wink.

When I state my opinion at the ‘P-word’ hearing, referring to this occurrence

as a typical scenario of reciprocal use of profanities and not sexual

harassment, the defence go on the attack and notice that I refuse to use the

word p...y and keep referring to the word as “the P-word”. They insist that I

say the word. I feel the blood rushing to my cheeks and the defence attorney

points at me excitedly: “Look, she is blushing!”

To make things worse, the commissioner gently requests me to explain

the difference between the “p...y” and a “stinker”.

“A stinker is an unwashed p…y,” I respond, feeling as though my head is

about to explode.

Sexual harassment, I realise, is not always what it seems. Occasionally, it

forms part of a reciprocal relationship. In my experience, the best way to

prevent this situation is by not letting your guard down and to set clear


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boundaries for sexual talk in the workplace. Mr P…y illustrated clearly how

this kind of behaviour could get out of hand.

Later that evening, Richard phones to tell me that his client got his job

back.

“I hope you also read him the riot act,” I comment with a giggle. “But

please, I don’t want any more expert witness cases. Enough is enough!”

Audrey also helps to administer the questionnaire and her ability to speak

five of the indigenous languages is a great advantage. She is young and

enjoys being mobile and visiting the facilities.

Working with the team of field workers, all the questionnaires are

administered within a period of three weeks. During the day we carry a table

into the lounge and divide the questionnaires into piles. By the time evening

comes, the table is out of the lounge before Ilan arrives.

“How many questionnaires are there?” Ilan asks. He is tired of our

apartment being taken over by the survey.

“1,018 questionnaires,” I respond. “After coding it at Magriet’s place

tonight, I’ll be sending it to Dr Riëtte Eiselen at the university where they’ll do

the data capturing. She will provide me with the data analysis shortly.”

“And after receiving the data analysis?” Ilan asks.

“They sent us templates for cross-tabs, 108 of them, and the cross-tabs

look like a lot of work, but I will have to see. Maybe Riëtte can help us.” I am

as concerned as I sound. I haven’t budgeted for these extensive and elaborate

cross-tabs and everything seems to be divided into male, female and/or both

sexes. It is ludicrous! Some of the cross-tabs run over several landscape

pages.”

Marietjie and I start doing the cross-tabs, a job which literally takes us quite

a number of weeks. Riëtte comments that she has never come across

anything like this. I am extremely tired and take a walk outside to have a


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smoke. My glasses are on the table. Then I see it; a beautiful bird in the

garden.

“Marietjie, come and look at this beautiful bird in my garden,” I call her

and when she walks out, she starts laughing.

“It’s your ceramic duck, Sue!” Marietjie exclaims and we both giggle. I

realise that I need to rest and decide to take a break over the weekend.

“There was nothing wrong with my eyesight this morning when I read that

I’ve been invited as a keynote speaker at the International Conference on

Workplace Bullying in Adelaide, Australia,” I tell Marietjie, still laughing.

“When is it taking place?” she asks.

“In February 2002. I will be staying with Claire Thomson. She is one of

the organisers.”

“Who else will be there?”

“I believe Gary and Ruth Namie will be there, Charlotte Rayner and Stale

Einarsen – all from our newsgroup.”

“Will Ilan go with?”

“He actually wants to go to Israel in January because his father has been

ill. I can’t join him because of this work. If he can make it with me, it will be

great.”

“I’ll hold thumbs for you… Oh Sue, by the way, I forgot to tell you. With

regard to the stakeholder meeting you’ll be holding at the Edenvale Hospital,

Ashoka wants to attend. She asked if you would have any objections if they

discuss your contributions with the participants. A guy with a beautiful

American accent said that he would be attending.” Marietjie watches my face

closely, knowing that Ashoka means the world to me.

“They can ask anybody anything!” I exclaim.

The phone rings and it is Magriet. She has been rather busy lately,

building a wall around her property, added to which she has taken in tenants

in her garden flat adjacent to the main house. They seem to have influenced

her life quite significantly.

“When are you going to pay me? I need the money!”

“You know that I haven’t received anything from WHO. As soon as they

pay me, I will pay you and all the other field workers your dues. That was the

understanding from the start.” Magriet’s attitude hurts me, as she’s aware of

my predicament.


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When Magriet phones again to remind me of the money, Marietjie finds

her quite annoying. “That’s nasty! Money can turn friends into enemies,

hey?”

“Magriet’s behaviour surprises me. She has changed since those tenants

moved into her garden flat. They have a lot of influence and possibly

pressurised her into putting up a wall around her property. Remember, she is

vulnerable after the divorce. Just a gut feel; hopefully I’m wrong,” I respond.

“You’re sharp and it’s possible that you’re right. But even then....”

Marietjie is a gentle soul and she doesn’t like seeing me hurt.

“I won’t invite her to the meeting at Edenvale Hospital. She is so angry,

she might just blacklist me with Ashoka,” I say jokingly, but realise that my

friendship with Magriet survived previous tensions, simply because I love her.

Marietjie bursts out laughing. “At least we can make jokes, but it is hell.

Fortunately we smoke the same stuff and we can share the cigarettes your

Mom gets from the reps. As long as we can smoke, we’ll survive.”

I realise that this excessive waiting for payment is madness. We are

stone-broke, Marietjie’s pay is a few days’ late and Ilan is extended beyond

his limits. I’ve even tried to borrow money from my “kind” brother providing

him with proof that payment is overdue, but I received the cold shoulder.

When times are hard, friends are few, I realise.

When the money finally arrives, my portfolio manager at the bank phones

me personally to give me the news. He is happy for me too. The money is in

and the dollar-rand exchange rate is so favourable that I’ll be getting much

more than anticipated. Everybody gets paid and Marietjie and I celebrate by

going out for lunch.

“Thank you for sticking by me through this,” I tell her and think how

blessed I am with good people in my life.

“How many people turned up at the Edenvale Hospital?” Ilan asks when I

return home that evening.

“Forty! Can you believe it? They all wanted to hear the findings of the

survey. All the unions were present, as well as the different public and

private hospitals, the CCMA, human rights bodies, labour advocates, the


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fieldworkers, advisors to the project and other interested parties.” I glance

side-ways wondering whether I’ve covered all the stakeholder categories.

“How did you present the workshop?” Ilan is curious and I am almost too

exhausted to explain.

“The workshop started with an introduction to the survey, a discussion of

the methodology and sampling and main findings. The delegates then split

into three work groups.”

“Three work groups for what?” Ilan wants to know every detail.

“The first group worked on the Code of Good Practice to deal with

Workplace Violence which we started in 2000 at the conference. The second

group worked on suitable interventions and the third group worked on

security in hospitals.”

“But why would security be a stand-alone? It could have been addressed

under general interventions?” Ilan is puzzled.

“No, it is a huge issue. Our public hospitals reported that 17% of all

respondents were at the receiving end of physical violence during the 12-

month period. Street violence is spilling over into the facilities and I felt that a

task group should be set up to discuss it and make recommendations.”

“It would be interesting to see what recommendations were made,” Ilan

comments.

“Well, I am certainly recommending mobile police stations and panic

buttons for staff members. Do you know that there are no panic buttons at

our public hospitals? The health workers are extremely vulnerable to criminal

attacks. In places such as the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, criminals

actually hide in the buildings.”

“I know. I’ve been doing work at the Johannesburg General Hospital for a

few months and they discovered a corpse in a ceiling,” Ilan says. “The guy

was a criminal and stole a number of cell phones, equipment and cash. He

lived in the ceiling of the hospital and actually died there.”

“Was it murder?” I ask.

“No, he was just a homeless thief. But I also heard that one of the nurses

was raped in the nurses’ home.”

“Yes, I heard it too. I simply do not understand how nurses’ homes have

become so unsafe. It could be because men are allowed in. Years ago that

would have been a no-no.”


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“Oh, and then Ashoka was represented by an American named Morgan.

He questioned Nicky Coupe, Marietjie, the unions and just about everybody

at the meeting.”

“Did they stand up for you?”

“I thought it might be unethical to ask them, but Nicky told me what he

asked her and she said that she is sure that they are considering me very

seriously.”

“Nicky, the labour law advocate? Tell me, tell me!” Ilan is elated.

“He asked her about my approach, whether she thinks it is unique,

followed by some questions about my leadership qualities, my ability to

network, my commitment, and so on. He also asked her very probing

questions about my integrity. It seems very important to them.”

“You can bet she is not the only person they will be speaking to,” Ilan

comments.

“You’re right. He spoke to others too. They also have a list of personal

references they will be consulting as well. It feels as though I’m under

surveillance.” I laugh nervously, but my thoughts are racing. The Ashoka

Fellowship could change my life.

I send up a silent prayer. “Please God, I have worked so hard for this.”

It is 31 December 2001 and I am still working on my report for the

ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Programme.

“Let’s celebrate the arrival of 2002,” Ilan says and pulls me away from the

computer. I’ve been working all day and he wants me to relax with him.

“Luckily they gave me an extra week to complete the report. I told them

that there is no way we’ll be able to complete the cross-tabs – it is

unbelievably overwhelming.”

“Forget about it, lets feast.” It is great to spend some quality time with

him.

Days later I finish the South African report on Workplace Violence in the

Health Sector. I forward the CDs and a hard copy by courier to Geneva. I

decide to give the participating hospital2 and interest groups some feedback.


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The problem of workplace violence is far bigger than anticipated and I

arrange to present my findings to a group of interested people from the public

and private health sectors at one of the private hospitals in Johannesburg.

“The biggest problem we are facing is that there is evidence of external

and internal violence,” I report. “In the case of physical violence, the biggest

perpetrators are patients and family members or escorts of patients and it

also seems to be the case with emotional violence. However, in the case of

emotional violence, the staff component engaging in violence is significantly

higher.”

“Why do we have such high levels of workplace violence in South Africa”

one of the participants asks.

I explain: “The high levels of crime and violence in our society, as well as

the area in which the healthcare facility is located, play a big role. The socio-

economic conditions prevailing in those areas also have a significant impact.

Psychopathology dictates in many cases and financial constraints, budget

cuts, inadequate or old equipment, shortages and so on, place the public

health sector under immense pressure. With increasingly overcrowded public

hospitals, staff shortages are taking its toll and too many entrances to most

hospitals put the health workers in harm’s way.”

I stop to breathe and to allow the participants to absorb the

bombardment of information. I then explain to the audience that certain

sectors are simply more vulnerable to violence than others, such as

ambulance and emergency services.

“Bullying and mobbing among nursing staff is another serious problem.” I

elaborate on the post-traumatic stress reaction differences between the

public and private sectors. “Although the private sector is also exposed to

workplace violence, it certainly seems to be to a lesser extent and

subsequently their levels of traumatisation are significantly reduced.” And

then I make eye-contact with the group from the public sector, “If we can

reduce the violence in public hospitals, the health workers will be less

stressed.”

They nod and I hope that I will, one day, be able to help the health

workers of this country. The shortages amongst staff are enormous and yes,

in some cases they do employ poor quality staff, but the majority of

healthcare workers are dedicated to their work and their patients.

“The time has also come for us to change the image of healthcare

workers. It is part of the problem,” I say.


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One of the participants has an odd English accent. I listen attentively

when she speaks: “Yes, sometimes I get insulted when using public

transport. Other times people admire me, depending on their experience with

hospitals and health workers.”

“According to the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Programme, we will be

developing strategies to deal with workplace violence at a later stage and then

I would love to share those strategies with you.”

I visit the different participating hospitals and share the findings of the

survey. It is the first comprehensive survey into workplace violence in the

health sector. They requested feedback and I have kept my promise.

The phone rings and it is Morgan from Ashoka.

“We’ve decided to give you a chance,” he says. “Now, I need more

information from you.”

I try to keep the excitement out of my voice, but he can probably detect

the larger-than-life smile on my face.

“What else do you need?”

I suddenly realise that after all these years, after almost giving up,

Ashoka might be offering me a Fellowship. I am going to be cared for, receive

a monthly stipend to fulfil my dream, to change the office environment and

bring dignity back to the workplace.

Then the moment becomes too much for me. My eyes fill with tears.

“Are you still there?” Morgan inquires.

“Yes, yes.” I manage to squeak out.

Morgan tells me that I will still have to appear before a local and

international panel in April 2002. Their scrutiny is rigorous and it entails

hours of interviews, but once that is over, I will form part of the Ashoka

family.

“For now I am recommending you for a Fellowship and Anu will phone

you later for an informal meeting,” he says. Anu Pillay is the southern African

director of Ashoka. She is well-known in non-profit circles.


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I manage to regain my composure. “Thank you, but I need to bring to

your attention that I will be going to Australia soon. I have to deliver a

keynote address there.”

“Good luck!” is Morgan’s parting words.

Ilan is preparing for his trip to Israel and has taken the week off. I rush

to him in the lounge room and convey the good news. He is almost more

excited than I am, and for a split second, I see my husband’s eyes fill with

tears.

“You deserve it, my baby!” I am on his lap and hugging him.

“Hopefully we will have more time to relax,” he says.

“We need a holiday together.” My thoughts wonder to a seaside holiday,

the smell of fresh air blowing in from the ocean and the feeling of the sun’s

warmth on my skin, the sand between my toes...

Once Ilan has departed for Israel, I start preparing for my trip to Adelaide,

Australia.

“We are like ships passing in the night,” I complain to Marietjie. “He’ll be

back for a few days from Israel and then I have to get on a plane to Australia!

I have to stay there for 10 days because they want me to enjoy their country.”

“You’re blessed!” Marietjie cries out.

“I know. One of our group members, Charmaine Hockley, has been

studying workplace violence for 12 years and she has invited me to spend

time with her family on their farm outside Adelaide. I look forward to it.”

Ilan returns from Israel and showers me with gifts. He missed me as much as

I missed him and I decide to make the most of our time together before I am

off to Australia.

“You’ve become so busy lately,” he says, with just a glint of sadness in his

eyes.

“The pace of change is rapid; it’s as though the lights are suddenly going

on everywhere at the same time and somehow I am caught up in a wonder


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world where everybody wants to listen to me. It all happened so suddenly.” I

touch his hair.

“Not so darling, it is long overdue.” Ilan is truly happy for me.

It is a long trip, but I believe that Adelaide is a beautiful place and even

though I am excited at the prospect of visiting the country, I don’t feel like

leaving Ilan behind. I am overwhelmed by sadness when we say goodbye at

the airport.

When we reach Australia, I am astounded at the beauty of Sydney. I have

to take a connecting flight to Adelaide and my handbag is extremely heavy. I

have brought 100 CDs from South Africa, compliments of Gallo, for the

conference organisers to hand out as presents for the guest speakers. One of

the organisers, Claire Thomson, asked me to bring a few CDs, but I guess I

got her more than she bargained for.

At Adelaide Airport, Claire and the organisers are waiting for me. I see the

amazement on her face when I start digging out the CDs from my pockets,

my laptop, my handbag and the few I managed to shove in my suitcase.

Driving to Claire’s home in Adelaide, I am surprised to see how similar

Australia is to South Africa. They even drive on the same side of the road as

us!

After two days of enjoying Claire’s company in her quaint home, we move to

the hotel in Adelaide where I share a room with one of the organisers from

the Working Women Centre.

Earlier today I met Sandra Dunn, the director of the Working Women

Centre in Adelaide. I am impressed by the dedication and work ethic of the

Centre. The Centre is also a sponsor of the Adelaide International Conference

on Workplace Bullying 2002.

My room-mate is interested in my research into workplace violence in the

health sector of South Africa: “Why is it that there is such a vast difference

between the public and private hospitals in South Africa?” she asks.

“The public hospitals unfortunately cannot choose their clientele. While

emotional abuse is common in private hospitals, emotional and physical

violence is rife in public hospitals. Staff are assaulted, intimidated and

abused by patients and visitors. We were told by a focus group at the Chris


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Hani Baragwanath Hospital that, in order to cope, you either turn to God or

to alcohol.”

“That sounds desperate!” she exclaims.

“Crime syndicates operate within the hospitals and criminals find these

institutions a safe haven from persecuting gangs or the police. Gangs attack

each other in trauma units and patients arrive with guns and refuse to hand

them over. Staff members work behind bars and bullet-proof windows in

emergency rooms to protect themselves from violence. Amidst the violence

spilling over from the streets, emotional abuse or psychological violence is

also disproportionately high. Each hierarchy blames the next one.”

“Was the study distressing?” she asks.

“You know, I believe that something can be done about it. We dare not

give up!” I glance at my watch. It’s time for drinks in Claire’s den. “Let’s go to

Claire’s room and meet the others.”

We find Claire and Lynn, the conference organisers, alone. Claire informs

me that all the international speakers are delivering keynote addresses and

they have to do parallel sessions too. The conference has been organised with

great flair and a large number of international participants are in attendance.

I am seated in a comfortable chair with a delicious glass of Australian red

wine, when the two American psychologists, Drs Gary and Ruth Namie enter.

I’ve spoken to them on the phone and have taken an immense liking to them.

It is great meeting them at last. Gary’s voice and posture are larger than life,

while Ruth is amiable and supportive. They are just as I imagined them to be.

Then it’s time to meet Charlotte Rayner with whom I’ve corresponded for

years. She is kind, with a great sense of humour and adventure. She comes

along with her partner and is looking forward to spending time scuba diving.

Charlotte recently obtained her PhD and has become a professor at the

Business School. She frequently lectures in China, she tells me.

I met Stale Einarsen briefly in 1998 at Vicky Merchant’s conference in the

UK, but seeing him again is a joy. He is in Adelaide with his whole family, all

the way from Norway, enjoying the last bit of the Australian summer. The

conference takes place from 20 – 22 February, the best time of the year.

“I believe you are talking about workplace bullying and transformation?”

he asks.

“Yes, a difficult topic though, because it touches on politics,” I reply.

“Looking forward to hear that one.” Stale then starts looking around for

his wife and I move on to the other guests.


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Someone taps me on the shoulder. I turn around.

“Do you remember some 18 months ago when you were kept awake all

night to help someone through a crisis?” the man in front of me asks.

My memory fails me for a moment. I’ve worked through so many nights

helping victims of workplace violence. He watches my face intently and then

decides to help me: “I am the teacher who wanted to commit suicide.”

“Oh, yes, I do remember! Are you better now?” I ask concerned. How

could I have forgotten that incident!

“I’ve come all the way from Queensland to attend the conference to

convey my personal thanks to you,” he says, visibly emotional. I reach out to

hug him, moved by this extraordinary show of gratitude.

“This is the biggest gift Australia could have given me,” I respond and my

voice cracks.

He is the one victim who has taken the time to turn around and say

thank you – and even if he is the only one, his “thank you” has made it all

worthwhile.

I deliver my paper that afternoon. The presentation touches on culture and

relationships. I explain how a culture of violence has emerged in South

Africa. First there was Apartheid with its deprivation of the majority and

socially sanctioned for an extended period by the white electorate. Then, the

South African society remained a patriarchal society in which women and

children were vulnerable, as is evident from crime statistics. The workplace

was influenced by a hierarchical society – kicking downward and bowing

upward.

“Political parties in South Africa saw violence as a legitimate means to

achieve liberation goals, as bullying is seen by a large number of employers

and often also actively practised by management, as a legitimate means to

achieve productivity goals,” I tell the delegates. I then explore proposed

healing ways through the culture of ubuntu where proper consultation and

restorative justice are but some of the options. Yet, this hasn’t happened in

Africa or anywhere else in the world. I’ve learnt that people and commitment

to dignity ultimately make the difference.

Judging by the applause, the audience enjoyed the presentation. I realise

that I’ve overcome my fear of public speaking and I am happy.


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Afterwards, Stale approaches me, “Have you written a paper about the

topic?” “Still too busy with my doctorate to pay attention to an article about

the culture of violence,” I respond.

“Is your thesis an extension of your ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI study into

workplace violence?” he inquires.

“Very much so. I am very fortunate that they allowed me to use the data,”

I answer as we move to the foyer to enjoy refreshments.

I have a large health sector audience the next day. When I share my

findings of the survey into workplace violence in South African healthcare

facilities, the audience is noticeably shocked.

“And I thought we had a problem,” one of the participants tells me.

“You still have a problem. The fight against violence never ends,” I

respond.

The trip back to South Africa lasts an eternity. To help me get through the

awfully long journey, I start reflecting on the wonderful time I had in

Australia. I realise that I will always treasure this expedition, the magnificent

holiday my colleagues in Australia afforded me and most of all, the life-long

friendships I have gained.

Australian hospitality. From left to right: Stale Einarsen and his wife Kari with Claire Thomson, the organiser, while visiting the flourishing Australian wine industry a day after

the conference. Photograph by Susan Steinman.

The Australian people are warm and friendly and I felt so at home in this

wonderful country.

One of the most significant people I met was Dr Charmaine Hockley, who

launched her book Silent Hell – Workplace Violence & Bullying at the

conference. After the conference, I spent three days with Charmaine and her


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husband on their farm, a few kilometres from Adelaide. She is keen on horse-

riding and thoroughly enjoys her life outdoors.

About a month ago, she asked me to write the foreword to her publication

and I page through her book to my foreword: “Charmaine Hockley takes the

reader on a journey through the world of nursing, the silent hell of women-

on-women abuse in this well-researched book. Using the ethno-

methodological approach, the author makes sense of the senseless violence

and gives the reader insight into the different sets of formal, informal and

tacit rules in nurses’ daily practice to accommodate various forms of

violence...”

The Australian academics have certainly impressed me. This small

country is producing quality research. They even seem to be ahead of

countries such as the USA and the UK. I instinctively know that I will stay in

touch with Charmaine. She is one of those persons who will remain in the

international domain of anti-violence experts – simply because she is so

committed to the cause.

In the picture relaxing with Charmaine Hockley on their farm outside Adelaide, Australia. Photograph taken by her husband, Duncan.

Whilst in Australia, I phoned Jenny. She seems much happier and I am

excited for her.

“When I get the Ashoka Fellowship, I will be able to visit you more often,” I

told her on the phone. I realise just how much I miss her, how my work helps

to numb the pain of not being able to see my daughter and grandchild on a

regular basis.


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My thoughts wonder back to the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI report. While I was

in Australia, I received an e-mail, the first revision of the report by my

supervisors, Drs Butchart and Naeema Al-Gasseer. I need to make some

amendments. They require more information on certain points and I realise

that I will have to work very hard to complete this report and include all the

information they want.

I’ve been exposed to high quality international research and I am not

perturbed at all about the corrections. What a privilege, I think, to have these

top scholars of the WHO guiding me. Their input could only improve my

thesis too.

Ilan waits for me at the airport with a big smile.

The first thing I notice when stepping into the apartment is that our

puppies have grown. Seven black pugs await me and I am so happy to see

the “babies”. Ilan tells me how Bully disciplines the little ones in a firm, but

gentle manner. I notice that Kelly is worn out and I decide to take her to the

vet soon. We need to take care of her health.

“I need to start working tomorrow to finish the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI report.

It has to be done within the next two weeks. I just couldn’t work in Australia,

but I needed the break.”

“Now, this is the final report and then you have to complete your thesis,”

Ilan reprimands me gently.

“Yes, luckily I am rested and have my husband to take care of me.”

Ilan takes out a bottle of champagne. “Let’s first celebrate your home-

coming.” He pops the cork and I enjoy just being home, phoning friends and

family to tell them about my wonderful experience. The more champagne I

enjoy, the bubblier I become.

The e-mail from the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Programme is directed to all

the researchers of the participating developing countries, namely South

Africa, Brazil, Portugal, Bulgaria, Mozambique, Lebanon and Thailand. We

should try and attend a meeting in Geneva in April in order to present our

case studies, added to which we are expected to form part of the technical

committee to put together the Framework Guidelines to Address Violence in

the Health Sector.


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Although I want to be there and form part of this important meeting in

Geneva, Switzerland, I realise that I simply won’t make it financially. I am not

yet an Ashoka Fellow and I need money to pay for my doctorate. The research

was a non-profit-making venture and I decide to complain in my reply and

request them to consider sponsorships in the light of the huge sacrifices we

made. One of the other country representatives writes that she thoroughly

enjoyed my whinging letter and also expresses the hope that the

ILO/ICHN/WHO/PSI Joint Programme will sponsor our trips.

“What a dramatic letter!” Ilan laughs and shakes his head, “You can be

quite a drama queen!”

“Watch this space,” I tease back.

When Ilan arrives home from work the next day, I bombard him with the

good news. “So much for the drama queen! The WHO is sponsoring all the

country representatives’ trips and I will be in Geneva next month to attend

the meeting.”

“What?” Ilan is surprised.

“And that’s not all. We are flying business class!”

Then I show him the letter providing me with the contact details of the

WHO’s travel agents in South Africa. I will be paid a per diem amount to

attend the technical committee meeting by the WHO and they are arranging

accommodation in Geneva.

“It is the first time that I will see Switzerland and the Alps!” I tell Ilan.

“It is beautiful,” he assures me.

The office phone rings and I wonder who could be phoning at 18:00. I

pick up the receiver. Dr David Gold introduces himself as Dr Vittorio Di

Martino’s replacement at the ILO. “Dr Di Martino retired about a month ago,”

he says, before continuing: “We have a programme called SOLVE, dealing

with psychosocial problems in the workplace. You can read all about it on

our website.” He provides me with the full web address and a brief

description of the programme.

“We’ve had a long discussion about you and I would like to extend an

offer for you to be trained in this programme as a country facilitator. That

means that you will have to come to the ILO’s training facilities in Torinno,

Italy for two weeks.”

I am completely taken aback.


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“Before the meeting in Geneva. I’ve already spoken to Dr Al-Gasseer; the

travel agency will reschedule your flight. You will fly to Geneva, take a train

to Torinno and we will start training you on Monday, 8 April,” he says.

It’s a tall order.

“But this means that I will have to depart on Saturday evening and it is

already Thursday!” I feel panicky.

“You can do it,” he assures me. “This is an opportunity of a life-time.

What do you say?

Without even consulting with Ilan, I answer: “Yes!” I exclaim. “Come hell

or high water, I will make it.”

My life is turned upside down for the next two days. I need to take my

report with me, prepare for my presentation in Geneva and be trained in

psychosocial problems in the workplace. I haven’t even had time to learn a

few basic French or Italian phrases.

I am slightly irritated when the phone rings on the Friday afternoon. I

have so much to do before departing on my trip to Europe and I’ve hardly

slept. I answer the phone and its Ashoka’s Anu Pillay.

“Hi Susan, you have to appear in front of the international panel in Cape

Town on Saturday 27 May. They will be in Johannesburg earlier that week,

but you told me that you’ll be going to Geneva,” she says.

“Yes, but I’m only coming back on Saturday, 27 May.”

“Good, then you can take a flight directly to Cape Town and meet the

panel in the afternoon. You will unfortunately have to pay for the flight

yourself. Once you become a Fellow, we will reimburse you.” Her instructions

are very clear; she has probably repeated this sentence to many would-be

Fellows.

Then I tell Anu about the training in Torinno, Italy and she laughs. “All

good things happen at the same time.”

That evening I work out the logistics with Ilan. He will come and greet me

at the airport, I will have a quick shower and then hop onto a plane to Cape

Town, stay there for four days, and who knows, I might come back as an

Ashoka Fellow.

“You will be away for more than three weeks,” Ilan moans.

“This will make our dreams come true,” I assure him and start typing

away again. Ilan has taken the day off to help me with the arrangements and

has also collected my ticket from the travel agent.


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I am exhausted when we drive to the airport.

“Eat and have a rest in the lounge. It is very comfortable,” he assures me.

I can hardly wait to board the plane. I just want to rest.

The business class seats are an absolute joy. When reclined, they are

almost flat, affording me the opportunity to have a good night’s rest. A

diplomat from the UN is seated next to me, but I’m not talkative. I simply fall

asleep after dinner and wake up when they serve breakfast the next morning.

My connecting flight is awaiting me in Amsterdam.

Later that morning I arrive in Geneva and by the time I get to the station

and purchase a ticket to Torinno, it is almost 14:00. I arrive at the training

facilities of the ILO in Torinno at 22:00 that night, dragging my feet. My room

is ready and I take a welcome shower, unpack and sleep.

I am so overtired that I don’t hear the alarm clock going off the next

morning. The phone rings at 09:00 and when I hear David Gold’s voice, I

slam down the phone, run to the cupboard yelling “Shit!”, and then rush over

to the training facility where the participants are enjoying their morning

coffee.

I enjoy the coffee and muffins with them, meet David Gold and discover

that a unionist from South Africa is also amongst the delegates. Participants

from all over the world are gathered here and some of them work for UN

agencies. Most of them hold PhDs or are professors at universities and I

intuitively know that this exercise will be an extremely stimulating one.

My friends in Torinno – mainly from Africa. Left is Andy Beke, next to him a representative from Malawi, Brenda from the NACTU union federation in South Africa, Gina from Korea, a representative from Malawi and Mzwandile from Swaziland. Photograph by Susan Steinman.


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The delegates hail from Greece, China and other parts of the world; some

are academics and others medical doctors and specialists in occupational

health and safety. I drift to the participants from Africa, eager to meet people

from my own continent in Europe.

“The idea of groups and simulation exercises is excellent,” I tell one of the

participants when we break away for group sessions.

“Yes, but we can do our work faster than the other groups and have time

to relax too,” he smiles. I bond with the group quickly and enjoy their sense

of humour and stimulating contributions.

“The SOLVE idea really caught my attention. It is an innovative idea of

bringing the issue of workplace violence to the attention of employers,” I tell

the group.

“You are right,” says the participant from the Netherlands. “When you

cluster these issues, you need not make a case for each of them. Some

employers in Europe also refuse to deal with bullying and violence in the

workplace.”

During the next week we are trained as course directors and country

facilitators for the roll-out of the ILO’s SOLVE programme world-wide. New

participants come on board. My horizons and knowledge broaden and I am

extremely thankful for this wonderful opportunity. The roll-out plan,

however, lacks substance in my opinion.

There are still some grey areas and I had hoped for an opportunity to

show my flair in rolling out programmes on a large scale. In my early career

as a public relations executive, I was responsible for South Africa’s second

largest street carnival. I know I can do it and SOLVE is an excellent vehicle to

help my cause.

It is time to leave and I decide to go shopping with the group early the

Saturday morning before departing to Geneva. There are many bargains at

the market in Torinno and I buy small gifts for everybody. We get into an

overcrowded bus. I am pushed and shoved and suddenly feel annoyed.

“My purse, my purse is gone!” I scream when I get out of the bus.

“What!” My friends are shocked. I’ve lost my credit card, my money and

my passport.

The hotel management assists me in cancelling my credit card and the

management of the Torinno Centre are notified. An ILO staff member fetches

me and I realise that I will only be able to get back to Geneva on Monday,


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after obtaining a temporary passport from the South African consulate in

Milan.

“Here is some money for you!” says the Centre Manager with his heavy

Italian accent. “It’s not much; only 100 Euros. You can buy meal and ticket

to Geneva from Milan. You can have meal. But you can’t make party and eat,

and eat, and eat and drink. Not enough!” is his endearing advice in somewhat

broken English.

The ILO staff member takes me to board a bus to Milan. “It is actually

ironic that a streetwise South African like me, so used to watching out for

criminal elements, gets robbed in Italy!” I start giggling. He laughs relieved

and we say goodbye.

The ILO has already notified the South African embassy in Milan and I

am issued with a temporary passport within two hours.

The day-trip from Milan through the Alps to Geneva is an experience that I

will not easily forget.

“It was a beautiful journey,” I tell Naeema Al-Gasseer when she inquires

about my trip was. I also meet one of my internet group members, Helge

Hoel, and am delighted to see him there. He works for Prof Cary Cooper,

renowned stress guru in the UK, and I smile when I see the bow-tie. Prof.

Cooper appears on one of his videos with a similar bow-tie – probably a

trademark for that particular business school. At last I can put faces to

Vittorio Di Martino, Alex Butchart, Mireille Kingma, Christiane Wiskow, and

many others regarded as international experts.

“Your report was very good,” says Dr Mireille Kingma. She is a senior

consultant to the ICN.

When I present my findings, there is a lot of questions and discussion. I

also show the participants photographs of our hospitals. Some hospitals are

typically third-world, whereas our private healthcare facilities are world-class.

Even though South Africa is a developing country, I cannot stand it to be

regarded as backward.

“It was great to be part of the technical committee. Vittorio Di Martino

compiled a draft and even presented us with a synergy report on the different

country case studies. It is mind-boggling!” I tell Ilan over the phone.


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“Just come home.” I hear the loneliness in his voice and tell him that I

miss him just as much and even though I will only be able to see him for an

hour at the airport on Saturday, I can’t wait to be home.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part Three: The Journey Chapter 7: Magnificent Outcomes _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Chapter 7

Magnificent Outcomes

Ilan once again waits patiently at the airport. He has a towel, cloth and

everything I need for a shower and our brief reunion is worthwhile. I needed

to see him to conjure up the courage for Cape Town. I haven’t slept well and

living out of suitcases for three weeks has been rather taxing.

When I step out of the airport bathroom, we have a few minutes and then

I am on the plane to Cape Town. My plane will land at 13:00 and my

interview starts at 14:00. I would have preferred more time to prepare, to be

more rested, but I decide to give it 100%.

When I arrive in Cape Town, someone from the hotel is there to fetch me

and my luggage is whisked away. I go into the panel meeting straight away

and meet Bill Carlyle. He used to be the Vice President of the Ford

Foundation in the USA and now serves on several large organisations, such

as the Human Rights Watch.

The interview lasts three hours and he asks probing questions. Why do I

think that my project is special? Am I not just standing up for a bunch of

losers? Why do I think it has an impact on the community?

Anu is also present and she guides and directs me during the interview,

which I appreciate immensely. I find myself elaborating passionately on my

cause, telling the panel what my vision is, how we need to stop violence in the

workplace, and then the rest will follow for society.

“Oh, come on, how can something that has an impact on productivity and

the workplace affect society?” he asks.

“Because the person who was bullied or harassed in the workplace goes

home. He or she may have a family and they are affected by the abuse too. It

could even result in a cycle of abuse. The victim can also become an abuser.

We need less violence.”

At one stage he orders some cool drink and I am thirsty. I drink the cool

drink and crave a cigarette. The interview is gruelling and it is difficult to

persuade the American, Bill Carlyle, that I am worthy of a Fellowship.

After some time, he still tells me that he doesn’t believe that I can change

the workplace. At this juncture, I snap. I’ve had enough: “I don’t care if you

believe it or not, or whether Ashoka awards me a Fellowship or not. All I


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believe in is that I can change the world and nothing will stop me – not

sarcasm, not cynicism – nothing. I know pretty well what I am doing and I

will, irrespective of whether Ashoka supports me or not, finish what I have

set out to do.”

There is an uncanny silence. I blew it, I realise. I actually told Ashoka that

I don’t need them and that they can go to hell, but they dare not mock my

project. This man is crafty; he pushed me over the edge. I regret my outburst.

Anu just smiles.

“Okay, you’ve got it.” Bill Carlyle looks at me and I realise that I have just

been accepted by Bill Carlyle. The passion with which I defended my life’s

work and my determination not to give up actually did it for him. I still have

to be interviewed by four other panel members, but something wonderful

happened to me. Bill Carlyle said “yes”.

That evening everybody relaxes at the dinner table and I decide to phone

Ilan and go to bed early in order to be absolutely prepared for the next round

of panel meetings.

“Good morning.” I sit down in the hotel garden with the second panellist. I

will be interviewed by three more local panellists. Most of them give me sound

advice, ask me how I go about things and if I need any assistance with

networking.

