Tag: Performance

active CEO Podcast 53 Leigh Russell

active CEO Podcast #53 Leigh Russell Diving Into Human Potential

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts, Wellness

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active CEO Podcast 53 Leigh Russell
Leigh Russell – CEO Swimming Australia

On this episode of the Sportspeople Recruitment active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Leigh Russell about her fascination with human performance, being an authentic leader, the power of mentors and diving into human potential. We also delve into how career counselling at a school led to a role at AFL Players Association, thriving as a young CEO at Netball Victoria, working with Bianca Chatfield on the Ignition Project, the integrity and duty of care challenges as CEO of Swimming Australia, and how sleep is such a critical enabler of effective leadership.

Leigh Russell

Leigh Russell is an accomplished sports leader, who thrives in challenging high performance environments, and is considered a collaborative, values driven and results focused leader. She is an authentic, ambitious and humble leader who has published ‘Game On’ and ‘Every Girl Needs a Plan’.

Her education includes a BA in Psychology & Sociology at Monash University, Postgraduate Diploma of Business from Swinburne University of Technology, Australian Institute of Company Directors, and has Graduate Diplomas in Education, Counselling and Career Counselling for Elite Performers.

Leigh has held National and General Manager roles at AFL Players Association, Gold Coast Football, Essendon Football Club and CEO of Netball Victoria; Director roles at The Ignition Project and Inspired Heads; and Chair positions on committees at Cricket Australia and Tennis Australia.

She was the first woman to hold a senior executive position within an AFL Club, the youngest ever CEO appointed in Netball Victoria’s history, and is currently the CEO of Swimming Australia, Australia’s most successful Olympic Sport.

Leigh talks about:

  • Creating a career that was about people.
  • Passion of the role that sport can play in people’s lives.
  • Diving into human potential and human performance.
  • Sociology in the nature and nurture of people.
  • Being a lifelong learner in leadership.
  • Telling it like it is and having those honest conversations.
  • How Change Our Game and Male Champions of Change are vital in accelerating diversity.
  • Sport being incredibly disrupted by E-sports and other entertainment.
  • Really traditional sporting base and the Australian federated model is under quite a lot of stress.
  • Getting people smarter than you, to sit at the table.
  • Think about careers as a patchwork quilt rather than a liner path.
  • How entrepreneurship allowed her to see things from a different angle.
  • Removing unconscious bias in a high performance environment.
  • The need to increase focus on the wellbeing of coaches and staff.
  • Using the DISC tool as a language system around behaviour.
  • What can we learn from the current integrity space and what is our duty of care.
  • It’s harder to work on active and healthy lifestyle as you take on larger roles.

Active CEO Performance Tip

Travel Agility – When you are travelling you have to be agile in your approach to ensuring you are getting in your daily exercise. It’s important to be flexible and be creative with what you have available. It might be using the hotel gym and throwing in some run shoes and running along the riverside paths.

Tweets

“I absolutely perform and function so much better when I am in the zone of good sleep. ” Leigh Russell on taking care of herself, on the Sportspeople Recruitment active CEO Podcast.

“Having somebody in your corner, inner sanctum that is prepared to challenge and support you. Challenging to find the feedback you need to really start to think how you learn and think over time.” Leigh Russell speaks about the power of mentors, on the Sportspeople Recruitment active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Leigh Russell Twitter
Leigh Russell LinkedIn
Leigh Russell Instagram
Swimming Australia www.swimming.org.au
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn

Recommended Reading:

Game On –  Bianca Chatfield and Leigh Russell
Every Girl Needs a Plan – Bianca Chatfield and Leigh Russell

active CEO Podcast #52 Francesca Boase Building Trust In Crisis Management

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts, Wellness

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Francesca Boase – General Manager Edelman Australia

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Francesca Boase about building trust in crisis management, storytelling as an art of communication, leading change, the Edelman Trust Barometer and being a great mentor. We also discuss personal development, being a custodian of peoples careers, the pain of accepting feedback, workplace wellness, and managing her energy and performance.

Francesca Boase – Building Trust In Crisis Management

Francesca Boase is an experienced global corporate communications specialist who is committed to the community, health, fitness and wellbeing. She is known for building strong relationships, impressive personal development programs and competing at the world triathlon championships.

A genuine people person, she is passionate about mentoring, facilitating and leading teams. Her focus in corporate and financial communication, media relations, reputation management and strategic counsel, has given her the necessary skills to thrive in her current role as Managing Director of Edelman Australia, the world’s largest independent communications agency.

Educated globally, she went to Island School, Hong Kong; studied Journalism, Film and Broadcasting and completed a Post Graduate Diploma Public Relations at the University of Wales, Cardiff; and attended the Australian Graduate School of Management. Her previous senior executive appointments have included roles at Sharman Networks, PPR PR Agency and Sefiani Communications Group.

