Brian Kazungu, 19/05/2023

The Fundamental Congruence Checklist is basically made up of a set of ten questions that helps you to process the information which you have about a certain subject in order for you to understand it better so that you can make informed decisions in life.

It is a multi-versatile decision-making tool that can be used to gauge the relevance, effectiveness and impact of anything in life through answering the following questions:

1)     What is this thing?

2)     What does it do and how? – What are its key result areas or objectives and how are they accomplished?

3)     Why does it do so? – Why are those its key result areas, objective or purpose?

4)     What happens if it does not anything or does not perform as expected?

5)     Where is this thing situated in the whole matrix – what position does it occupy?

6)     Why is it situated there? – Why is it occupying that space?

7)     What happens if it is completely removed, moved somewhere, misplaced or even altered?

8)     Who is in charge of it and why? – Who makes it work as planned?

9)     How is its effectiveness assessed? – How do I or other people know if it’s effective or not?

10) What happens if it is effective or not – What are the related consequences?

By using a Congruence Checklist, you will be able to clearly define the purpose of anything and then determine its relevance and interconnectedness to other things which are dear to you in life before you commit your energy, time and resources to it.

When you don’t ask yourself these ten questions, you are most likely to make impulsive decisions out of emotions (excitement) and do things that are very costly and regrettable.

The ten questions in the Congruence Checklist gives you a broader perspective of anything you can think of when you want to make a decision on a certain matter.

A Congruence Checklist helps to reveal the probable consequences of your decision on the various other aspects of your life, i.e. the financial, emotional or spiritual implications of your decisions and actions.

As such, if you want to make an important decision such as getting married, getting divorced, quitting your job, voting for a politician or even buying an asset, you need to ask yourself these ten questions before you make that final decision.

Without an understanding of the Fundamental Congruence philosophy, you will realize that one excitable decision that you make in life can have multiple serious negative consequences that outweigh the benefits of whatever that prompted you to do something.

Let us do a Congruence Checklist on Personal Relations. This can include people you interact with in your life such as those who you engage with at work as shown below.

Congruence Checklist on Personal Relations        

1)     Who is this person?

# It’s a Friend, Spouse, Employee, Manager, Politician, Pastor Etc.

2)     What does or what should he/she do in my life or organization and how?

# The answer depends on the set objectives, principles and actual basis of your interaction or association (relationship).

3)     Why does or why should he/she do so?

# The answer depends on the set objectives, principles and actual basis of your interaction or association (relationship).

4)     What happens if he/she does not do or does not properly do that which is expected?

# It means the objectives of the actual basis of your interaction or association will not be achieved according to the defined expectations or will not be achieved at all.

5)     Where is this person situated in the matrix of my life or organization?

# The answer depends on the set objectives, principles and actual basis of your interaction or association (relationship).

6)     Why is this person occupying this space in the matrix of my life or organization?

# The answer depends on the set objectives, principles and actual basis of your interaction or association (relationship).

7)     What happens if this person is moved to another place or is removed from the matrix of my life or organization?

# The answer depends on the set objectives, principles and actual basis of your interaction or association (relationship).

8)     Who is in charge of my interaction, association or relationship with this person?

# Subject to the good laws of the land and principles of civility, you are in charge of the interaction, association or relationship that you have with anybody on earth.

9)     How is the effectiveness of this relationship assessed?

# The answer depends on the set objectives, principles and actual basis of your interaction or association (relationship).

10) What happens if this person is not measuring up to the general or specific expected results of this kind of interaction, association or relationship?

# The answer depends on the set objectives, principles and actual basis of your interaction or association (relationship). You need to review both your approach and that of the other person to see who is being fundamentally incongruent and assess if there is room and or possibility of a definite and measurable improvement. When it can’t be improved, it can be terminated.

In life, you can basically do a Congruence Checklist for anything. For example, if you are an entrepreneur, you can even do a Customer Service Checklist as shown below. This helps you to make smart decisions which promote business continuity and profitability.

Customer Service Checklist

1)     What is Customer Service?

Customer Service is a process of humane and professional attention and treatment given to clients before, during and after a transaction. It includes both the quality of the product and the approaches adopted in the course of engagement.

2)     What does it do and how?

When properly done through a show of respect and appreciation, a good customer service creates a beautiful shopping experience which guarantees sales and profits.

