As trainers we have facilitated workshops in all kinds of buildings in various corners of the world, but February ranked pretty high on the unusual stakes. The community hall at Linda School in Lusaka, Zambia has bare concrete walls and floor; the tin roof bakes in the heat and clatters in the rain. Most of the windows are broken and so are the toilets.

But as usual our visit to Zambia was a lesson in how the human spirit can thrive anywhere.

For the first time in Linda Compound, Julie Wookey and I gave three one-day workshops on Leadership, Accountability and Forgiveness to over 100 people in total. There were handouts and certificates; there was music, laughter and bonding.

We shared the teachings that we live by, because they have supported us in our relationships, in our careers, with our families and children, and in creating success for ourselves.

As retired trainers who have travelled all over the world, we have discovered that this wisdom is universal to all human beings, whatever their beliefs, race, or culture. What we teach supports any faith.

In the first world, we can get so caught up in our status, our materialism and our supposed success; we may think we are different or even unequal to others that we share this planet with. We can be very creative in our reasons to stay separate and put up fences and borders. But the truth is we are all the same and these wonderful workshops were another confirmation that the principles of joining together, love and bonding really do work.