Caven Masuku Presentation on Corporate Social Responsibility in Zimbabwe

This presentation was delivered at Midlands State University (MSU), 8th Social Science Seminar Series in 2009. The presentation gave a comparative assessment looking at the Practices and Approaches of Public Relations on Corporate Social Responsibility programs by Econet (Zimbabwe) and National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ).

Caven Masuku Dubai presentation 2015

My presentation in Kumasi, Ghana 06 April 2017

Caven Masuku Presentation at SACOMM at University of Johannesburg

Communication using colours

Perception of colour is a personal, even intimate experience. How we identify colour may vary from person to person across the globe One thing that can and has been tested to person, though, is the psychological response that certain colours evoke. Colour is part of art whether in abundance, lacking, or displayed in a harmonious pairing. The mindful use of colour should be used to an artist’s advantage. Certain wall colours, such as pale blue or yellow, can bring feelings of peace or happiness or help ease anxiety. An ensemble can leave distinct impressions of passion if there are shades of red or of grandeur with purple hues. When it comes to the topic of colour, the possibilities are as infinite as its variations. Red represents passion, power, energy, love, desire, aggression, heat, danger, violence, intensity, strength. Reds tend to grab attention, encourage conversation and appetite, and often appeal to men. It is used on fire trucks and extinguishers to gain immediate attention for the same reason it is used on warning labels and call-to-action buttons and links. When worn, it can exude a sense of power or trigger sensuality. In short, red is all things passionate and intense. Blue represents serenity, positivity, loyalty, trustworthiness, friendliness, sweetness, charm, harmony, unity, stability. There is a reason why blue is so often used in political campaigns. Politicians want to be trusted and seen as charming. Blue is a calming colour, so it is frequently seen in places of peace and rest most likely because of its relationship to the ocean and a clear sky. Yellow represents happiness, optimism, enlightenment, wisdom, cheer, idealism, hope, clarity. Because of its relationship to sunshine and light, yellow is the most joyful of colours. So it is often used not only to attract attention but also to make its message stick because it cannot be ignored. White represents purity, cleanliness, sterility, innocence, cold, simplicity. Although white is the lack of colour, it still belongs on this list because of its usage. When worn, it shows purity and innocence in most cases. When used in a design, it symbolizes simplicity and sterility, hence the term “white-space.” Orange represents creativity, enthusiasm, fun, energy, vigour, audacity, healing, immunity, success, balance. Depending on its hue, orange can portray several different things. Bright orange is linked to originality and vivaciousness. Like red, it triggers appetite and draws attention. Its more muted tones are related to the fall season, representing balance, healing, and immunity. Green represents: life, health, growth, soothe, renewal, refresh, calm, freshness, generosity, jealousy, envy, inexperience. Like many colours, green has both positive and somewhat negative implications. It is refreshing and represents youth and spirit. At the same time, as with adolescence’s dual implications of both vitality and inexperience, green can also depict jealousy because of the cliché “green with envy.” Purple represents extravagance, royalty, spirituality, romance, luxury, wisdom, mourning, ceremony. Purple’s likeness has a lot to do with its use in history. The colour was expensive and took a long time to create, therefore only royalty or the wealthy could afford purple-coloured fabrics. Its ceremonious usage, such as the Purple Heart (awarded to those killed or wounded in the military). When lighter shades are used, it is quixotic and sweet. Pink represents optimism, calm, nurture, love, romance, femininity, softness. Pink is often used in situations which require calmness or optimism. The colour pink recalls well-known phrases such as “rose-coloured glasses” and “tickled pink.” It is also undeniably related to young girls. Since it is a more watered down version of red, it has a lot of the same qualities as that colour, just not as intense. Red is passionate, whereas pink is romantic. Brown represents earth, nature, simplicity, comfort, rugged, sincerity, reliability, dependable, stability. In design, brown is often linked to the environment. When worn, it can sometimes represent sincerity or dependability, but can sometimes give a sense of lack of authority. Black represents sophistication, elegance, formality, authority, depth, fear, evil, mystery, sadness, anger, mourning, death. Because of its use in ceremonious clothing such as graduation gowns and tuxedos, black is seen as a formal colour in fashion. Black’s relation to night and darkness also gives it a sense of mystery with a touch of evil that relates to the fear of the unknown. Edit Share

