“Nothing is more validating or affirming than feeling understood. The moment one begins feeling understood, that person becomes more open to influence and change”

I’m an executive and integral coach working in leading South African organisations. I’m the owner of Distinctions Executive & Business Coaching, a Johannesburg based coaching practice. I’m passionate about the field of integral coaching, self awareness and the development of others. I view these as vital components of succesful leaders who are able to combine increased personal awareness with their corporate knowledge.

At the end of 2005, I left Citigroup where I had been working as the Vice President for ten years as a Relationship Manager in the area of Corporate Banking, to pursue a career in integral coaching.

Whilst at Citigroup, I concentrated part time on organisational quality and employee development.

My strengths include Marketing, Sales and Relationship building. While still at Citigroup I also coached executives towards resolving specific and complex business challenges.

My skills are in the following areas:

Business and Executive coaching with measurable purpose and outcomes, covering topics such as increased personal awareness and balance, managment development, heightened communication skills and stress relief.

Developing the competencies required for managing both self and others.

Life or change coaching including a new life path or a change in career.

Overseeing coaching circles in which a group of managers coach one another towards successful outcomes.

Facilitating workshops on mentoring, coaching and leadership.

Some of my recent Coaching clients are: South African Breweries, Nedbank Ltd., Shell SA, Lexmark International, Land Bank and Investec Bank SA.

I have many professional memberships, among them the International Coach Federation and COMENSA (Coaches and Mentors Association of South Africa).

I affiliate myself for business with the Centre for Coaching Cape Town, the Oxford Group in the UK, and with Omnicor and Avocado Vision in Johannesburg.

If you would like to select me as your coach,                                please email Carla-jo Barry.

Recently, 90 trainers took to the roads of South Africa in their VW Caddys, armed not only with Gidani Lottery training terminals but also laptops, laminators, printers and cameras.

These 90 trainers not only have to train approximately 30 000 learners from 8 000 retailers in 92 venues across the country, in four weeks, on how to operate the new Lottery terminals, but they also have to do a whole lot of back office admin.

When they are out there, for each training session that takes place, they have to register the learners, creat electronic registers that link back to a database, take digital photos of the learners, create ID cards with the photos, print and laminate the ID cards and save that info so that it can also be linked back to a main frame data base, print certificates and burn back up CDs.

Now that sounds relatively easy to those of us who work with technology daily. Many of our trainers however have never had the privilege of working on a computer…..

And so their training began……in approx 6 hours of real learning time they had to learn how to do the above!!!

So, we created a step by step Geeks Guide to Technology, for easy reference and then began the practical training at the train the trainers conference.

I will never forget that first day of training…..the room was filled with electronic equipment connected by numerous powercables, USB cables and extension cords leading off everywhere. The new lotto trainers eyes were as big as saucepans when they saw all this stuff and the room was filled with silent intrepidation.

We made it clear at that point that no one in the room is to be percieved as stupid and there is no such thing as a stupid question, with regards to their working with the technology - and we made it clear that everyone has different levels of knowledge related to their exposure and experience with technology. So, those who did not even know where to switch the laptop on, were made to feel comfortable.

I have never been so proud of so many people at once….the cropping, dropping and dragging of photos was excrutiatingly frustrating for many, who have never had the opportunity to develop the fine motor skills necessary when using a mouse, to put a cursor on a grab point and crop a picture or left click and drag at the same time.

Many have never owned a camera - let alone a digital camera, which they must now take hundreds of pictures of learners with, download the images onto their laptops and then open each photo, crop it and drag it onto an ID template.

Logistically, I never dreamed that this part of the project would be so huge…we bought 90 laptops, 45 printers, 45 laminators, 45 digital cameras and 45 proximas - we loaded all the software necessary onto all the laptops, creating easy short cuts, and loaded the necessary templates (in numerous places on the laptop in case a template got altered or corrupted) and then we started to buy all the stationary necessary to create ID cards etc. So we bought everthing in numbers of 33 000 - lamination pouches, ID clips, sticky labels…and so the list goes on and on…(sorry if anyone else needs to buy any of this stuff - we bought the suppliers in South Africa out of these materials!!!), our shopping spree filled a warehouse - you get the picture!! All of this also had to be divided up and distributed amongst the trainers, as well as electronic equipment being serialised before being handed out - this created another piece of logistics bigger than anticipated…what a learning curve!!!

So if you are out on the roads of South Africa and you see a white VW caddy - give them a friendly wave - it could be the Gidani Lottery trainers, who have had the courage to empower and arm themselves with skills and technical knowledge that many might shy away from!!

Avo had another article written by Jules in the Star Workplace today. It’s titled ‘Striking a balance between work and play’.

The article is about how Avo has managed to tackle some of the work-life balance issues that face many companies, and in particular managers, these days.