“I would like to link up with organisations promoting good corporate

governance in particular, because there is such a strong link between

bullying and fraud in the workplace,” I tell a panellist and he undertakes to

send me a list of organisations I can possibly link up with.

“Ashoka will change your life,” another panellist tells me and explains

that, “While the stipend takes care of the financial anxiety, Ashoka promotes

their social entrepreneurs and advises them on many issues. You can

breathe and follow your dream,” she tells me and my eyes fill with tears. I

want to tell her how hard it has been to get to this point, but she continues,

“Most social entrepreneurs come into their own once they have dealt with

their own pain. Something triggered this and it opened them up to change

the world. What happened in your life?”

I share with her the story of how my life was shattered, how Jenny and I

could hardly survive in 1994 and how that pain opened my eyes to the pain

of every abused human being. She listens and at one stage she takes my

hand in hers and says, “You rose from the ashes and just look at you now.” I

see the admiration in her eyes.


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That afternoon Anu conveys the news that I have been accepted into the

Ashoka Fellowship. It still needs to be approved by the Washington head

quarters, “but there should be no problem!” she assures me.

“Wow, at last I am going to be an Ashoka Fellow,” I tell Ilan soon after my

arrival.

“What will it mean?”

“My whole life is about to change!”

He hugs me in the car. “You don’t know how happy I am for you. For

years now I’ve seen you struggle, not giving up. Nobody deserves a break

more than you do.”

“It is a financial break and I will have all the support in the world. But the

real work is about to start. For now I just need time with you, the puppies

and all the people I love.” I can hear the happiness in my voice.

Then I add, “I can actually say, ‘free at last’..... to live my dream.”

It is winter and our apartment is cold. I have been working day and night

lately to finalise my thesis. My promoter, Hannes, is an aloof and reserved

scientist. He reads my chapters, makes recommendations and then signs it

off, but most of the time he is in the background.

After all the highs in Geneva and Torinno and being awarded the Ashoka

fellowship in Cape Town, the long, gruelling hours in front of the computer

seem to be in sharp contrast with these rewarding events.

Jenny phones. “Guess what, I’m pregnant again!” I am so happy for her.

She and her husband went through a difficult time when her mother-in-law

passed away a few months ago. The pregnancy should bring back some

excitement into their lives. She has always wanted a lot of children, probably

to make up for my lack of performance in the area. Unlike me, she wants to

be a Mommy who bakes cookies; I was the Mommy who bought cookies.

Although it is difficult for me to understand how anybody would not want a

career, I admire Jenny’s wish to become the world’s best mommy.

“I promise you I will be there for the birth of the new baby,” I say. Jenny

cannot believe her ears.

“That will be wonderful!” she exclaims.


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I manage to finish the thesis within the next few months, but keep on

improving it. I can’t seem to let go and one day Hannes simply orders me:

“Susan, stop writing. It’s time to hand in; I am satisfied.”

Shortly thereafter, I am told that I have passed and that I may receive my

PhD at the next graduation ceremony. “Who will you be inviting,” Ilan asks.

“You, of course, my mother, Magriet and my brother. But only Magriet

and my mother will be able to join us. The others won’t be able to make it.” I

state this as a fact and try and hide my disappointment.

On our way to the graduation ceremony, I reflect on the months of hard work.

I am sad that my brother, who lives in Johannesburg, can’t make it. Don’t

they know how hard I’ve worked and how important this is to me? When we

reach Pretoria, Ilan is hungry.

“Let’s have a quick bite to eat!” Everybody seems hungry and my

promoter, Hannes, joins us.

Then it is all the way to the hall where the ceremony will take place and I

find myself scrambling around for a robe and a cap. But I am last in the row

and when I try and position the cap correctly, it slips down over my face.

There are no other caps available.

“They give you this thing to keep you humble,” I say irritably. Hannes

looks at me and starts laughing: “You’ve got an odd cap!” is his comment.

Hannes takes pride in presenting me to the academic fraternity. I fondly

look at my reserved promoter whose primary job is that of a minister in the

Dutch Reformed Church. He obtained his first doctorate in theology at the

University of South Africa and then did a second doctorate in psychology,

specifically dealing with counselling for trauma at the Commonwealth Open

University (COU).

While walking to the stage and then kneeling to be capped by the

Chancellor, I am overwhelmed with joy, but also with a sense of pain. I’ve

worked so hard for this PhD. I would sleep one night, just to work through

the next.

My husband, mother and Magriet are here to celebrate, but my brother

may not be ready for the paradigm shift yet. I shake hands on the stage and

then it passes through my mind how quickly these so-called “moments of


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glory” come and go. In some strange way, it feels as though Dad is right here.

He is celebrating my success too; and his presence is comforting.

My thoughts wonder off and I think of the telephone conversation I had

with Jenny earlier today. “The amazing thing is that nothing changes. Yes,

the moment is big, but that’s all. I won’t get bigger, better or different,” I told

her. “Having said that, it’s an important piece of paper I will be receiving

today, which I did not have yesterday, come to think about it.”

I see Ilan’s face in the audience and I make eye-contact with my soul-

mate, who has been there for me whenever it counted most.

As I walk down the stage, I know that my life is about to change even

more. As Ilan says, I may be too grounded, too down-to-earth to change or to

feel different, but the real change and the real impact of my Ashoka

Fellowship and my studies are about to happen.

It turns out to be a great evening and I wonder whether this achievement

will alter my life in any way. Magriet always tells me that there are

advantages to having an academic title, and so does my promoter now.

“Remember to start using your title; you worked hard for it” he reminds me.

With my promoter, Dr Hannes Schultz, at the graduation ceremony in September 2002. The uncomfortable cap fortunately did

not spoil the great evening.

“By the way, be careful of post-doctoral depression. You may not know

what to do with all the time left on your hands,” are Hannes’ parting words.

“Not to worry,” I assure him, “I cannot wait to start working on my cause

again. There is a lot of work to be done and I need to expand the Foundation

to become more sustainable.”

“If you need help, give me a shout,” he laughs. I intuitively know that

Hannes means what he says. He has taken a keen interest in my work and


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has even counselled some of the victims of workplace violence for the

Foundation.

Ilan is happy to have time alone with me after we drop my mother and

Magriet in Roodepoort, and we talk non-stop all the way back home.

“How do you feel now?” Ilan asks.

“Fulfilled and thankful that I was fortunate enough to complete my

studies,” I reply. If it weren’t for that research project I did for the Joint

Programme, this would not have been possible,” I continue. And then I

suddenly feel nostalgic. Deep down, I miss my dad terribly.

“My Dad would have loved to have been there this evening,” I reminisce.

“But I think he was there in spirit.”

“You’ll never forget him?” Ilan says-asks gently.

“No, never. He was my mentor and still is. Sometimes I just think of the

advice he would give me when I want perspective. That is why tonight is also

a sad occasion – because he is no longer around to see that I have achieved

something.”

“Jenny would also have loved to be here,” he says.

“Oh yes, but she is heavily pregnant by now and I spoke to her earlier this

evening. She was the first to congratulate me.”

“What is next?” Ilan wants to know.

“Well, I’ve received my first stipend from Ashoka and there is so much I

need to pay. I actually received an e-mail earlier today, but did not have

much time to read the detail. It was from Carin Hakinsta in David Gold’s

office. She wants me to start rolling out SOLVE in South Africa.” I start

looking in my bag for something to chew on and offer Ilan a piece of chocolate

too. He is in a pensive mood.

“Hakinsta? That must be a Swedish surname,” he says and when I nod,

he continues, “But tell me more about SOLVE.”

“SOLVE deals with psychosocial problems in the workplace, including

workplace violence. I really regard this as an excellent way to piggyback

workplace violence on broader issues, especially in instances where the

organisation is not ready to admit to having a workplace problem,” I tell him.

“That’s clever,” Ilan responds. “You will definitely get somewhere with

such an approach.”


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“Well, Carin said that the ILO will sponsor the workshop. If I agree, I will

also receive a monthly allowance to promote SOLVE in South Africa. But I

need to read all the details again. Naturally today was taken up by this

event.”

By the time we get home, it is already 23:00 and I tell Ilan that I am going

to sleep in the next morning, just to spoil myself for once.

Our landlord agrees to rent out an additional room from the main house and

I now have enough office space. My assistant, who happens to be my friend

Everhard’s son and also bears the same name, is now using my computer

and I have a brand new computer.

“This will do until such time as we move into a proper home,” I tell

Magriet. She seems excited at the prospect.

“Hope you will choose Roodepoort. It is the most beautiful city on the

Witswatersrand.” Whilst talking on the landline, my cell phone rings and I

see it is an international call. I hastily finish my conversation with Magriet. It

is Carin Hakinsta of the ILO in Geneva.

“You need to get a sponsored venue,” she advises. “Go to a local

university, for instance, and ask for a lecture hall. The ILO won’t pay for a

venue for the SOLVE workshop,” she says. “You need to identify and obtain

your own venues.”

I immediately think of Professor Tina Uys at the Rand Afrikaans

University who is also a member of my work trauma group, and I decide to

contact her. I also need to find co-facilitators and train them. She is very

interested in workplace violence, particularly violence against whistle-

blowers.

Tina is keen to accommodate the request, but her sabbatical is due, and

so she introduces me to Professor Anton Senekal as the person who will

assist me. Anton and I start chatting like old friends and he soon finds

venues where I can present the workshop which will run over five days.

I make contact with Carin and David in Geneva. “The first SOLVE

workshop in South Africa will take place from 4 to 8 November 2002!” I

inform him via the conference call with Carin Hakinsta.


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I dedicate a few days to studying and planning exactly how it can be done

most effectively. I also have contact with Andy Beke, a professor at the

University of Pretoria, who also trained in SOLVE with me in Torinno. He will

take a slot on either stress or HIV/Aids.

Excitement is building up. “The ILO requires that the tripartite structure

be honoured when inviting participants from government, labour and

business,” I inform Anton Senekal who, at first, assisted me in obtaining

access to the lecturing facilities free of charge and has since become a good

friend.

The first ILO-sponsored SOLVE workshop indeed takes place from 4 to 8

November 2002. Andy arranges a workshop from 21 to 25 November and I

arrange another from 2 to 5 November. We exchange facilitators and try to

assist each other where possible. The project is going well in South Africa.

When Marietjie phones to tell me how well she is doing in her new job and

that she has been promoted, I share the details of the SOLVE project with

her. “The project is rocking and rolling. I am also doing all the SOLVE

participant action plan follow-ups for the ILO, apart from marketing it,

keeping stock of training, doing the follow-up reports for all the trainees and

meeting with a vast number of businesses and government departments to

help us,” I explain.

“For all the candidates?” Marietjie seems surprised.

“Yes, all of them and, believe me, it’s a lot of work! I’ve appointed a

personal assistant and it takes up most of his time. He has to phone every

participant to find out how they’re doing,” I explain.

“That must be time-consuming. But tell me, what does SOLVE stand for?”

Marietjie inquires.

“It’s actually an odd type of anagram,” and I describe the dominant letter

in each psychosocial stressor to her, keeping the picture in mind.

S tress

Tobacc O

Alcoho L & Drugs

HI/ V Aids

Violenc E Figure 1: Anagram of the ILO programme SOLVE, dealing with

psychosocial problems in the workplace.


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“Weird anagram,” Marietjie laughs and then continues: “But tell me,

how’s Jenny?”

“Heavily pregnant,” I respond, “I am leaving for New York on 26 December

for the birth of the new baby!” I can hardly keep the excitement from my voice

and imagine myself bonding with Joshua and the new baby.

When Marietjie rings off, I suddenly remember that I still need to get my

international driver’s licence for the trip.

“I am spider man!” Joshua yells. He is no longer a baby and talks non-stop.

“I am spider Gran!” I join him and the two of us happily explore the

wonder world of a grandmother and grandchild relationship. We run up and

down and I roll on the carpet, tickling him and just loving the gentle little

boy with the curls. He is so familiar, so much like Jenny, and yet, I am just

there to love him. Not to raise him, or to worry about what he knows or

should know at the age of three – I can simply let go and love him with no

further responsibilities.

“You are really into Joshua,” Jenny remarks.

“It is so great being a grandmother,” I respond. “He is such special

child...” and Jenny starts laughing

“I know you think he is the greatest in the whole wide world. That I can

see!” she touches her belly and even though she’ll soon be giving birth, she

looks terrific.

I smile and then point to her stomach: “You are running late with my

second grandchild, I see!”

“Almost five days overdue now, but maybe it will be tonight. I have

contractions, but they are far apart and it may just be that I am a bit

uncomfortable again...” She unties her ponytail and her long black hair

tumbles to the middle of her back.

“Never mind, when you have to go in, I am here with Joshua, and to help

you afterwards,” I assure her and I intuitively feel that the time has come.


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New York is covered in snow and I love staring out of the window onto the

street and the woods across the road to enjoy the fantasy landscape of snow.

It never snows in Johannesburg. It only snowed once, in 1981, for one day in

September. There is something serene about snow and the silence of the

nights here on Long Island.

I appreciate the absence of fear to stare out into the dark of night, or

simply to walk down to the street and look around. Even the woods seem

safe at night. What a contrast with South Africa where we live behind two-

metre high walls in fear of crime. I am glad that Jenny is safe and happy.

Joshua is restless, as if he intuitively senses that his new brother or

sister is about to be born. At about 01:00 on 5 January 2003 he can no

longer fight the tiredness and falls asleep next to me. The phone rings at

03:00. A delighted Mark tells me that little Mayah Ahavah was born a few

minutes ago. She is well, and I am thrilled. We make arrangements for Mark

to fetch us early that same morning to visit Jenny and the baby, and I

celebrate the arrival of the new baby on my own because Joshua is fast

asleep.

The next morning I tell Joshua about his sister and he is excited. When

Mark comes round to fetch us, we are ready.

If only my glasses had built-in wipers...tears in my eyes as I am holding Mayah Ahavah for the first time! Photograph taken by

my son-in-law.


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Being there for my daughter and holding my granddaughter are very special

to me and I am excited to attend Mayah’s Zeved Habat80 at the temple.

“It can’t get better than this,” I tell Ilan on the phone. It is simply just

great to be around and of course, they are missing Grandpa over here.”

“Maybe the children can have more of both of us when I retire at the end

of 2005,” he says.

“I’ll be back soon and please tell Everhard Junior to set up workshops for

when I am back. We have a lot to do, which includes the training of trainers

for SOLVE in February,” I remind Ilan.

“He keeps himself busy while you are gone,” he assures me.

No sooner back, the routine and habit of rushing form part of my life again. I

find myself extremely busy adapting the SOLVE programme to South African

circumstances. I realise that workplace violence, and bullying in particular,

require more attention. After all, I would not be a social entrepreneur if I

weren’t able to identify the opportunities of featuring my cause within the

context of this very good programme of the ILO.

I also ask participants at the start of the workshop whether they would

like to opt for an extra session on workplace violence and bullying and they

agree. The workplace violence component is stretched to six hours. The ILO

seems happy that their programme is thriving in South Africa and I am

equally pleased because I am building a sustainable organisation and raising

awareness regarding my work at the same time.

“You found an unbelievable tool to move your project with the help of the

ILO into every workplace. You are using them!” says Ruth Osborne, the

Fellowship Manager of Ashoka, and she chuckles while shaking her head.

“It was a godsend and I wouldn’t be a social entrepreneur if I weren’t able

to utilise these opportunities!” I laugh. We’re having dinner at her home in

Melville while discussing my progress as a social entrepreneur, my plans for

the next year and also my induction which will take place in April 2003.

80 Infant Jewish girls undergo the Zeved Habat (the Gift of the Daughters) naming-ceremony on the first Shabbat after the baby’s birth. The ceremony is led by the Rabbi.


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“You need to duplicate yourself. That is the job of an Ashoka Fellow,”

says Ruth. “Leave a legacy of people dedicated to continue your work long

after you are gone.”

“Actually, with my network on the Internet, I am hopefully already

encouraging people and inspiring them to change the workplace, to put

policies in place. But I get your idea; I should aggressively nurture a change-

worker,” I respond.

“Exactly, but what you are doing is terrific. We are proud of you!” She

smiles.

She can probably sense the emotion in my reply: “I’ve came a long way,

Ashoka has changed my life!” I lift a glass: “This is to Bill Drayton, the man

who cares enough about change-makers to help them make those changes.”

Ruth lifts her glass too and nods, “He knows what talent is,” she says.

Another idea has been brooding for some time now. We need another

international conference on workplace violence and other related

psychosocial problems, but this time, I want to partner with a health sector

union. We need to push this agenda to address violence in the health sector.

My vision to initiate an intervention for the health sector is as strong as ever.

I feel drawn to this sector where the caregivers actually need care.

Nelouise Geyer and Thembi Mngomezulu, both Deputy CEOs at Denosa,

a professional body for the nursing profession, attended a SOLVE workshop

and I stay in touch with them.

Dr David Gold of the ILO calls. “I will be in South Africa during February

and I would like you to set up a Course Director’s course and send me a list

of people who can be invited on the tripartite basis we operate,” he requests.

“The ILO will cover all expenses, including those of flying the candidates

down to Cape Town and setting them up in a hotel.”

An enormous amount of work goes into setting up the first Course

Directors’ workshop in Cape Town. The next few weeks are absorbed by

bookings, paying deposits and arranging flights.

“We are not doing badly for two people,” I tell my assistant who will also

be going to Cape Town for administrative back-up. He is delighted and

decides to leave earlier for Cape Town and enjoy the weekend there too.

I decide to discuss with Nelouise and Thembi the possibility of Denosa

joining forces with the Work Trauma Foundation to present an International


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Conference on Psychosocial Problems in the Workplace, with particular

reference to the health sector.

Seeing Carin Hakinsta almost a year after Torinno is wonderful. She is a

professional assisting David Gold with the SOLVE project. She seems tired

when she arrives and I trust that she will soon feel better. The arrangements

took its toll on both the ILO and my office ‒ mainly because every last detail

had to be arranged for the delegates.

“Thank you for a job well done!” I tell Everhard Junior.

I chat to various people over dinner. Kathy Collins, who previously

helped me with my ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI study has also been trained in

SOLVE and she is now lecturing at the University of Cape Town. She jumped

at the opportunity to be trained as a course director.

“How are you finding Cape Town?” I inquire.

“I am originally from Cape Town, so I feel quite at home,” she assures

me.

Later that evening I meet up with Nelouise and persuade her that the

Work Trauma Foundation will be an excellent partner for Denosa and that

we could be good partners in setting up an international conference, looking

at psychosocial problems and particularly those of the health sector.

We sit together in my room later that evening and work on the detail of

the proposal she will be tabling to the board. Once finished, I e-mail the

report to her.

“It will definitely be accepted,” she assures me.

Later that evening there is a knock on my door. It’s Sifiso81. He wants to

show me his room and I am a bit hesitant, simply because I was brought up

with the belief that no matter what, it is socially unacceptable for a woman

to go to a man’s room. I smile at my old-fashioned upbringing. This guy

maybe close to my age, but to him, I am like a mother! He is the child-like

and patient companion of a disabled candidate, Dr Bosman82. Although I am

tired and really don’t feel like following him to his room, I decide to give him

the attention he requires.

“Isn’t this beautiful?” he asks when we walk into his room. “Look, we

even have our own little lounge,” and then he runs to the small bar and

81 Sifiso is a pseudonym to protect the privacy and the person. 82 Pseudonym as the use of the person’s real name could reveal the identity of Sifiso.


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opens the fridge door, “Look, even a fridge!” There is amazement on his face,

and he doesn’t realise that my room is exactly the same.

Dr Bosman, his room mate, is sitting on a chair in the little lounge

adjacent to the room. I suddenly realise that Sifiso grew up in extreme

poverty. This is the first time in his life that he is staying over in a luxury

hotel. He was keen to share this experience with me and thanks me

profusely for the arrangements. I feel sad and give him a hug. Poverty always

carries a sense of tragedy with it, a sense of this world being so unfair.

“You made Sifiso so happy with this room! He’s been describing it to me

all evening,” Dr Bosman tells me with a smile.

Walking back, I bump into one of my regular stress facilitators, Deidre

Nel.

“Something to drink?” I ask, and invite her to my room.

The three days fly by quickly and I have an opportunity to network

extensively with all my new contacts and to arrange for workshops or simply

to help them address violence and other psychosocial problems at work.

When I board the flight to Johannesburg I am happy that the course

has been such a huge success and that I am now able to deploy so many

people as trainers. But I also realise that the conference is going to take up a

lot of time. Ilan and I will be going to Israel to visit his parents and family in

June, and then of course, my work never ends.

“You must phone Ashoka. Anu Pillay was looking for you,” Everhard tells

me when I’m back from the shops after purchasing our stationery.

“Wonder if they want a report already?” I think out loud.

“You must attend a Fellowship induction course and you’ll be staying at

a lodge, even if it’s close by,” Anu informs me.

“How long is the induction?” I want to know.

“Four days, then you go home for a day and then you’ll be introduced

formally into the Fellowship at a ceremony in Melville,” she responds.

The possibility of training in corporate governance, financial management

and other social entrepreneurial activities is exciting. I look forward to


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meeting other Fellows and my introduction to the public as an Ashoka

Fellow.

“Sue, come and join us for a drink!” One of the Fellows seems to know me

and I walk over to meet her on the veranda of the lodge. Her name is

Veronica83. I also meet up with some of the other Fellowship candidates I

met during the interviews in Cape Town. I am happy to see them.

“I feel very down,” she tells me. “One of the abused children vomited all

over me and she is infected with the HIV-virus. I am now on prophylaxes to

prevent me from contracting the virus.”

Veronica started a non-profit organisation some time ago and she uses a

unique therapy with sexually abused children.

“It’s a precaution and I believe that taking the medicine is not pleasant,

but it doesn’t mean that you have contracted the virus. Think positively; the

probability is small. You know that most of the things we worry about never

happen,” I respond in a desperate effort to cheer her up. I change the subject

and tell her about my encounter with a “Parktown Prawn” earlier this

evening.

“What’s that?” she asks and I am surprised, but then realise that she is

from Durban, and that they have other insects and pests down there.

“Well, this is a robust type of cricket which has its origins in the Middle

East and found its way to Johannesburg. You find it in most gardens in

Joburg,” I tell her. “Only the Hadeda bird is able to kill it. The thing excretes

a horrible black fluid and when you try and get to it, it jumps on you and

bites you. Someone once told me that they cut the Parktown Prawn in half

and the other half still managed to get to him,” I say laughing. “But my

brother says that is merely an urban legend. Everybody in Johannesburg

has had some encounter with a Parktown Prawn!”

Fascinated by the urban legend of Johannesburg’s feared Parktown

Prawn, Veronica soon forgets her own concerns. She will be my roommate

for the next few days and that evening we retire early.

83 Veronica is a pseudonym to protect the privacy of the real person.


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“Being an Ashoka Fellow will change your lives, as you might well have

discovered,” Anu tells the Fellows the next day and then we learn about the

requirement for six monthly narrative reports and annual reports. We are

also expected to support our Fellows and we can visit Fellows, do Fellowship

exchanges internationally and reach for the stars.

One of the Fellows, Michael84, is gay and I immediately feel protective of

him. We become good friends and he loves to tease me. “Hey, Granny with

the laptop!” is his standard greeting in the mornings.

“Don’t be such a cow!” I tease back. He has suffered a lot of

discrimination in his life and shares it with me during the course of the

week. I am fortunate to have this person, who has changed the lives of so

many Aids orphans in South Africa, as a friend.

The older Fellows address us about corporate governance, best business

models and warn us about the “post-stipend blues.”

“You need to drive your business or organisation to sustainability as

soon as possible, otherwise you may find yourself in trouble once the three-

year period is over,” says one of the veteran Fellows.

“Once the three-year period ends, it is over!” Anu emphasises.

I absorb every bit of information and advice over the next few days and I

wonder what the introduction ceremony will be like. I’ve already supplied

Ashoka with the names of my guests. Each Fellow is allowed six guests, but

when I submit a list of seven, Anu does not raise any questions.

Ilan, my mom, brother Claude and his wife Marieta, Magriet and Anton

Senekal and his wife Ria come along to share my big evening with me.

Ashoka has hired a restaurant and it is packed. There is sense of warmth

and joy and I am seated with other Fellows, while my family and friends sit

at another table. The audience is truly representative of the South African

diversity and integration.

84 Michael is a pseudonym to protect the privacy of the person.


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Sharing the Fellowship Award evening with family and friends. To the far left is my mother in blue. From the front to the

back: Susan, Magriet, Ria and Anton Senekal.

All of a sudden, the whole place is filled in darkness and the sound of drums

introduces an explosion of colour and music on the on-stage screen. The

video is a dramatic portrayal of Ashoka, a king who unified India in the third

century BC, the first social entrepreneur who worked towards a non-violent

society after losing his son.

The message is clear: pain can serve as a vector to social

entrepreneurship; deep personal pain can become a turning point in an

individual’s life to touch the lives of others in a positive way.

It’s an overwhelming experience and I identify closely with King Ashoka.

Perhaps, for the first time, I realise and understand why I was selected. I

share King Ashoka’s sense of passion.

Tim Modise, a well-known TV presenter, is the Master of Ceremonies and

although I am aware of the TV cameras, their presence is not disturbing and

I listen to every word he says. He elaborates on the importance of social

entrepreneurship in South Africa, the need for people who can find unique

solutions to problems that will ultimately have a systemic impact.

Anu is on the stage too to welcome us into the Ashoka Fellowship. Before

we are called on stage, a documentary about each Fellow’s work is played.

When my turn comes, I look to my guests’ table, and all eyes are nailed on

the screen. Ilan is smiling and then I see tears running down my mother’s

cheeks as she hears my words: “Nobody wanted to support me at first, but I

knew that one day everybody will listen to me.” I realised that this is a


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cathartic moment for my mother. At last she understands who I am, what

my core is all about. I feel like crying too.

Tim Modise’s voice brings me back to the present, and he says: “What

Susan is doing is very unique. I’ve been bullied in the workplace and I want

to tell you, it is a huge problem and takes a very special person to change it.”

I am called on stage and Tim shakes my hand and then whispers, “I

definitely want to talk to you.

I acknowledge that I heard him by nodding, and whisper back, “Soon,” as

I move to Anu. She smiles warmly and welcomes me into the fellowship with

a hug. I feel acknowledged, appreciated, loved and finally understood.

As a final show, I am asked to lead and all the new Fellows follow me

onto the stage. We are applauded and cheered by an enthusiastic audience

with all the “older” fellows waiting to welcome us into the fold. This is my

new family, the brother- and sisterhood of Ashoka Fellows.

Once the formalities are over, I walk to the table to sit with my family and

friends. The new Fellows are moving around and I meet up with Shaun, who

introduced himself to me during the induction. He works for the rights of sex

workers and I suggest to him that maybe I should help him with a

programme on violence and psychosocial problems in this sphere. After all,

sex workers are also in the labour market – prostitution is a profession.

“For whom?” My Mom missed the part about the sex workers.

“For sex workers, prostitutes,” and I watch my Mom’s face closely. She is

conservative by nature, but her face lights up and she smiles. “That’s good.”

I am so surprised, I start giggling.

My gay friend comes round, seats himself next to me and claims my

company. All my guests seem to be enjoying themselves. I’m amazed at the

sense of harmony the Ashoka family shares. Not a trace of the usual racial

divides that have been part of our country for so long.

Later in the evening, a huge Fellow with the ironical surname of Small,

comes to our table and asks the Fellows to assist him in dishing up some

left-over food. There are street children outside and very soon all the social

entrepreneurs are feeding them, whilst others are arranging for them to be

tested for HIV/Aids, promising to get them into special programmes.

“What a wonderful evening. One of the best we’ve ever attended,” Anton

remarks, and then Claude says: “I thought it was going to be one of those


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boring, formal evenings and it turned out to be an eye-opener for me. We

have so much talent in this country,” he exclaims.

Magriet agrees. “This is great, I’ve never had so much fun and learning in

one night.”

It is long after midnight when Ilan and I return home. We drive in

silence, almost afraid to break the ambience of the evening.

“Break a leg!” is Ilan’s parting words as he drops us off at the Oliver Tambo

International Airport.

It is early morning of 4 September 2007 and Marietjie and I are boarding

a flight to Cape Town. Today, at the request of the South African

government, I will be addressing the Labour Portfolio Committee on

workplace violence. I’ve compiled a Code of Good Conduct to Prevent and Deal

with Workplace Violence, and the Code includes a service charter for victims

of workplace violence. The Code is supported by one of the union federations

I’ve been working with, but is also the result of years of consultation with the

labour movement, government departments and business.

Marietjie also has some business in Cape Town and I am pleased to

spend some time with her.

When settling in for the two-hour flight, I reflect on how my world has

changed since becoming an Ashoka Fellow. Legislation has now become the

ultimate goal. The grand prize for years of strong advocacy, from the time I

started out as a “lone voice in the desert” to this day when hardly a month

goes by without me featuring in a magazine or on the radio.

My thoughts go back to 2003 – one of my bumper years filled with

highlights and events. Soon after Ashoka introduced me to the public, Ilan

and I enjoyed a holiday in Israel sharing time with my in-laws. Receiving a

stipend while expanding my organisation afforded me the breathing space I

needed ‒ a kick-start which changed my life forever. Even when the stipend

ended, I was in a position to maintain our lifestyle.

I presented many SOLVE and Workplace Violence workshops over the

past four years, employed staff and moved home and office. We bought a


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large house, and a portion was converted into office space. Whilst moving,

Jenny and her family came to visit and she helped me move.

“It was a healing experience for me to see your life change,” Jenny

assured me. I was concerned that our special time was being taken up by

the change of residence.

1 2

3 4

Jenny with Mayah, me with Chris, Annamarie and Mom 2. My Mom with the great grand

children while I’m busy washing dishes in the background. 3. Joshua, the charmer, meets

Tattiana, our Greek friend. 4. Jenny and her family visiting us in South Africa in 2003:

Joshua, Jenny, Mark and Mayah. Photographs by all family members and friends.

Soon after Jenny’s visit in October 2003, Tim Modise approached me for

an interview for his programme, “Heroes of South Africa”. For one entire day,

my work and my contributions were celebrated as “heroic”.

This event was followed by an outstanding International Conference on

Psychosocial Problems in the Workplace in conjunction with the nursing

union, Denosa. Keynote speakers, such as Dr Mireille Kingma of the ICN,

Drs Gary and Ruth Namie from the USA, Dr Pat Ferris from Canada, Dr

Charmaine Hockley from Australia and Nancy Kamau from Kenya,

addressed the audience.


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Dr Kenneth Andoh, the local director of the ILO, agreed to be the guest

speaker at the gala dinner. The SABC, our local broadcaster, interviewed

both of us for a news programme on 17 November 2003, the first day of the

two-day conference.

“Goodness, I’m dying for a cigarette.” Marietjie suddenly says,

interrupting my reflective mood.

“Glad I gave it up in 2004 – it was frightening to see my lungs sag on the

scan. Ilan stopped too late; he is already starting with emphysema. Please

stop while you can,” I beg my friend.

“Sue, I just have too much shit in my life right now. But you must be

feeling very happy today.”

“True. And nobody will know this better than you. Do you realise that

this was my life’s goal and the reason for embarking on this road – to get a

Code of Good Conduct in place, to have the right to dignity protected in the

workplace? This is the ultimate measure of my success as a social

entrepreneur.”

“I know that so well,” says Marietjie. “But you have been going places!

The programme you did for the Gauteng Health Department and your

exhibition in Washington DC helped a lot too, didn’t it?” she asks.

“Yes, definitely. You know I started introducing an adapted version of the

ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Programme on the management of workplace

violence and of course, then I met Marion Borcherds...”

“Oh yes, you introduced me to her. She’s the Director of Employee

Wellness at the Gauteng Department of Health, isn’t she?”

“We became such good friends and to think that she was my neighbour

for eight years in Bramley, and we’d never met!” I shake my head in disbelief.

“Sue, we know that you were too focussed on just getting your project off

the ground. But it is a bit of a Sue-thing...” and she starts laughing. “How

did you meet eventually?” Marietjie offers me a sweet and puts one in her

mouth.

“It started in 2004, when the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Programme

approached me to source a facility in South Africa where a programme to

introduce the Framework Guidelines could be piloted. The Framework

Guidelines actually informed my VETO training programme.”

“What does VETO stand for?” Marietjie is curious.


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“The V in Against Violence at Work, the E in Educational, the T in

Training and the O in Operational kit – one of those odd acronyms like

SOLVE, remember?”

Marietjie nods. She worked briefly for me again in 2004 when she needed

a break after being bullied in the workplace. “I like the VETO word because it

it is a programme that aims to prevent workplace violence,” she says.

“Tell me how you persuaded the entire Department of Health to take on

this programme?” she asks.

“Well, I requested Dr Rispel, the Head of the Department of Gauteng

Health to consider one facility for the province for a pilot project and she

agreed and invited me to address their senior management about workplace

violence at one of her conferences. The Chief Director, Dawn Joseph, then

requested me to approach the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Programme to

consider including all the Gauteng facilities in the pilot project.”

“Wow, that’s a tall order!” Marietjie exclaims. “Of course they said yes,

otherwise you would not have finished your book, Magnificent Outcomes!”

“Yes, Marion was the newly appointed Director for Employee Wellness

and she took the programme under her wings. She understood the

importance of it and she knew that this programme would make a difference.

We worked well together and I suppose we’ll be friends for life. Marion is an

exceptional person.”

I smile and search in my briefcase for a copy of the book, Magnificent

Outcomes – An account of the struggle and victory over workplace violence at

the Gauteng Department of Health.

“It’s all in there. The roll-out of the VETO programme began in April 2005

and coincided with the National Workplace Dignity Week from 11 to 18 April.

Gauteng Health paid for the development of the TV advertisement and I even

managed to get free airtime and radio time from the SABC! But the best was

the way in which I rolled out the programme and the impact it had on the

lives of the health workers.”

“The hard copy is beautiful!” Marietjie comments, “but you exhibited the

posters and distributed the electronic version of the book in Washington,

didn’t you?”


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From left to right: me and Marion Borcherds at the launch of “Don’t take SHIT from hyenas in the Workplace.”

Dr Gary and Ruth Namie visiting me in Washington DC – they happened to attend a wedding at the same time.

“Yes, what an experience it was to attend the Global Health Council’s

annual conference and participate in the exhibitions. Marion and I went

together because I was responsible for rolling out the programme, and her

Directorate accommodated the arrangements. We were eager to showcase

the partnership, as well as the results of our project, and did it with the full

support of the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI, who actually sent a delegation to South

Africa at the end of 2005 to congratulate us on the project. I spent an

evening with them, just reflecting on the project and they asked me to

document the project so that it could serve as a model for other countries.

That is where I got the title for the publication, Magnificent Outcomes.”

“Oh, that was the time that Ilan went to New York for the birth of Ilana

Soshanna?”

“That’s right. With the high-powered visit, I could simply not get away,

but Ilan enjoyed it thoroughly!” I tell her.

Joshua, Mayah and a 5-day old Ilana in the picture to the left. Ilan attended the birth of Ilana and helped Jenny with household chores and enjoying the grandchildren.


___________________________________________________________________ Page 296

“At least one of us could make it.”

“Who formed part of the delegation?” Marietjie asks.

“Well, it was Dr Mireille Kingma of the ICN, Dr Jean Yan of the WHO, and

Alan Leather of the PSI. Susan Maybud of the ILO couldn’t make it because

she was promoted to another section and her replacement, Christiane

Wiskow, had not been appointed yet. But the three of them even managed to

get an interview with Gauteng Health’s HOD, Dr Laetitia Rispel, and the

political Head of Health for the province, Dr Gwen Ramakgopa!”