Phone interview Tips in Journalism

In journalism, an interview is one of the salient tools to gather information for a story and can be conducted with targeted sources face to face, using Skype, mobile phone, Facebook or landline. Today l shall be sharing with you on the tips when conducting a phone interview. Do as much preparation as you can, a source will not want to give you lots of background over the phone. You will need every second of the time to coax something new and interesting out of the source. Make sure that you are speaking with the right person by asking whether that person is exactly the one you targetted. Begin by identifying yourself to the source by mentioning who you are and your publication or News Organisation clearly. Remind the source briefly why you are interviewing him or her since at times the source might not remember that you are doing a profile for him or her. Get essential details like full name, age, address, occupation at the start of the conversation in case the interview is terminated abruptly for some reasons. Double check spelling of names. It is easy to mishear on the phone and to assume someone is called Pious instead of Peter. Keep the questions brief and straight to the point, complicated ones will lose other people. Avoid leading questions also. Use open-ended questions. Always sound bright, friendly and alert and do not mutter. Speak loudly and clear do not rush. Listen to the other person’s tone of voice, and check if you are not sure about something they have said. verification is important in journalism. Try to avoid long pause, otherwise, the interviewee might think you have been cut off. At the end of the interview, thank them for their time and check whether they will be contactable for the next twenty-four hours or so, in case you need to clarify anything with them. If appropriate give them your mobile number or email address in case they want to contact you.

Play the victim: Art of manipulation

Manipulating others is a horrible art to get what you want from your boss, friend or loved one which most people use to their leverage. Whatever your reason for manipulating someone, it is not okay but if you really want to, then play your cards right and hone your manipulation skills, try out a variety of manipulation techniques, and learn how to manipulate people in a variety of situations. Playing the victim is a great way to get what you want as long as you don’t overdo it. This is a great tactic that should be used sparingly, but which will pierce the heart of your victim when done in the right way. Just act like you’re a wonderful, altruistic person, and that all of the evil in the universe has somehow fallen upon you. A person can use “Play dumb”. strategy by Saying, “I just don’t know what I keep doing wrong.” This makes it sound like you’re genuinely baffled by why things never work out for you. Most of the students have this tendency in manipulating their lecturers to sympathise with them. Sometimes someone will deliberately Say, “It’s okay—I’m used to this.” This makes the person you are talking to feel guilty like you’re surrounded by people who will never help you out. This art is not good but enables some individuals to get what they want from their victims without them noticing that they are duped. At times an individual would say If your friend won’t give you a ride across town, say, “It’s okay—I’ll just walk. I could use the exercise.”. This makes the person talked to feel pathetic for failing to assist.

Traits for leadership

Leadership is an art that needs to be fused with talent embedded in someone and should be constantly shooed towards the prosperity of an organisation. The best leaders are the power and intellect of their organizations. They are the visionaries charged with steering their brand around pitfalls. They must know how to seize opportunities and how to boost employees mood to work hard all the time. Effective leaders transcend the title of “manager” or “boss”, and they become facilitators They can combine their charisma, enthusiasm and self-assurance, probably with a healthy dose of luck and timing. At times some people are naturally gifted with these skills, but the truth is that leadership can be learnt and sharpened with time and practice. The best leaders exude self-managing skills which make them able to prioritize their goals and being responsible for accomplishing those objectives. The effective leader regulates their time, resources, attention and emotions while knowing their strengths, weaknesses and potential sources of bias. Exceptional leaders should be good at handling stress and balance their personal and professional lives. A leader remembers the importance of compassion and responds to people and events in an appropriate way. self-control and discipline is a pre-requisite. The good leader should act and think strategically by being open-minded approach “Leaders must always be prepared to adjust their strategies to capture emerging opportunities or tackle unexpected challenges.” A leader worth emulations should be curious and genuinely interested in their company and wider business environment. As a leader, you must be flexible in your mindset and trying new approaches and idea Powerful leaders know when to talk and when to listen. You need to be able to communicate on all levels: one on one, to the department and to the entire staff, as well as via phone, email and social media. Communication is built on a steady flow of verbal and nonverbal exchanges of ideas and information. A great leader is approachable, delegates and involve people from different levels. Successful managers know how to use both power and authority without overwhelming or overpowering employees. Effective leaders hold themselves accountable and take responsibility for their own mistakes—and they expect others to do the same. The great leader is visionary and strikes a balance between stability and growth. You must incorporate new approaches without getting distracted from the main goals.Being a visionary means understanding that continuous change is occurring all around you, so what worked in the past may not always work now. Practice being adaptable and agile as you implement new strategies and allow your business model to evolve over time. Encourage the people around you to be creative and innovative by spending at least 15 percent of their time exploring new ideas through brainstorming and prototyping. Successful leadership is built on the people around you. Team building is essential to leading a diverse and unique group of people with distinct personalities, motivations and skills. Strong teams and teamwork are key to encounter resounding achievement. Good leader foster innovation, effective communication and are goals oriented. If you recruit and develop the right team, you create an unstoppable force. Edit