'Dress to Reflect your Inner Shaka' - The IziCwe Code featured in The Star

In a recent issue of South Africa's leading daily newspaper, The Star, personal branding guru Timothy Webster reviews The IziCwe Code.

"An idea that I would like you to meditate on comes from the book by Dr Nikolaus Eberl called The Izicwe Code about the seven strategies of internal branding using King Shaka's success principles.

Eberl suggests that a large part of Shaka's success could be attributed to his ability to dress for success or as Eberl puts it - "dress to kill". The idea that I found most fascinating in this book was the power the historians attributed to Shaka's personal image.

Even when his half brothers, Dingane and Mhlangana, were plotting to assassinate him the Zulu poets reported that they would approach Shaka and be overcome by fear the moment they saw his majestic appearance - Ubukhosi.

It was the way he wore his circlet of otter skin around his bare head, bearing within its circumference a perfectly erect blue feather of the blue crane (worn exclusively by the monarch to make him recognisable).

Hanging over his shoulder and chest was a fringe 8cm long of tails of blue-grey monkey fur. Above each elbow were bound four dressed oxtails, similar oxtails fastened beneath the knee. Dangling from his hips was a kilt of numberless similar tails.

The same should apply to your corporate image. Your trousers should be pressed to perfection; your skirt should hang gracefully, your neck tie should be wrapped with a knot that says aristocratic excellence.

Even if you have opted for business casual, your polo shirt should be tucked in with even precision. It's not about what you wear, it's how you wear it.

I would like you to consider that your image or personal brand has the power to kill others doubt and fears about you.

Just as Shaka's majestic appearance caused others to believe that they were safe in his presence, you have the power to exude an image so powerful that people feel comfortable with your ideas and your leadership capacity.

Your personal brand is a promise and your outward appearance should be used to reiterate that your actions and behaviours are indeed a reflection of who you are on the inside.

Building your Ubukhosi requires a courageous and self-disciplined approach to making sure that your character traits are mirrored by your outward appearance."

Dr Nikolaus recently introduced a revolutionary new brand leadership 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.”