Strategy is not a plan, tactics or instructions manual! Strategy is a guiding philosophy of becoming, it’s a way of looking at the world as it is and deciding how you want to change it. It’s not a guarantee, it’s not a map, it’s a compass. Strategy will help to keep you aligned with your purpose, even as you adjust to challenges along the way. As it doesn’t matter how fast you run if you are going in the wrong direction. Who are you here to serve? And how are you hoping to change them?
Unlocking the potential
How do we guide clients to realise their inner potential?
There's greatness inside each one of our clients, and it’s our role is to help them shine in all areas of their lives. The beauty of the human journey lies in its imperfection, and it is this imperfection that gives rise to true beauty. I think ultimately, coaching is not about the coach; it’s all about the client. It’s about partnering with them on their journey toward a meaningful destination, a destination that aligns with their destiny.
We have a responsibility
Society often judges men by the wrong value systems, for example, men are often valued solely for their financial contributions to the home. If a man does not provide financial support, he is seen as having no value. I think men offer much more than just financial support, as we provide guidance, instruction, and discipline for children, which are sorely needed in our homes. Men also offer gratification, fulfillment, protection, and many other important values. These contributions are often missing in our children's lives today, leading to many children being out of control in the streets, disrespectful, and having no regard for others. Many of us are scared of these children because we lack the means to connect with them and gain control. If we can raise better children, we will have a better society.
Belonging at work
DEI in the workplace and what it really means is a constantly evolving topic that you can’t learn from a book. I think both the personal and legal insights is what matters when trying to truly understand the position of underrepresented groups in the workplace through listening to their first-hand experiences. I have been guiding HR teams about the pressing issues they face and the right language to use when referring to a particular issue. When you don’t know what it’s like first hand to be part of an underrepresented group in the workplace then it’s worth taking time to understand how you can gain this insight.
Making things better
What is marketing and what can we use it to achieve?
Marketing is about making things better by making better things. Marketing isn’t about hype; marketing isn’t about hustle and marketing isn’t about selfish short-term narcissists seeking to maximise profit in a misguided capitalistic sort of way. My mission is to continue narrating and guiding other people do the heavy lifting of persistently and consistently making things better. And because I am not shouting from the rooftops about what I am doing or how I helped this or that organisation, it appears that I don’t do anything. Metaphorically speaking, I know how to step by step put a stake in the ground, so they fit in an arc and not necessarily in perfect order.
Complacency is rooted in pride
Stock Photo
What was your motivation to get into leadership?
I love sales and being in a leadership position does not change who I am as a person. Whenever I am in a leadership role or even in my younger days when I was in sales positions – I always chose to help my colleagues. I have had the benefit of good education, and I think a good education means that you have gained the ability to think on your own. Every time that I have gone into a leadership role, it was not necessarily something I was looking for, it’s something that I have naturally done. Whenever someone has asked me for help, whether friend or foe, I have always said yes, taking time to listen, articulate and advising on how we can become better as a team. Generally speaking, I have really enjoyed being in a teacher - motivator role, and in my humble opinion I have always excelled in them. I’m fully aware that whenever leaders push excellence, the haters will come out of the woodwork as employers are not fond of change.
Guiding entrepreneurs
Sometimes being an entrepreneur can be really lonely. Mentors can help to open hives of thought that an entrepreneur may not have considered. Mentoring is an age-old practice of transferring knowledge and experience through personal relationships. The benefits of having a business mentor is often overlooked by eager entrepreneurs who want that instant gratification. A mentor can help entrepreneurs learn how to navigate many of the challenges typically faced by social entrepreneurs.
Mentors have been present in all walks of life and all disciplines for thousands of years and a good mentor will teach you how to think, not what to think. Contact me via e-mail if you are looking for a business professional with the experience to provide personalised support, sound business advice and encouragement to help you develop your own abilities and insights.
Mind the gap
One of the big lessons I learned from the pandemic has been patience - “Make do now and then make better later”. We measure success by the way we touch the lives of people and now I realise that everything I learned about parenting was about leadership. Both parenting and leadership have the following attributes in common:
- Caring
- Listening
- Trusting
- Empowering
- Teaching
- Mentoring
- Leading
There is always going to be a gap between your ambition and your ability. The big question is are you willing to trust progress and not seek perfection? Contact me via e-mail to arrange a confidential meeting if you are questioning yourself about: Who you are, what you stand for and what you do for others?
Looking back to the past
The late, great Steve Jobs said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something—your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
I think in the future when we look back at our careers the leaders that we remember will be the ones who:
1. Provided us a safe space to grow
2. Opened career doors
3. Defended us when we needed it
4. Recognised and rewarded us
5. Developed us as leaders
6. Inspired us to stretch higher
7. Led by example
8. Told us our work mattered
9. Forgave us when we made mistakes
10. Contact me via e-mail to arrange a meeting.
Question: Why me?
What can I bring of experience and competence that can potentially beat a candidate with industry experience?
The love of winning! Sometimes an “outsider” can see a smarter way of doing it as I would have to learn the procedures and performance routines. And when you are learning a performance, you model yourself after the smartest way, which more often than not is also the best way.
Too many of us think the best people are the people who are metaphorically speaking, screaming “look at me” the loudest, and talking down to the rest of us. They are not the best!
The best people are out in the field - doing it - showing you the distinctions, articulating to you about what has worked for them, so you can benefit from their experiences. I think it’s genius to learn from other peoples mistakes, not in a miraculous way.
Too many of us have to learn from our mistakes several times before we really learn from them. Contact me via e-mail for sparring, mentoring or guidance.