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Dare2LEAD Blog

22 Mar, 2020
When the sun rose on New Year’s day this year, I was ready. More pumped, planned, primed and on-purpose than I’ve been for many years. Having achieved my one big 2019 BRAG [big radical aspirational goal]; launching my first book – Rock Your Stripes in June, I’d had a few busy months following with speaking engagements and book-promo travel, and then set aside the last few months to plan out my ‘what’s next’. It felt like I was still playing too small; that there was so much more yet to do, in a much broader footprint. In those last months of 2019, I posted hints and ‘coming soon’ messages about plans to roll out new 2020 expanded programs in January; weekly videos, fortnightly blogs, and we even bought new techno programs and equipment [including a free-standing funky microphone – in red] for recording professional interviews and podcasting. All that positive energy was channelled into my 2020 word for the year: Soar. #SOAR2020 SOAR - meaning to rise up swiftly , to ride the wind higher and higher, to feel the exhilaration and joy of moving through the air to reach greater heights. The word perfectly matched my plans. Those who know me will be aware that I love welcoming each day at sunrise on the beach; facing the ocean, arms outstretched and scooping up the energy from the wind over the water. I love the ocean breezes, the power of summer storm winds, and hearing the wind swaying tall palm tree fronds from my open upstairs office window. Definitely my energy source. So, what the fcuk happened, right? Did the universe auto-correct my 2020 word SOAR into SOUR? Or maybe even SORE? Here we are almost at the end of March, and this is my FIRST blog for 2020. Seriously. Why? Well, the timing seemed to never be right. I had started several blogs and tried to record upbeat videos in early January, but it just seemed wrong and tactless to publish them when all those people [some family members] were experiencing such hardship from the massive fires. A sombre, respectful approach, supporting from the sidelines felt more appropriate. A reverent pause from the ra-ra New Year hype. Then, later in January, after waiting patiently [not one of my strengths] for key industry players to return from the holiday break, we excitedly took off for a full week of meetings with stakeholders and potential project partners in Brisbane. On day one, walking from airport train to Brisbane hotel, the meniscus in my left knee decided to totally fail me. Out of the blue; no fall, no impact. Like someone was shoving a sharp knife into in and slowly ripping it apart; a subsequent MRI showed two complete tears – lateral and radial. Majorly impacted. Surgery likely. I was facing months of rehabilitation. Crap! Now what? Come on universe. You’ve got to be kidding me. I said SOAR, not SORE!! So, in the 24 hours post MRI results I lost it completely and told my partner to cancel all my speaking engagements for IWD and Queensland Women’s week [6 weeks away], and postpone our Lean In Queensland launch that we’d spent months planning for; I was snapped out of that catastrophising downward mindset quickly [like a wet fish slapped across my face]. Mr Wonderful spun me around, looked me straight in the eyes and said: ‘What? Have you never seen a disabled person doing a key-note on stage?’. Hmmm. Perspective. It was just a degenerated knee, FFS! Determination to beat this thing kicked back in. Reality is - I’ve had heaps of knocks before. I’m well experienced in rising up, zigzagging around the hurdles when I can’t jump over them, and just find another way. In fact, I was known for it when I was in public sector leadership roles; “Jilinda doesn’t hear - ‘no, you can’t do that’ … she hears - ‘go find another way around it and do it anyway’. And, I won awards for my outside-the-box 'pilot programs' [once they were successful!]. This time, as it turned out, there were three possible outcomes; so I chose option one. Lots of physio, strengthening exercises, pool workouts, and sticking to disciplined daily recovery plan. With every small step of improvement, I became more resolute that I would walk onto those stages and present the stuff that I am most passionate about, during my favourite week of the year that is themed and focused on my signature topics: LEADERSHIP + GENDER EQUALITY = the need for more women at the decision-making tables. Well, I did it. We did it. My wonderful partner took over all the logistics and event organising [plus chief whip coach for my recovery plan], and I was able to attend and deliver on commitments at six events during Queensland Womens Week [6 – 15 March]. Even modelled in a fashion parade [slowly, in flat shoes], after speaking on how to be your full-arse version and rock your unique stripes. One small step for most, one giant leap for me. It’s hard to believe that was just ten days ago. Gatherings in large convention centres, some in government workshop size rooms, others in small restaurant meeting spaces. Lots of people mingling, shaking hands and hugging. Now – nothing of that sort can take place, safely. The universe is at it again, throwing us another 2020 challenge. A much bigger one! Coronavirus is now upon us. Australia is not immune or amused. In our usual, ‘she’ll be right’ attitude, it seems we’ve not acted as swiftly and seriously as we could have to mitigate the impact. Right now, we’re in the depths of fear, confusion and caution. So, we voluntarily commenced home isolation from last weekend [apart from basic food necessities]. In reality, it’s not that different for us as we run our business from a home office and most of our programs [involving coaching] are delivered online, or by Zoom video or phone. That said, like many colleagues in the gig economy, we are financially impacted by cancelled events, speaking engagements and travel plans, and having to postpone workshops we had planned to deliver over the next six months. As a self-appointed ‘Change Champion’, and having gone through many career and business challenges, previous economic recessions and personal changes in my life; my default response is to quickly flip my mindful focus on to what I CAN do, not what I CAN’T do or can’t control. What I can do is choose how to use my time; so I’m determined to make the most of this imposed home-bound time. To use this time to recuperate, re-focus, re-jig a few things, rise up and SOAR; even if that means doing stuff differently or doing different stuff right now. One thing we are NOT doing is panic buying of groceries. I just don’t understand that mentality or the fear that is associated with the possibility of having to live a little simpler for a few weeks. We are also NOT panic selling of our products and services. Now is NOT the time to add to the increasing market glut of hastily-thrown-together online products, pushed onto people in their most vulnerable times. Now is the time for compassion and support ... [but that’s a whole subject for another blog]. Here’s what I know for sure: sh!t happens, but it also passes. Challenges force us to think outside that comfort zone box, and make changes. To focus on what we CAN do, and importantly – to focus on what matters most; your health and resilience, and supporting each other. Have you revised your 2020 strategy to suit the current situation? Thought I'd share with you what my revised #SOAR2020 strategy now looks like ... S – Self-care … my 5 essential stress-busting formula of S ’s: Sun [especially sunrises], Sea, Sand, Swimming, and Sex. O – Open-minded … my 4 creative ideas strategy of O ’s: Objective [purpose], Overhaul [declutter], Options [explore] and Opportunities [leap on them] A – Agility … my triple A change agility formula: Attitude [embrace change], Aptitude [learn new skills], Action [move forward] R – Reset … my 2 word, well-used, kick-arse mantra: ‘RISE ABOVE’. My point is: Now is NOT the time to hide under your doona, or sit in the corner rocking, or waste away whole days watching Netflicks while eating your way through a bulging pantry. Let’s take on the universe and it’s 2020 sh!t-storm, and while in social-distancing mode, use this time wisely to recover, and get ready to rise up and SOAR!
