Blog
On Experience
Every time we approach a new problem we believe we have to come at it with fresh eyes. Sometimes that is true. But we mustn’t ignore our lived experience. Whatever challenge or goal is in front or ahead of us, it’s worth remembering the resources we called on to get where we needed or wanted…
The Right Thing
Long before digital platforms, social media and online reviews we’ve had the incentive to do the right thing. The need for the protection of our tribe and a sense of belonging to our community meant we adhered to rules and norms for the benefit of the collective good. We needed to do right by others
The Human Touch
The woman on the other end of the line at the call centre hesitates. The change in her tone of tells me she doesn’t know the answer to my question. She hesitates. I hear the doubt in her voice. She’s having to go off script, and she’s terrified. She’s trained to answer only certain queries…
A Compass For The Heart
Where do you turn when you don’t know what to do? Perhaps you do a Google search for facts. Maybe you read a book and get information. You might consult a professional for their expertise. And friends will gladly offer you opinions based on their experiences. You can only gain insights and intuition
The Value Conundrum
When I was growing up, my mother tried selling various products from home to earn extra money to support our family. I remember cookware and cosmetics being demonstrated to small groups of her friends over cups of tea and homemade sponge cake in the living room. From day-to-day, Mum used the same ol
Forward Thinking
Every business owner or leader, entrepreneur or creative, walks the fine line between creating value in the present and thinking about what their contribution might be in the future. We need to do the work that’s in front of us today and plan for a tomorrow we cannot yet see. Often, we end up doing…
Nurturing Trust
Almost three months ago, when restrictions due to the coronavirus began rolling out across Australia, panic-buying ensued. The CEO of one of our supermarket chains began writing a weekly email newsletter to customers in response. In it, he addressed customers’ genuine concerns about the availability
The Power Of The Unexpected
Last Monday I got a handwritten letter in the mail. Imagine my surprise when I opened it to find a note from a contractor who had unsuccessfully quoted for a small renovation project on our home. In his letter, he said he was sorry things hadn’t worked out this time around but that he hoped…
Up To Us
Sometimes we choose to focus on those things that no amount of energy and enthusiasm can change. By doing so, we miss the opportunity to have more impact, both on our own lives and in the lives of others. All progress comes from discerning where our effort is best applied, then taking the small step
The Future We Want To See
Sometimes we fail to act because we’re afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. So we say and do nothing and wait for the discomfort of the moment to pass. It’s easier to turn a blind eye than it is to simply say: ‘This is not okay.’ But the future we’re building together depends…
Stories For Good
Stories are our most persuasive technology. The stories we tell can be powerful catalysts for change. But the stories that silence us are the most potent of all. The stories we choose to believe and believe in are the making of us. We can use our voices to raise the voices of those whose stories…
Leveraging Our Mistakes
Each day we overlook some opportunity to see or to serve. We fail to challenge our assumptions and hold fast to our opinions. The result is that we sometimes miss the opportunity to do better. This feels like bad news. But it doesn’t have to be. What if instead of saying; ‘I could kick myself…
To Whom It May Concern
When an aspiring author is pitching her work to a publisher or agent, she needs to address the agent directly. In her query letter, it’s not enough to be aware of her book’s strengths—she must also know who it’s for and why this particular agent will care enough to read the first few chapters. It…
A Small Great Thing
We’re usually excited about growing our audience or expanding our customer base. It’s hard to close the door on what might look like an opportunity to serve or scale. But we do our best work when we know exactly who will get the most benefit from it and who it brings us joy to serve.…
Start To Finish
Conventional wisdom states that you can never have too much information when solving a problem or executing on a plan. But we all know that information and data alone won’t get us to where we want to go. All problem-solving and innovation require us also to imagine a future we can’t yet see. And per
On Ambition
Before I went to high school, everyone in our year sat an aptitude test. We were eleven years old, and the assessment took place over three hours one morning early in summer. The goal was to identify each student’s potential and stream girls into year groups based on their IQ. The theory being that
Your Goal Is To Matter To The People You Serve
I once worked with a startup in the financial services industry. The foyer of their office building was all polished floorboards, high white walls and minimal seating. Inspirational magazines were strategically arranged on low tables, next to the espresso machine. The walls were completely bare apar
The Human Advantage
Consider the things we value in our interactions with others—kindness, honesty, patience and empathy, for starters. Now, think about how often you experience them. How many opportunities will you have today to amplify these qualities in your everyday interactions? How many will you take advantage of
The Medium, The Message AND The Messenger
We know that when it comes to persuasive communication, it isn’t just the message that matters. How and where we deliver the message helps it to resonate and to spread. Speechwriters can write eloquent words which our leaders are instructed to deliver, but message only lands when it’s spoken with co
What Great Storytellers Know
Think about the last time you were influenced or persuaded by a message. What was it that changed your mind, opened your heart or compelled you to act? I can guarantee it wasn’t facts or data alone. The most effective way to move people to act is by telling them a story. These past weeks,…
