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Musings about life and work

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25.01.2022 Wowsers, its been a long week. Happy FriYAY all.

24.01.2022 A few months ago we got a really high power bill - like four times the size of the previous year. Two and a half months, 11 phone calls and many hours later, we are coming to a resolution that the meter was indeed faulty and we have been significantly overcharged. Its been a Masterclass in stuff ups - misinformation, wrong information, not doing what they said they would, not passing on information.... Yesterday I was finally escalated to their serious complaints team. He asked what I wanted to make it right - and my request was pretty simple. For all the people who have been involved so far to listen to all the phone calls - hear the incorrect info and the unhelpfulness - the anti customer service. To feel like it would have felt if it was their power bill. And then to go back to the system and explore whats wrong in the system that this can happen. You dont get so many people going off script unless the system is broken in some way. The complaints chap assured me that this would be used to do that .. Im sceptical ... but how amazing if we took the feedback we were given and really did examine what it meant - how it could happen - what the preceding factors that meant it was more likely to happen.. such a great source of learning (albeit on the customers dime). We shall see. Its not over yet. Happy Saturday all.

24.01.2022 Its a funny old thing that sometimes even when we put the work in, when we have the right attitude, when we try really hard - the results dont necessarily pan out the way we want them to. Life isnt linear and there (sadly) is not a direct correlation between effort and reward or outcome. Which leads us to sometimes give up or think that the effort isnt worth it.... Reframing success as the journey, not just the outcome, and of mini triumphs and growths along the way makes any sort of effort much more meaningful. Happy Thursday all. May your efforts be ones that matter.

23.01.2022 Who are we helping to succeed today? And who are we asking for help from? Thanks Simon Sinek for todays wise words.. Happy Tuesday all.

22.01.2022 Great message in this article. We think of failure as something bad. But often its the making of an idea, or some new development that would never have happened otherwise.

21.01.2022 This is just heart breaking https://womensagenda.com.au//amp-tried-to-silence-her-im-/

21.01.2022 Cultural change is happening... slowly - but its happening. Happy Sunday all. https://www.theage.com.au//rio-tinto-s-executive-cull-show

21.01.2022 Yesterday I received an email from the head of year at my daughter’s school. Whilst the heads usually stay for a number of years in the same year - this year the head was following the cohort up. It was really welcome news. She’s really great at her job. Which got me thinking. How good is it that someone is so good at their job that such news is so welcomed. ... Happy Wednesday all. A crazy few days ahead at this end. Makes the holidays seem so very far away

21.01.2022 Want to change an organisations culture? It takes more than a few workshops some fancy powerpoint slides. Heres why:https://www.tammytansley.com.au/changing-organisational-cu/ #culture #workplace #workplaceculture #leadership

20.01.2022 One of the many trickinesses about managing people is that its not just those that we are directly managing that we need to worry about - but those that they manage too. The further the direct line of sight, the harder it can become to see whats happening. Add to that that sometimes there are people managing others who have very little experience or training doing it - who are essentially winging it or doing what was done to them. Its tricky - but awareness, overt care a...nd wanting it to be different is always a good starting point. Happy Monday all.

20.01.2022 I read a beautiful post on LinkedIn yesterday where people were tagging other people to tell them what they appreciated about them. In this crazy world that is 2020, I think we need to go out of our way to tell people that they matter and what they do specifically that makes a difference in our lives. Hopefully the partial slowing down of life has allowed us to see with new clarity the good thats present in our lives. I had the joy this week of truly seeing a friends absol...ute gift for listening, peeling back the onion to identify the actual issue and offering some suggestions with compassion, humanity and kindness. I dont know why I had never seen it before but once I did - I was truly in awe of her gift. You can do it here by tagging the people that are making a difference to you (and why). Or better still - call, zoom, write to them, or tell them in person if you can. And dont let that person just brush it off. Lets make our workplaces and communities better by acknowledging the people who make them better every day. Happy Sunday all.

