March 21
A foundational core of business development and growth within TPI Africa is our relationships with our clients – or as we call it – “REAL-altionships”. Our conversations lead to a real understanding of each clients’ pains, gains and strategic goals, both at the onset of our relationship and throughout our journey with them. These conversations may be held at a personal (Me) level, with a team (We) or in respect of the whole organization (Us) – or of course, across all three perspectives.
It is with this in our hearts and minds that we have embarked on business development across South Africa and Eswatini in Quarter 1 of 2021. And we have made huge strides in re-connecting with those clients whose journeys with us were placed on pause because of COVID. Where necessary we re-directed our interventions to focus on individual coaching or mindset wellbeing to navigate the challenges of the pandemic. We held a great deal of discussions around supporting leaders, individually and as teams, to effectively align, make the tough decisions and course-adjust within their businesses. All has given us huge hope and immense anticipation for what the future, post-COVID will ignite across our business relationships.
We were very excited to see the gradual shift from ‘virtual’ coffee-connections to real-life meetings in coffee shops within the SA BD team towards the end of the quarter. The re-connections saw the resurgence of pre-COVID programmes and updated proposal and contract submissions. The abrupt loss of our substantial pipeline in March last year has been replaced and rejuvenated as we close off Quarter 1 in 2021. This was down to a plethora of activities across the business and not simply within the South Africa BD team. Reflection, re-visioning, re-design and re-inventing our offering under the new-normal with an agile mindset entrenched in our passion for serving and impacting every individual we engage with, has driven us consistently in recent months. Quarter 2 is set to launch our emergence from the previous challenges of the pandemic from a place of strength and assurance. Whilst we recognize the likelihood of a third wave, we are stronger, more resilient and ready to enable the required support.
Eswatini saw an upsurge in one-on-one coaching and, despite the technological challenges the country as a whole faces in the new digital era, we have seen marked changes in IT capacity and mindset towards on-line engagements in Quarter 1. Whilst face-to-face interactions will remain the preference for the majority in the Kingdom, far more clients have booked virtual engagements than we would have imagined feasible just 12 months ago. With their experiencing the continued levels of excellence, energy and passion, our Facilitators and coaches provide whilst on-line, we are confident this mode of engagement will continue to grow from strength to strength in our Eswatini offering.