CEO Insights Magazine

When it comes to meeting the changing demands of 21st-century enterprises, female leaders in training, coaching, and development are at the forefront. Their distinct viewpoints and backgrounds allow them to develop creative strategies that enable people and groups to quickly adjust to changing circumstances. Sandra Aveleira Viljoen, Founder and MD of New Beginnings, is a pioneer in organizational development, coaching, and training.

Sandra worked her way up to Regional General Manager at South African Airways after starting her career in sales and marketing. Motivated by the aspiration to enhance her leadership capacity, she started a path of self-improvement by exploring psychology and personal development. Sandra launched New Beginnings in 2003 to help leaders reach their full potential. As she concentrated on organizational development and executive coaching while living in South Africa, Mauritius, and Fiji, her vision changed. Today, New Beginnings is helping leaders flourish by using cutting-edge frameworks and a global network of coaches.

Embarking in an engaging interaction with CEO Insights Asia magazine, Sandra shares her strategies, future roadmap, and much more. Let’s delve into it.

How have you adapted your business strategy & focus as you moved across different countries and markets, & what impact has this had on your success?

New Beginnings, was established to enable South African leaders to reach their full potential. My husband and I moved to Mauritius, and I had to introduce coaching and executive development to a market that didn't know what these terms meant. As a result, I decided to shift my business priorities to establish a coaching community in Mauritius. In collaboration with ISNS (International Society of Neuro-Semantics), I introduced this certification to the local community and trained over 600 individuals over seven years. Today there are over 60 Mauritian Certified Meta-Coaches.

I evolved once again in 2016, refocusing on Organizational development and developed a new framework called ‘Systemic Development’. This framework, puts leadership development at the forefront of organizational development. This structure has shown to be quite effective, especially as it provides the Executive Team with practical tools to transform the organizational culture. My company is now thriving, with clients in Fiji and Mauritius as well as a global network of 17 executive trainers.

Tell us about the major leadership problems modern-day leaders are facing and how do you assist the leaders to overcome them.

For today's modern leaders, the transition from just doing well at work to being an expert leader is one of the main problems. A younger generation that prioritizes meaningful work and personal development needs to be inspired, mentored, and engaged by leaders.

The mis-conception of company culture is another major obstacle. The way leaders act and behave has a direct role in shaping the culture. Leaders are responsible to role model the organizational values on the wall so that they are experienced on the floor. Another common misconception among leaders is that they can learn leadership skills on their own.

I support leaders by assisting them in identifying and thwarting these deceptions. I mentor them in taking a systematic approach, helping them become better leaders through feedback, and setting an example of the desired culture in their day-to-day behavior.

You possess over two decades of experience. What has been your success mantra?

My motto for success is ‘leaders who develop themselves can transform cultures by making wiser decisions for the greater good of all.’ Leaders who invest in personal growth develop self-belief and have greater awareness of their unconscious biases.

Unconscious prejudice exists everywhere. Identifying these preconceptions within yourself is important because if you buy into the unfavorable stereotypes, it will restrict your potential.

I also put a lot of effort into ongoing personal development. This entails being conscious of my strengths and shortcomings and seeking feedback to pinpoint areas in which I may improve. I try to identify and address my blind spots. This is a lifelong path of self-development, and it is important to keep an open mind to new ideas and changes.

What is the future destination you are headed towards?

My next project is writing a book to present the framework I have created over the previous four years, together with interesting case stories. This book will assist in propagating insightful ideas and practical tactics to a larger group of leaders.

What advice would you give to budding industry leaders?

I would advise aspiring business executives to adopt an attitude of constant learning and development. Never stop being inquisitive about the most recent advancements, techniques, and publications in your industry. Instead of holding onto what you already know, seek out new perspectives and abilities. You will set yourself up for continued success and have a significant influence as a leader if you make a commitment to lifelong self-improvement and maintain an open mind to new concepts.

Sandra Aveleira Viljoen, Founder and MD, New Beginnings Coaching

Sandra is a seasoned leader in organizational and people development with over 22 years of experience. She launched New Beginnings in South Africa in 2003, creating unique leadership programs & the ‘Systemic Development Framework’ to drive organizational growth. Formerly Head of Sales and Marketing at South African Airways & HR Director at Cullinan Holdings, Sandra redefined people development practices. Certified as an ISNS Neuro-Semantics Trainer & Meta-Coach, she pioneered Meta-Coaching in Mauritius, certifying over 45 coaches.

Hobbies: Reading, Travelling, Going for walks & hiking.

Favorite Cuisine: Portuguese

Favorite Book: Books by A. H. Almaas, A Brief History of Everything by Ken Wilber, In Search of Being by George Gurdjieff

Favorite Travel Destination: Portugal, Fiji, Mauritius