Fran talks about:

  • Growing up in Hong Kong in the 1980’s surrounded by many nationalities.
  • Acting and then communicating with absolute integrity.
  • Honesty and transparency are absolute fundamentals to building that trust.
  • The most important elements when it comes to being proactive in crisis management.
  • We are in constant state of change.
  • What’s its going to take for you to say yes.
  • Fear accompanies change or uncertainty.
  • What makes a really great mentor.
  • Strategies to use when determining your teams internal motivations.
  • Managing stress and the importance of wellbeing in a fast-paced environment.
  • Having high standards and integrity as a leader.
  • Noticing and recognising the cultural differences of the generations coming through.
  • Businesses increasingly have a role to play in building the trust of Australians.
  • Talking about workplace wellness and not actually doing enough about it.
  • Recognising people as human beings in a holistic sense.
  • Really have to take care of yourself first and then come in and tackle the day.
  • Managing competitiveness in a healthy way and figuratively in a healthy way.
  • How to help young people really appreciate and value themselves.

Active CEO Wellness Tip

Motion Call – Stand up and go for a walk when you receive a phone call rather than stay seated at your computer. It reduces distractions and ensures you get the value of motion leads to emotion when you are walking. You will be surprised how much exercise you can do and how productive your calls become.

Tweets

“Being able to effectively communicate means you can build trust, address issues, you can form an organisational and business point of view, and build a narrative and a story which is a very important part of engaging whether it is your target audiences, your staff or your customers.” Effective communication with Francesca Boase, on the active CEO Podcast.

“The bottom line is that people don’t come to work to achieve a business result. People come to work to be with other people. My experience is that being a leader and being able to communicate on a very human level is critical. Its critical to managing staff, it is critical for great client relationships. It is very important when you are dealing with very difficult situations.” Francesca Boase on communicating at a human level, on the active CEO Podcast.

“You genuinely need to have that recovery time. In terms of performance in a role that is very demanding, having a break and taking some time out is as important a lesson to learn to learn as is learning how to respond to a client or developing a communications strategy.” Francesca Boase talks about the importance of recovery with purpose, on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Francesca Boase LinkedIn
Francesca Boase fran@boase.com.au
Edelman www.edelman.com.au
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn

active CEO Podcast Sasa Sestic (The Coffee Man ONA Coffee) – A World Beyond Coffee

active CEO Podcast #47 Sasa Sestic A World Beyond Coffee

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts, Wellness

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A World Beyond Coffee Sasa Sestic ONA Coffee World Barista Champion Project Origin 2000 Sydney Olympics
Sasa Sestic – Founder & Director ONA Coffee

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Sasa Sestic about escaping three wars, transitioning from 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Handball player to entrepreneur, creating ONA Coffee, the powerful impact of Project Origin, winning the 2015 Barista World Championships and a world beyond coffee. We take a deep dive into building a team of innovators, creating a competitive environment, chasing excellence, collaborating with winemaker Tim Kirk from Clonakilla, The Coffee Man movie and book, and the realization that coffee was much more than a social drink.

Sasa Sestic – Podcast Interview Brief

Sasa Sestic is a World Barista Champion, Olympian, philanthropist and remarkable entrepreneur, who immigrated to Australia in 1997, from humble beginnings in war-torn Bosnia. He is considered inspiring, authentically raw and a fun entrepreneur to work with, who authored the award-winning book The Coffee Man. His outstanding sporting ability allowed him to represent Australia in European Handball at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

While working in a Canberra bakery he found his true passion and an obsession for not only perfecting the ultimate cup of coffee, but also finding and roasting the world’s best coffee beans. He has a heart of gold and his devotion to donate thousands of dollars to the farmers who produce the coffee beans in places like India, Honduras and Nicaragua. His love of coffee has led to two Australian and the 2015 World Barista Championships, as well as owning a range of café’s including The Cupping room, ONA Coffee House, ONA Manuka and High Road.

Sasa talks about:

  • His dad surviving -15 degree nights to put food on the table.
  • Playing European Handball for Australian at the Sydney Olympics
  • Transitioning from athlete in 2013 to Barista entrepreneur.
  • Working in 3rd world countries to help them develop great coffee, grow there amazing coffees and see that we are doing something good for these communities.
  • The DNA of ONA Coffee which is community driven and family owned
  • A lot of failures; every time we failed it help bring us closer together.
  • People who love coffee, obsess with coffee and want to innovate.
  • Developing innovative coffee processes that are used globally.
  • Collaborating with winemakers Tim Kirk from Clonakilla.
  • O.C.D – ONA Coffee Distribution Tool
  • His first trip to India in 2011 changed the way he approached coffee.
  • Going deep into the Amazon Forest to search for the coffee bean DNA.
  • The story behind The Coffee Man movie.
  • Introducing consuming countries with the farming countries.
  • The future expansion of ONA Coffee.
  • Flying to Switzerland to understand the science of coffee.
  • Wanting to change the way coffees are sold.

