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As Gerd often says that we keep asking the wrong question i.e. ‘what will 2022 bring?’ Instead, we should ask ‘what kind of future do we want?‘ This is a key point Gerd also reiterates in his year-end interviews; below. The Hong Kong Economic Journal, asked Gerd to talk about the future and what’s happening in a […]
To risk or not to Risk – could I cope with 12 pairs of gloves? The quandary: There’s a question on many female’s hearts and minds this week as the 29th looms ahead about whether to really pop THE question. It might also be on everyone’s hearts and minds wondering if they might be the […]
Do you remember THE BAIT SWITCH DOES NOT WORK and the first time you were disappointed by a large organisation? My earliest memory of corporate greed (we all have those, right?) was what I recall being a few months after Smarties Mini Eggs were launched in South Africa. As a lifelong fan of the traditional […]
I Got Sued YESTERDAY. Just like this headline is misleading and complete clickbait, such is the reality we are living in, and the point of this author and PAPERBACK WRITER. I clicked on a post recently after reading wild news stories ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and stumbled upon the Yahoo! article entitled: “Fans Sue Movie Yesterday”. I […]
Life has suddenly become potentially very thorny. The goal posts have shifted completely and now the Necessity is the mother of reinvention. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust us all into a strange new world. The rules of engagement have been turned completely upside down. There is no more ‘normal’. We don’t even know where or […]
Other than a brief period when I was in the Middle East, for the past 13 years I have not had an office out of which I worked. I have however, been part of teams that have worked closely together every day and Living in an online world: Virtual Collaboration and Virtual Teams One year […]
Be prepared for Remote Selling – How to Become A Technical Set Up Boss As any Boy Scout (or Girl Guide for that matter) knows, you should always be prepared – in fact that is the global motto for the Boy Scouts and one that I feel should be adopted by all business professionals as […]
Over the last four weeks, I’ve elaborated on what I call the Closing the Loop with Cycle of Listening. This consists of: Step 1: Recognizing the Unsaid – Unspoken things in your culture’s organization to recognize that your people aren’t telling their entire truth. Step 2: Seeking to Understand – Leaning in to understand someone’s perspective and […]
We all want to come up with the BIG Little Breakthroughs and the winning idea, solve the challenging problem, or invent something major that will become a staple for generations to come. Under pressure, it’s easy to freeze up and procrastinate. We get the false assumption that the only ideas that are important are the BIG […]
The Best Employees are the Ones Who Understand the Bigger Picture We often talk about the best leadership qualities, but we should be talking about the best qualities of an employee. The best employees are the ones that know their efforts contribute to something bigger than themselves. They see how their work has an […]
When the Chief Marketing Officer mentions brand values in the boardroom they can be treated with disdain and Why your brand needs values. Eyes roll. Disparaging glances are passed. Brand marketing mumbo jumbo. Nothing could be further from the truth. Brand values are important. They are powerful brand assets. This post explains why. Values influence […]
If you’ve ever seen expectant parents in a baby shop, you’d know that pregnancy is a life stage that usually triggers an avalanche of consumerism and to find Pink Sheets. I (thankfully) never tallied what I spent during my pregnancy, I just know that becoming a mum, while filling my heart, has drained my […]
To unlock employee motivation, you may need to change how you communicate special requests. These are things like important changes to operating processes or customer service procedures. You need people to embrace a different way of doing things. It has to be done right and it needs to be executed right away. But you notice […]
The Survival Guide, originally written for overworked and underappreciated public servants, offers ten checkpoints that signal burnout. After sharing this popular workshop based on the book with audiences filled with clerks, librarians, planners, firefighters, administrators, and many other municipal groups, the private sector came calling. Who cares about Public Servants and a The Survival Guide? Why? Because […]
Siphiwe Moyo’s new book, called “Your Next Move” hits the shelves this week. Career Strategies to Survive and Thrive During Covid-19 and Beyond. As we all think about our responses to COVID-19, we have to try both offence and defence career strategies to survive. In other words, you need to try and hold on to […]
Brands don’t have values or Employee Motivation. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pull the rug out from under you so quickly, but it needed to be said. Before you close this article thinking “that’s absolute rubbish”, just wait a moment. Dust yourself off. Sit back down, have some coffee. Ready? Brands do not have […]
Rules of Personal Branding if you have a profile on social networks like LinkedIn? Well, maybe you’re not aware, but without realizing it, you’re already working on your personal brand! But, what is this about the personal brand? The personal brand or Personal Branding consists of treating a physical person as a commercial brand in […]
Excited to share the big news that I’ve been talking with many of you about already! The Launch You’ve Been Waiting For. How to Get Results #NoMatterWhat, It turns out there’s actually proven science around how to get results #NoMatterWhat. It’s all too clear that this is still a really tough time for many people […]
