Mental health advocate Lloyd Sikeba believes that many young employees in the country are first‑time professionals in their families and often navigate corporate life without clear guidance.
Sikeba is strongly encouraging companies to foster a healthy workplace competition where colleagues uplift one another, adding that feedback on one’s performance is key to that process.
He stated that when feedback in the workplace is missing or vague, discouragement sets in fast, and performance drops, even when the ability is there, encouragement becomes a stabiliser.
“Young Namibians often do not leave jobs because they lack talent or skill, but because they feel unseen, unsupported, or uncertain about their place in the workplace. Clear, consistent, and structured encouragement builds resilience, fosters confidence, and creates a sense of belonging, shifting people from merely staying to actively growing, improving, and contributing, ultimately driving the entire workplace forward,” he explained.
Sikeba added, “Next time you see a colleague do something well, name it. Next time you have a seat at the table, pull someone else in. That’s how you turn competition from a quiet drag into a shared engine of growth.” He noted that competition isn’t the problem; mismanaged competition is, because when individuals try to win at all costs, they stop collaborating, as this leads to gatekeeping and guarding opportunities, withholding information, leading to performance becoming individual instead of collective.
“That’s why upliftment must be intentional. It’s not about being nice; it’s about being specific. If a colleague delivers strong work, say exactly what they did well and the impact it had. That kind of precision reinforces the behaviours that drive real results,” he stated.
Sikeba said the reality is simple: teams that collaborate always outperform teams that compete in isolation. “For many young professionals in Namibia, the pressure is real. Opportunities feel scarce, and everyone is trying to prove themselves at once. So, people start holding back information, support, even simple recognition, thinking it gives them an edge,” he stated.
Sikeba noted that good work goes unacknowledged; potential stays in the shadows, and this is not due to individuals being incapable, but because the environment has trained them to compete quietly instead of collaborating openly.
“That’s where intentional encouragement changes everything. Be direct and say wow you handled that client well. You stayed professional and got the result we needed. Adapt to the person; some prefer public praise, others a quiet nod. Read the room, stay professional, stay consistent,” said Sikeba.
–psiririka@nepc.com.na