Archive For: Success

How Is Your Performance?

Brennon Dowrick – Pommel Horse Routine

I had the great joy in hosting the Class Connect conference this week. The opening speaker was Olympian Brennon Dowrick OAM.

His performance was amazing. Check out a small piece of it in the video above. The fact that he talked to us while spinning around the pommel horse and gave us some great tips on how to get better at what we do (without all the physical workouts!)

One of the key takeaways for me was the extra 15 minutes a day. When he was training, he was getting scores that had no deductions. But his trainer said he could be better, and all that mean was training an extra 15 minutes a day. Do that every day and in a year you have trained 70 hours more than your competitor.

How are you training for your performance?
How can you add 15 minutes a day to stay that one little bit ahead of the game?
What can you do today?

As some readers know, I sing. My quartet has a gig coming up in Melbourne on October 25th (I would love to see you there if you are in Melbourne that night). I am no gifted singer, but I continue to work at it. I call my car “The Rehearsal Studio” as I get my extra 15 mins as I drive to and from appointments. It does make a big difference.

Here is a recent track we did, a cover of Tears for Fears, Mad World. Hope to see you at the gig!!

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How To Open Up And Reap The Rewards

Why does it feel like we are shutting down?

We seem to pay more attention to our phones than the people around us. Admit it, who do you connect with first thing in the morning? Is it your phone or your partner or your pet?

Countries are shutting down. The debacle that is Brexit, Trade wars between USA and the rest of the world, rising nationalism that seems to echo to the chant of “mine, mine, mine”, even today when I offered to contribute to a white paper being put together by a sister association, when they discovered I was from a different country, I was un-invited.

How did we get it so wrong?

At a time when we have less wars than ever before, more global trading than ever before, more immigration and global citizens than ever before, more global problems than ever before, why are we not connecting more?

It seems we have forgotten how to connect and maybe even play nicely with others.

On a recent power session I ran on How to Connect with People, some of the participants were amazed at the simplicity of how to connect. Basic things that they don’t do that they used to do.

To re-connect on a global level, why not connect more on a personal level. Look up from your phone, your desk, your immediate concerns and go and connect with others. Prospects, customers, colleagues, friends, family and also your pets.

You will be better for it!

If you want to get access to the How to Connect session, head here.

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Something Extra

Mad World – Ice Haloes

It seems important that people have a hobby. Have a place they can go where the focus is entirely on them and they are relieved of any responsibilities or cares, even if it is only for a short time.

Some people have said to me, “My kids are my hobby” or “my business is my hobby as well”. That doesn’t compute! The way you get relief from your responsibilities and stress is to take on more responsibilities and stress??

It is not selfish, it is self care. That something extra gives you time to be truly you and reconnect with what counts.

One of the things I do is sing. A bit over a year ago I decided to push myself and join a quartet. We are called Ice Haloes and we just put out a video of one of our latest songs, Mad World. You can see it above.

We are getting ready for a concert in Melbourne on Fri 25th October. No doubt I will keep you informed.

What is your “Something Extra”?

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Preventative Maintenance

Image: ShutterStock.com

I am just back from the dentist. I go every six months. Usually it is quite uneventful. I get told I don’t floss enough (it’s now at the point I tell my dentist I am not flossing enough so she doesn’t have to tell me). She scrapes, cleans, polishes my teeth and says, “see you in 6 months”.

Easy!

Every now and again there is something new. This time she told me to get a specific tooth brush as it will protect my gums more. Sometimes I have an x-ray. Every couple of years there maybe a filling or an extraction (I miss my wisdom teeth!) It doesn’t take much and it minimises the chance of something major going wrong.

Leadership and Management are the same, particularly with the level of change that currently exists.

So often supervisors and leaders get promoted to the position but “forget” the regular check up. Decay in the form of poor behaviours or old techniques can settle in and end up undermining you completely.

People join a company but leave a manager.

You owe it to your team and yourself to get your six month check up. It could be a conversation with a coach or mentor. It may be formal study or a short course. It may be continual reading of articles and books. It could be active involvement in your professional association and their activities.

How are you giving yourself a check up? Let me know if you need help.

