Gerhard van Rensburg – Executive coach
Coaching facilitates success and is congruent with the way we want to work and the
way we have to work. It is relevant to the modern world of business because it is
holistic and adaptive. Coaching is also a method that respects people as individuals,
not merely as cogs in the business machine. Rooted in conversation, coaching is
evolving as a natural form of leadership.
Gerhard is passionate about coaching. He believes in the unique potential of every
human being and sees the challenge to help unlock that potential, particularly in
the context of organisation, as his calling. At the core of his work is a desire
for clients to become more congruent, more true to self, and thus more engaged and
effective in both their work and personal lives.
Gerhard believes that effective coaching starts with deep respect for the client
as a unique creation with a unique life story. It is essential to start a coaching
relationship meeting people where ‘they are’ and to remain open to them. He experiences
the coaching process as the privilege to accompany another person on his/her life
journey. Together they explore ways where both learning from the past and envisioning
of a desired future can be optimized. As human beings we seldom suspect the conditioned
nature of our perception about life, others and ourselves. Discovery of this fact
for oneself (sometimes through crisis, sometimes with the help of 360 degree feedback)
is powerful. It leads to living more consciously as creators of our own destiny
and less as prisoners of our past. The coaching process seeks to find practical
and useful answers to questions such as: "How do I get in touch with my deeper self
and express the power of my values and my whole self in my work?"
Feedback from Gerhard’s clients is that he listens well and patiently asks questions
to attain deeper understanding of situations and the relevant personal, political
or cultural drivers underlying them. René Snyman, Managing Director, Beckman Coulter
South Africa gave the following feedback: ‘Identifying and mentoring potential leaders
needs someone with emotional and social intelligence, exceptional people skills
and the ability to be compassionate but also straightforward and to the point. Dr
van Rensburg has the ability to combine all these skills to establish an environment
for growth, to identify and assess leaders. He has the exceptional capability to
identify each individual’s strengths and weaknesses and from there develop a coaching
program which is personalised for that individual. His outstanding knowledge on
the subject and his ability to create trust with every individual added exceptional
value to our programs.’
As a minister of religion for 19 years he built a wealth of experience, insight
and knowledge in leadership, teamwork, organisational dynamics and counselling.
In 2001 he redefined his life, sensed a new calling and since then worked in the
field of leadership and organisational development. He, since then, built a wealth
of coaching experience and to date coached more than a hundred people from 8 different
organisations. He always prized the importance and value of theory – there is nothing
as practical as good theory - and qualified himself academically with a doctorate
in practical theology (leadership and organisational structures) and masters of
commerce degree (the need and process to change from a management culture to leadership
culture in organisations – 2003).
Gerhard has his own consulting and leadership development practice New Era Leadership.
He is passionate about the dream of an African Renaissance and published a book
The Leadership Challenge in Africa – a framework for African Renaissance leaders
in June 2007 (Van Schaik Publishers).