Meet Lizette Volkwyn. Lizette is energetic, dynamic and focussed and believes that all you have to do today is to be 1% better than yesterday. She encourages individuals to strive to self-acceptance and appreciating their self-worth. She doesn’t do rules, never wears similar earrings and her nails are always painted in different colours. She’s not one for accolades and care more about helping people. The biggest accolade for her is to hear that she made a difference in someone’s life.
Lizette is also one of only two certified PEI human lie detectors in South Africa and admits that her status as a human lie detector may seem intimidating but expresses that she is not always ‘on duty’. “Of course, signs may pop up when I am interacting with people socially, but I choose not to act on these. My goal is not to expose anyone as a liar, but to help foster transparency and to motivate people to feel confident enough to tell the truth. I want my skills to be used a tool to enhance communication.”
Common wisdom has it that you can spot a liar by how they sound or act, but experts know that it is actually quite difficult to spot a liar. While a low-stake lie – such as fibbing about your favourite colour – has hardly any repercussions, a high-stake lie – such as embellishing your qualifications on your CV – can have far-reaching consequences.
This causes quite a conundrum when companies are recruiting for high-level – and high-paying – positions. How can interviewers establish whether the person is as good in real life as their CV makes them out to be?
Her focus is on working with corporate clients, where she offers profiling services as part of the interview process for high-level candidates. “As a human lie detector, I focus on transparency. I consult and assist with the hiring process of high-level candidates, ensuring every avenue has been resolved to employ the best possible person for the position.”She also assists in cases of suspected white-collar crimes.
Initially qualifying as a Master Life Coach, Lizette decided to undergo the rigorous training involved in becoming a human lie detector – her course comprised 29 candidates from 27 countries, 24 of whom were from intelligence agencies. Her decision was driven by the fact that she wanted a unique skill that would enable her to better understand her clients and to help them achieve their desired results in shorter amount of time.
“As a life coach I quickly realised that although people wanted assistance and support, they would lie about certain aspects of their lives, which severely impacted their progress. Being able to detect these lies gives me an edge and enables me to help my clients far quicker, and in ways that would otherwise be impossible,” she explains. “It has been a game-changer and it is incredibly satisfying to be able to successfully help a client who has exhausted all other avenues.”
Lizette is a Jill of all trades who, following a corporate career spanning more than two decades, decided to follow her passion and launch her own consultancy. “I am passionate about people and after spending so many years in a corporate environment, I felt compelled to use my skills and knowledge to uplift others and help them realise their potential,” she says. She embarked on a journey to obtain the necessary qualifications, completing her Master Life Coach course in 2012 and her Truth and Creditability certificate in 2013. She also obtained her Positive Psychology certificate in 2020.
Today, in addition to her work as a human lie detector, she offers personal life coaching, sales, leadership and communication training, self-discovery workshops, group coaching, and online marketing training. She has addressed audiences as a keynote speaker at events around the globe and is the author of Finding Me, a book about self-discovery and exploration. “My book is aimed at helping people to accept themselves fully and to share their unique and authentic selves with the world.”
Additionally, Lizette has worked with clients in more than 20 countries and has shared the stage with international thought leaders. She is also a regular guest on national radio stations, magazines, and international podcasts.
While she is currently focused on educating companies about her truth and credibility work, this go-getter has exciting plans for next year. “As a trainer I am eager to guide a new group of life coaches early next year. I am also in the process of establishing an NGO that will benefit teenage girls, which should kick off in 2023. Finally, I am excited about launching my own product line, including journals, diaries, and affirmation cards.”