Active CEO Wellness Tip

Talent Is Not Enough – Discipline, hard work and really putting that time into achieving your goals. Talent will only take you so far. What is the plan you are putting into place and implementing to ensure you achieve that performance that you desire?

Tweets

“Very competitive environment, very high paced, all high achievers, we all love competition and the competition gets the best out of us.” Sasa Sestic explains the ONA Coffee environment, on the active CEO Podcast.

“One of the issues we have is that when we reach these high goals, we don’t spend enough time celebrating. We just set another higher goal. Trying to be the best we can be. We want to compete with ourselves.” Wanting to spend more time celebrating with Sasa Sestic, on the active CEO Podcast.

“2007 is when I realised that coffee can be so much more than a social drink. So much more than something that tastes reasonably nice. A lot deeper purpose to being able to serve a great cup of coffee. We can make the world a little bit better.” Sasa Sestic’s approach to a world beyond coffee, on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Sasa Sestic www.sasasestic.com.au
Sasa Sestic Instagram
ONA Coffee www.onacoffee.com.au
ONA Coffee Instagram
Project Origin www.projectorigin.com.au
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn

Recommended Reading:

The Coffee Man Book
The Coffee Man Film

active CEO Podcast PJ Ashley (The Pillar Practice) – Consciously Connected Leadership

active CEO Podcast #41 PJ Ashley Consciously Connected Leadership

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts, Wellness

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PJ Ashley – Founder The Pillar Practice

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with PJ Ashley about The Pillar Practice, being born to change the world, supporting Defence Force families, and consciously connected leadership. We also discuss the ‘why’ behind starting her own business, having ‘busy’ as a badge of owner, people becoming truth-seekers, the World Health Organization recognizing “Burn-out”, and the walking dead state.

PJ Ashley – Podcast Interview Brief

PJ has chosen the health and wellness of people and businesses around the world over a corporate life. She spent eight years as a director at Lifeline Canberra, which exists to support people in crisis and save the lives of those experiencing thoughts of suicide

The early part of her life included living in NSW and then Queensland, Australia, where she attended St Aidans Anglican Girls College. She completed a Certificate Business Studies at Lorraine Martin Business College and later on in her career, a Diploma Holistic Therapies at Swindon College in the UK.

Our guest has spent over 25 years working in and around Defence, including being an executive in the corporate world dealing with large multi-million dollar Government and Defence contracts. This has included working in various managerial roles at Toll, CIPS Australia, Supply Chain and Logistics Association of Australia, Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia and LMB Consulting.

In 2013, she founded The Pillar Practice, where they decrypt the mysteries of life through a journey of healing. Her trademark The Pillar Code is now formally recognized as a new modality in 26 countries.

PJ talks about:

  • Growing up in a sporting family, as a dancer.
  • Going to the university of life, but not being able to name the campus she went to.
  • Finding her leadership talent through voluntary work with Defence families.
  • Seeing something in someone that they cant see in themselves.
  • Her leadership style and what values are most important to her.
  • Surrounding herself with people who can do things that she cant.
  • The ‘WHY” behind leaving the corporate world and starting her own business.
  • Why a massage became her defining moment for The Pillar Practice.
  • Delivering the world a brand new modality, the gift to assist them to the waking up.
  • The coding system of the universe with the nine Pillars.
  • The World Health Organization recognising “BURNOUT” as a occupational phenomenon.
  • People pushing themselves to the absolute limit.
  • Recognizing consciously connected leadership.
  • Sealing, a very quick form of consciously meditating without going into a full meditation.
  • Not going to get to the end of this life and I didn’t give it my best shot.
  • Wanting to solve the walking dead state.

Active CEO Wellness Tip

Bigger Than Themselves – You have to dig deep and find out what truly motivates each employee on your team. What gets them up each day and what will allow them to draw more energy to perform with distinction in your company? What is the greater purpose? Because people want to do something much bigger than what your company stands for and something that is bigger than themselves.

Tweets

“Some people are just born to be academics and other people are born to change the world. You are not the academic, you are the one to change the world.” The advice PJ Ashley’s head mistress gave to her at school on the active CEO Podcast.

“Every day was the same except I was adding another zero.” PJ Ashley describing how every day became the same, on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

PJ Ashley Facebook
PJ Ashley LinkedIn
The Pillar Practice www.thepillarpractice.com.au
The Pillar Practice Facebook
The Pillar Practice YouTube
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole Performance Coaching www.bengathercole.com.au

Recommended Reading:

It’s About Time by George – PJ Ashley
Better Than Winning – Ben Gathercole

Workplace Wellness: World Health Organization Recognizes Burn-out

Posted on by Craig Johns in Article, Leadership
Workplace Wellness: World Health Organization Recognizes Burnout
Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash

This week the World Health Organization (WHO) made positive steps in improving workplace wellness by formally recognizing ‘Burn-out’ as an official occupational phenomenon. The WHO classified burn-out as ‘a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed’, under the International Classification of Diseases, and it will be globally-recognized as of 2020.

