You Can’t Stop Rotting Wood

Have you ever felt like the company you are working for is like a ship that has sprung a leak, taking on water and gradually going under?

At first you put a wrong decision, behavior or action down to a mistake or an interesting choice, but after it is replicated many times, it feels like you are on a runaway train with no brakes.

Once a negative culture or behavior becomes ingrained it is like wood in that when rot sets in there is no way to stop its progress.

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Photo by Rubén Bagüés on Unsplash

I have found that a dysfunctional company or team culture starts from the leader or leaders of an organization lacking the necessary skillsets to one, set a positive culture, and two, have the ability to manage the direction of the culture created.

The demise of many teams and companies can be directly related to the environment created by a leader, leadership team or a group of people who are able to use their influencing abilities in a negative manner.

As is often noted in business circles, ‘the fish rots from the head down’, meaning that the when a team or company fails, it is the leadership that is the root cause.

Why is culture so important to a business? Here is a simple way to frame it. The stronger the culture, the less corporate process a company needs. When the culture is strong, you can trust everyone to do the right thing.

BRIAN CHESKY, co-founder and CEO, Airbnb

Deloitte completed a Global Human Capital Trends survey in 2016, which found that 82 percent of respondents believe that culture is a potential competitive advantage as it drives people’s behavior, innovation and customer service. (Kaplan et al. 2016)

Ashworth (2015) noted that, “a company’s culture is the only truly unique identifier. It is like a fingerprint. It may be similar to others, but is uniquely distinct to your business”.

Iannarino (2012) pointed out that, “if leadership doesn’t establish and protect a healthy culture, some unhealthy culture will fill that vacuum… If a pocket of negativity or cynicism exists, it’s because leadership hasn’t cut it out of the organisation – especially when the pocket of negativity comes from the leadership ranks”.

Culture is like the wind. It is invisible; yet its effect can be seen and felt.

BRYAN WALKER, Partner and Managing Director, IDEO

There was this one time when I was working for a start-up company who over-hired during the pre-opening phase due to the ambitious large scale of the operation.

As the company moved into the opening and post-opening phases they had to reduce the size of the team to improve financial and operational efficiency.

The problem was is that the leadership team continued to down-size more than once and the leadership team continually change over a period of three years, which resulted in a lack of trust and the development of an unhealthy culture.

An unhealthy culture then began to spread external to the company into the community, like a plague of locusts, creating negative brand image and consumer distrust that resulted in members leaving.

Today I want to share with you three ways that you can be in more control of your culture and ensure that a positive environment exists in your team or company:

  1. You must live and breath the values, lead by example, be a positive role model, and show your team members what the right or acceptable behavior is.
  2. Communicate regularly with your team members, get to know them in both a formal and informal setting, and be curious by asking questions that allow the team members to feel valued and know that their work matters.
  3. Empower team members, motivate and inspire them to do their best work, and recognize and reward them for positive behaviors that continually strengthen the culture.

It is important that you protect your wood, ensure that it is watered, has adequate nutrients and is protected from the harsh elements.

Resources:

Ashworth, P. (2015). Why Company Culture is So Important to Business Success. BrightCoach LinkedIn Article. link

Iannarino, A. (2012). A Fish Rots from the Head Down (A Note to the Sales Leader). Iannarino Company Website. link

Kaplan, M., Dollar, B., Melian, V., Van Durme, Y., Wong, J. (2016). Shape Culture Drive Strategy. Deloitte Insights. link

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Are you looking for more insights and ideas? Then read the following inspiring and thought-provoking articles and podcasts:

How Curious Are You?

Every CEO and leader faces a period of time where the company is moving along smoothly, but the team feel is a bit flat and lacking enthusiasm. It is important that you create an environment where there are constant sparks of energy in the workplace and that is where curiosity becomes invaluable.

Before we delve into ways you can enhance curiosity, here are some example questions that you can ask yourself or your team every day:

  • What is the one service, product, project, idea or topic you are curious about today?
  • What is the one thing you thought about today that you want to know more about?
  • How does that work?
  • Why do we keep finding ourselves in the same position?
  • What would happen if we changed one thing?
  • How can we make it simpler?
  • If I were the end consumer, would I find it easy to use?
jonas-verstuyft-352713-unsplash
Photo by Jonas Verstuyft on Unsplash
How Curious Are You?

