Anchored Roots (Pty) Ltd is based in Cape Town and is a 100% black owned private company established in 2013 by Barbara Jaftha, who is a specialist in the areas of Leadership Development and Human Capital Management.
We provide leadership development training to young women in South Africa and across the African continent. There is a desperate need to develop female leaders. Based on research, women make up just over 50% of Africa's growing population and currently they under-represent in social, political and economic spheres, especially in Africa. We strategically align our development plan to address leadership development needs to women across a diverse spectrum of culture, social status, religion, industry and race group.
Our other key focus is the provision of management consulting services to corporates, parastals and government institutions. The Anchored Roots leadership model is uniquely designed to suit the culture of the organisation. Development solutions are designed after a detailed assessment has been conducted. The solution is not a "one shoe fits all" approach but instead designed to address the specific growth areas identified in the organizational or by the individual client.
Anchored Roots was inspired by the understanding that the extent and ability of our individual growth and success is directly linked to all that is within us, namely our core value system, which we have described as our "root system".
The primary purpose of the root system is to hold the tree in place and provide essential support for the tree to survive. The root system is known to perform four key functions to ensure the survival and growth of the tree. These are to:
Similarly, the root system of any individual can therefore be seen as the very foundation that defines who we are and how we behave. The root system feeds the very core of our spiritual, emotional and intellectual being. It dictates our ability to anchor and hold a strong foundation, store and absorb information and finally the ability to translate our learning and experiences into continuous improvement and growth.
Leadership Development and Coaching
Our leadership methodology is built on three key principles:
We believe that at the root, we need to develop as individuals in strengthening our root system (core value system), then only are we fully capacitated to branch out and extend our leadership principles to have influence and lead within organisations and communities alike.
We assist young women to unlock their potential and pursue their dreams.
There are only two lasting bequests we can give our children... one is roots, the other wings.
Stephen Covey.
We use specific management coaching techniques in a phased approach during the personal leadership transformation process. Below we have highlighted one such example.
Personal Leadership and Teaming | ||
Development of Self | Development of Team | Effective teaming in organisations, communities & society |
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Realise and understand potential | Unlock and release potential | Maximise potential |
The focus is on assessment of self, where the individual seeks to understand her own personal strengths and weaknesses and unlock her unique potential. | Once the individual has a deeper sense of self, she will be able to appreciate the different skills, knowledge and styles of people in her environment and find a way to operate effectively within larger groups, not losing her own identity. | At this stage, the individuals should have a clearer understanding of their personal leadership styles, as well as their unique strengths and its benefits in larger groups. This knowledge will enable them to work together in an effective manner in the workplace, the community and society at large. |
One of the greatest tragedies in life is to watch potential die untapped. A greater tragedy is to watch potential live unreleased.
Dr. Myles Monroe
Management Consulting
We help businesses improve their performance and grow by solving problems and finding new and better ways of doing things in all areas - strategy, structure, management and operations. Our area of focus is in Organizational Change. This could include a change in the organisational structure, a culture change, or change in systems and processes. Whatever the change, we are able to assist you through the transition, feeling informed, equipped and supported. Our support programs include some of the following:
We begin with the end in mind and cover three areas.
Service Categories
Leadership Development and Coaching | Management Consulting |
Personal Leadership and Youth Development Leading with influence in teams and communities Understanding, releasing and Maximising Potential Effective Communication – the Art of Language Skills Assessment and Development Assertiveness – conquering fear to operate effectively Executive coaching for managers Transformation Leadership |
Organisational Restructuring Change Management Functional Performance Assessments Human Capital Management and Performance Improvement Project Management Benefits Realisation Assessments Business Process Improvement |
The gallery below is an introduction to some of the leadership workshops
that have been successfully managed and facilitated by us.
Managing Director
I worked in the corporate environment for more than 15 years, specialising as a consultant in the areas of leadership development, training, coaching and change management. My passion for people, together with my in-depth experience as a business consultant and facilitator, led me to the establishment of Anchored Roots (Pty) Ltd in 2013.
My interest in people development is not only borne out of a deep spiritual sense to provide a service in this area, but also informed by my own personal life experiences. As a business woman and entrepreneur, I considered my service offering and approach very carefully and came to the conclusion that I can have the greatest impact in channeling my teaching to young women in the African continent and eventually the world.
As a mother of two, I focused a great deal of my attention on empowering my two children to instil within them a view to succeed by broadening the lens through which they view the world and to unlock their unique potentials.
Unfortunately, many of our youth do not have the privilege or benefit of similar nurturing, guidance and/or coaching. Instead, our youth are plagued with issues of low self esteem, lack of confidence, poor communication skills, silo thinking and a very narrow perspective on life. In the end, our young people fail in their careers, they struggle to excel in the workplace, they are fail to support their technical capability with the appropriate level of emotional strength and wisdom.
With this in mind, it is my passion to equip young women with the right tools and techniques to unlock their potential and strive as leaders.
So often, it takes only one woman to make a difference. If you empower that woman with information, and training, or a microloan, she can lift up her entire family and contribute to the success of her community. Multiply that one woman's impact by a hundred or a thousand, and perhaps a million lives can change.
Condoleezza Rice, former US Secretary of State
Associate Director
I am a female Kenyan residing in Nairobi. I am partnering with Barbara to contribute towards empowering young African females from disadvantaged backgrounds to realise their full potential and become future leaders fully participating in efforts to take Africa to heights of prosperity.
Like Barbara, I was raised in a disadvantaged setting, an urban location in Nairobi that had been set aside for African only settlements during the colonial period in Kenya's history. Most of the young females generally fell prey to early pregnancy and became school dropouts; single motherhood was a marked feature in the area. These young girls often gave up and most have not moved out of the circle of poverty, and instead replicated it upon their mostly fatherless children. Their untapped potential is quickly stifled and they remain condemned to chains of poverty and marginalisation.
I am passionate about making a difference to such young females because I was afforded an opportunity that changed my course of direction and kept me from getting locked in as they are now. I was fortunate to receive a bursary that moved me to an Elite School that provided a nurturing environment coupled with relevant resources that altered my life circumstance. The Elite national school was designed to produce leaders and my pathway was predetermined as I successfully translated from the elite primary school into an equally elite National High School and then to the National University. I know that this unique opportunity, coupled with my parents role modelling and mentoring, is what made the difference. So though I continued to live in the location much of my youth years, I was able to apply changed mindset, attitude and vision ingrained from the environment of the Elite Schools to have a different destiny from that of my childhood and youth peers. To this extent I am keen to offer such an opportunity to young females from my vantage position. I can leverage on my know- how, networks and international exposure to bring change leadership opportunities that could help turn around the course of direction of these young girls, open them up to their inert potential and provide a platform for them to be empowered to become transformative leaders of the future.
If you would like to know more about our services and explore ways in which we can assist you, please send us a message detailing your request and/or interest. We look forward to hearing from you.