Feel like work is zapping all your energy and taking the fun out of life?

Do you feel burnt out, run down, emotionally paralyzed or lack the energy to do what you want to in life?

We live in a world that has a workplace culture that tends itself towards high levels of stress, working over-time, depression, detachment and feeling ineffective.

Will Workplace Wellness be the Next Royal Commission?

Will this mean that Workplace Wellness could be the next Royal Commission or Presidential Commission? It can’t be too far away as the effects, quite often catastrophic, that are associated with unsuccessfully managed workplace stress have a major ramifications for sick leave expenses, physical and mental health, personal and professional relationships, loss of productivity, workplace culture and employee retention.

It’s Affecting Those Close to Us!

I don’t know about you, but I am feed up with seeing family, friends and many people all around the world suffering from workplace related depression, mental health and even suicide due to the workplace cultures that cause unnecessary stress and burn-out.

CEO’s, leaders, owners and board directors are going to have to start taking workplace wellness seriously. It wouldn’t surprise me if we start seeing class actions in the near future.

There are a number of companies and organizations that do have positive and effective workplace wellness cultures in place and we must applaud them for being proactive in a space that has a major effect on society and our local communities. They should be used as examples of best practice and rewarded accordingly.

What is Burn-out?

We know that those who are most vulnerable to burn-out regularly navigate complex, contradictory and sometimes hostile environments. The main risk factors of burn-out in the workplace consist of:

  • doing work that is unrewarding,
  • limited control on the work that you do,
  • an overwhelming workload due to time and/or pressure exerted,
  • work that conflicts with our personal values,
  • unfair work practices, and
  • lack of community.

Workplace related symptoms include:

  • feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
  • increased mental distance from one’s job;
  • feelings of negativity or cynicism related to one’s job; and
  • reduced professional efficacy.

We Are Here to Help You

It is now time for you as a CEO or leader to make a positive change place workplace wellness at the heart of your company or organisation.

The team at NRG2Perform are here to support and guide you in implementing a positive workplace culture.

We have developed the Breaking The CEO Code and Breaking The CORPORATE Code. We provide CEO’s and leaders, as well as corporate teams or companies the curriculum and tools to minimise workplace stress, improve mental health and maximise your performance potential.

Programs include the four key fundamentals of Peak Human Performance:

  • ENERGY (fitness) – healthy body, healthy mind
  • FUEL (nutrition) – a Formula 1 car won’t perform on diesel fuel
  • EMOTION (mindset) – you are infectious both positive & negative
  • RECOVERY (recharge) – if you don’t switch the light off it will blow

And, the 3P’s of building sustainable energy for high performing leaders:

  • CEO/CORPORATE Periodization – scheduling your energy & recovery over time
  • CEO/CORPORATE Presence – communicating with purpose, precision & energy
  • CEO/CORPORATE Performance – bringing the energy, showing up & turning up

There is no Time to Wait

Make a decision and act now by contacting Craig Johns at NRG2Perform today, to discuss a specifically tailored Breaking The CEO Code or Breaking the CORPORATE Code program, by calling +61 415 675 939 or emailing craig@nrg2Perform.com.

active CEO Podcast Ellen Derrick Deloitte

active CEO Podcast #37 Ellen Derrick Make Mistakes No Regrets

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts

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Ellen Derrick – National Executive Deloitte Australia

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Ellen Derrick about the importance of being grateful and serving others; her high performance mindset; working with leaders to deliver excellence at Deloitte Australia; and the value of scheduling energy rather than time.

We also delve into coping with her adopted mother passing away from Breast Cancer at the age of eleven; how her children fuel her to deliver better leadership; being open to mistakes and having no regrets; and why speaking on stage with her daughter Kate, who has Cystic Fibrosis, was one of the best days of her life.

Ellen Derrick

Ellen is an impressive Senior Executive who is a leader with a service mentality, who has a bios for action and accountability.

Growing up in the USA she played a lot of sport, including tennis at University before switching to squash, which she played at an international level.

She studied at Nardin Academy, has a BA Government Business at Colby University and has completed an MBA Management from the Australian Graduate School of Management, since moving to Australia.

Her impressive resume includes managerial roles for Accenture, IISM Group, the Australian Federal Government Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, and is currently the National Leader Public Sector and Public Policy and a member of the National Executive for Deloitte Australia.