The hostess is next to us, ready to serve us breakfast.

“Wow! You also visited the staff of IntraHealth in Arlington, Virginia, to

guide them on rolling out the programme in the developing world, didn’t

you?” Marietjie wants to know.

“Yes, I also fell victim to the brown bag presentations at the Global

Health Council’s conference in Washington, DC. They actually organised a

‘brown bag’ for all their staff while I was there.” I start laughing just thinking

of how strange the American “brown bag syndrome” appeared to me as a

South African. I take another sweet and continue the conversation.

“They were also interested in the methodology of rolling out a

programme. Chapter 1 of Magnificent Outcomes fortunately deals with the

seven rules for magnificent outcomes.”

“List them to me quickly?” Marietjie requests.

“Rule number 1 for change is: The pain of hanging on must be greater

than the fear of letting go – the desire to change must be a bottom-up need,

not a top-down ‘want’.”

“And the others?” Marietjie asks.

“Rule 2 is that change requires systems thinking, exploring the wider

organisational, environmental and individual factors that would be involved,

while Rule 3 is simply: spread the message, build capacity and reach the

critical mass – you know the 99th monkey?” I ask and smile.

“Yes, I know that story of yours just too well! That was Rule 3, what is

Rule 4?” she asks.

“Tap into an enabling environment, use what you have and start where

you are at. Rule 5 is to claim success publicly and commit to the programme

publicly. You cannot turn back then; it is difficult to deal with egg on the


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face – public commitment leads to dedication and it becomes a matter of

honour.”

“That is damn clever,” Marietjie interrupts.

“Now Rule 6 is that you need to be a warrior; you can only make a

difference when you get into the trenches and make those differences

yourself.”

“You sure worked very hard as both a facilitator and monitoring the

VETO programme at Gauteng Health,” Marietjie comments.

“Oh, yes. I left nothing to chance and I facilitated most workshops

myself. I attended meetings, helped them compile the Workplace Violence

policy and got involved in every aspect of their work.”

I continue, “The last rule relates to focussing on the long-term solutions

and having fun while doing it – streamline your programme continuously,

have sort-term celebrations, monitor the programme, adjust and focus on

your long-term goal.”

“How do these rules tally with change theories? Do your modus operandi

differ in any way?” Marietjie asks.

“This is the way I’ve worked all these years and when I compared it to

change theories promoted by large foundations for social entrepreneurs, I

found that my seven rules were very similar to their formal theories. There is

no significant difference between my Seven Rules for Magnificent Outcomes

and those of change theorists. In fact, my experience validates or

acknowledges the truth of their theories to a large extent.”

“Amazing!”

We enjoy our breakfast, and there are a few minutes of silence. I do not

often have the opportunity to touch base with this friend of mine. It’s time

for coffee and Marietjie continues the conversation.

“So tell me about your visit to IntraHealth last year. Did you manage to

get to see Virginia?” I nod. “It’s simply beautiful, isn’t it?” Marietjie exclaims.

She lived in the USA for five years.

“They paid my flight, set me up in a hotel, but I saw very little of the

country,” I complain.

“You were fortunate to combine business with pleasure, though,”

Marietjie says, “and you visited Jenny and her family for two weeks. That

must have been great!”


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“Oh, yes! But I am far too busy this year with the thesis and the two

books I’ve been working on to visit Jenny. The new one will be launched on

28 September by the Deputy Minister of Public Works, Ntopele Kganyago, at

the offices of the SA Human Rights Commission in Johannesburg.”

“With a title like Don’t take SHIT from Hyenas in the Workplace? You are

so lucky, my friend, to get a cabinet minister to go along with it! ” Marietjie

laughs.

“The title does have some shock

value,” I agree. “I met the Minister when I

was his Department’s guest of honour on

Women’s Day earlier this year. Did I tell

you that Fair Lady magazine is doing a

feature article on the book and my

empowerment tips in their November

issue?” I ask her.

“That’s great. But Sue, today is really

your big day, a day on which your hard

work will be coming together and it will

be presented in a place where it really

matters.”

“It is the greatest day for the cause,” I

agree. Then my thoughts drift away as I

look down to the rolling mountains of the

fairest Cape. I am overwhelmed by emotion.

I’ve been waiting for this day for almost 14 years. It all started in 1994

when I walked out of the workplace. I am still in touch with that young

woman who lost everything in order to gain the world; I may have grown

beyond my wildest dreams, but I can never forget where I come from.

Will this be the end of the struggle for decent workplaces? Will the topic

become less relevant once the Code is accepted?

“We’re going to land!” I wake up to Marietjie’s gentle touch.

“They will be sending a shuttle service to collect me and I am sure that

they will also get you into town,” I say, whilst checking my lipstick in my

little cosmetic mirror.

When I arrive at Parliament, I am introduced to Ms Onewang

Kasienyane, the Chairperson of the Labour Portfolio Committee, and she

A recent photo of my three grandchildren:

Joshua, Mayah and Ilana.


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explains the morning’s procedures to me. I will be presenting for 30 minutes,

after which the floor will be opened to questions by attending politicians.

The presentation on the Code and a Victim Charter is well-received and

the different political parties ask many questions. What seems have them

thinking is the fact that I do not refer to race, as violence is colour-blind.

Racism hurts too and ultimately is also violence. The advocacy groups centre

their questions on systemic violence, especially violence relating to the

unions.

On my way home that evening, I instinctively know that South Africa will

be joining other countries soon in adopting both the Code and the Service

Charter.

Ilan fetches me from the airport. I feel as though I’ve run a marathon.

Although exhausted, I have difficulty sleeping. Ilan snores away

peacefully and I find myself staring into the darkness. I wonder what will

happen once the Code becomes part of labour legislation. Will there be a

proliferation of trainers for the topic? What should I do now that I’ve

accomplished the ultimate objective?

I am suddenly aware of another presence in the room. My dad is sitting

on the edge of the bed, ready to comfort me with a few words of wisdom.

“What will my function be when the advocacy stops?” I ask him softly.

“Do you really think that victimisation will stop once awareness levels are

raised?” I whisper, “legislation is a piece of paper…”

“Go and have another look at Bill Drayton’s Life Cycle of a Social

Entrepreneur,” Dad recommends.

“But I’ve passed the apprenticeship phase, I’ve launched and taken off –

the third phase ‒ and I am in the last phase now,” I protest. “The life cycle is

approximately 15 years according to Ashoka.”

“You are not beyond the mature phase – you are in the mature phase

now, where you are being recognised,” Dad answers. “You’ve expanded the

initial idea, introduced some new ideas, such as your integration of

workplace violence into employee-wellness programmes, but there are more

possibilities. It is not over yet; people are dying in this country on a daily

basis because of workplace violence.”

“True, Vittorio Di Martino always says that the fight against violence will

never end.”


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“Aha! But shouldn’t you think beyond workplace violence? In this phase,

it is time to think bigger, to stretch your imagination beyond the original

idea. You’ve discovered what makes you happy. You know that you will

always be making changes to peoples’ lives. Maybe you will find a new cause,

or maybe you can take the fight against violence to the next level.” Dad is

pointing out the possibilities to me.

“You are right, I dare not get complacent. I will have more work than ever

and maybe I can link workplace violence with addressing violence against

women and children too; similar to what I am doing with the 16 days of

activism campaign.” I feel almost embarrassed that I could have

contemplated the end of my life struggle.

“Tell me kiddo, if you could have had your life over again, would you have

done it all in the same way?” he asks, and I somehow sense that the

question is odd.

I ponder the question and some of those pre-Ashoka years were definitely

taxing. Would I like to relive those years? My life really only changed when

Ashoka intervened. Dad senses my hesitation.

“Did you grow from your pain?” he asks.

“Oh yes, every bit of pain developed a muscle I never knew existed. I did

not realise who I was until I was in a crisis and had to redefine myself, and

my life. When pain is raw and visible, and only once the wound starts

bleeding, the healing can begin. What happened to me changed my life and

the lives of others. You know, it is almost similar to a thorn tree. The thorn

tree has a gum with healing qualities and when the tree’s branches are

broken it produces its own gum to heal the branch. I think of myself as a

thorn tree in the rugged Bushveld85. I produced my own gum to heal myself

and many others. Yes Dad, I can have it all over again, because I’ve grown,

I’ve gained!”

“That’s my girl! I am so proud of you!” he exclaims.

“I am a social entrepreneur. Addressing workplace violence will remain

the burning issue for me, but I may look at broader issues, like helping other

social entrepreneurs and extending my work to all spheres of society. You

know Dad, I can never see myself not wanting to change something,

somewhere in the world.”

Then Dad smiles lovingly. “Why?”

85

The Bushveld is situated in the North Western parts of the country.


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“Because it just dawned on me that a social entrepreneur can never run

out of the passion to make a difference. This is who I am. I am one of

Drayton’s kids ‒ A Draytonian Changemaker.” And I smile, wanting to reach

out and give him a hug before he disappears again…

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A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part Five: My Long Walk to Dignity

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An Introduction to

Tour Guides and Ultra Cities

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet,

And whither then? I cannot say.

(Tolkien, 2005, p. 35)86

A journey always leads to the unexpected, the unknown. That is why the prospect of a

journey generates a sense of adventure. We look forward to the date of departure and

we find ourselves planning, preparing lists of what should be packed, those things we

take along “in case” we may need it along the way, and so on. Few things can be more

exhilarating than the prospect of a journey.

Seasoned travellers will advise you to travel lightly and to have an open mind. Should

you travel alone, you will need more information about your destination, stop-overs,

places of rest, historical information, and so on. However, should you afford yourself

the luxury of a tour guide, there is simply less to be concerned about because these

professionals know the route and they know what the journey requires.

Alternatively, you can only plan your journey yourself, decide when and where to rest

and hopefully, someone will be able to pinpoint the location of the “Ultra Cities”.

These are refreshment centres or stop-overs alongside the many highways of South

86

This poem is from Chapter 1 in The Lord of the Rings - the epic fantasy novel by J. R. R. Tolkien.. It was originally published in three volumes in 1954 and 1955, and it is in this three-volume form that it is popularly known.


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Africa and serve as places of rest during the journey. Your vehicle is checked and

filled with fuel and the tour guide takes a break from his passengers while still

keeping a watchful eye, checks in with the company, makes his notes and enjoys some

refreshments too. Apart from a fuel station, you will also find food stores, a grocer, an

ATM, public phones and rest rooms there. The advantage of having a tour guide on

board is that he/she knows where all these Ultra Cities are and is unlikely to miss a

turn-off.

A tour guide even takes you to places or sights which you have never seen before,

shows you places of historical or aesthetic interest and debriefs you after visiting the

many sights on your journey. These professionals have the ability to enlighten you by

providing you with the historical background or the story behind a sight, even if you

have seen the building, place or scenery before.

Tour guides are well aware of their clients’ needs and will, therefore, do their utmost

to make the journey more enjoyable. Indeed, tour guides acquire those qualities or

skills that are helpful in making the journey smoother for the traveller; for instance,

many tour guides can speak a number of foreign languages.

Should you be the traveller using the services of a tour guide and you happen to find

yourself in a foreign country, you must be able to understand the tour guide’s accent;

and if you are a local, you need to feel safe with the person and you may ask for his or

her credentials as a tour guide. The tour guide must be confident and able to put the

passengers at ease under all circumstances – in fact, the tour guide’s main duty is to

conduct a tour! He or she will warn you of dangers, will advise you on how to protect

yourself and inform you about procedures relating to matters such as travel

documents, banking and even hospitalisation. The foreign traveller may need more

guidance than a local traveller.

A relationship, built on trust and mutual respect, develops between the tour guide

and the traveller. If there is no trust, or if the relationship is uncomfortable in any

way, the tourist may be unable to make sense of what they see. A tour guide travels

with you – he becomes part of your inner circle during the journey.

About my Tour Guide

In the context of the autoethnography, the tour guide is the promoter guiding you

towards the essence of your journey. At times colleagues and others will also assist

you with valuable information. But it is ultimately the tour guide who prompts you to

think and discover. The tour guide may even turn back or take you on a side route to


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quench your thirst for knowledge. The tour guide, despite his superior knowledge of

the route, treats you as an equal and becomes your companion on the journey.

Prof. Willem Schurink, my promoter, proved to be the ideal tour guide in every sense

of the word and you will read about his guidance and hopefully come to appreciate

him as much as I did on my journey. The relationship between promoter and doctoral

student is of the utmost importance. According to Etherington (2004), this

relationship is crucial to the success of those doctoral candidates who choose reflexive

methodologies.

It is true that academics have “metamorphosed” into becoming promoters for

doctoral candidates by reason of their seniority and status in the field, and indeed,

Etherington (2004) points out that in some cases universities expect the promoter to

offer advice on an academic and personal level. Promoters may find themselves

becoming over-involved with students, which could cause tension on both sides

(Etherington, 2004).

My promoter for my first doctorate, unlike Prof. Schurink, was more distant and to a

large extent, suppressed his enthusiasm for my study. He is a great person and I

suspect that he subscribed to the principle of providing the minimum guidance, thus

emphasising the candidate’s independence. This stance, to a large degree, determined

the nature of our relationship. Compared to this doctoral journey, the first one was

lonely.

Etherington (2004) refers to negotiating the expectations and hopes of the student-

supervisor relationship and emphasises the following points, which I will evaluate

within the context of Prof. Schurink as supervisor:

• Inspiration. This was my promoter’s ability to encourage me to reach for the

stars. He informed me of new books and articles and reminded me to study the

works of scholars that might be helpful. He e-mailed all his students daily,

reminding us to put in the necessary hours. We did so without hesitation,

because he inspired us to be better.

• Honesty. Prof. Schurink was scrupulously honest, but always gentle. He

would never “rubbish” my work, but rather diplomatically point me in the

right direction, always treating me with the utmost dignity.

• Mutuality and power-sharing. Prof. Willem Schurink has his own unique

style – he is respected and respects his students in turn. In fact, he told me

right from the start that I need not check everything with him, nor would there

be a need for me to obtain his permission to do certain things. He would be


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there to advise me, he assured me. However, he grasped my need for

intellectual discourse, a sounding board, for discussion and good debate, and

provided it. Indeed, my tour guide did instinctively what Etherington

recommends:

PhD students need to become ‘experts’ in their chosen field,

and they cannot do so if they become trapped in a position

where they view their supervisor as the only expert – a state of

affairs that is sometimes encouraged by some supervisors who

might feel unable to let go of that position. The model I am

proposing is one of power-sharing, both parties being able to

acknowledge their expertise, albeit the students being at an

earlier stage of development (Etherington, 2004, p. 171).

Within mutuality and power-sharing, freedom is central. Like any good

promoter, my tour guide allowed me to “wander around” whenever we

“stopped the bus” for visits to Ultra Cities, but always within sight. In instances

when the journey required another tour guide to take over temporarily, my

main tour guide would always be there to collect me. In terms of the

autoethnographic journey, this process could be compared with attending a

class, listening to, or being exposed to, other viewpoints, interviews, and

contributions by language editors or publishers and simply enjoying some

“time out” from the study with friends and family. In my case, Prof. Schurink

would always take me to that point and collect me again.

• Challenge. Prof. Schurink challenged my creativity on every level. As a tour

guide, he had due regard for my energy levels and never challenged me beyond

my limits.

• Managing difficulty and change. My tour guide never created difficulties;

he guided me through difficulties in a reciprocal relationship. He was there for

me when I was feeling low, when our roof leaked and damaged my computer,

and when we were burgled. During this time, one of his other students faced a

personal tragedy when her husband passed away – and once again, Prof

Schurink was there for her. In fact, his constant involvement is one of his most

endearing features.


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About Ultra Cities

Ultra Cities, places of rest on the many highways of South Africa, were mentioned

earlier on in this chapter (pp. 303-304). The passenger takes this opportunity to

refresh him or herself, stretch legs, get the blood circulation going again and obtain

nourishment for the rest of the journey. Should you feel under the weather, or

perhaps suffer from some chronic ailment, it presents an opportunity to take your

medication and relax. If you have a business and many friends, you can take out your

cell phone and contact them, or use the public phone facilities to let everybody know

you are still around. There is nothing more exhilarating than stopping at an Ultra

City: a reward for having completed part of the journey.

While the Ultra City represents a place of rest, it is also a starting point, a new

beginning to the journey. It is the essential stop or pause to nurture yourself with

food, exercise, and friends, to receive medical and psychological attention and to

touch base with your life outside the autoethnographic journey.

One may ask the question: can a tour guide

also be an Ultra City? Can your tour guide be

a point where you revitalise? Yes, sometimes.

However, this should be the exception rather

than the rule, even if you are fortunate

enough to have a tour guide for all seasons

(like Prof. Willem Schurink). There were

exceptional times when Willem and his wife,

Evanthe, stepped in as an Ultra City for me, but you will also come to appreciate that

my husband Ilan, my daughter and some of my other friends who nurtured me

during this epic journey.

Tour Guides and Ultra Cities is presented in a format that represents a mixture of

technical essays, short conversational essays, self-narratives and ethno-dramas ―

showing the diversity of skills required when writing an autoethnography. The letter

type used is Georgia, which represents a ‘cross’ between the Bookman Old Style letter

type used for the narratives and the Arial letter type used for the non-narrative parts

of this thesis.

Within the style of the narrative, my essays of a more technical nature do not have

line indents and paragraphs have spaces inbetween to distinguish them from the rest.

These presentations were all written at different times during the course of my

journey. Therefore, each presentation should be evaluated within its specific time


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frame and the reflection (or lack of) at that particular stage. With this mixture of

writing techniques, I also hope to illustrate the growth that I have experienced while

doing this autoethnography. An example of growth experienced would be the three

essays namely “Toolkit for Autoethnographic Regression” (pp. 334-341) compared to

“Reflections of a Survivor” (pp. 367-369). Among others, I believe that the power and

transformative force of autoethnography could best be grasped in this part of the

thesis.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part IV: Tour Guides and Ultra Cities Tour Guides

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Page 309

Section I

TOUR GUIDES


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Page 310

I.

Signing up for the Journey

My eyes scan the large packed restaurant with its large smoking and non-smoking

sections. The place is alive with voices; almost like entering the streets of New York

from Penn station.

Prof. Willem Schurink described himself as a large man with a big beard and

glasses and that is exactly what I am looking for. This is the man with whom I have

exchanged a couple of e-mails during the past few months after being introduced to

him through Anton Senekal, my good friend and a professor in sociology at the

University of Johannesburg.

It is 1 August 2006 and although it is the last month of winter in South Africa, the

temperatures are still low in Johannesburg. In fact, I am a bit cold and I shiver

slightly while looking for someone who resembles a bearded professor. Then my

thoughts wander off to how this all came about.

Anton, for ethical reasons (because of our friendship and the fact that he is my

deputy chair at the Workplace Dignity Institute), decided to approach Prof. Kobus

Slabbert, then Chairperson of the Department of Human Resource Management. He

eventually requested Prof. Willem Schurink to undertake the task of evaluating the

thesis. I obtained my first doctorate from a foreign private university. I should

probably have my mind read, but I am meeting this professor to discuss the

possibility of doing a second doctorate. A second doctorate after working day and

night to finish my first doctorate in 2002! I remember sleeping one night and

working right through the next.

In a way I feel like kicking myself for even considering this madness. I find myself

questioning the wisdom of my decisions. Why don’t I simply accept that the South

African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) leaves it up to the individual university to

acknowledge degrees obtained at private universities? After all, my thesis dealt with

workplace violence in the health sector of South Africa and it was sponsored and

supervised by the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI87 consortium in Geneva, with some of the

finest academics in the world. Why is it so important for me to be acknowledged by

the South African scientific community, I wonder.

My first contact with “The Professor”, who shares an office at the Department

with a colleague, but prefers to meet his students at the shopping centre near the

campus, was 10 months ago. My husband dropped a copy of my first doctorate for

87

International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Council of Nurses (ICN), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Public Services International (PSI).


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him to collect at one of the restaurants. It was a huge file containing a largely

quantitative study. “The Professor”, as referred to by the parking attendants and

restaurant staff, then passed the file on to a colleague and nothing happened. Months

lapsed and I was none the wiser.

“You write so fast that I would recommend you doing the doctorate again with us

for it to be recognised at all universities in South Africa,” Anton suggested at some

stage. When I gave him a bewildered stare, Anton quickly reassured me: “You can use

a lot of the information from your previous research, plus you have such a vast

knowledge of workplace violence, I am sure that it will be quick. You know how fast

you work.”

That is when I wrote to Prof. Schurink, saying that I was considering doing the

doctorate again so that I would have no problem with recognition anywhere in South

Africa. “The Professor” did not allow me to think twice.

“Let me introduce you to autoethnography. Why don’t you do an

autoethnography?” he recommended. He enthusiastically wrote about

autoethnography, and I must admit I had only the vaguest idea, so Anton suggested

that I meet with Prof. Willem Schurink.

Searching through the crowd of faces, I suddenly become aware of a man with a

beard looking at me – is he already evaluating me? This must be “The Professor” and

when I ask “Professor Schurink?” he smiles and gestures invitingly to the seat next to

him. There are many young people in Newscafé and it is noisy. The professor’s beard

reminds me of a rabbi rather than an academic. Like most South African students,

I’ve encountered the well-known and respected Willem Schurink’s work in the course

of my studies. I have a research handbook by De Vos et al. (1998) in which he is one

of the co-editors covering qualitative research.

The Professor’s face appeals to the artist in me; always wanting to sketch

interesting people’s faces whenever I meet them. I find myself staring at his facial

features intently. Are his lips thin or full, do they curve upwards or downwards and

what is the colour of his eyes behind those thick glasses? He comes across as a

pleasant and down-to-earth person.

When I started studying many years ago, my mother thought of warning me

against the dangers of getting a swollen head: “Never become so heavenly minded

that you are no earthly good,” was her well-intended advice. Perhaps it was his

earthly goodness that made me like my would-be-promoter instantly.

The Professor offers me something to drink and then shoots from the hip: “Who

are you and what makes you tick?” he asks.

“Making a difference!” I respond and I give him a run-down of my career, my

passion and my work.


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“Are you sure you are not mad to consider a second doctorate?” he jokes. Then he

tells me about autoethnography – a highly controversial form of qualitative research.

The researcher researches him/herself! Deviance or brilliance? I am intrigued and

drawn to this methodology. The Professor then warns me that doing an

autoethnography means exposing yourself, becoming vulnerable.

“I am a tough girl,” I respond confidently and he smiles. Suddenly, I wonder

whether I am tough enough. Yes, I am tough enough to be a mystery to most people. I

am a writer; I am not a talker unless I do so professionally. My deeper emotions play

out in my writing and my poems, where I can best express how I feel. In a way I feel

intimidated by his openness; I have learnt to handle most people with dignity and

compassion without allowing them to get too close me, merely because I meet on

average 750 to 1,000 new people every year. My energy would be drained if I were to

engage in new relationships. Prof. Willem is emotional; he demands closeness and I

realise that I may just have to open up more. I need his guidance.


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II.

Meeting the Travel Company

Unbelievable! On our way to the Human Resources Management Department at

the University of Johannesburg (UJ), Professor Schurink listens attentively while I

explain (in my usual animated way) how the social entrepreneur differs from the

business entrepreneur. This man is a mover and a shaker. No sooner had I agreed to

the journey, or he wanted to introduce me to senior staff members of the

Department.

Most of the staff knew me as the first author of Corporate Hyenas at Work – how

to spot and outwit them by being Hyenawise. Apparently, one of their colleagues

used to walk around with the book under her arm, claiming that it was her ‘bible’.

I am introduced to Prof. Jos Coetzee, the chairperson of the Department. He used

to be with the milk product giant, Clover, and was an avid supporter of the “hyena

book”.

“Can we expect the thesis by the end of January?” he jokes. I feel my heart

dropping. He watches my facial expressions carefully, and I realise that he is joking.

Then Prof. Willem introduces me to the rest of the academic staff, including

Professor Karl Stanz, who heads the “Leadership and Change” programme that I will

engage in. His welcome is sincere and warm. My first step will be the research

proposal and Prof. Willem assures me that this work will be “a piece of cake”. I am

cynical because my last research proposal was approved by Dr Naheema Al-Gasseer

and Prof. Alex Butchart of the World Health Organization as part of the

ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI survey and that wasn’t easy. I know that this takes a lot of effort.

He senses my disbelief and assures me: “I will help you; you can do it in a

month.” I know instinctively that Prof. Willem assumes that I will take his hand on

this journey.

“Not bad for a promoter!” I think and silently wish that he had been around five

years ago when I battled with my first PhD. I succumb to his sincerity and

enthusiasm and decide that I will trust him. Not that trust comes easily for me. I am

fiercely independent and cautious by nature, especially if I have not known a person

for a long time. I always tell victims of workplace violence that it is wise to put

everybody on parole in the workplace until such time that they have earned their

trust. I know that I’ll have to skip the parole part in this instance – and it scares me. It

scares the hell out of me that I have to open up to a stranger, even a very likeable one.

It scares me that I have to open up in an autoethnography. On some deep emotional


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level I know that this needs to be done; that I will have to drop the cloak of mystery

that most people encounter. But what I fear most is being hurt and becoming

vulnerable in the process.

In trusting my promoter, I will have to trust the rest of the team at the UJ. The

Human Resources Department has an excellent reputation and I know intuitively

that I’ve made the right choice.

Back home I realise that I need to prepare for the doctoral journey. My office has

two large cupboards – rather empty and ideal for this new, exciting project. A system

of index cards would be helpful in helping me find anything fast in my ‘thesis unit’.

Very soon Prof. Schurink graduates to become my “Proffie”. He turns up at my

home-cum-offices and takes a liking to my green couch: “This will be my seat from

now onwards,” he states smiling.

I am blessed because one half of our home is ‘home’ in the full sense of the word,

while the other half is used for office space. Information is, therefore, kept in my

personal office in a cabinet to which only I have access, as well as on my computer

which is password-protected. These are merely precautions to ensure that any

confidential material (and my personal history) will not end up in the ‘wrong hands’.

“Very important for you to write into your proposal how you will back up data,” is

Prof. Willem’s comment. I explain to him that my husband, Ilan, and I had been

burgled recently, and I know the importance of backing up data on the computer. All

photographs, documents and any other important data will be scanned and stored.

“Fortunately, new technology makes it easier, Proffie. I will purchase a portable

hard drive and back up my work daily and store it with a friend,” I assure him.

“It is hard work to meet all the requirements of the University of Johannesburg,

but the journey will make it worthwhile,” Proffie assures me.


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In the next few weeks, Proffie and I are in contact via e-mail and telephone, or we

meet at ‘his restaurant’ near the campus, or he visits me at my home. I am impressed

and realise how unbelievably dedicated he is to his students. Prof. Willem sends daily

e-mails, research material, SMSs of encouragement and creates a sense of belonging

to the group. It is a new experience.

“Although I am very social, I am not really a group person ― not in terms of

religion, clubs and so on – but I like being part of this group,” I confess to a friend

when she visits. “Do you know that, if someone has to present a proposal to the

Department Forum, the group is requested to pray for that person. He never fails to

let anybody know that a student passed and how he loves every one of his students.”

Under Proffie’s wakeful eye, I achieve the almost impossible. Within a short space

of time, my research proposal is finished and I am ready to be interrogated by the

panel. My life story is narrowed down to a specific period in my life: post-1994 ―

from the day I walked out of my old job into the world of social entrepreneurship. The

research proposal covers the major events in my story, presenting myself as a person,

what my ontology and my epistemology entail. I also have to clarify the concept of

social entrepreneurship and why this concept is ideal for autoethnography.

In the process of preparing, I discover the world of Prof. Carolyn Ellis, one of the

leading proponents of autoethnographic inquiry. Her journal articles and books, in

particular Ethnographic I and Final Negotiations, leave a deep impression. On some

level I connect with her. Her first partner, Gene Weinstein, suffered from

emphysema; my husband, Ilan, suffers from Chronic Obstructive Airway Disease. She

is a social entrepreneur because she pioneered the use of autoethnography, and

brought about large-scale change with an international impact on qualitative inquiry.

I know social entrepreneurship is all about passion for the cause. The social

entrepreneur has a burning desire to make a difference. Ellis has made a difference in

qualitative inquiry. I succumbed to the charm and challenge this special methodology

poses and I take a positive decision to open up, to investigate myself and allow people

to see where I come from.

Proffie approves my research proposal and I send the proposal to the

administrator at the Department. “You have a good panel, mostly modernist, but

open,” Prof. Willem informs me.

“What do I need to bring along? What are the requirements?” I ask hesitantly.

“You can be creative. Bring your t-shirts, your books and posters into the meeting

and just be yourself. And remember to make a short slide presentation, because they

have all read your proposal by now,” is the sound advice I receive from my promoter.

My meeting with the panel is scheduled for 31 October 2006.


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III.

Approving the Itinerary for the Journey

Gladwell Sebolai has been my personal assistant for the last three years. When he

started working here I hoped that he would embrace the opportunity to grow. He did,

in fact: he has matured and understands my every mood, and I appreciate his ability

to calm me down. I ask Gladwell to take photographs at the panel meeting and to be

in early.

Ilan volunteers to be the chauffeur. He carries the posters, laptop, data projector,

books and equipment to the car and reassures me, “I will fit all your paraphernalia

into the boot of the car.”

While driving to the university I have the gnawing feeling that I’ve left something

at home, and then realise that I forgot to put batteries in the tape recorder and that I

left the camera on my desk.

“Don’t worry, I will quickly go and buy some batteries and Gladwell can take the

photographs with your cellphone’s camera,” Ilan assures me.

We carry everything to the venue and Ilan, Gladwell and I have an hour to

prepare the venue. I paste posters on the wall and put the T-shirts with the hyena

book down for each of the panel members. A staff member, Annetjie Boshoff, is

responsible for the venue arrangements and snacks for the meeting

There are copies of my publications everywhere and even my PhD thesis, which I

brought along in case it is needed. “It can also be used as a stand for the data

projector,” I tease Ilan.

Proffie is there reassuring me that everything will be okay. However, he told me

not so long ago that the reactions to previous research proposals for autoethnography

were: “You have a story. So what?” There is a large number of academics in the

department who still find autoethnography strange. It remains highly controversial

and I am on high alert; anything can happen. Autoethnography represents the road

less travelled.

The chairperson of this particular panel, Prof. Chris van Tonder, welcomes

everybody. He is warm and friendly and tells the panel that he is a modernist, but is

interested to listen to my proposal concerning autoethnography.

The panel likes the books and t-shirts and they give me time to take a sip of my

coffee. After all, this is my big day! Then I start… First things first; who I am, where I


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come from, and I read my poem. The panel listens. I am used to presenting, but I am

nervous this time.

From left to right: Prof. Willem Schurink and Prof. Koos Uys.

Prof. Willem Schurink, Prof. Koos Uys and Prof. Havenga looking at the presentation

Susan Steinman, Dr Philna Buys and Prof. Jos Coetzee.

Prof. Van Tonder discusses autoethnography with the panel members.

The concept of social entrepreneurship is strange and the word

‘entrepreneurship’ seems to confuse the issue. I devote time to explaining my cause

and how it could ultimately benefit science; how autoethnography could elucidate a

complex phenomenon like ‘social entrepreneurship’ first-hand. They nod, smile and I

observe that they don’t seem to have a problem with my research proposal. I get the

feeling that they need to acknowledge something.

Then the realisation hits me: the ‘fullness of time’ has arrived for

autoethnography at this Department. My research proposal became the perfect

vehicle; change is happening. This moment is bigger than my research proposal. As

far as the panel is concerned, I’ve become invisible and autoethnography is discussed

at length.


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The Chair, Prof. Van Tonder, refers to literature and theory and the panellists all

turn to Prof. Schurink. Apart from being my promoter, he acts as a consultant to UJ

to guide the Department in qualitative research because of his decades of experience

in this field of inquiry in various settings. One of the research style’s most exciting

developments is autoethnography and related post-modernist approaches, also

referred to as experiential work. Prof. Schurink has been promoting this new form of

qualitative inquiry with his students. The panel members are eager to learn more.

Prof. Schurink explains that theory may be integrated in experiential work. But

my work, he explains, being an example of postmodernism, does not emphasise

theory because the post-modernist is of the opinion that social reality is a social

construction. He alludes to the six or seven students who previously presented their

autoethnographic research proposals to the panel. In all instances, these were

accepted subject to certain conditions ― one of these being that their studies should

be grounded in theory. However, this is not in line with international trends. There is

a comfortable silence and his colleagues are listening.

Then Prof. Schurink proceeds to tell them about Prof. Carolyn Ellis in the USA,

how autoethnographic inquiry as a methodology is growing worldwide, how theory is

not that important because it is about showing, not telling. He talks about the blurred

genres, a fuzzy environment within the post-modern era which allows for literature

too.

“But Willem, this can’t mean that everybody can come here with his or life story

and insist on doing an autoethnography!” says Prof. Jos Coetzee, the Departmental

chairperson.

“Not at all!” retorts Prof. Schurink. “It doesn’t mean that anything goes.

Autoethnography is not for everybody. Some research is just more suitable for

autoethnographic inquiry. Prof. Ellis had an issue with the importance of the

researcher’s emotions and indeed generated insight into the value of this aspect. The

question is: when is autoethnography acceptable? The story must be told

evocatively,” he explains.

Prof. Koos Uys comments that he is excited and has a feeling that the Department

should embrace autoethnography and go ahead. He then questions the panel about

whether there is something like post-modernism: shouldn’t we be talking of a post-

modern phase? He recommends that the Department seize the opportunity, but

points out that one needs to determine when this methodology can be used as it is

definitely not suitable for every lived experience.

“There is a need to match the terrain and the person,” Prof. Uys concludes.


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I watch and follow the conversation intensely and every now and then the camera

flashes when Gladwell takes a photo. He moves gently in deference to the moment

and the important conversation taking place.

Prof. Jos Coetzee then expresses his satisfaction that in my case the terrain and

the person match. Prof. Schurink explains that Prof. Ellis recommends strongly that

the student engaging in autoethnographic narratives should preferably have the

talent to write.

“How do you screen this?” Prof. Koos Uys asks Prof. Schurink and the latter

assures him that such talent (or lack thereof) is visible early on.

Prof. Coetzee comments that he is always the first person to ask questions about

theory, but this case is different: it is clear that there is a lack of theory on social

entrepreneurship. What he would like to see is that the first chapter contextualises

the study and the last chapter or conclusion incorporates some aspects of theory

building, so that others (who may want to use another methodology) would be able

to refer to these guidelines.

Prof. Schurink reminds the panel of the “two stories” Prof. Ellis refers to. These

are the narrative and the research story, and he recommends that I pay attention to

both these stories.

The chairperson then asks about the title and whether it is acceptable. Aren’t we

developing new concepts for existing ones? The panel seems to be comfortable with

the title and it is approved. The research question is shortened to: “How did I become

a social entrepreneur?” and the panel is satisfied with other aspects covered in the

research proposal, such as the gathering of data and ethics.

Dr Philna Buys recommends that I keep a psychologist on stand-by because the

autoethnography may traumatise me. I assure her that I will do so, and seek help

should the need arise, but secretly think that this is highly unlikely to happen.

“We needed this colloquium,” Prof. Coetzee tells his colleagues and when the

chairperson requests me to leave the boardroom, I somehow know that my proposal

has been accepted. Yet, the formal acceptance and congratulations by Prof. Van

Tonder are much appreciated.

I look forward to the planned journey; my itinerary is mapped out.


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IV.

What about a Picture?

