Volkwyn in Boss of the Year finalists

This is the 17th anniversary of the Award which aims to identify, recognise and reward bosses, throughout South Africa for their attention to the needs of their workforce and their impressive leadership skills. Transnet Foundation is the patron and main sponsor of the Award which is organised by the magazine Career Success.

The finalists will meet a panel of judges early in October and the Boss of the Year® 2006 will be announced at a banquet lunch on Monday, 16 October at The Castle Kyalami.

Says Ornella Trinco, Chairperson of the Award: "It was interesting to see that South African employees still rate aspects like an open door policy as important. Invisible or remote bosses just don't cut it!

"Skills they admire are communication, listening, and conflict-resolution. As for attributes, they admire bosses who are open-minded, honest, fair, courageous, enthusiastic, positive and visionary.

"Furthermore, they appreciate a boss who makes work life interesting and the work environment a place of safety and security.

"The Boss of the Year Award continues to be the best barometer for readings of the expectations of leaders from the South African workplaces. Every year, we get to see what remains perennial, and what traits or skills feature as new or more prominent."

Eunice Maluleke, Head of the Transnet Foundation, believes the spate of resignations of corporate leaders has focused the marketplace's attention on the issue of succession planning and the need to build leadership skills to ensure
continuity and sustainability of organizations.

"The Boss of the Year Award has been promoting the need for good leadership for the past 17 years and has actively highlighted the qualities that make for good practices.

"Over the years we have seen those who rise to semi-finalist and finalist stage showing different styles and having substantially different personalities, but the common denominators are always there - a caring for the good of their people, investment in their growth, recognising performance or potential, and always eager to learn more themselves and grow as individuals.

"As such, the Boss of the Year shows the marketplace, annually, a pool of talent residing in SA workplaces, and our aim is to ensure that this pool grows and itself acts as a catalyst in breeding more good leaders".

Terry Volkwyn has been described as such: "Terry celebrates and encourages diversity. She does this with an open and honest approach - not by trying to find commonalities, but by encouraging people to acknowledge differences, and feel good and positive about that. She is very progressive in her thinking on this issue, and continually strives to build new relationships. As part of this process, Terry brings people together through structured, targeted programmes and workshops..."

Apart from the coveted trophy, the recipient and nominator are showered with prizes from holidays for two, car rental, original artworks, and many more.

Sponsors of the Boss of the Year Award are: Transnet Foundation as patron and main sponsor, Schwan Stabilo as Founder Sponsor, Aramis and Designer Fragrances, Connex Travel, Kunshuis Clanwilliam, National Alamo Car Rental, Sheaffer, Microsoft SA, Party Design, Thompson Tours, Southern Sun Hotels, The Castle Kyalami, and Unisa's Centre for Business Management.