3)     Why does it do so?

We exercise good customer service in order to express gratitude to our clients and to build good relations which guarantees continued and profitable patronage.

4)     What happens if it does not do so or if it does not do it in the right way?

If we do not exercise good customer service, our clients will end up shopping somewhere else out of frustration and we will lose revenue plus the business may close down. Entrepreneurs will lose profit, workers will lose jobs, and the government will lose tax.

5)     Where is this component situated in the business matrix?

On your Mission Statement, customer service is that unique approach which you adopt in engaging with clients. It is directly linked to the product and the customer.

6)     Why is it situated there?

We link the customer service delivery element to our products and the market in order to create an effective and efficient interaction with clients which is mutually beneficial.

7)     What happens if it is removed completely or if it is badly altered?

Without customer service also refer to as a properly defined way of engagement with customers, it’s difficult for your enterprise to accomplish its mission.

8)     Who is in charge of this component and why?

The Sales and Marketing team in consultation with the Executive is responsible for the creation and provision of good customer service approaches to our clients.

9)     How is its effectiveness assessed?

Continued patronage is one of the best ways to assess if our clients are happy with us or not. We can also do a market survey to check on what customers say about our service.

10) What happens if it is effective or not?

If we are not effective in our customer service provision, we need to engage in a serious customer relations training program. We also need to investigate the causes thereof.

In order for you to clearly understand the Fundamental Congruence concept, we must firstly and separately analyze the meaning of the following words:

1) Fundamental

2) Congruence

Fundamentals are generally the basics or foundation of anything and as such, since the whole is made up of different components in order for it to serve its defined purpose, the components thereof must be in their right position and doing the right thing.

By congruence, I refer to the harmonious working together of these basic or primary components in order for them to achieve the desired results.

Let us also look at the dictionary meanings of the words Fundamental and Congruence, so that we can understand better what we are talking about.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Fundamental means serving as a basis supporting existence or determining essential structure or function, while, Congruence means the quality or state of agreeing, coinciding, or being congruent.

So, basically, Fundamental Congruence means a collection and arrangement of components that are fitly joined and working together to achieve a defined purpose.

This arrangement and the interaction of these components must be so orderly that no component will expressly or impliedly work against the effective functioning of the other.

As such, when you are deciding to do something, you must consider the probable immediate and long-term consequences of such a decision on the other things that you hold dear in your life.

A Congruence Checklist is like a Cost Benefit analysis (CBA) if we are to talk in business terms. It helps you to weigh the benefits of your decision against the losses that you may encounter.

When a Congruence Analysis is done, it makes it possible for you to evaluate your decision and it also enables you to see whether there is need to proceed, to postpone or even to cancel something you wanted to do.

A Congruence checklist can help you in several ways. It can help you to craft an engaging business pitch as well as a good marketing or political campaign. It can also be used by journalists to help them ask better and relevant questions on matters of community interest.

Adapted from THE SMART DECISION HANDBOOK written by Brian Kazungu

Author Profile: https://www.amazon.com/author/briankazungu

Twitter – @BKazungu

Brian Kazungu, 08/05/2023

1. 1. Initiative (Getting Started) – Start working on your dream right now and change your life right away.

1Thessalonians 4 vs. 11-12

And that ye study to be quite, and to do your own business, and work with your own hands, as we commanded. ¹²That you may walk honestly toward them that are without and that you may have lack of nothing.

• 2. Policy and Mission Statement – See the future of your business in advance and make the necessary rules and guidelines to help you to get there.

Habakkuk 2vs2:

And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

• 3. Consultation and Brainstorming – Engage the right people who have the right knowledge about your industry so that they can help you with advice.

Luke 14 vs. 31-32

Or what king going to make war against another king sitteth not down first and consults whether he be able with ten thousand to him that comes against him with twenty thousand. ³²Or else while the other is yet a great way off he sends an ambassage and desires conditions of peace.

• 4. Employee Selection – Employ the right people, with the right knowledge, experience and integrity in order to offer the best service and promote goodwill.

Acts 6 vs. 3

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and Wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

• 5. Wisdom – Acquire the necessary information which helps your business to succeed.

Proverbs 24 vs. 3-4

Through wisdom is a house builded and by understanding it is established. ⁴And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

• 6. Planning – Make the necessary plans which ensures the smooth flow of business activities.