31 Dec, 2019
A DECADE OF DECISIONS … A YEAR OF DELIBERATE ACTIONS. As 2019 dawned, I was excited and ready. I knew it would be the year for producing long-planned, brave and bold outcomes. It was finally the right time, my time, and frankly – ‘high time’; culminating from a decade of disruptions, frustrations, and zigzagging through rather challenging chapters. It was time to be CEO of my own career progression and GM of priority projects. Time to unleash my full-arse version [FAV] and make my mark. A real sense of urgency that time was running out engulfed me. In fact – FAV was the word [read as an acronym] I chose for my 2019 ‘word of the year’. Why did I decide that? Decision-making Decade … Come take a quick helicopter view of the past decade with me; it’s been an interesting ride. In 2010 I was at the peak of my corporate career [senior leadership roles in Government], unexpectedly entered a committed relationship with my soulmate [met in 2009], together we consolidated, chose and bought our dream beach-view townhouse in Yeppoon – Central Queensland, and life was full of love, lifestyle, yearly OS holidays and any excuse for celebrations. Then, within two years, 3 things in quick succession slapped us into the ‘no-such-thing-as-certainty’ ring of reality. Firstly, my partner’s position was made redundant [the organisation he headed up as CEO was decommissioned], followed by my own redundancy [LNP mass public sector cuts], and then, as we tried to establish our leadership and workplace culture consultancy, along with community representative positions, the region we lived in was hit hard by the GFC. It was like every door closed; one after the other. So basically, serious decisions had to be made – and quickly. Now, while I’ve always enjoyed exploring new things and moving around to suit circumstances, I had generally instigated those changes and leaps. This time, others had burst our dream bubble, so absolute agility became necessary to survive. Luckily we were a pair of DINKs [double income, no dependent kids], so career-linked dart throwing onto a map of Australia became the new game. Flipping forward to the short version story: we’ve moved to live and work in 3 very different regional communities since 2014; settling in Cairns - Queensland since mid-2017. Sounds like an exciting life? Yes, certainly interesting, although not as career progressive or satisfying as we anticipated. What we discovered throughout this career hopping decade [OMG – where has it gone!], is it’s almost impossible for TWO highly qualified, experienced professional change leaders to both gain meaningful employment in the one small – medium size regional town or even in the same general vicinity. Yes, we prefer to live in regional locations and add to the vibrancy of smaller communities; but sadly joint senior-level career opportunities are rare. To our surprise, we’ve also found it’s even less possible to break through entrenched ‘professional’ closed circles in medium size regional cities [eg: Cairns], to be considered for lead roles [read: CEO, GM, Director levels]. Shoulder-tapping mates and like-for-like locals is still a recruitment practice accepted by many regional boards and panels. Add to that, the destructive impact of mediocre managers in self-preservation mode, gaslighting anybody whose skills may potentially pose a threat to their throne sitting. Add to that, the ageism issue [we’re now both over 55], which believe me is a very real discrimination factor; despite the fact we are both fit and healthy, think like agile Millennials and don’t fit the typical change-resistant Baby Boomer profile at all. Parochialism still rules. Truth is - this decade has been a tough one. It’s seen us go from a pair of happy DINKs to a pair of frustrated SINKs [single income, no kicks], with short periods of concerned NINCs [no income, no contract commitment in sight]. Not the progress and success we had envisioned for a dynamic duo like us, at the start of this decade. So, on decade review, it’s been a challenging zigzag ride of short-term contracts, periodic consultancy gigs, and continual exploration of the ‘what’s next’; with lots of self-reflection and resilience building. It’s also been a decade in discovery of what matters and what doesn’t, wisdom-building lessons, and clarity of purpose. Decade of lessons learned … Here’s the thing: During all that, we’ve kept our values high by rising above the knock-backs and clarifying the lesson from every experience. Wiser for the experience. We’ve kept our passions alive by continual research, knowledge and skills growth, and broadening our networks both nationally and globally; actively exploring other ways to use our leadership skills for the greater good [more on that in next 2020 blogs]. Rather than dwell on all the challenges, as I got ready to close the door on this decade, I decided to simply collate it into 5 key lessons learned; 5 key things [read: beliefs / mindset] I’m taking into the next decade. Along the journey, I’ve embedded this saying into my psyche: There’s no such thing as failure, only lessons in life trying to point us in a new direction. So, here’s to the past decade rolled into 5 key lessons and gained personal strengths: 1. TRUST – I learned what a real, equal partnership is; someone who believes what I believe, who has my back, and supports my goals. Much valued. I learned how to seek, trust and surround myself with those who get me; those who matter. I also gained a heightened radar for picking up signs of untrustworthiness, and more than anything – I’ve learned to trust my gut instincts. Somehow, those internal warning bells are always spot on. One ding – I tap out. 2. SITUATIONAL AWARENESS - I’ve learned the benefit of doing comprehensive research into organisations and their senior leadership team [aka: online stalking], prior to dedicating time and effort on applications, relationship building and program development. It starts with values matching and ends with a culture health review; it pays to be aware of the decision-makers drivers and agendas. My time is too precious for wasted effort. Match or detach. 3. SECURITY MATTERS - What? – you say. Those who have heard me present, know that I regularly espouse: ‘there’s no such thing as certainty and security’; in that, planning your life around those external needs generally leads to disappointment. However, I’ve discovered there’s ONE level of security that DOES matter –internal security. Building a strong inner-core strength. Knowing that no matter what - my values, drivers and passion, aligned to the choices I make, will keep me independently secure. Unwaveringly, unapologetically, uniquely mine. 4. LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOUR DEFICIT – I’ve learned and truly believe that real leadership is a mindset, observable behaviour; always about developing others and greater good outcomes. Not about position or rank - never about self-interest or self-preservation. Frankly, the challenging experiences over the last decade has fuelled and strengthened our focus on developing authentic leaders. Seemingly a rare breed. The world is crying out for courageous, genuine, emotionally intelligent, engaging leaders. My [our] mission has never been clearer: to provide real solutions to address the leadership deficit. Courageous change agents. 5. WOMEN ROCK IN LEAD ROLES – Equality is the key to driving positive change. Global data, numerous reports and results over the past decade prove that where there is equal gender balance in key leadership positions, and particularly when women head up organisations, the outcomes in innovation, culture, growth and financial results are significantly better. One proviso point I’ll add to that: the positive difference is in diversity of thoughts and ideas; women leading with women-wise attributes, not as ‘manettes’. Women bringing their full-feminine traits to the decision-making tables; negotiation, collaboration, community, connection, inclusion and social well-being, future generation sustainability focus. Less ego, more empathy. Less positioning, more purpose. Less me, more we. That’s the stuff that drives me forward. More than that – the possibilities truly excites me. All those lessons during the past decade, lead me to my greatest achievement to date [2019], and set the foundations for a purposeful, laser focus for 2020 and beyond. 2019 – Deliberate Action 2019 was always going to be a big one; and it was. Deliberately full-arsed. Now, I’m not about to share an exhaustingly long list of all the things I achieved or cool experiences I had during the year that has just ended. This blog is way too long already [thank you for reading this far … I promise I’ll stop before it’s book length]. Besides, I’ve read too many social media posts that list down every ‘envelope opening’ event, self-nominated awards, workshops attended and delivered, important people met, community group involvement; all supported by an overflowing selfie photo album. Well done to them; but I suspect, like me, many of you get tired from just reading through it all. And I know some of you end up feeling ‘inadequate’ in comparison. I tend to switch off before that feeling takes hold. When you consciously smash the debilitating practices of comparing, competing, copying or conforming to other people’s standards, you learn to ignore other’s brag lists. Acknowledge your colleagues achievements [in any way you feel appropriate], but don’t start the comparative analysis shit. That just fuels the fear of ‘not good enough’. You are enough. I am enough. So, back to my 2019 wrap up; sure it was a big one – literally. ONE big focus. Because I set ONE big radical aspirational goal [1 BRAG], and achieved it. What? My first book – Rock Your Stripes . Finalised, published, launched, promoted and presented. That’s it. I did what I set out to do. Yeah okay, a bit more cool stuff followed on as a result of launching my book [like increased media and speaking gigs], and I did other business stuff in 2019 like coaching, workshops, consulting work, and facilitating another new Lean In Circle in Cairns … but mostly, it was all about ONE thing - the book. Actually, my book writing journey started half-way through this decade [2015], with each challenging experience providing even more stories and lessons to share within its pages. After an unforeseen disruption to my 2017 published Author plans, I became determined to finalise first draft by end of 2018 [nailed that!], which lead to my 2019 #1 goal - to finalise, publish and get it out there – launch it [June 2019 - done!]