Humility and respect: key secrets to success

HAVING humility, treating everyone with the same level of respect, whether they are a king or queen, president, or someone that cleans toilets, being committed to continuous learning and understanding the value of other people were among the tips, advice and secrets to success shared by Sekunjalo chairman Dr Iqbal Surve at a recent gathering.

- GCWALISILE KHANYILE

Surve was speaking at an imbizo held for nearly 500 employees who represented various companies under the Sekunjalo Group, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre last week.

He expressed gratitude for everyone’s contribution to companies they work for and shared advice from his own journey.

Survè spoke about the family values he lives by — treating people the same, and key lessons learned as a medical doctor while treating patients and working with political prisoners, before venturing into business.

He said family values have to be practised even when it is difficult, as these same values opened doors for him that he never imagined.

He also said he had the opportunity to work with political prisoners, those who were tortured, and who spent a long time in prison.

He used a rehabilitation programme that had post-traumatic stress disorder tools that had been developed in Scandinavian countries to help people that were traumatised due to being in prison for 15, 20, 25 years and more for their beliefs and their values.

"I worked with them because it was difficult for them to adjust to their families, difficult for them to adjust themselves. And quietly, with a group of many other doctors and physiotherapists, we did the work to get people back into society. Many of whom became our leaders in the first government of our country post 1994," he said.

"What did I learn in that period as a doctor from them? I learned how unfair life can be. I learned how beautiful people are. I learned that despite spending time in prison for 25 to 27 years, you have a sense of humour. You make everything look funny. You have an amazing resilience. I learned that you don't put yourself first. You put others first. I learned that families are traumatised, and how difficult it is to adjust again to your family.