19.01.2022 This sounds a little silly.. but theres good science behind it. Dr Adam Fraser talks about having the third space. The space between the two things that you have left - are going to. Space to allow for reflection on what happened in the one you left and a fresh mindset for what youre going to... The fake commute does that ... of course it doesnt need to involve a car. A walk does the trick just as effectively. What do you think?... Happy Thursday all. https://www.theage.com.au//still-working-from-home-time-to

19.01.2022 Another gem from Simon Sinek.. if you want things to be different, better ... dont just whinge about it ... change them. Talk is cheap. Its action that matters. Happy Wednesday all.

18.01.2022 I’m mid-way through walking part of the cape to cape as part of a leadership programme. It’s been an interesting few days - touching all sorts of aspects of life. One of the facilitators is working with us on the practice of just doing. Something. Anything. Even if you’re not sure if it’s the right step or what the step after that might be - to trust the process or practice rather than be fixated on the outcome. And to start when you need to start rather than waiting until yo...u’re ready. It mirrors a lot of Seth Godin’s new book. We don’t need to have a clear path. Or a crystal clear destination. We just need to start. And keep going. And trust that whilst it may be wobbly and messy - we will find the path. Happy Thursday all.

17.01.2022 My part of our Mandela we created. Mine was to signify how as leaders (in all aspects of our lives) we are like the trunk and branches. The leaves are the people we touch as leaders, and the shadow that our tree creates which allows for more yet growth in the forest below. Every interaction we have with another human can make a difference for the better. Happy Friday all (is it Friday yet?)

17.01.2022 A friend suggested listening to this and shes right. Its really wonderful. Michelle Obamas podcast speaks of many things - but I really love the one on mentoring. You have to listen via Spotify which is slightly annoying if you dont use them. But its worth it! Love to know your thoughts. ... Happy Sunday all. https://open.spotify.com/show/71mvGXupfKcmO6jlmOJQTP

17.01.2022 I was just talking to someone about the difference between being present and BEING PRESENT. In the course of various leadership and coaching programmes over the years, there have been participants who have turned up, done pretty much was required and that’s it.. There are others who have taken every available opportunity to learn, to grow, to develop. ... I think the difference is doing it for yourself because YOU want to get something out of it - vs - doing it to please someone else or to comply with a requirement of your employer or whatever.. If we tap into our own intrinsic motivation we will always get more out of something than if we just go along for the ride. Happy Saturday all. Wishing you a lovely weekend ahead.

16.01.2022 Super quick (133 seconds to be exact) video from Dan Pink on the sweet spot to be - as a parent, manager, leader, everything..... It’s super simple to understand - and makes sense! What do you think?... Happy Thursday all. https://www.danpink.com//pinkcast-1-4-this-chart-will-mak/

16.01.2022 I heard a fabulous concept tonight about relationship receipts. Where something happens, but rather than address it, you note it down in the receipt book so that when you need to do a relationship audit all those singular incidents come back out again (and again. And again). I think we have all been guilty of sticking the receipts in the drawer only to pull them out when you think they’re needed. Maybe we should just not do that. Happy Tuesday night all.

16.01.2022 Why dont we listen? Is it ego, lack of time, or something else? https://www.tammytansley.com.au/learning-to-listen/ #listening #ListeningIsEverything #coaching #timetothink #nancykline

16.01.2022 Interesting opinion piece on friends appointing friends to boards and other senior positions.. Like my post last night - it is slowly changing - but its slow... Happy Wednesday all. ... https://www.theage.com.au//the-sick-culture-at-the-heart-o

14.01.2022 How wonderful is this from Seth Godin. Kindness does indeed matter. Happy Wednesday all.

14.01.2022 Another adventure on the weekend saw us at one of those urgent care super GP places on a rainy Sunday morning. I have to confess I didnt have high hopes - but we needed the patient attended to, didnt want to go to hospital and sit there all day, and our usual GP was closed. But I couldnt have been more wrong. The whole process including xrays, two doc consultations, being patched up and sent our way was less than an hour.... It was all efficient, pleasant and friendly and spotlessly clean. And we probably paid less than a weekend visit to our local GP. Now perhaps we got lucky - and it was quiet - but it was more than the speed. It was how the nurses, docs, radiographers, admin staff spoke to and about each other. There was a real sense of collegiate caring. And the nurse who did the patching up clearly had an aptitude for patient care. It felt like this was an organisation that knew why it was there, what it did and did that efficiently and pleasantly. Of course they are not the same as GPs as they probably dont get the complex and multi layer problems, and theyre not the same as an emergency department in a hospital for obvious reasons .. Which got me thinking. Theres something in being a niche organisation- not trying to be all things to all people. But doing your thing very well. Surely thats the hope of all our organisations- whatever they are. That we are crystal clear on our niche, on our purpose and reason for being and execute that super well. Happy Monday all (for the second time )