. YAH! Like birthing a huge baby [all 316 pages] after 4 years gestation, and a lifetime of lessons to share. Rock Your Stripes is a frank, fierce, full-arse femoir; part insightful memoir, infused with feminism, lively spirited, deliberately confronting, and purposefully instructional. It’s packed full of real and raw stories, personal experiences and lessons learned; with the deliberate intent of urging women to step up, stand out and speak up. To be unapologetically ambitious. To courageously lead change. To unleash their full-arse version. So, that’s why I chose FAV [acronym: full-arse version] as my 2019 theme word. Writing a frank, warts-and-all book is one gutsy achievement, but I knew that putting it out there into the world for anyone to read would require an extra dose of full-arse courage. Vulnerability on steroids. I needed to be ready and willing to fully rock my own unique stripes. To dare to step up bravely, stand out boldly, and speak up brilliantly, and broadly. Deliberately, authentically, and with a clear intent to encourage and enable other women to do that too. Unapologetically FAV. Finally, there’s ONE BIG THING I’m taking from the past decade , that became clearer in the last half of 2019. During the whole book writing journey and since - presenting key messages and receiving rave endorsements and feedback, I have discovered that my high-energy sweet spot is fuelled and fired up when I combine my two great passions: leadership and feminism. Harnessing that passionate energy duo into our 2020 planning, we have now set the foundations for a laser-focused, purpose-driven, exciting expansion plan for our ElevateHER programs and Lean In global movement leadership. It’s now time to dare more greatly, to unleash the FAV dynamic duo, and to SOAR into 2020 [more on that in next blog]. So, as I close the door on this chapter - a decade of decisions and a year of deliberate action, I leave you with one of my favourite quotes that is also in the last chapter of my book; an adapted version of the original Theodore Roosevelt’s ‘The Man in the Arena’. IT IS NOT THE CRITIC WHO COUNTS; not the person who points out how the brave woman stumbles, or where she could have done different or better deeds. The credit belongs to the woman who is ACTUALLY IN THE ARENA, whose face is smeared by grease, sweat and tears; who strives valiantly, who stumbles, who comes up short AGAIN AND AGAIN, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; But she who actually strives to do the deeds, who knows great enthusiasms, THE GREAT DEVOTIONS; who commits herself to a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if she fails, at least fails while DARING GREATLY, so that her place shall never be with those small and timid souls who neither know victory or defeat. What I know to be true is: There is no passion or progress in playing small. Make 2020 your ‘daring greatly’ year.
15 Dec, 2019
I read constantly . Until recently, I've never really calculated just how much time I spend researching, reading and fuelling my need to know; like an unquenchable thirst to gain a clearer understanding on why things are so, explore other ways to successfully do things, and gain updates on what’s the latest on a particular topic. Unsurprisingly, knowledge is one of my top 3 motivators [read: core driver]. Lately, I’ve been auditing how I use my time, in a conscious effort to reduce distractions and increase productivity. I’ve got big 2020 BRAGS [Big Radical Aspirational Goals] and ambitious plans; I know that to achieve those, I will need to be on my A game [read: embed new rituals and deliberate routines]. Not one to watch those mind-numbing, overly dramatic reality TV shows, or anything much else other than news and real Australian stories on the telly; I spend most post-dinner evenings scrolling my iPhone, or with computer on lap searching some topic of interest. When I add it up – day plus evening screen time, I spend a MASSIVE amount of time staring at these devices. No wonder my reading glasses script recently needed upgrading – yet again. So, after personally berating myself for succumbing to what is touted as a Gen Y affliction, and all that ‘lost time’, I started looking at ways to cut that down, especially at night; like putting a small stack of unread books beside my lounge recliner. Read books instead, I thought. There’s always a pile of six or so books on the go and at least one new release in the post. Much better use of my time, right? Make my way through the ‘unread’ shelf of my library, instead of device scrolling. Then, after weeks of failing to implement this new evening ritual with those same six books gathering dust on the coffee table, I realised why: I AM reading – just online. I’m not mindlessly scrolling other’s social media posts, except perhaps for a little late night tweeted opinions from socially conscious and politically aware colleagues; but hang on – that’s researching too! In fact, what I’m actually spending most of my evening recliner time doing is reading the latest online articles, research papers and opinion pieces, so I AM actively gaining a broader and deeper view on things. And, I'm often interrupting my partner's recliner time to share key points from some important stuff I've just read [not always as important to him at that moment, I'm sure]. My point is: that’s actually NOT wasting time; it’s utilising a valuable resource that we didn’t have a decade or two ago. Reading anytime, anywhere, from any resource. Don’t get me wrong, I still love reading [read: collecting] hard copy books. While I enjoy cleaning out my wardrobe every six months, I do find it hard to thin out my ever-growing library of books. The last couple of years, without even checking my bank statements, I can safely say I’ve spent more money on books, education and course material than I have on clothes and accessories combined. Living in tropical North Queensland and working from my home office [sarong = uniform], means I rarely need to dust off the corporate wear and killer heels. I get more buzz out of reading, learning and growing; and then sharing that with my clients in programs , presentations and writing . When you dive deeply into the FAVE 5 Formula I outline in my book – Rock Your Stripes ; the ‘how to unleash your full arse version’ section [Part II]; success in all five areas requires continual learning, growing and evolving, That’s how to keep building and fuelling your confidence, competence and courage to step up, stand out, and speak up, and to lead change. You have to be growing to keep your life and career flowing. Here’s a brief overview of my FAVE 5 Formula: INDIVDUALITY … needs continual reflection and deep self-awareness of what makes you unique - your beliefs, values, passions, motivators, and purposeful goals; which can significantly change and evolve through the various chapters of your life. INDEPENDENCE … is considerably enhanced by the ability to remain employable or able to provide valued, sort-after services, by staying relevant to ensure you have career choices and financial sustainability. INITIATE … requires situational awareness of what’s really going on around you, to flag when changes are necessary, to then drive those with current knowledge that strengthens the agility required to leap towards new opportunities. INFLUENCE … involves inspiration, passion, credibility and trust, and being clear on what you stand for, to back that up with knowledge and experience, and consistently walk your talk. INVOLVED … takes courage to step outside of your comfort zone, to be proactive instead of complacent, and step into the arena with a knowing confidence and deliberate purpose. So, for those of you who choose to spend significant time reading and gaining knowledge, in any shape or format; remember this: You are not the same person you were last year, last month, last week, or an hour ago. You are continuously increasing your intelligence and decreasing your ignorance, and will potentially make a bigger impact on the world. I applaud you. The world needs more of you to step up and lead the way. For those of you still trying to 'find time' to fit in reading; I urge you to do a serious audit on where you are choosing to spend you time. Reflect on that and commit to embedding a new reading ritual for 2020. In a world where so much educational and current research is readily available on line for free … head-in-sand ignorance is a choice – a poor one. Happy reading ...