Jules mentions some key points on how Avo has managed to tackle this situation, which might be useful for other companies too (some of which is quoted from the article):

Lose the “work/life” myth: Work is life. Life without work would be without meaning. Once you see work and life as part of the wholeness of who you are, you can change your experience of life very positively.

Stretch the definition of where work takes place: At Avo, because work is life, we like people to decide for themselves how they would like to manage their workload. Set up the environment and leave it up to them. They will construct their lives in a way and rhythm that suits them best, but also delivers on business needs.

Beautiful spaces are important: It’s so important for people to sometimes pause, look up and take in the beauty of our natural world. It’s soul-food. And feeding people’s souls is part of making work and life work together.

Relationships at work keep us invested: At Avo, we have a mantra we all subsribe to: “who you are, is enough”. We work hard at building mature, honest and sustainable relationships at work. Research has shown that people are more likely to stay in a company when they have solid, invested relationships with people there.

Engaging the whole person: As ‘work’ and ‘life’ become more and more part of the same concept, we have to get better at enabling people to live at work. It’s not easy to make the framework shift, but challenge yourself to create a working space that engages your people in their wholeness - you will reap the rewards in so many ways!

Great article Jules, and not a bad picture either!.

Let’s face it, what’s life without a little SPICE!! And that’s what (I would like to think) I bring to Avo, coupled with some Bollywood Bling and of course my humility of spirit!

To earn my keep, I currently present “On the Spot”. Watch this space for additional courses that I plan on getting involved with.

Training and Development is a new career path I chose to embark on at the beginning of 2006 after being involved in the Travel Industry for about 12 years. While in Travel I saw an increasing need to “up our game” so to speak in terms of service and general business practice. I also enjoyed meeting and working with new poeple all the time so I combined the two aspects and voila, here I am.

To my absolute delight, I find my new career challenging and gratifying, with plenty of room for growth. I joined Avo round about the middle of 2006 while looking for companies for whom I could train. Ok, I was surprised by their unconventional strategies, nothing in my previous corprate experience prepared me for this very creative bunch, more worrying than this was how much I liked it and found everything quite refreshing! Beware, the Avo spirit is contagious… .

Ever wished you could go on an Apprentice Challenge and an Amazing Race all at the same time? Well, the Creative Hop is just that! Avo launched this great new product with a dynamic Brand Development Team. The ‘taxi ‘ arrived to collect us and the three teams hopped on board, not knowing what lay ahead…

The day began with a Funky Fashion Challenge in the Garment District. Each team was assigned one seamstress and were given 1h30 minutes to design, shop for and execute their design. The winning team managed to get an entire dress made, complete with matching bag! I guess that’s the power of serious team work!

Next up was a reflective exercise in the Joburg Art Gallery followed by lunch and a mad race through the Oriental Plaza to find Henna for a tattoo challenge. After containing the security guards (who were convinced that something serious was going on) the teams were left to bolt around the plaza. Teams had to decide whether to stop and ask for help or to simply rush around blindly in the hope of stumbling upon their treasure. The winning team found a magnificent kit but it cost them a whopping R60.00. The next team in spent R11.00 and the final team spent a mere R7.00. As it all turned out, the expensive kit created the most beautiful tattoo and so that team won both the race and the challenge.

We then slowed the pace and were treated to scones, tea and a tour at the magnificent Rand Club. The elegant library served as a fine place for the teams to design an appropriate event for one of their brands. The day ended at the top of the Carlton Centre where the other challenges were played out.

It was a fabulous day of real team building around some creative opportunities. We have a rich and fascinating city on our door step. We invite you to come and play!

It’s so wonderful to hear about people who will do a little bit extra at the end of the day.

Below is a really special story (one of the many that are happening around the launching of the National Lottery) about some guys who were willing to go the extra mile to help Gareth, our ‘master of disaster’, out:

To the Warehouse Management

This won’t take long. It is Tuesday night and it is the first opportunity I have had to reflect during the last 6 weeks.

I recall one evening at approx 17:45pm when I arrived at the Old Nashua Building. I came to a halt with approx 25 000 training manuals in the back of my VW caddy. The printer had delivered late. The manuals needed to be distributed urgently. The fork lift workers had left. The back of the Caddy was stuffed with boxes. I was alone.

Assembled on the Nashua warehouse dock were approx 20 youths. Most were smoking and relaxing after a hard day. I started to unpack the Caddy. I stacked up my trolley and did a few trips into the warehouse. The guys watched and carried on smoking and laughing.

I could see that the work was too much for me. I wandered over to the workers and asked for help. I stated that I couln’t pay them overtime. It was voluntary. Most just sat there and stared at me. I went back to the work and did another three trips into the warehouse.

Slowly, one by one three guys stepped forward. There was taunting from their mates. We started stacking more trolleys and moving quicker. They helped me clear over 55 boxes of training manuals and empty the Caddy.