My promoter, Prof. Willem Schurink, loves photographs. In fact, he insists on visual

elements and believes that a qualitative researcher must walk with a notebook and

camera in the hand at all times.

I am not all keen on photos because, in my opinion, it is simply a face which can

be deceptive. Prof. Willem argues that every face tells a story and then he sends me a

“knock-out” song to prove his point. He shares the lyrics of the 1970s “Every face tells

a story,” made popular by British pop singer, Sir Cliff Richard. (I am always amused

at his insistence on the use of his favourite pop artist’s title). The first verse is indeed

provocative:

Look at the man in the corner, he's sitting all alone

His blankets are made out of cardboard,

His pillows are made out of stone

CHORUS: Every face tells a story; it never tells a lie

Every face tells a story; it never tells a lie

How can one argue with Proffie’s powerful lyrics? My point of connection with people

would not be appearance, or what I can ‘read’ from the face, but rather the energy

they emit. My observations are on a very spiritual level because faces do tell lies, in

my opinion.

But I am not against photos either. In fact, pictures have a purpose to serve and

in an autoethnographic context they should be functional – they must be important

enough to enhance (and liven up) the story. The photograph should, in other words,

reflect something beyond the description of the character. Therefore, I believe that if

I give an inadequate physical description of the characters, for example, the panel

that approved my research proposal, then pictures would be appropriate. In the

context of the panel discussion, I was not overly concerned about outward

appearances, but rather focused on the different viewpoints.

Too many pictures, however, will go against my grain. Of course, I don’t like

pictures of myself either – to put it mildly. I have a skew tooth and the rebellious

tooth always finds its way into the picture!

My promoter wants more pictures; I want less. I tend to look at everything from

the perspective of functionality. What is the purpose of the picture? What will the


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examiners feel if they have lots of baby boomer faces staring back at them from the

pages? Is it really important? Does it add value to my story?

Recently, I read Donald Trump’s story and I was particularly interested in his

photographs, merely to see what his riches entail. He is representative of the mega

rich and visuals of his riches and his “possessions” – including his wife – are

appropriate. What is appropriate in my autoethnography? What would readers like to

see? According to my interpretation, pictures of the main characters and events in my

story would be fitting and serve a good purpose. Illustrative pictures could be

functional too, e.g. a picture of a road will illustrate the concept of a journey. Donald

Trump’s book contained a few pictures – the pictures were special to him and I

thought that he did it rather cleverly: the reader feels privileged to view them! I want

my photos to be special too.

Therefore, Proffie has a point, but I also believe that an autoethnography can

have too many pictures. It is a matter of personal taste and it also depends on how

well the autoethnographer can write. Should one’s character descriptions be

inadequate, one may well need to “beef” these up with some pictures. (On the other

hand, as the plot quickened in the last chapter, I found myself using more

photographs.)

My promoter is big enough – in person and in heart – to allow me to think

differently about the number of photos, but he is not allowing me to get off the hook

altogether: I must honour him with a photograph with his Jeannie-Jean.

Prof. Willem Schurink, my promoter, and one of his beloved pets, Jeannie-Jean. Photograph taken by Evanthe Schurink.


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V.

It is Crunch Time

Earlier today, my “tour guide” and promoter, Prof. Willem Schurink, wrote a

letter to all his doctoral students, reminding us that this is the final stretch of our

doctoral thesis. He warns of the pitfalls ahead and he reminds us that he is there for

us:

From: Willem Schurink [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 23 September 2007 09:40 PM To: Susan Steinman; Subject: The count down to 31 October Importance: High

Dear All,

Well, finally we are about to enter the final stretch of preparation for

examination submitting. It goes without saying that very careful planning is

now essential. I have already talked about this final part of the journey to all

three of you. All of you have worked hard and I am convinced you have used

your time optimally. I am also ready to put hard work in. I am confident that if

we plan the process properly we will make it on time with some of you even

having time to spare! Obviously, the name of the game now is coordinating

everything as best as we possibly can.

Particularly important is the following:

1. I am privileged to be promoter of all 3 of your theses… and therefore we

need to coordinate our final meetings.

2. Please anticipate your progress and when you feel we should meet, book the

days provided below as quickly as you can and let me know.

3. Please note that I need to have your final concept at least two to three days

before we meet in order for me to work it through properly and to prepare for

our meeting during which we need to look at the entire work in context (this

could at least take the better part of a day!).

4. Since some minor changes may be the result of our discussion, you need to

schedule this promoter approval meeting in such a manner that you still have

time to effect these and take them to your editor to check them; also keep in


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mind that you must have enough time for the technical finalisation of the

thesis and the binding thereof.

5. Don’t forget the required article; while we needn’t have to sit together to

discuss it, I also must see it, thus please make sure that you have time to adjust

it, and that it is language edited in time.

6. I advise that you put together a “production team” timely to assist you in

finalising the technical aspects, such as the layout, printing, binding, etc. of the

thesis. Don’t try and do it on your own; ask your wife/husband, children,

relatives, colleagues and/or friends to assist!

7. Check timely with Ms Boshoff, the lady responsible for the examination

submissions at the Department, that you know exactly what is required from

you when you hand in; and finally

8. Make an appointment with her beforehand so that she is available when you

come to her to hand in your thesis.

My availability at present is (I have not provided Tuesdays and Fridays since I

suspect we will be involved with Forum discussions of proposals):

Wednesday 3 October, Sunday 7 October, Monday 8 October, Wednesday 10

October, Sunday 14 October, Monday 15 October, Wednesday 17 October,

Thursday 18 October, Saturday 20 October, Sunday 21 October Wednesday 24

October, Thursday 25 October, Saturday 27 October, and Sunday 28 October.

Take care,

Prof Willem Schurink

1.2

Needless to say, it is crunch time. The final hour has arrived and a sudden fear

takes hold of me. I am launching my new book, Don’t Take SHIT from Hyenas in the

Workplace shortly, and I have to work for a living – given that I haven’t had a year of

abundance. How will I survive doing workshops all over the country and finalising my

thesis? In addition, I am constantly invited by organisations to give talks, which are

aimed at making a difference in people’s lives. Then there is my precious thesis: I


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need time to complete it. I express my fear to Proffie in an e-mail before going to bed.

I fall into a restless sleep, just to be nudged by Ilan in the early hours of the morning:

“It’s okay, it’s only a dream.”

When I open my e-mails the next morning, I find that Prof. Willem has already

responded to my panicky e-mail – a letter of encouragement and hope. He reminds

me who I am and what I have achieved: “Woman, you simply have what it takes!” and

also attaches the lyrics88 of the Australian singer, Helen Reddy, for me. I find the

chorus of the song most inspiring:

Oh yes, I am wise

But it's wisdom born of pain

Yes, I've paid the price

But look how much I gained

If I have to, I can do anything

I am strong (strong)

I am invincible (invincible)

I am woman

You can bend, but never break me

'cause it only serves to make me

More determined to achieve my final goal

And I come back even stronger

Not a novice any longer

'cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul

Evanthe, Proffie’s wife, joins in and encourages me too. Suddenly I realise how

blessed I am to have him as my promoter. My “tour guide” will be with me to the end

of this journey.

88

Robin Hood with help from Maid Marian transcribed these lyrics from the recording. These do not necessarily correspond with lyrics from other recordings, sheet music, songbooks or lyrics printed on album jackets


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VI.

What about Ethics?

Since I have covered the issue of ethics in Part II, Journey Orientation, I did not

think that I would revisit this issue, but I simply had to

and it has brought along with it new insights and a

sense of equilibrium. The following correspondence

with Prof. Schurink relates to this topic, and ultimately

highlights the importance of ethics in any

autoethnography:

On 1 October, Prof. Willem Schurink wrote to me:

From: Willem Schurink [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 01 October 2007 06:22 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Chapter 4 van Part III Importance: High

Môre Susan,

Jy het vandag weer ’n groot dag hierdie keer saam met Karel né? Ek

weet sommer dit sal goedgaan89…You can’t keep a good woman down;

you also can’t keep a winner down. Social entrepreneurship, as you

informed me a year ago, is crucial in a country like ours!

Well, as you notice I finally managed to settle one of my outstanding

accounts with you!

This is a delightful, easy reading but yet gripping chapter. Dear, you

cán write! But boy oh boy, are you using characters here! I am not

complaining! This most definitely makes the work authentic and

credible. It does however, raise a concern: only in one case do you

indicate: Lindi is a pseudonym to protect the identity of the person. I

am quite worried about this; surely we haven’t obtained consent from

all our characters that you may use their names and write about their

activities? I am even worried about your internet/website/group

89

In this e-mail Prof. Schurink refers to an invitation I received from the Dean’s office to accompany them on a lunch with guests from the University of Bologna in Italy regarding social entrepreneurship. Translated from Afrikaans to English this passage reads: “Good morning Susan, Once again you are having a big day with Karl (Prof. Stanz). I know it will go well...


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participants, although anybody can obviously retrieve their particulars

from the website.

Ethics is, as we both know, and rightly so, an important issue from a

general social science research perspective. If one looks at qualitative

research and its more recent applications, the concern regarding

confidentiality and anonymity once again takes a front seat. We need to

alter all characters and anything that may identify them. Also please try

and find time to study our leading autoethnographers’ views here. We

don’t want to cause anybody any hurt! While not directly related, even

Prof Ellis had difficulty in this regard! I am attaching a few articles that

may be helpful in a separate mail. I will also forward the Department’s

code in case you haven’t got it.

By the way: “eventful day watching my favourite soapies”? I suppose

there is not much time for this anymore?

Take care,

Proffie

My response on the same day:

-----Original Message----- From: Dr Susan Steinman [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 01 October 2007 09:20 AM To: 'Willem Schurink' Subject: RE: Chapter 4 van Part III

Dear Professori

Obviously I’ve had contact with many, many victims of workplace

violence over the years. I am still in touch with “Lindi” and she will not

have any objections. In fact, someone who did a doctoral thesis on

bullying in Stellenbosch also used her as one of the case studies

together with some of the other victims I assisted. However, I am

presenting these in a different form – changing some details so that the

essence of the story is retained, but not recognisable as not to

embarrass anybody – including the perpetrator – because I am acutely

sensitive to protecting the dignity of every person. My purpose with

these case studies is to illustrate the manner in which I solve the

problems and how this has affected my personal development. It


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reflects on my very human reactions at times and my story is very real.

But my story blurs with that of the victim and being very aware of the

legal implications (our defamation legislation is much more

conservative than that of other countries), I prefer to camouflage the

story by changing details, even though I can obtain consent. I believe

that consent is sometimes motivated by revenge, which could imply

unethical behaviour towards the perpetrator. Therefore Prof Willem, I

am following my gut instinct by saying that I’ve camouflaged identities

sufficiently to protect those involved without compromising the

essence of the story.

But I will explain this very important issue again in my tour guide

section, using our e-mail. Prof Ellis brought in her students as

characters in the Ethnographic I, and like she said – this was not the

real situation, but it “could have been”. The correspondence with my

peers was public domain (it was in a yahoo newsgroup) and I know

that Prof Kenneth Westhues of the University of Waterloo used our

correspondence extensively in his publications, but I will once again

request permission (no harm). I have also used his work on my

website. Tim Field died suddenly in January 2006 of colon cancer, but

he would never have objected. I am also of the opinion that if you state

your views in a news group, you wouldn’t object to these being

repeated. However, I was careful in my selection of quoted newsgroup

writers too and obtained consent from all of the aforementioned. While

my story features a large number of people, it is in fact possible to

obtain consent from most (if not all) of them, because we are still in

contact. If I am unable to trace a person, I will simply revert to a

pseudonym.

Hope that I’ve satisfied your very legitimate concerns and thank you for

focusing my attention on the fact that I need to address this in my

research story.

Kind regards

SUSAN


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Prof. Schurink answers a few minutes later

From: Willem Schurink [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 01 October 2007 09:29 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: Chapter 4 van Part III Importance: High

Dear Susan,

Thanks very much for taking time out to ponder this issue!

I am 100 per cent happy with how you reason and manage this issue.

Take care,

Proffie

While my promoter was satisfied, I consulted Ethnographic I again. Ellis (2004)

contends:

Say you want to protect the privacy of a research participant you’ve

made into a character. You might use composites or change some

identifying information. Or you may collapse events to write a more

engaging story, which might be more truthful in a narrative sense,

though not in a historical one (Ellis, 2004, p. 125).

I am also 100 per cent happy.


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VII.

Are you Scientifically Rigorous Enough?

Now I’ve heard it all. Proffie came around this afternoon and then challenged me out of

the blue: “Can you prove that you are scientifically rigorous, that you have proof of the

things you are saying?”

Being exhausted and a few days away from the launch of my new book, I was taken

aback. First it was the ethics issue, now this. Of course, he knows that I am rigorous:

my whole life is very well documented. After all, I am a prolific writer. Why this

question?

Suspecting method to this madness, I take him to my boxes. I actually had an Ultra

City with my storage boxes a few days ago and describe this event elsewhere in this

thesis. I show him all the press clippings, my journal of 1997 – 2000 with its yellowing

pages and notes I kept and he smiles: “Oh yes, I can see that you have a lot of proof.”

But since he asked, I tell him to look at all the other boxes, but he is taken aback by the

press clippings, written material and copies of papers, writings and so on, and then he

grins, puts his hands up like someone confronted by a gunman and says: “I am

satisfied!”

When he leaves, I realise instinctively that he wants me to do something about this

unusual meeting. Of course I need to show the importance of working in a scientifically

rigorous way. Fortunately, my life is well documented and I can prove most of what

happened to me, as it is recorded. However, I do feel that I cannot portray the real

stories of victims of workplace violence and bullying for ethical reasons – and will,

therefore, use pseudonyms and change the circumstances slightly, but not the essence

or the manner in which the problems were solved.

In Ethnographic I, Ellis (2004) contends:

In this work, I intentionally combine fictional and ethnographic

scenes. I never actually taught the class I describe, two of the

characters are made up, and many of the scenes did not take place.

What has taken place is that I’ve watched (and felt) myself learn, write

and teach autoethnography for the past eighteen years... This book is

based on these ethnographic details, making it possible to construct

the ethnographic scenes that happened and the fictional scenes that

didn’t – but could have (Ellis, 204, p. xx)


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Changing characters and circumstances of case studies to protect identities is very

close to the method that Ellis (2004) describes. My approach is to reconstruct the

case study so that there can be no recognition of the victim or embarrassment to the

perpetrator. The essence of the case study and the manner in which the problem was

resolved therefore remains authentic. This implies that I used scientific rigour to

reconstruct the event and ethical principles to present it.

In Final Negotiations (1995) Ellis grapples with the concept of ‘transformed reality’

and argues that, ultimately, the end result is an effort to tell a story that is ‘faithful to

the facts’ and that stays close to what actually happened. Ellis (1995, p. 317) then

acknowledges that she sometimes “collapsed events, invented conversations, said or

omitted statements to protect people’s privacy.” She changed names and details to

camouflage participants.

In this autoethnography, I have also ‘transformed reality’, thus remaining faithful to

what really happened, but for the sake of the plot, I have invented conversations or

synchronised a number of conversations into one to ensure that the narrative retains

its flow. In a number of case studies I have reverted to the use of pseudonyms and

where I wanted to impart knowledge, I used extensive dialogue with significant

others, while, in reality, it could have been much shorter conversations with a

number of persons. Using dialogue and a storyline is the best way to convey

knowledge. Prof. Carolyn Ellis’ Ethnographic I and Goldratt’s The Goal are excellent

examples. Ultimately, it is about transforming reality and synchronising it into a

narrative.

Then there are the stories of others and my reflections of significant others and

especially family members in the study. Indeed, Ellis (2004, p. xviii) warns: “just wait

until you’re writing about family members and loved ones who are part of your story.”

Significant others may not feel that you have been scientifically rigorous, because

they would like their stories to be told – it is as simple as that. I explained at great

length, when inviting my mother and Magriet, a friend and character in Part III, The

Journey, for an interview, that this autoethnography represents my story and that I

cannot write their stories. The interviews would, therefore, be centred on me and

would serve the purpose of refreshing my memory and discovering moments that I

might have missed in my story. Yet, even when relating events to me, I found that

both participants were a bit self-conscious about wanting to ‘look good’, rather than

concentrating on their own versions of their respective stories.


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Responses of readers are extremely important and therefore, I read some of the

passages concerning my mother to her. She enjoyed it because it closely resembled

the manner in which she normally conveys her feelings. My description of Magriet as

being secretive and manipulative resonated with her because she is proud of these

characteristics.

My language editor, Connie Nel, was head of General Publishing at Kagiso Publishers

at the time of the publication of the book and can remember some of the incidents

well. She is able to validate the authenticity of the content, especially the passages

relating to the publication of my first book, the description of Magriet and the events

following the publication. I have found that the most objective comments on the

authenticity (or lack of) are uttered by people who, for instance, know both Magriet

and me. It is only human to miss something like an endearing mannerism or saying.

Magriet, on the other hand, displayed excellent insights and was more objective in

judging passages about my mother. All things said, my philosophical stance is very

relevant here - truth is in the eye of the beholder!

A number of cases where students were hesitant to allow participants to read about

themselves led to Ellis’ contention that:

Situations like these made me modify what I tell my students.

Sometimes you may decide not to take your work back to those you

write about. In those cases, you should be able to defend your

reasons for not seeking their responses (Ellis, 2007, p. 24).

In another instance, I have a friend who swears a lot, but happens to be a Sunday

School teacher and writes articles for religious magazines too. For obvious reasons,

she did not want me to portray her in this sense. Should her swearing be omitted

from the dialogues, her character would become diluted so I reverted to a pseudonym

in her case.

In view of aforementioned, I can understand that a problem (whether psychological

or privacy-related) could very well interfere in a researcher’s decision to obtain

consent from the participant, or to interview the participant, or simply to use a

pseudonym. In fact, interviews with significant others and family members in this

social inquiry proved to be problematic, especially when the participants were

unwilling to verbalise the less smart, less pleasant things they did or felt, especially in

relation to the researcher.

The only trustworthy (but ultimately subjective) story is your own version, mediated

through language and your scientific integrity. However, this entire area remains


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troublesome and social researchers are confronted with the challenge of persuading

the reader that their story is truthful and a balanced version of the researcher’s truth,

even if the truthful participation of significant others is not always possible.

Then the issue of language is as important as the characters, as illustrated in a

dialogue between Carolyn and Art in Final Negotiations:

CAROLYN: My struggle as a writer and as a social scientist is

precisely about that. No matter how provoked I am by reality, I end

up having to put the lived experiences into sentences. In that

respect, reality is always being mediated by language and by

intrusions of the writer’s life history.

ART: Yes, that is precisely why social science knowledge should be

considered “made” and not “found”. When you have to write

sentences, you’re always fashioning the product (Ellis, 1995, p. 318).

Therefore, scientific rigour is not only determined by the characters in the story

endorsing its authenticity, but also by using credible sources, documents and telling

one’s own story in the most truthful way; relying on inputs of significant others,

checking dates, events and so on, without having your vision and your story distorted

by others’ realities. It remains the researcher’s ethnography, but the dilemma is that

one’s story is always in relation to others. Ellis (2007) describes the dilemma of

relational ethics succinctly to her students:

I tell them I believe that most people want to do the right thing, the

sensible thing. As human beings, we long to live meaningful lives

that seek the good. As friends, we long to have trusting relationships

that care for others. As researchers we long to do ethical research

that makes a difference. To come close to these goals, we constantly

have to consider which questions to ask, which secrets to keep, and

which truths are worth telling (Ellis, 2007, p. 26).

Ethics, therefore, in my opinion, equate to wisdom and treating every participant in

your story with dignity.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part IV: Tour Guides and Ultra Cities Ultra Cities

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Section 2

ULTRA CITIES


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1.

My Toolkit for Autoethnographic Regression

A

The First Ultra City with Pieter:

A marrow expiration of the soul

It is the start of winter. Today will probably turn out to be significant for me because, for

the first time in 15 years, I am going to visit a psychologist. I did not even use the

services of a psychologist when I faced

the barrel of a gun in a carjacking

situation in 2000. I worked through that

trauma like a typical strong South African

woman and even made the joke that

Africa is not a place for cowards. But I

suddenly feel vulnerable and nothing

remotely as traumatic as a carjacking

incident has happened to me.

Pieter is not only the best

psychologist known to me in my professional capacity, but also a good friend who I

respect for his simple and clear way of communicating, helping his clients to dissect the

crisis and extracting the essence. We’ve worked together many times professionally. I

know he can help me because his field of expertise equates to a “marrow expiration of

the soul”. Today I hope that Pieter will guide me towards understanding my essence, my

sudden inexplicable vulnerability.

I am in trouble. Hurtful things happened to me and now this autoethnography also

seems to have taken its toll on me. I was hurting so much that I simply stopped writing.

Maybe reflecting on those difficult times in Chapter One of Part III, The Journey, got to

me, or maybe it could even be due to some other developments over the last three years.

It is only rational, I argued, to slow down with the autoethnography – the thesis is

almost halfway completed and I still have to earn a living. I have to finish three

publications, launch my Dignity-4-All project, start a newsletter and diversify my

business to generate a more sustainable flow of income, change the Workplace Dignity

Institute’s constitution and conduct a vast number of workshops before July. Gladwell,


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my PA and right-hand for years, left my employment during this time to join a larger

corporate employer and I was forced to find a replacement.

These circumstances certainly contributed to some stress, but did not fully explain

my anger and avoidance of the latter part of the self-narratives. I sensed a need to

understand my feelings of anger. Was my anger connected to the autoethnography and

events I described in Chapter One of Part III, The Journey, or was it merely due to

recent events? The anger in fact became a block. I actually never understood it to be an

artificial block, until now.

Pieter, waits for me at the door, and gives me a hug as I walk in. We talk about the

many cases we we have managed together, chuckle about some of the hilarious cases and

once we have rekindled the special bond we share as colleagues, he turns to me:

“You are here to see me professionally about yourself today; so tell me what is going

on.”

Major events since he last saw me pour out in more or less chronological order: Ilan

had been diagnosed with chronic obstructive airway disease about a year ago, but he is

managing his illness well. Jenny is fine – I now have three grandchildren in New York.

The Workplace Dignity Institute is making progress everywhere; I published a new book

and “By the way, I am doing an autoethnography,” I say to finish the account of the more

significant events in my life.

“What is the situation you are dealing with?” Pieter asks, ignoring the brief account

of personal developments totally.

“It is not a situation, it is a problem.”

“It sounds negative,” is Pieter’s comment.

“My problem is: I don’t know. I just have these feelings of immense irritation, anger

and especially anger at some people I love. The anger is hurting me; it is destructive. I

can’t really say where it started – it started last year, but could even have started before

that. Probably long ago, but more confusing than the feelings of hurt is my inability to

put this ‘thing’ in a box and give it a name. Confusion or incoherency is simply not part

of my make-up.”

“Tell me more about this autoethnography,” Pieter probes and I’m baffled by the

question. I am angry at people; not the autoethnography, but I nevertheless tell him

what it entails and how I have gone about my thesis.

Pieter gets back to the anger. Anger has the ability to mobilise psychological

resources to introduce corrective action, but uncontrolled anger can impact negatively


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on one’s social well-being. He tells me that, should anger be the challenge, modern

therapies involve restructuring thoughts and beliefs to address the root causes of anger.

“Why the hell now?” I feel myself choking on my words. I bite on my teeth. I don’t

want to be the ‘need a tissue’ type. I am a tough woman. I am holding onto me; I feel

shaken and raw inside, angry that I have come to this.

“What does the book say?”

I stare at him. What exactly does he mean by "the book"? What has the book got to

do with my anger? Maybe he means it in a religious way?

He sees the blank stare and I can see the momentary disbelief in his facial

expression, but he regains his composure within seconds. “Post-traumatic Stress; what

does the book say about Post-traumatic Stress?”

I feel stupid. I work with trauma. I’ve pioneered awareness of the concept of work

trauma as a result of workplace violence in South Africa. My website is about work

trauma. I should have seen this coming. Dr Philna Buys, one of the university’s panel

members who approved my research proposal, warned me that I should check with a

psychologist because I could be retraumatised by capturing traumatic events in my life. I

disregarded the well-meant advice, thinking that I am so strong, so focused, that nothing

can shake me anymore.

Taken aback by my denial of my own situation – albeit on a subconscious level – I

try to minimise my embarrassment by just shaking my head in disbelief and laughing.

Surely I would have picked it up in anybody else immediately? My laughter is hollow,

embarrassingly hollow. We then discuss the best medication and I agree to consider an

anti-depressant to help me through this period, but I still need to pull myself out of this

post-traumatic stress frame.

“But the anger, why the anger? That is simply not me. Do you know that I felt like

hitting my hairdresser when she pulled my hair by accident? This anger is not only a

symptom of post-traumatic stress, it is more than that. You know I am easy-going,

nothing can ever disturb my good mood!” My confusion surfaces again.


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Pieter glances side-ways, as though concentrating, then moves forward in his chair

and makes eye-contact: “It is connected to post-traumatic stress, but it is also about

purpose and meaning in life,” he says, and then repeats the last statement, “It boils down

to purpose and meaning in life, Susan.”

I smile. The second chapter in Part III, The Journey, which contains the narratives,

is titled “Reclaiming Purpose and Meaning”, but I don’t tell him this. I am here to obtain

advice. Pieter will simply have to get me there, because I am useless at connecting the

dots in my own life. Gradually I understand my anger as a manifestation of post-

traumatic stress. My hurt is interfering with my purpose and meaning, what I have set

out to do in life.

Pieter has known me for 18 years now and explains that I hurt intensely, because I

am the nurturing type: I think of others before caring about myself. I am prone to

resolving my feelings on an intellectual level, trying to analyse how and why I feel hurt.

Don’t let go of the hurt, he says: “Your intellect will take you there. But then think

meaning and purpose and how your feelings of anger impact on your ability to fulfil your

meaning and purpose. Let go of the anger; do not allow it to interfere with your ultimate

purpose in life.”

He continues by telling me about a website called “as a man thinketh”, featuring the

work of James Allen:

“And as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. And listen to this: James Allen argues

that if someone cannot or does not contribute any value to your life and if that person or

persons negatively distracts you from your purpose and meaning in life – it is time to

give them less power to do so!”

“Shunning people is difficult, especially if you care about them,” I explain to Pieter,

“but perhaps I should process James Allen's philosophy first and then decide whether it

works for me?” I am already aware that, at some level, the autoethnography triggered a

new appreciation for the importance of the meaning and purpose I give to my life, and I

am trying to understand why.

He suggests that I do some reading about the causes of anger and to make another

appointment in a fortnight. But on my way back home, I find myself already processing

the detail and I can no longer control my tears. I am crying about suppressing the pain

for all these years. My way of coping was to change the world, to stand up against the

bullies and nurture the victims. Self-indulgence has never formed part of my story. My

theory has always been that I am insignificant and that the ‘I’ must never become bigger

than society. You are a person through other people in the spirit of ubuntu – a beautiful


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indigenous philosophy I embraced many years ago. (I explained this at length in Part I,

Mapping the Terrain.)

To recapitulate: for me, the earth is, in relation to the universe, a big, magnificent

cabbage in a huge vegetable garden. I am one of six billion bacteria living off this

cabbage. The autoethnography examines one of the bacteria, forcing me to interrogate

myself, my feelings and actions. It is a heaven and hell situation.

Back home, I brief Ilan about the visit. He smiles: “I could have told you that too.”

We hug and I realise how fortunate I am – Ilan understands me; no words are needed.

When I settle down in front of the computer, I click on the files containing my story

and find myself in the midst of the section, “Launching Dignity”. Autoethnography is

about launching one’s own sense of dignity, the beginning of self-knowledge – not the

story about social entrepreneurship, the theories and endless academic quotes – but my

own story; the researcher becoming totally vulnerable, sharing, participating and

constructing the best theory.

Autoethnography is not for cowards...


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B

The Second Ultra City with Pieter:

Revisiting meaning, purpose and words...

My follow-up appointment with Pieter is scheduled for 12:00 the afternoon. It is two

weeks since my first appointment and I feel so much better; partly because I am sleeping

better with the medication and I feel in control of myself again. By control, I mean I

understand, recognise and have come to appreciate my own vulnerability as a person. I

no longer resent my “weakness” but have come to embrace my wholeness, which

includes an element of vulnerability too.

The traffic is heavy and we move at a snail’s pace for about four kilometres. My

thoughts wander off and I think about how the work of the “Purple Diva” of

autoethnography, Prof. Carolyn Ellis, also helped me through the last two weeks. I

sought some answers in The Ethnographic I – a methodological novel about

autoethnography in which she discusses emotional vulnerability. Autoethnography is

about allowing oneself to become vulnerable, embracing your pain and not running away

from it. In the dialogue with her husband Art, he concedes that where the pain is, the

growth occurs. But good autoethnography is not just about pain. In fact, I remember that

I read somewhere that, “Though pain often occurs in autoethnography, it doesn’t have to

take over” (Ellis, 2004, p.111).

I realise that the deep pain that initially thrust me into social entrepreneurship was

the necessary start for a joyful journey of changing attitudes. I arrive 10 minutes late,

which I am sure Pieter enjoyed because he will have his smoke break.

Pieter asks me how I am doing, although he can probably see that I am in a much

better frame of mind.

“You are writing again?” he asks.

“Yes, I am. I didn’t stop completely; I just continued with Part I and II and stopped

writing Part III, which deals with the journey. The beauty of an autoethnography is that

you can write several chapters or parts simultaneously. Part IV, which deals with

methodology, is written as and when it occurs.”

Pieter nods. “Let’s get back to your emotions...”

“The confusion around my emotions was worse than the emotions themselves!”

“You may not have dealt adequately with your emotions at the time of the events,

simply because these were rapid and traumatic,” Pieter explains.


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“I thought about it, shelved it and survived. I don’t regret not having dealt

adequately with my trauma at the time, because the prize was that I devoted myself to

getting Jenny whole again,” I respond.

“True, true!” Pieter nods.

“I do regret the fact that I underestimated the power of autoethnographic regression

and my ability to deal with my pain, which was buried in the shallow grave of being too

busy helping Jenny back to wholeness at that time, as well as trying to make a difference

in others’ lives. This ‘stole’ the time I should have allocated for reflection. Therefore, I

walked into the autoethnography totally unprepared to deal with my emotions when

reflecting on the traumatic events of my life,” I share my new-found understanding of

my situation with Pieter.

There is a silence and my thoughts go back to one of the presentations at the First

International Conference on Work Trauma which I organised in 2000: “This reminds me

of the research done by the Medical Research Council with the Truth and Reconciliation

Council (TRC) hearings in the post-apartheid times. They studied the mental health of

the victims. There were those who did not hand in statements about what happened to

them, neither did they testify, but they were nevertheless victims. Then there was a

group who handed in written affidavits of their experiences and others who testified in

front of the TRC. They also used forgiveness as a variable in each group,” I tell Pieter.

“And then?” Pieter is interested and prompts me to complete the story.

“Obviously those who gave testimony, with the full bench of the TRC commissioners

listening to them, and were able to forgive their perpetrators were the best off mental-

health wise, followed by those who gave a written affidavit. The mental health of those

who did not forgive was negatively impacted. Verbalising the trauma and being able to

forgive were freeing,” I conclude and Pieter seems relaxed, probably comfortable that I

am discovering my own truth in recounting the story. He ponders a bit before he

contextualises.

“What you are saying is very important because there are in fact three ways of coping

by adopting one of the following active behavioural coping mechanisms: talking about it

and getting it out in the open; cognitive behavioural coping mechanisms which entail

reflecting on the events and finally, avoidance as a coping mechanism. Obviously one has

to deal with it in an active way.” He pauses a minute. “But you still need skills to deal

with it in an active way.”

“You are telling me that getting it ‘off the chest’ and forgiving are not enough?” My

inquisitive self comes to the fore.


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Pieter smiles. “If you regress, you still need tools. It can be likened to a mechanic

who wants to fix a car, without having the necessary tools. Regression is dangerous when

you do not have the necessary tools.”

“I obviously didn’t have the tools; that soon became clear. I was retraumatised.

Maybe I was so busy surviving during those years that I never gave myself the time to

deal with my own feelings. I was too busy dealing with others’ feelings – or could that

just be ascribed to my personality type?” I want Pieter to say it was unavoidable and

normal. Of course, if there was a tool, I would have acquired it. Right? In a way I feel that

I am not as clever as I thought I was.

“If it was your personality, there would have been no point in our having this

conversation. Your personality would, in other words, determine your reactions every

time you regress. Dealing with regression requires a tool, a skill and it is learned

behaviour.”

There is a relaxed silence.

“What would this tool be?” I ask hesitantly.

“Vocabulary. You need a vocabulary in regression.” Pieter has my full attention and

continues. “As a man thinketh, so is he... you remember? Thoughts inform emotions

and not the other way round.”

“Okay, I get that... So your emotions inform the vocabulary?”

“Yes, get your dictionary and start changing your words. For instance, use ‘situation’

instead of ‘problem’, talk about ‘a need to agree’ instead of ‘conflict’. Forgive and let go

by loving yourself again.”

I am puzzled. What has self-love got to do with all of this? Has Pieter reverted to the

spiritual realm?

Pieter picks up on my confusion. Then he does the unusual. He ends the

consultation. “Do some reading. Use the Internet, or simply take time out to reflect. You

will find answers. Let me know how you are doing and if you have a need to come back,

I’m a phone call away.”

Driving home I realise how well Pieter understands me. I am analytical in my

thinking, and thrive on challenges and exploring the unknown independently. He also

intuitively knows that I will not need his advice anymore; I will discover my own truth.


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C

Ultra City with Me:

My Toolkit for the Inner Journey

Back home, I am suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of joy. I know exactly how to go

about discovering my personal toolkit for the autoethnography. I take a piece of paper

and write down the words, “Toolkit for an autoethnography”. My first bullet point reads:

“My purpose and meaning in life.”

I search Google for the words “purpose” and “meaning in life” and glance through

the predominantly scientific approaches to the latter. Ilan looks over my shoulder.

“So what have you discovered that you don’t know?” and he starts laughing.

“Well, some scientists believe that the meaning of life may eventually be derived at

through our understanding of the mechanics of the universe; others ask questions about

the origin, nature, significance, value and purpose of life to arrive at meaning. Looking at

the viewpoints of the existentialist, nihilist, positivist, pragmatist, transhumanist and

theistic, I feel I am wasting time.”

“Why look at what others profess to be meaning and purpose? You have constructed

your meaning and purpose a long time ago and you know it.” Ilan gathers the dogs and

heads off to his ‘den’. My friends say that he speaks ‘shorthand’ better than English.

Ilan is right. I do not need to read books to discover my meaning and purpose. I

know that for me, my fervent need to make a difference in the lives of those who have

been physically or emotionally wounded in the workplace gives me a purpose in life; and

purpose gives meaning to life. The nagging question is: if I am following my passion –

my life’s work– how did regression interfere with my purpose and meaning?


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An article by Donna Hedley,90 catches my attention. She relates how a friend once

told her that, “There is no meaning in life, except what we create.” She takes this

argument further, “We create our own purpose and meaning every day, every moment,”

and then concludes: “The bible says ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’. You cannot fully

love others until you truly love yourself. Make that your purpose, and the world will

thank you” (Hedley, 2005, http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_Hedley).

Reading this passage, I still feel that something is amiss. I decide to hold onto the

powerful quotation, but to revert to basics first before exploring why autoethnographic

regression interfered with my meaning and purpose in life – and then only to connect

the dots.

