South Africa: Alive with Possibility!

In 2008, I had the immense privilege of hosting Ben and Roz Zander in South Africa for a 23-day journey with a clear purpose: to re-ignite the story of South Africa as Alive with Possibility.

My commitment to the idea of possibility began in 2000. At the time, my family and I were living in the UK, and I was desperately homesick. I read The Art of Possibility by Roz and Ben Zander and was profoundly inspired. In the book, they describe a visit to South Africa, where every person they met spoke about the country with passion and urgency—as if it were a living, breathing entity. They called it Symphonia—the sounding of all voices together. That very night, I asked my accountant to begin the process of renaming my consulting firm from Shared Learning to Symphonia Consulting. I knew, in that moment, that we would return to South Africa and that I was being called to create spaces for South Africans to talk together about the future we envisioned for our beautiful, wounded country.

At the time, I was completing my doctorate, exploring the transformational power of conversation and dialogue. I was deeply drawn to the idea that by disrupting existing narratives, we could change the trajectory of South Africa’s future. We change the world one room and one conversation at a time, as Peter Block later taught me.

When my family and I returned to South Africa in 2004, I was filled with purpose—but I also felt untethered. After years of consulting in the UK, Europe, Singapore, and the USA (and loving it), I struggled to find my professional footing in South Africa. I missed the networks, relationships, and sense of belonging I had cultivated abroad. Unsure of how to re-establish myself, I took the easier path—I continued working in Europe and the UK, commuting between continents rather than fully committing to life and work in South Africa.

But in 2007, my daughters confronted me with a simple yet profound question: Why do we live in South Africa if you are always away? Their words struck a chord. I realized that if I was to be truly present, I needed to change not just my physical location but also my internal narrative about South Africa.

As I wrestled with this transition, I found myself reflecting on what I had learned during my doctoral studies. I had been introduced to the concept of social constructivism—the understanding that the world is shaped by the stories we tell. I had come to see how deep systemic change becomes possible when we disrupt the patterns that shape people’s experiences within a system. This insight reinforced my belief that transforming South Africa’s future would require more than policies or programs—it would require shifting the collective story we told about our country and about ourselves.

Yet, the prevailing narrative around me was anything but hopeful. I was bombarded with stories of crime, corruption, and decline. People repeatedly told me we had made a mistake bringing our daughters back. While working overseas, I could more easily tune out these voices, but now, back home, I had to make a choice: I could either be consumed by the downward spiral of cynicism, or I could seek out and amplify a different story—one of possibility.

I knew I couldn’t do this alone. I needed help.

That’s when I turned to Ben and Roz Zander. Their book had inspired Brand South Africa’s tagline Alive with Possibility, and I had a strong sense that we needed to re-ignite that story. I managed to secure 20 minutes with Ben at a conference in Sun City, where I pitched an idea: Would he be willing to engage South Africans in a new conversation about our collective future? He was intrigued but non-committal. If you’re serious, you need to come to Boston and enrol Roz, he said.

So, in August 2007, I traveled to Boston and met with Ben and Roz on Ben’s boat on the Charles River. Miraculously, they said yes. As we left, Ben turned to me and said, We are ready to be used as instruments of possibility.

We spent most of 2008 preparing for their trip. In August, Ben and Roz arrived for 23 whirlwind days, engaging over 15,000 South Africans across 97 events. They became an ‘excuse’ for citizens to gather and have new conversations about our future. Since working with Peter Block, I’ve learned the power of a compelling invitation—how the right ‘bait’ brings people into the room. And Ben? He was exceptional bait. Many people said YES to the invitation.

Before their visit, Ben and Roz wrote a letter that still gives me goosebumps:

Two shoe salesmen were sent to Africa from England in the 19th century to see if there was any opportunity to sell shoes.

?’SITUATION HOPELESS STOP’ one of them cabled back, ‘NO ONE WEARS SHOES’

?’GLORIOUS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY STOP’?wrote the other, ‘THEY HAVE NO SHOES’

This will be our fifth visit to South Africa – it is the country that we have visited together more than any other. Certainly we are drawn by the broad vistas and gentle sweep of hills and foliage, exquisite sweet-smelling flowers and balmy air, the long line of waves coming in from the South, as well as the views of vineyards and farmland?(and, of course the opportunity to come up close to magnificent animals roaming in freedom).

But most of all – by far most of all – it is the people who draw us back.? The first time we came we were stunned and moved by the passion you South Africans have for the glorious, unprecedented political experiment that was born in 1994.? We had never experienced anywhere else such excitement or such hope in virtually every conversation.? On our first visit we spent an evening with Helen Suzmann and Madiba; we met future leaders and spoke with housekeepers and bellboys.? Everyone talked the same way- with shining eyes!? And every conversation centered on the dream.