10 Jun, 2019
HAPPY SILLY SEASON ... or is it? Silly means idiotic, stupid, brain-dead, senseless ... and I suspect for some of you, that's exactly what December and the crazy-busy lead up to Xmas holidays could be described as. I see many racing around madly trying to get so much done before key people are uncontactable [read: disappear until mid-January], and in the same period, feel obligated to go to every end-of-year function that throws an invitation in their in-box. Mindless mayhem. For others, the first day of December means decorations up and tools down. I hear it all the time: 'once you hit December, you might as well forget starting anything or contacting anyone until mid-Jan'. Just take it easy; reflect, relax, and recoup. Like: 'I'll think about next year when it arrives ... until then, bottoms up. Cheers to emptying conscious brains and copious bottles.' My first point is: choices peeps ... we all have them. While others may be already slowing down and getting ready for a holiday break, I'm ramping it up a notch or two. No, not with present buying or parties; with increased proposal enquiries [in response to organisations planning their PD needs for 2020], broadening connections globally [exciting new direction], establishing a new enterprise structure, developing online programs, creating marketing strategies, writing new content ... you get the picture. 2020 project planning is coming out of my head faster than I can systemise it. My office is a high energy zone. Now, I'm no superwoman. There's no such thing. Just to be fair; superman doesn't exist either. You may have heard me speak about the 3 brain areas that makes up our core in presentations or workshops. Well, I've always had no shortage of big-picture core ideas; creative at heart, can-do belief in gut, messy overwhelm in head. Yep, managing the head [over-thinking] by planning out, then systemising ideas into achievable actions has always been my greatest struggle. Those of you who have attended my 'Spot the Difference' Vital INSIGHT workshops and completed your DISC behaviour type profile, will get this next bit. My DISC profile is spot-on and clearly at play here: ~ extreme 'D' is driving urgent strategic change ~ equally extreme 'I' is full of audacious, innovative ideas ~ lowly 'C' is under stress having to create detailed plans with steps and tick-box task lists to follow [grrrr!] ~ almost non-existent 'S' has got no time or patience for that shit or any other 'go slow' blockages. Slow and steady [read: methodical planning and plodding] is definitely not my style. So, at this time of the year, the thought of dropping all those bright and bouncy ideas to put my feet up in December, feels like such a waste of a valuable month. And the bonus is, while others are either in shut down or silly season modes, there are way less emails, messages and other daily distractions. YAH, my daily emails have halved already. That's why I've chosen to have a deliberate December; focused on actively building more 'C' behaviour muscle for project development and dedicated action planning. Why? ... Why not? My second point and challenge to you is: Why not NOW? ... Why get distracted with season silliness? Why wait? Now - to sort out the excitable, idea creating overwhelm brain. The problem is when I have the time to explore ‘what else’ and think bigger, I tend to toss up too many colourful balls into the air before I've created the boxes [or frameworks] for them to fall into and become parts of a bigger project. So here's what I've planned to do about that during December: 1. Create, colour-coded boxes, plan out and prioritise them [read: separate project frameworks]. Establish simple online systems and processes that will turn my colourful ideas [picture: office wall covered in butchers paper with post-it notes], into doable chunks and tracked progress plans. Ready and able to scale up. 2. Learn and embed new habits. When you take a good hard, honest look at your strengths and your vulnerable bits, even though many coaches tell us to just focus on our strengths [or what energises us], it's madness to completely ignore vulnerable areas that block our ability to grow or to become high performers. New habits are not easy or fun [and initially can be energy draining], but necessary to lift performance levels. I'm trialling a globally renowned, high performance journal this month, to see if it helps me focus and be accountable for the 3 things I'm prioritising each day. 3. Build an 'A' Team. One of the biggest lessons 2019 has taught me: I can't successfully make the difference I want to in this world - alone. Three things I'm doing about that: ~ building a personal Board of Directors ... those who can lift me higher and keep me accountable [see page #285 of my book - Rock Your Stripes for more on that] ~ engaging a skills-mix advisory team for the bigger projects ... recognising I will never have ALL the skills needed to ensure success, nor do I need to. On refleciton, I've realised how much I miss working as a team. Energy levels lift when you surround yourself with energetic, passionate people ... all working towards the same greater-good goal. ~ upgrading my ‘silent, behind-the-scenes’ partner’s position into an equal footing, focused on executive business management and marketing manager role. We've often been called the 'dymanic duo' ... time to fully embrace that. 4. Health - physical and mental capability, is everything. I tend to throw all my energy into my work. Always have and often to the detriment of personal health. I have learned some valuable lessons along the way, and know I do my best days when I start them well [with gentle sunrise beach walks, yoga stretches and mindful meditation]. What I'm also adding to that is being more mindful of energy needs during the day, to better support this high energy creative phase; regular stretches, swims and nourishment breaks [rather than suddenly realising it's 3:30pm and I've not stopped for lunch break]. Oh, and sunset head-clearing long walks, so I leave my office at 5:30 pm. Balance. OMG, I hear you gasp and think: Did she not consider this stuff before? Did she just wake up to the basics of how to run a successful enterprise? No, of course not. I've heard, read and considered this advice plenty of times. I've had good intentions before. Hell, I've even made those dreadful New Year’s resolution lists just before 1 January ticks over ... but I know from experience that intentions don't turn into actions or desired outcomes if you don’t take time to put the frameworks in place, engage help and spread the load. Yes, I’ve dropped some balls along the way and put a few others into the ‘when-I-get -time’ basket. Well, this month – I’m making and taking that time. So, my thought-provoking final points are: Don't just reflect, refresh and reboot the same-old stuff. Don't just get excited about 2020 ideas and goals. Don't just toss up those colourful balls in the air and see where they land. Take the time to put the structures, systems, plans and task lists in place to make them happen. Make December count towards a successful 2020 and beyond. See you on the flipside.
