Marichen Mortimer - Testimonials

"We were a team of unemotional, skeptical bankers with one-sided thinking of only one answer to a problem. We didn't have deep relationships in the team. We compared ourselves to others and other teams to try to figure out what outperformance would look like, instead of looking inwardly. Marichen guided us to unlock the trapped potential in us as individuals and us as a team. Through her coaching, for the first time, most of us saw our colleagues as people who we could comfortably engage and not fear for lack of misunderstanding each other. In individual coaching, Marichen guided me on how to own my successes and transform my outlook on life in the most natural way. After a Marichen session, I always felt more capable, more confident and more grateful. In our final team coaching session, heartfelt tears were shared from unexpected colleagues who just let go and showed gratitude to the team. This was the doing of Marichen! She is an incredible coach, improving relationships to help us thrive in this very busy and sometimes lonely world."
~ Kamini Ramsamy, Risk Head: Home Loans, Feb 2024

"The journey with Marichen has been one I needed but didn't know I did. She has a charm mixed with intellect which allows our coaching sessions to feel natural all the time. She is very attentive and fully engages with you and your personal journey, this is where the strength of the sessions comes from. If you open yourself up to the journey, then the growth will come. In a year of challenges, the sessions with Marichen were my go-to. They helped me unpack the challenge in front of me and how I will respond. In addition, as Leader, how I will support those around me. In this journey of discovery and learning about self, Marichen plays the great navigator. She's a gem."
~ Kingsley Maloka, Executive Head: Everyday Banking Service Operations: ABSA, Nov 2023

"Our leadership coaching sessions were special and had a profound impact on me partly because you focused on the wellbeing of the 'whole' self; the spirit, mind and body. I reminded the man in the mirror that he should not let material success or power fool him into giving up the simple human things in life because that's what he will cherish in the end. The walks on the beach, playing with my children, lying down and just staring at the ceiling and writing that next book, whether someone else will read it or not. I told him he must always be grateful for gratitude – as Elie Wiesel, that Holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate once said – is what defines the humanity of the human being. Grateful to have met someone like you who served as a mirror in which I could see myself. I believe these sessions have made me a better person."
~ Sibulelo Ncamani, Head of Governance, Risk & Compliance : ABSA, Nov 2023

"Marichen has made taking a good look at myself a truly enjoyable experience; accepting and having grace with myself, finding what makes me unique within my team setting, and identifying what I can work on to bring my best self to the team. She takes a holistic approach to each individual's personal and career situations, roles, traits and aspirations. Furthermore, our team engagements have helped us to build understanding relationships and trust. Her coaching is more than just leadership coaching, but rather a journey to achieve personal mastery."
~ Olivia Steyn, Manager Portfolio Analytics: ABSA, Nov 2023

"Coaching with Marichen has been really rewarding. With the stressors that came my way in 2021/22, she was the perfect psychological reinforcement with her optimistic vitality and consistent support. She has a knack for meeting clients where they are emotionally & mentally, and pulling them up whilst creating a safe, yet challenging environment. She is part coach, part mentor and part cheerleader. Working with Marichen has provided me with an increased amount of opportunity, exposure and increased knowledge on how to position myself in my professional and personal lives."
~ Karabelo Selebogo, Lead Specialist: Strategy Planning, Liberty, Jan 2023

" 'The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem' ― Captain Jack Sparrow. Through my journey with Marichen, I have learnt that leadership is more about being a empathetic listener rather than having all the answers. Marichen effectively highlighted that we are all different, in a good way, and provided skills and tools to have more productive conversations with colleagues. The skills I have learnt have helped me engage better with stakeholders and be a better leader."
~ Nolin Moonsamy, Snr Manager: Business Analytics, Liberty, Oct 2022

"Thank you for creating a safe space for me to enable my best self both at work and personally. Your warm caring manner and undivided attention ensured I was comfortable during every session and could debate my thoughts, explore my feelings and make decisions on the way forward. The experience that stands out head and shoulders above the rest is the equine interaction. I learned so much about trust, connection and leadership that day and I still get goosebumps every time I think about it. I thank you for unwavering encouragement, compassion, care messages and actively listening. Having been certified as an enneagram practitioner during our time together, I was privileged to get to know myself on a much deeper level, and to witness team debriefs on a practical level. I have learned to be a more effective coach myself. Thank you for the privilege of working with you – I loved the process."
~ Hazel Lerman, Divisional Executive: Group Customer Relations, Liberty Group, Oct 2022

