IF you studied at the University of Zambia, you know that getting top marks wasn’t easy. Gabriel Pollen, famously nicknamed the “savage” lecturer, earned that reputation while teaching Economics, often challenging students even when they felt they’d done their best. However, Pollen says his tough approach was deliberate, as he wanted to push students to their limits and bring out their full potential. Today, one of those students has even developed a fitness app that can track macros and make calorie recommendations. Pollen, now Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Local Government, says he routinely sacrifices sleep to be the first in the office, stretching his schedule from 24 hours to 40 hours just to stay ahead of deadlines. He...