SPEECH DAY AND PRIZE GIVING 2005

13 OCTOBER 2005

ADDRESS BY THE GUEST OF HONOUR MR ALISTAIR ROSS

Good morning ladies and gentlemen
Thanks for having me here today.

In the old days in this land, there were many pretenders to the throne of compleat education.  There were some who thought that all that mattered was in the classroom - although not too many fell in that category as I remember.  There were those who thought that a compleat education was available in the sports arena.  There were rather more of these - for some reason Guinea Fowl comes to mind!  Then there were the few that sought the balance of both sports and academia.  And finally there was Falcon - who added the social piece to the puzzle.  In my humble opinion, Falcon was the best - and although we were renowned for producing captains of industry - I rather think if you were to look at the captains of life - we would do even better in that field.  In fact - maybe the best?

It is the use of the word "BEST" that I want to focus on for my talk today.  Sic Itur ad Astra - if my useless Latin serves me at all, means something along the lines of  "seek the stars".  I would imagine that the meaning behind this is closer to "Do your best" than go become an astronaut or astronomer.

Those of us who want to take on doing your best, might want to start distinguishing some of the steps that allow you to do just that - and also what is necessary for your best today to be outdone by your best tomorrow.  I will attempt to put a recipe in place - merely to create understanding.  In order for this to actually work for you, you will find that there is no recipe - there is only your journey in life - that will never be repeated by anybody else.  Not even your partner in life - ask Michelle, my wife, what her experiences have been over the last 24 years of our marriage - and her story will only vaguely match mine.

Anyway, here goes a recipe - where none exists.

First - pick a goal that you have not yet achieved.  Now there are many hours that could be spent on goal selection - but the one example I like and use most often is the BHAG acronym (Big Harry Goal).

So - if you use that sort of criterion for goal selection, step number two in the recipe of how to have a great life is get committed to the goal. And when I say committed, I guess I mean committed - Indira Ghandi, Sister Theresa, Isaac Newton, Nelson Mandela type committed.  The bigger the goal, the easier to stay committed.  The difference between committed and involved is perhaps the best way to distinguish commitment  for us today.  The guys in the rugby team when playing that big match against those wimps from Peterhouse - they are on the pitch and committed to the goal of beating them and they get to play.  The spectators on the side lines are involved and get to talk about the game.

You have to decide whether you are going to wander along life, being involved and drifting wherever the current takes you.  Or get committed to something and make a difference.

Step three - get in action.  Commitment without action is just an interesting intellectual exercise.  Commitment with action allows for amazing possibilities to be realized that were never in the plan in the first place.  There is no difference made in this world without action.  Late night talks with brilliant insights that are not acted upon are worth nothing to this world.  Some advice here is that the first piece of action that you might want to take on is to go public with your commitment - your goal.  One of the main reasons for this is that along the way, things are going to go against you.  It will be very easy to give up on your goal when times are tough.  Having this amazing support network around you that will help keep you going in those darkest of moments is invaluable - and they can not be there if you have not asked them!

Another piece of advice in your action plan is that you start at the end!  Imagine yourself achieving your goal, and them think about what you had to do the day before the achievement, and then the week before until you get back to what do you do in the next minute.

I could spend a lot more time on action plans - but perhaps will just add one or more before moving on to the next step.  Chunk the time up into milestones that tell you that you are on track.

Step four is measure.  Measure your progress and don't fool yourself by using weak measures.

Step five is - note when you achieve your goal.  Those people that we worked with earlier, spoke about being let down.  This is a phenomenon that occurs when the future you have created for yourself is fulfilled - and don't notice it.  Life becomes dull, and you become listless.  This is your sign to move onto the next goal.

But before you do - have an acknowledgement function that allows you to get complete with that phase of your life.  Thank the people who supported you throughout this journey - and warn them that you are about to start on another just as soon as you have thought it through!  This is the final step before you get to play with the recipe again and make it your own.  The interesting thing about this recipe is that whoever takes it on, will make something different with it.

Which brings me back to what it is to do our best.  I say it can occur everyday as you take on multiple efforts to improve your life and those around you.  So when a teacher looks you deep in the eyes, and asks was that your best work, your facial expression will give a better answer than your words.  When the headmaster looks a teacher deep in the eyes, and asks was that your best work, the same thing applies.  When the board asks the head - guess what?  When the parents ask the board - guess what?

I am bringing to the work place a model that has all employees give of their best - and all I ask of each subordinate layer is that they do their best.

So here I am - what is my goal that I am working on?
I am committed to providing employment opportunities to the next generation - you! These jobs need to be well paid, safe and with a company that meets all its social obligations.  I invite you to visit Lonmin, the company I am President of.  We are the world third largest and lowest cost platinum producer.  We employ approximately 27 000 people.  We are taking on transforming ourselves, our communities and our country and continent.  I am committed that Africa, with all its vast resources of wonderful people, weather, minerals and agricultural potential becomes a net donor of aid to the world rather than the other way round.  And we will do it first by showing the way in our company and communities in which we work, so that regional governments can be supported by us, such that federal governments are influenced by us, such that South Africa becomes the foundation for a transformation across the continent.

Now I know this has been a rather serious talk, so I thought I would end on a lighter note.  I am note sure what people here know about Sherlock Holmes - and his relationship with his sidekick - Watson.  But the saying "elementary my dear Watson" was used by Sherlock Holmes to continuously remind Watson of how Holmes was the smart one.  Well, Dr. Watson always tried to do his best so that one day, he could figure out the mystery ahead of the superior brained Sherlock.

 Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson go on a camping trip, set up their tent, and fall asleep. Some hours later, Holmes wakes his faithful friend.

"Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see".

"Watson replies, "I see millions of stars".

"What does that tell you?"

Watson ponders for a minute.  "Astronomically speaking, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.  Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo.  Timewise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three.  Theologically, it's evident the Load is all-powerful and we are small and insignificant.  Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.  What does it tell you?"

Holmes is silent for a moment, then speaks.  "Watson, you idiot, someone has stolen our tent".

Thank you for kindly listening to me this morning - and I wish all of you present today the gift of being able to do your best, and having your best continue to be better as you grow older.

Address by the Chairman of the Board - Andy Laing
Address by the Headmaster - Reg Querl