My Library
People are my library, my writing inspired by what I learn: ideas, inspiration, wisdom, and sometimes some eclectic whimsy for good measure, all centred around #OpenLeadership. At the heart of all of this is that I write to share learnings and to discover my thoughts. Over the years i have written (mostly) daily, over 2000 posts and 1,000,000 words (that last part blows my mind, tbh!). Enjoy browsing.
Memory Matters
Memory matters. What we cannot remember we cannot possibly repair and what we cannot repair we are bound to repeat, again and again. This stunning passage was posted this week by Elif Shafak in "We are the Memory Tribe", which begins by talking about writers being...
Memory Matters
Memory matters. What we cannot remember we cannot possibly repair and what we cannot repair we are bound to repeat, again and again.
What gift would you give a 14-year-old?
Me and my boys in the Alps, August 2018 (they were 14, 20 and 24 at the time). For years my gifts to them have been time and experiences together, though the 14 year old wasn't too sure about the height of the chairlift š Inspired yesterday by my friend Ben Brabyn...
We have inside us our whole potential
When we plant a rose seed in the earth, we notice that it is small, but we do not criticize it as ārootless and stemless.ā We treat it as a seed, giving it the water and nourishment required of a seed. When it first shoots up out of the earth, we donāt condemn it as...
Add perspective by consciously not knowing the detail
These two brief experiences I am reflecting lead me to feel that you can "add perspective by consciously not knowing the detail". When I trained as a coach, one core element was learning to listen for CONTEXT, rather than CONTENT. Today a contextual observation that...
Are you a ONE or a TO?
Wayne Goldsmith is one of the top minds in swimming and writes prolifically around both technical skills and mindset. One article is entitled: "The 5 Superpowers of Performanceā and lists them as: PassionPersistencePracticePatiencePeace Around the last one, Peace, he...
Neurodiversity is simply seeing things differently.
Alex Honnold free solo-ing. When a picture speaks a thousand words! If you truly believe in and wish to have diversity in your organisation, actively seek out those who see things differently HBR: Organizations are beginning to value neurodiversity.Alex Honnold:...
Work is love made visible
Work is love made visible.And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread...
I am energized by entrepreneurs
I am energized by entrepreneurs. My instagram post tagging the great guys at S&T Mobile Car Wash. An obvious statement, perhaps, but so often reminded of it. This week, for example, I had the guys at S&T Car Wash come to wash my car first thing in the morning....
Focus on “how much is enough?”
The word "Enoughism" even has a podcast now š Today's Leadership tip is to focus on "how much is enough?". On a personal level, years ago I shifted focus to what I used to call more of a "minimalist" lifestyle, but a lot of those who talk about minimalism are less...
Repeating themes – the map is not the territory
The universe, she will keep repeating the lessons to you over and over, in different forms, until you are ready to learn themAn oft-repeated lesson to me by my mentor Ed Percival As a friend reminded me of recently, I do like to repeat themes, each time looking at...
Be aware of your biases
The lack of awareness is particularly strong around our biases. There are many types of biases. Image (c) Sketchplanations "Awareness is the greatest agent to change" This quote comes from mentor and friend Suki Laniado Smith, a wonderful coach and guide. Without...
Focus means saying no
āPeople think focus means saying yes to the thing youāve got to focus on. But thatās not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. Iām actually as proud of the things we havenāt done as the...
Spend first then tax later, and learn from Jamaica
From an epic twitter thread from the Bank of Jamaica **WARNING - some Economics geekery follows** My favourite podcast (yes, even more so than the bickering of Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode on Wittertainment ) is by David McWilliams. This week David showed himself, as...