Mbeki's World Cup Promise calls for Total Commitment from all South Africans

At the unveiling of the official emblem of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in Berlin, South African President Thabo Mbeki said that South Africa will prove many critics wrong. "We said we will host the most successful FIFA World Cup™ and we will keep that promise … Africa is ready, Africa's time has come, Africa is calling. Come to Africa in 2010!"

In view of the highly successful 2006 FIFA World Cup™ in Germany, Mbeki's promise commits South Africa to deliver the highest standards to a world expecting the best. Every South African is called upon to live up to that expectation and showcase their commitment to the world.

Recent research into the drivers of employee commitment has revealed the following five levels: total commitment, active compliance, reluctant compliance, apathy, and terminal apathy. Says Dr Nikolaus Eberl, the author of the employee commitment study: "Employee commitment to delivering the brand promise has become mission critical for leading organisations. As a nation, South Africa needs to align the commitment of every citizen to delivering Mbeki's promise of the best World Cup ever."

Dr Nikolaus recently introduced a revolutionary new employee commitment model, called The IziCwe Code, at the Global Leaders Africa Summit in Johannesburg, sharing the stage with world renowned leadership gurus Tom Peters, Rudy Giuliani and Michael Porter. Based on twelve years of global research, The IziCwe Code is about internal branding strategies from Emperor Shaka, aimed at engaging the emotional drivers of employee commitment (coined EmotiVators™ by Dr Nikolaus) and building total commitment to delivering the brand promise.

Dr Nikolaus and co-author Herman Schoonbee published “The IziCwe Code: Internal Branding” in 2005 (Academy Press, foreword by Reuel Khoza), which was recently critically reviewed by President Thabo Mbeki in his Letter from the President; using “the analytical tools contained in The IziCwe Code”, the President issued the challenge to government leaders to “generate the kind of commitment that will ensure that …our government at all levels … can be trusted to honour the brand promise!”

Dr Nikolaus’ earlier book “Conquer Life: Personal Branding Strategies from the Emperor” was appraised by The Business Day as “A must for anyone who wants to overcome personal and career challenges”, and Herman Mashaba, Founder of Black Like Me as “A uniquely South African formula for mustering the will to succeed and conquer life.”