I’m Willie Snyman

Life, Business & Financial Coach

I have realised the importance of what coaching can do to drastically enhance performance!

My Story

I was born in Johannesburg in 1956, the same year 20 000 women from all corners of SA marched on the Union Buildings to protest against the proposed amendments to the Urban Areas Act of 1950. Women left bundles of petitions containing more than 100 000 of signatures at Prime Minister’s Strijdom’s door.

My father died nearly 5 years later, and my mother moved to the platteland (Magaliesburg) where she found work as a secretary for the schoolmaster of Laerskool Bekker. A few years later she married a local farmer and me and my older brother shed our branding of stadsjapies to plaasjapies. I was 8. Only much later in my life (after university) I developed a better understanding of how my life was shaped by circumstances, opportunities, politics, genes, personalities, religion and apartheid.

In short: My childhood was characterized by confusion, loneliness and being rebellious at home. But at school I drew a mask of sanity, made sure I excelled in academics and became head boy of Bekker High School in 1973.

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I went to study psychology and theology at university as an attempt to quiet the voices of insecurity and to find meaning and purpose in a world I perceived as dangerous and unfair. Part of my coping strategies was to blame and to come across I know it all in a subtle way. My first marriage at 21 was an ointment for inner wounds.

In my second year at university, one of the Psychology books “Man’s search for meaning” from Victor Frankl made a forever impression on my thinking. I realized that I could give meaning to n perceived meaningless world. After my BA degree in Psychology and Greek, I went ahead and did my theology degree. And again, a book changed the course of my life: Think and grow rich from Napoleon Hill. After that, life was never the same. I finished my theology degree and as part of theological training at that time, preached a few times and felt deep in my heart not believing what I am preaching. I closed the door on the Dutch Reformed Church, went to the army as a normal troop for my basic training and was later transferred to Military Intelligence where I did security clearances for the SANDF.

After the army, my career started in the insurance industry as an agent for African Eagles, joined Sanlam in 1983, moved up the corporate ladder with various roles in senior management. After 20 years of service, was retrenched, started a business development job at a small insurer and then moved to an IT company as business development executive, acting MD and retired as GM.

I grew up in a dis-functional apartheid society and home. Emotionally I felt rejected for a considerate time in my life. I developed pattern of behavior of building relationships and then destroys it, because going back to internal chaos was the inside familiar. I was a victim. I needed the trauma and disaster of a second failed marriage failure to spiral me in the right direction.

My Skills & Competency Profile

Strategy Development

The process of defining a strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy.

Change Management

For all approaches to prepare, support, and help individuals, teams, and organizations in making organizational change.

Conflict Resolution & Mediation

Assists disputing parties in resolving conflict through the use of specialized communication and negotiation techniques

Team Coaching

Supports a learner or client in achieving a specific personal or professional goal by providing training and guidance.

Financial & Life Coaching

Designed alliance between coach and client where the coaching relationship continually gives all the power back to you

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I went to study psychology and theology at university as an attempt to quiet the voices of insecurity and to find meaning and purpose in a world I perceived as dangerous and unfair. Part of my coping strategies was to blame and to come across I know it all in a subtle way. My first marriage at 21 was an ointment for inner wounds.

In my second year at university, one of the Psychology books “Man’s search for meaning” from Victor Frankl made a forever impression on my thinking. I realized that I could give meaning to n perceived meaningless world. After my BA degree in Psychology and Greek, I went ahead and did my theology degree. And again, a book changed the course of my life: Think and grow rich from Napoleon Hill. After that, life was never the same. I finished my theology degree and as part of theological training at that time, preached a few times and felt deep in my heart not believing what I am preaching. I closed the door on the Dutch Reformed Church, went to the army as a normal troop for my basic training and was later transferred to Military Intelligence where I did security clearances for the SANDF.

After the army, my career started in the insurance industry as an agent for African Eagles, joined Sanlam in 1983, moved up the corporate ladder with various roles in senior management. After 20 years of service, was retrenched, started a business development job at a small insurer and then moved to an IT company as business development executive, acting MD and retired as GM.

I grew up in a dis-functional apartheid society and home. Emotionally I felt rejected for a considerate time in my life. I developed pattern of behavior of building relationships and then destroys it, because going back to internal chaos was the inside familiar. I was a victim. I needed the trauma and disaster of a second failed marriage failure to spiral me in the right direction.

With all my Ups & Downs, I learned some lessons:

Happiness in life means more doing & less thinking

Being on purpose, cultivates happiness

It is possible to find meaning in chaos & in small frustrations

Acceptance of reality does not mean agreeing with it

Accept what cannot be changed is a process, not merely a decision

Blaming is disempowering stupid

Having peace of mind is one of the best gifts of all

Companies I Have Assisted

Some of my clients

Don't wait any longer. Start forging your own path today!

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