14.01.2022 Im a bit ambivalent about this... On the one hand - it shows great workplace spirit. On the other hand - the fact that its needed is as an impact of poor organisational strategy and decisions over the years. And whilst employees are asked to work for free - senior management and the board asked for large bonuses and raises. ... What do you think? Its a funny old world we are living in. Happy Wednesday all.

14.01.2022 My big girl is a mental health ambassador at her school. Today theyre prepping for RU OK? Day activities. Its great that the kids are learning more about mental health and critically, how to support their peers. As adults I think we get in our own head about the conversation- and often avoid it because it seems too hard and we are not sure what to do or say. Now, more than ever, checking in on each other is critical. Workplaces, communities and societies move forward when ...people connect with each other on a human level: seeing and hearing each other. Even if that means seeing someone in pain or distress. Here are some great tips for how to approach the conversation. Number 1 tip - listen, dont give advice! Happy RU Ok? Day

14.01.2022 Humans are often pretty good at managing short bursts of stress. The adrenaline kicks in and often the broader system (family, friends etc) step in to help. It gets more tricky when its a marathon not a sprint and when the broader system is similarly suffering. NOBL talk about creating slack through:... In other words, weve created more fragility within our organizations when really we needed to be creating flexibility. If were going to survive this prolonged period of psychological, physical, and financial stressand the unexpected hurdles still to comewe must create slack within our organizations. (And, being that its 2020, there will be more to come.) To add slack: Build a reserve of resources. While the best way to build resilience is to store away reserves before a crisis, you can start rebuilding a "resilience bank account" at any time. Prioritize financial reserves if possible, but also consider any merchandise or equipment that you may be able to gather now for use (or sale) later. Budget extra time for everything you do. Humans are notoriously terrible at predicting how long a task will take to complete. Give yourself buffers before and after meetings. Anticipate projects will take twice as long to complete, and bake in that extra time while youre planning. If you finish something early, great! Take a few breaths. Give yourself and your team time to recuperate instead of loading on more work. Reduce the complexity of processes and decision making. Decentralizing authority within your organization allows for greater flexibility and helps prevent bottlenecks that arise when one person holds the decision-making power. Trust that youve hired the right people, and let them do their best work. Create a culture of openness that values varying perspectives. While it may seem like the time to double down on providing direction as a leader, its actually more important to listen openly to the needs of your employees. You need to be willing to question the existing situation within your organization, allowing new solutions to emerge from the people closest to the work. Stay compassionate. Particularly if youre cool under pressure, you may find yourself judging others who are struggling. But showing contempt will only make the situation worseinstead, practice empathy and find ways to support them.

12.01.2022 It’s funny how we make observations about another person’s behaviour and then make up a whole story about them based on that behaviour. Often we are wrong. And we are almost always missing bits of vital information that would explain the behaviour. The problem with all this is that we then adjust our behaviour to react to the (probably inaccurate story) we have told ourselves about the other person. Which then causes all sorts of consequences. I love Brene Brown’s approach o...f just asking - the story I’m telling myself about this is ..... Sometimes we are right but many times we are not. I’ve survived my week of walking so back home today to see the family and fluffy dog. Hoping your day is lovely. Happy Sunday all.

