The Game We Are Really Playing

If you were a professional sporting coach and the volume of training you were putting your athletes through had been maximised, what would you do?

What I learnt from my Dean Waugh crisis

I’m playing a One-Day cricket match on a hot day at Campbelltown Oval for my grade club East Torrens in South Australia. I’m bowling first change in batting-friendly conditions. The batsman is the third Waugh brother - Dean. Apparently, the best batsman of all the brothers (for the sake of the story let’s just say he is 😉).

A time to go big, not small

Disruption is not fun. It really isn’t. It’s like being Harrison Ford in The Fugitive. One day you’re an award-winning Doctor, next you are running for your life. Looking over your shoulder constantly not knowing if you’ll survive another day.

Focused on contribution without fuss

I had the privilege of going to the Women's T20 World Cup Final this week. What a cracker of a night! It was a brilliant showcase of community, sport, and inclusiveness. When it came to the cricket, the Aussies put in an almost faultless performance to swipe the Indian team aside to win the championship.

Artifacts connect us to our work and boost performance

The Maori warriors would use stealth to consolidate their forces and approach their enemy. At night time they would scout and travel the terrain. To guide their forces they would use the leaves of the native Silver Fern. When this leaf is turned upside down the underside of the leaf would reflect the moonlight with its silver-like reflective surface. They would lay the ferns out like bread crumbs for other warriors to follow - the fern represented 'the way forward'. Then when they returned home the last warrior would turn the leaves over so they could not be followed.

Promoting safety when it matters means mastery

A lot of our work is repetitive. And, when we become familiar with the scenarios and skills required on a cyclical basis, we may say that we achieved mastery. Malcolm Gladwell says we need to spend 10 000 hours practicing a skill or specialty to create a form of mastery.

Finding the zone of Productivity

In my study of Rhythm, and how to achieve it from a leadership or team perspective, I have found the concept of flow to be an important cornerstone of this.

The confusion none of us enjoy

Last week I had the pleasure of spending the day with a group of leaders in Adelaide. These people are experts in their field and super clever. Over lunch, it was wonderful to hear about their experiences from all over the world. I found it fascinating and enjoyable to work through leadership discussions and challenges with them throughout the day.

When technical skills take over

This week, the original Wiggles put on a concert to raise money for fire effected communities in Australia. I was a bit old for The Wiggles so my appreciation for them is a little meager, but they are one of the most successful entertainment exports this country has ever had.

Applying the Rhythm Principals to a new regime

On the 30th of December 2019, I attended my first yoga class. I know it reeks of New Year’s Resolution, but the timing, in this case, was inconsequential. My mentor had recommended this for me to undertake for my physical well being as well as my professional practice.

Finding your 80% Return

Pareto’s Principle tells us that the majority of our results come from a minority of our efforts (or resources). As a Corporate Sales Manager, I always had to subscribe by this as there simply is never the time or resource to attend to everything perfectly. Even more so now in my own Practice.

Avoid a stagnant start to 2020

Happy New Year y'all! Its the beginning of a new year where everyone is sprucing new beginnings and new starts. For some of us that have been around the sun a few times, we can find ourselves being cynical of such messages. For good reason too! It will only be a matter of weeks (or days in some cases) before the endorphins of 'new beginnings' wears off and is replaced by 'business as usual'.

A cornerstone strategy to progress

Every month Jana and I get ourselves along to the South Kingsville Slow Food Melbourne Farmers Market. It is a typical producer’s market with some beautiful local food of many kinds. It has become a ritual for us and we have now started to bring friends along because it is so good!

Keeping focused and engaged on the job at hand

Jack Nicklaus, the most successful professional golfer of all time once said, “golf is a game of misses.” He refers to the fact that it is impossible to hit a golf ball exactly where you want it to go, and that the key is to play a shot so that your miss is a good one. After going to see the next best player of all time, Tiger Woods, up close in person, I feel that golf is not only a game of misses but also a game of distraction.

How communication restraint becomes a strength

This week Ange Postecoglou led Yokohama to their first championship win in 15 years in the national competition. He has only been in the job for two years where he instilled his attacking philosophy which he deeply believes in. So much so, that he has walked away from Management jobs when asked to comprise his beliefs and values.

Motivation always has and always will be on the agenda

It’s a typical Sunday evening on a typically hot Aussie day. I am lazing about after an alcohol fuelled weekend full of my usual pleasures - socialising, sport, and time with my wife, Jana. As the sun goes down, I do what I do every Sunday evening. I turn my mind to Monday. The trepidation of Monday…

The fragility of long-term success

Manchester United Football Club (MUFC) is in a real funk in the English Premier League. The third richest club in the world (Forbes, 30 May 2019), which dominated the modern Premier League era like no other before it has been pulled back into the pack. It is no longer even a challenger, let alone a trailblazer. Beware the dynasty...

Why high performers can’t have their own rules

Super Stars are easy to fall in love with, no matter how difficult or prickly they may be. The Brazilian Soccer Player, Ronaldinho, was the best in the world. Yet he had his own rules at his club, Barcelona, where he would party whenever he liked no matter what. I had a top sales representative in my team a few years ago that never played by the rules, but I let these things go as the sales numbers were all anyone in the hierarchy cared about.

Better than incentives when done well

This week a study from Penn State University was released about Kindness and it’s relationship to worker productivity. During the study, candidates reported significantly higher levels of self-efficacy (related to confidence and belief) as well as having increased capability to solve their own problems through perseverance. There seemed to be a higher level of resilience and lowered levels of feelings associated with depression.

Leadership communication that shouts safety

What is the worst thing that could happen when you speak in front of a room full of people? All sorts of harrowing scenarios come to mind. One of my worst nightmares happened to me today.