The easiest way to influence your employees and team members, is to model the behaviours you desire. If you are always quick to answer or lack asking questions, you are showcasing a leader who lacks curiosity. For you to succeed as a leader you need to showcase your inner curiosity, as we all know we don’t have all the answers and solutions, as good questions will lead to even more questions.

People tend to shy away from asking questions due to a fear of being judged unintelligent, indecisive and somewhat incompetent. Many leaders fall into the trap of thinking they are supposed to know and provide all the answers. Recognising what we don’t know and cant do, sends a powerful message to those around us and may even motivate them to explore and learn more. Remember, there is always time for questions, as you may ask the one question that prevents the company or team from failing.

Try asking your employees and team members questions such as:

  • How can I make your job easier?
  • If you were leading the company, what is the one thing you would change?
  • Tell me one thing that will allow our consumers and clients to enjoy a greater experience?

The answers to these types of questions will inform you how to approach what changes are required and how to prioritise them. We need to find solutions to the gaps in our knowledge and also continue to identify what other questions still require answers.

Employees will be quick to read between the lines when you don’t know the answer. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge when you don’t know the answer, as this emphasizes the value of continuing to learn and explore.

People tend to like leaders more when they ask questions. It helps build trust, develops more meaningful relationships and leads to more creative outcomes. Asking questions about ideas leads to people thinking more deeply, approach it from another viewpoint and continue striving for an answer to the challenge puzzles we are faced with.

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Photo by Raj Eiamworakul on Unsplash
Explore, Broaden and Learn

Do you provide your employees and team members the time and opportunities to explore their interests, other roles or just play? Allowing them to broaden their horizons and perspectives can lead to greater productivity, efficiency and performance. As Gail Jackson once said, “It’s better to train and have them leave than not to train and have them stay.”

When a company faces challenging circumstances, they tend to focus on KPI’s, results and the dreaded HR restructure. They shrink the capacity and capability of the company to identify what the root of the cause is and what solutions will allow them to re-right the ship.

Stimulating a mindset where learning leads to performance outcomes, allows employees to be better problem-solvers, acquire more diverse skillsets and produce better work. Redefine your work environment by focusing on goals that improve competence, acquire new skills and develop mastery. Those who focus on learning versus performance goals tend to be more successful and have greater levels of motivation.

Questioning is only as beneficial as the support and reward that are provided. Develop intervention’s that stimulate and accelerate curiosity, such as invention sessions, creativity walls, internal TEDx type workshops or question of the day. Seeking diverse solutions and answers will allow your employees to interact and communicate more effectively. Be curious about your employees work and the way teams do their business.

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Photo by Ben White on Unsplash
Hire the Curious Ones

Look for people who possess the intellectual curiosity to explore, collaborate with others and ask great questions. The curious ones tend to perform better than specialists who stick to themselves and block out the noise. If you want to unearth a real gem then hire people who possess both the empathy to listen thoughtfully and challenge themselves by looking at approaches, decisions or puzzles from a different persons perspective.

When interviewing potential employees it is valuable to discover whether they talk about the success and support of other people when discussing projects, whether successful or not. It is important to understand whether they enjoy collaborating and do they see the benefits of partnering with people, teams or other companies with projects in the future.

Does the potential employee:

  • ask questions about other areas of the company?
  • show fascination in learning news ideas, identifying what they don’t know and going beyond their comfort zone?
  • listen, read and watch topics and interests outside of their specialisation and industry?
  • seem a bit quirky, on another planet, awkward or different from the rest of the pack?
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Photo by Cristina Gottardi on Unsplash
Start With Why

Each day ask a few ‘why’s’ about the work you and your team are doing. Think about how you will utilise the answers to enhance your work and challenge the status quo.

Looking for More?

