“Don’t go in and hide; don’t come out and shine; stand stock-still in the middle.” ― Zhuangzi, The Complete Works of Chuang Tzu Here is how a common mistake occurs. When an undesirable development occurs or a difficult situation arises, we often think, “Oh, I have got such rotten luck, why is this happening?’ We […]
By Ian Sampson : A colleague recently described me as a new age type of leader… sensitive, caring, wanting to serve others. Does that make me a sensitive leader? Yes, and No. Good leaders use their sense, their sensitivity and their senses in being leaders in the moment. There is some debate whether the old […]
Let me tell you about my little mate Malcolm. Malcolm is a Dorper Ram. He has been our primary stud ram for the past three seasons and has been a diligent worker, siring over 300 offspring over his time with us. Clearly he has been a very productive asset for our farm. But here’s the […]
The relationship between a Chairman and a CEO is special. Great Chairs often act as a confidant, mentor, adviser, sounding board and interpreter for the CEO. Recently I had the privilege of coaching a Chairman who fulfills this role with distinction in his organisation. In some other organisations, I get to play the role that this […]
Recently I worked with a business owner, Ron, on a problem that all business owners love. We had a great coaching session and he got some great insights into the underlying issue and what steps to take next. I also got some great learnings. The first was when he asked me, a little shyly, “What, […]
In early 2014 the Australian Government launched its Remote School Attendance Strategy (RSAS) in 73 schools across 69 remote communities in New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory. The aim of the Strategy is to increase attendance rates in remote schools so all children get a good education and works with […]
I am often asked how I stay positive most of the time. In one workplace me being positive was seen as an issue by some at the company. That said, I do have my down moments, however I believe that a Positive Attitude will enable anyone to perform better than a negative one. For example, would […]
In my work as a coach to CEO’s, Chairs, Directors and senior executives we often discuss what makes for a good Board applicant. Chairs are usually thinking about this from a recruitment angle, the others from being interested applicants. From a combination of study, research and personal experience here is a checklist that I […]
We all know that interviews can be stressful and you invest a large amount of time and energy in the anticipation and preparation. What will they ask? Do I have the skills and what it takes? What from the past will set me up for the future? Will I ‘fit’? Not surprisingly, by the time […]
I’m working with a Managing Director who was facing a potential mutiny by his staff three months ago. His staff respect him immensely for his meticulous issue management but many felt afraid when he interacts with them. We’ve been working together on distinguishing the differences between two mindsets. The first is the mindset required to resolve issues […]
B-Cause 