So, I’ve been flitting around the outskirts of Avo and Footprint for over a decade, and now they’ve managed to reel me in good and proper! Doing a spot of project management for Footprint. Sounds easy, but it actually entails re-organising my entire life and brain and energy output and parenting style and people-tolerance… Sigh. But the truth is, I’m LOVING it! I keep on saying, I can’t believe I get paid to get this education!

And the great blessing: working with the Avo people. Nowhere else have I found a place where your co-workers give you EVERYHING you want, when you want it, in ways better than you could have dreamed up for yourself, and with a smile.

Thank you, Avos, you rock!

Our Telkom ADSL lines have been down for a few days and its incredible how cut off from the world we have felt.  However a nice man from Telkom came today and fixed it in about 10 minutes.

It’s great to be back online again!

So thank you to all of you for your patience while your mails bounced back… we share your frustration and will work our butts off to reply to each and every one that comes through.

We hope that everyone had a FANTASTIC Heritage / Braai day.

Jules has graced the internet with her presence once again, this time on a website called LeadershipOnline.  This leadership site is focused on interviews, insights and intelligence.  Well done Jules for remaining one of South Africa’s top leaders. As Vanessa said, “Wow Jules! Nice to be described as one of the new emerging leaders and compared to the likes of Helen Suzman, Mariam Makeba, Maria Ramos and Jane Raphealy to Wendy Ackerman, Helen Zille, Charlize Theron and Pam Golding.

We proud of you

Guys check out our boss-chick here on the Leadership website (Scroll down just passed the middle of the page).

Or download the PDF here.

It was just one of those things.  My friend Grace, from Actuate, was going to help me help Jeppe Boys exec team set up their internal communication strategy as a kind pro bono gift.  But she’s a really busy lady, so we scheduled the whole event around a spare spot in her diary.  And after poor Soz had spent an entire week moving everyone’s diaries to fit in with that spare spot, we found out the day before that Grace had managed to double-book the spot in a moment of unthinkingness (which happens to all of us, especially when we get to Grace and my age…). And so the session went ahead, minus Grace the Guru, but with a flamboyant fly-in rescue from Hanli, who has done this sort of thing with Grace before…(thanks Hun!).

Grace emailed an apology, voice-mailed an apology, and in the normal world, that would have been it.

But not for Grace.

I came into work on Monday morning to find a sweetly wrapped black box on my desk, and when I opened it, this beautiful mini-cake was inside, from Grace.

She reminded me about how important it is to fix things properly.  So many of us make little mistakes that can have big impact on others, apologise profusely, and move on with those busy lives we all lead. But Grace has the class to slow things down, and use the opportunity not just to mend the moment, but remind her friend how really precious she is to her - and build a bridge of trust and love that is just that much stronger than before.

Nice touch Grace!  The Avos loved the cake.  Thanks mate!

I got to spend an inspiring morning with my team who are working on a lovely project.

Our endeavour is to address HIV and Aids in our country.  In our current project, we have a training and counselling programme on HIV that will roll across South Africa in waves.  It starts with some Avo trainers who are training 30 master trainers from many AIDS organisations across the country.

Once we’ve taken them through the content, process and activities; they will, in turn, train 600 people in South Africa on how to deliver the content. These 600 will then train and counsel thousands, and eventually millions of South Africans!

The numbers are mind boggling, and it makes me think of the classic metaphor of the pebble dropping into a still pond, and then the rings growing wider and wider as the impact spreads.

So whilst on the one hand, Jacqui and team are having to get their minds around training content that involves a lot of condoms, vibrators and bananas, on the other, there is a roomful of incredible human beings who have chosen to use their life journey to bring messages to people that can so easily save lives!

This felt so connected to the philosophy and name of Avocado Vision: we plant trees in whose shade we may never sit, and whose fruit we may never eat!  I am so proud that we have had the opportunity to contribute in this way!  Well done to the Avo team in this journey!

Well, spring has indeed sprung in Jo’burg today, and Avo had been buzzing with life and love for the past week… 

Our training manager Vanessa came to visit us from Cape Town with her new baby girl (who didn’t stop smiling might I add).  Carla-jo is literally BURSTING into life as she is almost due to deliver her and Clint’s baby girl into our big Avo world.

On Friday at our monthly Filling the Well, we threw Carla and Clint a surprise baby-shower and surprisingly it was a surprise! :) The loving couple was showered with gifts, crazy costumes and lots of love.  Including, from Jeanette, a pair of halos, fairy wings and a big pregnant belly… for Clint!

We wish you both all the luck and love for your soon to be expanded family.

This filling the well was particularly special because three of our hard-working Avo’s were honoured in a graduation ceremony for their passing results attained in their learnership.  Nomsa, Evelyn and Shirley glowed with glee as Vanessa donned them with green feather boas, graduation hats and framed certificates.

Well done girls for all your hard work, you deserve every moment of glory!

The celebrations began with poetry and music by Donna and Jola, followed by food, beer and wine, and ended off with laughter and great memories.  I think we can all safely say that we filled our wells and kicked off spring with a bang.