13 Oct, 2018
All across Australia … women are ready, willing and capable to lead much needed changes … to take the lead in abolishing entrenched ineffective processes and unacceptable behaviours that permeate and percolate through the corridors of our higher offices and corporate organisations. Yes, ready. Right now. Women don’t need fixing and they certainly don’t need to take a daily ‘spoonful of cement’ to build more resilience, nor do they need to ‘learn how to roll with the punches’; just some of the recently reported commentary that several influential males in high places clearly think is 'normal' leadership expectations, especially in the political arena. Frankly, this archaic attitude doesn’t belong in any arena; Canberra, corporate, councils, community boards, or classrooms. Most aspiring women leaders I’ve met [and many I coach ], don’t need personal confidence building, or negotiation training, or communication style lessons on how to be ‘less emotional’. They already have those skills from years of having to continually rise up from the put-downs, and constantly negotiate fairer deals. And then there’s the implied view that women are just ‘too emotional to lead’; really? I’d rather have a leader who is self-ware, in touch with their emotions, and willing to share that openly, than the recent male-led display of secret coups, silent knives-in-back, followed by unhinged anger, threats, and retribution fuelled snipes. Hardly a display of emotional intelligence strength from the male ‘leaders’ currently in our news feeds. Emotional intelligence [EQ] is not about the absence, denial, or suppression of one’s emotions. We all have emotions. In fact, people with high EQ levels have strong awareness of how they feel at any given moment, and accurate understanding of why that emotion has been triggered. The most important thing is what happens next; the responses they choose in relation to those emotions. Real leaders think and react with a focus on the greater good; not self-interest. They know that leadership is not about them; it’s always about others. But … that’s for a whole other EQ focused article. My point is: Women don’t need fixing, and they certainly DON’T need to act more like men. Now, it’s no secret that my passion for developing dynamic leaders – with authentic, genuine, ethical, emotionally intelligent and engaging characteristics, drives what I do, write and speak about. Add a heavy-handed splash of fairness, equality, and diversity to that personal beliefs cocktail mix, and there’s no question I’m a potent advocate for women in leadership roles. The need. The benefits. The solution. Yes, the solution. I firmly believe that more women in leadership roles is a critical component of the solution needed to address current real issues. Why do I say that? Recently I attended the ALGWA [Australian Local Government Women’s Association] Queensland conference, with a room full of female Mayors and Councillors, and a few other senior officers and government stakeholders. The energy in the room was vibrant. Lots of confident, courageous, skilled communicators; all passionate about representing their communities. While there was a variety of topics, by far the most robust, emotionally charged discussions were triggered by one important value they hold strongly: INTEGRITY. Integrity of process. Integrity of community commitment. Integrity levels expected from Local Government leaders and the widely reported, alleged lack of it in some QLD Councils. Specifically – there was a strong feeling of injustice at being tarred with the same crime and corruption laden brush; unfairly placed in the same paint pot with those who are currently having to answer to criminal charges. There’s no doubt that the QLD Local Government sector is in damage control. With Local Government being one of our core client sectors [we partner with and work within LG on a variety of projects], I have taken a keen interest in current legal investigations and subsequent criminal charges. From our own personal experiences, I have developed a stronger need to know why some leaders make such blatantly wrong decisions; what drives such behaviour. It’s important to understand the cause, towards implementing justifiable solutions. We prefer to focus on and be part of the solution. One burning observation I’ve made from my research is that out of all those facing crime and corruption charges to date [several Mayors, CEOs, COO, senior staff and some associates], almost all of them are men. Boys behaving badly [the BBB club]. Allegedly covering up for each other and bullying others to conform [down] to their self-interest standards. Maybe it’s because men are more accustomed and accepting of these behaviours than women? Maybe the women in these circles refused to take part? Sound familiar? Add to this observation; the corruption that’s been uncovered in the banking sector, behaviours in our federal political arena, and dare I mention US politics; there are some glaringly obvious similarities in the causes behind these issues: Women are NOT the ones who need fixing here. There’s good reason for women all over Australia to be frustrated to the point of exasperation at the moment. No wonder the current federal governing party has seen capable, good women resign from office, or say NO to being part of that notable BBB club. While it’s sad to see them leave representative lead roles, I applaud the stance they have taken. They have chosen INTEGRITY and their reputation, over self-preservation and conforming to party games that go against their personal values. They have courageously spoken out against bullying, threats and manipulative deals. They are standing up against the entrenched processes that make it more difficult for women to be pre-selected. They chose greater-good society outcomes, rather than good-for-the-party outcomes. Now, while many regional Local Government Councillors are not political party aligned, I saw the same strong value of personal INTEGRITY passionately on display at the ALGWA conference. Women saying: ‘Don’t assume I’m one of the BBB club’ … ‘Don’t judge me guilty of others behaviours’. Rightly so. One thing I know from working closely with women in leadership roles: most take their responsibility as role-models for the next wave of women leaders – very seriously. They are acutely aware that the entrenched systems designed by men for the benefit of men, and the current behaviour of the BBB club, is NOT encouraging women to jump right in there. They’ve had enough of gentle prodding and waiting for the desired response. Times UP! We don’t need more proof. We don’t need more excuses. We certainly don’t need half-arse strategies that have no KPIs, targets or quotas to ensure more women can take their rightful place at decision-making tables. I believe that targets and quotas will not cause unfairness to men. In fact, it will go some way to address the unfairness that’s already there; the imbalance [and questionable behaviours] that’s been ‘the norm’ for a long time. It’s simply putting in place a pro-active strategy, rather than an aspirational one - based on hope. Oh, and one more thing: before you roll out the tired old fear campaign comments: – more women at the top will NOT reduce the capability at leadership levels. Women are already competent, confident, capable and courageous … and ready. No, they are not perfect, but then again … well I don’t think I need to spell it out any further. Recent governance reporting paints a clear picture. While men still run our country, the majority of our governing bodies, most of our large influential organisations, and much of our regional communities; I’m not convinced that’s been working out so well. No, I’m NOT saying ‘throw out all male leaders’ and ‘replace them all with capable women’. Gender equality is not about a female take-over. It's about fairness, more equal responsibilities, and more equal representation of our communities. So, in a nutshell, the 3 key points I'd like you to take from this blog are: Time’s UP for the old style ‘BBB’ club. That is not acceptable leadership behaviour. Greater gender equality at decision-making tables will potentially improve governance standards, leadership capability, respectful interactions, and more inclusive practices. Women don’t need fixing. The traditions and systems that hold them back – need changing. Women are READY, WILLING and CAPABLE leaders of change. Bring it on!
