Tag: Strategy

Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast #203 Monique Richardson They Serve Like We Lead

Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast #203 Monique Richardson They Serve Like We Lead

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Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast #203 Monique Richardson They Serve Like We Lead

They Serve Like We Lead

On this episode of the Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Monique Richardson about they serve like we lead, service leadership and how important our own roles are in keeping good customer service.

We also dive deeper into the factors to consider in making customer service work, creating a service vision and how we should set our strategies to ensure that good customer service is well offered to our customers.

Monique Richardson  – They Serve Like We Lead

Monique Richardson is an expert and leading authority in Service Leadership and Customer Service, a speaker on Managing Difficult Customer Behaviour, and the author of the new book They Serve Like We Lead.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Training and Development from the University of Melbourne and now with over 22 years of honing her craft, she’s had the privilege of addressing over 50,000 individuals, instilling the principles of effective service leadership and customer care. Being a go-to expert for media outlets like Sky News, Sunrise, CEO World, and The CEO Institute, and has worked with many ASX Top 200 companies including ANZ, Transurban Group, and iconic brands including the Melbourne Cricket Club, Melbourne Airport, and Mercedes-Benz.

Mitchell talks about:

  • Protecting our customer service community
  • Having a service-minded family
  • The impact of your life on other people
  • Servant leader versus service leadership
  • Technology’s impact on customer service
  • Overall customer service strategy
  • Playing our own parts in a customer’s experience
  • Factors to consider in making customer service work
  • The inspiration behind They Serve Like We Lead
  • Having a great and positive attitude to deliver good customer service
  • Is having a bad day an excuse for poor customer service?
  • Resetting and redefining your service vision
  • What is an inspiring great leader?

Tweets

“It really is about the culture that’s set by the organisation that is then driven by the leadership.” Culture and leadership with Monique Richardson on the Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast.

“I think it’s so important as leaders that we also help our people to understand, why what they do matters and how it impacts on the customer.”  Our role on a customer experience by Monique Richardson on the Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast.

“Sometimes there are things going on in people’s lives that are bigger than work. For the leaders to be able to have that compassion and empathy, that if somebody is not delivering that great experience, the first thing is just checking in to make sure that person’s okay and is everything okay in the world?” Compassion in the workplace by Monique Richardson on the Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Monique Richardson www.moniquerichardson.com.au
Monique Richardson LinkedIn
Monique Richardson Instagram
Craig Johns www.craigjohns.com.au
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn
Craig Johns Facebook
Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com

Book

They Serve Like We Lead

Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast #178 Nick Harding Amplify Your Influence

Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast #178 Nick Harding Amplify Your Influence

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Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast #178 Nick Harding Amplify Your Influence

Amplify Your Influence

On this episode of the Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Nick Harding on how to Amplify Your Influence, the evolution of education and see the world through a neurodiverse lens.

We also dive deep into the point of performance, mental health, strategic communications, and being agile and adaptable in today’s fast-paced world.

Nick Harding – Amplify Your Influence

Nick Harding is a true visionary in the world of strategic communications who is a former educator turned distinguished speechwriter, speaker, presenter, and facilitator. Known as Nickopedia, Nick is an intelligent, creative, and deeply innovative thinker. Nick is also an advocate for youth leadership, having judged Lion’s Youth of the Year and worked pro bono for youth advocacy group Burn Bright. He’s even been a proud supporter of the National Student Leadership Forum for over 20 years.

With his Bachelor’s degree from Macquarie University in Education, English Language, and Literature/Letters, Nick has helped countless individuals and companies discover and craft their unique stories. His impressive track record includes writing TED, SXSW, and Vivid talks, as well as designing strategic communications for top organizations such as ANZ Private and Navia. Nick’s expertise has been sought after by some of the biggest companies in Australia, including NAB and Westpac. He’s also an international corporate trainer for leadership and influence at Facebook and has taught presentation and pitching skills to organizations such as IAG, the NSW Department of Treasury, and IBM.

Nick talks about:

  • Evolution of Education
  • Understanding the world through words
  • Overseas dreams & going to the US
  • Neurodiversity & ADHD
  • Learning & thinking styles
  • Being a writer
  • The simplicity of Coffee
  • Being a teacher
  • Amplify your influence
  • Power of influence
  • The point of performance
  • Agility & adaptability

Tweets

“If society is smart, we won’t view people who are neurodiverse as a glitch in the system. But actually, it’s something that’s vital because almost all progress is made by somebody getting sick of the status quo and shaking things up.” Nick Harding talks about neurodiversity on the Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast. 