Over the next days and weeks I develop my toolkit for autoethnographic regression

and I come to realise that, at any given time, I will be able to regress without negative

feelings emerging. Instead, I will positively reconstruct how these events contributed to

my strong sense of meaning and purpose.

My reflections on this issue are presented below in the form of an individual ‘toolkit’

for autoethnographic regression, which I hope to develop further in post-doctoral

research since I believe that these recommendations could assist prospective

autoethnographers.

1. WHO AM I?

Pieter definitely drew a blank stare from me when he told me to love myself again. I

actually didn’t like that. Of course I do; I love others too. I have a lot of love inside of me,

I am warm and compassionate. What a silly statement and why did he insist that I spend

time with myself to reflect on what and who I am again? But the idea of treating myself

by just venturing into nature, sitting in silence and pondering the question may not be a

bad idea. I really haven’t given myself the time of day to do this.

It is an excellent point of departure to pose questions about one’s needs, values,

beliefs, truths, meaning and purpose again. These are my questions:

1.1 What is my meaning and purpose in life?

The starting point. Like an inner compass, the question of meaning and purpose will

guide you through the autoethnography. I do not think it possible to write an

90

Hedley, D. (2005). Finding purpose and Meaning in Life. Retrieved May 20, 2007, from http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_Hedley


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autoethnography if one’s meaning and purpose still needs clarification. Identifying your

meaning and purpose can always bring you back from depression, anger and hurt.

Many years ago I discovered that the one thing that makes me happy is to feel that I

am worthwhile and aware of my mission in life – whether playing a meaningful role in

the life of my daughter, or in the lives of the victims of bullying and violence in the

workplace. I have always wanted to touch the lives of others in a significant way by

making a contribution – even merely evoking a smile somewhere, making the world a

better place instead of polluting it with my presence.

It might sound simple or archaic to an outsider, but I realised that I simply want to

make a difference. The first time I really knew that my life influenced others was on

occasion of my visit to Adelaide (Australia) in 2002 to deliver a keynote address at a

conference on bullying. During the tea-break a man walked up to me. He was soft-

spoken and said that I might not remember him, but that he attended the conference

that day to thank me. He then reminded me that some 18 months ago, I sat up all night

to help him through his darkest hour – he was on the verge of committing suicide

because he was bullied and discriminated against in his workplace. I told him that it was

night in South Africa, but that I would not go to sleep until he was okay. We

corresponded all night; he survived and he travelled from Queensland to Adelaide to say

“thank you”.

My meaning and purpose in life took a back seat to my feelings of anger. But I am

very clear on what my meaning and purpose are, and Pieter did not pay much attention

to this – he knew that I was on track and very fulfilled by my life’s work. Meaning and

purpose differ from person to person; each person constructs his/her reality in a very

personal way.

1.2 My Needs

To understand my needs, I was forced to answer a few questions. Do I know what my

needs are? Asking myself this question, I remembered some lessons from my economics

course whilst doing my MBA. There is a distinct difference between a “need” and a

“want” and then there is Maslow’s hierarchy (Maslow, 1943)91: Firstly the physiological,

safety or social security, followed by a sense of belonging and love, esteem (the need to

be a unique individual with self-respect), experiencing purpose, meaning and realising

all inner potentials and self-actualisation needs. Some scholars have even added self-

transcendence as the sixth need or the level above self-actualisation. Ironically, the

91

A Theory of Human Motivation in 1943 in Psychological Review, 50: 370-396.


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hierarchy theory seems to have been turned upside-down by self-transcendence (which

inherently implies meaning and purpose), since, at the top of the triangle, self-

transcendence is also sometimes referred to as a spiritual need. These spiritual needs are

a little different from other needs, which are accessible from many levels. The hierarchy

is set out below for easy reference:

Figure 4: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Sorensenson)92

I believe that self-transcendence is a state of being, rather than a need and therefore,

does not really sit well with the hierarchy of needs. The elements in the hierarchy can

interfere with one’s sense of meaning and purpose, but not the other way round. As

Maslow acknowledged later, self-actualisation may be present in some people, while self-

transcendence is absent, but self-transcendence (peak experience) may be present in the

absence of self-actualisation (Maslow, 1970).

92

Sorenson, K. Retrieved from website http://two.not2.org/psychosynthesis/articles/maslow.htm on 13

September 2007.


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Following my understanding of Maslow’s hierarchy,, I wrote down my own needs,

how I derive meaning and purpose – beginning with the basic physiological needs – and

discovered that my need for sleep was not being fulfilled. I need more sleep than three or

four hours a night; and this could have contributed to my feelings of depression.

Then there is my need to love and belong. Anger has interfered with the achievement

of that need and I realised that I need to forgive: to let go. It dawned on me that

sometimes we pay so much attention to our so-called “higher needs” that the basic needs

are neglected. My mom’s expression, “Don’t become so heavenly-minded that you are no

earthly good!” suddenly made sense again.

Perhaps the phrase “hierarchy of needs” is a misnomer – it is not about making your

way from one to the other; it is about maintaining a balance between higher and lower

needs. This perceived rigid hierarchy is probably why Maslow’s theory is debatable. In

their extensive review of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Wabha and Bridwell (1976)93

found little evidence of the ranking of needs that Maslow described, or even for the

existence of a definite hierarchy at all.

Even though I don’t necessarily agree with Maslow’s hierarchy, using it is a guide to

explore the spectrum of my needs focused me on the fact that certain needs, albeit

“basic” ones, required attention, for if not met, these needs could prevent me from

fulfilling my meaning and purpose in life.

1.3 My Values and Beliefs

I then turned to some of the verbatim notes I took during my meetings with Pieter. What

are the values and beliefs I hold that inform my sense of purpose and meaning in life?

Beliefs can best be described as those assumptions or convictions that a person holds to

be true regarding people, concepts or things. Values, in turn, are one of the components

of attitude. Values determine how we will act, as they assist in weighing up the

importance of our various alternatives. Thus, values and beliefs are the internal forces

that guide us. My overarching belief and value system has always been closely linked to

the dignity and worth of all people and the fact that no-one has the right to rob any

individual of his/her sense of dignity.

My beliefs regarding forgiveness and the essence of my value system were then

scrutinised.

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Wahba, Mahmoud A., and Bridwell, Lawrence G. (1976) Maslow reconsidered: a review of research on the need for hierarchy theory. Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance, 15, 212-240.


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One may be confronted with the fact that in our basic humanness, we may hold some

values which are put to the test in difficult circumstances. It is worthwhile to revisit and

reconnect with these values, making them yours in every sense by living them.

Conflicting values and actions will certainly lead to confusion.

2. LOVING ME, LOVING YOU

Needless to say, Pieter’s statement that I should start loving myself again caused some

confusion. Of course I love myself, because one need to love oneself first before to be

able to love others and make a difference in their lives. My meaning and purpose in life

is about making a difference, making the world a better place Pondering this issue, I

realised that making a difference equates to loving others and that I could only do this if

I love myself. I realised with a shock that I didn’t like the “angry me”. I took a decision

not to stand for the anger, but to love myself and treat myself with the same respect I

have always shown others. This decision made a huge difference.

2.1 Dealing with anger and negativity

The anger I experienced was due to revisiting the painful events in my life; the only

difference being that I couldn’t bury my pain this time. I was angry that people I loved

betrayed me, angry that I could not control the waves of emotion surfacing and angry

because I simply didn’t have time to deal with unfamiliar emotions. I escaped an

attempted carjacking at gunpoint, and I remember being annoyed at the criminals

wanting to harm me without provocation.

Although I loathed the anger I experienced, I preferred the anger instead of having

to deal with the emotions it elicited. I was forced to come to a halt and to allow myself to

experience the emotions and to see the purpose in the pain. Anger can be extremely

destructive, and to allow oneself to feel anger (or not) is a conscious decision. In

hindsight, I was in complete denial and managed to reclaim meaning and purpose in life

by fighting for my own rights and the rights of others. In the process, I stumbled upon

the true meaning of dignity. In regression, I experienced and relived the fear, betrayal

and loss intensely; to the extent that I was retraumatised and not able to bring myself

back to where I had been.

I was unaware that I would never go back to where I was – autoethnography is

ultimately about personal growth. The autoethnographic journey forced me to take time


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out to heal and I rediscovered old truths regarding dealing with hurt and anger to assist

me on my journey.

One of the books I read (absorbed) within a few hours was Alison’s Journey

(Thamm, 1998). It is a true account of a young woman (Alison), who was raped and

butchered by Satanist perpetrators in one of the most violent and brutal attacks ever on

a woman in South Africa. Miraculously, she survived and became a motivational

speaker. The absence of anger in this woman is remarkable.

Alison’s secret was that she stayed focused on what she wanted and therefore,

“sacrificed” her anger in the process. In her book, she comments, “I could have been

angry about it and yet I was not... (and then explains) ...If I remained angry at Frans and

Theuns (the perpetrators) I would be giving them power over my life... I was determined

not to let them take my sanity, confidence, my character, my personality” (Thamm, 1998,

pp. 134-135).

While Alison was guarding against anger, she admits that she “embraced” her

depression (Thamm, 1998). She allowed herself to be depressed after the ordeal, but

contends: “Anger is one of the most destructive emotions... Anger does not promote

healing, it does the opposite. It allows a wound to fester and bleed over and over again”

(Thamm, 1998, p. 215).

The golden thread in Alison’s account is that she consciously decided not to be

angry, because she understood the destructive force of anger, even though she suffered

from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder after the devastating assault.

2.2 A vocabulary for survival

Drawing again from Alison’s Journey, I paid attention to how she expressed herself.

Going back to that night, she says: “The fear that night was not of dying. It was of not

surviving” (Thamm, 1998, p. 124).

Pieter recommended that I talk about a “situation”, not a “problem”. I find myself no

longer referring to anger but to sadness, and I allow myself to be there, totally absorbed

by the moment. I steer away from the negative and make time for me and for my

husband.

I make a conscious decision to “survive” the autoethnographic journey with the aid

of positive words and feelings towards those people and incidents which once hurt me.

I’ll be fine.


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2.3 Forgiveness

Forgiveness too becomes a conscious decision. Realising that I had not (really) forgiven

everybody, the autoethnography becomes a filter by means of which I rid myself of the

resentment buried deep under the multiple layers of years of hard work. This time round

I take the decision to forgive, fully aware that one should always anticipate some human

failure or error in life. My disappointment and hurt should be directed at the behaviour,

not the people. It becomes a liberating experience to forgive and to let go.

What is fogiveness really? What does the concept of forgiveness mean to me personally –

in other words, what do I embrace as forgiveness? In my search for answers, I found the

American Psychological Association (APA) definition useful: “Forgiveness is the mental,

and/or spiritual process of ceasing to feel resentment, indignation or anger against

another person for a perceived offence, difference or mistake, or ceasing to demand

punishment or restitution.”94 I further discovered that all religions regard forgiveness as

a virtue. I remind myself that quotes and references are helpful, but my authentic

understanding is at the heart of reflection.

A small poster for my office wall, encapsulates my expression and experience of

forgiveness and reminds me every day of what I need to do whenever I revisit painful

events:

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Forgiveness

is the process of giving up

resentment, indignation or anger

against another for an

offense, abuse, injustice or mistake

It is about letting go,

chosing to heal,

dealing with the hurt by

refusing harmful thoughts to

compromise your mental well-being

Forgiveness is the ultimate road

to spiritual maturity

It is only by reading these words over and over that one realises that true forgiveness

brings closure. Closure means moving on.

3. FRAMEWORK GUIDELINES FOR THE TOOLKIT

What guidelines would I provide to someone doing an autoethnography and faced with

regression? What would I have done differently? My answers are not based on in-depth

scientific studies and knowledge, but rather, on my own experience. These suggestions

should therefore, serve as guidelines to assist others in developing their own strategies

when dealing with autoethnographic regression:

• Understand that you will go back in time, and feel stripped of your growth for a

while. This process is necessary so that you can describe events and growth as


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they happened. It will give you an authentic voice in the autoethnography, but be

careful not to remain there.

• Consult your medical doctor and your psychologist with the emergence of your

first signs of distress, depression or anxiety; don’t allow these feelings to

overwhelm you.

• Understanding the process you are putting yourself through is half the battle

won. Once you allow yourself the space to re-experience these painful events and

to re-experience the pain in full force (yes, even if you are pretty smart!), you will

be comfortable and gentle with yourself when you show signs of stress or trauma.

• Ask loved ones and friends to be supportive during this period and to remind you

that it is brave to go back, but to remain truly proud of yourself in the present.

• Keep a close watch on your thoughts. Control your reflection in autoethnography

with mind management. Manage the process without limiting yourself or

standing still. Einstein once said that we are limited by the boundary conditions

of our thinking. Don’t allow negative thoughts to imprison you. Remind yourself

that you have left the experiences or feelings in the past and that reliving those

feelings is necessary for reflection, but should remain in the past.

• Comfort yourself with the knowledge that we all make mistakes. Smile about it

and reflect on how your mistakes contributed to acquiring maturity and wisdom.

• Change your vocabulary in regression – thoughts inform emotions, emotions

inform vocabulary. Let your thoughts be the starting point of a positive attitude.

Don’t look at the problems you experienced then, but look at the situations. Re-

experience your pain, but embrace and dwell on your growth. If you suffered loss,

start thinking about the gains you made; if there was betrayal, think of the value

of trust. For instance, when one thinks of betrayal, allow yourself to be in the

moment, rather than suppressing these feelings. Think of the love you felt for

that person and take a decision to forgive. Instead of staying there, move on and

think of the love and support you experienced at the same time and how trust

and love enriched your life. Imagine placing these opposites on a scale; the love,

support and growth you experienced are bound to outweigh the negatives. Know

that life holds two kinds of experiences – good experiences and experiences for

growth.

• Don’t be angry – direct your energy at your healing. Cast off the burden of

bitterness, anger or hatred – look for meaning and lessons; learn from the

situation and take joy in this experience.


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• Forgive yourself and others. Forgiveness is a decision. Mahatma Gandhi once

said that, “Forgiveness is choosing to love. It is the first skill of self-giving love.”

(Neddermeyer, 2007)95 And this decision connects with meaning and purpose.

Forgive past injustices again when you are in regression.

• “When you forgive, you in no way change the past – but you sure do change the

future.” (Bernard Meltzer in Neddermeyer, 2007).

• Autoethnography is the ultimate road to forgiveness and closure.

Basic as it may seem, this toolkit has prepared me for the next chapter of my journey.

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Neddermeyer, M.D. (2007). Thoughts to Ponder - #118. EzineArticles. Retrieved May 20, 2007, from http://www.ezinearticles.com/?Thoughts-To-Ponder


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2

Ultra City with Mom

This is an extract of an interview conducted with my mother, Emily, on 14 February

2007. The rest of the material has been integrated in the narratives in Part III to avoid

duplication of information.

SCENE: My mom, Emily, is visiting me (Susan) and has made herself at home on the

green couch in my office – a comfortable couch with colourful scatter cushions. The

deep autumn colours accentuate her blue outfit and although she looks somewhat

vulnerable and frail, she is also eager to start. Susan’s desk is close to the coach and

Susan is sitting on the other side of her desk with her laptop. There is a tray with tea

and biscuits within close proximity of both Emily and Susan.

SUSAN: Thanks for agreeing to this interview, Mom. I am trying to understand why I

became a social entrepreneur, what

characteristics I showed as a child and

what characteristics you, as my mother,

observed. It may not be easy to recall

everything, but be as honest as you can

be. It is important to come across as

authentic.

EMILY: Always a pleasure. Just hope I

can help. Remember I am over 80 years

old!

(Susan smiles. Then she pours Emily and herself some tea.)

SUSAN: If you think back, what early signs of a changemaker or social entrepreneur did

I exhibit?

EMILY: You were very bright and made sentences that implicated an action with a

consequence at the age of 18 months. That was exceptional.

SUSAN: Other characteristics apart from being intelligent? Wasn’t I nice too?

(Laughing, Emily takes a sip of tea.)


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EMILY: Your intelligence was best illustrated by your creativity. When David96 had

three silkworms, he wanted another one to make it four. Then you went and broke the

three in half and told him: Now you have plenty. You were about three years old, but

knew how to multiply and tried to solve a problem. Of course you were trying to be nice,

but he just gave one yell and I had to find new worms fast.

(Laughing. Susan shakes her head. Emily continues.)

You know that David was three years older than you, but you helped him with his

homework. When he got stuck with his reading or tables, you helped him because you

picked up the reading and sums when I helped him with his homework and you were not

in school yet. You often corrected him.

SUSAN: It seems as if I liked helping out around the house.

EMILY: Yes, you were exceptionally neat. Dad got the children all dressed up to visit me

in the nursing home when Claude was born. Dad put the wrong shirt on David, which

belonged to Charles. You were upset because you told Dad that it wasn’t David’s shirt,

but Charles’ shirt. You showed him where all the children’s clothes were, but Dad still

messed it up.

SUSAN: Typical Dad. It is nice of you to tell me how smart I was and how I solved

problems, but we have to include everything. Anything else you would like to add?

EMILY: Yes, remember you got a book from your teacher in Grade 1? You were a very

good reader and you even assisted your teacher in helping the other children to read

because you were already reading Std 197 books. You were always and forever reading

and you read on average two books a day, including your brother’s prescribed books for

Std 1098 at a young age.

SUSAN: Are you sure that I understood the content?

(Laughing)

EMILY: Always a dreamer and deep in thought.

Emily’s attention is caught by a hadeda in the garden, but after a while she continues:

You were drawing in the back yard from the age of five – and the sand was your canvas.

Later the teachers picked up that you were artistic and I remember that you got a prize

for your drawings in Std 999 for your yearbook contribution.

96

Older brother; he passed away in 1974. 97

Std 1 is now known as Grade 3 in school. 98

Std 10 is now known as Grade 12 in school. 99

Std 9 is now known as Grade 11 in school.


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SUSAN: I even started with poems and was the school’s journalist. Some people say

that my writing style, my style of talking to audiences is that of an activist. Was I

rebellious as a teenager and did my activism show in some form or other?

EMILY: You were difficult and rebellious at times as a teenager.

SUSAN: Mom, it’s OK to say that I was cheeky. You can be honest!

(Laughter)

EMILY: You hated household chores and always told me that you would be rich enough

one day to hire someone to wash the dishes. You were forever reading books while the

food was burning.

(Susan laughs)

If you had something in your head, you did it. No matter the consequences, you did what

you had to do. You even had your own newspaper when you were 13 years old and sold it

to your classmates – not too mention your trouble with your music teacher, Ms Fockens!

(Emily chuckles)

SUSAN: Yes, she said that she didn’t like my English names, that our family was too

English and that we should become Afrikaners. Then Dad helped me to write a poem

which I went and stuck on her door! I will never forget the poem:

Ms Fockens of musical fame

dislikes Susan as a name

and gladly puts her to shame

despite her own surname

(Laughter)

EMILY: Years later you wrote a story to the Ster magazine at the age of 15. It wasn’t

accepted for publication, but they couldn’t believe that you were only 15 years old and

encouraged you to write more.

SUSAN: The story was called “Italian Caprice”. My idea of love even before I had my

first kiss! No wonder the reviewer told me that the plot moved too fast. I thought love

was there, to be declared at first sight, and that was it!

(Laughter)

EMILY: You loved writing and you even received book prizes for your essays. One of

your teachers told me that, when he had to mark essays, he would remove your essay


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first and then start marking. When he felt tired and fed up, he would then start reading

your essay. He loved your imagination.

(Susan smiles and then takes a few sips of tea.)

SUSAN: Let’s move to my relationship with my Dad. It was very special for me.

EMILY: He always mentored you. When you were three years old, he showed you the

moon and the stars in the evening when you sat on the veranda. When he showed it to

you again, you noticed that the moon wasn’t full anymore and you quickly told him that

the big star was broken.

SUSAN: I remember making up poems with him and discussing anything from politics

to school teachers.

EMILY: Will I ever forget that! I went to bed early and you carried on many an evening

with your dad until midnight, very interested in everything that he told you.

SUSAN: In your opinion, what impact did Dad’s death have on me?

EMILY: I think that you felt it the most of all the children, because you were the only

daughter and very close to him. Losing him at that age threw you off balance.

(Susan bites her lip as though wanting to say something.)

SUSAN: There are things that are difficult to talk about. I went to work in

Johannesburg as a journalist.

EMILY: Yes, the newspaper offered you the opportunity because you were so talented

and you had just finished high school and started studying part-time.

SUSAN: Then Jenny came along and I returned to my hometown. I faced a lot of

rejection. I wonder how I survived that, I was so young!

EMILY: You were always a strong-willed child. You were still a child yourself, but

wanted your baby and that made you endure a lot of rejection. You were not prepared to

part with Jenny, even though you were offered alternatives.

(Susan puts her hand up, not wanting to be reminded of that period in her life.)

SUSAN: I knew that I would be a good mother.

EMILY: You have always been very loving, gentle and patient with Jenny and gave her

everything she needed, plus. You were never ashamed to say you were unmarried and

that Jenny was your child.

(Susan frowns...)

SUSAN: Should I have been ashamed?


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EMILY: No, you know what people are like.. Jenny became your motivation to excel in

life. You said that you wanted her to have everything other children have, like a big home

etc. You were very focused on raising her and helping her with her learning disability. At

work, you were bullied because of a combination of factors – competition, power play by

the board members, and so on. You always said that you refused to suck up to people.

SUSAN: That’s the rebel in me ... the activist was probably always there.

EMILY: When you lost your job, it woke the tiger in you. You were no longer satisfied

with just being a creative, talented and caring person, always helping people in distress

and avoiding confrontation – it mobilised you to become an activist for justice and anti-

abuse, anti-violence. You had enough and declared war against abuse and unfairness in

the workplace on behalf of yourself and everyone in that situation.

SUSAN: This is a new insight, Mom. I never thought of it like that. But you couldn’t

believe that I could not get a permanent and well-paid job.

EMILY: True, it didn’t sit well with me. You needed money more than helping people.

But I was very happy when you published your first book and that evening, while I was

standing there, I remembered that your father said you were his brainiest child. I was

crying.

SUSAN: Kagiso sold out to Maskew Miller and Longman and there was a drastic drop

in royalties after the initial peak. I was yet again in a situation in which I had to

supplement our income, and struggled to get my business going. I sometimes wonder

how I managed to make ends meet between 1998 and 2000.

EMILY: Being the fighter you are, you never lost sight of your vision. You definitely

surprised the whole family. The newspapers and magazines wrote a lot about you. People

phoned me to ask if I saw an article in The Star, Huisgenoot, Rapport, and so on. I was

so proud. I knew you were struggling even though the newspapers and magazines were

filled with articles on you. You were my poor heroic daughter. I was just glad that Ilan

stood by you, because I couldn’t. I was married to Uncle Don and had to pay attention to

him.

(Emily gives Susan a pat on the hand.)

SUSAN: Determination did it, I suppose.

EMILY: (Laughing) Whatever. I somehow just knew that you would go right to the top.

But soon after that research you did, your whole world changed and I was looking at

quite a different daughter than I saw in 1994. Seven years later, from 2001 onwards,

your life gained momentum. It was so wonderful when you became an Ashoka Fellow.

The Fellows were all of different races, but there was so much love and excitement, that


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it counts as one of the most wonderful evenings I’ve ever had. The social entrepreneurs

were an exceptional crowd of people. Since that time, you’ve never lost sight of your

vision for better workplaces, or your compassion and care for others. It seems as though

you are trying to save the whole world from hurt, abuse, hate, jealousy and also the

unfairness that many have to tolerate.

SUSAN: I am more comfortable today, but I will never forget where I came from.

EMILY: Very true. You are still fighting ... sometimes even with me!


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3

Ultra City with the Storage Boxes

I need to get my hands on my history, look through all my files, the Ashoka files, and

photographs – and as I am going through everything, I come across my 1997 and 1998

journal and eagerly turn the pages.

This could be wonderful material for the

autoethnography, I think, whilst reading about myself – a

different person – 10 years ago.

My journal relays my love for Jenny and how my

relationship with Ilan changed. Ilan developed from the

“sexy Israeli” into my caring partner, the love of my life that

supported me at all times. I read the passages relating to my

sadness about the change in friendship between Magriet

and me. How I lamented the fact that I needed to relate to

her in a different way…

“What are you reading?” Ilan’s voice pulls me away from the box and I swing around,

surprised to see him standing there.

“About how I felt in 1997 and 1998. I actually kept a journal.”

“What were your feelings that time?” he asks.

“I was suffering from depression in 1998, when I returned from my visit to London

and the USA.”

“Why? You were very happy to see Jenny then, weren’t you?” Ilan doesn’t seem to

understand why 1998 was a difficult year for me.

“It had to do with the changing relationship between myself and Magriet then – I

probably felt that I was losing a friend. Jenny, being far away, and my disappointment

that the book did not bring in millions so that your sacrifices would be worthwhile. I

thought that I failed you and I was so harsh on myself. I blamed myself that we battled

financially then.”

“So how will you be writing this into the autoethnography?” he asks.

“By showing my mood. It is not pleasant to go there, but I may have to do that to give

the full picture.”


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“Don’t stay there; we’ve moved on.” Ilan returns to the television and I continue

searching through the storage boxes’ content.

There are old photographs and brochures and I realise how happy I am to have

saved all my stuff. I like gathering things and if I could have it my way, my house would

be an archive. It probably has something to do with my respect for books and the written

word.

Then I come across my satirical poetry. I realise once again how much I hated

bureaucracy while I was working at a City Council in 1990. One poem is that of a

rebellious official who has had enough and mocks the ‘officialeze’ language of

bureaucrats. In another satirical poem, I humorously portray the pain of a mother with a

child suffering from a learning disability ― my own pain with Jenny’s disabilities. My

sense of humour certainly carried me through difficult periods in my life. Reading one of

the poems portraying my happiness of just being blessed with a new day brings the

realisation that, even though there may have been dark moments in my life, it still takes

very little to make me happy.

That is it, I realise, while unpacking photos, publications, newspaper articles and

books. That is how I survived; small things can make me happy and lift me from the

doldrums.

The beauty of autoethnography is revisiting the past – becoming sometimes more

critical about one’s life. I can now see that I’ve always been very sensitive about the

manner in which I interacted with others, and always expected the courtesy to be

returned, an expectation which might not always have been realistic. Maybe I am an

idealist and a dreamer at heart – not regarded as the best of qualities in most circles. At

the same time, I have a new appreciation of what makes me human and of those things

are that energise me after failure or in difficult times.


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4

Ultra City with Anton

This is an extract of an interview conducted with my friend, Prof. Anton Senekal, on 28

February 2007. The rest of the material has been integrated in the narratives in Part III

to avoid duplication of information. Anton is Chair of the Department of Sociology at the

UJ, and he introduced me to my promoter, Prof. Willem Schurink. We share the

interests of the Workplace Dignity Institute and he has always been willing to support

my work – someone who walked into my life one day and just made it all so much easier.

I decided to invite Anton over for coffee to discuss the autoethnography, and to obtain

information regarding the organisational development of the Workplace Dignity

Institute and our projects.

SCENE: Susan’s office. Anton is sitting on the comfortable

office chair on the other side of Susan’s desk. The desk has a

neat appearance but a closer look reveals that some of the

working files are hidden under the desk. Anton inhales the

smell of the percolated coffee while Susan offers him fresh

muffins.

SUSAN: I’m going to ask you lots of questions in order to

refresh my memory. It may sound silly – but, as you know,

everything is important. How did we meet? I know it had

something to do with SOLVE.100

ANTON: (smiles) It was in the SOLVE context when you presented the workshops on

behalf of the International Labour Organisation. Prof. Tina Uys introduced me to you.

SUSAN: (nods) That’s right! I met Tina when I initiated and organised South Africa’s

first Conference on Work Trauma in 2000. In November 2002 I presented the first

SOLVE workshop at the then Rand Afrikaans University (RAU); so I probably met you in

October 2002.

ANTON: Of course! I remember it well because I facilitated the process on behalf of the

UJ ― actually it was still RAU then ― and the Sociology Department was responsible for

the venue arrangements. I presented some of the modules – smoking, alcohol and drug 100

SOLVE is a programme to address psychosocial problems in the workplace, developed by the International Labour Organisation. As the national coordinator, I was responsible for the roll-out of the programme in South Africa.


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abuse, if I remember correctly. Through you, I became involved in the technical

committee of the ILO to promote SOLVE in South Africa and I was eager to encourage

RAU to take it on as a social project. Then there was the course directors’ training in

Cape Town organised by the ILO. There were actually many SOLVE courses and I was

involved in most of these.

SUSAN: But, apart from this, we also had an International Conference and you were

also involved.

ANTON: I delivered a paper and I also chaired a work session – it was a case study on a

workplace violence incident. I also delivered the paper you and I did together on SOLV-

ing problems in the workplace at the South African Sociological Association (SASA)

Conference in Durban – that was in 2004.

SUSAN: (smiles) Yes, we’ve done a lot together. Now, I need you to refresh my memory

on getting my first doctorate acknowledged. You assisted in the process.

ANTON: Yes, and took it to the Vice Rector. He recommended that we approach

someone to evaluate it. That is how I got hold of Prof. Kobus Slabbert of Human

Resources. He was too busy and suggested that we approach Willem Schurink. Willem

was also too busy and passed it on to someone else who then left for Russia. We then

spoke and I recommended that you rather enrol for a doctorate at UJ, because even if UJ

acknowledged your previous doctorate, it still didn’t have the required SAQA101

accreditation. I intentionally steered you away from sociology, because we are friends

and it would have posed a conflict of interest, especially because I am also a partner in

the Workplace Dignity Institute.

ANTON: I spoke with Willem and I cc’d e-mail correspondence from him to you and

then you met him at the Newscafé in Melville. It was a very long process; you could have

finished long ago if we opted for a second doctorate in the first instance.

SUSAN: I know. Willem sent me several e-mails and he was so happy when I wrote to

him saying that it would be less hassle to embark on a second doctorate. A crazy, but

wonderful idea! Willem introduced me to autoethnography and it is probably the best

thing that ever happened to me. Don’t stress about the time wasted, it was for a good

purpose. I also needed the time to set up the Workplace Dignity Institute and to create a

new dispensation for the workplace.

ANTON: Your Dignity-4-All project is about working and striving towards dignity for

all. I am glad that I am your vice chair, because there is so much enthusiasm; it is

definitely the beginning of a new era. I think we need to address the systemic abuse of

101

South African Qualifications Authority.


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people through overload as this too has to do with dignity. This is commonly encouraged

and the person, the individual, gets lost in the process.

SUSAN: You have been extremely worried about the work overload in the University of

Johannesburg for some time now.

ANTON: Believe me; I am going to do something about it through our wellness

committee!


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5

Ultra City with my Girlfriends:

Do you smoke?

Marietjie is a friend, but she also worked for me before she decided to start up her own

business. We met in 2001, when I needed a research assistant for the

ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Programme on Workplace Violence. Marietjie had just

returned from the USA where she lived and worked illegally for some years and couldn’t

find a job in South Africa, despite her excellent computer and project management skills.

I don’t really need to interview Marietjie. I can just relay her much loved account of

how we met by forming scenes in my mind of a stage play.

SCENE: Susan and her friends Marietjie, Nelouise, Magriet and Judy are having a get-

together on a Saturday afternoon. Marietjie - the heart and soul of entertaining others

with Susan’s eccentricities, orders wine, eager to tell the story of her first meeting with

Susan.

MARIETJIE: Let me tell you how I met Sue.

(Everybody moves closer; Judy giggles)

JUDY: Remember I also worked for her. I can join in.

MARIETJIE: Well, this woman phoned me on my cell. I was penniless, just returned

from the USA and I couldn’t find a decent job! She asked me various questions over the

phone and told me that I was highly recommended by an agency that told her we would

be a good match. Her last question was: “Do you smoke?”

(Laughter)


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NELOUISE: You’re joking!

MARIETJIE: Shit, I was nervous, but I said “yes”. Then she said, “That’s okay, I don’t

want someone complaining about my smoking to the labour department.”

(Laughter. Marietjie continues)

That’s not all. Sue wanted me to start

immediately. She insisted that I be there the

next day, but I had a prior appointment with my

medical doctor and told her that I could make it

by 10am. She didn’t let me off the hook, but told

me to get my ass over there as soon as my

appointment was over. Of course I ran a bit late

and when I drove up the road where her

apartment is, another dilapidated car was

coming from the opposite direction. The woman

waved, I stopped my car, and then she asked:

“Are you Marietjie?”

(Laughter)

JUDY: That can only be Sue taking such a guess. What made her think you were

Marietjie?

MARIETJIE: Who knows! Well, she said that she was going to another appointment

and would just show me where everything is and what to do. The apartment was small

and she had a desk for me set up in the lounge with a computer and chair and a

telephone. That was enough to get me working. Then she showed me where she was

working – a very small space about six square metres adjacent to the kitchen where the

dining room should have been. She told me exactly what information she needed, and

left for a few hours.”

NELOUISE: What about the smoking?

MARIETJIE: Oh yes, she told me to smoke as much as I want. And I forgot, right

behind my chair was a big box with six pug puppies! She told me that part of my job

description was to always keep a watchful eye on the puppies. No problem, that was a

bonus working for Sue, they were beautiful. I realised that Sue is a bit eccentric, but that

she has a heart of gold.”

Marietjie


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SUSAN: You better say that! But you weren’t always impressed when the puppies

started running around and we had to find them and count them all the time.

MARIETJIE: We did that at least twice a day!

(Laughter)

JUDY: I can believe that there was never a dull moment.

MARIETJIE: Yes, and the cases she dealt with!

(Laughter)

But Sue knew each one of them and stayed in contact with them. I sometimes had to

phone them just to tell them that she hopes that they are doing well. She helped people

get their jobs back and some of them just never paid her. It made me angry. Mr Pussy

was one of them, he didn’t pay!

NELOUISE: That Mr Pussy-case is famous! But that is the problem with helping

victims, they sometimes don’t have the resources. There is no money in misery.

MARIETJIE: Actually, that was a very difficult time: nobody paid her and she was

working herself to a standstill and never mind those who should have known better and

bitched about money! The Geneva crowd ain’t fast in paying the bills, but we pulled

through and look where Sue is today.

(Marietjie touches Susan and they smile)

SUSAN: I always believed that the universe will reward me at some stage, but it seemed

like an eternity.

MARIETJIE: What kept us alive is the fact that we smoked and had fun. Since Sue

stopped smoking, we only have fun.


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6

Ultra City with Magriet

My friendship with Magriet Herman, who was co-author of the first hyena book,

Corporate Hyenas at Work, goes back many years. We were both working together as

directors for the NFC,102 left there at the same time and supported one another in

putting our lives back together again. She is visiting me today to refresh my memory.

SCENE: Susan’s office. Magriet makes herself comfortable on the now infamous green

office couch with its colourful scatter cushions and bends towards the two cups of

Rooibos tea on the tray on a small table close to the couch. In the background, Tlaks,

the personal assistant is busy speaking on the telephone in

the office next to us. His voice is drifting away...

SUSAN: The language editor recommended that I change

your name to Margaret for the narratives to benefit the

English examiners who may find it difficult to pronounce

Magriet.

MAGRIET: (snorts) I refuse to be called Margaret. There are

more difficult names than ‘Magriet’ and if they can say that,

then they can say ‘Magriet’.

SUSAN: Let’s get back to work. Can you remember anything

about our first hearing at the CCMA?103

MAGRIET: (giggles) Our first meeting ... we came very well

prepared and somehow they were not prepared at all. Helga104 underestimated us, of

course. She and her lawyers nearly fainted when you mentioned ‘nepotism’ and her

beloved new husband’s involvement. Of course we got some advice and ‘African wisdom’

from Claude Makhubella.