30 Sep, 2018
For those who know me well or have read my blogs, you’ll be aware that I take equality matters seriously. Especially when it comes to equal opportunity for women in leadership roles. So, as I announced a few months ago, it was a no-brainer for our company – Vital Leaders to jump on board with Women & Leadership Australia’s – #100daysforchange initiative, which commenced on 1 July this year. One thing we pledged was to post 100 Inspo Quotes – one per day from 1 July 2018, on our ElevateHER – Leadership Community Facebook page, to encourage women to step up, stand out and speak up for equality. We have done that and are in the final week – having posted #93 Inspo Quote today. So what? Well, so far, these daily posts have reached 8230 people, with many likes and several people and groups sharing them around. A ripple effect? – perhaps. I think it’s been more of a continual 'pink wave' of positive reminders and encouragement to the predominately women followers who check out what we are doing in our ElevateHER community, and who take the time to not only read the short quotes, but also the linked articles interspersed between the early morning posts. So what now? Yes … that’s what I've been thinking too. Now what? Having taken the time to create these uniquely branded tile quotes each week, sometimes using direct quotes [credited], sometimes personalising the message, sometimes creating my own message … I’ve decided that more can be done with these. I mean, why stop now. Why not another 100 days? … posted where different people can be reached … where it creates even more comment … and particularly, where it is more likely to include men. As a proud feminist, I feel for the men who are also feminists [in the true sense of the word – believers in equal rights, equal choices, equal opportunities for all genders]. My partner is one. And, I’ve met some wonderful male champions of change in recent months who are joining in on this so-called ‘new wave’ of feminism revolution [the last notable wave like this was 1970s]. They don’t deserve to be tarred with the same BBB brush [boys behaving badly]. Not all men are self-interested bastards. Just like not all women are great leadership prospects. That goes without saying, but in these times - seems like it needs to be said, so as not to be unfairly judged by the uninformed. So what’s next? I’ve decided to rock my stripes and step it up in the LinkedIn arena, to stand out proudly as an active feminist who is passionate about driving change to old, entrenched traditional gender stereotype thinking and processes. I’m speaking out to help finish the job that so many of my female predecessors started way back at the beginning of the twentieth century, and so many of my colleagues have continued to quietly [or not so quietly] chip away at for what seems to be ‘little gain for the pain’. It’s TIME to finish to job … once and for all. It’s 2018 – not 1918. A well overdue target. It’s TIME to call out the unconscious bias that just makes no sense to me, and certainly, no sense to the next generation of women starting out on their careers. It’s time for women to absolutely rock their own stripes; what I refer to in my upcoming book as 'choosing to be their full-arse version’. It’s TIME to encourage and include men in progressing this change. Men who already believe in the benefits of diversity at the decision making tables. Men who know that the world, our nation, and their organisations will be a better place, make better decisions, and enjoy greater economic outcomes, with more gender balanced leadership teams. Men who have also recognised that gender equality must start in their homes. I want to celebrate these men … to inspire more of them to speak up at board tables and call out the unacceptable bias they witness ... to put voice to their beliefs and make their own pledges. So, what am I proposing - exactly? 100 Days + 100 Inspo Quotes = 100s of Change Champions [males and females - collectively] From 1 October – for 100 days … I will be posting 100 Inspo Quotes, one per evening, on LinkedIn. Why evening? Because I know that’s when most of my connections and colleagues have time to scroll, read, comment and share. My challenge to you … please like, leave comment, showcase your support for gender equality, and share with your connections and/or workplaces. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and the upcoming -100 daily Inspo Quote posts ... starting tonight. Together, we can make this happen. We can close the gap. We can finish the job.
29 Aug, 2018
FFS! RISE UP AUSTALIA . .. yes, that's a bold statement and yes, it's intended to catch your attention. WTF, FFS, OMFG, RUFK ... these highly emotive statements are in so many of the messages I continue to receive from colleagues, clients and across all program interactions since last week's Capital Hill fiasco. Seems if you're not rising up in disgust, you're not paying attention to what just happened in our country's 'leadership space' last week. A clear consensus has emerged. We can no longer ignore the deplorables. We have to stop voting in these mostly male, 1950’s thinking, far-right factional fwits. The world has moved on. Most of Australia has moved on. The majority of women voters have certainly moved on from accepting such male egotistical, gender biased, MDBTY antics; in their personal lives and in their careers. It’s just not on; not acceptable. I’ve lost count of the number of times our elected LNP pollies told us that it’s just a group of small ‘d’ defectors; just a tiny minority mob sniping in the shadows; a few boys behaving badly on the back bench. Well, it seems this mob have more self-interested, self-preserving mates right across cabinet, than opposing ethically-minded colleagues at this point in time. With my strong passion for all things leadership , my reputation for delivering straight-shooting presentations , and my unapologetic advocacy for gender equality [yes, my other favourite F word]; I can’t ignore or accept this current status quo. I can’t stay quiet and do nothing. And I won’t. It’s NOT LEADERSHIP. It’s absolutely NOT ACCEPTABLE. In my writings and talks, I often refer to organisational or community group ‘old boys club’ mentality as the BBB club – Boys Behaving Badly. I call them ‘boys’ because they don’t deserve the title of ‘men’. Their behaviour is like school yard bullying and yesteryear footballer ‘biffo’ mentality; like jostling for prime position by using dirty tactics to kill off the enemy. There's a concerning lack of maturity here; especially crucial emotional intelligence competencies. These blokes are not standout ‘men among men’ … they are insecure, revengeful boys. Frankly, in my humble opinion, there’s not a genuine leader amongst them. Clearly, I’m not the only one with that opinion. Is there no L for Leadership in poLitics? In televised interviews this week, Barnaby Joyce MP – disgraced X-Deputy Leader of this government told Australian viewers that this type of behaviour is 'just how it is’ … ‘it’s politics’ … ‘everyone’s there for the same egotistical, self-interest ambition … most are narcissistic’ and that tactical fights [read: knifing each other in the back] for self-preservation reasons is ‘the nature of the beast’. He further stated: ‘there is no trust … no one trusts anyone else – you just can’t’. So, seems we have a Parliament House full of fwits! Of course, Barnaby has had first-hand experience in constantly having to watch his back, and some would say for good reason. That aside … We teach our young boys at home to be more respectful, to be ‘good sports’, team-players, and win on merit, talent, skills and hard work; not dirty tactics. We teach our children in the school yards that bullying is unacceptable. We are teaching our teenagers about the dire consequences cyber-bullying can have on others and how wrong it is. We are encouraging our young couples to share household and parenting responsibilities, and that gender doesn’t dictate home responsibilities. We are encouraging our boards and companies to be more proactive towards gender balance at decision making- tables. Aren’t we? Well then … Are we just supposed to accept that today's society behaviour rules, don't apply to politicians? I think NOT. I think it is time to call LOUDLY for game-changing action. For REAL leadership. Let’s not keep regurgitating or just tutt-tutting the entrenched problem. We don’t have to accept this. Let’s focus on the creating and developing solutions to this farce. VOTE them out! Instead of giving up, accepting poor