Keep up-to-date on the latest membership information, research and ideas by signing up the the NRGizer Newsletter. SIGN UP NOW

Are you looking for more insights and ideas? Then read the following inspiring and thought-provoking articles and podcasts:

Why Curiosity is so Important

Curiosity leads to breakthrough discoveries and remarkable inventions. So why do we see companies stifling curiosity in the workplace?

marcin-kalinski-259403-unsplash

It is normal for humans to seek new information and experiences. By cultivating curiosity and the promotion of exploring novel possibilities throughout a company, employees will think deeper and more rationally about decisions.

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. 

ALBERT EINSTEIN

If we step back in time, when we were a child, we had an insatiable need to explore and understand the world around us. We were not afraid to challenge the status quo by asking lots of questions, tasting things we probably shouldn’t or doing something for the first time, without the worry of whether we were wrong or offending anyone.

As we grew older we become more self-conscious, try to appear more confident and show that we know what we are doing. By the time we arrive as adults, our curiosity is quite suppressed as fear of being judged and not living up to other people’s expectations creeps in.

The future belongs to the curious. The ones who are not afraid to try it, explore it, poke at it, question it and turn it inside out.”

UNKNOWN

Curiosity leads to creativity and innovation, which is important for you and your company to adapt to uncertain market conditions and external pressures. It creates an environment that inspires employees to improve their collaborative relationships, trust and more respect of their leader.

Leaders can fall into the trap of thinking that curiosity will increase risk and inefficiency. They stumble with the conundrum faced between the now and the future. How do we meet budget, sales targets, membership numbers and deadlines, when we know that we need to allow time where employees have the freedom to create new products, services, processes and business lines?

“Curiosity, especially intellectual inquisitiveness, is what separates the truly alive with those who are merely going through the motions. 

TOM ROBBINS

Finding the balance of exploration versus efficiency is an important component of a leader. Employees, who are under pressure to complete tasks quickly, tend to avoid asking questions about how they can improve their output and enhance the possible outcomes. When we question the status quo, we may not always produce useful information or solutions, but we also may prevent a decision being made that is catastrophic for your role and your company.

We perform better when we are curious because we view the tough situations more creatively. High performing employees, who are curious, seek more information from their colleagues, which helps improve the work that they do. They perform better because information is openly shared and they listen more carefully. New ideas are created, job satisfaction is improved, motivation increases and innovation flourishes as curiosity leads to a high performance environment.

“Around here, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward opening up new doors and doing new things, because we are curious and curiosity leads us down new paths. 

WALT DISNEY

The power of solving problems together and looking at suitable alternatives, brings teams closer together. It allows employees to step into another employees shoes, look at it from another perspective and allows them to work together in a more effective manner.

In the next active CEO article we will look at ways in which leaders can enhance curiosity in their workplace.

Looking for More?

Keep up-to-date on the latest membership information, research and ideas by signing up the the NRGizer Newsletter. SIGN UP NOW

Are you looking for more insights and ideas? Then read the following inspiring and thought-provoking articles and podcasts:

Dr Ndidi Nnoli-Edozien (Rising Tide Africa) – Magic Happens Outside the Comfort Zone

active CEO Podcast #10 Ndidi Nnoli Edozien Magic Happens Outside the Comfort Zone

PCB Vol 10- Dr. Ndidi Nnoli
Dr. Ndidi Nnoli-Edozien – Founder & President Growing Businesses Foundation

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns and Ben Gathercole speak with Dr. Ndidi Nnoli Edozien, a remarkable lady who has provided direction, hope, inspiration and a gift to thousands of female and youth entrepreneurs, from rural areas in Nigeria and across Africa. Ndidi has worked with many of the world’s largest multinationals such as Shell, ExxonMobil and Unilever. We discuss her journey from lending to leading, why it is important to invest in the poor, the magic of vulnerability, how every moment is enough, connecting with your inner gut, embracing failure, understanding people who are unhappy, and embracing failure.

