Blog
Stand Down Your Ego (WT465)
I’m not sure if this week’s heading is grammatically correct. Maybe you can come up with a better heading. Here’s the message. Since Ross and I have been travelling we’ve learned sooooooo much; so many things we didn’t know we didn’t know. This week I was listening to a presentation and the speaker mentioned how he had evolved his business once he was able to push his ego aside and take on the lessons. This really resonated with me because I have had to do the same thing during the past few months. I don’t know everything and certainly I am finding out, I know very...
Follow the Path (WT464)
Many times I’ve mentioned, “How we do anything is how we do everything.” Whenever I am walking or driving somewhere I tend to follow the path. The other day we stopped in Coffs Harbour to get some chemicals for our bathroom. Ross reversed Contessa and I jumped out to run in to the shop and quickly buy what we needed. I scanned the carpark and found a path with hand rails. I headed for the path. As I walked up the path I realised that the shop entrance was directly opposite Ross and the motorhome. I turned the corner and walked the extra few metres to the...
Keep the Faith (WT463)
My vision for travelling and working around Australia was to be able to continue coaching and training with my clients. I have to say the first month or two was a bit rough, especially having to dress in my corporate clothes and apply make-up. This didn’t fit the vision and on a few occasions I cried to Ross, “This isn’t what I had in mind. I visualised being on the phone coaching and helping people, wearing my shorts and T-shirt and looking out over the ocean.” This week the vision finally came to light. Situated overlooking the magnificent Number 1 Beach at Seal Rocks in New South Wales,...
Bargain Fruit (WT462)
If you were driving past a shop sign, as we did recently in a little country town, for a fruit shop that read “Bargain Fruit”, what perception would you have of the fruit being sold? Immediately I thought the fruit would be of lesser quality than fruit sold in other shops. The word “Bargain” means “a thing bought or offered for sale much more cheaply than is usual or expected”. The point I want to make is that words, especially in a business name, can make or break your business. Based on the name alone, I wouldn’t go to that shop. Would you? The words you use impact on...
Do You Want Me to Do Nothing and Just Look at the Sky? (WT461)
The past month has been really interesting for Ross and I as we navigate our way through transitioning to living together in the space of a motorhome. Both of us are leaders and both want to be the boss. Of course there can only be one boss. Fortunately though we can be boss of different areas and so we have come to realise that just like when we were first living together 30 years ago, we have had to clarify our roles and responsibilities. Similarly, we met another couple on the road who arrived in Australia from South Africa and within a few days were on the road with their caravan. The...
What Language Are You Speaking? (WT460)
A few months ago, I was introduced to a new profiling tool and I have to say I am extremely impressed with it. It’s called the Reach Quotient and similar to D.I.S.C. and other profiling tools it measures our basic trait or personality, however it goes further than the others in that we can also measure the degree to which you are speaking another’s language, i.e. we can measure the size of your REACH. This is exceptional because it shows exactly where you are and the impact you have on the four styles as well as identifies areas for improvement. The higher the “REACH”, the better the leader...
Persevere – It Will Get Better (WT459)
It’s been just over a month since Ross and I started our journey in Contessa, (our motorhome). We’ve been happily married for nearly 30 years and yet one month in Contessa nearly brought it all undone. Living in such close quarters has required HUGE adjustments on both our parts. As an only child and an introvert (i.e. I regenerate through solitude), I have struggled to find some time and space for myself. Without periods of solitude I tend to get narky and cranky and passive aggressive. Of course Ross reacts rather than responds and the whole situation just disintegrates. I was doing my...
The Difference You Make (WT458)
I’ve been reading a book called Discover the Gift – It’s Why We’re Here by Shajen Joy Aziz and Demian Lichtenstein (brother and sister). Here’s a quote in the book from Personal Development teacher Barbara De Angelis. I share it because I want to make a positive difference to you: “A lot of us discount what we have to offer because we can’t see how it’s going to make us money, or it’s not going to make us famous, or we’re not going to get invited to be on Oprah. So we believe we are not making a difference. But making a difference is really about the way you show up in the world every day....
What are You Missing? (WT457)
This week I’d like to share a concept that came up during this week’s Leading Yourself and Leading Others workshop and that is the question, “What are you missing?” The question arose because of the absolute focus the team has on a particular issue. They are all united in their thinking and very focussed on their perception of how things should be. To generate discussion I shared the following videos, (it will take you less than 3 minutes in total to watch the two of them): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo...
Stick to Your Vision (WT456)
Yesterday we went to The National Arboretum in Canberra (a mosaic of 94 living forests of rare, endangered and symbolic trees from Australia and around the world) to see the National Bonsai and Penjing Collection. We were lucky enough to have a guide explain the history of the Aboretum and a curator show us the difference between plants styled by the Chinese Penjing and Japanese Bonsai methods. According to the Arboretum website, “Prior to the 2001 and 2003 Canberra bushfires, the Arboretum site was mostly covered in pine plantations (Pinus radiata).” Our guide further explained that the...