Why no manager is an island

When English metaphysical poet John Donne wrote 'No man is an island', he meant that people need each other and are better together than they are in isolation. Management is just like that, says Peter Hughes.

- Peter Hughes

Make no mistake, high-quality management is the magic touch that delivers great businesses. Not even the most brilliant manager can do it alone. From executives to managers to shop stewards, great management is always a team effort.

Just ask André de Ruyter, highly qualified and experienced business executive, Eskom's 10th CEO in 10 years, who departs at the end of March.

Eskom's sole shareholder, the South African government, seems to have done its best to undermine his and the board's efforts to turn the ailing company around.

No doubt there are many loyal and dedicated managers at Eskom, but they face impediments at every turn, such as state-imposed bureaucratic and discriminatory procurement rules and disciplinary processes and procedures that hamper and frustrate them beyond words.

Adding to the difficulties they face, management has had to deal with numerous forensic investigations, probes and accusations of racism, resulting in massive amounts of time spent fending off these often malicious allegations.