Thoughts

How To Experiment

Want to make change happen? Wondering how to make it easier? Great. Here’s an approach to do just that. Now is a good time to make change happen. This is a time of great unlocking, as I’ve written about in my chapter in Julia Steel’s recently published book Unite. Many of the rules and assumptions […]

Read post

Ping Pong Balls and Change-Making

Have you ever felt frustrated that all of your efforts in trying to make change happen might count for nothing? Do you keep chipping away but see no real progress? Here’s a story that will encourage you to keep going. Last week at one of our Change Makers’ workouts, our guest conversationalist Justin Douché introduced […]

Read post

Turn Energy Into Action

As we witness the ferocity of the anger in the protests that have ignited across the US, I’ve been trying to make sense of what’s going on. Here’s one idea I’ve landed on: It’s a powerful example of ‘energy in action.’ Or, more specifically, it’s a huge mass of potential energy being converted into kinetic […]

Read post

What Do We Want?

“We are being given the opportunity to stitch a new garment. One that fits all of humanity and nature.” – Brene Brown   What Have We Learned? Over the past few days I’ve reflected on what I’ve learned during lockdown. Lockdown has forced me to let go of some of my old habits e.g. commuting […]

Read post

Forget Time Management. Master These Disciplines Instead.

In times of disruption, a focus on time management gives us a sense of control and stability. But if we want to thrive, we need to look beyond simply mastering our calendar.  I wrote this piece before the rise of the Covid19 crisis. I think it’s even more relevant now.   For years, I’ve taken […]

Read post

Now is the Time to Lead

I suspect that the recent decisions made by the New Zealand and Australian governments requiring inbound travellers to self-isolate for 14 days have been an ‘awareness tipping point’ for many. The realities of the Covid19 threat are no longer something happening ‘out there’ in the world. They’re now hitting right ‘here’, where it hurts. I’ve […]

Read post

Roll Up Your Sleeves

“Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.” John F. Kennedy   Early in my career in Perth, I worked as a Chartered Accountant for one of those big consulting firms. This was back in the day when you couldn’t leave the building without your suit jacket on. You always wore a […]

Read post

Culture Lives Here

I was recently leading a workshop for managers on how conversations shape culture. I noticed most of the managers were operating from a context of their formal conversations – the ones behind closed doors, or the ones they had scheduled in their calendars. Without thinking too much, I found myself drawing this on the board. […]

Read post

Six Worthwhile Books

Over the summer break, I’ve managed to get through a good number of books. The topics cover leadership, organisational culture, the future of work, identity and purpose – all things I’m thinking about right now. I reckon these books are all useful, thought-provoking reads for any leader, change-maker or restless go-getter who’s searching for inspiration […]

Read post

Your Year By Design: 2020

We can’t predict the future. But we can shape it. The more intentional and deliberate we are about deciding what we want, the more likely it is that we’ll get it. That’s the idea behind Your Year By Design. It’s a process I’ve been running for myself for the past few years. It ensures my […]

Read post