Archive For: Leadership

When the Sky Is Falling

Overnight Melbourne had one of the wildest thunderstorms it has even seen. Rolling thunder and lightning (very, very frightening) lasted for hours.

I know it lasted for hours because I lay awake listening to it at 2am and then at 6am. My gorgeous wife struggled to sleep with all the noiseso listened to it for hours also.

Poor Winston (our dog) did not know what to do with himself. He was shaking and probably thought the world was coming to an end. We knew it wouldn’t last so we just comforted him and held him so he knew he was safe.

A couple of friends said that they had to do the same thing with their kids.

Life (and business) is like that. Sometimes you need someone who has been through it before or who has a different context or a great perspective to guide you. This is true whether it is because the sky is falling, you are struggling to achieve the success you are after or you are just facing a problem you don’t know how to deal with.

So what do you do when the sky is falling?
PS I am running an online session on Psychology of Success. There is no charge and you can attend on Tuesday evening (11th Nov) or Wed lunch time the next day.

I would love for you to join me. To find out more or sign up click on this link.

 

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Do You Have What It Takes?

I believe that people love strong leaders. They want someone who is willing to take the hard road and give reasons why we should join.

Here is a short video sharing further thoughts on Do You Have What It Takes to Be A Leader.

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Do Not Go Gently

we want gough

Gough Whitlam was a polarizing figure. People either loved him or hated him. His passing overnight will sadden many.

I was thrilled to portray him at the recent Melbourne Fringe Festival but I really knew very little about him.

For a man who was Australia’s leader for three short years, he had a significant impact on it. You need only look at the considerable list of achievements to see that we still enjoy some of his benefits today. The Guardian newspaper lists some of the following:

  • created Australia’s national health insurance scheme, Medibank;
  • abolished university fees;
  • introduced state aid to independent schools and needs-based school funding;
  • returned traditional lands in the Northern Territory to the Gurindji people;
  • drafted (although did not enact) the first commonwealth lands right act;
  • established diplomatic relations with China,
  • withdrew the remaining Australian troops from Vietnam;
  • introduced no-fault divorce laws;
  • passed the Racial Discrimination Act;
  • blocked moves to allow oil drilling on the Great Barrier Reef;
  • introduced environmental protection legislation;
  • and removed God Save the Queen as the national anthem.

In his first year in office his government passed over 200 bills. Gough had created a vision for the future of Australia and it was referred to as his Program. Rightly or wrongly, he was steadfast in his commitment to achieving it.

My hope is that his passing with further stimulate open discussion about our current political state. While Gough was polarizing, he had character, vision and commitment to his cause. Our current political leaders pale in comparison. They appear to be self indulgent, self serving and, at best, “flexible” on their ideals. Our leaders have forgotten the notion that the are Servants of the PEOPLE and for the PEOPLE!

Gough was famous for his quote of “Maintain the Rage”. My tribute to him is his quote in a mash up with Dylan Thomas’ great work.

Rest well Gough, It’s Time!

—–

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Maintain the rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Maintain the rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my Prime Minister, there on that sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Maintain the rage against the dying of the light.

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Are You Up for the Challenge?

I had the great delight to host the Challenge to Lead Gala Dinner on Saturday. The guest speaker was Colonel Marcus Fielding, military strategist, author of Red Zone Baghdad and philanthropist.

It was interesting to hear his perspective on leadership. The difference in leadership style between nations, situations, genders and personalities. One of the comments that stuck with me is that Leaders are also the best Followers. They know that sometimes it is time to lead and other times you need to follow. While he mentioned many leadership theories, the underlying theme was that leadership is about trust. Trusting yourself, trusting those around you and trusting those that support you.

Trust takes courage – particularly in a time of war or a military presence. My experience is that Trust is built continuously. It is built in the social conversations, the pressure free interactions as well as when you and the team are operating under pressure.

Colonel Fielding said that one of reasons our Governor General Peter Cosgrove is seen to be a strong leader is that he is very skilled at small talk and will happily talk with anyone over a cup of coffee, glass of beer or drinking straight from the military canteen. To me, this is a natural trust building exercise and I suspect it is something that he does naturally.