“Words are the way that we articulate thoughts.” Nick Harding on the world of words on the Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast. 

“I think a good leader is someone who can set a vision and push you towards it, but also pull you towards it as well.” Nick Harding on what a great leader is on the Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast. 

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Nick Harding www.nickharding.com.au
Nick Harding Linkedin
Speakers Institute www.speakersinstitute.com 
Speakers Institute Corporate www.speakersinstitutecorporate.com
Craig Johns www.craigjohns.com.au
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn
Craig Johns Facebook
Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com

Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast #165 Simon Severino Business Resilience With Strategy Sprints

Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast #165 Simon Severino Business Resilience With Strategy Sprints

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Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast #165 Simon Severino Business Resilience With Strategy Sprints

Business Resilience With Strategy Sprints

On this episode of the Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Simon Severino about business resilience with strategy sprints, entrepreneurs are forces of nature, developing reliable revenue systems and the future of blockchain technology. 

We also dive into ways to accelerate growth for an agile business, closing B2B business in 14 days, transferring what he learnt in triathlons to business dashboards, developing an avatar of high energy clients and what would the best father do at this time in the moment? 

Simon Severino – Business Resilience With Strategy Sprints 

Simon Severino is the CEO of Strategy Sprints, where they help entrepreneurs scale their online business to secure business resilience and repeatable revenues. He is the host of the Strategy Sprints podcast, a keynote speaker in agile strategy and sales, TEDx speaker and leader of a global team of coaches. 

From Rome, Italy he has studied Philosophy and Psychology at the University of Vienna and innovation of products and services at MIT Sloan School of Management. Simon is the author of Strategy Sprints and Habits of Success, writes for Forbes and Entrepreneur magazines about scaling digital businesses, and is a member of Silicon Valley Blockchain Society. 

Simon talks about: 

  • Entrepreneurs are forces of nature. 
  • Creativeness of entrepreneurship is part science & part art. 
  • Wanting to be a crazy explorer and adventurer. 
  • Fascination with AI, robotics and blockchain. 
  • The impact of Socrates, Jim Morrison and Bob Dylan on his life. 
  • From management consultant to expert at go to market strategy plan.  
  • Developing reliable revenue systems. 
  • Increase frequency by shortening the sales process to 3-6 weeks.  
  • Closing faster online with awareness to closing in 14 days. 
  • Relationship building sequence and business resilience. 
  • Daily and monthly business reflections 
  • Are we moving in the right direction at the right time?  
  • Setting criteria to establish successful high value clients  
  • A filter system between marketing & sales department. 
  • The importance of being genuinely curious about the person.  
  • From listening to intentionally commercial teaching.  
  • Blockchain technology is the most relevant thing happening on the planet right now.  
  • Good regulation will bring order and health into the Blockchain system. 
  • Launch of his new book Strategy Sprints 

Tweets 

“Entrepreneurs are forces of nature. They create something out of nothing. They find problems in the world. They are frustrated by something. Why do I have to wait so long for something?” The uniqueness of entrepreneurs, with Simon Severino, on the Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast. 

Resources Mentioned in this show: 

Strategy Sprints http://www.strategysprints.com/ 
Simon Severino Twitter 
Simon Severino LinkedIn 
Simon Severino Facebook 
Strategy Sprints Instagram 
Speakers Institute Corporate www.speakersinstitutecorporate.com 
Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast
Craig Johns www.craigjohns.com.au 
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com 
Craig Johns LinkedIn 

Recommended Reading: 

Strategy Sprints: 12 Ways to Accelerate Growth for an Agile Book
Habits of Success: What Top Entrepreneurs Routinely Do in Business and in Life Book

Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast #160 David Kidder New To Big Igniting Growth

Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast #160 David Kidder New To Big Igniting Growth

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Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast #160 David Kidder New To Big Igniting Growth

NEW TO BIG IGNITING GROWTH

On this episode of the Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with David Kidder about New To Big igniting growth, finding your proprietary gift, the interior life of leaders, 3 jobs of a Founder, and venture investing entrepreneurship. 