(Laughter)

102

National Feeding Chain (NFC) is a pseudonym to hide the identity of the employer referred to. 103

Council for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. 104

Pseudonym for the Chief Executive Officer of the NFC for purposes of confidentiality.


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I also recall how our friends at the office told us afterwards that she would now have to

go to the CCMA to explain the workings of financial statements, as these two seemed to

know nothing on this subject. What a surprise awaited her.

SUSAN: Oh, that one. I must remember it for the narrative! I completely forgot about

it.

(Giggling)

The next big thing that happened was your accident. You almost died and it changed

your life. You had seven operations afterwards. I remember that I thought that the book

could mean a lot to you.

MAGRIET: Definitely.

SUSAN: At that time I was stone broke – making perfume, jewellery, doing temp jobs of

all sorts. I remember that you were recovering after the accident and I visited you many

times. You were concerned that I was spending too much money driving out to you and

you even paid my rent one month.

MAGRIET: Yes, Toon105 gave me some extra money that time.

SUSAN: Wouldn’t have survived if I did not have people who cared about me.

Annamarie, Chris, Charlize were also wonderful. Let’s get to the book. The first edition of

Corporate Hyenas was called Hard Times and Corporate Hyenas and was totally

different from the published edition. We battled to get a publisher and then Jenny took it

to America. They were not interested and Jenny also recommended that it should have a

more positive slant.

MAGRIET: They actually said that if you are in such a position, you must work hard to

get out of it.

SUSAN: We were discouraged to the extent that you started writing another book with

Louw du Toit. At that stage you were comfortable with letting me edit the book and

reshuffle, cut and paste to get it more positive and publishable. Then I got the Internet

at the end of 1996 and that opened the door to a lot of contacts and some information to

put in the book too.

MAGRIET: Yes, and how did you meet the people at Kagiso again?

SUSAN: I saw their name in a bookshop and wrote it down and phoned Christo. Then I

talked to Linda, made an appointment with them and we had the meeting at your house

with them – my apartment was too small.

105 Magriet’s husband’s name is Toon.


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MAGRIET: And then it went very fast. What I remember best was the launch of the

book and that wonderful bonfire at the Zoo.

SUSAN: Yes, I forgot the bonfire. After that, things normalised but we also started to

grow in different directions.

(A few seconds of silence)

MAGRIET (fidgeting uncomfortably): Things were going wrong in my marriage. I also

lost interest. You and Ilan were moving in together, you were making new friends and

my marriage was almost over.

SUSAN: Never thought of it like that. You actually got divorced in 2000 at the time I

arranged the First International Conference on Work Trauma. Soon after that, the

research followed, then the PhD and then the Ashoka awards. You were there too,

remember?

MAGRIET: The graduation ceremony was great, but nothing beats the Ashoka award

evening. Here I think was my first real experience of the African way of thinking and

doing things: modern, but also with ancient customs of caring for one another and

acknowledging work done for less privileged people. How difficult it was to describe to

all present what you wanted to accomplish as it involved a mindset change and not

something concrete like mortar and bricks. Tim Modise immediately understood it and

explained the concept to the audience, and then they welcomed you into the Fellowship.

Lovely night with African food and dancing.

SUSAN: It was the most wonderful time of my life. After that I never looked back

again; my life changed. We had another big International Conference on Violence and

Psychosocial Problems in the Workplace with the nursing union DENOSA in 2003.

MAGRIET: I attended meetings with you and served on the planning committee.

There was a lot of hard work and a lot of preparation in it for you, difficulties with some

personalities, but the pleasant people made it worthwhile. And the conference itself went

very well – South Africa was fortunate to have had so many international speakers. Since

then I’ve slowed my own pace and lost interest. You should do the same; I want you

around for much longer!

SUSAN: Perhaps I underestimated the impact the divorce had on you and how it hurt

you. It is good that we talked about that too.

MAGRIET: Yes, it took me five years to get over it, but I am moving on.


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7

Reflections of a Survivor

Ellis (2004, p.370) poses the question when editing personal narratives: “Does the

author go through some transition or come to a new awareness as a result of writing this

paper?”

I am picking up the changes, the transformation within myself while writing this

thesis; and I wonder whether other students have the same experience. Today, I resolved

a question that had been haunting me for years. Why did I react the way I did when I was

carjacked in 2002? Answering this question would not have been possible without

autoethnographic reflection connecting me to my

core being.

Writing about the attempted carjacking and my

daring escape in Part III: The Journey, forced me to

relive the event. Armed with my Toolkit for

Autoethnographic Regression I felt safe to revisit the

incident and to discover that I was left with more

questions than answers.

Maybe I would have been better off had I followed the advice I would have given any

person in a similar situation and gone for counselling. But for some reason I felt that,

because I survived, I didn’t need therapy and I really got ticked off by the counsellor who

wanted to use an ‘implosion’ technique to revisit the trauma. Was it a big mistake not to

reflect on the deeper meaning behind the traumatic event? Did I miss out on significant

insights or lessons by not replacing the counsellor with someone else to deal with the

trauma? I used my friendship support system to work through it, but my friends loved

me and did not ask any questions that might have been

helpful to me; neither were they interested in why I

reacted in the way I did. They were simply happy that I

survived.

Now, years later, I feel less clever. I missed an

opportunity to rediscover myself – the person

who survived the barrel of a gun on one of the most dangerous spots in suburban

Johannesburg early one evening many years ago.


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Autoethnography forces me to reflect. Was my willingness to die rather than to be

dehumanised a death wish and what does it say about my character? Understanding this

question means that I have to consider all the posibilities.

It is time to ask Ilan. He is relaxing in his ‘Den’. Because the ‘Den’ can get quite

messy, I sometimes call it the ‘Poop Room.’ Ilan enjoys spending time in his ‘Den’ with

the pugs and they are rather infamous farters. The cushions are scattered all over the

room. Kelly is curled up on Ilan’s shoulder while Bully is lying on the floor, snoring away.

Boyke’s anal glands got infected again and he had an operation a few days ago. His

illness has secured him the best spot – a soft woollen carpet and a cushion for comfort.

My chair is waiting for me and I sit down next to Ilan:

“What?” Ilan knows that I want to ask him something.

“Remember the carjacking incident when we were still in Bramley?”

“I remember it well.”

“You know that I took a risk rather than to be abducted and dehumanised. Would

you say that I may have had a death wish, or that I was depressed on a subconscious

level and didn’t care?”

“No, woman. You didn’t know what you were doing because you just didn’t have

time to think,” is his simple explanation. He always calls me “woman” when he thinks I

am doing or saying something immature. “Instinct took over and you got damn lucky.

They could have killed you.”

“Thanks, I am going to chew on that.”

Ilan laughs. “Always looking for deeper meaning?”

Ilan knows me pretty well and I have to take his explanation seriously. The

dismissed counsellor also said that I was traumatised; hence the “out of body”

experience and he also said that my “right brain” took over and changed me into an

“escape artist”.

Ilan is both wrong and right. I was under the impression that my actions were

automatic. Perhaps hearing my own voice shouting orders at me can be explained in

terms of my connecting with my ‘higher self’? My thoughts became instant verbalised

instructions: wasting no time with prayer and telling myself that I had prayed that

morning. What Ilan may not understand is that I had no fear; I was so collected, so sure

of what to do at that moment. When I took the decision to take a chance, I probably, on a

subconscious level, reaffirmed my commitment to live or die in dignity. Was that it?


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Then numbness set in afterwards, or was I cold? Yet I remember seeing the

gunman’s face every night and experiencing the anger of allowing the emotion of fear

which he brought into my life. No, I wasn’t cold, just shaken; but strong when I had to be

strong, when I had to survive.

Then it dawns on me. Survival is the keyword. I remember Alison’s Journey

(Thamm, 2004) and I scroll back to the Guidelines for Autoethnographic Regression.

She maintained that, the entire time while she was abducted and violated by the

perpetrators, she did not think of dying, she thought of living.

Yes, that is exactly what I experienced! I never thought of dying when I faced the

barrel of a gun and that is why I escaped. My first thoughts were “escape” and “life”!

There was no morbid thought or motive behind my actions. Ilan calls it instinct and he is

right – it is a survivor instinct, part of my personality and it manifests as a knee-jerk

reaction in extremely stressful conditions. Surviving is essentially my frame of mind and

what I am about. I did not gamble with my life: Looking into the gunman’s eyes, I knew

that I had a chance to survive and I took a calculated risk. How could I have thought

otherwise? After all, that is exactly why I am a social entrepreneur: we never give up!

And this is the power of autoethnography.


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8

Keeping the lights burning

It is beyond crunch time for me. I am running late with handing in my thesis; or rather,

let me rephrase this – my hand-in date has been brought forward. The departmental

hand-in dates have been altered. If you hand in by 31 October, the university gives you

the assurance that, should you pass, you will be receiving your degree at the graduation

ceremony in March. But, if you don’t hand in by 31 October, no assurances – you are

simply taking your chances and hoping that your examiners proceed faster than the

allotted six weeks the university allows.

Shouldn’t I have been able to manage the situation and hand-in on time? The answer

comes from nowhere: I need to keep the lights burning mainly because Ilan’s pension is

not enough to sustain us. The year 2007 was a bad time for me because a major contract

was cancelled at the last minute. In fact, this contract could have kept me going the

whole year while I finished my thesis. But I was at the receiving end of the wrongful

implementation of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) at one my major clients.

A person is BEE-exempt when he or she owns a micro business with a small

turnover like a consultancy. But a handful of government departments and institutions

believe BEE to mean simply that only black vendors (previously disadvantaged

individuals) can be contracted in. These organisations choose to see it that way, even

though it is not the government’s intention to apply BEE in a punitive manner.

“How could they do this to you?” Ilan was shocked.

“Because they chose to,” I said. For the first time I was overcome by a sense of fear.

What would the future hold? I was devastated, but decided to learn from the experience

– and carry on regardless.

The cancellation of this major contract saw me putting extra effort into marketing

and accepting the many invitations to deliver keynotes at conferences to promote the

cause and explore business opportunities. I took a decision to diversify my business

products and venture into publishing and the broader issues around health and wellness,

added to which I put together the Yethu iWellness (Zulu for ‘wellness is ours’)

programme. In this programme, relationships – and therefore the issue of workplace

violence – are the focal point. It had the desired result and by October there was already

significant interest. I survived the major disappointment. The electricity bill will be paid,


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but I am running behind the adjusted schedule to hand in my thesis. The price for saving

my business results in a personal sacrifice in terms of my thesis.

At times, I feel that the thesis may never end, that there is simply not enough time to

finish by the end of November, my new hand-in date.

Despite my fears I feel that this period of immense stress on all levels may all end

well.

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Part IV: Tour Guides and Ultra Cities .Ultra Cities

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9

Ultra City with Bill Drayton

Prior to 7 November

When there was no reaction from Ashoka’s headquarters in Washington for the

promised interview with the great Bill Drayton, the CEO and Founder of Ashoka, I

got angry. How could the organisation and person I admire most in the world simply

ignore my request? After all, I just asked for 10 minutes on the line with Bill Drayton.

All it takes is a “no”, rather than keeping me in suspense. It is my thesis about social

entrepreneurship that is ultimately at stake.

Then I wrote a letter, in fact I poured my heart out, telling the officials at Ashoka

how frustrated I was at not being able to talk to Bill Drayton – or, failing that, to have

my questions answered. I could well imagine what this ex-Harvard law school

professor could teach me, how a few words with him could influence my thesis, or

just give me direction and courage. Perhaps I thought that by expressing my

frustration I would just feel better, but it struck a chord with Ashoka and within two

days, his personal assistant, Samantha Lemke, phoned me to set up an interview.

The catch was that Dr Drayton could only talk to me at

2am our time and I had to stay awake. A year ago this

would not have been a problem, but nowadays I go to bed

earlier in order to wake up earlier and my biological clock

has changed accordingly. I’ve become an early bird.

However, I knew that the mere excitement of talking with

Bill Drayton would keep me awake the whole night.

7 November...

My questions are ready and while waiting for the call, I decide to read about Bill

Drayton and collect David Bornstein’s How to change the world. Social

entrepreneurs and the power of new ideas, from the shelf. But first I do an Internet

search for pictures of Bill Drayton. I’ve seen photographs of him behind a desk, but


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wonder whether I can find one in which he is interacting with people. I then I find a

picture of him and the previous American president, Bill Clinton.

“This is definitely going into the thesis,” I thought and feel immensely proud that

the founder of Ashoka is regarded as one of the world’s greatest leaders. This is the

man I am going to talk to tonight or, rather, early tomorrow morning, 8 November.

From left to right: Bill Drayton (Ashoka), Ex-USA president, Bill Clinton (Clinton

Global Initiative) Hellen Keller International president Kathy Spahn and Seth Waugh of Deutche Bank. (Photograph: Vision 2020. The right to sight. Retrieved on November 20,

2007 from www.v2020.org/news.asp?section=000100010010...)

Paging through the Bornstein (2004) book I smile when I read his description of

Bill Drayton:

Bill Drayton looks like someone you might expect to find in a

library on a Saturday night. He is inordinately thin. He wears

out-of-fashion suits, thick glasses and wallabies. His hair is limp,

his skin a little pale, his tie generally askew. Yet his eyes convey a

sense of excitement about life, a seemingly boundless fascination

with the world that is reminiscent of a young child’s curiosity

(Bornstein, 2004, p. 12)

Bornstein also talks about Drayton’s soft voice and patient tones. He was taught by

his parents that to speak loudly is to imply that what you have to say is not important.

Gosh, I hope that I will be able to hear him. I grew up in a house where I had to fight

for my identity ― I had five brothers. They formed a strong alliance. Growing up with

so much testosterone, loud voices and the accompanying egos around me made me

realise that I would be drowned out by the male voices and I, therefore, devised a

special way to be heard. I decided not to be loud, but instead to be articulate and

speak clearly in a pleasant tone. It worked!


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The early hours of 8 November 2007...

When the phone rings, my questions are ready. I imagine that I will ask these well-

formulated questions and then Bill Drayton will respond. I can see myself typing in

his answers with my magic typing speed of 90 words a minute. I’ve dreamt it, I’ve

planned it.

When Samantha Lemke, Bill Drayton’s personal assistant, asks me to hold on, I

can feel the excitement and then he greets me, faintly and soft. “Not a good line, or

his voice is much softer than Bornstein described,” I think, and realise that it could be

both. At least Bornstein had a face-to-face interview ― things get lost over the

telephone. The fear of not being able to get all the information recorded grips me.

Then Bill Drayton apologises in his gentle manner: “My sincere apologies for

only coming back to you now. You have been first on my to-do list for months, but I

didn’t get to it.”

I assure him that it is fine and suddenly feel embarrassed about my letter ― I got

frustrated after working through officials and offices for a year and needed so much

to share my thesis with him that I wrote to everybody and told them how I felt. It

obviously worked.

Then Drayton says, “I have been through your file ― you are an impressive Fellow

and I admire the work you are doing.” Did I not just hear what I wanted to hear, or

did he in fact utter these words? I can hardly believe that Bill Drayton is paying me

such a huge compliment. I feel like crying and then simply tell him how much I

appreciate his remark. I do, because he must be aware of his power and the

admiration I have for him and yet he cares enough to make me feel good.

It turns out to be almost impossible to capture his every word, and I have to

concentrate so hard to hear or string the phrases together that I am unable to take

down notes, let alone type anything.

At one stage he attempts to describe the difference between an entrepreneur and

an intrapreneur, and I realise that my accent might have been misleading. I find

myself explaining my accent.

A verbatim report of that wonderful conversation has proved to be impossible

because I have had to weave audible phrases together and fill in the gaps for myself.

(I am actually angry at Drayton’s parents, because I could have had so much more.)

Time was limited as he had a dinner appointment. I also did not want to interrupt the

flow of his thoughts with “Could you repeat please?” My South African politeness

wouldn’t have allowed me to do that anyway.

I decided to reflect on the conversation afterwards rather than attempting an

ethno-drama. This is what we discussed:


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1. Life cycle of social entrepreneurship

Commenting on the timeframe for maturing, or the lifecycle of a social entrepreneur,

Drayton remarked that it takes many years – and that this had been verified through

observation and interviews with thousands of business and social entrepreneurs.

Therefore, the maturing stage of the life cycle in which I find myself right now is

congruent with his findings. “It takes a long, long time,” according to Drayton.

2. The gender dimensions of social entrepreneurship

Drayton was very interested when I told him that I undertook a snap survey through

the Internet among the Ashoka Fellows in South Africa to verify what they regard as

important social entrepreneurial issues. Only 10 per cent of Ashoka Fellows

participated and, feeling that this may well not be a representative sample, I dropped

it. However, the aborted survey fixed my attention on a very important issue for

further investigation: there is a significant difference between male and female social

entrepreneurs. In the snap survey, the male entrepreneurs all reported that the

outstanding quality they believe they have as social entrepreneurs is ‘creativity’, while

women responded to ‘leadership’ as being the outstanding quality when asked the

same question. Then I asked Drayton if there were any studies on the gender

dimensions of social entrepreneurship. He was fascinated by what I told him and

immediately suggested further research and recommended Deborah Tannen’s

work106 for more clarity regarding the gender issue.

3. Identifying social entrepreneurs early

We then turned to the need to identify and incubate social entrepreneurs earlier in

life. I shared with Drayton that I, like him, started my own newspaper at the age of

thirteen. He immediately took it from there and said: “Yes, social entrepreneurial

talent is already visible in the teens, but people miss it.”

4. University involvement

We discussed the importance of doing more for social entrepreneurship and then I

told him that, as one of the findings of this thesis, I would like to recommend that

more universities get involved in the development of social entrepreneurs. Such

involvement will invariably lead to a better understanding of social entrepreneurs.

106

Deborah Tannen is a distinguished scholar and a university professor in the linguistics department of Georgetown University in the United States of America. She became well-known in the USA after her book, You Just Don't Understand - Women and Men in Conversation, was published in 1990.


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The nurturing of young talent in becoming changemakers is another much-needed

development. While business schools all over the world are taking up the issue, the

humanities are lagging behind.

“Most social entrepreneurs I know come from a humanities background and not from

business schools,” I remarked to Bill Drayton.

“I fully agree with you that there should be more interest in social entrepreneurship

by the humanities. They are missing out on an opportunity and need to take a keen

interest in social entrepreneurship and the incubation of social entrepreneurial

talent,” he concluded.

5. The end

In ending the conversation, I thanked Dr Drayton for his time and wished him an

enjoyable dinner. It was worthwhile waiting until 2am for this very special interview.


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PART FIVE

MY LONG WALK TO DIGNITY

Section A

1. A SUITABLE TITLE FOR THE CONCLUSION

Finding a suitable title for this last or concluding part of my thesis was no easy task. I

considered various options over the last few months:

• “I have a story, so what?” to echo some modernist critique to autoethnographic

inquiry and respond to that question. But this is downright acerbic; not at all me. It

could be construed as showing those critics the “middle finger”.

• “Enter the scientist”. Not suitable for the conclusion either; it sounds too

pretentious. I might as well include a sketch of page boys playing the trumpet

while her royal highness enters.

• “Reflections of a Traveller”. Boring!

• “Unpacking Reflections”. Confusing.

• “I did it my way.” Mmm.... that beautiful song! Prof. Schurink, my promoter

suggested it to me as a possibility. I love the song and bought into the idea of

putting “ol’ blue eyes” in my thesis. Proffie even sent me the lyrics of Frank

Sinatra’s famous song and I could not resist to do a parody (with due apologies to

P. Anka, J. Revaux, G. Thibaut and C. Frankois)

And now, the end is near;

And so I face my final jury

My Proffie, I’ll say it clear,

I am there, but I am weary.

I’ve lived a life that’s full.

I’ve travelled many a super highway;

Despite the many roadblocks

I did it my way.


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Regrets, I’ve had a few;

But then again, too few to mention.

I wrote that which was in my heart

In a narrative redemption.

I planned the journey, every road

Got lost in my emotions,

But more, much more than this,

I did it my way.

Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew

I felt abandoned on the highway.

But through it all, when there was doubt,

I knew there was no easy way out

I faced it all and I stood tall;

And did it my way.

I’ve wondered, laughed and cried

Reflecting a less than perfect life.

And now, as tears subside,

I discovered my truth, why I survived.

To think I did all that;

Pushing my boundaries, I may say -

Oh yes, it’s ethnographic me

I did it my way.

For what is a woman, who is she?

If she cannot be herself

To say the things she truly feel;

Say the words that would let her heal

The record shows I told the untold-

And did it my way!

Yes, this would be my ode to autoethnography. Yet, I still felt uncomfortable with the “I,

me and my” of the whole song. Ego-centric or honest? My upbringing was conservative.


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Bragging or showing off has simply never been tolerated. Again, I decided that my

adaptation of this song was simply too beautiful to let go, although it might not be the

perfect title for the conclusion of this thesis.

In desperation I paced my office, circled the confined space between the couch and my

“autoethnographic cupboard” and the shelves on the side. My eye caught Nelson

Mandela’s autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom”, which, for some reason landed

between my text books. It was probably the doing of Florah, my office assistant and

general helper, who reckoned that the “bible of the nation” deserved a better spot.

Nelson Mandela’s life has always been an inspiration to me and many people around

the world. The title says it all, I thought.

Then I pondered over how Nelson Mandela epitomised the freedom of all South Africans

and asked myself: “What is the most important aspect about my work as a social

entrepreneur? What do I stand for?” The answer was, without a doubt, “dignity”. My non-

profit organisation is even called the “The Workplace Dignity Institute”!

Then, as frustrating as my search for a suitable title for the final part of this thesis was,

the answer became clear: For me, the concluding part’s title could be nothing else but

“My long walk to Dignity”. In fact answers, this title answers my research question: How

did I become a social entrepreneur? After my career as a public relations executive had

come to an end, I reclaimed the right to dignity in the workplace for all and in the

process I reclaimed my own dignity.

2. WHAT HAVE I LEARNT?

Now that I’ve completed the journey, one may well ask what was my lived experience of

undertaking an autoethnography? By researching myself, did I discover something that

would be useful to me and to others?

Autoethnography implies learning on various levels and therefore, the learning curve

involves:

• Acquiring new writing skills.

• Cognitively engaging in the art of reflection.


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• Dealing with traumatic events from the past and finding closure.

• Reflecting on how my story relates to existing constructs about social

entrepreneurship.

• Reflecting on how my modus operandi for introducing programmes to address

workplace violence and effect social change concurs with constructs for social

change by organisations supporting social entrepreneurship.

• Although a person may show early signs of social entrepreneurship, the actual

unfolding of these talents to the benefit of society as a whole may only transpire

at a much later stage.

I would like to deal with each of these points below:

2.1 Acquiring new writing skills

As a non-fiction author, I normally use an informal and narrative style in my

publications. Furthermore, I like to use metaphors and symbols in general as these

lead to a better understanding of complex phenomena; for example, the hyena as a

symbol of duplicity or rather the perpetrators of workplace violence in my books. This

is indeed a narrative style.

So, did I acquire new skills whilst writing the autoethnography? The answer to this is

an irrevocable “yes”. To “show” rather than “tell” was a different experience

altogether. This methodology or style required a thorough understanding and

presentation of engaging dialogue, clever weaving of the facts with a solid storyline,

using various methods to keep the reader entertained on every page. In the process,

I found that understatement could be as evocative as emotive writing. It represents a

different approach and my newly acquired skill of “showing” rather than “telling”

became a personal achievement. It may well become my preferred writing style.

Rainer (1998) contends that there are nine essential story elements:

BEGINNING Initiating Incident

Problem

Desire Line


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MIDDLE Struggle with Adversary

Interim Pivotal Events

Precipitating Event

CONCLUSION Crisis

Climax

Realization

(Rainer, 1998, pp. 66-67)

Did I follow Rainer’s model? “Yes” and “no”; not consciously anyway. The very first

thing one is taught about essay-writing at school is that an essay or story should

have a beginning, middle and end or conclusion. The thesis contains many stories

within stories and I wrote without consciously thinking about the elements. Yet, to my

delight these elements are all there; a golden thread weaves throughout the thesis. It

not only represents the nine basic components of good writing but, indeed, also

comprises the basic components of a good story.

Rainer (1998) emphasises the fact that a story must have a point. She argues:

...you don’t have a story unless it has a meaning. You can have a

story without an initiating incident or without a precipitating event.

But unless it makes a point, you don’t have a story. It doesn’t have to

be a moral point; it could be emotional, spiritual, or aesthetic. But

there needs to be a reason for telling the story (Rainer, 1998, p. 77).

The issues Rainer seems to be referring to are focus and a sense of discernment

regarding what to include in, or exclude from, your story. Unlike non-fiction, where all

information could almost be cited in a clinical manner, I often found myself wondering

whether I should share certain details with the readers. For instance, some situations

could have made for evocative reading, yet I felt that it was unnecessary as there

were enough instances which clearly reflected my predicament without being explicit.

In some cases, a simple understatement sufficed to illustrate the magnitude of the

challenges I was facing.

It was questions like, “What is the purpose of including this particular account in the

narrative? Will I hurt someone? Will it contribute to the reader having a better

understanding of me, of social entrepreneurship?” that kept me focussed. A


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(sensitive!) sense of discernment invariably becomes central in writing an

autoethnography and this is an acquired skill and not a talent!

2.2 Cognitively engaging in the art of reflection

Being forced to reflect on my life has turned out to be one of the greatest advantages

of doing this autoethnography. With a busy lifestyle and a 12-16 hour working day, I

simply haven’t had much time to reflect on my life. I am sure very few people have

time for this! But in doing this study (as Prof Schurink mentioned at the outset), I

afforded myself the opportunity to do precisely this! In fact, I needed to assess the

impact of my work in order to plan meaningfully for the future. By doing an

autoethnography, the exercise of strategic planning has certainly become a great

deal easier.

I have now come to learn that reflection is about finding purpose and meaning; the

core of the autoethnographic experience. Local and international scholars/media visit

me frequently and often request me to tell my story by means of a short interview. I

now realise that this was not fair to them, neither was it fair to me, nor my story.

Rambling through the facts represents nothing more than a chronological account

and this type of account or presentation might very well be one of the reasons why it

has been so difficult for the public and scholars to understand the phenomenon of

social entrepreneurship. They simply did not get to the real story, because these

stories need to be told by social entrepreneurs themselves in an evocative and

truthful manner.

Indeed, Rainer (1998) refers to the “New Autobiography” as stories as being written

by new voices; not only those who represent the official and dominant view from the

top. It is new because it is written as self-discovery rather than self-promotion

(Rainer, 1998). Autoethnographic reflection forced me to revisit my life; even the

traumatic aspects thereof in some instances. I had to make sense of lived

experiences, of how these contributed to my growth.

Rainer (1998) lists some of the reasons for wanting to do an autoethnography.

Among others, she identifies requirements such as needing the catharsis of self-

forgiveness of an honest and complete confession; being in midlife and wanting to

gain from the life behind you the wisdom to mould the life still before you; nearing the


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end of one’s life and wishing to understand and share what it has meant and wanting

to know what is true for you. In my opinion, the healing value of reflection and the

importance of reflection in terms of emotional well-being are underestimated and

should ultimately represent the main focus.

Through reflection and interviews with significant others, I became more conscious of

the way in which I impacted on others’ lives and how significant others’ actions

impacted on my life and my decisions. Reflection prompts one to think of how much

you received and how much you gave; it brings perspective and a sense of fulfilment.

I am convinced the autoethnographic reflection brought about a new sense of self

and a new sense of directionality (Senekal, 1988) in my life.

2.3 Dealing with traumatic events from the past and finding closure

One of the most fascinating moments in writing this autoethnography was when I

discovered that, by revisiting incidents in my life, I presented with symptoms of post-

traumatic stress, merely because I was not emotionally prepared enough to revisit

the painful events.

It prompted me to pay a visit to a colleague, a psychologist, who helped me gain

perspective and which eventually led to the development of a “Toolkit for

Autoethnographic Regression” (see Part 4) – to help me deal with painful events in

reflecting on these, without being adversely affected by it.

In Researching Life Stories, Goodley, Lawthom, Clough and Moore (2004) contend

that knowing self and taking oneself seriously are as important as knowing others.

While always warning others about the possibility of post-traumatic stress when

revisiting traumatic incidents, I somehow thought that I was immune and would not

find myself in the dark abyss of post-traumatic stress when revisiting the oft

unbearable moments/situations of my life. I was wrong.

But autoethnographic reflection, in my case, brought closure. Finally, I can revisit my

pain without falling apart; I am standing tall and can now give myself credit for this.

Not because I am self-absorbed or vain, but because I now realise that an essential

part of knowing oneself is total acceptance and respecting one’s right to dignity.


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2.4 Relating my story to existing constructs about social entrepreneurship and

change

According to Goodley et al.(2004, p. 167) “researching life stories offers opportunities of

drawing on our own and others’ narratives in ways that can illuminate key theoretical,

policy and practice considerations.”

I find the notion expressed by Goodley et al. (2004) particularly true for social

entrepreneurship. When one looks at the five key characteristics identified by Drayton

with regard to social entrepreneurs, I would like to reflect how my story relates to Bill

Drayton, the Founder and CEO of Ashoka and other scholars’ interpretations of

outstanding qualities of social entrepreneurs. Here I would like to draw from the qualities

of social entrepreneurs as described by Bornstein (2004) and Ashoka (Hammond,

2005), as well as the entrepreneurial qualities identified by Serfontein (2006) – all of

which are set out in Part I:

Table 2: Key qualitaties of social entrepreneurs:

Bornstein Ashoka Serfontein

New ideas Unique idea or project Unique creation

- Flexibility

- Ability to bypass systems

Creativity Survivors

Focussed Exceptional vision Focussed

- Acknowledgement of

others

- Networking

Ability to network and

spread idea

Ability to network

- Transformative force

- Purposeful and modest

Impactful: Brings about

systemic change

Attitude more important

than knowledge or skills

Key qualities of social

entrepreneurs

- Ethical fibre

- Measure success in lives

changed

Ethical fibre

When grouped together, the characteristics seem to highlight the following qualities:

• The uniqueness of the idea or approach to solve a social problem

• Creativity

• Focussed approach

• Ability to network

• Transformative forces to bring about systemic change

• Ethical fibre


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2.4.1 The uniqueness of the idea or approach to solve a social problem

In going back to my lived experiences, I realised with excitement that I identified a

unique problem manifesting in the workplace independently from other professionals

and scholars in developed countries.

While others’ efforts concentrated on describing the phenomenon of workplace bullying

and assisting victims, my approach went further. It dawned on me very early that the

only way to address this problem effectively would be by engaging business,

government and unions. The challenge was to persuade these role-players that

workplace bullying (and other forms of workplace violence) is counter-productive and

expensive - both directly and indirectly. This approach is evident in my e-mail

conversations with Tim Field (Part III) where he expresses doubt as to whether my

approach (to engage business in particular) would yield the desired results.

Very soon I started chipping away at the resistance encountered from the business

community. Then I found a way to “piggy-back” the issue of workplace violence and

bullying on the ILO programme SOLVE and later by means of the VETO programme. In

fact, I used my initiative and realised that Employee Assistance Programmes (nowadays

referred to as “workplace programmes” within the context of Integrated Health and

Wellness) would be an ideal point of entry into any organisation.

2.4.2 Creativity

When I spoke to Bill Drayton personally for the first time on 8 November 2007, I realised

that we came from similar backgrounds. He started out with a newspaper at a young

age, as did I when I was 13 years old. He pointed out that social entrepreneurial

qualities are already visible when the prospective changemaker is still in his/her teenage

phase. Looking back, there were so many examples which emphasised the fact that I

was creative as a child, teenager and adult (recounted in the narratives in Part III).

Apart from starting my own newspaper, there are many other examples, such as my

mother’s recollections of my creativity as a child (see Part IV), my general creativity (oil

paintings and playing piano) even though I am not an artist of note. Other examples of

creativity are my poems (see Part I and Part III) and the fact that I’ve edited several

magazines and authored and co-authored a few publications.


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However, as a social entrepreneur I exhibited creativity addressing the problem of

workplace violence and bullying through:

• The development of the hyena metaphor and other typologies for my first

publication (described in Part III);

• The manner in which I, after struggling initially, found ways to take my message

to the business world, in particular with the ILO programme SOLVE;

• All the ideas I set in motion to raise awareness about workplace bullying and

violence, e.g. the networking group (see Part III), the First International

Conference on Work Trauma (Part III), and my research - to name but a few;

• Closely linked to creativity are survival skills in the case of a business

entrepreneur (Serfontein, 2006), but this link would also hold true for the social

entrepreneur. In fact, when discussing my escape from the carjacking incident

(see Parts III and IV) with Bill Drayton, I told him that I felt that the survival instinct

which I displayed during that crisis was closely related to creativity and a zest for

life (something which I have also observed in other social entrepreneurs).

Survivors are creative and innovative and that is precisely why they survive.

2.4.3 Focussed approach

The best example of how focussed I have been is certainly evident in the last chapter of

Part III when I was interviewed as a preliminary requirement to becoming an Ashoka

Fellow. When confronted and “mocked” by the panellist from the USA, I had no problem

in illustrating how passionate I was – even risking my Ashoka Fellowship (see Part III).

Throughout the difficult start to my cause, I knew exactly what was required and how to

change the workplace, and I set out to do just that. The fact that I never lost sight of my

vision and my goals runs like a golden thread through the narratives in Part III.

Ashoka describes this focussed approach as “exceptional vision”. Right from the outset,

I had the vision that one day business, government and unions would buy into violence-

free workplace environments. This vision is fulfilled today – 15 years later.

My determination to do something about the high levels of workplace violence in the

health sector has proved to become one of my success stories. While the struggle

against violence in the health sector is far from over, I am committed and dedicated to


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remain instrumental in the transformation of the sector and to significantly reduce the

levels of workplace violence in this milieu.

Perhaps the best witness to my focussed approach is my promoter, Prof. Willem

Schurink. When writing the narratives or focusing on the work, I immersed myself wholly

in the subject matter – as I’ve immersed myself in my “cause”, my writing and my

programmes. Focus is also about commitment to the task in hand.

2.4.4 Ability to network

My ability to network, to engage others and to motivate them could be regarded as one

of my strengths. This ability is described early in Part III when I, through publicity and

media exposure, reached out to the business world, to victims of bullying and workplace

violence. Then I discovered the Internet which resulted in international liaison and

community building of scholars, professionals and activists addressing bullying/mobbing

and psychosocial problems at work. Networking goes beyond establishing “contacts”. It

is about a genuine joy for life and connectedness with others, an interest in people and

most IMPORTANTLY, regarding each and every person you meet as significant. Without

the right attitude, it is impossible to network.

Reading through my narratives again, I realised just how much I love people and how

I’ve always displayed a real interest in their well-being. I never see people as a means to

an end and have certainly never used them. My main aim has always been to inspire

those who crossed my path to become part of my cause and the quest for equitable,

trauma-free workplaces

2.4.5 Transformative forces to bring about systemic change

There are many examples of my being a transformative force. In fact, the narratives in

this thesis relay exactly how I became a transformative force in the workplace, as well as

the systemic change I brought about; also on policy level. The last chapter in Part III

concludes with my visit to Parliament, during which I addressed the Labour Portfolio

Committee and put forward my case for a Code of Conduct to Prevent and Deal with

Workplace Violence, including the Service Charter for Victims of Workplace Violence.


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Some employers, like the Gauteng Department of Health, have already adopted this

code and it is also being used by my peers all over the world.