Luke 14 vs. 28-30

For which of you intending to build a tower, sitteth not down the first and not counts the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish. ²⁹Lest happily after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish it, all that behold begin to mock him. ³⁰Saying this man began to build and was not able to finish.

• 7. Policy and Mission Statement – See the future of your business in advance and make the necessary rules and guidelines to help you to get there.

Habakkuk 2vs2:

And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

• 8. Consultation and Brainstorming – Engage the right people who have the right knowledge about your industry so that they can help you with advice.

Luke 14 vs. 31-32

Or what king going to make war against another king sitteth not down first and consults whether he be able with ten thousand to him that comes against him with twenty thousand. ³²Or else while the other is yet a great way off he sends an ambassage and desires conditions of peace.

• 9. Delegation and Division of Labor – Break down objectives into small achievable tasks and allocate these tasks to relevant individuals (employees).

Exodus 18vs.20:

And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.

1Chronicles 22vs.15

Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every manner of work.

1.  10. Outsourcing- Materials and Labor – Look for the requisite skills and products from other companies and individuals who can do it better than you rather than to do everything on your own.

2 Chronicles 2 vs. 7-9

Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold and in silver and in brass and in iron and in purple and crimson, and blue and that can skill to grave with cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide. ⁸Send me also cedar trees, fir trees and algum trees out of Lebanon, for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon and behold my servants shall be with thy servants. ⁹Even to prepare me timber in abundance for the house I am to build shall be wonderful great.

1. 11. Supervision – Make sure that there are people in charge of every given task in order to promote efficiency and discipline, as well as to enhance the monitoring and evaluation of progress.

2 Chronicles 2 vs. 2

And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burden and four score thousand to hew in the mountain and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.

1. 12. Administration of Justice – Create a fair and just environment that promotes good interpersonal interaction and upholds mutual respect between and amongst stakeholders.

Deuteronomy 1 vs. 17

You shall not respect persons in judgment, but you shall hear the small as well as the great, you shall not be afraid of the face of man, for judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring unto me, I will hear it.

1. 13. Salaries and Benefits – Ensure that every employee receives a fair and justifiable reward for his or her contribution.

Colossians 4 vs. 1

Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

1. 14. Human Resources and Social Responsibility – Do not subject your employees to inhuman treatment and unfair labor practices.

Proverbs 27 vs. 23-27

Be you diligent to know the state of thy flocks and look well to thy herds. For riches are not forever and does the crown endure to every generation? ²⁵The hay appears and the tender grass shows itself and herbs of the mountains are gathered. ²⁶The lambs are for thy clothing, the goats are the price for the field. ²⁷And you shall have goat’s milk enough for food of thy household and for the maintenance of thy maid.

1. 15. Reputation and Goodwill – Always ensure that the name of your organization is associated with a positive image by offering the best possible quality on your goods and services and by respecting stakeholder values.

2 Chronicles 2 vs. 8

Send me also cedar trees, fir trees and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants.

Vs13: And now I have send a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father’s. ¹⁴The son of woman of the daughters of Dan and his father was a man of Tyre, skillful to work in gold, an in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue and in fine linen and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with thy cunning man, with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.

1. 16. Maintaining Relationships – Create, maintain and develop good relations with all stakeholders in order for you to enjoy the benefits associated with a good business relations. Such benefits includes credit facilities amongst others.

2 Chronicles 2 vs. 3

And Solomon sent to Huram the King of Tyre, saying As you did deal with David my father, and did send him cedars to build an house to dwell there-in, even so deal with me.

1. 17. Risk and Loss Management – Be on the lookout for developments that can interfere with the smooth running of your operations. Exercise due diligence in your business dealings by undertaking regular stakeholder evaluation.

Ezra 4 vs. 1-6

Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the lord God of Israel. ²They then came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as you do and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon King of Assur, which brought us hither. But Zerubbubabel and Jeshua and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, you have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the lord our God of Israel, as King Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us. ⁴Then the people of land weakened the hands of people of Judah, and troubled them in doing. ⁵And hired counsellors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia. And in the reign of Ahaseurus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

1. 18. Spiritual Advice – Human life is a fusion of the physical and spiritual elements in every person and therefore relevant spiritual advice must be sought in order to promote, maintain and develop the psychological and emotional wellbeing of a business’ human capital.

Ezra 5vs 2

Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadack, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them where the prophets of God helping them.