We also delve into creating an idea killing machine, the only way to go faster is to do less work, not being a well-rounded person, breaking the addiction of always being right, enabling permission and how did you bet your life? 

David Kidder – Igniting Growth New To Big 

David Kidder is an experienced entrepreneur and an angel investor in over 40 companies, co-founder and CEO of Bionic, growth transformation and innovation expert, and best-selling author of New To Big. He is an pioneer, an early angel investor in SpaceX and Airbnb, ignites growth revolutions and loves helping people build a permanent ladder to the moon.  

He has a BA in Industrial Design from the Rochester Institute of technology, received ID Magazine’s International Design Award, and was the Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2008. As an entrepreneur and businessman, he has co-founded Net-X, SmartRay Network, Renaissance Integrated Solutions, All Option Return, and Clickable.  As a New York Times best-selling author, David has produced The Intellectual Devotional Book Series, The Startup Playbook and most recently New To Big. 

David talks about 

  • Apple computers inspiring an interest in what’s inside. 
  • Having the space that allows people to consider things. 
  • Business-building vs company-building. 
  • Finding your proprietary gift. 
  • Clickable solving skill friction across platforms. 
  • 5 critical lens to view the world through before you bet your life on something. 
  • The company is a direct reflection of the CEO.  
  • How far are you willing to go? 
  • Having high conviction and non-consensus. 
  • Bionic unlocking new growth and competitiveness. 
  • What the CEO believes is possible, will limit what the company will do. 
  • Working in the science of experimentation. 
  • Thinking about growth mindset as lenses. 
  • Creating value that helps customers stay in a problem with you for several years. 
  • Your gift is your mind, when you decide.  

Tweets 

“This isn’t about a one-off innovation moonshot. It’s about building a permanent ladder to the moon.” Discussing innovation with David Kidder on the Inspiring Great leaders Podcast.  

“You can’t live or lead through a lens of fear if you want to create growth.” Having a growth mindset with David Kidder on the Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast.  

“When your daily actions are in concert with your higher beliefs, you have a credible claim to inner peace.” Talking with David Kidder on the Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast.  

Resources Mentioned in this show: 
David Kidder www.davidskidder.com
David Kidder Linkedin 
David Kidder Twitter
David Kidder Instagram
On Bionic www.onbionic.com 
Inspiring Great Leaders Podcast
Speakers Institute Corporate www.speakersinstitutecorporate.com 
Craig Johns www.craigjohns.com.au 
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com 
Craig Johns LinkedIn  

Recommended Reading: 

New To Big Book www.newtobig.com  

 

 

active CEO Podcast with Craig Johns Fiona Robertson Culture Is The Rules Of Belonging

active CEO Podcast #108 Fiona Robertson Culture Is The Rules Of Belonging

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active CEO Podcast with Craig Johns Fiona Robertson Culture Is The Rules Of Belonging

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Fiona Robertson about the rules of belonging, lessons learnt in culture working at Oglivy and IBM, listening with intention, and the Intersection between culture and strategy.

We also delve into living outside your comfort zone, you have to notice before you choose, being a warm authoritative leader, a coach is not a friend and having an obsession with human interaction.

Fiona Robertson – Culture Is The Rules Of Belonging

Fiona Robertson is a culture change expert who has 30 years experience with blue chip corporates around the world. She loves bringing people on the change journey, is a master of managing group dynamics, and genuinely cares about the work that she does, the people she interacts with and the impact it makes on the organisation. Fiona is known as a passionate, caring, deeply committed and relentless leader of change.

Her education included a BA English Literature at Monash University, an Executive MBA from the London Business School, is certified as an Executive Coach from the Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership, and is a certified Company Director from the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Fiona’s career has included roles in marketing, communications, consulting and human resources at companies such as Ogilvy, Kiboodle, Growth Solutions Group, Right Management and National Australia Bank. She founded Robertson Consulting Services in 2017, to help leaders and business owners create the culture they need to execute strategy.