Leadership (whether it is formal or informal) is a challenge. It is knowing what NOT to do as well as knowing what TO do. It is a blend of science and art. All the knowledge on leadership principles and the history of great leaders is a complete waste if you are not up to the challenge to act on that knowledge and act with an instinctive reflex.

So are you up for the Challenge?

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What Do You Do?

Sometimes, you just have to do something. It may not be much, but it is something.

My friend Melina from M.A.D. Woman is having a crappy time at the moment – literally!

She runs the Making A Difference Foundation where they provide food and basic items to the needy all around Australia.

Recently they had to vacate their premises as it was to be demolished to build some new apartments. Melina spent some time trying to find a new place with enough storage for all of their donated items as well as office space for the team to work out of.

A week before they had to move, things got really crappy. The sewage pipes in the building burst over a weekend.

The raw sewage made a mess of the place. Tragically three large skips of items to be donated had to be thrown away as it was all contaminated with waste. Loads of their office supplies and materials had to be thrown.

I rang her to ask her what could I do to help and during this call Melina told me she was close to just shutting up shop, but that is not the kind of girl she is. To kick off the new phase of life for the foundation, she is running a trivia night to raise money to restart the foundation.

When asking “What can I do?” she replied that I could host and run the trivia night for them. So that is exactly what I am doing.

In asking what can YOU do, well you can buy a ticket to come along to the Collingwood town hall on Thursday 23rd October, you can make a donation of money or goods for those who need it or you can pass on the details of the trivia night to someone you know may be interested.

Much like when friends, colleagues or projects need some assistance you just need to do something. Often it is little things that we can do – but the little things can have a huge impact.

If you want to do something for Melina and M.A.D. check out their website here.

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Why Am I So Broke?

Accountants the world over are dealing with this question from their clients on a regular basis.

Some of us ask this question every time we look in our purse/wallet or visit the ATM.

Businesses with huge revenues regularly go into liquidation. Businesses earning good money have low bank accounts, so where is the money?

Tanya Lacy from Intercept taught me years ago that Revenue is Vanity and Profit is Sanity.
Danielle Storey from Million Dollar Relationships continues to insist that people Know Your Numbers.
Jerry Maguire insists that you Show Me The Money.

Cash flow is king, so stay on top of it. I regularly (every couple of days) look at my bank accounts – personal and private. I don’t spend money if I can’t afford it. I pay off unsecured debt (credit cards) in full when it is due. I am on top of what money is coming in and going out.

Most importantly, I think long term and short term on my finance. Wifey and I have long term investments we can service now. My Bromance keeps telling me to spend money on landscaping, a deck, air-conditioning, a new Jag – all things I talk about wanting but I don’t need.

While I want them, they are really not essential and I can see that putting that money in my investments will give me a better lifestyle not that far down the track.

Oooo….. Delayed Gratification!!

What about you? Do you know your numbers? Do you measure Profit or only Revenue? How is your long term AND your short term financial health?

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What Do You See?

I was fortunate enough to be hosting an association conference last week. It was held at the Alice Springs Convention Centre.

This image was the view out of the back of the convention centre at 7am. To me, it is simply stunning. It was an awe inspiring location.

During my conversation with other attendees, I realised that not everyone shared that perspective.

  • Some only spend time inside the convention centre networking with other attendees
  • Some felt the night activities outside were too cold
  • Some thought the town centre was empty with many shops for lease
  • Some spend their afternoon on tours on both sides of the McDonald Ranges
  • Some felt that the weather was too good to spend inside
  • Some felt that their travel agent needed a good kick because they bought them tickets to Ayers Rock and NOT Alice Springs (a five hour drive away!)
  • Some felt the countryside so stunning that they spent the two days driving from Adelaide to get there rather than fly
  • Some liked the place but couldn’t wait to get back home.

I am sure you have your own opinions as well.

That is the point. All too often we see something and think that everyone else will see what we see. That is NOT true. Everyone has different filters, different histories, different ideals, different values and this all impacts how they will see things.

So what do YOU see?

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Who Is It About?


Too often people in business get this question wrong, particularly in the Exhibiting industry.

The answer is, it is NOT about you – it is ALL about them.

