GOinnovation is hired by a variety of organizations (HINGOs, Embassies, Businesses) to provide team-building, team retreat, leadership training, holistic well-being, strategic planning and consulting work. As mentioned in our methodology, we believe development, success, health, and true leadership begins with the individual. Once an individual can know themselves, they can lead themselves and in turn know and lead others on a larger scale that contributes to organizational productivity and success. We tailor each program to the desires and needs of the organization as we know no two organizations (or their needs) are the same. We offer tailored programs ranging from 1 day-2 weeks in length, or create customized programs such as 2 day quarterly trainings with follow-up and small group coaching, etc. It is worth the investment to ‘slow down in order to speed up’. You will not regret the impact it has on team trust, unity, relationship and overall productivity!
GOinnovation offers tailored life and executive coaching for leaders, and small teams within organizations. At times this is apart of a longer-term organizational engagement after initial group training to get more context specific in overcoming the specific challenges of each team within a large organization. At other times, we are contracted on an individual basis outside of an organization. Again, we tailor our coaching programs to each individual’s or group’s unique desired outcomes and needs.
Our volunteer/probono work focuses on developing leaders in the most unreached and at-risk areas of East Africa who will cascade positive change among their people groups. There is a local proverb that says ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’. Therefore, knowledge or strategy alone do not change harmful practices; the common thread of our volunteer work is developing leaders address harmful belief systems at a core level that affects gender inequalities, ethnic and religious conflict and communities’ capacity for positive growth. This has taken us across the nation working among tribal groups from the South Sudan border, to the Somali border, South Omo and refugee camps. We tackle issues of youth joining extremist movements, gender inequality (FGM, girls going to school), genocide, human trafficking, child soldiers, and more. At times, this is done through soccer: while most would be hesitant to attend any formal training on these issues, when it’s done through football, it acts as an instant relationship, trust and peace builder.
In addition to mediating between warring groups, we also provide mediation services for organizations. This has included in cases of conflict between employees and management, for regional development projects (GIZ and KOICA in Eastern Regions) among others.
At the political level, this has involved bringing opposing political groups together to mediate conflict and unite on shared common values for the nation. One example of this is the Program for Young African Politicians (PYPA) which trains political groups across 16 different African nations.
We have witnessed enemies (whether coworkers, national and international staff members, opposition parties, ethnic or religious groups) conclude in making peace, and achieving unity with one another regardless of who is elected to bring about positive change in their nations.
We provide a wide range of peace/conflict resolution, capacity building, cultural and leadership development trainings tailored to the unique needs of Civil Society Organizations, Embassies, the Program for Young African Politicians (PYPA), and for the major stakeholders involved in democratic elections such as the National Election Board, religious & traditional leaders, Media, Security, University Professors, political opposition groups, minorities, etc, in every region of the country.
The results are tangible and focused on behavioural change which we believe has proven successful. For example, the democratic elections were arguably successful and did not result in added violence due to the elections themselves. Furthermore, we have watched politicians from the PYPA program leading their nations selflessly and peacefully. We have worked with and equipped CSOs to effectively progress amidst the many challenges and opportunities present in Ethiopia, and have helped Embassies overcome the many challenges they face on a daily basis.
