I went to the gold mines at 18 because I did not know what I wanted to do; and hated it. Then I went to an open pit diamond mine in the Kalahari to make enough money to travel and to ‘find myself’ – which did not happen as I came back two and half years later more confused than ever! When I returned to SA I joined the occupational safety industry because I was desperate for a job. Over the next 16 years I worked for a couple of really good companies in jobs which were important, challenging and that did make a difference, but which, for me, was an exercise in frustration because I had no passion for what I did, even though I was pretty good at it.
I found change difficult and I spent a lot of time resisting the changes that I felt were being imposed on me, to the extent that I must have been a very challenging (as in difficult) employee for some of my managers. In 2000 I realised something had to change, fortunately I realised that it had to be me as waiting for others to change first was not going to happen. This led me, via a meandering path, to what has became Apple Tree, where I finally came to understand the dynamics of change; this is not to say that that I now find change ‘easy’, quite the opposite in fact. What has happened is that I now know my personal default patterns when it comes to change and have the tools, when I make my sub-conscious conscious, to choose to do something about it.
For me this is what Apple Tree and our work is all about. No high level theoretical leadership of others or business stuff, just connecting with what is important to you, figuring out what you are going to do about it and why you want to do it (‘Why’ – your Purpose, your reason for being, your driving passion). When we are able to speak about our ‘Why’ and share it with others, we change the way we choose to live life, to the benefit of our family, our business, our people and most of all ourselves. Live Life Now! – it’s the only game in town.
I am inspired by my and others surprising ability to change. Sometimes unwillingly, sometimes grudgingly, sometimes when there is no option and more often than not it takes more time than is reasonable…but nevertheless it is change, and it does get easier.
I am passionate about walking on the beach, the environment around where we live, helping my daughter learn to read, write and spell, seeing that colour makes no difference to her when she chooses her friends, seeing her wonder at the simplest things – I guess I’m passionate about simplifying life, because we learn to make life complicated.
I believe in people. That the vast majority of us can change if we can find a powerful enough reason to do so.
What I love most about my work is seeing the penny drop, the lights come on in a person’s eyes, watching someone’s face light up when something is said that makes a connection with them. When people understand that the way they have been living is just survival and that they are able to change and live the life they want.
Working with corporates rather than for corporates, for there are so many bright, insightful, talented people working for corporates who just need trust and hope to be the people they are capable of being.
What I love most about living in SA is having my limiting beliefs and prejudices challenged all the time, for although there is much that does not make me love South Africa, there is so much more that we have in common than that which drives us apart. We need to talk, listen and reach out to understand.
You can contact Keith on keith@appletreelive.com or call him on 083 556 3182