Fiona talks about:

  • Experiencing turbulent change when her parents divorced.
  • Igniting a love of language and fascination with the human condition.
  • The extraordinary similarities between countries but vast differences in cultures.
  • We all look at the world through our own unique lens.
  • Our ability to predict the future is becoming less and less.
  • If you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
  • What characteristics are needed to be an effective leader of cultural change?
  • Need to be nimble to respond to the marketplace.
  • Humans adopt the behaviour that is considered successful in the group that they join.
  • Our brains are very good at keeping us safe; they believe that to belong is to be safe.
  • Culture is the rules of belonging.
  • Leading with core values with a combination of empathy and high expectations.
  • When you are changing something, tell them the ten things that are not changing.
  • Pay attention, culture should be continually nudged as strategy changes.
  • A coach is person who is there to challenge and support you in equal measure.
  • If you want to change something in life you have to notice what you are doing now.

Active CEO Performance Tip

Own Your OWN FREEDOM – Are you content with how you are living your life or the way that you might be living someone else’s life? Find the passion, happiness & direction in your life. What fuels the fire in your belly? What are you willing to sacrifice to fulfill your passion? What allows you to feel content and fall asleep at ease? What is your purpose and direction in life? Questions to ask yourself – 1. What makes you come alive. 2. What are your innate strengths. 3. Where do you add greatest value

Tweets

“Everyone looks through their own lens at the world. Meet people where they are. Attempt to see the world through their eyes. Listen intently to what is said and not said. Try to imagine yourself dealing with the pressures with who ever you are speaking with is dealing with on a day to day basis, because everybody has them.” Fiona Robertson on the rules of belonging, on the active CEO Podcast.

“Our brains are very good at keeping us safe, they believe that to belong is to be safe. They will resist consciously and unconsciously a change to the rules of belonging.” Discussing how the human brain reacts to change with Fiona Robertson, on the active CEO Podcast.

“Living inside your comfort zone makes you feel safe but prevents you from trying the things that you make you more successful.” Fiona Robertson describing living inside your comfort zone, on the active CEO Podcast.

“People perform best when they know they are fully supported, so any form of failure or mistake is a beautiful learning opportunity.” Being a supportive leader with Fiona Robertson on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Fiona Robertson www.fionarobertson.com
Fiona Robertson LinkedIn
Fiona Robertson Twitter
Craig Johns www.craigjohns.com.au
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn

Recommended Reading:

The Rules Of Belonging Fiona Robertson Book

Fuel Your Body For Leadership Performance Read Article
How Exercise Enhances A Leaders Performance Read Article
Four Basic Fundamentals Of Being A High Performing Leader Read Article
How To Be A High Performing Leader In 2020 Read Article
Four Ways To Overcome CEO Loneliness In 2020 Read Article

Recent active CEO Podcast Episodes

#108 – Fiona Robertson (Coach) Culture Is The Rules Of Belonging Link
#107 – Create Your OWN MBA Link
#106 – Kathy Robinson (Athena Wellness) The Athena Principles Link
#105 – Own Your OWN SPACE Link
#104 – Mark Weatherall (Te Araroa) Leading The Great Outdoors Link
#103 – Be Your OWN CEO Link
#102 – Scott Leggo An Eye For Detail Link
#101 – Own Your OWN VULNERABILITY Link
#100 – Sandhya Shetty Supermodel To Global Influencer Link
#99 – Build Your OWN TRIBE Link
#98 – Shannan Gove (Rosterfy) Building Motivated Workforces Link

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active CEO Podcast Tips To Fuel Your Leadership Performance

active CEO Podcast #77 Tips To Fuel Your Leadership Performance

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts, Wellness

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active CEO Podcast Tips To Fuel Your Leadership Performance

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast we talk about Tips To Fuel Your Leadership Performance, on episode #4 of Breaking The CEO Code. It is a short podcast episode where host Craig Johns decodes a new aspect of being a high performing leader each week.

Craig talks about the impact that focusing on how you fuel your leadership, has on a CEO or leader’s performance, including:

  1. Effects of nutrition on company productivity and bottom line;
  2. Eating food for the brain, rather than focusing on the body;
  3. Nutrition for leadership is a lifestyle change, not a diet change;
  4. Negative effects of a diet high in saturated fats and low in Omega-3’s on brain performance;
  5. Importance of lowering oxidative stress through eating foods high in antioxidants;
  6. How workplace nutrition strategies can decrease medical expenses, sick leave, absenteeism and presenteeism;
  7. The effect food can have on mood and mental health;
  8. Power of hydration on overall body performance and health.;and
  9. Why a variety of fresh, plant-base, lean food and hydration options will help you maintain a healthy body and mind to perform at your optimum every day.