Now living in Australia she is an affiliate member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, plays an active role in national charitable foundations including Cystic Fybrosis Australia, and is a mentor for the center of economic development of Australia and Institute of Public Administration of Australia.

Ellen talks about:

  • Growing up in an Irish part of Buffalo, New York, USA.
  • The influence of her mother, who passed away from Breast Cancer, when she was eleven.
  • Her mum teaching her to be grateful, serve others, keep perspective and be optimistic.
  • Always being in a hurry, feeling time limited and always looking for the next thing.
  • Loving playing soccer and basketball for many years, before switching to tennis & squash.
  • Her love of history, English, writing and the systems of government.
  • Leading national public practice and public policy at Deloitte.
  • Working with the leaders to deliver excellence and having a lasting impact.
  • How we better our life expectancy.
  • Keeping her mind relaxed and calm, while leading a very diverse portfolio.
  • Are leaders born or made?
    Helping to find the confidence and courage to take big leaps.
  • How her team would describe her leadership style.
  • Coping with her early days at Deloitte, where she felt the effects of imposter syndrome.
  • Coming back from maternity leave, knowing she was a different human being.
  • Adjusting her life when she learnt her daughter has Cystic Fibrosis.
  • Her professional purpose and personal purpose converging every day.
  • The importance of scheduling her own time to free the mind and re-energise.
  • The impact of speaking on stage with her daughter Kate, for the first time in front of influential senior business leaders
  • What we truly need to do collectively in ensuring our sustainability and our prosperity?
  • Feeling energetic, positive and focused when she is in a peak state of mind.

Active CEO Wellness Tip                                                       

Better Place – It is our role as leaders to be a steward and leave what we are looking after in a better place for our future leaders. We need to ensure our stewardship continues to build it up step-by-step so we leave a positive legacy for the next generation.

Tweets

“How do you really seize opportunity from challenge and how do you keep your perspective when things are truly hard.” Ellen Derrick speaking with her daughter Kate on stage in front of influential business leaders, on the active CEO Podcast.

“We don’t always get it right, but we are perfectionists, we are the big four, it is our job to get it right, and it really hurts us when we don’t.” The challenge of leadership expectations with Ellen Derrick, on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources mentioned in this show:

Ellen Derrick LinkedIn
Ellen Derrick Profile
Deloitte website www.deloitte.com
Cystic Fibrosis www.cysticfibrosis.org.au
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole Performance Coaching www.bengathercole.com.au

Recommended Reading:

Better Than Winning – Ben Gathercole

active CEO Podcast Kate & Sam Cawthorn (Speakers Institute) – The Best Is Yet To Come

active CEO Podcast #36 Kate and Sam Cawthorn The Best Is Yet To Come

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts

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Kate & Sam Cawthorn – Co-Founders Speakers Institute

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Kate and Sam Cawthorn about their life-defining moment; Sam being uniquely wired as a futurist; Kate unlocking your “super powers” of influence through the Gallup CliftonStrengths Finder assessment; the magic of Storyshowing; and Proximity is Power. We also delve into the ‘why’ behind Speakers Institute and Speakers Tribe; being a selfless CEO; recovering with purpose; shifting the energy of a room; orchestrating people’s attention; and being in the transformational personal development industry.

Kate & Sam Cawthorn

Kate and Sam Cawthorn are an incredible couple, with the most beautiful souls, who are passionate about transforming leaders into influential speakers. Through adversity, they found opportunity, and made decisions that have led to making remarkable impacts on so many peoples lives.

As Co-Founders and leaders of the Speakers Institute and the Speakers Tribe, they harness their very different personalities and unique strengths to not only beautifully compliment each other, but also to provide a more well-rounded leadership approach.

Kate has spent more than a decade in the personal development space, unearthing many hidden talents in people. Unlocking peoples superpowers and guiding them to live their ‘why’ through understanding and harnessing their strengths, fuels her inner passion, as a renowned certified Gallup Clifton Strength Finder coach.

Sam has transformed into a thought leader in peak performance, bestselling author, speaker, CEO and award-winning educator, after a horrific car accident in October 2006, changed his life forever. The 2009 Young Australian of the Year and 2013 Edupreneur of the year, has two international best-selling books Bounce Forward and Storytelling, which are changing the game for many people around the world, from all walks of life.

Kate & Sam talk about:

  • What inspired Kate as a child and what she dreamed of being a mum.
  • Sam seeking attention growing up in a family of eleven children.
  • Sam’s role as a Youth futurist with the Australian Federal Government.
  • The near fatal crash that transformed both their lives.
  • How Kate coped with Sam’s accident and being in a coma.
  • How Sam approached the adversity and when he realised his ‘why’.
  • What was the trigger for Kate to become a Gallop Clifton Strength Finder coach?
  • What attracted Sam to become a professional speaker and the concept of Bounce Forward.
  • Why Kate has to pull the hand brake on.
  • The catalyst to starting the Speakers Institute and Speakers Tribe.
  • Working together as leaders of Speakers Institute.
  • Kate and Sam’s top 5 strengths from the Gallup Clifton Strength Finder assessment and how they compliment each other.
  • The Toggle Framework for speakers.
  • How they recharge their batteries and refuel their tanks.

