Humility and respect: Secrets to success

CORE VALUES

- GCWALISILE KHANYILE

HAVING humility, treating everyone with the same level of respect, whether they are the 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 that were shared by Sekunjalo chairman Dr Iqbal Survé at a recent gathering.

Dr Survé 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.

He talked about making an impact on those around you and shared anecdotes which often left the audience in stitches.

Dr Survé 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 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 damaged 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.