He also takes about there being a lot of noise in the marketplace, when it comes to what we should or shouldn’t eat. When it comes down eating for energy, health, vitality and leadership performance, there are a couple of key fundamentals that will set you in the right direction, so it’s time to fuel your leadership.

Check out the newly Breaking The CEO Code whitepaper. It provides an overview of Breaking The CEO Code and showcases the 6 key phases. We also go a little deeper into the 2nd phase PERFORMANCE, where we discuss the 3 P’s of Leadership Performance.

Breaking The CEO Code WhitepaperDownload

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Subscribe to active CEO Podcast on Itunes
Craig Johns Keynote Speaker
active CEO Coaching
active CEO Podcast
Corporate Programs
Sport Performance
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn

Recent active CEO Podcast Episodes

#76 – Paul Veric (BTE Consulting) The Peaceful Warrior CEO Link
#75 – How Exercise Enhances Leadership Performance Link
#74 – Lucy Bennett Baggs (Just Challenge) Just Challenge Global Impact Link
#73 – Four Basic Fundamentals Of Being A High Performing Leader Link
#72 – Azran Osman Rani (Naluri) – Power Of The Human Mind Link
#71 – How To Be A High Performing Leader In 2020 Link
#70 – Miles Stewart (Triathlon Australia) A Lifetime Chasing Results Link 
#69 – Deepthi Bopaiah (GoSports Foundation) – India’s Next Olympic Gold Link
#68 – Abraham Kamarck (True Made Foods) – Leadership Lessons From The Sky Link
#67 – Liz Volpe (Ambisie) – Dare to Dream Link
#66 – Bill Coletti (Kith) – Reputational Resilience & Transformation Link

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active CEO Podcast #51 Chris Robb Money Can’t Buy Experiences

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts, Wellness

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Chris Robb Mass Participation World Money Cant Buy Experiences
Chris Robb – Founder Mass Participation World

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, Craig Johns speaks with Chris Robb about mass participation sport events, growing the Standard Chartered Marathon to over 60,00 participants, being the course manager for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games marathon, and changing people’s lives through money can’t buy experiences. We also delve into the immense power of pause, coping with it being lonely at the top as a CEO, collaborative leadership, inspiring others to make a powerful impact on the world and serving a tennis ball into the back of Sir Richard Branson’s head.

Chris Robb – Money Can’t Buy Experiences.

Chris is an international authority on iconic large-scale mass participation events; a humble, loyal and curious leader; and a passionate family man now living in Bali, Indonesia. He is an enabler of people to have an active and healthy lifestyle, author of Mass Participation Sports Events and Better business Better Life Better World, is a high impact consultant and a champion of Buy 1 Give 1.

Growing up in Zimbabwe, he studied a Bachelor Commerce and Bachelor of Agricultural Management at the University of KwaZulu-Nattal. Getting his first taste of event management while at high school, our guest has over 30 years experience organising and leading events. During his career he has been at the helm of events for more than one million participants in the likes of Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Zimbabwe, South Africa and India.

He established Spectrum Worldwide in Australia in 1992, where he worked on the 2000 Sydney Olympics, before establishing himself in Singapore at the commencement of the Asian health and fitness boom in the 2000’s. In 2015 he established Mass Participation Asia, an annual conference for event stakeholders, before selling Spectrum Worldwide to IRONMAN, in 2016.

Chris talks about:

  • Life growing up on a farm in Zimbabwe, during the independence war.
  • Having a rich upbringing from life experiences, even though they were financially poor.
  • The importance of embracing circumstances you find yourself in.
  • Being an 800m and 1500m runner training on farm tracks and dirt roads.
  • Planning to go back and run the family business on the farm.
  • Being involved in organising the Comrades Marathon while studying at University.
  • Changing people’s lives through money can’t buy experiences.
  • Getting parents out and getting active with their kids.
  • Getting more governments globally to recognise the value of sport especially the social and health impact.
  • Organising the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon with over 60,000 participants.
  • Expanding the JP Morgan corporate challenge running events into Asia.
  • Partnering with Dave Hansen from Supersprint Events and Robbie McEwan.
  • Going from zero to sixty thousand customers within 6 months.
  • Ramping up from a team of 30 to more than 5,000 people over a 3 month period.
  • A mindset expecting that there is going to be a curveball will be thrown at you.
  • Collaborative leadership where you are always looking for a solution.
  • Surround yourself with a great group of mentors much like an athlete has.
  • Having ritual’s and keeping yourself mentally and physically in shape.
  • Helping make it easier for our future leaders to grow in the industry.