"Marichen was engaged a number of years back to assist our EXCO to become a more cohesive unit. It is testimony to her skills that despite the challenges faced in light of COVID, having to navigate individual and group sessions on virtual platforms etc., the Nafprop EXCO are still intact and stronger than before. Without Marichen's engagement, this would not have been possible. In addition and very importantly, she is an extremely kind person as well as a great listener."
~ Jaco Burger, GM Property Management, NAFPROP, 2021

"The many sessions we spent together, both individually and as a group, were extremely inspiring and really helped to unite and motivate the EXCO team. Your insight, positive and enthusiastic approach made for very interesting and enjoyable sessions, which each of us took so much from. The change in leadership that took place during our time together did add a few challenges, but your guidance that ensued really helped in building the bridge that we all had to cross. The crossing itself became a worthwhile experience, thanks to your coaching, and I believe that the resultant effects of your input will continue to inspire the team to grow from strength to strength. Thank you very much for a great experience, one which I look forward to continuing in due course."
~ Robert Peel, Head : Projects and Development, NAFPROP, 2021

"Through coaching with Marichen, I learnt some new life skills that I was able to implement both into my work environment and my personal life. Apart from her exceptional coaching abilities, Marichen always brought a sense of calm into the conversation and is an excellent listener. Marichen was my coach at time when I had to face some difficult challenges in my career but I have to thank her for helping me deal with those challenges head on, for being an exceptional guide but standing just far enough back enabling me to make my own decisions. Marichen brings energy to a discussion and is extremely caring, two qualities that I enjoyed while working with her as my coach. I couldn’t have navigated the past 3 years in my career without the assistance of Marichen as my coach!"
~ Jennifer van Rensburg, Executive: 3rd Party Distribution, Liberty Group SA, 2020

"After 12 months of personal coaching with Marichen, I can definitely confirm that she is truly an alchemist that brings out the best in people. Marichen doesn't let you hide and pushes all the right buttons to help your personal growth and self-mastery. An amazing coach, she approaches your journey holistically and achieves amazing results."
~ Samantha Swanepoel, Chief Experience Officer, Barloworld Equipment, 2020

"I started off this course asking myself a number of questions i.e. I've been on so any leadership journeys what would be different on this one?; Why do I need yet another leadership intervention to be drilling into my professional and personal life? Can't I just do the work that I'm supposed to do, and everyone else just do their work without needing to continuously work on relationships – it's so exhausting!? And here I am at the end of a chapter and already turning the page to understand where this leads. It has changed me you see, changed my view of work and personal relationships and how we all can move each mountain together, and thus it has changed the essence of my book. It has helped me discover new voices... the voices of my fellow colleagues. Voices which were always there but which I did not necessarily take the time to listen to. The truth is that there are no right or wrong voices without first listening to different perspectives. And what uplifting voices these are with the ability to add ideas other than my own, to make a conversation whole, a task effective, and an approach holistic!"
~ Keshnee Pinder, Lead Portfolio Manager, ABSA Bank, 2020

"I have really enjoyed the journey we as a group and Company have taken this year. The process has lead me to not only look at my relationship and contributions to my colleagues and the company but also in my personal life as a parent to my children. I have received tremendous self-benefit from the program and truly believe our team has grown a lot closer with more understanding of each other's needs and strengths and how we can best contribute to a successful team. May your passion and compassion continue to develop Leadership Teams for many years to come, as Leadership is something that is sorely lacking in this beautiful continent of ours. We have all the resources and opportunities yet lack the Will and Skill to succeed."
~ Rod Foley, Buyer, Furnmart, 2020

"We were a new management team, Marichen helped us through a forming period right through our journey to becoming a high performance team. She helped us to confront difficult conversations and when we thought we are dealing with conflict she helped us recognize that we needed to work at dealing with conflict effectively as a team in a non-intimidating way. She has equipped us with tools to be able to continue our leadership journey and sustain ourselves well into the future."
~ Abigail Mashaba, Head Business Optimisation: Card Issuing, ABSA, 2020

"I would like to thank you Marichen for the journey that you walked with me. You made me realise just how powerful I am and can be. By setting goals – sometimes even daunting ones – I was able to realise the real me, and what potential I have. Thank you for believing in me and for stretching me. I have achieved more these past 6 months than what I had achieved in many years. I also now have far more confidence to try out new things, and if it’s not for me, that’s ok. My outlook is also now far more balanced – as I now focus on mental, spiritual and physical commitments. I can now trust my heart. I can be bold. I have taken back my power. The way you have worked with me and connected with me will always be very special to me. Thank you."
~ Christelle van Staden, Head: HR, Nedbank