Let’s be incredibly honest, no one really cares about what you do. What they care about is what you can do for THEM. That great saying of “What’s In It For Me” is running through their subconscious as they talk with you.

So with what you do, who is it about?

Your signs and posters, are they about you or are they about them?
Your new processes, are they about making it easier for you or making it easier for them?
Are the images you use about you or is it about them?
Your exhibiting booth, is it all about you or about them?
When you network, do you talk about you or do your talk about them?
When you get home from work, do you go on about your day or do you ask about theirs?

Life is not about you. It is about them.

The funny thing is, if you make it about them, they will happily make it about you – so everyone gets what they need.

PS Someone who did a lot for others and who has always been a personal idol is Robin Williams. His passing affected me deeply so I wrote about it. You can read it here.

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The King Is Dead, Long Live the King

photo 10606554_399669240187911_993133265990549565_n_zps60a8ef82.jpg

 

By now you know Robin Williams is dead. It is hard not to know as it has dominated all forms of media for the last couple of days.

I don’t “do” celebrities. I have been fortunate enough to meet many of them and some I have the pleasure of calling my friends. But I don’t stalk them, idolise them, want to be them, care what they endorse or even get concerned about what happens to them. They are people. They have their lives and I have mine. To be honest, I have enough trouble trying to get my life right let alone worry about other peoples, let alone famous people I will never meet.

This was different for me.

His death kicked me in the guts, brought me to tears and broke something inside. It has taken me a few days to collect myself and I felt I needed to write something.

I don’t know Robin, I never met him and most importantly, I have no idea about who he truly is. I am not sure anyone did. Any of his media interviews descended into farce and laughter. Even the serious ones end up off the track and distracted from the internal entity that was Robin.

He was very public with his issues – from addiction to health and even finance, yet still we never knew him.

Zelda, his daughter, mentions that while there are many photos of Robin she has the memories of time spent with him. She and her family were probably some of the very few who actually knew him.

To me, he was the King of the Stage and I wanted to be like the persona I saw.

Over the years he has given me many gifts that I can never repay and for which I am eternally grateful.

He showed me it was OK to be me. In a time and location where I felt my humour and habits were “not normal” he showed me it was OK to be “out there”. It was OK to show off, laugh and be genuinely crazy. It was OK to not conform, to be different and to be loud and proud of that difference.

He showed me it was OK to be hairy. His bath scene during Moscow on the Hudson was one of the first times I had seen a truly hirsute man on screen. In his stand up he would often refer to his body hair. Under this clean cut suit of mine is a man who looks more like Koko the gorilla than Robin does. While society seems to think “Hair is Bad”, I am now certain, “Hair is Me.”

He showed me what I think is the ultimate in comedy. To riff off what is in front of you, to say what is on your mind without thinking, to make it up as you go, to take it to the end and then take it further – that it a talent that I prize highly. I like to think that in some of my moments I can almost reach it and it is magical when I do.

He showed me there is a time to be serious. Some of his work is downright chilling. One Hour Photo and Insomnia prove that he is not just a comedian but he is a true actor.

He showed me that things will not go your way, but you can still have fun. Whether in the guise of Patch Adams, Adrian Cronauer or simple as Robin Williams, fighting his own demons anything is laughable. Some of his stand up seemed like drowning his own tragedies in laughter.

He showed me perspective. By shifting your view to the stance of another, you can open your mind to something new. His rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s Fire as Elmer Fudd is 90 seconds of pure magic.

He showed me the power of laughter. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t laugh at Robin. Kids, adults and all in between, there was something magical about his approach to life and laughter.

Most importantly, he showed me that even though I have to grow older, I don’t have to grow up. So I am not going to!

Thank you Robin for the laughs but more importantly, thank you for truly guiding me into the person that I am today.

My marketing blurb says it and I truly feel it, I am part Robin Williams.

The King is dead. Long live the King. Your table is ready.

 

Image: I stole it of Facebook

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So What Is It?

Success

Without knowing it, the question “What is Success?” drives you. It is the reason that you do or don’t do things.

Unfortunately most people have not decided for themselves what success is.

One of my long-time favourite definitions is from Ralph Waldo Emerson.

