Claire Holden

@wilkinsoncape Thank you. This beautiful tribute captures so much of who I knew Douglas to be.

During the 2024 election, I found myself in a queue at a voting station in Johannesburg. As I waited, I noticed Douglas Gibson walking past me with another elderly person to get to the front of the queue. I thought it was really good of Douglas - retired at age 81 - to take the trouble to come and vote, and I was pleased that he got to go to the front of the queue. But then I saw him walk past me again. And again. I couldn't understand what was going on. I finally struck up a conversation with him and it turned out that he was actually helping OTHER elderly people get to the front of the queue. As I left the voting station, I saw Douglas once more – this time at a Democratic Alliance table, taking names, collecting email addresses and handling all the unglamorous, thankless tasks of grassroots political work. Tireless, dedicated - and absolutely not retired. It struck me that here was a real patriot. A man, in his 80s, selflessly giving his time and energy to further the cause of democracy and the cause of the Democratic Alliance in South Africa. Nothing in it for him. He was here simply to be of service to others. I had the privilege of speaking with Douglas on several occasions. Each time I learned something new. He was both interesting and deeply interested – curious about people, passionate about the country, and always focused on the future. He participated in South African politics in eight different decades. The first four decades were spent resisting the evil of apartheid. The second four decades were spent resisting the excesses of ANC-rule. Few can claim such a long and principled commitment to South African democracy. If ever there were a man who personified the cause of classical liberalism in South Africa, it was Douglas. His life was a testament to the idea that true leadership is not about seeking power or prestige for yourself but rather about serving others, even when the spotlight has moved on. We stand on the shoulders of giants. And Douglas was truly a giant.

Check out the latest article in my newsletter: Cultivating Gratitude linkedin.com/pulse/cultivat… via @LinkedIn

Just realised that I forgot to share this here. It's such great news & definitely worth sharing & celebrating far & wide! #ProudlySouthAfrican iol.co.za/saturday-star/…

One of my favourite short films that reminds us about possibilities. What we look for, we find. What are you looking for? Celebrate what's right in the world. Watch “CWR Website The Film” on #Vimeo vimeo.com/29495027

THIS is why every organisation needs to be having conversations and doing the work to promote understanding and belonging. Bigotry should never be acceptable!

A4 Coaching is curious & encourages communication, learning & co-creation of outcomes. It expands possibilities & promotes accountability. A massive shift from the old command & control. It inspires people to give of their best. #CoachingManagement

A5 A #CoachingManagement style increases engagement, accountability, ownership, collaboration, communication, connection &, as a result of all of this, effectiveness & profitability. This all positively impacts retention & people development.

A5 Employees are engaged in empowering conversations that help them generate their best thinking. Rather than being told what to do, they catalyse ideas and solutions for themselves taking multiple perspectives into account. #CoachingManagement

@ColleenQvist @sacapedu I agree 100%

@sacapedu A6 short answer #CoachingManagement

Q6 In which work environments is the coaching approach to management most effective? #CoachingManagement

A6 Coaching makes a positive impact in every environment. There is no space where setting goals, having a thinking partner & looking at things from different perspectives is not beneficial! #CoachingManagement

A7 As part of leadership development all talent should be exposed to coaching & all individuals earmarked for leadership positions should be sent on accredited leadership coaching courses #CoachingManagement

If you want your mangers to successfully adopt a @CoachingManagement style, it's imperative that they first experience coaching so that they feel the benefits of this approach.

@sacapedu Apologies for dropping off! @Loadshedding_SA strikes again!

It’s a wrap, thank you to everyone who participated today! Thank you for sharing your knowledge & experience with us. #CoachingManagement

@sacapedu I absolutely think it is. I think employees will demand it & leave organisations that don't accommodate it. Single parents especially value this flexibility in my experience.

@Claire_Mindset Do you think hybrid work is here to stay? #CoachingManagement

A1 Remote and hybrid work require different management styles & approaches. We need to be more innovate about engagement & connection #coachingmanagement

A1 Millennials and Gen Z's want purpose, meaning & fulfilment. Command & control mgt styles will not retain great people #coachingmanagement

@Withwholeheart Lovely to see you! Hope you're well!

I'm a CEO coach and enneagram practitioner helping people become the leaders they want to be and create thriving organisations. #CoachingManagement

Is coaching part of the management style in your organisation? Do you adopt a coaching approach when you work with your team? #CoachingManagement