Plus don’t forget to have a regular dental check up. Got to love a big smile!

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Be Better By Trying Something New

Home made chair with view of Australian country side

I have taken up the hobby of woodworking. It is a great way to turn off my head for awhile and focus on doing things with my hands. I have to be honest, I am not that good. My attention to details isn’t too flash as I get sidetracked and want it to be done NOW!

But a few YouTube videos, some scrap pallet wood, a few basic tools and even the crappiest of woodworkers can make some thing useful. This is the Viking Chair I made (or Star Gazer or Celtic Chair or African Tribal Chair – it has many names) for up at the shed.

It is amazing how the lessons you learn in one area helps you be better in another. So much learning happens when you try not to force it. I have found when I am coaching some of my clients that lessons in patience, new skills and different approaches in my woodwork apply equally in coaching them or in what they are attempting.

It is not just overcoming fear of failure (although that it part of it) it is willing to admit you don’t know everything and trying a new path. It is about being Bigger, Bolder, Better.

I highly recommend you try something new. The life lessons you learn will serve you well. At the very least, you may get a chair out of it!

Home made wooden chair

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Enjoy Your Success

In this fast moving world that we have, it seems like everyone’s on the hustle. We’re always busy trying to get more.

I know on my Get More Success podcast (and I’m hoping that you listen to it GetMoreSuccess.com) many of the people I speak to are always trying to get that next level of success and they forget that they’ve already achieved success.

There’s something very important about living in the present and enjoying the day that you have. Now, that doesn’t mean you spend all day lounging around doing nothing, or maybe it does on certain days. But at the very least it is important to acknowlede that you have achieved some level of success.

Some days it may be as simple as getting up! Other days it is kicking a serious goal. Whatever it is, it is important to enjoy the success that you have and enjoy the present moment.

Too often people are so busy striving that they forget what they’ve already achieved. It is sooooo important to acknowledge how amazing you are and some of the great things that you’ve done.

So go you good thing!! Keep being amazing and enjoy your success!

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Engage by Being Bolder

Too often people play it safe and communicate using “corporate speak” or what others actually refer to as “bulls#!t bingo.”

If this is you, STOP IT!

We have retreated to the safety of the comfort zone. Too many leaders forgot how to lead and are merely managing and in the process, losing great people.

It is time to get real. This include being respectful in your language, but let go of the flowery things you “should say” as say what you need to in your own language.

Be Bolder. Stand up for yourself and let go of the fear of saying the wrong thing. If you say the wrong thing, apologise and learn from it. People will understand.

Don’t let the fear of saying the wrong thing stop you from saying anything.

So… now … what was that you were saying?

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Never Forget – You’re ON Before You’re On

One of the key issues faced by management today is that of Engagement. In a workforce that is increasingly disengaged, it is a critical aspect of the work life that needs to be managed into the future.

Add to that the ever-present mobile phone and technology, and it becomes an issue for families and friendships as well. ,

The 75 second video above is an example of one organisation that is getting it horribly wrong before they even start.

What little things can you do to increase the engagement of the people around you?

If you need some help get in touch and ask about the Express Engagement Coaching Program.

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Is It The Best Person For The Job?

During April, my gorgeous wife and I toured the UK as we were there for a couple of family occasions. While we were in Glasgow, we toured the Clydeside Distillery.

It was a fantastic couple of hours. I learnt so much about distilling, the relatively simple process (which explained so much about Hawkeye and BJ’s still in M*A*S*H), the challenges of making the simple process remain simple and then how to distinguish one whisky from another.

Our guide (you can see half of him in the photo montage above) knew so much about the process, the history of Glasgow, the Clyde river and Whiskey in general. He was also fun and entertaining. Definitely the right person for the job.

Contrast that with my friends neighbour. He had some trees that needed trimming. They were hanging over his cable tv connection and powerline to the house. Not an easy job and one that requires some skill.

… Or does it? …

The neighbour decided to have a go themselves and … well … let’s just say I was entertained for several hours receiving texts from my friend. With things like:

  • The cut trees got caught on the power line
  • The guy was actually holding the power line
  • He fell off the fence he was standing on
  • He fell off the ladder with the chainsaw going
  • He cut one bit that he could only just reach to find the release of the weight moved the rest of the branch out of his reach
  • After 5 hours, great risk to his own life, and too many dangerous situations to consider, he trimmed the trees.

