HACT managers build on strength

THE management team at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust underwent Gallop Strengths Tests, three one-on-one life coaching sessions and a team building day sponsored by local company Juiced.

According to Olivia Myeza, CEO of the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust, there were no funds available for investing in the organisation’s team as every rand is used towards on site projects and in the communities it serves. “We are a growing organisation and our 10 managers oversee a team of 55 permanent employees and an additional 30 stipend volunteers and 40 unpaid volunteers. Having varying departments across our organisation, our managers have very different skill sets and personalities, so working together and understanding each other was at times challenging,” said Olivia.

Each manager underwent the strengths test and thereafter had three one-on-one life coaching sessions with either Karen or Darren from Juiced Strategies.

“The strength tests revealed so much about each person and we were all amazed by how accurate they were – as if the report was written by someone who knows us deeply, better than we even know ourselves. The test results explained a lot about us as individuals and it was very interesting to compare strengths with other managers and see who had similar strengths and who had different strengths. The results were also very confirmatory that our management team are in the right jobs – each person’s strengths closely aligned with their job description and the needs of their department,” said Olivia.

She described the team building day as fantastic as they saw each other’s strengths and started to understand why they are like they are or why they react in a certain way in a certain situation. “We had fun, we laughed, we enjoyed each other’s company, we understood each other better than ever before. We left feeling like a united team ready to tackle the HIV pandemic head-on as a team, using each of our strengths as part of the fight,” said Olivia.

The Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust has been providing hope to people impacted by HIV/AIDS for 23 years. Its mission is to serve all those impacted by HIV/AIDS by providing hope in a practical and sustainable way. Its projects include care projects, prevention projects and poverty alleviation / income generation projects. Visit its website at www.hillcrestaids.org.za.