The ‘i’ in TEAM
The classic cliché goes, “there is no ‘i’ in team”. Braam believes that without the i in team, the individual does not fully understand and appreciate their value to the team. “TEAM, as an acronym; Together Everyone Achieves More. But if you are not an asset to a team, you are, by default, a liability. “Being part of a team means it is vital that you deeply understand your value add. What is your contribution to the team? Not just ‘to increase sales’, or ‘provide greater service’ but deep down, what are your unique gifts and talents? And more significantly, what do you need to do to improve?” says Braam.
In his talk, Braam draws on the many life lessons he has learned in the vastness of the Gobi desert and the frozen nothingness that is the high plateau of Antarctica.
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The more you give the more you get
After a relatively successful career, at the age of 27 Braam was declared insolvent. He lost his father shortly thereafter and then his fiancé left him. Dejected and his self-esteem shattered he went off to the mountains to commit suicide. “I felt utterly insignificant. In those dark hours I realised that the greatest challenge was not to die but to live”, explains Braam. This was an epiphany moment, and Braam chose to devote his life to making a difference and being an asset to the world.
“When you do things for a cause beyond just your own selfish satisfaction you dip into a deeper, much more powerful pool of motivation. You move from success to significance.”
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Making change work for you
“Humans are supposed to be the most advanced and intelligent species on earth. If this is indeed so, then why is our economy failing and we are destroying our resource base? We are at a turning point in our history, a turning point which will ensure either our demise or our survival as a better, enlightened species. One of the key words we need to urgently embrace is change”, says Braam. Charles Darwin put it succinctly; “It is not the strongest, nor the most intelligent that will survive, it is the one who most accepts change”.
In this profound and life-changing speech Braam draws on a lifetime of his experiences in the African bush and the many lessons nature has taught him.“The myriad of species that interact to make this incredible planet as diverse and beautiful as it is have all evolved over billions of years. Their common denominator is change. Nothing in the world is static, even though we like to define things that way because it makes us feel safe and comfortable. Truly, everything is in flux, at all times, and whatever you do changes the trajectory of that change. When we understand this, not only do we grow as individuals, but our businesses grow as well.”, Braam emphasises.
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One earth; One home; Our responsibility
Braam has an unbridled passion for the natural world. He well known in wildlife conservation - a topic extremely close to his heart. As a conservationist and Honorary Ranger for SANParks, Braam has been involved in counter poaching operations and finding sustainable solutions to save the rhino fromextinction. He is taking the ongoing assault on South Africa’s rhino population very personally and – in line with his lifelong campaign for the preservation of our planet’s biodiversity – is heading an international crusade to protect our precious wildlife.
In this talk he inspires people to act and be part of the change required to ensure a sustainable future for all species on the planet, but also he help people reach their potential and to empower them to become better stewards of the Earth.
