Torn pants can adversely affect one’s self esteem

AMERICANS use the word pant in a wider sense, to include men’s trousers and women’ slacks. In everyday English, especially in Zimbabwe pants refer to underwear for both men and women.

AMERICANS use the word pant in a wider sense, to include men’s trousers and women’ slacks.

In everyday English, especially in Zimbabwe pants refer to underwear for both men and women.

Any marketing guru will agree that presentability is key to marketers and any other assignment that has something to do with interfacing with people.

The old consolation; don’t judge a book by its cover is a tired one especially when it comes to product or service marketing.

Given Hapadziwi jokingly, yet true, used to say: Don’t grow forests under your armpits and elsewhere. Imagine standing in front of a respectable audience with torn pants.

Imagine your audience is enabled to mirror through your outward attire into those tattered, smelly pants. Insidiously yet sure the presenter’s image is adversely affected. The presenter’s mind will keep on pointing to the torn underwear, thereby affecting one’s presentation.

Zwelibanzi Ndlovu comes handy with his “STOP” analysis. STOP is an abbreviation for source, target, obstacles and plans.

Source deals with the current position, whilst the target is the destination.

Obstacles refers to barriers and plans are blocks that lend themselves to the construction of a building or project.

Personal transformation is a realisation that organisations are made of and run by people. Individuals are not only involved in running organisations, but families, societies and communities.

For personal transformation to be of any value, there must be continuous personal assessment — the SHARPERNS according to Ndlovu.

Simply put, this means transformed individuals strategise and plan, are alert to their security and environment, have set standards and values, do not fall slave to cash and material wealth; neither are they enslaved by addictions and habits; comply with regulations and laws; values people and relationships; are focused on education opportunities and careers; are able to network with support groups and finally are spiritually and religiously connected.

Young people are caught up in the jungle of an identity crisis. It has been suggested that this is the only generation with three and now four parents, namely the two biological parents, media and of late the mobile phone with its WhatsApp.

One would be forgiven in concluding that addicts to these gadgets have turned into automatons.

The television and the WhatsApp have totally taken over control of our young folks’ minds. So entrenched are the users of these gadgets, that they have become insensitive to the world around them.

Hairstyles, which used to be a woman’s business, have encroached into the male domain – dreadlocks and funny hair cuts tell the story.

One is reminded of the book entitled: In Search of Identity whose author traces Anwar Saddat, former President of Egypt from poor origins to State House.

So mixed up is the young generation that they go from one extreme to another — a typical example of lost personal identity. Success is for those who are focussed and will allow nothing to blur their vision, their dream.

Presentability, plays a critical role in shaping one for a fruitful future both as an individual and as a stakeholder in the art of living.

Torn pants in this instance may refer to anything that reduces an individual’s self-esteem.

This could be forests under armpits and elsewhere, unkempt hair, foul breath, smelly socks, jokingly referred to as mosquito repellents, shabby attire and obscene language.

Presentability is the gateway into both the presenter and the audience. Be smart.

 Moses Tsimukeni Mahlangu is the general-secretary for Zimbabwe Urban Councils Workers’ Union. He is a labour consultant and arbitrator. Feedback: E-mail: [email protected]