Even before my visit to Parliament, the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI shared the news with the

national coordinators of the different countries introducing the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI

programme to address violence in the health sector. Dr Mireille Kingma, senior

consultant on nursing health policy at the ICN wrote to the coordinators on 29 August

2007, stating that the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI training manual on addressing workplace

violence in the health sector was piloted in South Africa. She then informed them of my

continued effort in this field as their national coordinator for South Africa, even lobbying

Parliament for a Code of Conduct. Dr Kingma shared my draft text with the other

stakeholders in the hope that this would support their present efforts. She also

mentioned that I was willing to communicate with the other national coordinators by e-

mail should they have questions or wish to share experiences. The stakeholders were

encouraged to review and adapt this policy document and welcomed any form of

feedback. Dr Kingma encouraged the other national coordinators to use the network to

strengthen ongoing activities and strategies to reduce workplace violence.

It is clear that the transformation taking place in South Africa is being duplicated in other

countries. This situation has brought about a great sense of fulfilment, knowing that I

have contributed to making a difference in transforming workplaces.

Most fulfilling, however, is the fact that the transformer also transforms in the process

and beyond. Reflecting on my lived experiences became a transformative force in itself.

Comparing myself to the person who started with this thesis about a year ago, and

describing my own journey, have proved that autoethnography is a transformative force

in itself. My “Toolkit for Autoethnographic Regression” (Part IV) provides ample proof

hereof.

2.4.6 Ethical fibre

What does the concept “ethical fibre” entail? Does it equate to being more than being

incorruptible?

Unethical behaviour takes on many disguises. It does not only refer to corruption,

stealing or lying, but can imply dishonesty (e.g. not declaring gifts, not declaring all


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relevant facts in reporting, and so on), intimidation of fellow employees, contractors and

customers (Naude, 2004). Other examples are the abuse of power, forms of workplace

violence and, in general, how the company conducts business with internal and external

stakeholders.

My ethical fibre has certainly been tested. A government official or person working at a

company would hint that they need a computer, tyres for their cars and so on when

negotiating a contract. I’ve never given in to such attempts to corrupt me, although I

suspect that I may have lost some contracts. In my line of work confidentiality is also an

indicator of ethical fibre. It is very important to keep and respect others’ confidential

information. In doing so, others’ right to dignity is protected. Integrity and one’s word of

honour are important ingredients of ethical fibre. It is a realisation that others’ dignity is

your business too. I have, to date, not failed my own and Ashoka’s standards.

2.5 Comparing my personal change model with other models

Reflecting on how my modus operandi for introducing programmes to address

workplace violence and effect social change concurs with constructs for social change

by organisations supporting social entrepreneurship. The best example of the

aforementioned is the pilot project I introduced for the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint

Programme to Address Violence in the Health Sector at the Gauteng Department of

Health (GDoH) with its 43,000 employees. In this programme seven “rules”, viewed to

have contributed to the successful roll-out of the programme, were applied, namely:

1. Change must be a bottom-up need, not a top-down want: Change occurs when

the pain of hanging on is greater than the fear of letting go.

2. Change requires systems thinking. Interventions, in the case of GDoH were

aimed at creating a climate conducive to intervention. These interventions were

aimed at the organisational, environmental and individual levels. The fact that

GDoH adopted an Integrated Health and Wellness model to incorporate

Employee Assistance Programmes, HIV/Aids workplace programmes, Wellness

Programmes and Occupational Health and Safety further enhanced the holistic

approach.

3. Spread the message, build capacity and reach the critical mass. Building capacity

and reaching the “critical mass” (an ideological breakthrough point) is essential in

the roll-out of any large-scale intervention or social change programme.


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4. Tap into the enabling environment. Use willing and available resources and

acknowledge and strengthen that which seems to be working. Timing is all-

important and an enabling environment contributes to success and will ultimately

sustain it. For instance, use existing legislation, tap into the enthusiasm and

identify champions.

5. Commit to the programme publicly. Public commitment to a project/programme

through a clear statement, becomes an issue of honour and serves as a catalyst

for the participants to deliver. In the case of the pilot project, the GDoH committed

by displaying posters in all its facilities carrying clear policy statements, and

further, made a public commitment to service delivery. Commitment translates

into significant outcomes.

6. Sustained support at the highest levels. There should be a commitment to sustain

the programme or project function in the long-term. The commitment should go

beyond the programme in the form of sustained support.

7. Streamline and celebrate short-term, monitor and focus long-term. These actions

are aimed at strengthening the sustainability of the project/programme even

further. Short-term monitoring and adjustments lead to success while the

celebration of small victories builds morale. However, the importance of

monitoring and evaluation for long-term effectiveness remain important

ingredients.

Prof. John Kotter is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost authorities on

leadership and change. He is a Harvard Business School professor and has published

extensively on this topic. A comparison of the above constructs with Kotter’s eight-step

process for transformation, indicates obvious similarities. Kotter’s eight steps are:

1. Increase urgency

2. Build a guiding team

3. Get the vision right

4. Communicate for buy-in

5. Empowerinf action

6. Create short-term wins

7. Do not let up

8. Make change stick

(Retrieved on October 25, 2007 from http://www.johnkotter.com)


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The Health Belief Model was also consulted. In this model the rationale behind change

would be to predict health behaviours by focusing on attitudes and believes of

individuals. The key variables of the HBM are as follows:

• Perceived threat (perceived susceptibility, perceived severity)

• Perceived benefits

• Perceived barriers

• Cues to action

• Other variables

• Self-efficacy

(Retrieved on October 25, 2007 from http://www.commitnit.coim/en/node27093/print)

The above psychological model was not applied consciously in the development of my

programmes, but when analysing the rules for magnificent outcomes and the modus

operandi, the uninformed reader may think that variables were perhaps consciously

borne in mind when the programme was developed. This conclusion could be due to the

fact that the specific programme to manage violence in the workplace was aimed at

creating an atmosphere conducive to change.

Another change construct published on the Communication Initiative Network is that of

“Organising Stakeholders, Building Movement, Setting Agenda” which deals with civic

organising to effect change. This model shows how the larger process of organising can

be linked to strategies for planning, negotiation and implementation. The core tenets are

that organising can be used as a tool to build consensus, help to create constituencies

for action and bring new parties, issues and a sharper sense of stakes leading to

increased democratic negotiation.

The organising aspect became part of tapping into an enabling environment. In the case

of GDoH, the relationship with organised labour became extremely important in the

process and largely contributed to mobilising support for the programme.


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2.6 Unfolding of social entrepreneurial talent

Although a person may show early signs of social entrepreneurship, the actual unfolding

of these talents for the benefit of society may only happen at a much later stage.

In my recent telephone conversation with Bill Drayton I discussed this issue at length.

We also discussed the need to discover and develop such talent as soon as it becomes

evident, since social entrepreneurial talent manifests as early as the teen years

according to Drayton. As mentioned earlier, he established a newspaper at a very young

age as an entrepreneurial and social concern. This is my story too – I ran a newspaper

for Grade 8 students at the age of 13 and sold it to class mates.

The money raised was used for a party at the end of the year. Although signs of social

entrepreneurship could be present at a young age, there is definitely a need for higher

awareness to identify and “incubate” young talent. The difference was that Bill Drayton

went to Harvard; I didn’t and was faced with the challenge of single motherhood at a

young age. My dreams were deferred; Bill Drayton pursued his. Jenny became my

raison d’etre, my everything. The social entrepreneur inside me awakened about 20

years later and Ashoka’s intervention allowed me to follow my dream. I am thankful that

life gave me an opportunity to mature – albeit painful – before fulfilling my mission.

In the interview with Drayton (see Part IV) I also mentioned that I undertook a survey

which generated interesting data that needed further investigation. In particular, it also

emerged that the majority of social entrepreneurs only come to the fore or start making a

difference when they are middle-aged, despite their talents being latent for years. This

phenomenon should be investigated further as it poses many possibilities. Surely

parenthood would take a chunk out of the life of a potential social entrepreneur but, then

again, there are also the issues of maturity, developing empathy and perhaps exposure

to life itself that would ultimately impact on the difference the social entrepreneur can

make.

According to Chimene Chetty, the previous Southern African director of Ashoka, the

social entrepreneur needs to be “incubated”.


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3. IS THIS A GOOD AUTOETHNOGRAPHY?

The need for specific criteria to evaluate autoethnography has lead to heated debates

between researchers. Ellis (2004) remarks that there are concerns that too much

emphasis on criteria could eventually lead to methodological policing. Ellis (2004, p.

252) comments that Bochner and Denzin’s positions on criteria dovetail “insofar as the

important criterion is whether the work has the possibility to change the world and make

it a better place.” Denzin and Clough (in Ellis, 2004) concur that good autoethnographic

writing should motivate cultural criticism and, according to Clough (in Ellis, 2004, p. 253),

autoethnographic writing should be closely aligned with theoretical reflection, so that it

can serve as a vehicle for thinking “new sociological subjects and forming new

parameters of the social.”

Ellis (2004) is interested in the “move inward” toward social change and the exploration

of subjectivity, because:

“increased self-understanding sometimes can provide a quicker and

more successful route to social change than changing laws or other

macro-political structures, or espousing general cultural-political

theories. Stories that invite me into the lives of the activist – to feel what

they feel, see what they see, and do what they do – stimulate me to

want to be involved in movements I care about.” (Ellis, 2004, p. 254)

Below follows a summary of the main trends in developing criteria for autoethnographic

projects by the different scholars drawn from the discussion in Autoethnographic I (Ellis,

2004, pp. 252-256):

(Table – see next page)


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Table 3: Criteria for evaluating autoethnographic projects

Laurel Richardson Art Bochner Others

Questions need for specific

criteria.

Less overtly political –

indicate that good personal

narratives should contribute

to positive social change and

move others to action.

Questions needed for

specific criteria. Criteria to be

found rather than made.

Less overtly political –

indicate that good personal

narratives should contribute

to positive social change and

move others to action.

Norman Denzin: Does it

have the possibility to

change the world and make

it a better place? (Paradigm

is built on Afrocentric,

Chicana/ Chicano, Native

American, Asian and Third

World views including

gender, class and gay

perspectives).

Patricia Clough: Overtly

political

Substantive contribution A standard of ethical self-

consciousness

Denzin: Literary, present

cultural and political issues

and articulate politics of

hope.

Aesthetic merit Structurally complex

narratives

Denzin & Clough: Potential

to stimulate social action.

Reflexivity Author’s attempt to dig under

the superficial to get to

vulnerability and honesty

Impact

A moving story Clough: Closely aligned with

theoretical reflection

Criteria for evaluating autoethnographic projects

Lived experience Concrete details – what

makes him understand and

feel a story

Tale of two selves – being

transformed through the

process of writing the auto-

ethnography.

Denzin (in Ellis, 2004) contends that ethnography must be literary, present cultural and

political issues and articulate politics of hope, whereas Denzin and Clough (in Ellis,

2004) stress the overtly political. Richard and Bochner (in Ellis, 2004) place less

emphasis on the overtly political.


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An earlier discussion on rigour, soundness and “goodness” in this thesis (see Part II)

refers to Denzin’s criteria of robustness and the need to challenge things that are taken

for granted, evoke moral and ethical dialogue, engender resistance and “show” rather

than “tell” thus emphasising his strong stance on social change.

It is indeed my belief that one can gain better insight into cultural, political and “third

world” issues by reading an autoethnography. This insight, in turn, could stimulate social

action and bring about change. Autoethnography is about social issues and problems

(Ellis, 2002). However, I believe that autoethnography should not be seen as the

methodology of the activist and changemaker only. Clearly, autoethnographic narratives

cover a wide range of social issues and problems which are not always necessarily

related to race, politics and “third world” issues. I fear that if writing about a specific

cause, e.g. politics or “third world issues”, is claimed as a criterion for good

autoethnography, autoethnography may move from “acceptance” to being marginalised.

When evaluating my work against the aforementioned criteria, I believe that my

autoethnography meets the required standards because:

• It makes a substantive contribution in an emerging field of interest. Very little is

known about social entrepreneurs and the Ashoka Fellowship’s role in supporting

those who introduce social change. This study offers a greater understanding of

what social entrepreneurship entails and lends insight into the characteristics of

changemakers.

• It succeeds aesthetically through compelling narratives, essays, photos, short

stories and the artwork encapsulating the transformative drives represented. Part

III, The Journey, is a novel and presented in an easy-to-read style. This section

was tested with a diverse number of readers who confirmed that it meets with the

relevant standards.

• Reflecting on past events changed me and I believe that I have shown adequate,

evaluative reflexivity in the narratives, essays and other parts of this thesis.

• The narratives, in particular, introduce the issue of social entrepreneurship and

the challenges facing social entrepreneurs, emotively and intellectually. New

questions are posed and recommendations, e.g. that the University of

Johannesburg consider a Centre for Social Entrepreneurship as a project, are

made.


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• But, apart from the topic of social entrepreneurship, I believe that I have

adequately introduced the reader to the issue of workplace violence (and

specifically workplace bullying) and evoked an understanding and an implied

course of action for this burning social issue impacting on the lives of so many

people.

• One may well ask whether I have grown through the process. I believe that the

post-autoethnographic “me” is a better person. I found closure in many instances,

but also realised how human and vulnerable I am, added to which I have a new

sense of my abilities. Autoethnography has lead to greater self-awareness and

self-understanding for me.

• The last issue for evaluation is whether the lived experiences are portrayed in a

lively manner. Through the power of language, I believe that I have written

evocative narratives in a truthful and authentic manner and have shared my

sense of humour, my world and myself – also my “ordinariness” – with the reader.

Both my editor and I edited, read, reread and rewrote large sections, just days

before the thesis was due to be submitted. Although this work might be regarded

by some as perfectionism, it ensured consistency throughout the thesis.

• A question that is not necessarily a measure of good autoethnography, but

worthwhile mentioning, is: does the autoethnography align with theoretical

reflection? In my case, I certainly believe that it does, and that my

autoethnography could contribute to validating or building constructs for those

who would like to engage in further research in the field of social

entrepreneurship. (I will list some of the unanswered questions about social

entrepreneurship I came across in my study and will recommend these as areas

of further study.)

In view of the aforementioned, I, therefore, regard my thesis as meeting the

requirements of a good autoethnography.


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4. DID THE READER LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT SOCIAL

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND MY SOCIAL INNOVATION?

Will the reader understand the concepts of social entrepreneurship and my social

innovation (workplace violence/bullying) better after reading this thesis? In my

opinion these concepts are best understood through narratives and therefore this

autoethnography will acquaint the reader adequately with these unfamiliar concepts

as indicated below:

4.1 Social entrepreneurship

Ashoka can be regarded as a social movement and Ellis (2002, p. 403) contends

that “social movement literature suggests a growing recognition of the important

connections among narrative, autoethnography, social activism and social practice”.

She expresses the hope that those studying social action/social movements will

continue to move in the direction of personal narrative. There is, according to Ellis, a

need for stories that self-consciously invite the reader into the lives of activists, “to

feel what they feel, see what they see, and do what they do” (Ellis, 2002, p. 404).

Furthermore, she contends that such narratives should be written in diverse and

engaging ways in order to entice the reader into participating in social activism.

By introducing the reader to Ashoka and the concept of social entrepreneurship

through the narratives in Part III, The Journey, the reader was afforded the

opportunity to feel what I felt, see what I saw and do what I did. But I also backed up

the narratives with a literary review of the constructs about social entrepreneurship in

Part I, Mapping the Terrain. This part deals with constructs and social

entrepreneurship as an emerging field of inquiry, the role of Ashoka and that of Bill

Drayton in developing social entrepreneurship world-wide.

Earlier in Part V, I illustrated how I meet the criteria for social entrepreneurship

identified by Ashoka in the narratives and I will, therefore, not repeat it here. Suffice

to say that the narratives adequately reflect this interesting, emerging field of inquiry

and that readers would have experienced the Draytonian Changemaker first-hand.


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4.2 Social Innovation: Dealing with workplace violence and workplace bullying

As a Draytonian Changemaker, my social innovation, namely dealing with workplace

violence and workplace bullying was indeed ideal to be included in the narratives,

therefore, “showing” the reader rather than “telling” what my cause is all about. In my

opinion, I succeeded in conveying adequate information about this very interesting

field of research to the reader and to blend and synchronise it with the information

about social entrepreneurship, to bring about the realisation that the social

entrepreneur cannot be separated from the social innovation. Doing so required

achieving a fine balance and I believe that I managed to do this in an entertaining

manner that would ultimately enhance the learning process and enthuse readers to

protect the dignity of colleagues and employees in the workplace.

5. TOWARDS SOCIAL CHANGE: A LUTA CONTINUA

When the South African artist, Miriam Makheba, fondly referred to as “Mama Africa”,

performed A luta continua...(Portuguese for “the struggle continues”), a song

originally written in honour of the late President Samora Machel of Mozambique, and

which inspired a generation of Southern Africans in their fight for independence, she

received a standing ovation.

This slogan became popular in sub-Saharan Africa and is still often used in the

context of activism of some sort, most recently even in the context of the battle

against HIV/Aids. A series of short films screened at taxi stands and shopping malls

in the townships surrounding Cape Town is called A Luta Continua to portray the

courage of HIV/Aids sufferers in the face of death. Many other activist groups

worldwide have since adopted this slogan.

When looking at workplace violence, it is clear that the fight against violence will be

ongoing. Indeed, a luta continua..., even if legislation is put in place, programmes,

awareness and support for victims of workplace violence will still be necessary.

In Being real: moving inward toward social change, Ellis (2002, pp. 400-401)

contends that “personal narratives and autoethnographies always have been about

‘the Other’; they always have involved critical engagement, social problems, and

social action, though authors may not say so explicitly”.


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This autoethnography is a strong advocacy tool for:

(a) social change towards equitable, violence-free workplaces in which the

dignity of the individual is recognised;

(b) social entrepreneurs and support for the changemakers of society.

After rereading this thesis many times, I realised that I cannot conclude in any other way

than pointing out the possibilities for further research, further social change regarding

social entrepreneurship on the one hand and my social innovation on the other hand.

5.1 Recommendations:

The following recommendations are primarily aimed at promoting social

entrepreneurship in South Africa with it’s young democracy. As a “secondary” set of

recommendations, I would like to offer some ideas regarding my social innovation,

namely addressing violence and bullying in the workplace for consideration.

5.1.1 Social Entrepreneurship

(a) It is essential that social entrepreneurship be promoted further worldwide,

even more so in the developing world where the Draytonian Changemakers

could have a positive impact in eradicating violence and poverty, and bringing

about socio-economic upliftment.

(b) To this end, it is important that tertiary institutions take the lead in identifying

young social entrepreneurs and assisting them in understanding how their

talents could be applied to bring about social change. In particular, the

humanities at university level should be better equipped to identify and

“incubate” young social entrepreneurs.

(c) The University of Johannesburg, and in particular the Leadership and Change

programme, should consider the development of a Centre for Social

Entrepreneurship at its campus in Soweto. Such a Centre could serve as an

outreach programme in the community including schools, but could also be

developed as the Centre for Social Entrepreneurship in Africa.

(d) The venture outlined in (c) should be investigated with the cooperation of

Ashoka Southern Africa, the Global Academy for Social Entrepreneurship in


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Washington and all the member universities of this academy, as well as large

foundations like the Skoll Foundation and Schwab Foundation.

(e) The gender dimension of social entrepreneurship is an area to be researched

as there appears to be significant differences between the female and male

perceptions regarding the qualities “responsible” for them becoming social

entrepreneurs.

(f) There is a definite need to encourage autoethnographic work by social

entrepreneurs in order for this emerging field of inquiry to be better

understood.

(g) Ashoka Southern Africa should drive towards creating a better understanding

of what social entrepreneurship is with the public in general, business leaders

and government through information sessions, e.g. breakfast seminars,

literature and awareness campaigns.

5.1.2 Social Innovation – Addressing Workplace Violence

(a) At this stage there is no reason for complacency. Workplace violence

(physical and emotional) remains at very high levels in South Africa and it is

indeed true that the fight against violence will never end.

(b) Various factors impact on the high level of workplace violence – the high rate

of criminal violence in the country spilling over to the workplace, a high

incidence of alcohol dependency in the workplace, high levels of stress due to

socio-economic pressures, the high prevalence of HIV/Aids in society and the

increasing number of people in the workplace who abuse drugs. Since the

problem is multifaceted, it is advisable to address these in a holistic manner.

(c) While it is most encouraging to know that the case for a Code of Good

Conduct to Prevent and Deal with Workplace Violence, as well as the Service

Charter for Victims of Workplace Violence, are drawing the attention of

government, in particular Parliament’s Portfolio Committee for Labour, these

heartening developments are the first steps towards legislation. At this stage

policy development requires special networking skills in order for Parliament to

consider these documents during the early part of 2008.

(d) The adoption of the envisaged Code and Charter could lead to greater

awareness and force the public and private sector employers to pay attention

to this challenge in the workplace. While these documents will certainly prove

to be helpful, the long-term goal must not be forgotten, namely to build a


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culture of dignity and respect in the workplace which requires dedication and

continued advocacy.

(e) There is limited research on workplace violence and bullying in South Africa,

especially on doctoral level and it is important that such studies be

encouraged. One of the advantages is that research also raises awareness.

(f) I believe that the workplace can serve as a catalyst for change in society. If

employers could succeed in developing a culture of dignity and respect in the

workplace, these attitudes could positively spill over to society and be

extremely helpful in bringing about further social change in a society where

women and children are at the receiving end of disproportionate amounts of

violence.

(g) The drive towards dignity in the workplace should be linked to a bigger

agenda which would include a culture of dignity and respect in society.

Government should support such an agenda and sponsor awareness and

programmes aimed at changing attitudes on all levels. In so doing, it would be

address Clause 10 of the South African Constitution: Everyone has inherent

dignity and the right to have their dignity respected and protected.

The right to dignity is a basic human right. All over the world, in homes, streets,

society and in workplaces, this right is infringed on a daily basis through physical or

emotional violence. The victims are more often than not the most vulnerable

members of society. There can be no sense of complacency nor rest, because the

struggle for human dignity remains the burning social issue. This poem, by Pastor

Martin Niemöller, from the Second World War, is a poignant reminder that we need

to be the voices for those who have been – and are still being - violated in some way

or another:

(Poem – next page)


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Page 406

First they came for the Jews

and I did not speak out

because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Communists


because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists


because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for me

and there was no one left

to speak out for me.

PASTOR MARTIN NIEMÖLLER107

(Retrieved on October 27, 2007 from http://www.telisphere.com/~cearley/sean/camps/first.html)

We should be less preoccupied with our own rights and start by caring for the rights

of others and even be prepared to stand up for those rights. By realising that we

need to protect the rights of others first to secure our own right to dignity, has the

potential to indeed change the world.

My challenge/cause will remain an ongoing one…

A luta continua!

107

There are many versions of this poem. Similarly, the author of the poem is often not mentioned. Martin Niemöller was an outspoken advocate for accepting the burden of collective guilt for World War II as a means of atonement for the suffering that the German nation (through the Nazis) had caused before and during the war period.


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Section B:

Afterword

It is a Roundtrip

SCENE

Susan’s home-cum-office in the middle-class suburb of Wilropark, Roodepoort. A two-metre high rock-art wall surrounds the property. Susan’s office overlooks this section of the garden.

The home is divided into two parts – one part is Susan and Ilan’s living area and the

other half comprises the offices. A sliding door separates the two sections, but

occasionally, the reception areas are also used for household purposes. The main office

area comprises two smaller offices, a lounge and reception area.

It is around 11h00 on a Saturday morning. Susan’s promoter, Prof. Willem Schurink,

arrives and hoots at the front gate. Susan opens the gate with a remote control and

walks out to welcome Willem. Soon after his arrival, Mary-Anne, a doctoral student

arrives and Susan shows her where to park. After checking that the sliding gate is

closed, Willem requests that Susan and Mary-Anne get into his car to listen to a few Sir

Cliff Richard songs. Willem explains that these songs were selected to invite Susan on

both his and Mary-Anne’s journey as a soundboard or advisor that morning. After


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listening to the songs, Susan remarks that she is honoured to accompany Willem and

Mary-Anne on their journey, and she leads the way to the entrance of the house.

The lounge is to the left, and Mary-Anne, on entering the lounge, immediately wanders

towards the photographs of Susan’s daughter and her family on the mantle piece.

Observing this, Willem remarks that Susan’s oil painting caught his attention when he

entered their house the first time. They walk down the passage with the staff office to the

right, and into the reception area where Ilan, Susan’s husband, greets them.

Although neat, the office has a busy look with a number of text books on the three tables

which form part of Susan’s work station. The largest desk is home to a computer, a

portable hard disk, a printer, two telephones, an intercom and a ceramic wine stopper,

which serves as a pen caddy. The keyboard and mouse are wireless and the Skype

earphones lie next to the computer. On the small side-desk to the left is a laser-jet

printer, telephone books and a caddy with documents, and the desk standing at an

angle behind Susan is packed with all the necessities – a calculator, stapler, a number

of text books and some writing paper.

The walls are adorned with posters carrying phrases such as, “Break the silence, let’s

talk about violence”, Susan’s list of important details, a calendar, a page with some key

websites and telephone numbers, a clock, and photographs and artwork of the

grandchildren.

A photograph of Susan and Jenny can be seen on top of the computer and a

photograph of Jenny’s wedding is placed on a shelf in the “autoethnographic cupboard”.

The shelves are otherwise filled with books and files and it is very obvious that the

autoethnographic study is still a major project for Susan. The green couch with its

colourful scatter cushions faces the television, and further down there are two fans, a

flipchart and a water-filtering unit. Right in the corner, the steel frame shelves are home

to the many files of this workplace, while the boardroom table seems a bit remote in the

far corner. The office has a professional look, but the warmth of Susan’s private life is

carefully integrated into her workspace. Susan sits down with Mary-Anne and Willem at


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the boardroom table and the next few hours are taken up by Mary-Anne’s thesis and a

meal in-between.

Mary-Anne leaves around 14h00 and then Willem and Susan decide to get going with

the finalisation of her thesis. Susan moves to her chair – a modern ergonomic chair with

a mesh back designed to support the back and swivel and tilt, while a smaller visitor’s

chair is also moved in behind the main desk for Willem.

WILLEM: Well Susan, it was quite a morning – Mary-Anne’s autoethnography is

totally different to yours. Hers relays two accounts, comparing her divorce to that of her

friend’s, and their respective reactions to this major event in their lives. You know that

Mary-Anne’s panel actually required a “comparative story”.

SUSAN: Yes, I know that in some cases the departmental panel requires a comparative

story for purposes of “testing” one’s case study against a similar study in the case of an

autoethnography. Fortunately, they did not require that of me, but there is a

comparative story embedded in my thesis!

WILLEM: Tell me...

SUSAN: Well, I compared my case study with the criteria for social entrepreneurship as

set out by Bill Drayton and documented in Bornstein’s book, and in the last part of the

thesis I clearly align the major events in my life with the identified characteristics of

social entrepreneurs. Then there is the story of Magriet.

WILLEM: But your story and her story are in no way a comparative story?

SUSAN: But Proffie, think of it. We started out exactly the same, we wrote a book

together. During the writing phase, I started taking the initiative. Once the book was

published, I took the advocacy against bullying and victimisation to the next level, while

she was happy just to have her name on the book. I became the social entrepreneur and

she remained a co-author, although she had the same opportunities as I had. Ultimately,

the comparative study is in terms of the fact that we both had the same opportunity to

become a social entrepreneur. Yet, the assumptions of Drayton, Bornstein and even the

Schwab Foundation regarding the social entrepreneur being a unique individual with a


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Page 410

certain drive or mindset, are perfectly clear from this comparison. I also illustrated this

point unambiguously in the narratives and elsewhere in the thesis.

WILLEM: Very true, Susan – I almost forgot how comprehensive your thesis is. But,

that aside. Now we have to discuss the examiners’ remarks, and the manner in which you

attended to their comments and recommendations. You have spent quite some time

studying their reports and I’m aware that both you and your chief editor, Connie, worked

very hard – especially in checking and cross-referencing the comments made by one of

your examiners on the general usage of language, punctuation, sematics, and so forth…

SUSAN: Yes, we really went the extra mile in analysing her feedback. It is clear that the

examiner went to a great deal of trouble in evaluating my thesis, and provided valuable

input regarding the general application of grammatical rules in my work.

WILLEM: Susan, you both did a remarkable job. I have supervised approximately two

dozen doctoral theses since 2002, and I must tell you that I have never encountered

anything like this. I was astounded when I received your editor’s report on the language

suggestions made by this particular examiner. I have never seen such a comprehensive

and highly scientific document by an editor. Your account of how the two of you went

about this task and the long hours and effort you put in was impressive, to say the least.

Just refresh my memory; exactly how did you do this?

SUSAN: Well, we did it over a weekend and I spent 20 hours with Connie, apart from

the travelling time. I arrived at her home one Saturday after lunch, returned late that

evening, went back on the following day and only arrived back home at 02h00 on the

Monday morning.

WILLEM: That is long, hard hours!

SUSAN: But let me continue. We first worked through the thesis and then began listing

recurring recommendations, for example the hyphenation of words such as

“cooperation” and “postmodernism”. Connie would first revert to dictionaries such as

the South African Concise Oxford Dictionary or the Readers’ Digest Word Power

Dictionary, as well as the Microsoft thesaurus (comparing South African English to

English used in other countries). For example, in the case of “postmodernism” and


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Page 411

“cooperation” both hyphenated and non-hyphenated versions are correct, but in South

Africa the general trend is towards the usage of non-hyphenated words.

WILLEM: Studying Connie’s letter, yes, you listed the hyphenation under grammar, as

well as the use of abbreviations...

SUSAN: Yes, for instance, it is perfectly acceptable to use abbreviations such as “Prof.”

for “Professor”. The only rule here is that abbreviations should be used consistently

throughout the document. Therefore, Connie recommended that I use the abbreviations

consistently. We further discussed that it would be inappropriate to list generally known

abbreviations such as “Prof.” and “e.g.” in the glossary.

WILLEM: Fine, let’s continue. Under grammar, punctuation seemed to be particularly

important.

SUSAN: Trust me, Proffie, verifying the punctuation and searching for all the applicable

rules were gruelling! It resulted in hours and hours of work. Let me give you an example

of the use of commas. In the thesis, I wrote: “I trust that you will enjoy my expedition as

a social entrepreneur, but more importantly, in the words …” The examiner

recommended “I trust that you will enjoy my expedition as a social entrepreneur but,

more importantly, …”

After Connie consulted the Chicago Manual of Style, The South African Government

Communicators’ Manual, as well as internet grammatical sources, we discovered that

one of the most frequent errors in comma usage is the placement of a comma after a

coordinating conjunction, such as “but”. We cannot assume that the comma will always

come before the conjunction and never after, but it would be a rare event, indeed, that

we need to follow a coordinating conjunction with a comma. When speaking, we do

sometimes pause a little after the conjunction, but there is seldom a good reason to put a

comma there.

WILLEM: Yes, you even covered the usage of comma before “and” and the extensive

use of commas recommended throughout the thesis. For example, the examiner

suggested the use of a comma after the month in a date phrase like “8 November 2007”

and Connie pointed out that the latest editorial trend is to minimise punctuation for the

purpose of reader-friendliness and general flow. What I found particularly interesting


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was the recommended use of full stops in or after abbreviations. I was always under the

impression that full stops were non-negotiable, for instance, in the case of U.S.A.,

whereas it is no longer necessary. This was an eye-opener to me.

SUSAN: Yes, the examiner required full stops when using initials or certain

abbreviations, while this is unnecessary. The new editorial trend worldwide suggests less

punctuation altogether, i.e. fewer capital letters, commas, split infinitives, etc.

WILLEM: Susan, you know that I always insist that my students make use of

experienced language editors, but what was a learning curve to me was that Connie also

elaborated on syntax and related issues.

SUSAN: Yes, the examiner requested the words “this” or “these” in all instances to be

followed by an object. This statement resulted in extensive consultation of dictionaries,

manuals and the internet.

(Willem picks up a document)

WILLEM: Let me read from Connie’s letter. Just listen to her response here:

Should “this”/”these” always be followed by an object?

“This” is a demonstrative and can be used in a reflective manner

(equating to “and the fact that…”), referring to the preceding

statement – and need not always be followed by an object in order to

avoid unnecessary duplication or redundancy. Similarly, the word

“these” could refer to the preceding statement.

The word “this” followed by an object (which already has been

clarified in the preceding statement) could also border on pleonasm,

which is the use of more words (or even word-parts) than necessary

to express an idea clearly.

In many cases of semantic pleonasm, the status of a word as

pleonastic depends on context. The relevant context can be as local

as a neighbouring word, or as global as the extent of a speaker's

knowledge. In fact, many examples of redundant expressions aren't


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Page 413

inherently redundant, but can be redundant if used one way, and

aren't redundant if used another way.

Example: “I am an activist by nature and this naturally has also taken

root…”

Examiner’s recommendation: “I am an activist by nature and this

(what?)…”

Unnecessary wordiness has furthermore been minimised.

SUSAN: Prof, that was merely one of the examples sited under syntax. Having said this,

though, we avoided wasting time with hair-splitting arguments and therefore accepted

the majority of the examiner’s language recommendations. In her report, she actually

expressed the hope that I would view her comments in a positive light, and I did! Her

contributions enhanced the quality of my thesis – and of course, revisiting all the rules

and extensively investigating modern trends were, regardless of the time it took,

stimulating and interesting.

WILLEM: This examiner also wanted you to indicate your quotes in the narrative in the

same manner as the rest of the thesis. How did you handle that?

SUSAN: Well, I went back to Ellis’ work (1995, 2004). She (Ellis) made extensive use of

footnotes and endnotes in narrative sections. Failing to do this, would have resulted in

the narratives having too much of a formal appearance and would have affected the

dialogue and style of the narrative adversely. I reverted to footnotes since endnotes are,

according to the other examiner, always difficult to locate.

WILLEM: Tell my why the quotes in the narrative parts are in italics and in a smaller

font, while the quotes in the “non-narrative” parts of your thesis are in accordance with

the reference standards of the University?

SUSAN: I decided to indicate quotes in italics and a smaller font in the narrative for

special effect and owing to the fact that quotes are the exception rather than the rule in

these sections. In the narrative, I applied the rules of book publishing and not the


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Page 414

reference and style recommended by the university, simply because the narrative parts

require a more creative and trendy approach than the rest of the thesis.

WILLEM: That makes sense, Susan. Oh, and before I forget, the examiner wanted you

to use “I” and not “Susan” in the ethno-dramas. How did you attend to that?

SUSAN: Correct. However, I decided to keep the ethno-dramas in the third person.

Once again, I looked at how the Diva108 approached ethno-dramas; and she did it in the

third person when referring to herself. As an objective third party, I used first names to

indicate the speakers in all the ethno-dramas, for instance, you are “Willem” and not

“Professor”, but when “Susan” talks to you, you become “Proffie”. This method was

applied consistently throughout, even when describing the various settings. Connie

agreed with me on this issue.

WILLEM: Looking at the other examiner’s report, she seems to have had no problem

with regard to style?

SUSAN: Proffie, remember she complimented me and expressed her appreciation of

both my artwork and style.

WILLEM: You’re right, yes. In fact, she started her report by stating that the thesis was

well written and she complimented you and your editorial assistants. She called it ‘an

extraordinary document’. Thanks Susan, you have, in my opinion, attended to the one

examiner’s reservations. I am satisfied that you have studied all her remarks carefully

and that you and your editor explained these in accordance with the contemporary use of

English in South Africa.

