In no particular order I present quotes from the event which either made me reflect, ponder, question or dream. (I have only added links for the people who were speakers at the event – the other quotes were part of either the work book or presentations) 1. “Every morning is the beginning of a brand new day. You have been given this new day to use it as you want. You can waste it, or use it for good. What…
Some days I pinch myself and wonder how I got to be where I am… really it is very amazing. I find myself sitting in Amsterdam in a room with 500 other entrepreneurs (I’d never been to Holland before). The energy in the room is effervescent. Suddenly the group is hushed as if we are ‘one being’. There is a Nobel Peace Prize winner on the stage. All of us are instantly humbled. Over 4 days we will have access…
I went to the launch of a new space last week. Lucy Cornell who has been a voice coach for many years has grown her business to create a space to develop great speakers. It has been fun to work with Lucy (as a participant of her program) but also to talk about her business. She has a clear vision of what she wants to do, and why. She outlined that if you ask a group of people to identify…
I am currently working on updating my presentation on leadership versus management and I came across this…I remember when this was released. It demonstrates that to make a difference you must truly make a stand for what you believe in. And be prepared to be different or even a little bit crazy. I do know one thing I often consider myself obsessive…(especially about employee engagement – and changing gifting in Australia and New Zealand for ever) and now I don’t…
"It is not cash that fuels the journey to the future, but the emotional and intellectual energy of every employee" Hamel and Prahalad, Competing For the Future According to Hewitt 70% of Australian companies currently have head count freezes… makes you think you best make the most of the ones you have.
"It is not the strongest of species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” Charles Darwin
Having listened to President Obama’s inauguration speech – I pondered if parts of it could just as easily apply to business. Any business – whether it be a start-up or an established mature business. This is a bit of what he said: "In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for…
"Sometimes the situation is only a problem because it is looked at in a certain way. Looked at in another way, the right course of action may be so obvious that the problem no longer exists.” Edward de Bono When I read this – I started looking at some of the massive projects I have on my plate a different way. Problems are also oportunities. Making tough decisions even if they are not the easiest – in the long term…
I found this and thought how apt. "Recognition helps people to be resilient. Businesses right now… they’re trying to survive. And to survive you’ve got to have some psychological resilience. You’ve got to have employees who are positive despite the negative situations around them…. I would argue that recognition is even more important in times like this." Jim Harter Gallup, October 2008.
Imagine running a business based on fun - that's what I decided to try when I left a very serious corporate career in marketing to set up RedBalloon...
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A woman should have:
The fact that 50% of Australian women over the age of 45 have less that $8000 in superannuation is completely alarming to me. I continue to debate, discuss and consider the implications of free childcare in Australia and other ideas around women’s financial security. Financial freedom gives people choices. The following poem was forward to me by a colleague… and rather than present more statistics about why society would be a better place with more women in leadership roles –…