1. 19. Strength and Courage – Success in its various forms is not for the weak and fainthearted. It demands continued involvement, discipline and sacrifice in order to face the challenges along the way.

Joshua 1 vs. 6-7

 Be strong and of good courage: for unto this people shall you divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. ⁷Only be you strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded you, turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper which so ever you goes.

• 20. Pricing, Tithing and Resting – After all the hard work has been done, you must come up with a justifiable and mutually beneficial pricing model which does not bring undue hardship upon others.

Leviticus 25vs.14-17

And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour’s hand, ye shall not oppress one another.

As the Lord is blessing you in your business, you must make sure that you:

a): do not forget to honor him

Deutoronomy 8vs.18

But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

b): do not forget to give unto his house

Malachi 3vs.10

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

c): do not forget to rest and refresh yourself.

Exodus 23vs.12

Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.

Adapted from the book The Practical Executive written by Brian Kazungu

President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow, Friday, 3 February 2023, conclude the first Cabinet Lekgotla for 2023, where government is currently deliberating its programme of action for the year.

Chaired by the President, the Lekgotla allows the National Executive to review the performance of government against targets and objectives set in 2022.

It is also a platform for the national leadership to agree on key actions that are needed this year to advance the country’s economic recovery and long-term development, with resolution of the electricity crisis as the top priority.

The Lekgotla resolutions will form the basis of the State of the Nation Address, which President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver to a Joint Sitting of the National Assembly and National Council of Provinces – convened in the Cape Town City Hall – at 19h00 on Thursday, 9 February 2023.

The State of the Nation Address is an occasion in which the three arms of the state – the Judiciary, the National Legislature and the Executive – participate as a demonstration of the country’s constitutional dispensation and culture, and to ensure that all three arms are focused on national priorities.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEBATE ON THE STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS – 14-15 FEBRUARY

Political parties will debate the President’s Address in the National Assembly on Tuesday and Wednesday 14 and 15 February, with the President replying to this debate on the afternoon of Thursday, 16 February.

MINING INDABA – 07 FEBRUARY

With its emphasis on the challenges facing the country and the role all sectors of society can play in building a better future, the State of the Nation Address has become a focal point of interaction between different sectors of civil society, the administration and legislators.

In this regard, the President will on Tuesday, 7 February, address the annual Investing in African Mining Indaba – or Mining Indaba – which is themed “Unlocking African Mining Investment: Stability, Security, and Supply”.

This event attracts more than 6 000 delegates comprising investors, innovators, companies in the mining and natural resources sector, lawmakers and Ministers associated with these sectors.

Organisers estimate the five-day conference itself contributes close to R20m to national taxes.

PRESIDENTIAL GOLF CHALLENGE – 10 FEBRUARY 

Following the delivery of the State of the Nation Address, President Ramaphosa will on Friday, 10 February, officiate the annual Presidential Golf Challenge at Atlantic Beach Golf Club at Melkbosstrand, Western Cape.

Coordinated by the Department for the Public Service and Administration, the  Presidential Golf Challenge raises funds for charities designated by the sitting President.

The Challenge allows the private sector to participate in developmental initiatives to empower society, with this year’s contributions going to the Adopt-a-School Foundation’s programme to support schools with sanitation infrastructure and services.

Th foundation is an award-winning non-profit organisation that supports the creation and enhancement of a conducive learning and teaching environment in disadvantaged schools. The foundation is a partner entity to the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation.

DIRCO UBUNTU AWARDS – 11 FEBRUARY

Leveraging the participation of the international diplomatic corps based in South Africa in events around the State of the Nation Address, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation will on Saturday, 11 February, host its annual Ubuntu Awards ceremony in Cape Town.

President Ramaphosa will address this occasion which recognises South African industry leaders, eminent persons and ordinary South African citizens for their distinguished service and contribution towards promoting the country’s national interests and values across the world.

AFRICAN UNION SUMMIT – 17-19 FEBRUARY

Following his participation in an Extra-Ordinary Organ Troika Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community on 31 January 2023, President Ramaphosa will continue his international programme by attending the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union from 17 to 19 February in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

 Africa’s political leadership will convene under the economically focused theme, “Accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement” in a year which marks the the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and the continuing 20th anniversary of the creation of the African Union in 2002 as successor to the OAU.