Raise a glass, toast in retrospect

go get yourself a cup of coffee, tea, chocolate milkshake or whatever else you usually drink at this time of day.
If you are sensible enough to be already digesting your morning paper over a heated beverage you are excused, the rest of you go get a glass of something.
I mean it Tawanda, I can see you trying to read ahead without going to get a drink.
You are back, wonderful. Now all I ask for is a little patience and you will see why you need a drink (I am travelling this week so mine is a Starbucks caramel latte).
This article marks a milestone in the life of this column. “Milkshake in the Boardroom” has been going for a year now (theatrical pause while we wait for the applause to die down).
That is one year of cajoling, encouraging and celebrating you, our faithful readers, the entrepreneurs and business folk who make Zimbabwe tick.
It has been one year of great feedback from you with some wonderful comments and ideas.
I thought it would be fun to look back over the last year, so I have selected and summarised three of the best columns from the period.
It was hard to sift through a year’s work, but eventually I picked three that got some of the greatest and best feedback (keep that feedback coming by the way, I get great pleasure opening my inbox to check mail from you). Enjoy.
September 29 — Marry your business partner
Imagine marrying someone only for the financial benefits. You would focus more on the legal contracts than on the wedding day.
In fact, you would probably get a lawyer to help write your vows and make sure that there was a prenuptial agreement before there was a down-payment on the wedding venue.
You never invest in a business idea. You always invest in a relationship. Relationships are key to any business venture. The old adage of ‘It’s not what you know but it is who you know’ holds true.
People that you partner with need to be chosen carefully. Test their vision, their values and their ability to deliver on time. Relationships count.
February16 — Taking pleasure in your work
In some local circles, there is a belief that business should operate in a Victorian environment that borders on living hell.
Such an operating environment is characterised by boring meetings, featureless walls, tiny cubicles, grey suits and board meetings that should use the alternative spelling of the word.
Work typically consumes a third of an average person’s day. That is a really big percentage of time to waste doing something that you cannot wait to run away from at the end of the day.
An environment where employees are able to laugh, enjoy life and express their concerns without fear of retribution is far more positive than one where tiptoeing around the boss is the order of the day.
Create an environment where staff do not come to work on time but are early because they love what they do.
May 5 — Basic communication rules
In a world where excessive electronic communication has become pervasive, face-to- face human contact counts for much and is a forgotten yet important art. Decongest your life.
Invest some time in setting down email rules. Unsubscribe to lists you no longer read.
Inform Auntie Edna that as much as you love her weekly updates could she rather just send you one a month.
Delegate someone to go through your email account, with strict guidelines on what is important.
Then unless there is something fantastic happening that you need to stay on top of, check your mail twice a day.
Switch off your phone or hand it to your receptionist when you are about to work on a significant project.
If someone needs to find you they can use a landline. Make time for people who are important in your life.
A well-timed call, coffee or a written letter creates value.
So in order to celebrate this occasion I would like you to join me in raising a glass with me (now you see what the drink at the beginning of the article was all about).
Raise a glass and toast, not only the success of this column in making it to a year old, but to you, our readers. Raise a glass in celebration of the fact that together we are a year on from where we were, that we have grown immensely in that year, we have fought challenging battles, worked harder than we have ever done before, forged stronger relationships, but more than that we have prevailed.
And as we look to the future, a toast to building a better Zimbabwe and that. ladies and gentlemen, deserves another drink.