By Petronella Sibeene WINDHOEK Chief Executive Officer of the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA) Jeremiah Muadinohamba and Director of the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) Kurt Johanneson were last Friday awarded as Namibia Business Communicators of the Year 2005. At a gala dinner held in Windhoek, the two were identified and recognised as business leaders who are making communication an integral part of their management functions. This is the fourth consecutive instalment of the Namibia Business Communicator of the Year awards. Previous recipients of the award are Managing Director of Namdeb Inge Zaamwani, Managing Director of NamPower Dr Leake Hangala and Quinton van Rooyen of the Trustco Group. Muadinohamba upon receiving the award thanked the organisers of the event adding that he shares the award with all his employees. In the same way, Johanneson advised other leaders in companies to listen to their subordinates and not be the ones to be heard at all times. At the same event, the Spokesperson of the Year 2005 in the Public and Non-governmental Organisation (NGO) category was awarded to Norman Tjombe of the Legal Assistance Centre while Martin Mwinga of the First National Bank (FNB) was the recipient in the private sector. In her keynote address, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah advised leaders in both the private and public sectors to master the art of communication whereby they are not only charismatic and eloquent orators but also emphatic listeners. In most cases, those in superior positions avail less of their time listening to their subordinates but according to Ndaitwah, emphatic listening is a powerful tool as it provides one with data to work with. “Instead of projecting your views and assuming thoughts, motives and interpretation, you are dealing with the reality inside a person’s head and heart. Once that is lacking, no common ground shall be reached,” she warned. Listening is not only important in business. The minister says if all Namibians could master the art of listening and synergistic communication, the country would then enjoy complete reconciliation, people would be tolerant of one another and there would be complete peace. “Communication allows us to assume our rightful place in society and to co-exist in peace and harmony.” One of the recipients of the Business Communicator of the Year 2004 Inge Zaamwani similarly advised other captains of businesses that the success and growth of any organisation starts with a business strategy underpinned by a purpose, vision and values among other core principles governing the organisational culture. However, these would be meaningless if those involved in a given business do not translate them effectively. Like the minister, Zaamwani noted that if Namibia turns to have effective communicators, there would be many successful businesses and a promising Namibia in the end.