10.01.2022 From Maccas not offering loo breaks, through to CEOs falling like flies the world of work seems to be under more intense scrutiny than ever. Is a good thing for our workplaces? Or are just setting ourselves up for more intense regulation that wont be followed. WHATS GOING ON? Firstly, the significant decision enshrining the right to have toilet and drink breaks. (Who knew such a thing needed to be enshrined in law?) And, the CEO who fell foul of his own code of conduct....Continue reading

09.01.2022 Talking about The Third Space, heres an interesting video from Dr Adam Fraser. Happy Friday all.

08.01.2022 Its Fathers Day today, here in Australia. Today I wanted to give thanks to all the Dads who coach, umpire, encourage and support their kids every weekend. Who stand on the sidelines in the cold. The Dads who are on committees of clubs in our communities. The Dads who turn up to busy bees at our schools to make nature play gardens and the like. The Dads who do the sausage sizzles. Our workplaces, schools, communities and societies are better for the men who stand up and do... this stuff. In my life Ive been fortunate to have my own Dad, who although long passed away was a huge influence on me. And now to have the privilege of my Stepdad who I adore. And I get to see hubby learning and mastering his fathering craft every day with our two girls who absolute adore him. Its not always an easy gig managing the competing priorities that life throws. And there are many many dads out there who are doing a superb job. Happy Fathers Day!

08.01.2022 Good morning all. Love this from Simon Sinek. If people believe youre telling them the truth - it goes to your integrity - one of the fundamental elements of trust. It also goes to intent - if people know you care - even if the message is a hard one to deliver - that can go a long way to building a trusting relationship. The reality is that relationships and trust are built on lots of micro interactions. The more positive these interactions, the bigger the trust bucket and... the more able it is to withstand the inevitable occasional withdrawal. The good news is - its never too late to start refilling the trust bucket. Happy Saturday all. May your weekend be a good one.

08.01.2022 In addition to the two that Simon Sinek talks about, I think there’s the one where you keep making a decision but don’t learn from it... Certainly plenty of examples I can think of both work wise and more broadly in life where the lessons aren’t learnt until the same decision has been made over and over.. Perhaps that’s the beauty of getting older and presumably wiser.. the number of decisions it takes to learn the lesson is reduced! ... What’s that saying - the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result... Probably there are decisions we all make every day that are done on remote and get a predictable outcome.. So perhaps the answer is to at least be deliberate in our decisions (and subsequent actions).. and then actually learn the lessons we are meant to learn. Happy Tuesday all.

08.01.2022 People often ask me about the difference between accountability and responsibility.. if youre accountable - the buck stops with you, whether you were responsible for the action or not. I cant believe we are at Friday - but here we are. Happy Friday all.

07.01.2022 Chatting with Chris Ilsley on 6PR Perth Tonight about why we STILL cant pay people correctly... https://www.sbs.com.au//here-s-a-running-list-of-australia

07.01.2022 Following on from yesterdays post - today lets try and extend that into our workplace and communities. Whats one thing you will commit to today that would make a difference to your team, workplace or broader community? For example: having a difficult conversation you have been putting off, making time with a team member to coach them through a situation they need help with, ordering donuts and morning tea to say thank you to your team or sending a little gift if theyre st...ill working from home. Youre only limited by your imagination - but the key here is whatever state of chaos/dysfunction/disorganisation your organisation is in - that you take responsibility for doing something positive today. Its really easy to get sucked into the negativity vortex and forget that whilst the bigger system issues are of course always at play, we all have agency to do something different. To do something positive. Share your commitment to action with us below. Have a great new week. Happy Monday all.

06.01.2022 Something a bit different today. Taken from the wonderful Daniel Pink regular newsletter (worth subscribing to). Window swap - windows that you can gaze out of from across the globe: https://window-swap.com/... Happy Thursday all

06.01.2022 Happy Saturday all. May your weekend be a wonderful one.

06.01.2022 Another day .. another CEO or chairperson resigns. I guess this is progress... in that at least the behaviours are now being more easily accepted as unacceptable. Lets hope we can work towards a time when we can all come to work and enjoy positive, healthy relationships that dont harass, abuse or bully or any other of the myriad of behaviours that make workplaces toxic and unpleasant places to do the actual business of work. https://www.theage.com.au//qbe-boss-skewered-by-his-own-co

05.01.2022 Pete Cook from Thought Leaders writes beautifully about life and work and the intersection of the two. This is his post from this week on giving and receiving advice. Definitely worth pondering.... Happy Saturday all.