I was so impressed by these guys that I took down their names. I want to highlight their names to the warehouse management. Most of the time we are too busy to notice individuals. The warehouse guys are a crowd. Individuals rarely stand out for outstanding work because they are a production line. I would like to suggest that these three guys have something extra to offer. It’s a tiny thing but they stand out in a crowd. Bill, Bilaal, Neil or Jenny if you need to choose someone from the crowd perhaps you could offer an opportunity to one of these guys first .

Their names are:

Patrick Maubane - 072 843 5075
Thabiso Mochela - 083 433 3862
Charles Maleka - 082 880 6901
Regards,

Gareth Lowndes

Ngikwazi Field Research: Logistics

We so often hear people say “Been there, done that, got the T-shirt”. I am living a full and exciting life and have earned a couple of T-shirts myself, but for me it’s not about the T-shirts, it’s about the lessons I learnt and how I use the experience I’ve gained over the years to now live a truly full life.

I started off as a teacher, and then moved into the Corporate world where I gained wonderful experience in Sales, Finance, Leadership, Management, Consulting and Training.

I am presently self-employed and I am very privileged to be associated with Avo as a contract trainer. What a great bunch of people!. I have already learnt a lot from all of you. I think that I would like to stick around!.

So, apart from my work as a Consultant and Trainer, what else make me tick?

I do Art: mainly paintings in water colours, oils and acrylics.

Gardening: I have the ideas and it is really my dear husband and Pat (the best gardener on earth) who do all the hard work. (Delegation is one of my strengths…).

My family and friends: Good conversations, food, wine and stunning holidays.

My Crystals: Yup, I got my qualification as a Crystal Healer last year. I also do Chakra Balancing, Aromatherapy, Hot Stones and Yoga.

Nature: Both my husband and I enjoy the outdoors. We are both qualified Scuba Divers, both summited Kilimanjaro and walked just about all the major trails in SA. We have walked the Fish River Canyon in Namibia a couple of times and spent good times in the Namib desert. We love spending time in the swamps in Botswana. Sooo much to do and so little time!.

Photography: Nature provides such good material, I just keep my finger on the button!.

The following adaption from “You own the Power” really describes me to a T:

I am but one small voice, hoping to rock the world, just as God rocked my world. I am but one little human being, trying, in faith, to show to others the light Spirit showed me. I am but a student, striving to bring to the world the wonderful teachings of my guide. I am merely a mother, grateful beyond words for the miracle of my child, who loves me enough to mother me too. My gratitude is endless, my cup is truly overflowing.”.

Hi Everyone!!! I’m blogging today because it’s my birthday. It’s very important that the internet world also knows that it’s a very special day for a very special lady (Me!!!!! - Nomsa). So sing with me “Happy birthday to me, Happy birthday to me, Happy birthday dear NOMSA!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEEEEE!!!! YIP YIP HORAAY!!!!”.

There was a great article in The Star Workplace yesterday about the Lottery trainers.

It really was a wonderful piece about how some of the trainers have benefited from the training they have received and how the communities will benefit too. It also included some information about the process involved in the training that they were given, as well as the training they’ll be giving going forward.

Needless to say they were all very excited about being in the paper and Elaine managed to organise that they each got their own copy.

All the newly ‘trained trainers’ are starting to train on Monday, so Good Luck to all of you and we’re sure you’re all going to make us very proud!

You know there are those things in life that you always say that you want to do….just to say that you’ve done it? Well, one of the lightbulb moments for me lately has been that the line between doing something and not doing something is really thin.

This past week-end was the Midmar Mile Week-end. For those of you not familiar with swimming, it is the largest swimming event of its kind in the world. There are approximately 17 000 people who enter and the ages range from 10 to 80 years. So, Clint and I made a bet in December with friends that we would attempt this swim…..needless to say that Clint and I entered but the people who were the instigators pulled out.

We started our training in January, and I so clearly remember my first swimming session - I could barely make five lengths without feeling as if my heart was entering a Formula One race! We slowly got better and were able to swim the 1.6km about a week before the 10th of February. We arrived, very excited and nervous on a warm and sunny Saturday the 10th of February where we registered and got our coloured caps. There were some family and corporate events on the Saturday, so we were able to see just how small people actually look in the midmar dam.

Sunday arrived (way to quickly) and it was raining and overcast. I was prepared for no one else to show up because it was too cold so then I wouldn’t have to swim Well, no such luck. Everything went ahead as normal - except that it was the worst weather that they have experienced in the 34 years that midmar has been “swimming”. So, the only thing to do was to swim! It felt a bit like swimming in the sea and at any given moment I expected a film crew to fly over for a scene in Deep Blue something. There must have been about three times during the 37 minute swim where I wanted to call over the lifeguard and get a lift back to shore. It was really really tough.

BUT the thing is that we did it. We stepped over that thin line and can now say that we swam the midmar mile in 2007 - the most difficult year ever! I want to encourage you to take that step over the thin line and do those things that you have always wanted to do.