SUSAN: All good and well, Proffie, but do you know how much time we have already

spent on this? I need coffee; let’s take a break.

(Willem and Susan move to the kitchen where Susan makes them each a cup of coffee

and they eat a small snack. After the refreshment break, they move back to the office

again.)

108

Prof. Carolyn Ellis has come to be known as the “Purple Diva of Autoethnography” and Prof. Schurink and his students refer to her as the “Diva”.


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Page 415

WILLEM: Let’s look at the remaining comments we have received from the examiners.

The one examiner remarked, ‘The discussion of method, theory, epistemological and

ontological issues are well done’. However, the other examiner had some reservations…

enlighten me please.

SUSAN: Yes, she felt that I should elaborate on my poststructural position and state it

more clearly in the thesis. I felt it was an important and very valid comment. If you

recall, we had a discussion about this, which also took us back to my research

philosophy.

WILLEM: I remember it very well... our discussion on the tree, the sun, prostitution

and policy.

SUSAN: Yes, and talking about prostitution, one of your students told us the other day

at a group meeting that your nick-name is ‘Skurwe Willem’109.

WILLEM: Yes, I am often made fun of because of my ‘past’ with commercial sex

workers.

SUSAN: The other day Florah heard you saying, ‘Susan, you are the prostitute and I am

the researcher. Now I am thinking as a positivist that I know exactly how you feel... and

so on.’ She was totally shocked!

(Laughter)

SUSAN: I wonder if this has something to do with her naming you ‘The Lion’.

(Laughter)

WILLEM: I didn’t know that she referred to me as the Lion! Come to think about it, my

star sign is Leo.

SUSAN: No, in this case it is because you are tall and a big man. She is petite and you

are really a lion compared to her!

WILLEM: So, now I am actually a ‘skurwe’ lion?

109

Students use the Afrikaans expression “skurwe”, which implies that Prof. Schurink is a rough or daring type of person – in this case using the steamer, i.e. client role to conduct interviews with street prostitutes in Johannesburg during his research on some of the county’s commercial sex industries in the 1970s through to the 1990s.


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(Laughter)

SUSAN: Anyway, the prostitute explanation did it for me. You are an excellent

storyteller too. I am so glad you introduced me to another work of Carol Grbich, New

Approaches in Social Research (2004).

WILLEM: I got the impression that the examiner got you thinking a lot and that you

might have confused postsructuralism with epistemology in your attempt to get clarity

on social constructionism.

SUSAN: Yes, but a social constructionist can a poststructuralist.

WILLEM: Yes, indeed. Those poststructuralists who regard themselves as

postmodernist would typically adopt a social constructionist perspective.

SUSAN: Prof, back to Grbrich’s Qualitative data analysis (2007):

Poststructuralism, with its emphasis on language, forms an important

subset of postmodernism. It developed as a reaction to structuralism

which sought to describe the world in terms of systems of centralised

logic and formal structures. In the creation and communication of

meaning, language was seen as a key process. Patterns provided

meaning and all words were seen as having recognised meanings

which could be learned. In viewing language as a system of signs and

codes, the rules and conventions – the deep structures which enable

a language to operate within a cultural system – were sought.110

WILLEM: For greater clarity, let’s rather look at Grbich’s (2004) work where she

summarises the basic concepts of poststructuralism succinctly:

110

Gbrich, C. (2007) Qualitative Data Analysis – an introduction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, p. 13.


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Language: There is an acceptance that our major mode of communication

is through language, but there is a rejection of the existence of deep

structure or form and a recognition that the meanings signified by signs are

conventions. It is no longer accepted that the language system is stable and

closed with signs that have clear meanings. Instead, signifiers dance in an

endless play of meaning with no relation to any integrated centre. There is

no one all-encompassing explanatory concept such as ‘god’ or ’science’

which can explain the genesis and operation of the universe. Furthermore,

there is recognition that existing discourses structure and limit the way we

think, read and write, that the language we use and the discourses and

tropes (metaphors) within which we think prevent us from seeing the genesis

and development of ideas as the power-laden discourses that they really

are. A process of naturalisation has taken place, which has smoothed over

the discourses making them appear to be transparent and ‘truthful’.

However, the privileging of certain discourses and text will have left sufficient

traces for a process of unravelling and exposure to take place and to allow

formerly hidden aspects to emerge.111

SUSAN: Yes, that ‘god’ and ‘science’ is ‘sun’ in our example!

WILLEM: Exactly! She continues:

Truth There is considerable scepticism about this concept. Knowledge is

viewed as unreliable if it comes solely from language. History, and the

discourses they have been a part of, influence meaning. There is no absolute

truth beyond or beneath the text. Reality is fragmented and diverse, and

analysis has tended to highlight texts, language, history and contextualised

cultural practices.112 (correct)

111

Grbich, C. (2004). New approaches in social research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, pp. 46-47. 112

112

Grbich, C. (2004). New approaches in social research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, p.47.


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SUSAN: Prof, wait a minute… The one examiner said that she found the usage of

interpretive and postmodernism/poststructuralism ‘somewhat confusing’. She

understands these categories of research to differ philosophically with regard to their

discourse of ‘truth’ and recommends that I adopt one clear position in my thesis. I found

that to be very helpful.

WILLEM: Yes, take your poem as an example. There your position on truth is very

clear. From my reading of the thesis, I found your position on truth very obvious because

you referred to truth as being ‘in the eye of the beholder’. It is also important to note that

the other examiner had no difficulty in understanding this. But let’s hear Grbich out:

Meaning is fluid; it is focussed either within the text or between and

among texts. All that we can know is textual and related to discourses.

There is constant referral of meaning, the signifier/signified breaks down

and everything becomes a signifier with never ending possibilities. This

allows many readings of the text to occur, thus emphasising that the

original writing may change meanings over readers, time and culture.113

SUSAN: This passage really had me thinking. Do you know Prof, I think that the

examiner could have construed or attached different meanings to my colloquial use of

‘truth’ in my letter to Riëtte as an indication of my philosophy, which was not the case.

Truth is in the eye of the beholder and so is meaning! Having said this, it is important to

remember that this examiner remains a reader and I must take cognisance of the fact

that I should be clearer to avoid misunderstandings.

WILLEM: Now you are talking! This is what I would have expected of a true academic.

SUSAN: Prof., but you have a confession up your sleeve. Did you see that one of the

examiners informed us that Helen Reddy is Australian and not American.

WILLEM: Mmmm… I saw that and smiled. However, there were many, many positive

remarks which I think are appropriate to repeat just to refresh our memories. The one

113

Ditto


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Page 419

examiner congratulated you on ‘producing an evocative narrative portrayal of becoming

a social entrepreneur’. The following is my personal favourite quote from the other

examiner:

I think this thesis is a major accomplishment on social entrepreneurs

and workplace violence. Likewise, it is an extraordinary exemplar of

the use of autoethnography for social research, social change, and

personal and collective understanding. I found it creative,

comprehensive, well thought through, and well written. It was

engaging and held my attention. The research was systematically

done with many points of triangulation (or better, crystallization), such

as asking others in her world to remember and interpret. The

discussion of method, theory, epistemological and ontological issues

are well-done. Dr. Steinman has succeeded in writing a thesis that

has policy and practice implications, in the workplace, academia, in

donors and support institutions, in South African workplaces, and in

human rights everywhere. That’s a lot, and Dr. Steinman has

managed to pull it off beautifully. I offer my sincere praise and

congratulations. I learned a lot from this dissertation about the

possibilities of autoethnography, as well as social justice issues in the

workplace and becoming a social entrepreneur.

(Willem then turns to Susan, smiling)

WILLEM: I am satisfied that you have considered the remarks and recommendations

of both examiners, as well as my own, thoroughly and enhanced the quality of your work

in the process. It will be my pleasure to recommend to the University to award the

degree to you during its next graduation ceremony.

SUSAN: Thank you, Proffie. This has been an extraordinary journey and I will never

forget your phone call on Old Year’s Eve to convey the good news. Let me remind you

what you said in your follow-up e-mail the next day, New Year’s Day, to warm my heart:


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From: Willem Schurink [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 01 January 2008 11:21 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: CONGRATULATIONS: the story of the year! Importance: High

Dear Susan,

I want to make a statement, I want you all to hear, listen closer to me,

for the story of the year…114

Congratulations!!! I battled with something in my throat last night and

now, just after four in the morning, I still seem to have it! The story had

such a wonderful ending! I wish we could finally do something with this

special award (such as writing about it).

I am very proud of what you have accomplished - in any promoter’s

book you did your D in a very short space of time - excellently, I need to

add, and to crown it all, sometimes under difficult circumstances!

I am delighted that the one examiner, a person you so much admire, is

the type of person I thought she is: Warm, appreciative and

humble…other words escape my mind now! What a woman! This is

what an academic should be. She also gives new meaning to an

examiner! In addition, it is not every day that the University receives

such a report! ... Not only did you do your best, but you wanted to be

examined by the best! Now you know what and who you are! Bravo!

The journey is completed and in terms of what you/us wanted to

achieve, you succeeded with much more than flying colours! Woman, I

salute you. In our local research/academic community you are a giant!

Thanks very much for having asked me to assist you with your second

D and thanks very much for the wonderful way you treated me during

this amazing journey! What a relationship between two people who only

114

Referring to Sir Cliff Richard’s song: “Big News”.


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met some months ago! And unbelievable, but true, who never fought

and who had no conflict...

I had wonderful experiences, but this year I also suffered two bitter

disappointments. Your journey and victory - being an amazing contrast

is simply marvellous... What a beautiful story! It is a dream one doesn’t

want to end! Dream on!

Everything of the best for 2008 which is only a few hours old!

Proffie

SUSAN: All of a sudden, it is difficult to swallow! I still feel tearful when reading this –

it was such a profound moment – almost a defining moment in my life.

WILLEM: Yes, but then we were still waiting for the other examiner’s report... Do you

remember when I phoned you to tell you that I received her report and that I would

come and deliver it in person?

SUSAN: Will I ever forget it? You held me in suspense and your face was non-

expressive when you arrived, even after you privately ‘conspired’ with Ilan. Then, to add

insult to injury – and you know that I am not very patient – I had to wait through 22 SIR

(nogal115) Cliff Richard songs to hear the good news...

(Laughter)

WILLEM: Well, I had to find some excuse to get you to listen once again to SIR Cliff

Richard.

SUSAN: Did you know that I was a panicked a little?

WILLEM: Driving from the University to your home, I decided to make the occasion

memorable, but I was careful and told you to trust me...

115

Afrikaans for “rather”, but used in this context it emphasises the preceding statement.


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SUSAN: I did. You sure made it memorable because ‘waiting for the green light’116

became a highlight. You were just being Proffie with your endearing admiration for SIR

Cliff Richard’s music.

(A brief, comfortable silence follows. Susan clears her throat and continues…)

The other examiner’s report was a highlight too and I was delighted. Her comments were

positive and her recommendations aimed at, as she put it, “generating a thesis of the

highest standard”.

WILLEM: And that is exactly what her contribution did. But my dear, have you noticed

the time?

SUSAN: It is 10 pm!

WILLEM: I must leave immediately; I have been on the go since four o’clock this

morning...

SUSAN: You are indeed an early bird and a night owl!

WILLEM: Look who’s talking... you and Connie set an example that is hard to beat.

(Willem and Susan then get up and Willem greets Ilan. Susan accompanies Willem to

his car, opens the steel gate and after he reverses out into the street, closes it. They

wave and Susan walks back into the house and locks the front door.)

REFLECTION

When I accompanied Proffie to the car and opened the gate for him, I had a lump in my

throat. On the one hand, I was extremely relieved and thankful that I had passed, but on

the other hand, sad, realising that I would see much less of him. Florah is right, I

thought, he is a lion – both intellectually and as a promoter. I think of him as the one

person who made an indelible impression on my life, helped me to survive the gruelling

autoethnographic journey, and stayed with me right to the end. He will be there at the

graduation ceremony in May too and I do have a feeling that we will always stay in touch

116

Borrowed from one of the Sir Cliff Richard songs Proffie played: “Green light”.


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– simply because Willem Schurink is such a special person with his SIR Cliff Richard

songs, his warm heart and his intense involvement with his students.

Perhaps my appreciation to him can best be expressed in music since the latter speaks to

Proffie more than anything else. Therefore, I would like to dedicate one of Josh Groban’s

songs to him:

"You Raise Me Up"117

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;

When troubles come and my heart burdened be;

Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,

Until you come and sit a while with me.

CHORUS:

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up... To more than I can be.

I salute the “lion” amongst promoters and certainly the best methodologist I have ever

come across, but most of all, I thank UJ for appointing Prof. Schurink as my promoter –

the greatest gift any student could wish for.

117

You Raise Me Up is a popular song in the inspirational mold. The music was written by Secret Garden's Rolf Løvland; the lyrics by Brendan Graham. The song has now been covered more than 125 times. Josh Groban popularised this song.

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A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Annexures

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Annexures– Page 441

ANNEXURES

These documents were helpful in when collecting data for the autoethnography:

1. Résumé (Major Achievements) – Susan Steinman for purposes of doing an autoethnography.

2. Selected examples of recent media coverage not mentioned in the autoethnography.

3. Work Document for Data Collection: Sourcing relevant life experiences to the study of social entrepreneurs (SE).

A Draytonian Changemaker: The Story of a Social Entrepreneur Annexures Annexure 1

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Annexures – Page 442

ANNEXURE 1

RéSUMé (MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS)

SUSAN STEINMAN

(SEE MEDIA PROFILE AND SELECTED ARTICLES SEPARATE

ANNEXURE 2)

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

(STARTING WITH MOST RECENT)

WORKPLACE DIGNITY INSTITUTE,

Founder/CEO: 1994 TO PRESENT Non-profit organization dealing with violence and conflict in the workplace Using duel model with for-profit consultancy, The People Bottomline

�� Founded and developed a sustainable non-profit organization •••• Pioneered awareness about physical and emotional violence in the

workplace locally and internationally •••• Designed and implemented advocacy and training initiatives resulting in

businesses and government departments addressing workplace violence voluntary and proactively.

�� Shaped public opinion, policies, advocacy and raised awareness worldwide

• Actively assist all stakeholders with policy documents, public hearings and promoting Codes of Best Practice in the management of dignity at work and preventing all forms of violence.

• Effective networking/support on the local and international level with activists, unions, NGO’s and academics for legislation against harassment in the workplace worldwide, hosts an international internet discussion group involving experts on workplace violence since 1998.

• Selected spokesperson by print and electronic media in programs on violence, violence against women, dignity and psychosocial problems in the workplace.

• Serve on several government departments’ advisory groups and committees for expertise on the prevention of workplace violence.

• Selected as wellness expert as developing country expert for “healthy workplaces” panel for the APA/NIOSH conference in Washington, DC in March 2008. Photo displayed and paper read on behalf of me at this conference on a new integrated model for developing country promoting healthy workplaces.

• Selected as keynote speaker and panel reviewer for the International Council of Nurses’ (2 million members worldwide) annual conference in the Netherlands in October 2008.

• Advised the Labour Portfolio Committee of the parliament of South Africa on a policy to prevent and deal with workplace violence on 4 Sept. 2008 as well as a Service Charter for Victims of Workplace violence. Currently working with a union federation to take matter to the tripartite body dealing with labour matters in South Africa.


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• Introduced www.worktrauma.org visited by 300,000 annually and newsletters & publications on workplace problems encouraging all stakeholders to work for dignity in the workplace.

� Developed impactful research

• The ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI118-sponsored case study of workplace violence in the health sector of South Africa in 2001 utilized in the Framework Guidelines to address workplace violence (health sector) and the program, VETO119

• Designed questionnaire to inform a Trauma Management program of Gauteng Health Department in 2006.120

• Current research into the extent of workplace violence in South Africa: internet-based research as part of the Dignity-4-All program to promote dignity in the workplace in the country.

• Research consultant for the University of Johannesburg to determine impact of work overload of all staff July-October 2007.

• Assisted with peer review of chapter 1 for a child labor publication for the office of the Secretary General of the United Nations in 2006.

• Finished research social entrepreneurship (changemakers) as part of a second doctorate at the University of Johannesburg (see tertiary qualifications).

� Capacity building and project management

• Developed and rolled-out of a comprehensive program to address workplace violence (called VETO), commissioned by the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint Program.

• Introduced National Workplace Dignity Week resulting in robust free publicity for the VETO program in 2005.

• Trained 1500 people, launched awareness campaigns, monitored and documented resultant improvement of public hospitals – now also in demand with private sector health.

• Organized two international conferences which raised awareness and put workplace violence on the agenda for South Africa in 2000 and 2003.

• Handled all logistical and publicity management of the Global March against Child Labour resulting in about 20,000 children participating in marches.

• Implemented the SOLVE (program to address psychosocial problems at work) of the ILO (SAFEWORK). Trained by ILO in Turin, Italy. Trained South Africans. Also trained trainers.

• Launched the Dignity-4-All 2007 Project on 19 January 2007 for the workplace Dignity Institute – the Project allows flexibility participation of all stakeholders participating, linking themes and events – resulting in heightened awareness and publicity about workplace violence at no cost to the WDI.

� Selected achievements with programs:

• The success of the VETO program implementation had been documented in “Magnificent Outcomes: The documentation of the struggle and victory over workplace violence in the health sector” and was released in 2006 at the Global Health conference in Washington.

• A policy to prevent workplace violence had been developed for the Gauteng Department of Health. Private enterprises and hospitals in the USA also

118

International Labor Organization (ILO), International Council of Nurses (ICN), World Health Organization (WHO and Public Services International (PSI) 119

Anagram for: against Violence at work, an Educational, Training Operational toolkit. 120

The Gauteng Health Department is a provincial government department and the richest province in South Africa (40% SA population lives here).


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use policy based on the generic policy developed for the Workplace Dignity Institute.

• A Victim Charter for the Victims of Workplace Violence had been developed as part of the Dignity-4-All campaign and released in June 2007.

• The program, Yethu iWellness (Zulu for “wellness is ours”) is regarded as one of the most progressive integrated health and wellness programs for developing countries and the Services SETA has now adopted this as their preferred model for their members. Currently compiling a manual for SME’s to introduce employee wellness programs.

� Provide support services and fundraising

• Administration, agenda, minutes, AGM and reports for WDI. Developed financial regulations and manage finances and staff.

• Developed an internet newsletter for the WDI to raise funds and awareness of services.

• Contact with business and victims of workplace violence: Receive approximately 2000 emails requesting help and letters of appreciation annually from victims of workplace violence.

MANAGEMENT POSITIONS IN COMMUNICATION & PR

― VARIOUS EMPLOYERS 1980–1994

�� CHILD AND FAMILY WELFARE; DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATION: 1992- 1994

• Communication and Fundraising: Improved communication among affiliates resulting in an increase in sponsors and more robust media coverage.

• National Children’s Day: This was the annual flagship event requiring extensive logistical support to involve 280 affiliates and 400 community development projects participating. Obtained sponsorships for the event and provided all affiliates and CD projects with the necessary posters, badges, stickers and material to raise money on that day. Hugely successful from an awareness and fundraising point of view.

• Events Management: Arranged council events like biennial meeting of affiliated societies and special training events

• Advocacy: Addressed political and public affairs issues e.g. child labor, and children in police custody, using the media and television effectively

• Publications: Designed and implemented entirely new look and feel of publications resulting in a positive response from constituents, including a significant increase in donations.

�� GERMISTON CITY COUNCIL MANAGER PUBLIC RELATIONS: 1988-1992

• Publications: Responsible for producing residential newsletter, newsletter to industrialists, annual mayoral report, several brochures, programs and publication resulting in more effective communication.

• Events & Fundraising: Initiated and managed second biggest annual street carnival, sponsored by business. This required logistics to entertain approximately 70,000 people on one day and to make the necessary arrangements for street closures, processions, liaising with the local chamber of commerce to participate and sell vendor space on the day, arrange entertainment for all tastes and take care of security arrangements.

• Communication: Improved communication with the business community by paying personal visits to industrialists in the area. Furthermore a


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complaints office was set up for residents and all complaints were computerized in an effort to speed up service delivery.

• Innovation: Special initiatives to improve resident liaison e.g. annual civic merit awards, promotions like heart week, breast feeding week, the annual street carnival, improvement of existing and introducing new publications and so on.

� VAAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (Previously Vaal Triangle Technikon): MANAGER MEDIA LIAISON AND PUBLICATIONS: 1985-1988

• Flagship magazine, TEMPO, wholly sponsored by advertisement for improved fundraising.

• Excellent media relationships resulted in first-time national and international TV coverage.

• Compiling prospectuses for all the different schools and marketing pamphlets for career shows and prospective students

• Introduced staff magazine, managed events and kept internal communication on a high level.

� PERIOD PRIOR TO 1985:

• Career development starting as a financial journalist, then follows a period of administrative work while my daughter was still small.

• After a few years promoted to communications and public relations and within nine months promoted to a managerial position in a regional developmental organization. Main tasks were: media liaison, publications (editor of 6 community newspapers and magazines), responsible for annual reports, brochures and events management.

• Received a media awarded in 1983 from SA Consumers’ Council for a publication on economizing on electricity to first-time consumers.

EDUCATION, SELECTED AWARDS & PUBLICATIONS

�� HIGHEST ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION:

• DPhil in Human Resources: Leadership in Performance and Change, University of Johannesburg (Thesis on social entrepreneurship. Degree to be awarded at the graduation ceremony May 2008)

�� SELECTED AWARDS & PUBLICATIONS

• ASHOKA Fellowship, 2002

Selected fellowship recipient for leading human rights and conflict resolution social Entrepreneur.

• Celebrated as a “Hero of South Africa” on the Tim Modise Radio Show on Radio 702, 2003

• Book: Corporate Hyenas at Work. How to spot and outwit them by being Hyena-wise. Kagiso Publishers, by Susan Marais [now Steinman] and Magriet Herman; 1997

• Bullying and Emotional Abuse in the Workplace. International perspectives in research and practice. Taylor and Francis, UK: Chapter 18 – Challenging Workplace Violence in a Developing Country – the Example of South Africa by Susan Marais-Steinman – 2003.

• Several forewords and reviews of books on the issue of workplace violence internationally. (Australia, UK and USA authors); 2000 – 2003

• Book: Magnificent Outcomes – an account of the struggle and victory over workplace violence in the health sector of South Africa by Dr Susan Steinman: 2006

• Book: Don’t take shit from Hyenas in the Workplace: Dr Susan Steinman; 2007


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• Book: People Wisdom in the Workplace by Dr Susan Steinman; 2007

4. PROFESSIONAL AND ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIP

* Member of the Institute for People Management, * Member of the EAPA-SA and internationally affiliated to EAP professional bodies, * Member of Global Health Council and * Civicus Alliance. * Member of the Business Women’s Association. *Member of Human Rights Watch (WDI).


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ANNEXURE 2

SELECTED PRINTED ARTICLES

TO SUPPLEMENT REFERENCES

TO MEDIA PROFILE IN

THE AUTOETHNOGRAPHY


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ANNEXURE 3

WORK DOCUMENT FOR DATA COLLECTION

October 2006

SOURCING OF RELEVANT LIFE EXPERIENCES TO THE STUDY OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS (SE)

Life Experiences Relevance to Study

My beginnings were humble, and my childhood may be described as

being tough in general, mainly because of my father’s chronic illness and

the fact that I was one of six children.

As a child I showed creative talent. The sand in our backyard became

my canvas, and I drew many pictures there. My father bought a piano,

and I took music lessons and shared my poems with him, sometimes

long after all the other children had gone to bed. He understood my

creativity, and that I needed little sleep.

When I was 13 years old my father died of chronic bronchitis caused by

miner's tuberculosis, and one may truly wonder whether one of my

slogans: “Work shouldn’t hurt” could be related to that tragic event.

Data collection: Interviews with significant others, poems and

letters from magazines regarding my first short story that was

written at the age of 16

1. Circumstances at home required a robust and creative approach to life. 2. Early signs of creativity which are the key characteristic of social entrepreneurs (SEs) and the role of my father in encouraging my creative talents 3. A painful experience and realising that work can indeed hurt and even kill people

The reality was that there could be no dreams of attending university. Despite the fact that she had a small income my mother who was holding the family together very well. She decided that each child should have the opportunity to complete standard 10 and then to further his or her studies by means of distance education.

Fortunately I was spotted as a talented writer when I was still at school.

Die Transvaler, an Afrikaans daily newspaper, gave me the rare

opportunity to become a journalist without any university education after I

had matriculated in 1971.

Journalism afforded me an escape for my creative talents. I worked as a

journalist for approximately two years. I then left owing to my being

pregnant with my daughter, Jenny. I was a young single parent and I

raised Jenny alone. I had to work as a personal assistant during the day,

and also ran a catering business after hours to earn additional income.

Data collection: Interviews with significant others, reflection and

poems

4. My mother's strong example of determination and practical approach

5. Obtaining a position as a journalist owing to talent and creativity exhibited as a high-school pupil 6. Career interrupted by the birth of my daughter. However, being a single parent required a high level of resourcefulness to take care of her and a career simultaneously – once again requiring the unshakable determination associated with SEs.

Although I completed a three-year national diploma (1980) at the 7. Academic development.


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business school of the Vaal Triangle Technicon and obtained a BA

degree by studying part-time at UNISA (1985), my priorities determined

where my focus would be. It was important to earn well to take care of

my daughter. I excelled in my work and at the age of 28 I was a manager

at a large local authority. The management positions I held were in public

relations and communication where my creative talent in writing and

events- management skills could be used, moved me to become one of

the first accredited public relations practitioners in South Africa. I

received a media award from the Consumer Council in 1984 for my

creative efforts to introduce the economical use of electricity to people

living in Soweto. I published in hundreds of magazines, newsletters,

annual reports, brochures and flagship magazines at various employers,

and also initiated the second largest street carnival in South Africa.

Data collection: Publications from that time, newspaper reports,

interviews with significant others, notes, poems and scrap books

8. Entrepreneurship: supple-menting income by running a catering business after hours to take care of my daughter 9. Excelling in a creative career and winning an award for creativity, publications and major-events management – this is also excellent experience in project management which is a necessity for any manager, but one of the many qualities attributed to social entrepreneurship.

Jenny was severely learning-disabled and had to do her exams orally.

My daughter’s learning problems became very prominent as from 1984,

and required all my free time and energy. More often than not I had to

fight for the rights of my daughter to have her learning disability

recognised and to obtain help. In 1986 I started with a master's degree in

business leadership at UNISA’s School for Business Leadership, but

since my daughter, Jenny’s, learning disabilities required special schools

and intensive attention I had to terminate my studies after the first year.

Up to 1992 I had to read all her work, such as her books, summaries and

so forth on tape to enable her to pass her school and college

examinations, and we even explored with coloured lenses to help

improve her reading.

Data collection: Newspaper reports, interviews with significant

others and poetry

10. Exploring the impact of Jenny’s learning disability awakened the activist in me to have the rights of my daughter acknowledged. She was bullied, and I had to advise and nurture her to act from a position of strength. 11. Sacrificing my own ambition for a greater good – SEs are willing to sacrifice everything for a cause. 12. Developing innovative ways to facilitate my daughter’s learning disability

In 1987 I experienced bullying for the first time in my career, and was

astonished by the effect it had on me. Apart from impacting negatively on

my career, I also suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome, which is

directly linked to work stress. Later experiences triggered the same

reaction, and 1994 saw the end of an era, and also of my career in public

relations and communication. I left the formal workplace to begin my own

business and committed myself to studying the (relatively) new

phenomenon of bullying in the workplace. Friends, family and business

associates thought that I was “crazy”. They predicted that nobody would

ever listen to me. This made me a pioneer in this field, and I became

even more determined to change my workplace.

13. Bullying and sexual harassment had a negative effect on my career. I was helpless against powerful board members and realised that many people were victims of workplace bullying. 14. Identifying workplace bullying and violence as a social problem, and having a plan to eradicate them 15. Most family members and friends did not support me at first. This is typical of such a venture, especially because of


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Data collection: Letters, interviews with significant others,

recollection of events

its pioneering nature.

A friend and former colleague of mine, Dr Magriet Herman, who had

opted for a retrenchment package, suggested that the two of us together

write a book. My interest and focus were on bullying and the changing

discourse in the workplace, while she wanted to write about personal

empowerment. We combined our ideas and wrote the book Corporate

Hyenas at Work. I was the leading author and introduced the typology of

the Corporate Hyena distinguishing him from the Makulu Hyena or

strategist, the Power Hyena, the Competitive Hyena, Support Hyenas

and Den Creepers making up a mobbing clan in the workplace. The book

was published in 1997, and the former Minister of Labour, Mr Tito

Mboweni, launched the book while Ms Brigitte Mabandla, the Deputy

Minister of Cultural Affairs at that time, also attended the function.

Data collection: The published book, interviews with significant

others, newspaper reports, TV interviews and personal diary

16. The writing of Corporate Hyenas at Work was a major move towards launching my SE qualities and placing workplace bullying on the South African agenda.

17. It is important to note that this development was independent and not influenced by similar developments in other countries at the same time. Activists eSEwhere focussed on victim support, while my idea was to deal with the problem in a holistic manner and involve all stakeholders in possible solutions. The relevance here is that my approach to SOLVE the problem was unique.

Since 1994 I networked locally and internationally with other activists,

unions, professionals and academics and got the international debate on

workplace-bullying going, while supporting victims from all over the world

on the Internet, one-on-one consultations and a telephone-support

service. Financial support and business opportunities were inadequate at

this stage and I had to sell some of my assets to fund my passion. I

simply could not give up. I was a woman with a mission and was

prepared to lose everything in order to change the world. Later I learned

that stubbornness and drive were two of the characteristics of social

entrepreneurs.

During this period I contributed to knowledge to a growing pool of

international researchers. These international researchers participated

vigorously in my international forum. My daughter left South Africa in

1996 and married a USA citizen. They now live in New York. I devoted

myself to the cause of dignity in the workplace and married Ilan. At that

stage I had been friends with him for more than ten years. In 1998,

Ruskin College (for trade unionists) invited me to address them and the

International Conference on Harassment in the Workplace in Oxford,

United Kingdom. I was also asked me to deliver a keynote address. In

my opinion, the only way to address the issue was to persuade business

management that physical and emotional violence in the workplace

impacted negatively on productivity, and that they should therefore

voluntarily put policies and programmes in place to address these

18. SEs have an ability to spread their ideas and enthuse others to follow suit. I connected with others all over the world, and provided much- needed support for victims. At this stage I was very close to reaching my goals, although I was struggling financially. ASHOKA now intervenes when an SE is at a point where his or her project is ready to be launched, but when in many cases resources are depleted. This is exactly what happened in my own case. 19. As a result of determination and long, hard working hours my idea spread. Interest in my work was growing internationally, and I received invitations from Australia, Germany, the UK, the USA and Canada to address international conferences. 20. ASHOKA began taking an active interest in me as an emerging SE.


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problems. I advocated various strategies. One of them was to persuade

academics to become interested in the topic. My programmes raised

awareness and drove the message home, and today the debate has

moved beyond this point.

My first contact with ASHOKA also came about around 1999. They were

inquiring about my work and from 2000 onwards began attending the

events I organised.

Data collection: A large number of e-mail messages, letters,

digests from the Internet, newspaper reports, TV interviews,

interviews with significant others and international academics from

universities in the USA, Canada and the UK since 1998, as well as

interviews with other international researchers on the Internet

As from 2000 things began to change rapidly. In that year I founded a

non-profit organisation, the Work Trauma Foundation (this was

transformed into the Workplace Dignity Institute in 2005), and organised

the first international conference on work trauma in Johannesburg in

November 2000. The conference was attended by approximately 80

people. The unions took notice of my work with interest and for the first

time began taking the topic of workplace- bullying seriously. In 1999 I

had a heart-felt desire to take up my studies again. I did an MBA in 2000,

and in 2002 I did a PhD through the Commonwealth Open University

who had offered me a bursary. The ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI121

approached

me to do research on workplace violence in the health sector for South

Africa as part of a cross-country research project, and stipulated that I

could use the study for a PhD. This was a great opportunity because the

inputs of my Geneva supervisors, Dr Naeema Al-Gasseer and Dr Alex

Butchart, of the World Health Organization (WHO) were very valuable. At

the same time ASHOKA showed interest in my work, and identified me

as a social entrepreneur. Their vigorous process of selection then

began. In 2002 I was awarded an ASHOKA Fellowship which meant that

I was stipended with a monthly salary for three years to fulfil my dreams.

To date this fellowship has been the single most important event in my

career, because it empowered me to bring change and a new philosophy

to the workplace through programmes and campaigns of non-violence

and a more caring and equitable environment.

In 2003 a number of ASHOKA Fellows were selected to be featured in

Tim Modise’s programme on Radio 702, and for one day I was

celebrated as a Hero of South Africa.

21. Formally launching my idea with these steps, but also launching as a social entrepreneur with strong local and international support 22. Taking the opportunity to improve academic qualifications by obtaining permission from the sponsors to use ILO/ICN/WHO/PS research for a doctoral degree 23. After gruelling interviews with the ASHOKA panel in April 2002, ASHOKA stepped in and awarded me a fellowship. This was the ultimate recognition for my work and sacrifices over many years.

121

International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Council of Nurses (ICN), the World Health Organization (WHO) and Public Services International (PSI)


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In 2002 I assisted in compiling the Framework Guidelines to Address

Violence in the Health Sector in Geneva with the ILO/ICN/WHO/PSI Joint

Programme, and in 2004 the consortium requested me to pilot an

antiviolence programme South Africa. This I conducted with great

success in 2005/06 at the Gauteng Department of Health. The

programme was based on my 2001/02 research and the changes were

so profound at Gauteng Health that the programme was documented in

a publication authored by me: Magnificent Outcomes – an account of the

struggle and victory over workplace violence in the health sector. This

publication was launched at the Global Health Conference in Washington

at the end of May 2006, and the hard copy is currently being printed.

Data collection: A large number of e-mail messages, letters,

newspaper reports, TV and radio interviews, photographs,

interviews with the Chief Director for Human Resources

Development and the Director of Employee Wellness of the Gauteng

Department of Health, interviews with significant others and the

contents of the book Magnificent Outcomes

24. Recognition from all over South Africa 25. My SE role, and especially my ability to introduce change, being recognised all over the world

In the meantime I have adapted the health sector programme for all

sectors and I am currently busy rolling out an antiviolence programme

called VETO (against dignity violations at work, an educational training

operational toolkit) to both the public and private sectors. Government

departments are increasingly placing more trust in my work, and from

time to time I am assigned to intervene in solving conflict at the highest

levels in government departments or to act as a mentor at top

management level.

Data collection: Notes, brochures, pictures, e-mail, the Manual for

Corporate VETO and interviews with workshop participants

26. Expanding the idea and going beyond the original innovation

With international recognition of the cause, and particularly of the role

that I played in getting all role-players together, many opportunities were

created to present key-note papers at conferences all around the world.

These research opportunities and other opportunities to network with

social entrepreneurs changed my life, just as much as my passion for a

violence-free workplace had workers reclaiming their dignity in the

workplace. However, the impact of this work will go beyond the

workplace and this is indeed happening right now, because the model to

address violence in the workplace could be adapted to address violence

in schools and other spheres

Data collection: Extracts from Magnificent Outcomes, submission

on school violence to the Human Rights Commission of South

27. Beyond the original innovation


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Africa, correspondence between myself and international agencies

and relevant e-mail

Don't take Shit from Hyenas in the Workplace

Documents

Transcript of Don't take Shit from Hyenas in the Workplace