A little while ago, I wrote an article titled “Critical thinking for the Adaptive Leader – nine key characteristics to What are your sacred cows”, which featured on the Conference Speakers International website. I briefly highlighted nine characteristics that Adaptive Leaders adopt to navigate a changing world. For this article, I am going to be […]
The Character Ethic vs. The Personality Ethic – Why Character Trumps Personality As Stephen Covey writes in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, most of the success literature published in the United States for the first century and a half after 1776 focused on The Character Ethic as being the underlying foundation of how a person can live an influential, […]
A lack to Build Your Resilience is a massive factor that holds you back from achieving the success you desire. Think of the last time you gave up on a diet, a fitness regime, or a really important prospecting plan in your business. Unfortunately, when you don’t see immediate results, or when the going gets […]
How Joey Evans Went From Paraplegic To Dakar and In October 2007, a devastating off-road bike accident left Joey Evans paralysed from the chest down. Ten years later, he achieved his dream of finishing the 2017 Dakar Rally on a motorbike. This is the story of the power of grit, determination, and following crazy, audacious […]
While microwave ovens were created for convenience here is Why You Should Toss Your Microwave, the dangers and negative effects you are about to read just may make you want to stop using it altogether. As more research has been done, studies have shown that not only the microwave itself can cause danger to […]
Companies are constantly adapting to provide Habits of Collaborative Leaders as the most efficient and productive work environments for the employees. The team – not the individual contributor – is the new secret for business success. U.S companies spent $12 billion on leadership development. 56% of company leaders say they will soon face a shortage […]
Ultrafast Computers Are Coming: Laser Bursts Drive Fastest-Ever Logic Gates. Go Digital What Happened? We are on the cusp of creating ultrafast computers that can operate at speeds much faster than anything we have today. How? By using laser bursts to drive the fastest-ever logic gates. This breakthrough was made possible by clarifying the role […]
The world much better. The world is awful. The world can be much better. All three statements are true. — Read on ourworldindata.org/much-better-awful-can-be-better “It is wrong to think that these three statements contradict each other. We need to see that they are all true to see that a better world is possible. by Max Roser […]
Speakers in the virtual space during this pandemic we have heard the word pivot frequently. And now it’s typical to hear phrases like “all Zoomed out”. In the world of events and training we are seeing a mixture of virtual, hybrid and face to face. No one expected this pandemic. While we continue to navigate […]
Everyone these days seems to have a plan or AI SHOULD CHANGE, Or at least, they plan to mention it as often as possible in press releases and briefings to analysts. Paying lip service to AI is a dangerous distraction and a missed opportunity. A few may be fooled for a while – but unless […]
Last month Renias and I helped a game reserve start a leopard habituation project in the Waterberg and here is my MESSAGE FROM A WILDEBEEST. A Tracker Academy project to track, find and form relationships with leopards. For the benefit of ecotourism lodges in the area. During the day we tracked leopards. In the evenings, […]
How to Craft Powerful Stories that Can Drive Culture Change There is an old adage that says: If you want to learn about a culture, listen to the stories. If you want to change a culture, change the stories. I had a first-hand experience with this very early on in my career. The MD […]
We have been waiting, hoping, praying, and looking forward to Managing the Flood Gates for over a year—people are ready to meet again. Clients are sending RFPs (Request for Proposal), booking events, and are considering various cities to host their events. We are once again seeing increased interest in utilizing our DMC (Destination Management Company) services in Asheville. Clients want DMC planning time for Charlotte. They […]
Season 2 of review leadership highlights live is coming to an end with one final episode that celebrates a thrilling season of conversations, coaching sessions, and a few solos – 57 episodes in total! That’s something to celebrate. The big themes of the season are: Self-awareness Thriving through challenges Defining your leadership style with daily […]
To succeed, you have to Training Others to establish boundaries. But boundaries are only as good as your ability to communicate them. If people don’t know your boundaries, they become ineffective and are more likely to be discarded. Training other people on your boundaries requires learning how to say no. That doesn’t […]
We are all ordinary and can ACHIEVE THE EXTRAORDINARY. Every single one of us is an ordinary person who has a set of talents, opportunities, challenges and experiences to work with. Whether we turbocharge those into greatness or lie on the couch is usually entirely up to us. But to start with, we are all […]
Vincent Berends is the Top 35-under-35 and founder of the Optima business group – a group of companies that bring the disciplines of accounting, administration, finance, financial planning, insurance and legal practices together, as opposed to clients having to use various professional service providers. Name: Vincent Berends (33) Region: Northern Region Job Title: Managing Partner / […]
The Olympics are finally here after a year-long COVID delay and how Gratitude Wires Your Brain. The Olympic Games are incredibly inspiring. These men and women give a clinic on Peak Performance for twelve action-packed days. There will be thrilling victories, world-record-breaking performances, and soul-crushing defeats. But everyone competing will be showing you what peak […]
