Be part of the Thought Pool of the Future

Thinking Fusion is a company which literally creates capacity for change in organisations, in your farming business! With programmes such as Launchpad and Let’s Go! for those entering the job market, self-development programmes such as personal leadership and training courses and leadership in relationship economy, which are also valuable for managers. These are just a few of the programmes which they have already presented at numerous producers with great success.

Uys is one of three directors of Thinking Fusion and has been a driven person from an early age. She worked as Industrial Engineer at Koeberg Power Station at a young age, obtained her PhD at the age of 27 and became a professor at the age of 30. She focused on research at the NWU Management School, followed by UJ (RAU), where she used to be the only professor in Industrial Psychology. This was followed by a deanship at Technikon Pretoria, where she also became the head of Corporate Relations.

“I am so proud. What exactly are we doing? We are making a difference in the lives of people within organisations,” René said excitedly. After she left the academic world, they developed a leadership programme for women, Creating Leadership and Personal Capacity in Women. She present­ed it at large companies such as Sasol and Vodacom, where the women outperformed the men.

In view of the above, leadership in rela­tionship economy was developed, which all personnel can benefit from. It is written against the background of relationship economy and goes about the relationships of people in a time during which machinery is becoming increasingly important. At this stage René said: “This is actually the only thing that companies can use to distinguish themselves.” Inter-personal relationships, relationships between colleagues, with cus­tomers and with suppliers are of the utmost importance.

The programmes also offer you as producer or organisation and your staff the opportunity of self-leadership and to function independently. In short, “it gives wings to leaders.” Self-leadership is a very popular programme for anyone who is not already a manager. Essential Leadership Insight is applied in farming communities and Leadership in Relationship Economy is, for instance, sponsored by Syngenta. More than 100 producers have already derived benefit from it and a number of managers have experienced the benefits in themselves and their own people.

This is what programmes such as Launchpad and Let’s Go! were created for. For young people entering the job market. Her research in the mining indus­try indicated that unhealthy communities bring unhealthy conduct to work - and to the farm. Communities become healthier when workers obtain knowledge about themselves, when they learn how to con­duct themselves in the workplace and the choices they should make regarding alcohol, drugs, etcetera. The objective is to involve agri-companies, by means of community development programmes.

The choice to live, to respect people, starts at a young age. For this reason, programmes such as Boys2Men and Becoming a Woman were designed and it does wonders in communi­ties within which organisations function.

Definitely - she mentions that there is a leadership crisis in the country at present, corruption at high levels and confidence levels are low. Programmes such as these can really make a differ­ence. The programmes make you realise that you do not function on your own in an organisation, but that you form part of a total farming business or agricultural organisation.

The programmes are presented in English and create confidence for South Africans to debate and tell their stories. “It helps you to take part in debates. If you do not take part, you have already lost.” It teaches you to set objectives, learn new skills, expand skills and to live in a sensi­ble manner.

So, if you want to see growth for your organisation or farming business, the emotional skills of your personnel, if you want to move away from cultivating medi­ocrity - become part of the pooling of thoughts.

* All Thinking Fusion programmes cover the total spectrum. The programme builds up from 12 to 16-year old youths, young people entering the job market up to top managers and where per­sonnel start functioning in teams. The programmes were written with the South African background in mind and the duration of the programmes varies from 4 to 15 day.

For more information, contact Thinking Fusion at 011 955 1003 or visit their website at www.thinking­fusion.com.