Insights by Category
MANAGEMENT | PURPOSE | PEOPLE | PERFORMANCE
Purpose
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Winning isn’t everything
In May 2009 when we had to decide whether to turn-off or turn-around the Perth Wildcats, numerous decisions had to be made. We asked ourselves three questions: What is our Purpose? How shall we Perform? and Who are our People?… Read More…
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Focus on the outside
As managers, it is often easy to get caught up in the everyday. The constant demands of the email in-box, the regular board and management meetings, the routine of operations or the unending unforeseen issues that require your attention can… Read More…
People
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Why are they on the team?
Not everyone is on the team for the same reason. A manager’s genuine understanding of each team member’s key drivers can greatly improve individual and team performance. In most good teams, there is clarity of mission, good-charactered people committed to… Read More…
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It’s lonely at the top…and all the way down!
Today’s as good as any to talk about it. CEOs, Chairs, and Managers often say it’s lonely at the top. And that may well be true. Increasing research, however, suggests that this is a problem throughout most organisations. Ironically, loneliness… Read More…
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How do we communicate?
“I don’t see why this even needs to be discussed,” the CEO exclaimed, somewhat frustrated, “the answer is obvious.” We were facilitating the company’s annual strategic retreat, and during the morning break, the senior executives were debriefing an incident at… Read More…
Performance
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The power of strategic abandonment
There is no greater tragedy than doing well that should not be done at all. Yet, we fall into habits that are unfruitful at best or dangerous at worst – in business and life. Taking stock every 90 days enables… Read More…
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You Snooze, You Win
Sleep and its impact on athletes as well as knowledge workers… How to use Sleep Indicators to improve performance on teams on and off the court. After more than two decades of working with professional sporting teams, high-net-worth individuals, and… Read More…
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Using Perspective and Time to solve problems and make decisions
In work and life, we often face a problem, crisis or concern requiring critical thinking. Emotions, circumstances and human relationships can make this process difficult. In our work with clients, we find that using a framework of perspective and time… Read More…
Management
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Pounding the rock! Vitamins and Lifechanging Disciplines.
It was 2013 and six years since the San Antonio Spurs’ last NBA Championship. Having won their first four titles in the preceding eight years, the locals were restless. Yet, head coach Gregg Popovich, who had overseen the franchise’s successes,… Read More…
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Recognition, the #1 factor in workplace well-being
Attracting the right talent and maximising their performance in purposeful, good-cultured organisations is a mission not unique to us. Most aspire to this. Having the right information and the discipline to do the hard work often gets in the way.… Read More…
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Three factors that will determine our lives…
My learnings from over 25 years of consulting and working closely with proven leaders, millionaires and billionaires can be condensed into three key factors. 1. The Goals we set 2. The Company we keep 3. The Disciplines we form PURPOSE… Read More…
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Why are they on the team?
Not everyone is on the team for the same reason. A manager’s genuine understanding of each team member’s key drivers can greatly improve individual and team performance. In most good teams, there is clarity of mission, good-charactered people committed to… Read More…
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Rethinking Management
It’s time to rethink management – not just for the current environment but for what lies ahead. Many of the most valuable and successful organisations in the world today, did not exist a decade or two ago – evidence that… Read More…
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The power of strategic abandonment
There is no greater tragedy than doing well that should not be done at all. Yet, we fall into habits that are unfruitful at best or dangerous at worst – in business and life. Taking stock every 90 days enables… Read More…
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You Snooze, You Win
Sleep and its impact on athletes as well as knowledge workers… How to use Sleep Indicators to improve performance on teams on and off the court. After more than two decades of working with professional sporting teams, high-net-worth individuals, and… Read More…
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It’s lonely at the top…and all the way down!
Today’s as good as any to talk about it. CEOs, Chairs, and Managers often say it’s lonely at the top. And that may well be true. Increasing research, however, suggests that this is a problem throughout most organisations. Ironically, loneliness… Read More…
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How do we communicate?
“I don’t see why this even needs to be discussed,” the CEO exclaimed, somewhat frustrated, “the answer is obvious.” We were facilitating the company’s annual strategic retreat, and during the morning break, the senior executives were debriefing an incident at… Read More…
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Managing in the Middle – The three key habits good leaders practice
Good leadership often starts well at the top but does not always cascade to the bottom. Most employees experience leadership, culture, values, mission, vision, engagement, etc., predominantly through interactions with their direct manager (or superior), not the CEO. This is… Read More…
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Who’s on the boat?
A question we often ask of organisations is, “Who’s on the boat?” In other words, “If we started again today, who would not be on the team?” Almost always, there is someone. Often, there’s a list! HONESTY, HUMILITY & HARDWORK… Read More…
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Turn Quitters to Performers – the Five C’s Framework
40% OF YOUR EMPLOYEES WANT TO QUIT Gallup’s latest State of the Global Workplace Reports that 43% of employees in Australia intend to leave their current roles and are actively seeking new opportunities! Furthermore, 81% believe now is an excellent… Read More…
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Humanising Strategic Abandonment
We have strongly advocated strategic abandonment as an ongoing practice for organisations. And in these turbulent times, as Peter Drucker rightly wrote many years ago, “the enterprise has to be kept lean and muscular, capable of taking strain but capable… Read More…
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Everyone is a role player! Seven Questions to Consider for each person on your team.
Once there were superstars who ruled the world. Charismatic, talented, do-it-all athletes. Winners! They earned the big bucks, were featured on magazine covers, signed global endorsements…even had their own shoe deal. Then there were the lowly role players. often ignored,… Read More…
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Using Perspective and Time to solve problems and make decisions
In work and life, we often face a problem, crisis or concern requiring critical thinking. Emotions, circumstances and human relationships can make this process difficult. In our work with clients, we find that using a framework of perspective and time… Read More…
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The Three F’s of Effective Communication
Communication & Candour is one of the three key behaviours of performing teams (the others are Trust & Vulnerability and Commitment & Accountability). It helps to think of communication in three dimensions: 1. Who needs to be aware of this… Read More…
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5 Ways To Stop Wasting Time In Meetings!
Work meetings are an increasingly controversial topic these days. Some love them, others hate them. So, what’s the sweet spot? In our work and research, human interaction is one of the most powerful, effective and rewarding pursuits. But only if… Read More…
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The six key responsibilities of a manager
1. PURPOSE – MISSION – Understanding the environment, the team’s comparative competence and what value it creates. Clarifying the mission, vision and objectives. Setting the course and priorities. 2. PURPOSE – GOALS – What will be achieved in the time… Read More…
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Failing our way to success…
Failing is an inevitable part of our lives. We experience it from a very young age. As we take our first steps, we fall…but we get up again and keep at it until we master the art of walking! And… Read More…
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Winning isn’t everything
In May 2009 when we had to decide whether to turn-off or turn-around the Perth Wildcats, numerous decisions had to be made. We asked ourselves three questions: What is our Purpose? How shall we Perform? and Who are our People?… Read More…
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Focus on the outside
As managers, it is often easy to get caught up in the everyday. The constant demands of the email in-box, the regular board and management meetings, the routine of operations or the unending unforeseen issues that require your attention can… Read More…
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Focusing on the person – the primacy of the individual
There are no teams! There are no departments. There are no business units. There are no customers and there are no suppliers. There are, however, individuals who comprise all of the above! The human person. It is the human in… Read More…
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Budget for growth to ensure organisational success
As we enter a new financial year, most companies have been through the process of financial forecasting or budgeting. Notwithstanding, as argued before, that a 12-month cycle may be too long a time-frame for such a process it is a… Read More…