Ideas That Matter Podcast – "All the Lessons I Have Learnt From My Mentors"

Host: Vusi Thembekwayo
Date: September 30, 2024
Episode Theme:
Vusi Thembekwayo explores the most impactful lessons he’s absorbed from mentors throughout his life and career. The conversation highlights the vital roles of continuous learning, tactful candor, resilience, and the power of relationships — all through the lens of Vusi’s direct experience and signature candid tone.

Listener Tributes: The Impact of Mentorship and Ideas

00:05 – 03:18

• Wale from Nigeria:
  Wale, founder and CEO of Fast Rider Ride, credits Vusi’s podcast for 60% of his entrepreneurial journey’s growth and resilience.

  "There is no passing day that I don't listen to your podcast... because of creative ideas and disruptive mind, I have determination, the endurance to continue this journey. Sixty percent of the credit goes to you..."
  — Wale (00:09)

• Vuyo from Johannesburg:
  Vuyo expresses gratitude for the inspiration drawn from episodes on spiritual timing and patience, emphasizing that things happen at their destined time.

  "...my point is things don't happen at the time we want them to happen. Things happen at God's timing, at the universe's timing, at whatever you believe in... the VT podcast is keeping me so sober minded, so inspired, and so goal driven."
  — Vuyo (01:49)

• Kumbiraj Paza from Germany:
  A Zimbabwean entrepreneur who overcame hardship guided by lessons from Vusi’s podcast.

  "Through your teachings, I also mentor others. Keep at it. Thanks a lot."
  — Kumbiraj Paza (03:12)

Main Discussion: Lessons Learned from My Mentors

04:32 – 20:08

1. The Power of Continuous Learning

• Perpetual Student of Life:
  Vusi emphasizes embracing lifelong learning and humility as the foundation of growth.

  "If you ever get to a point where you think you know everything, that's the beginning of the end."
  — Vusi (04:55)

• Unlearning Is the Hardest Part:
  New growth often means becoming uncomfortable — not just by learning new things, but by letting go of habits that no longer serve your evolving goals.

  "The hard part is you have to be comfortable unlearning the old skills... The thing you are good at is good for where you come from, but not good for where you are going."
  — Vusi (05:53)

Notable Example: The Evolution of Candor (07:09)

• Early candor, calling things as they are, was an asset before influence grew. Later, that same trait became a liability around powerful people.

  "One of the skills I learned early on...was the skill of candor, the ability to just call things as they are and say things as they are... as I got more influential, more powerful... candor didn't work."
  — Vusi (07:19)

• Key Lesson: It's vital to learn tactful candor — knowing when and how to be honest, and with whom.

• Memorable Moment:
  Vusi recounts backlash over a factual, nuanced tweet about apartheid, illustrating how truth, if not thoughtfully delivered, can backfire.

  "I never said apartheid was good. I said it was effective. There is a big difference between being effective and being good...but it was effective. That truth alone got me into so much hot water."
  — Vusi (09:28)

Application for Listeners (12:03)

• Many people “talk themselves out of the right opportunities” by applying truth without wisdom about timing, audience, or delivery.

2. Developing Real Resilience

13:09

• Grace Under Pressure:
  True resilience isn’t just about surviving tough times — it’s maintaining grace and focus when difficulty is not apparent to outsiders.

  "Being gracious during a period of difficulty... the people you admire are involved in more fights than you can imagine."
  — Vusi (13:37)

• Focus Amid Turbulence:
  When blessings and setbacks arrive together, the lesson is to keep attention on the blessing, not the noise.

  "If God is going to bless you, and that blessing is going to come at a time of turbulence as well...you're going to miss the blessing if you just focus on the noise."
  — Vusi (14:56)

3. The Power and Subtlety of Relationships

16:10

• Career Progression:
  Early-career success is built on what you know; mid-career, on empowering others; upper-level, on who is willing to back you.

  "It has everything to do with who is willing to back you and with whom you've built relationships..."
  — Vusi (16:36)

• Access to Influence:
  Many get stuck not because of skill, but lack of relationships with people who have “access to rooms, quarters, spaces, where you have no residency.”

• Subdue Ego, Build Trust:
  Building influential relationships means entering as a contributor — not the alpha — to help the room and the mission.

  "Sometimes it's okay to subdue yourself and to be submissive and to come in at a servant level, not at a leader level... just get access to the room."
  — Vusi (17:10)

Memorable Anecdote: The Conference Table (17:40)

• At an exclusive conference, rather than posturing, Vusi offers to support the group’s aims, which transforms the entire room’s dynamic.

  "I would love to know how my presence here can help all of you in this room better achieve and amplify what you are trying to do... You got these people to stop trying to be important to each other and to actually just start trying to be important to the cause."
  — Vusi (17:55, 18:48)

Final Reflections & Call to Action

19:20

• Vusi encourages seeking mentors and invites audience stories about the impact of mentorship.

  "...if you don't have a mentor, try and get one... for those of you who do, I would love to hear... what you have learned from your mentor and how it has helped you become a better version of yourself."
  — Vusi (19:40)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

| Quote | Speaker | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------|-----------| | "If you ever get to a point where you think you know everything, that's the beginning of the end." | Vusi Thembekwayo | 04:55 | | "The thing you are good at is good for where you come from, but not good for where you are going." | Vusi Thembekwayo | 06:13 | | "Now, I'm not saying apartheid was morally good. It was reprehensible... but it was effective." | Vusi Thembekwayo | 10:31 | | "You are talking yourself out of the right opportunities for your life because you don't know how to choose the moment." | Vusi Thembekwayo | 12:27 | | "Being gracious during a period of difficulty... that's a part of your resilience." | Vusi Thembekwayo | 13:37 | | "It has everything to do with who is willing to back you and with whom you've built relationships." | Vusi Thembekwayo | 16:36 | | "Sometimes it's okay to subdue yourself and to be submissive and to come in at a servant level..." | Vusi Thembekwayo | 17:10 | | "You got these people to stop trying to be important to each other and to actually just start trying to be important to the cause." | Vusi Thembekwayo | 18:48 |

Key Takeaways

• Be a lifelong learner: true growth means always being willing to unlearn as much as learn.
• Use candor wisely: honesty needs both timing and tact to have positive impact, especially with power dynamics.
• Resilience is grace: keep composure, stay focused on the blessing, not the turbulence.
• Relationships rule at the top: your network and humility, not just your competence, determine your future influence.
• Sometimes, making yourself smaller is the smartest play in the biggest rooms.

For Further Engagement:
Vusi encourages listeners to share their own mentorship stories via WhatsApp, reinforcing the show’s mission of mutual growth and real-world impact.