Innocent Hadebe
Walk into many companies in Bulawayo, Harare or Gweru and you are likely to hear the same story: a new system has been purchased, a new policy introduced and a new organisational structure pinned on the wall.
Yet, three months later, little has changed. Employees are still doing things the old way, customers are still complaining and management remains frustrated.
The problem is not necessarily the system. It is the mindset.
Many businesses do not just need better systems and processes. They need managers and employees who are willing to challenge established thinking, embrace new ways of working and translate change into measurable business results.
Processes often change faster than mindsets. Policies, technology and workflows can be redesigned within days, but habits, beliefs and organisational culture can take years to transform.
Consider a manufacturing company in Belmont Industrial Site in Bulawayo that introduced a new stock-control system to curb pilferage and shortages. On paper, the system was flawless. In practice, storekeepers continued using their old notebooks because they did not trust the computerised system.
Supervisors also continued approving stock issues verbally because that was how they had always done things.
The system did not fail because it was poorly designed, but because the people expected to use it had not been adequately brought on board.
Resistance to change is not always stubbornness. Employees may distrust new initiatives because of past failures, fear of losing control, inadequate resources or doubts about the credibility of leadership.
Many workers in Zimbabwe have seen this cycle before. A consultant arrives, a big launch is held, T-shirts are printed and then the project quietly dies when the money runs out.
By the time another change initiative is introduced, employees are understandably reluctant to embrace it. It is not necessarily laziness; it is experience.
A bank teller in Bulawayo once told me: “We have had five strategies in six years. Each new manager comes with his own. We just wait for this one to pass.”
That is what happens when leaders fail to explain the reason behind change and demonstrate a genuine commitment to seeing it through.
Past strengths can also become future limitations. Centralised decision-making and informal workarounds helped many Zimbabwean businesses survive difficult economic conditions. However, practices that once ensured survival can become obstacles to growth.
For example, if every small decision must be referred to the managing director, a company will struggle to scale up. Similarly, a transport company in Gwanda that still relies on the owner phoning drivers to establish their whereabouts, instead of using GPS tracking, risks losing clients to competitors that have embraced more efficient systems.
Organisational culture determines whether change lasts. Employees pay close attention to what their leaders tolerate, reward and demonstrate, rather than what is written in policies or presented at meetings.
If a company promotes punctuality but its boss frequently arrives late, employees are unlikely to take the policy seriously.
Successful transformation should therefore be measured through three questions.
First, implementation: Was the new process introduced?
Second, adoption: Are employees using it consistently?
Third, impact: Is it delivering better business results?
Many Zimbabwean companies stop at the first stage. They celebrate the launch but fail to establish whether employees have embraced the changes or whether the initiative is improving performance.
A retail chain in Harare, for instance, introduced point-of-sale machines to reduce queues. Installing the machines was implementation. However, cashiers continued using manual calculations during peak hours because they had not received adequate training. Adoption had failed, and queues remained long. Consequently, the business did not achieve the intended impact.
So, what should business executives do differently?
First, explain the WHY.
Connect the proposed change to real business challenges and opportunities. Employees must understand what the change means for the organisation and, importantly, what is in it for them (WIIFM).
Instead of simply announcing that the company is digitising its operations, management should explain: “We are losing US$5 000 a month through stock theft and late deliveries. If we address these challenges, we can improve profitability and create room for employee bonuses.”
People are more likely to support what they understand.
Second, involve employees in the process.
Harness frontline experience to develop practical solutions and build ownership.
The employee who has served customers at a butchery in Makokoba for 15 years may understand customer complaints better than an external consultant. A driver who travels the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls route daily may know exactly where fuel is being wasted.
Involving such employees in decision-making makes solutions more practical and encourages them to take responsibility for the changes.
Third, demonstrate results.
Start with small, measurable improvements that build confidence in the process. Rather than attempting to transform the entire organisation at once, select one branch, department or process, make improvements and demonstrate the results.
For example, if a new queuing system reduces customer waiting time at one branch from 45 minutes to 15 minutes, the improvement provides tangible evidence that the change is working. Such results can encourage other branches to adopt the same approach.
Fourth, hold leaders accountable.
Eliminate double standards and conflicting incentives. If managers are instructed to reduce costs but are rewarded for excessive spending on workshops and travel, transformation will struggle.
Leaders must demonstrate the behaviours they expect from their employees. They cannot demand accountability while exempting themselves from it.
Finally, reinforce new behaviours.
Recognise progress, provide coaching, remove operational barriers and maintain accountability.
A simple “well done” during a morning meeting can sometimes achieve more than another internal memo. Coaching a struggling supervisor is more productive than shouting at them. Fixing a broken printer that forces employees to revert to manual processes is also an important demonstration of leadership.
Zimbabwe is full of resilient and hardworking people. Local businesses have survived hyperinflation, Covid-19, power cuts and currency changes. That resilience is a strength, but survival should not be confused with growth.
To grow, businesses must move from the familiar mindset of “this is how we have always done it” to a more progressive question: “How can we do it better?”
The next competitive advantage for Zimbabwean businesses may not come from purchasing new software or introducing another policy. It will come from leaders and employees who are willing to think differently, act differently and translate change into profitability, employment opportunities and better customer service.
That is what genuine transformation looks like.
About author: Hadebe, with 25 years of experience and credentials as a John Maxwell certified business coach, serves as a trusted executive advisor through Innocent Leadership Group (ILG), he is also a business coach.