Active CEO Wellness Tip

Life Is Not A Dress Rehearsal – It is important that you turn up, show up and be present right now. It’s not about what you did yesterday or what you plan in the future. It is all about this one second, one minute, one hour or even one day and you are ready to go.

Tweets

“Connecting with a community and a tribe and doing training and things together and taking you into the outdoors. It’s crucial for the health and wellbeing of the world.” Chris Robb talking about the power of sport and events on bringing people together, on the active CEO Podcast.

“I love putting that jigsaw together and making sure that everyone knows what they are doing, but also empowering them to make decisions.” Chris Robb on leading people, on the active CEO Podcast.

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Chris Robb LinkedIn
Chris Robb Facebook
Chris Robb Website www.chrisrobb.asia
Chris Robb Email chris@chrisrobb.asia
Mass Participation World www.massparticipationworld.com
Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon www.singaporemarathon.com
NRG2Perform www.nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns craig@nrg2perform.com
Craig Johns LinkedIn

Recommended Reading:

Mass Participation Sports Events Chris Robb
Better Business Better Life Better World Chris Robb

Liza Pavlakos (lizapavlakos.com) – Adversity Transforms Lives

active CEO Podcast #16 Liza Pavlakos Adversity Transforms Lives

Posted on by Craig Johns in Leadership, Podcasts

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Liza Pavalakos – Founder LizaPavlakos.com

On this episode of the active CEO Podcast, we are blessed to hear a compelling insight into the incredible life of Liza Pavlakos, from being physically and sexually abused, raped, homeless, kidnapped, tortured and human trafficked, to leading highly successful businesses and becoming an acclaimed international speaker, with limited high school education and no business training. We discuss overcoming and coping with adversity, starting a business with no education or business education, selling the service before the product, treating everyone as human beings, being proud to talk about your adversities, first knowing your ‘why’ before you know your ‘how’, and how she leads an active CEO lifestyle. This is one episode of the active CEO Podcast that you do not want to miss.

Background

Liza Pavlakos is a beautiful lady who has emerged from the depths of misery, frustration of powerlessness, humiliation of sexual and physical abuse, heartache of abduction, loneliness as a homeless teenager, hopelessness of being human trafficked and hardships of poverty, to rise up and lead a highly successful life as a businesswomen and international motivational speaker.

Her grit and determination to turn around her life, overcome adversity, understand life is worth living, be exceptional and become a successful entrepreneur, has led her to inspiring and motivating many people around the world.

She broke through barriers and bounded over obstacles, as a young self-taught entrepreneur and philanthropist, to transform Minibar Piccolo into a popular Melbourne café, successfully grow Finest Alterations from a struggling business to a thriving profitable five-outlet franchise, and at the age of 23, plan and stage the Miss India International Pageant generating $100,000 in ticket sales.

This remarkable woman inspires hope, empowers audiences, energises people and transforms lives with her moving story, beautiful soul, lasting imprint and infectious optimism. She shares her story and message around the globe through the Liza Pavlakos Foundation, www.lizapavlakos.com and with global companies such as CNN, Ritz Carlton, PWC, Qatar Airways, Colonial and ANZ.

Liza talks about:

  • Being exceptional about the way we think about the situations that be fall us and being the best version of yourself that you can be.
  • How we choose to handle adversities, is what defines us.
  • Being physically and sexually abused from the age of six by her uncle and cousin, who she really loved and trusted.
  • Feeling unheard at the age of 15 she developed depression, which led to an addiction to suicide and running away from home at the age of 17.
  • From a very sheltered Malaysian Islamic background, to being homeless and alone on the streets of Melbourne in Australia.
  • Being kidnapped by a stranger while walking home from school, to a destination she did not recognize and tortured for 8 hours till she was a knife edge away from death as she was given her last rights.
  • Feeling the heartbeat of her first child made her feel that she was loved, that she had a sense of purpose and to be the best version of myself.
  • Coming up with her first business idea that resulted in a $100,000 profit, Miss India International beauty pageant, with zero start up and a baby in her hand.
  • Empowering women and girls that have been abused themselves, but who weren’t able to articulate it or come out in the open.
  • Feeling the calmness come over you when tragedy is about to strike you
  • An Uber ride in the Middle East with her cameraman and assistant that led to being held at a prison and the uncovering of a human trafficking ring of over 350 people who had been gagged, murdered and burnt as military intelligence saved their lives.
  • Suffering and coping with Post-traumatic stress syndrome, and now having the courage to make change and talk about it. .
  • Having to ask customers how to make a Latte during her first days at Minibar Piccolo.
  • The product should always be good, but it is always selling the service first before the product.
  • Treating everyone as human beings as everyone has a story.
  • Treating everyone who works with her as family members and they all will have a vested interest in the business.
  • Staying calm, relaxed and focused on the person or people who need you to be strong, during moments of vulnerability.
  • Seeing people from the eyes of love, forgiveness, empathy and understanding that it makes the world of difference.
  • Know your “why” and then you will know your “how”.
  • The purpose of the Liza Pavlakos Foundation.
  • Teaching her children that they don’t need to shy away from anything and they don’t have to worry how people perceive them.
  • Waking up in the morning, preparing food for dinner, going to the gym, doing something for her, listening to music and reading books.
  • When travelling she always ensures that she has arranged a trainer ahead of time.
  • Her soon to be released book – Voiceless No More

Active CEO Wellness Tip

Ben and Craig discuss the importance of getting active in the workplace. Extended periods of time spent sitting can result in chronic back pain, cardiovascular disease, muscle deterioration, decreased productivity and even poor mental health. It supports a sedentary lifestyle that could also lead to weight gain, poor cardiovascular health, weakened muscles, stiff joints, and even diabetes.

Tweets

“The adversities are the very thing that makes them beautiful, that make them unique, that make them resilient, that make them strong.” Overcoming adversity with Liza Pavlakos on the active CEO Podcast.

“I am proof that a person can prevail against seemingly insurmountable circumstances if they have perseverance and the right mindset.” Liza Pavlakos on being consistent in the pursuit of her dream, on the active CEO Podcast.

 

Resources Mentioned in this show:

Liza Pavlakos LinkedIn

Liza Pavlakos www.lizapavlakos.com

Liza Pavlakos Facebook

Liza Pavlakos Instagram

Finest Alterations link

www.nrg2perform.com

craig@nrg2perform.com

Craig Johns LinkedIn

Ben Gathercole LinkedIn

Ben Gathercole Performance Coaching www.bengathercole.com.au

Recommended Reading:

Better Than Winning – Ben’s best selling book

Previous active CEO Podcast Episodes:

#15 – Michael Sewards (SkyBus) – All Aboard the SkyBus Link
#14 – Jamin Heppell & Jen Ziegner (Mountains & Marathons) – Leading From the Mountain Tops Link
#13 – Chris Dean (Choice Energy) – Disrupting the Energy Spectrum link
#12 – Kate Palmer (Sport Australia) – Changing the Game link
#11 – Tim Cosulich (Fratelli Cosulich Group) – Navigating the Global Family Business link
#10 – Dr Ndidi Nnoli-Edozien (Rising Tide Africa) – Magic Happens Outside the Comfort Zone link
#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

December NRGizer Newsletter

Posted on by Craig Johns in Article, Leadership, Newsletter

IMG_8193The NRGizer by NRG2Perform December newsletter is now available – Be the Best Version of Yourself – In this issue we discuss Changing the Game with Kate Palmer of Sport Australia; quietening the mind before going to sleep; parking the ego in a co-CEO environment with Michael Sewards SkyBus, and take a look at whether you are seeing the big picture.

Ben Gathercole and Craig Johns also delve into disrupting the energy sector with Christopher Dean, you can’t stop rotting wood; leading from the mountain tops with Jamin Heppell and Jen Ziegner on Mountains and Marathons; and are you working out with a purpose.

View the Newsletter

You Can’t Stop Rotting Wood

Posted on by Craig Johns in Article, Leadership

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.

ruben-bagues-716364-unsplash
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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