The relentless pace and uncertainty of business today is taking a serious toll on all of us. Mental Health Leadership Priority might strive to be purpose-driven, impactful and innovative, but they are often hijacked by constant crisis management and the pressure to give everyone a voice. As if that’s not enough, add in the exhaustion […]
How your company’s career page is deterring candidates from applying. Every employee at your company can make or break a customer’s experience. That’s why it’s so important to ensure employees not only understand your company’s story, but also how they fit into it. Why does your company exist? Is there alignment between your stated mission, vision, and […]
I have worked with corporate teams that measure what seems like everything. My concern with these teams isn’t what they are measuring, but rather what they are not measuring — leadership effectiveness. Teams measure on-time delivery, sales call per day, employee engagement, and so many more useful metrics. I’ve even seen a team measure coffee […]
According to leadership guru Warren Bennis, “leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” Rugby and Leadership captains have that innate ability to do just this, Rugby and leadership go hand-in-hand . Here in South Africa we have witnessed numerous leaders connected to the sport of rugby who have displayed such qualities. I have […]
There are several reasons why individuals or organizations might choose to use a Speaker Bureau instead of booking keynote speakers directly. Here are a few key advantages of working with a Speaker Bureau: Extensive Speaker Network: Speaker Bureau typically have a broad network of speakers, including industry experts, thought leaders, celebrities, and motivational speakers. They […]
Having the right mentors will help you immensely on your path to pursuing your dreams and goals, Have you got a mentor? But there are some specific rules you should follow when finding the right mentor. Y ou can’t simply pick anyone to provide you with good advice and support. Here are my six key […]
As businesses around the world adjust to the realities of Your Guide to Remote Selling in an Online World, sales and marketing, however, still need to bring in the leads, nurture the client’s relationships and close the deals. The workplace will never look the same again, and as businesses establish Remote Selling working practices, we […]
BEING MINDFUL OF MINDSETS and The Power of a Growth Mindset by Grant Driver In July 2019, I experienced one of the most significant and yet most daunting moments of my career as a professional speaker. I had been invited by Discovery Healthcare to present a 3-hour workshop to thirty Neurosurgeons on my research into […]
I once met this old man, whilst traveling. I guess as a tourist, anything goes. Owning your presence … by Lizette Volkwyn His coat was tacky, his hair in desperate need of grooming, and his age betrayed by his body…but something pulled me back, calling me to start a conversation with this stranger. […]
I have found that running gives me time to think, running give me time to introspect and running helps me heal so WHY ARE WE RUNNING?. I have embarked on all these journeys over the past 12 years for probably two main reasons. I suppose the first is the selfish side. It’s something I love […]
11 WAYS TO LIVE with a New year. New goals. New opportunities. #NOMATTERWHAT IN 2022 Welcome to 2022. 11 WAYS TO LIVE #NOMATTERWHAT IN 2022 What separates the high-achievers that actually reach what they strive for from those that don’t? Even in the face of assuredly new challenges, limits and obstacles… I’ll tell you – […]
Is Complacency Putting You Risk? Lessons From a Fighter Pilot Flying taught me a valuable lesson about life: complacency can cause serious problems for ourselves and those around us. In this newsletter, share a personal story about the dangers of complacency including the following topics: Complacency Consequences What leads to complacency? Signs Complacency is Creeping […]
One morning when I was on my way to school, my life changed for the better with The Power of a Vision. I was 14 years old and an eighth grader at the time, and my school was on the other side of Matlala River in Limpopo. It was quite a long walk through the […]
The role of Leadership in a crisis, Leading through and out of a crisis is not easy. The uncertainty a crisis brings can leave people feeling disorientated, overwhelmed and unable to act. Intentional leadership is key in these times and those leaders who are able to slow down, step back and challenge their perspectives and exercise […]
Defining great brand values: Five practical pointers A surprising number of brands have values that are about as useful as a chocolate fireguard. Seriously. They do. Unfortunately, this only becomes apparent when brands try to bring their values to life via the experiences they want to build. Things grind to a halt because their brand […]
Have you heard about the mildly seductive and The Unbearable Pain of Pleasure extremely elusive ‘I’ll be happy’ game? I used to play it all the time. “I’ll be happy when I lose 10 kilograms.”, “I’ll be happy when I find a lifetime partner.”, “I’ll be happy when the millions come rolling in.” There’s an […]
What’s Your New Year’s Addiction? Here are 6 Simple Steps To Avoid Changing Who You Are and Instead, Changing Your Addictions. It happened for years. Too often I would come home from work, open the refrigerator, then the freezer. I’d sigh and think, “F*ck, I have no idea what to make for dinner.” Sometimes I’d […]
In business, I have learnt the incredible value of Lessons in building business dashboards that eliminate unnecessary data (ruthlessly) and focus only on imperative and useful stats that help you make informed decisions quickly. In my average week, I refer to two central dashboards. One the shows the health of my business and the other […]
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