05.01.2022 Workplace spirituality... cult or inspired culture?? Have a read and let me know what you think... Theres some interesting things in here and stuff we know to be true around engagement.... Interesting stats on trust: According to Edelmans 2020 Trust Barometer, 73% of employees expect to be included in any organizational future-planning, with nine in ten workers expecting their CEO to lead decisively and ethically. The link is there the correlation of employee involvement and overall satisfaction but attributing that purely to a workplace spirituality model seems blinkered. Hmmmm..... Interesting.. Your thoughts? Happy Tuesday all.

05.01.2022 Nice thought from Simon Sinek today. Who are you being something to? Happy rainy Tuesday all.

03.01.2022 I was part of a meeting yesterday talking about ideal workplace culture. I was asked what that looks like from my perspective. I answered that it’s about people being treated as human beings but also adults (with the trust and accountability that goes with that). That the workplace is safe - physically and psychologically. That the broader system supports the sorts of behaviours that the organisation says it wants and that leaders actually lead. There’s more of course - bu...t geez this would be a good start. What do you think? What’s important in workplace culture? Happy Friday all.

03.01.2022 I love this from Simon Sinek. Connection and meaning are things we crave as human beings. Being able to contribute positively to someone elses life grows that connection and meaning. Think about who youre impacting and contributing to. Whether thats your colleagues, your clients, your children or family, friends or the community (large or small). The positive ripples add up.... Finally - we are at Friday! A long time coming this week. Have a good day all.

03.01.2022 I was talking to someone yesterday who has between 6-8 hours of meetings scheduled every day. Because this is typical of the org, people run from meeting to meeting, often running late for the next one. So that one runs late or is cut short and on it goes. The actual work is either done on weekends or at night or not at all. Thinking, coaching, developing, strategising.... not much time or space for any of that. ... Its a common enough story. But my question is when we are going to do something different to rewrite the script. Something to ponder. And its Saturday! Yay. Happy weekend all.

02.01.2022 Another Monday .. another week ahead. Lets make this one a good one. Do what you can to make the workplace better. Whether thats a smile to use emotional contagion for good. Or giving feedback in a way that helps someone grow and develop. Or communicating a message for what might seem the fifteenth time if its going to get through. ... If youve got stuff sitting on your to do list thats bothering you, try and get it done, or at least work out why its bothering you and if youre ever going to do it. If not - get rid of that sucker! Starting the week with intentionality - whatever that looks like for you will always work better than grumbling that its Monday morning. Happy Monday all - have a fabulous week

02.01.2022 His students had grown up with dirt floors. That lesson in that moment taught me so much. Im more thoughtful than I would be otherwise about context, he says. When someone doesnt get something, I dont go to, Theyre not smart. I think, What am I not explaining right? Fabulous article on the culture of Netflix. Well worth the read. What, if anything, can or should be applied to your organisation? https://www.theage.com.au//from-b-student-to-billionaire-t

02.01.2022 I went to hire a car today (story for another day). Very efficient chap. Efficient process. All good so far. Then he turns to the excess issue. The standard excess was something like $4577 (or something equally specific and random). I was like - wowsers - thats a big excess. He then says of course you can buy insurance for an extra 30% on top of the car hire. He then goes on to tell me that it used to be $2000 but no one bought the insurance, so they more than doubled it.... And guess what - now everyone buys it. No doubt doing the same equation that I did: that whilst the chance was remote that I would be in an accident, it would be better to pay the smaller amount and not have to worry about it. No doubt some accountant somewhere is congratulating themselves for this genius insight into human behaviour. But quite honestly - it felt shabby and a bit reeking of not quite doing the right thing. I doubt I will be back there - so perhaps theyve sold some extra insurance but they have lost a lifetime customer. So not sure how clever the equation is after all?

01.01.2022 I was chatting to someone the other day about eyes ... who knew that floating bits were another annoying feature of getting older? I loved what this person said though - which was that they’d gotten a bit closer than they’d liked to something really serious which out the floating things completely in perspective. It’s a shame we seem to need the more serious thing to get perspective - as I reckon we waste a lot of energy on stuff which in retrospect wasn’t worth worrying about. Happy Sunday all. And for WA parents of school aged kids ... we are almost there! We have almost made it! Survived the holidays :)