The risk of life and limb, time it took and potential for major damage (if not a fatality) seemed that he had the wrong person for the job. The investment of a couple of hundred dollars to get the right person to do it quickly, safely and easily would seem to be worthwhile to me.

Trees caught on power line

Is It The Right Person For The Job?

Regardless of whether you are hosting tours, trimming trees or running events, you always need to consider, is it the right person for the job?

Too often I have seen conferences hosted by the CEO, the Sales Manager, a Funny Guy from accounts that are OK but don’t give the full impact because they don’t have a professional host. Award ceremonies that are lacklustre because the person who should be in control, isn’t!

No matter what task you have at hand, it is always worth asking, “Is this the right person for the job?”

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Creating Cool Conferences that Count

QuickBooks Connect Main Stage

I was fortunate to be at QuickBooks Connect last week.

It is the annual conference that Intuit, the parent company of Quickbooks, held for all of its customers and user. Unlike many other conferences, there was no big sell, no doing things on the cheap, no”get ’em in and get ’em out” mind set. It was all about how do look at the needs of many of our customers and provide them with a great experience and real value for their business.

Some of the out of the box things they had were:

  • Live music in the expo
  • Free headshots (just making social media profiles like LinkedIn look a little more professional)
  • Conversation time with other suppliers like the Tax Office. payment providers and other software companies that “plugin” to QuickBooks.
  • There was even a whole day dedicated to bookkeepers, accountants and financial people so they could do a deep dive on some of the features and processes.

In addition to the entertaining plenary sessions, there were plenty of truly valuable break out sessions for the audience. Sessions that business owners NEED to know about.

Recruiting, social media, cash flow and plenty of other topics.

As a side note, one of the break out sessions on recruiting people that stay was run by Anneli Blundell. She also happens to be my guest on the latest episode of the Get More Success show. Have a listen!

Essentially this was a User Group Conference. In the past, they have been more common for larger, enterprise level software organisations. With every increasing numbers of small to medium business using core business software like QuickBooks, these kind of user conferences are on the rise.

Intuit’s QuickBooks Connect is an example of one done well.

How can you connect with your users/clients/customers and provide extra value to them and their business?

It doesn’t have to be a conference. It may be a virtual conference, a webinar, video, podcast, reference guide – there are many options.

Let me know if you need any help or ideas.

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Did Our Election Make You Angry?

So we’ve just had our election and I have to tell you the results have not made everyone happy. 

Some people are quite furious about it and there’s a lot of people going “why?” 

Was it the Queenslanders? 
Was it the independents? 
Was a dodgy voting tactics? 

At the end of the day the answer is, “It doesn’t matter.” 

The whys don’t really matter. The question that’s most important is, “What are going to do now?” 

If you’re a person who’s committed to the environment, how can you still make a stand? 
How can you influence your local Member of Parliament regardless of what party that they’re part of? 
If there’s a cause that you passionately believe in, how can you put your energy in a positive direction rather than blaming somebody else. 

I would hate for us to go down the path of many other countries where there is such animosity between people who vote for different parties that they become violent and closed to hearing alternate perspectives. 

At the end of the day, people made the choice that suits their circumstance on the information that they understood. 
So maybe some of the parties could have been clearer in what they actually stood for. Maybe they could have used, some would say less dodgy, voting tactics. But it doesn’t matter. 

What matters is what can you do now. 

What positive steps can you take today, and every other day, to create the kind of world, the kind of country, the kind of future that you want there to be. 

Hope you voted well.

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Are You Willing to be Responsible?

Image: ShutterStock

Global Politics seems to have lost its way. All over the world, many politicians seem to be acting in the interest of those who fund them or those who make the most noise.

Some have gone off on narrow minded, judgemental, unrealistic paths and tried to take as many people who will follow. Major parties seem to be more similar than ever.

Universally, it seems that respect of politicians is at an all time low.

