Thank you, Sharon Jansen, for this special poem. I know it speaks truth to me. And I think to many of the Avos, and maybe some Avo friends too. Avos: develop your Mastery - the prize will take care of itself.

The Archer
Chuang Tzu

When an archer is shooting for nothing, he has all his skill.
If he shoots for a brass buckle, he is already nervous.
If he shoots for a prize of gold, he goes blind or sees two targets.
He is out of his mind!
His skill has not changed. But the prize divides him.
He cares. He thinks more of winning than of shooting.
And the need to win drains him of power.

On Saturday 3rd June my Avo Team and i had the pleasure of briefing the SAB Management Development Programme delegates on their Apprentice Challenge.The MDP is one of the most exciting leadership programmes on the SAB training calendar. The programme sees approximately 40 local and international delegates gather at the SAB Training Institute to embark on a 3 week leadership journey. Avo project manages this exciting programme.  

The Apprentice Challenge is a collaborative effort between SAB, UCT Graduate School of Business and Avocado Vision. The aim of the challenge is to see if delegates can translate their learned, theoretical knowledge into real-world entrepreneurial and original thinking.

We came up with the novel idea last year, for the 2005 MDP Programme. Syndicates raised R71 000 for the Mother of Peace Community, an AIDS orphanage in Northriding, Johannesburg. Due to its great success SAB decided to include it again in the programme and see how the 2006 delegates fair against their predesessors.

The Avo Beading Instructors showed the syndicates beading methods, through making bracelets, keyrings and necklaces. Once the syndicates techniques were sound they were left with a box full of beads, tiger tail wire, crimps, beading tools and other interesting material and an entrepreneur brief.

The entrepreneur brief was short and simple:

1. Design a creation/s.

2. Design and execute a marketing plan and strategy that will ensure that your syndicate makes the most money possible from the creation/s you have made. The syndicates will be marked on design, finance, engagement and follow through.

All proceeds made from this challenge will got to the SAB Corporate, Social Responsibilty Initiative and funds will be distributed from there. This means that every single cent goes to a worthy cause. http://www.sabreweries.co.za/sabltd/home/default

I think most people would quiver if they knew the MNet Carte Blanche team was on their way to investigate them!  (Hanli, what have you been up to….?).  But luckily our skeletons haven’t been dragged out of the closet (yet…hee hee….).

But besides the exposing stuff they do, they also present insights that may interest their viewership.  Yesterday, Derek Watts came to find out what we thought about workplace trends.  We told him what we thought, and how we operate.  The tv team took loads of footage, (of the teenagers studying, the tiny tots playing in the garden, young Kayla sick on the couch in the quiet room, and Meryl and Nomsa in the middle of a coaching session), and Elaine and I had great fun in the interview itself.  I’m sure only 30 sec of it will land up on national TV (with any luck….), but it was really great to play in that league for a little bit.

Thanks to the Carte Blanche team for making us all feel like superstars for the day!

Well done to Mandy Todd, our call centre specialist. Her insights on skills in South African call centres are stunning!  Of course, if you’re a regular blogsite reader, you would already have read it (..seen here first…!).

How lovely to recieve feedback from our clients (and clients-to-be) that adds sunlight and nourishing water to our Avos!  Here is such a lovely thought from Mariki Rademeyer of Schenker South Africa.

She says “I came to work today feeling really very off and decided I better do something to make me feel better. It was so nice to be introduced to Avocado Vision - it has really made me feel that there are still some very exceptional people around. Thanks for giving me something to enjoy - simple things such as avo’s.

“I grew up with 3 huge avo trees north of Pretoria where the weather is sub tropical and hot - excellent avo climate, they thrive in heat. We had an abundance of avo’s. My mother used to hang baskets full of avo’s everyday outside the gate for people who wanted to help themselves. Some days the baskets stayed full - people did not know these strange things she was offering for free. Anyhow thanks for my avo-connection”.

Thanks, Mariki.  You made our day!  Clearly, Avos bring out the abundance in people!