choices, or donkey-voting … let’s take more responsibility for the way each of us vote. Take a stronger stand and more active involvement in encouraging people with the right character, competence and community commitment to represent us … rather than leave that to factional pre-selectors. Clearly, that process is not working. And there's another glaringly obvious isssue ... The Gender Card … yes, I’m pulling that out for good reason. Australia is unbelievably ranked 50th in the world for female representation, with just 18 of the ruling LNP party's 84 MPs and senators, being women [and falling daily at the moment]. That makes no sense. There is no logical reason other than entrenched gender bias and allegedly, lots of LNP male eye-rolling whenever it is brought up. Who could blame Julie Bishop MP for stepping away from our nation’s leadership team at this time, and very likely away from parliament in the near future. One of LNPs best performers; IQ and EQ intelligent, articulate, and highly regarded globally; Julie asked colleagues to choose her as their leader, because she knew politically it was the most credible chance their party had to stay in power. Meritoriously, she was the best option by a long shot. But, the BBB club just didn’t get that. What waste of a talented female political leader role-model. Presumably they saw: A woman [out of her 'naturally intended' place – lacking an apron perhaps?], and … An outsider - not one of the far right, rough and tumble BBB club, so she’d likely not promote any of that sort into a cabinet she leads. Damn right, she wouldn’t have! Since then, several other women in the party have spoken out about being bullied and intimidated by the BBB club in last week’s appalling chain of events. Liberal MP Julia Banks has also announced she won’t run in the next election; describing these same behaviours as ‘the last straw’. It's time for strong, emotionally intelligent, passionate, socially responsible women to lead much needed change in our political arena. Like Catherine Fox outlines in her latest book: ‘ Stop Fixing Women ’; women are ready, capable and willing to brave [read: take on] the BBB club, but it’s the system that holds many back from getting the opportunities, or from progressing to leadership roles once they are walking the tightrope in the circus tent. Let's be frank, our political system with its party factions and fiercely personal attacks, and all the other BBB power-play crap that goes on, was built, established and normalised by men, for the benefit of men [who seem to like to play that way]. One male MP was recently quoted saying: ‘you have to roll with the punches … it’s a rough and tumble game’. Actually, NO! Australian voters need to demand that the game changes. Our ElevateHER – Leadership Circles online discussion has been a buzz with comments over the past week. The question was asked: Has anyone ever considered running for government – Local Council, State or Federal? Lots of comments ensued, with the general consensus of ‘NO’, and what holds them back, being: not enough good role-models out there [media focuses more the ‘nutters’ than the good ones] good ones leave or get ousted because of BBB club systems and tactics [not how women want to lead] don’t want to feel trapped by party rules or blanket approach inflexibility [won’t be put in a box] couldn’t stand the character assassination by media and vindictive behaviour from opposing political bullies [won’t put family through that] This is a frustratingly sad situation. As founder of ElevateHER, my mission is to help women to step up, stand out, speak up, and lead much needed change. But, many succumb to the well-known quote: We cannot be what we cannot see  Surely this whole sorry mess in parliament house will be the catalyst for wholesale change in Australian politics. I believe it can be. Look at the major changes that both Canada and New Zealand’s young, fresh, progressive Prime Ministers have brought to their parliament. It CAN be done. We need better options, so the old BBB club is ousted to make way for new thinking. A new chapter of hope, innovation, diversity and inclusion. Working together for the greater good, not self-interest good. It seems many need a lesson in what public service at that level is meant to be - servant leadership [more on that in a previous blog]. Contrary to the well-worn quote above, I believe that we CAN be what we haven’t yet seen … someone has to be the first to step forward, with something new, with some solutions that will bring about the first wave of positive change. Rise UP, Austalia. BE part of the change.
03 Aug, 2018
With our company Vital Leader's monthly theme focus for July – Embracing CHANGE, and for August – DIVERSITY matters … it was a no-brainer for our Directors to jump on board with Women & Leadership Australia's - 100 days for change initiative, which commenced on 1 July. We are standing proudly to support this, not only in words, not only as 'just another feminist movement' ... but in actions. It's time for real change, real action, not just pointing out the issue. In a world of continual change, driven by exciting developments in technology, science and different expectations from both today's customers and the next generation of employees; not changing is disastrous. Holding on to old practices that are clearly not working - is madness. Unsustainable; often leading to organisations becoming irrelevant, at a faster pace than ever before. Organisations can't afford to stand still or keep accepting poor, antiquated, change-averse leadership thinking. Leadership teams where whole sections of the community are underrepresented, and significantly limited in richness of input and ideas; and results. Lack of change ... lack of diversity: both scenarios are a death spiral. Today's Leaders must possess a change mindset and be more than just willing to drive forced change; they need to be proactively creating an environment of change and inclusion. They must excitedly espouse the need for change, to influence and willingly support others to be part of the change process. Great leaders don't hide from the tough conversations; they lead them. Great leaders stand up and join forces with other change leaders and causes that match their personal values and organisational mission. We are doing exactly that. Already known as Change Champions, we're stepping up, standing out, speaking out, and walking our talk. We joined the Women & Leadership Australia 100 days for change initiative , as proud champions of gender equality. Both our Directors - Gary Kerr and I, are proud feminists, supporting equal opportunities for all people, and particularly, encouraging more women to step up into lead roles ... ensuring that women's views are heard and considered at the decision making tables. We know from experience that organisations with a good gender balance in executive roles, perform better and are more likely to build vibrant, inclusive cultures. Both our Directors are IML Mentors, currently mentoring women in lead roles, as part of the national Institute of Managers and Leaders Mentoring program. Last year, we made the decision to incorporate my ElevateHER programs [initially run as a side-line, community development initiative, facilitating Lean In Circles after hours], with the intent to offer a broader range of leadership development programs and professional development retreats for women. So, During these 100 days for change, we have pledged to: 1. Post 100 Inspirational Quotes [1 per day] on our ElevateHER - Leadership Community Facebook page. Check them out here > ... like, follow and share. 2. Roll out another ElevateHER Lean In Circle - our #3 leadership coaching circle for women in our local region - Cairns, Queensland. We kicked off two new Cairns Lean In Circles in February this year, with great success and importantly, positive results for our leading ladies [circle members]. Our third circle will commence shortly, with expressions of interest now open on the ElevateHER website page. Check out more deets here > I want to acknowledge our wonderful Australian pioneering feminists who fought for and won the right for women to be able to vote [1902], leading the way ahead of UK [1918] and US [1920] ... so that we could have an equal voice, not only at elections, but also at ALL decision making tables. That's 100+ years ago, peeps! It's ridiculous that we don't yet have 50% women leading our country, our boards, our states, our local councils, our organisations. We need REAL action. What are YOU doing about this?