"This has been such a rewarding journey of self-discovery and learning. The professional and exemplary manner in which you have guided us though this journey created a safe and welcoming environment that allowed us to share, learn and grow - a truly exceptional experience."
~ Marius Weyer, Head Risk & Control, Absa Card, 2020

"Marichen facilitated 'Learn to Relax' sessions for our business and our employees really enjoyed it and experienced it as adding a lot of value. People still talk about being in 'Bora Bora' and appreciated the practical approach of the sessions, especially the relaxations techniques you shared. Thank you Marichen for a great offering, it added a lot of value and we would love to use you again!!"
~ Cecile Gauche, OD Consultant, Momentum Short-term Insurance

"Working in a high intensity environment, with timeline pressures and high complexity, my team and I were in need of stress coping mechanisms. The intervention provided good practical techniques for stress management, bonded the team and gave perspective on things that really matter. A definite worthwhile investment."
~ Stelios Vakis, Head Business It Enablement for Channels, Nedbank

"Mrs. Marichen Mortimer is a seasoned facilitator and a professional coach who has exceptional leadership, executive coaching and mentoring skills. Through her leadership, the programmes she facilitated with the CSIR and the partners, stakeholders achieved the intended outcomes and excellent relationships. I had a friend, coach, mentor, facilitator, and a leader in her. The journey travelled with Partners for Possibilities was worthwhile because of her and a lot of possibilities were created."
~ Joseph Tshikomba, Manager: Human capital Development, CSIR

"Through the difficult journey that we as a team took, going through Covid and adapting to our new normal, your influence on us and interaction with us helped us to navigate through the uncertain times. Through this process of self-discovery and growing as a team, you became one of us, part of our team. For us, you are part therapist, part consultant, part motivational expert, part professional organizer, part friend. The interesting thing about coaching is that you have to trouble the comfortable, and comfort the troubled – thank you for challenging us, so that we could break out of our comfort zones and grow into a team."
~ Johan Steyn, RBB Everyday Banking Risk Head: Portfolio Analytics, ABSA, 2021

"At the outset of our coaching sessions, I was in a very difficult space personally and professionally. Personally, many challenges and frustrations were manifesting themselves as we headed into a world-wide COVID pandemic, transfer of our new house happened a week before the hard lockdown and we found ourselves living in a world unknown. Professionally, I had faced numerous frustration and delays in progressing my career and had endured further frustration and disappointment having been overlooked for promotion in the preceding year. 2020 would prove to be an incredibly difficult and frustrating year having to adjust to working from home, engaging with colleagues and clients remotely and dealing with the impact that the pandemic would have on the commercial real estate sector in South Africa.
From the outset, Marichen provided a sense of security in our engagements and ensured that our sessions were a 'safe' place to discuss the many challenges and issues that I faced and had to learn to deal with in a different manner in order to develop the 'gravitas' and presence that is required of my current position, while still having to deal with getting the work done. Marichen had engaged with my direct manager and divisional executive and knew what they required me to work on and demonstrate growth. The many subtle tools that she gave me to work with, the techniques to prepare me and deal with in-the-moment emotionally charged reactions and to learn not to be so reactive in the moment but rather 'keep my cool' are things that she helped me embed in the way that I deal with things and portray myself. Marichen restored my confidence, embedded a better way of dealing with everyday stresses and frustrations and assisted me in demonstrating the characteristics that was required to achieve the desired recognition and promotion professionally. This has filtered through into my personal life with my relationships being stronger than ever.
What best sums up the above is in my final interview for promotion, the head of our business commented that he could see that over the last year I have become a lot more aware of who I am, what I bring to the table and have developed into someone that the business values. He also said that he admired that I was a person that not only identified aspects and characteristics that needed work/attention but that I actually worked on these and implemented them to my benefit. Thank-you Marichen. You truly are a wonderful individual, easy to relate to, you inspired me to grow and continuously work on things and see life/things with a different perspective. You provided such a safe environment to discuss whatever I needed to and never made me feel rushed or like just another assignment – you made me discover my confidence again, made me feel value and important and taught me how to identify things which are important and those that are not. And you took personal interest seeing me grow and achieve what you saw within me. I owe you a huge amount of gratitude and hope that we will be able to work on the next step on my career path."
~ Themi Argyrou, Principal, Nedbank Limited Corporate and Investment Bank: Property Finance, 2022