Active CEO Wellness Tip                                                       

Fear Less – More than 80% of what we fear and worry about never ever comes true. If we are worried about something, rather than ruminating in our head, we should go and actually talk to the person. We need to look at the problem and do some research and understand whether it will it actually matter. What is the evidence behind what we are thinking? Is there any or not?

Tweets

“People don’t need to be like someone else, that just need to be more of themselves.” Kate Cawthorn dives deep on what makes a great speaker, on the active CEO Podcast.

“The greatest training ground, as a speaker, is to go into your local school and speak to thirteen to fifteen year olds. If you can keep their attention span for a one hour period of time, you will keep anyone’s attention.” Sam Cawthorn talks about starting a speaking career, on the active CEO Podcast.

“If you are not speaking about something that you are genuinely passionate about, you will not come across as genuine at all.” Kate shares the secret of owning your voice, on the active CEO Podcast.

 “When I walk into the room I want to make sure the atmosphere has shifted”. The power of attention with Sam Cawthorn, on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Kate Cawthorn LinkedIn
Sam Cawthorn LinkedIn
Sam Cawthorn www.samcawthorn.com
Sam Cawthorn Wikipedia
Speakers Institute www.speakersinstitute.com.au
Speakers Institute Facebook
Speakers Tribe www.speakerstribe.com.au
Speakers Tribe Facebook
Gallup Clifton Strengths Website
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole Performance Coaching www.bengathercole.com.au

Recommended Reading:

Bounce Forward Sam Cawthorn
Storyshowing Sam Cawthorn
Better Than Winning – Ben Gathercole

Magnus Grimeland (Antler) – Fast Tracking Entrepreneurs With Antler

active CEO Podcast #30 Magnus Grimeland Fast Tracking Entrepreneurs With Antler

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts

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Magnus Grimeland – Founder & CEO of Antler

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Magnus Grimeland about his desire to make a positive difference in the world; excelling as a Norwegian Navy Seal; studying at Harvard University as Facebook launched; global learning’s working at McKinsey & Company; accelerating into Managing Director at Rocket Internet; capitalising on the diverse markets in Southeast Asia with fashion e-commerce companies Zalora and Global Fashion Group; and turning the world’s best talent into great founders of great companies with his new company Antler.

We also delve into three characteristics to be successful; front-loading; failure is not an option; knowing the right time to become an entrepreneur; senior leadership being close to the customers; why it is important to support the direction of your suppliers; fully aligning your own passion with the work you do; and why being healthy allows you to put a lot more energy into work.

Background

Magnus Grimeland is an entrepreneurial catalyst and game-changing futurist who is driven to accelerate global aspiring entrepreneurs through connecting them with compatible co-founders and investors. He is a venture capitalist and angel investor who is on the search for the right talent, drive and ambition to change the world.

Born in Norway he dove in head first to kick start his career as a Navy Seal, before heading to Harvard University to study a Bachelors of Science and Economics. He then exceled as an Associate Principal and Junior Partner at McKinsey & Company, where he discovered his true talent, as a leader.

In 2013 he found his feet in the entrepreneurial and venture capital space when he took the reigns of Rocket Internet GmbH as Managing Director, as well as co-founding Zalora Southeast Asia. He then successfully transitioned into Managing Director and COO of Global Fashion Group, which offers over 8,000 brands, and operates across four continents and 28 countries, employing over 10,000 people.

Magnus is currently the Founder and CEO of Antler, a new start-up generator turning the world’s best talent into great founders of great companies. In less than two years he has grown Antler to more than seventy staff and is in the process of expanding to 6 cities across 5 continents in less than one year.

Magnus talks about:

  • The influence of his grandmother on considering the meaning of being on earth.
  • Decided early that he wanted to have a positive impact on the world.
  • Becoming a Norwegian Navy Seal with the intention of being an astronaut.
  • Developing a SPIKE, knowing what drives you and having the grit to make it happen.
  • Deciding to leave the Navy Seals to go to Harvard University.
  • The impact of his teacher at United World College of the Atlantic in Wales.
  • Starting life in the corporate world, and the huge learning curve at McKinsey and Company
  • Taking the leap into the unknown and setting a deadline to make the change from employee to entrepreneur.
  • Any great business must have a great team, validate their business model and identify the tipping point that will lead to incredible growth.
  • Convincing brands that you are a great sales channel for them and why you are the company of choice for the major brands.
  • Being inspired by Steve Jobs who would respond to customer requests and feedback.
  • Creating a platform that enables entrepreneurs a jump from whatever they are doing now into building a truly impactful company, much easier.
  • Antler providing a tremendous network of advisors and external investors and capital that most people would not have access to.
  • Finding that passion, your why and really make a difference for people.
  • Sharing the common passion about what you are building as an entrepreneur.
  • The Antler process and why its global platform enables entrepreneurs in a whole new way.
  • Ironman triathlon as an outlet from work and a form of active meditation.
  • The power of front-loading your work.
  • Taking on one uncomfortable thing every year, ensures you think outside the box.