We came with a gift: The Art of Possibility. ?Possibility is not something you hope for – like good weather.? It is a rigorous discipline rooted in the knowledge that we invent our own reality and can choose to frame our circumstances. We can either tell the story of the downward spiral (SITUATION HOPELESS) or speak in radiating possibility (GLORIOUS OPPORTUNITY).

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?This is the Art of Possibility and it lives in the way we speak and when we speak in possibility, our eyes shine. As a parent or teacher we are given this opportunity of leadership every time we open our mouths.?? Indeed, each interaction with another human being, or with any creature, is an opportunity for leadership.? This is our message and the training we offer is to deepen the capacity for the adult conversation.

We believe that the practices of Possibility can be powerful tools for overcoming the challenges that could threaten Mandela’s dream from becoming a reality. Of course, we are aware that South Africa faces many difficulties – increased crime, disease, mismanagement, and the frequent breakdown of systems, all contributors to anxiety and cynicism. But we should never forget that a cynical person is a passionate person who doesn’t want to be disappointed again. So we will always speak to the passion that is the birthright of every modern South African and not allow ourselves to be caught in the web of cynicism.

You are the warmest, most open-hearted people, generous beyond measure, always looking for opportunities where none appear to exist.?Think of the many projects and institutions - schools, hospitals and clinics where you find the world’s most spiritual and devoted people; the many companies that are dedicated to providing rapid training and advancement to those who a generation ago would never have dreamed of such a life.

The dream South Africa already exists. It has come so far.? The cities glitter with modern industry; housing and infrastructure has sprung up everywhere, cafes and restaurants are vibrant as young people of all races take pleasure in each other’s company and speak of the future. ?

That is the story of South Africa. The world is watching, watching to see if the dream that Nelson Mandela harbored in prison for 27 years could be made real.

There is no need for despair, there is a need for faith – the faith that the strength and guidance of its citizens will enable South Africa to continue its amazing development. ?

What is called for is a story, a story already half-written, for the possibility of South Africa, a story alive with Possibility!? A GLORIOUS OPPORTUNITY!

To put this story out into the world we need powerful and clear-headed leaders.? We are coming to contribute to this venture.? We believe that a true leader is the relentless architect of the possibility that others can be.

We are honored to be visitors once again to your country and privileged to join your song of Possibility.

?Ben and Roz Zander?

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Reading their words 16 years later, I see how profoundly they shaped my thinking about leadership, active citizenship, and the responsibility we all have to let our light shine.

During those three weeks with Ben and Roz, I felt a deep calling: to ignite possibility in South Africa. We created a video with the intention to engage South Africans in this conversation. Archbishop Tutu endorsed our endeavour with these words: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQAu8zAyHcA

You may enjoy watching the "South Africa: Alive with Possibility" video we made after the trip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWqtVXfYo7U&t=2s

The calling to ignite possibility led to the creation of Partners for Possibility (PfP)—a leadership development and social change initiative that impacted over 2,000 schools and millions of lives. Leading PfP for 12 years brought me immense joy, meaning, and purpose.

Now, in 2025, I find myself asking: What can we do—collectively—to re-ignite the idea that South Africa is Alive with Possibility?

Every time I engage with this question, I notice a shift within myself. My posture changes. My energy lifts. I feel lighter. More hopeful. Being at Artscape recently, experiencing the magic of the Ndlovu Youth Choir, was a visceral reminder of what’s possible when we choose to see possibility.

So I ask you: What stories are you telling about South Africa? What possibilities are we choosing to see? How do we—leaders, citizens, change-makers—co-create a future worth believing in?

A Call to Purpose

So, what if South Africa has a larger purpose?

What if our long, painful, beautiful journey has uniquely positioned us to be a gift to the world? What if the lessons we’ve learned—about reconciliation, about leading change, about staying engaged even when it's hard—are exactly what the world needs right now?

We have been through hell and back, and yet we continue to rise. We have learned how to navigate complexity, how to tell new stories, and how to co-create a shared future.

What if this is our work—not just for ourselves, but for the world?

We are not just beneficiaries of global support—we are contributors. We have something profound to offer: the wisdom, experience, and courage that come from decades of working through trauma and transformation.

What do you think? Could South Africa’s purpose be to serve as a global leader in transformation and possibility?

#Leadership #Possibility #SouthAfrica #Hope #ActiveCitizenship #SouthAfricaAliveWithPossibility #PartnersForPossibility #Art of Possibility