Dr. Ndidi Nnoli Edozien

Dr. Ndidi Nnoli Edozien is the founder and President of Growing Businesses Foundation, since 1999, and the President of Rising Tide Africa. Born in Karlsruhe, Germany to a Nigerian father and German mother. She found her purpose in life to be a catalyst for social change through focusing on social entrepreneurship, corporate sustainability and responsibility (CSR), and is a leading advocate on Bottom of the Pyramid empowerment.

Her education includes attending the United World College and a PhD from Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in the area of “ownership and management structures”. She is an Alumnus of Wharton Business School, and has also completed executive programmes at INSEAD and Cambridge Judge Business School.

She speaks with passion, pride and humility as she delivers powerful, inspiring and emotionally connecting words of wisdom to encourage the next generation to be bold and make a difference in their life and the community around them.

 

Ndidi talks about:

  • The contrast between Germany and Nigeria and how that influenced her upbringing.
  • How one can harness the huge potential in Lagos, and how the world sees the huge potential and economic power.
  • United World College’s focus on transforming the world, transforming the space with which you live, and being an ambassador for your country and your people.
  • Considering the other side and how much richer that makes your perspective
  • What inspired Ndidi to start Growing Businesses Foundation.
  • Building sustainable economies around big businesses.
  • How Growing Businesses Foundation program contributed 4% of Unilever’s revenues.
  • Providing a paradigm shift in the way that big business looks at their social responsibility.
  • The incredible ripple effect of micro-financing women and youth
  • Rural telephone project
  • Less than 20% of the Nigerian population are formally employed.
  • The purpose of Rising Tide Africa.
  • Guiding businesses to succeed and even to exit at the appropriate time.
  • Learning to be satisfied with little victories.
  • Why successful people tend to have a humble and quiet confidence that keeps them going.
  • Embracing failure and what happens when you don’t deal with it.
  • “You must never be willing to die for anything. You must be willing to give it your best shot. If it fails, you must walk away from it like you never even cared.”
  • How she responded to a potential investor saying “I think you have made a bad career move”.
  • How the Wharton Business School Advanced Management Program opened up peoples vulnerabilities so intensely, allowing them to grow from their ability to be humble and honest.
  • The discipline of creating time for you is one of the things we neglect the most and need the most.
  • How she responds to people who are unhappy and not all right.
  • There is no job or anything that is more important than our personal wellbeing.
  • Her love of working with interns.
  • Why her two daughters have had the greatest impact on her career.

Tweets

“It taught me that poverty wasn’t so much the lack of financial capital, but was the lack of dignity and self-confidence”. Listen to Ndidi Nnoli Edozien on the active CEO Podcast

“Don’t give charity to the poor, the poorest people who need ‘help’, look at them as potential, economic potential and socioeconomic potential, and invest.” Listen to the active CEO Podcast as Ndidi Nnoli Edozien explains how she empowers 100,000’s of women.

“Create a movement where everyone decides to do their little bit, that’s where transformation really happens.” Learn more amazing business tips with Ndidi Nnoli Edozien on the active CEO Podcast

“Love what you do. When you are able and willing to do it even when no one is looking or no one will pay you for it, you gain an inner strength and momentum to sustain and it gives you the ability to tap into that inner intuitive knowing. To be great at business its actually not the thinking or the feeling, it is the knowing.” On being an entrepreneur with Ndidi Nnoli Edozien on the active CEO Podcast

 

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Growing Businesses Foundation link

Rising Tide Africa link

Ndidi LinkedIn link

Ndidi Wikipedia link

Ndidi Interview Wharton Business School video

Wharton Business School www.wharton.upenn.edu/

INSEAD link

Johann Wolfgang Goethe University link

Cambridge Judge Business School link

Unilever www.unilever.com

Shell www.shell.com

Exxon Mobil www.exxonmobil.com

www.nrg2perform.com

craig@nrg2perform.com

www.linkedin.com/in/ceo-corporate-wellness-perform

Recommended Reading:

Better Than Winning – Ben’s best selling book

www.nrg2perform.com/portfolio/book

Previous active CEO Podcast Episodes:

#9 – Mike DeNoma (KBZ Bank) Part #2 – Creating an Earthquake link
#8 – Mike DeNoma (KBZ Bank) Part #1 – Your Strengths are What Energise You link
#7 –
Trina Gordon (Boyden World Corporation) – Recruiting World Leaders link
#6 – Indiran Padayachee (RentCorp) – Winning Only Matters link
#5 – Suzie Hoitink (Clear Complexions) – Enemy of a Great Life is a Good One link
#4 – Rene Zondag (PBI) – People Are Our Greatest Asset link
#3 – Anne Gripper (NSW Office of Sport) – 6 C’s of Leadership link 
#2 – active CEO Intro (NRG2Perform) Part 2 link
#1 – active CEO Intro (NRG2Perform) Part 1 link

Mike DeNoma (KBZ Bank) Part #1 – Your Strengths are What Energise You

active CEO Podcast #8 Mike DeNoma Your Strengths Are What Energise You

PCB Vol 8- Mike DeNoma
Mike DeNoma – CEO KBZ Bank

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns and Ben Gathercole speak with Mike DeNoma, getting a fascinating insight into a driven leader, someone with a huge amount of resilience who is inspired to take on the world’s toughest endurance challenges to raise funds for very important charities. We delve into ambition, flying a plane through clouds, the difference between a written and a presentation culture, leading in different cultures, creating a higher purpose, understanding that your strengths are what energise you, and what drives Mike DeNoma to get out of bed every day.

Mike DeNoma

We have the pleasure of bringing you a highly motivated, exceptionally organised and a passionate leader. Mike DeNoma has held senior executive roles across the globe, including managing multinational teams across North America, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Over the past 20 years he has led large teams in the emerging markets banking sector with CEO and Leadership roles in CitiBank Singapore, Taiwan’s Chinatrust Commercial Bank, Standard Chartered Bank Singapore, and his current role at KBZ Bank in Myanmar. Awarded Global Retail Banker of the Year in 2008, he has also held senior roles in well-respected companies such as GLH Hotels, PepsiCo, Proctor and Gamble, and Asia Foods Limited. It is a highly entertaining, thought-provoking and insightful chat. Enjoy listening to the show.

Mike talks about:

  • Writing a letter that led to working in the Amazon jungle with Billionaire Daniel Ludwig
  • Having three careers at Proctor & Gamble
  • Taking a leave of absence from the Wharton Business School
  • Ambition – “the spark that makes you challenge your destiny at any point in your life”
  • Why he thought business world was like altitude when he first started
  • The differences between the working cultures at Proctor & Gamble and Pepsi Co.
  • The pro’s and con’s of a written versus a presentation culture.
  • A brilliant concept during a performance review at Pepsi Co.
  • Most employees are much tougher on their own performance than you are as a CEO
  • Cultures are more similar, than different, across the world
  • The need to work for a company that has a heart, that I believe in and generally has good intentions.
  • Making Grandma dance at Standard Chartered bank
  • The dynamics of transformation when working with wealthy family owned businesses.
  • Once the organisation has transformed, then you need to realise that the family is the CEO.
  • Why Mike likes to mobilise thousands of people
  • Why sponsoring the Singapore Marathon and Ironman events was important
  • Your strengths are what energise you
  • The power of the Gallup Cliftonstrengths finder to mobilise your team, understand what each others strengths are, and how they compliment each other and determine where the gaps are.
  • Powerful way to use it, is to take the team and you do the profile of all the strengths and then figure out where are the gaps
  • What Mike’s strengths are and how he uses them to lead every day
  • Why Mike likes challenges that require 10,000 people to step to the left and create an earthquake

Tweets

“I like challenges that require 10,000 people to step to the left and create an earthquake.” with Mike DeNoma. You can listen here

“Ambition, the spark that makes you challenge your destiny at any point in your life”. Listen to Mike DeNoma on the active CEO Podcast

“Your strengths are what energise you”. Leadership by strengths, with Mike DeNoma on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Mike DeNoma LinkedIn

www.kbzbank.com

www.gallupstrengthscenter.com

www.pepsico.com

https://us.pg.com

www.sc.com

www.ironman.com

https://singaporemarathon.com

www.wharton.upenn.edu

www.citibank.com

www.ctbcbank.com

www.nrg2perform.com

craig@nrg2perform.com

www.linkedin.com/in/ceo-corporate-wellness-perform

Recommended Reading:

Better Than Winning – Ben’s best selling book

www.nrg2perform.com/portfolio/book

Previous active CEO Podcast Episodes:

#7 – Trina Gordon (Boyden World Corporation) – Recruiting World Leaders link
#6 – Indiran Padayachee (RentCorp) – Winning Only Matters link
#5 – Suzie Hoitink (Clear Complexions) – Enemy of a Great Life is a Good One link
#4 – Rene Zondag (PBI) – People Are Our Greatest Asset link
#3 – Anne Gripper (NSW Office of Sport) – 6 C’s of Leadership link 
#2 – active CEO Intro (NRG2Perform) Part 2 link
#1 – active CEO Intro (NRG2Perform) Part 1 link

active CEO Podcast Trina Gordon (Boyden World Corporation) – Recruiting World Leaders

active CEO Podcast #7 Trina Gordon Recruiting the World’s Leaders

active CEO Episode 7 - Trina Gordon
Trina Gordon – CEO Boyden World Corporation

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns and Ben Gathercole speak with Trina Gordon delving into what it takes to be a leading global CEO, how a client-centric focus enhances Boyden, the importance of diversity in the search executive industry, what female CEO’s bring to companies, why work life integration is vital to the success of CEO’s, and we take an in-depth look at the CEO interview process.

Trina Gordon

Trina Gordon is the CEO of Boyden World Corporation, ranked by Forbes as top 10 search executive firm in 2018. She became the Search Executive Industry’s first female CEO in 2011, when she was announced as the president and CEO of Boyden World Corporation. Trina is regarded for her commitment to client service, professional quality and integrity. Running, staying fit, eating well and riding her Harley Davidson, allow her to perform at the highest level when recruiting CEO’s and C-Level Executives to some of the world’s leading businesses and organisations, including Fortune 500 companies.

Trina talks about:

  • The ability to listen, learn and understand social customs, practices and morals with a global company.
  • Connecting with their partners, providing services, resolving problems, talking through issues and opportunities on a daily basis.
  • The importance of creating a unique and intermit Boyden experience for clients.
  • Developing a learning and development team led by Chris Sweeney, Gray Hollett and Breck Armstrong.
  • Learning, drawing out and soliciting client needs through listening skills with well-timed and quality questions.
  • Being the lone women in the room and needing to be incredibly well prepared.
  • The benefits of selecting women leaders and If you are going to be relevant in the world, diversity is key.
  • Understanding what goes on in another part of the world from a business, societal, economic and cultural perspective
  • Why social media can be beneficial to a CEO.
  • The importance of CEO’s being on Boards of other companies or organisations
  • The importance of continued dialogue at the CEO level, and making sure that the CEO and Board are transitioning together very effectively, over a period of time.
  • Being fearless in making recommendations that may not be the safest ones.
  • What the key drivers Boyden are looking for when recruiting CEO’s
  • Why running provides a great sense of the ability to put things into perspective.
  • Fitness keeping her well disciplined, focused and builds up extra energy reserves.
  • Riding her Harley Davidson and gaining a greater awareness of the world.
  • The importance of starting each day by centering yourself.
  • Being able to prioritise what is strategically important in the moment.

 

Tweets

“If you are going to be relevant in the world, diversity is key.” with Trina Gordon. You can listen here

Why being nimble, earning trust, developing credibility, building relationships and being incredibly well prepared has been pivotal? Listen to Trina Gordon and gain an insight into leading by example on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

www.boyden.com

www.linkedin.com/in/trina-gordon-b368712/

www.forbes.com

www.nrg2perform.com

craig@nrg2perform.com

www.linkedin.com/in/ceo-corporate-wellness-perform

Recommended Reading:

Trina Gordon Articles

Better Than Winning – Ben’s best selling book Link

Previous active CEO Podcast Episodes:

#6 – Indiran Padayachee (RentCorp) – Winning Only Matters link
#5 – Suzie Hoitink (Clear Complexions) – Enemy of a Great Life is a Good One link
#4 – Rene Zondag (PBI) – People Are Our Greatest Asset link
#3 – Anne Gripper (NSW Office of Sport) – 6 C’s of Leadership link 
#2 – active CEO Intro (NRG2Perform) Part 2 link
#1 – active CEO Intro (NRG2Perform) Part 1 link

active CEO Podcast #2 Introduction Part 2

Ben Gathercole and Craig Johns expand on the active CEO Podcast, and take the active and healthy lifestyle to another level.