“To laugh much; to win respect of intelligent persons and the affections of children; to earn the approbation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give one’s self; to leave the world a little better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition.; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm, and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived–this is to have succeeded.”

But it is still not MY definition.

I have a new exciting project coming up called Get More Success. The first step is to define what success is. Is it:

  • To earn a certain level of income
  • To have regular travel
  • To have a family
  • To remain single
  • To spend more time with certain people
  • To have certain assets
  • To live in a certain location
  • To contribute to others
  • To do all of these

Can I ask you to do me a favour? Can you please spend 15 minutes over your favourite beverage and define for yourself “What Is Success.”

Once you know it will be a guiding beacon for all of your actions.

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Will You Survive?

Charles Darwin is often misquoted as saying it is the “Survival of the fittest”

What he actually said was:

“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change”

From what I have seen, we are not that good at change.

Look at what happens if Apple does an update or Facebook changes its interface or if the email system you use changes. People go out of their mind and spend so much energy fighting something they cannot change.

You don’t have to be smart and you don’t have to be strong, you have to be adaptable. It is the same in relationships and with your work.

Stop resisting change and start adapting to it. It will magnify your success and your survival.

So will you survive?

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Don’t Do Subtle

Will and Jada at SAG Awards

I am not a fan of subtle – anyone who has met me could probably tell you that.

When I first got together with Wifey we created the ground rule the when communicating we wouldn’t hint, suggest, imply, insinuate, infer or be subtle in any way and NEVER go down the path of “If you really loved me you would ……”

The understanding is that if you want something ask for it. If you want to do something, tell the other one, put it in the diary or organise it and tell the other one to come along. This works really well for us.

The same rules apply in dealing with your customer – internal and external.

Let them know what you need from them. Let them know what they can expect from you. Be crystal clear about it. The best relationships are when you are completely open with them and NEVER assume you know what they are thinking.

Subtle does not work. Go for clarity every time.

Image Credit: Gabriel Bouys

 

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What’s It For?

why

During a recent mastermind group “love in” we had a conversation about Work Life Balance. Not long after I was talking with a colleague about semi-retirement and retirement. The sum of these conversations led me to the conclusion that many people have no idea what they are doing!

Employees work hard because they want to add to their super so they can enjoy life in their retirement. Small business owners try to be bigger business owners to bring in money so they can enjoy more time with their family. People work many hours to provide for those they love who end up not recognising them because they are not around.

Too often retirees have lost their identity because their job was who they became, business owners can’t get out of the empire they build because “no-one can do it like they can” and both types lose what health they have due to the stress and demands of their choices.

What’s it for?

Why do you work so hard? Why do you do what you do? Why wait to have that experience? If you own the business, why don’t you have an afternoon off to spend with those you love – you won’t sack yourself!

Too often as people make a living, they forget to live. Never forget what you are doing this for and can you do some of it today?

PS Sorry I missed last weeks blog post, I was spending the day with Wifey before she went on a weeklong girls holiday to Fiji.

 

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How Is Your Service?

What an amazing week in Abu Dhabi. So many amazing experiences and a great view from the lunch restaurant!

Grand Mosque

One of the things that I found fabulous was the level of service.

No, I was not staying at a 6, 7 or 8 star hotel, but it seemed no matter where you went the service was great.

What was the key thing that made the service so great? The assistants, waiters, hoteliers, AV crew, hosts were all smiling and happy.

You genuinely felt that they wanted you to have a good time and an enjoyable experience.

It proved to me that great customer service is a choice. You get to choose your attitude and the energy it takes to give a little extra is minimal.

So how is your service? Do you give good internal customer service as well as external customer service?

It’s a choice!

BONUS

As a little bonus, I shot a quick video (less than a minute!) when I was in Abu Dhabi on some of the service. Enjoy!

PS This concept of using a name was confirmed during my flight home. I noticed that the flight attendants name was Leanne (she was wearing a name tag).

So when she asked did I want chicken or fish, I replied “Can I have the chicken thank Leanne”.

She paused and said, “Thank you so much for using my name. I really appreciate it and wish more people would”. She then took great care of me on the way home and said thank you again as I left the plane.

Names are important. Use them as often as you can.

Warwick In Action

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