Review
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ime itself does not change things; It is God working through people who change things – over time. This is the creed that informs the purpose of South African entrepreneur, Graham Power’s life. A journey characterized by challenges, self-discovery and an encounter with God. He grew up as one of the five children in a working class home. His father was a motor mechanic and his mother pedalled her bicycle to work in a local store everyday. When his father passed away, Graham had finished school, so he went straight to work, for a local and Construction Company, as a trainee Surveyor. Driven by a hunger for success and financial independence, Graham went the extra mile; working harder, smarter and longer than most of his colleagues and peers. He quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the youngest Contracts Manager. In 1983, Graham ventured out to become his own boss. With one employee and a small truck, he began by doing small paving jobs and soon registered numerous companies. Money started flowing in, and he continued expanding what we know today as the Power Group of Companies, for which he is Found and Board Chairman. The Group’s core purpose is “to improve the quality of life in Africa through infrastructure development.” Interestingly, even after becoming one of Southern Africa’s top leaders in the fields of civil engineering, development and construction, and after attaining all the riches and financial independence he had long longed for, Graham remained restless. There was some emptiness in his life he could not understand; a void that could not be filled by another business deal, an article in the newspaper, another award or even new property. In February 1999, after doing a lot of reading and soul searching, Graham came to realise that he was created for a much more significant purpose. He clearly understood that God had called him to serve, with all of the talents and abilities he was endowed with. And so, he gave his life, family and business to Christ.
This decision has had some significant and far-reaching consequences for his personal and business life; giving him a perspective on life that removed his ego from the centre of his actions and decisions. His reason for doing business was no longer motivated by a drive for personal success and recognition but to achieve a much more important objective; true transformation and a positive renewal of society. That’s why Graham is very much involved in the community. His overwhelming desire to see society changed through ethics and values, spurred him to initiate the Unashamedly Ethical campaign that challenges people to fight against systemic corruption in order to eradicate systemic poverty. The 57-year-old is also currently the Chairman of Transformation Africa and Global Day of Prayer, the largest prayer movement in all recorded history with partners in nearly every country with a mandate to pray for the needs of the world. So much does Graham believe in the power of prayer to transform lives that in 2001 he led a gathering of 45,000 people that filled Newlands Stadium in Capetown, South Africa, to pray for the needs of the nation. The author of Not By Might Nor By Power and Transform Your Work Life, Graham is a strong believer in people and what they are capable of. He believes if all of your life is given over to Christ Jesus then there is no need to balance God and business. God is a part of every aspect of your life. As such one’s faith changes how one does business, who one does business with and what one gains from business dealings to share with others. Graham also believes in the old adage that all work without play makes Jack a dull boy. So he tries to find time for rugby, which he loves so much. Out of his very busy schedule, he also finds time to cycle his bike as a way of relaxing. A native of Cape Town, South Africa, Graham believes that our courage, our thoughts and our initiatives spur actions that trigger events that shape the future for ourselves and those whose lives we touch.
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Judges’s Best people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started
Judges’s Best people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started
Judges’s Best people learn the skills of business practice. With 2,000 candidates directly trained, 100 successful enterprises started
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