Ben Gathercole and Craig Johns have a more the 50 years combined experience working in performance coaching and leadership roles. They understand the importance of living an active and healthy lifestyle, and are now sharing their insights and enlightening people how to become better leaders through a brand new concept, corporate periodisation.

Ben and Craig also speak about:

  • The secret to switching off from work when at home.
  • Why it is important to be diligent and being on in home environment.
  • How experiencing different cultures matures your leadership ability.
  • Engage with your people more often.
  • What allowed Craig to make the decisive move to change his lifestyle when he moved to Taiwan?
  • How do you break the vicious cycle of all work and no play?
  • The importance of planning, goals and writing them down.
  • Trust, accountability and sharing are crucial to achieving your goals.
  • Your “circle of trust” in a leadership role.
  • Why is having friends in the workplace is invaluable?
  • Let’s put the kid back in us!
  • Approximately 85% of people don’t like their job.
  • The 6-8 week tipping point.
  • You have to practice happiness.
  • You have to be willing to improve yourself to be an active CEO.
  • There is no choice but to live an active and healthy activeCEO lifestyle.
  • What was the last thing you did for the first time?
  • Get out of the comfort zone.
  • Learn who Craig and Ben’s noted had the biggest impact on their lives.
  • What were Ben and Craig’s biggest mistakes that they learnt from?
  • active CEO Wellness Tip – Stairway to Heaven

Tweets

active CEO’s Ben Gathercole and Craig Johns use the Stairway to Heaven in living an active and healthy lifestyle. You can listen here

Being humble as a leader with Ben Gathercole and Craig Johns providing powerful insights into being an active CEO

Resources Mentioned in this show:

www.nrg2perform.com

craig@nrg2perform.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/ceo-corporate-wellness-perform/

Keynote Speaking link

Recommended Reading:

Better Than Winning – Ben’s best selling book

https://nrg2perform.com/portfolio/book/

active CEO Podcast #1 Introduction Part 1

Ben and Craig introduce you to the active CEO Podcast and share some powerful tips on how to lead an active and healthy lifestyle.

Ben Gathercole and Craig Johns have more than 50 years combined experience working in performance coaching and leadership roles. They understand the importance of living an active and healthy lifestyle, and are now sharing their insights and enlightening people how to become better leaders through a brand new concept, corporate periodisation.

Ben and Craig also speak about:

  • Why it is important to balance periods of stress and long work hours with low-stress recovery in the workplace through corporate periodisation
  • Where the ordinary don’t belong
  • What is active CEO mean?
  • How did Ben get started in his career as a high performance coach and leader?
  • What were the influences of Ben and Craig’s mentors during their careers so far?
  • The role of mentors and mentoring from a young age.
  • Life of an Olympic Coach and the pressures involved.
  • Powerful examples of balancing work, family and social life.
  • You don’t have to be ‘on’ 365 days and 7 days a week.
  • It is ok to make mistakes and fail fast
  • What inspired Ben to write the book, Better Than Winning?
  • Why Craig and Ben are so passionate about leading an active and healthy lifestyle?
  • The importance of taking one step at a time when building your career.

Tweets

Ben Gathercole and Craig Johns are sharing their active CEO lifestyle. You can listen here

Why it is important to balance work and family life? Ben Gathercole and Craig Johns provide insightful tips on active CEO

Resources Mentioned in this show:

www.nrg2perform.com

craig@nrg2perform.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/ceo-corporate-wellness-perform/

Recommended Reading:

Better Than Winning – Ben’s best selling book

https://nrg2perform.com/portfolio/book/