03 Jun, 2018
If ever there was a time for leading and driving much needed change; for courageous leaders willing to purposefully disrupt entrenched, ineffective practices; that time is now. Why do I say that? Well, if you take a broader look at the current status quo across the world, things are clearly not working well, and they haven’t been for some time. You don’t have to scratch the surface very deeply to see poor leadership models; unethical decision making, underhanded dealings, inequality and unfair treatment, lots of back-scratching, shoulder-tapping, and C-seat swapping, lots of MDBTY [my-dick’s-bigger-than-yours] powerplay, corruption cover-ups, and a whole lot of self-preservation strategizing. Woah! Steady on Jilinda, you say. That’s a whole barrel full of below-the-line, negative behaviours there. Sure is. But let’s take off the rose-coloured glasses and ‘don't-worry-be-happy’ face masks for a moment: it IS really that bad. No point glossing over it; that doesn’t change anything. Right now, there are seriously concerning decisions being made by powerful global leaders, the Australian Banking Commission has uncovered some very disturbing, unethical practices, most of our politicians just finger-point, deflect, and spin parroted spiel focused on killing off their opponents, and closer to home; our Local Government sector is in damage control over growing investigations into crime, corruption and poor governance behaviours from some Council leaders. I’ve personally observed, experienced, and had to coach people who think that behaviours like that are simply: ‘how it is’ or ‘how to play a politically savvy game’. These passed-down, seemingly accepted or normalised behaviours that survive year to year, generation to generation, Board to Board, CEO to CEO; continue because not enough has been done to change that. Deliberate and daring disruption is necessary. Despite the entire world watching these days through online connectedness and global file sharing, I find the blatant lack of appetite from many of the power-players to change what is increasingly showcased as unacceptable behaviour; quite remarkable and frankly, just arrogant. Need I mention those mind-boggling tweets from world leaders? Or the lack of transparency in local arenas? Ignorance is no longer an accepted excuse, nor should it be tolerated. Information, research and data is broadly shared; knowledge and understanding are readily available. You’d have to be choosing to keep your head in the sand to not notice what’s really going on, or that change is required. Most people I speak with are increasingly concerned with the way things are. It’s not OK to ignore or deflect these issues as just a few people behaving badly. Sure, there are some good leaders – I've met and coached some great role-models. Yes, there are good people working in those same organisations and industries in crisis. They provide the glimmers of hope, ripples of dissention, and hopefully, courageous questioning and the confidence to step up. It’s a good thing that these commissioned major enquiries are now occurring. Disruption of the protection pack long overdue. Many inside the tent know that. To move onwards and upwards effectively, organisations must to be willing to conduct a deeper review of what’s gone wrong; rather than trying to defend the criticism or looking to blame one or two scapegoats. Suddenly running upbeat mass-media campaigns focused on promoting all the wonderful things ‘we do’, doesn’t fool anyone. Telling the communities and customers we serve that there’s ‘nothing to see here’ and that everything is ‘business as normal’, is not a solution – it’s a band aid. In my opinion, that approach only heightens concern that the real core issue is not being taken seriously or addressed, but rather suppressed under a shiny protective coating. It’s time to disrupt the ‘normal’ … normalcy breeds complacency. Real change, systemic and sustainable, will require fundamental change in the way many think, in what is valued and entrenchly believed, and in the standards expected from our leaders. Higher standards of character traits [moral judgement, honesty, ethical drivers], competence [especially emotional intelligence], and courageous confidence [adaptability, enthusiasm, inspirational leadership] is what's needed to lead positive change. The responsibility for a deliberately disruptive solution sits at the top - industry leaders, community leaders, organisational leaders. Firstly, the vision, values, direction, priorities and focus for the next chapter needs to be clearly agreed and outlined by the governing leadership group [Board, Council, Committee, Exec Leadership Team], BEFORE recruiting the ‘right-fit’ leaders [CEOs, GMs, Directors]. Then, recruitment into lead roles needs to be more strongly focused on the right character traits and emotional intelligence levels. From current research, most leadership roles are still being advertised and filled on experience, accreditations, technical ability, and long-term industry tenure; rather than values, motives, drivers and desirable character traits. But this ‘normalised’ entrenched approach is clearly not working well. So, we think it’s time to shake that up. 'We've always done it this way' is not a valid reason to continue with same-same approach. Same-same is no longer accepted. This month, our Vital Leaders theme is all about raising the bar in performance expectations. Rising up out of the normal, mediocre, average, ordinary box. We’ll be writing, talking, and sharing ideas on performance improvement for: Industries / Organisations Leaders Individuals Are you with us on this journey? Isn’t it time you disrupt the status quo, smash through the normalcy barriers and focus on more dynamic solutions. Remember: old ways wont’ give new results. Dare to DISRUPT. Dare to LEAD dynamically.
06 May, 2018
Servant Leadership … what IS that? Robert K. Greenleaf coined the term “servant leadership” in an essay he first published in 1970, saying: “The servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to satisfy a strong power drive or to acquire material possessions. The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. The leader who is servant first ensures that other people’s highest priority needs are being served.” Put simply: Servant Leaders intentionally focus on identifying and meeting the needs of others … it is this that motivates them to influence and lead … rather than to acquire power, wealth, popularity and fame for themselves. Let’s face it: there are leaders who are in it for themselves … and leaders who are in it for others. From my personal experience across various industries, organisations and in even the public service arena, those who focus on others needs and support others development, and consider ‘good for the greater good’ community needs in making decisions, are the most effective leaders. S E R V E … Servant Leadership Strengths S - Servant leaders are visionary – they have strong self-awareness and situational awareness, and the foresight to join the dots and see the bigger picture – the potential future. E - Servant leaders engage – they listen with genuine interest and are committed to the growth and development of people and their community. R - Servant leaders continually learn, create and reinvent – they look at problems as opportunities to design better solutions, conceptualizing ideas bigger and beyond the general day-to-day, issue-by-issue focus. V – Servant leaders value people, relationships and end results – in that order. They understand the importance of building a trusted community where people feel they belong. E – Servant leaders have strong values that fit with a natural desire to serve others . This ‘calling’ to serve is deeply rooted and value-based on making a difference for other people and their community. If serving is below you ... Leadership is beyond you. Are you a servant leader? Take a look in the mirror … it all starts with self-awareness. Test yourself with these 10 personal challenge questions? Do people believe that you want to hear their ideas and will value them? Do people believe that you will understand what is happening in their lives and how it affects them? Do others tend to come to you when their tanks are low and options are few, especially when something traumatic has happened in their lives? Do others believe you have a strong sense of clarity and keen insight into what is going on? Do others follow up on your requests because they want to, or because they have to? Do others contribute their ideas and vision for the good of the group when you are around? Do others have confidence in your ability to anticipate the results of decisions and their consequences? Do others believe you are preparing them to make a positive difference in the world? Do people believe that you are committed to helping them learn, grow and develop as a whole person? Do people believe that you are willing to sacrifice self-interest for the good of the group? Yes … the questions are all about how OTHERS perceive your intent, purpose, behaviours, responses, and decisions … how others see you, feel about your leader style, and what beliefs they form about whether to trust and follow your leadership. What type of leader you are … is up to you . You design and own your leadership style … your intent and purpose … your behaviours and actions. Leadership has nothing to do with position or status … and everything to do with what you practice. If you would like to develop your servant leadership strengths, we’d love to help you do that. Our most popular product is Vital SEIP Review, which includes a Social + Emotional Intelligence Profile – SEIP online assessment and a comprehensive 40 page individualised report … is a valuable starting base to identify your strengths and weaknesses. We package that with 3 personal coaching sessions to support your learning. If you would like this blog as a printable tool for your leadership kit, just ask us for our ' Servant Leadership handout' and we will send it to you directly.
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