As John Oliver said, “We used to listen to politicians and laugh at comedians. Now we laugh at politicians and listen to comedians.”

So whose fault is it?

Well there are many people you could blame. The media, the politicians, big oil, big pharma, big (insert industry in here), but the reality is that it all comes down to us.

WE are responsible because we vote or choose not to.

This Saturday is Election Day in Australia. So rather than going along and ticking the same old box because that’s what you always do, are you willing to be responsible?

Are you willing to google the different parties and find out a little about them? Some of them have pleasant names but weird policies, some weird names but great policies and some seem to have a single policy and that’s it.

Maybe head to ABC’s Vote Compass to get a feel for what party best matches your beliefs.

Cate Speaks has done an independent summary of all parties (to save you wading through all the muck) and it is a good reference.

RESPONSIBILITY means you have the ABILITY to RESPOND.

It is not something to be taken lightly.

Spiderman’s Uncle Ben told him, “with great power comes great responsibility.”
I believe the reverse is also true, “With great responsibility comes great power.”

Time to stop blaming everyone/thing else and look at what can YOU do about it?

At the very least, make an informed choice this Saturday.

If you are in Melbourne, you can then come and see my vocal quartet perform! Check out all the detail here. We even have Mulled Wine!

So… Are you Willing to be Responsible?

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How To Become Your Own Robin Hood 🏹

I don’t mean start stealing from the rich! Robin Hood did something way more powerful than that.

I recently spent two weeks touring the UK. So how could I not visit Sherwood Forrest.

The visit had me thinking about Robin Hood. While redistributing the wealth was a great deed, his most powerful act was spreading the message that people did not have to live under a tyrant. Spreading his ideas, thoughts and helping others create a dream that was worth living for, gave something far more valuable than money.

While Robin Hood may be a fictional character [spoiler alert], you aren’t.

Do you have a message you need to spread?
How can you authentically and genuinely share your message to others?

For some it will be a simple conversation, coaching a team mate or sharing information. Others will want to take it further and share it from the stage.

If you are in Melbourne on Thursday 23rd, join me for a one day intensive on how to Get More Speaker Success.

Discover more info here http://GetMoreSpeakerSuccess.com

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How Important Are Words of Praise?

So much research has show that people join a company but leave a manager. Yet so many managers think that all their team wants is a regular pay check. These managers are wrong.

Most people I have spoken with tell me that they want to know that they are doing a good job. The only way they will know this is being told as much by their boss. Their colleagues can tell them but it doesn’t mean as much as when it comes from your boss or someone in authority.

This was reinforced with something I saw on twitter this week.

Recently a high school drama class put on a school production of Alien with a tiny budget. That is a pretty big call! Looking at some of the stills and video on Twitter, it does look pretty cool.

Well word got around. The twitterverse got excited. Sir Ridley Scott, the man whose company made the original films heard about it. Seeing the fabulous job they did on a miniscule budget, he wrote a letter of thanks with some encouragement built in.

How do you think the kids, the teachers and the school feel right about now?
How delighted must you be when the person you are paying homage to lets you know you did an amazing job?
How thrilled would your team, family, colleagues, friends be if you told them how much they mean to you and how much you appreciate what they do?

How important are words of praise?

They are the most valuable currency you have.

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Tired of the Rockstar Taking all the Glory?

Long trench in hard dry ground for putting pipe in

On Saturday I had the rockstar trenching guy come and spend an hour digging about 40 metres of trenching (it saved me a stack of hard work digging rock hard clay).

I then spent the next 5 hours laying the pipes, running cables and conduit, testing everything worked, and then burying it all. Mind you it was 32C as I was doing this. I did a stack of hard work yet the trenching dude was the most impressive.

It made me think of the number of times one or two people get all the credit (the rock stars) yet there were so many people doing a stack of hard work to achieve the results gained.

In your workplace and your life, who are the people who continue to work tirelessly while the Rock Star gets the credit? In the events world, while the speakers get the credit, it is the eventprofs, the admin team, the AV crew, the back stage team, the security crew, the cleaners and even the humble MC who help bring the show together.

Make sure you are showing gratitude to those who are doing the work!

Man operating trench digger

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