Active CEO Wellness Tip                                                       

Workplace Motivation – You can’t build a company culture on free snacks in the boardroom or a foosball table in the office. Company culture is built on talking with your team and understanding what motivates each person. What makes them tick, why are they there and what do they want in the future. You also need to remove the negative influencers in a team before they effect the behaviour of other employees. Because this is important for not only for your welfare as a leader, but also to ensure you keep the team, long-term.

Tweets

“Many people don’t become an entrepreneur, as they get caught up in life instead of setting the direction for your own life.” Why people don’t become an entrepreneur with Magnus Grimeland, on the active CEO Podcast.

“Great teams are put together when every team member knows what they are good at and what they need around them.” Building a great team with Magnus Grimeland, on the active CEO Podcast.

“A lot of start-ups fail not because they don’t have a great team or business model, because they give up when the first challenges arrive.” What challenges entrepreneurs face with Magnus Grimeland on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Magnus Grimeland LinkedIn
Magnus Grimeland Facebook
Magnus Grimeland magnus@antler.co
Antler www.antler.co
Antler LinkedIn
Antler Facebook
Antler Twitter
Global Fashion Group Website
Zalora www.zalora.com
Rocket Internet www.rocket-internet.com
McKinsey & Company www.mckinsey.com
Harvard University www.harvard.edu
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole Performance Coaching www.bengathercole.com.au

Recommended Reading:

Better Than Winning – Ben Gathercole

active CEO Podcast #29 Brent Clayton Richest Kid In The Playground

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts

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Brent Clayton – Firefighter, CEO Fire Recruitment Australia & Authority Marketing Machine

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Brent Clayton about being a serial entrepreneur; turning adversity into opportunity; the determination to become a firefighter; and balancing democratic and autocratic leadership.

We also delve into learning discipline from the military; understanding the intricacies of a job; what it takes to be a firefighter; and the backstory of his businesses Fire Recruitment Australia and Authority Marketing Machine.

Background

Brent Clayton is an active firefighter, author, coach, mentor and serial entrepreneur. He is a top Aussie bloke who has a passion for serving the community, helping people realise their dream of serving their country, and is in training to be on the front cover of the Australian Firefighters calendar in 2020.

A man of true resilience, who overcame failure to rise up and live his dream of being a firefighter. He turned the harsh lessons learnt of failing to meet his goals into being a highly successful entrepreneur with his company, Fire Recruitment Australia, a coaching and training platform for would-be firefighters.

He currently works as a senior station officer in Australia as well as running his own businesses. Before becoming a firefighter he was a prison guard and worked in the military prior to that.

Not one to sit still, he has just launched a new business called Authority Marketing Machine, and was once a star on Channel Ten’s, It’s a Knockout TV Game Show.

Brent talks about:

  • Commencing his entrepreneurial journey as a child delivering newspapers.
  • Being the richest kid in the playground.
  • Dreams of being a helicopter pilot.
  • The importance of learning about a job and its intricacies.
  • Incorporate serving your community or nation into the education system.
  • Dealing with conflict resolution as a prison guard.
  • Coping with being denied before being accepted into the fire service.
  • Monetizing the recruitment process and skills required to be a firefighter or policeman, by writing a book.
  • The five components of the recruitment process.
  • What the key characteristics are to being a firefighter.
  • Understanding what risks there are, how you can rectify the situation and what resources are required.
  • Your mind is clear to start looking for the anomalies.
  • Having a very structured routine around fitness, meditation and nutrition.
  • Routines make you free, because you don’t have to think about anything.
  • It’s only risky if you don’t know what you are doing.
  • Democratic versus autocratic leadership
  • What makes coaching and mentoring fulfilling?
  • The background behind the Authority Marketing Machine
  • The fitness routine of the firefighter.
  • Booking a flight in a fighter jet with a mate.
  • Solving the smartphone epidemic

Active CEO Wellness Tip

Small Incremental Efforts – To be successful you need to make small and consistent incremental efforts each day. Something as simple as 5min walk today and 6min tomorrow, or halving the amount of butter on your toast.

Tweets

“If there is one thing you do, don’t get caught around the smoko table whinging, go do something constructive”. The best advice Brent Clayton received, on the active CEO Podcast.

