Blog

  I’m not good at incompetence. Not in me nor in anyone else. It’s useful in the sense that it leads me to have high standards for me and others, and allows me to go after the outcome with passion and conviction. It’s entirely unhelpful when it tips over into driving, striving and judgement of those on my team. Henry Ford said, that … [Read more...]

  When Hamish Blake held up the coveted “Golden Brick” in the hit new TV Lego Masters he described the power of the yellow brick as something that all the contestants would be aspiring to because it would give them special powers and privileges, in particular immunity. Blake then, with his classic comedic grin looks straight at … [Read more...]

  The CEO of Costco was responding to a series of closed session questions from its senior leadership a few years ago and as Brene Brown recounts her concern at the atmosphere in the room at the time was antagonistic and angry. The questions were tough and Craig Jelinek’s responses were equally tough and often tougher. As the question … [Read more...]

  In Australia, we are concluding a week that had Easter at one end and Anzac Day at the other. It’s a period when we tend to focus on what sacrifice, freedom, quality of life and the value of humankind are all about. Sacrifice is the price of entry for leadership. Fundamentally because the more responsibility you have, the fewer … [Read more...]

  “We can do more if we ignore our logo and forget our ego.”   I was at a conference with global leaders last week and this was said from the stage. I’m not even sure who to attribute it to. It was in a shared context of responding to a situation that required immediate and generous corporate social … [Read more...]

  Jim Rohn is one of my all-time favourite mentors. His “Challenge to Succeed” from the early nineties continues to be a game changer for my wife Megan and I. Rohn drops wisdom bomb after wisdom bomb. Just one of those is “Make measurable progress in reasonable time.” I take that to mean we must take the right amount … [Read more...]

  The purpose of leadership is to realise potential, activate others and shape a preferred future.   Leaders create a better future for people. Period.   We share vision, solve problems, add value, sell solutions, bring alignment and when we add it all up, we are in the business of making a better future for … [Read more...]

  Calling UP is a much better leadership practice than calling OUT.   We’ve gotten too used to the idea of calling out without challenging the motive, the impact on the people involved, and how it unhelpfully involves a whole lot of people who really don’t need to participate in the conversation.   The most recent … [Read more...]

Not all critics are created equal and leaders treat criticism (and critics) unequally.   Straight off, I ignore any unsigned or anonymous criticism. I bin it without a second thought. Why? Because I believe in talking TO and not ABOUT. If you don’t have the decency and maturity to reach out privately with an intent to strengthen and … [Read more...]

Hey Mancub,   Ed Cole taught me that “You are male by birth and man by choice.” Such truth in that my sonshine. (That’s what I call my boy)   When we found out we were having a son, I took about two hours to process that news. I had readied myself to be told Zaza was getting a sister. To be truthful, I had … [Read more...]

  Hey Zaza,   I’ve loved you since before you were born. I cried tears of joy the first time I heard your heartbeat 148 beats a minute when you were in utero. The overwhelm of loving someone I didn’t know was incredible. And now, I know you, I see you, I hold you, I kiss you. We do life together and it’s a privilege … [Read more...]

  I don’t believe in luck. I believe in favour.   The kind of favour that is the result of the hard work you do on your craft and your character, your passion meeting your potential, your determination to see something through, even if it takes 12 years. The kind of favour that has reward for effort, turning up day after day and … [Read more...]