“Transformation is like putting dough in the oven. You don’t expect to get dough back out.”
This is the fundamental truth about transformation according to Anglo American head of transformation and regulatory affairs Lindiwe Zikhali. “Whatever we touch with transformation, we must accept that change will take place and things will be different, and hopefully better,” says Lindiwe.
Lindiwe’s take on transformation is a philosophy grounded in pragmatism. She believes that in order to transform we need to unlearn, and then re-learn for a common purpose so that everybody wins – but it has to be doable and not an unattainable ideal.
“At Anglo American, being a leading mining company may mean doing things that are not fashionable or popular. These things may seem regressive as they drag people out of their comfort zones, but the outcome is collectively anticipated to be a positive one, so we press on,” says Lindiwe.
The destination may not always be clear as the transformation journey is rarely a straight line. While we can be unified by many commonalities, there are many differences that set us apart.
“Transformation exists because people tend to judge someone’s competence based on their own view, which may not be accurate or even true,” says Lindiwe.
When it comes to organisational transformation, Lindiwe does not like statistics. “After seeing a number, I usually ask, what’s story behind that number? What is the real truth? While numbers have their place, it is important to illustrate these numbers in such a way that it shows there is still much work to be done.”
Lindiwe likens this process to building the foundation of a multi-story building. If you hide behind numbers, chances are your foundation is weak and without a solid foundation any building will topple. The foundation begins with standards, especially at an organisational level.
“Compared to the broader industry, Anglo American is doing well,” says Lindiwe. “But if the bar is not very high, you can always be top of the class. I don’t believe the industry is shooting the lights out in terms of transformation.”
While the industry, and the country as a whole, still has a long way to go to truly transform, Lindiwe believes that if everybody stretched themselves beyond the targets, change would be more apparent.
“While the mining charter is an important foundation for industry-wide transformation, what would happen if there wasn’t a charter? Would we stop the process? It’s not about just being on the right side of the law, it’s about actually transforming for a sustainable future.”