“Understanding that the idea of something is not always enough to get what you want.” A lesson in growing up, with Brent Clayton, on the active CEO Podcast.

“When the alarm goes off, you get up. It’s not a conversation with yourself about whether you are going to get up.” Discussing discipline with Brent Clayton, on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Fire Recruitment Australia www.firerecruitmentaustralia.com.au
Fire Recruitment Australia Facebook
Fire Recruitment Australia Podcast
Brent Clayton www.brentclayton.com
Brent Clayton LinkedIn
Brent Clayton Youtube
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole Performance Coaching www.bengathercole.com.au

Recommended Reading:

Fire Service Recruitment – The Process to Success Link
Better Than Winning – Ben Gathercole Link

active CEO Podcast #28 Christine Amour-Levar A Woman On A Mission

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts

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Christine Amour-Levar – Women On A Mission / HER Planet Earth

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Christine Amour-Levar about her diverse cultural upbringing; learning new language through total immersion; the differences in work ethic, leadership, culture and behaviours between Japan, USA and France; the impact Nike has had on her career; and leading through empathy.

We also delve into creating Beijaflor and becoming an entrepreneur; scheduling family time; combining her love for adventure with her social entrepreneurship programs; and the influence Women on a Mission and HER Planet Earth are having on the women of war and the underprivileged.

Background

Christine Amour Levar is a passionate, kind and determined marketing & communications expert, adventurer, social entrepreneur, author and speaker.

Of French, Swiss & Filipino decent, she graduated from Sophia University, before embarking on an international career with brands such as Nike, McCann-Erickson, Philippe Starck and her own Brazilian fashion retail business, Beijaflor.

She has a wealth of global experience in brand strategy, social entrepreneurship and advocacy, which allowed her to excel as a marketing and communications consultant for Temasek Trust and Temasek Management Services, as well as her current role as Chief Marketing Officer at iRace Media.

In her spare time she is a passionate advocate for women’s leadership and empowerment, which has enabled her to establish two award-winning non-profit organisations, ‘Women on a Mission’ (WOAM) and ‘HER Planet Earth’.

Her amazing talents include being an Author and Contributing Writer to international publications such as The HuffPost, Forbes and the Straits Times Newspaper of Singapore, as well as speaking at organisations such as INSEAD, Nike, Goldman Sachs, Singapore Woman Award and James Cook University.

In 2018, she was a Finalist of the ‘French of Asia Trophy 2018 and a recipient of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World Award.O

Christine talks about:

  • Having a multiracial and multicultural upbringing, living in the Philippines and France.
  • Wanting to grow up and work in sports or be connected to sports.
  • Moving to Japan to go to Sophia University, not knowing any Japanese.
  • Here first job was with McCann Erickson, as the only non-Japanese in the graduate program.
  • Working with blue chip clients such as Nestlé, Nokia and Gillette.
  • Moved to United States to work at the Nike Headquarters in Oregon, thinking she new the American culture.
  • The ability to adjust quickly when working with different cultures.
  • Differences in brand, culture and leadership between Japan and USA
  • Transitioning from being an employee to an entrepreneur
  • Felt liberated when getting out of the corporate world and starting her business, Beijaflor.
  • Realising she really needed to be engaged to work really efficiently.
  • The majority of poor people around the world are women who live in rural areas
  • Challenging expeditions to off-the-beaten tracks around the world such as Antarctica, Jordan, Ethiopia, Himalayas and Vietnam.
  • Staying connected in the sisterhood
  • The expedition to Son Doong caves, which is an UNESCO World Heritage Park
  • Finding the time to reflect, meditate and take stock
  • Thriving on going to places she has never been and doing things that she hasn’t done.
  • More men champions for change fighting for gender equality, support women’s careers and opportunities.
  • Her leadership is about putting empathy at the core of it.

Active CEO Wellness Tip – Humbleness & Humility

Tweets

“When you love what you do, it is not work , you are so engaged in it, so focused that you don’t even see time go by.” Finding purpose in your work with Christine Amour-Levar, on the active CEO Podcast.

“Mind-blowing when you look up and marvel in the enormity and the awe inspiring experience.” Christine Amour-Levar, on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Christine Amour-Levar www.christineamourlevar.com
Christine Amour-Levar Facebook
Christine Amour-Levar LinkedIn
Christine Amour-Levar Instagram
Women on a Mission www.womenmission.com
Women on a Mission Facebook
Women on a Mission Instagram
HER Planet Earth www.herplanetearth.com
HER Planet Earth Facebook
HER Planet Earth Instagram
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole LinkedIn
Ben Gathercole Performance Coaching www.bengathercole.com.au

Recommended Reading:

Dis-Rupt 3.0 Filipina Women Rising Book
The Smart Girls Handbook to Being Mummylicious Book
Humanity Book
Better Than Winning – Ben Gathercole