Relationships are the basis of good business

Personal relationships are the rails on which your business runs. Don't leave them to chance. Work on them consciously, with sincerity, professionalism and deep respect

- Peter Hughes.

Wage negotiations dragged on. Tensions were rising. Management and the union negotiating team were meeting for the umpteenth time.

I was quietly working in my office when a distraught staff member dashed in to tell me there was an “angry” mob marching towards the HR building, where the meeting was taking place. I immediately went to notify the teams and suggested they abandon their meeting.

While I was with them, a rowdy mob of employees arrived. After some banging on doors and windows, they settled down on the lawn outside to await developments.

Amid the ensuing silence, all eyes turned to me. What should we do now?

The mob called for me to address them, but with as much courtesy as I could muster, I refused.

To cut a long story short, they trapped us in that building for almost three hours, until I had a brainwave.

In the past, I had met the general secretary of what was then the Swaziland Agricultural and Plantation Workers’ Union, let’s call him Jacob, at a number of social and business functions.

He proved to be well-informed and a likeable person. We had invited him to the farm on a few occasions, showed him around, introduced him to our senior staff and union representatives, and followed up with pleasant and relaxed lunches.

I called him, informed him of our dilemma, and asked for his help.