With a shy and humble demeanour, Mthoko Shange might be a man of few words, but when he speaks he inspires and appeals to all who hear him.
From modest beginnings to worldly wisdom that has resulted in him helping people from all walks of life, Mthoko Shange believes he was born to bring hope, light and clarity to the lives of those he meets. But, he says, his most important desire is to realise and uncover the potential of others.
At 38, his mission, as he calls it, has afforded him opportunities to work with leaders from a variety of fields across the globe, where he’s bridged racial and social divides through forming good leadership structures, something he once never believed he’d ever do.
As a schoolboy, he struggled to learn and had to repeat Matric three times before teachers’ realised he was dyslexic.
‘Letters used to dance on paper. The teachers could never understand me. I was called a donkey and told I would never amount to anything.’ But one day while his mother was comforting him, he says she asked him what he wanted to be? ‘I said I wanted to change the world… give people hope, and that was the day I found the confidence to overcome my own limitations.’
Mthoko’s first distinction was obtained at UNISA where he studied community development and project management, qualifying as an International Life Coach, before volunteering for local NGOs. He later co-founded his own organisation – the Imbizo Business and Imbizo Foundation – a leadership and life skills-based company.
‘I try to guide others with enthusiasm and wisdom while recognizing their skills and strengths, and encouraging and nurturing their growth’. For the past eight years he’s also facilitated leadership development in schools and is passionate about raising leaders and mentoring young people from all arenas.
The biggest challenge, Mthoko says, lies in convincing people they are not failures. ‘Helping people to see themselves in a better light and ultimately changing their own narrative is not always easy, but it is possible.’
With 47 entrepreneurs currently under his mentorship, Mthoko hopes to see each of them believe in their dreams, become more competent in what they do and be as committed as they can be to achieve success within themselves.
‘Success isn’t about money, it’s about achieving everything that God set out for me. This anchors me because it fulfills me, and today my love language is affirmation. I don’t teach. I help people to uncover their own potential and encourage them to upskill themselves, because once you discover who you truly are, you become unstoppable.’
Mthoko, who describes himself as always being a kid at heart, started offering individuals and companies a holistic approach to creating happiness and motivation in the workplace through team building. ‘I was essentially teaching adults to be kids again because that’s how we all thrive. Now, as an established organisation, I bill a client and give to the poor.’
Together with his wife, Christy (who works closely with him) and their two children, eight-year-old Sam and Thandi, who’s five, the family made a conscious decision to move back to the township in Hammarsdale. The couple are also fostering teenagers Mike and Zanele.
‘‘I was raised by a powerhouse of a woman, my mother was the only constant in my life and she looked after me and raised me well. After she died we chose to move back to the home I grew up in. We’ve made alterations and built onto it to accommodate our growing family, and it feels good to be here. Being surrounded by poverty has its challenges, but this is the reason I do what I do.’
Mthoko invites others to join in on the celebration of life and to discover who they really are.
Details: imbizofoundation.com
Mthoko’s F O C U S Tips
Find your inner conviction
Successful people believe in themselves. It is very important as a human being to find your reason for existence. Discover the reason for pursuing your goal. Why do you want it? Who will you become once you’ve attained it? What will life look like when you’ve reached your goal?
Own it
Own your identity and dreams and then pursue these with passion.
Commitment and Community
The first step in managing your commitments is to take a quick inventory of what matters to you. This helps to identify whether you are putting your money (and your time and energy) where your mouth is. More important though, is to find your tribe – those who encourage and want the best for you – and then be accountable to them. By declaring your intention to achieve a certain goal you are more likely to stay focussed on the task at hand since you don’t want to disappoint others.
Unlearn bad habits and create successful ones
Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. The key is to figure out what sets you back and then create new, more empowering habits that will draw you closer to your goal.
Serve people with all your mind and might and stay hungry
People don’t remember who clever you are, they remember how you made them feel. Develop an insatiable hunger. Your goal needs to feeds and ignites your soul with purpose and meaning.
