Ernst & Young Sydney Office Managing Partner, Lynn Kraus and I at the Olympics fundraiser

Not sure exactly where last weeks blog post on ‘Coming Up this week’ went. I was in Sydney all week and I had a highly productive week as we head towards the end of the financial year.

There was my philanthropic activities – Best Buddies board meeting – Sydney Sings session (more welcome – Tuesday nights from 5.30 – 7.00) and also attending the Olympic Team Farewell dinner which is a fundraising event.

In addition we had Bronwyn Sheehan – from the Pajama Foundation come and share her story with the RedBallooners (and we all wore our PJs – which I think was just a big excuse to be comfy at work – so funny we are interviewing for new Customer Experience executives and the interviews were on the same day as we were ‘swanning’ around in our jimjams – who knows what they thought.) The Foundation is committed to providing angels to kids in foster care throughout Australia (there are 39,000) to read with them at least once a week… she has currently recruited 900 volunteers – they match with kids locally. So if anyone is interested in being a volunteer – it is a training and selection process and then you are away. (click here)

I did speak at the Eastern Region E&Y  2012 finalists breakfast – as well as finished one of my own personal promises (as part of this trimesters – Edge of Glory theme – just waiting for my medal to be delivered).

Coming up this week

Monday: One on One’s
Tuesday: Adelaide – for the Proteus Leadership Centre
Wednesday: RedBalloon board meeting And Speaking for the CBA at and event in Homebush
Thursday: Attending the E&Y Driving Growth Lunch
Friday: Working on my personal promises.

WIth John Bowe (prior to my +200kmh hour laps at Wakefield)

Sometimes I do have to pinch myself – and say ‘wow’ because I do get to experience some absolutely amazing things. The weekend before last I was trialing ‘glamping’ on Cockatoo Island, Tuesday I got to experience the John Bowe V8 racing experience at Wakefield; in the evening I was at the Sydney Dance Theatre and met Rafael Bonachela- Creative Director and also the dancers after the performance of ‘2 One Another’ – which was an absolutely amazing expression of human creativity. I was completely engrossed during the 70-minute performance – it was simply breath taking.

Wednesday I did another one of our experiences in the morning – a photo shoot – in the evening I attended a pre-announcement Ernst & Young cocktail function at the Archibald’s – I was sure I had picked the winner – alas not.

I had several keynotes in Sydney – I particularly had great fun on Friday afternoon at the Australian Teleservices Assoc. lunch. We had a lot of giggles and really enjoyed ourselves… but wait there is more. On the weekend I was researching yet another ‘glamping’ experience – which was my perfect paradise… (I will be handing details to Georgia the RedBalloon category manager – because it is a must for RedBalloon)… and to finish off the week experienced the outdoor spectacular of La Traviata… Sydney harbor a spectacular backdrop to this very special performance – Emma Matthews voice was a show stealer. It really looked like the performers were loving the experience too.

I was asked twice this week in speaking engagements about how I coped with all the ‘work’ at start up phase of RedBalloon. The reality is that it is quite a blur now – but I do believe that if you love what you do – you never have to work another day in your life. (Is Confucius credited with that quote?)

I think last week I supported most aspects of the Sydney arts community – (as well as four RedBalloon experiences – which is part of my job).

This week is school holidays and I am planning to be far more settled – do some writing and planning.

Coming up this week:

Monday: One on one’s
Tuesday: Company meeting – (and daughter going for her learner’s permit – Argh)
Wednesday: Planning
Thursday: Corporate Planning
Friday: Easter – YAY

Reading – Abundance – by Diamandis and Kotler

My Hamilton Island - Mini Break

I was just taking a moment to reflect on how amazing my week was last week. I feel pretty lucky to be invited to Hamilton Island as a speaker. Literally a few hours from Sydney and I am on a tropical island – sipping a cocktail.

I bumped into some friends whilst I was there and they mentioned that they fly to Hamilton Island every 3 weekends or so for a four day weekend. They said while it sounds ‘luxurious’ the reality is with direct flights – and discount airfares – it simply just is not that much more than driving to south coast NSW from Sydney.

Whilst I was on the island of course I took the opportunity to familiarize myself with the range of experiences that RedBalloon has listed (there will be more coming soon too) – I’m glad to see that RedBalloon do have short stays listed at the Beach Club which is where I stayed with the Corporate RedBalloon team last visit – So I can attest to the fact that when you stay here – you instantly feel relaxed and in holiday mode.

One of my other favorite, completely indulgent (but life is short) experiences is the Helicopter Picnic on Whitehaven.

I left after my few days on Hamilton Island thinking – how lucky Australians are to have paradise so close, we can take a mini break at a tropical Island.

Sometimes just reflecting for a few moments and being grateful for our experiences and the things we have around us is enough to give us a sense of peace and harmony. Of course that is a bit easier on a mini-break.

What about a 'Wall of Praise' to support the generational paradigm shift at your work place?

I’m not a big fan of categorizing people by their age and putting a label on them. Years ago I wrote a blog about ‘Generation Why’ – claiming that I was very much a part of the “generation that questions everything.”

I shared recently about my discovery of Pinterest – and how Facebook and Twitter have changed the interface to become more visual. ‘A picture saves a thousand words’… I begin to wonder what the children born this century will experience – how they will communication… perhaps we have only touched the surface in terms of how we connect to others. One thing is assured that technology will continue to be driven by human desires.

I attended a session called ‘De-coding the Next Generation’ by Michael McQueen last week. (An engaging and thought provoking speaker) – I am skeptical when it comes to generalizing about ‘generational differences’. However Michael did a good job at setting the scene and sharing his seven paradigm shifts.  He told us that people born after 1980 are likely to see the following areas differently than those born prior to the 80s.

1. The concept of truth:
   Truth is seen as fluid: Often referred to as ‘my truth’ ie there are different points of view or versions. The word ‘should’ is seen as a judgment and the best way to tell something is to show that it works – and this can be done through story telling.
2. The assumptions of respect:
   Respect is not automatic based on title or position – it is very important, however it must be earned and it also must be mutual. “I don’t care how much you know until I know how much you care.”
3. Communication:
   Language has become far more about function than form – ‘Why use 179 letters when you could use just 79?’ Interestingly OMG and LOL have now been entered into the Oxford dictionary. Language has always evolved – it is just moving faster than it ever has before. ROFL (Rolling on floor laughing).
4. The value of patience:
   Life is meant to be easy, convenient and entertaining. Things do not come to those that wait – they come to those who ask. The downside of this is that often if things do not come easily then it could be considered that something ‘wrong’.
5. The need for affirmation:
   Nowhere more is this the case than in China following the one child policy – in China it is referred to as the ‘Little Emperor’ generation. The need for validation and recognition is paramount. I note that the recognition programs that RedBalloon designs say the all recognition must be immediate and regular – that Gallup claims that people have forgotten any acknowledgement within 7 days. Based on this paradigm shift I would argue the younger the employee the more recognition they will need before they will consider giving their discretionary effort.
6. The future:
   Most young people don’t have a 5 day plan let alone a 5 year plan (argh my teenagers drive me spare as I try to work out what the plans are for the weekend). They want to leave their options open until the last minute. There may be no future so they living for the moment is paramount.
7. Work ethic:
   Laziness is NOT a generational difference – there are lazy people of all ages. People born after 1980 just have different priorities. Friends and leisure are important in the balance of life and as such becomes a priority. Having a sense of purpose and understanding why something is to be done is important.

Subsequent generations are a product of the previous one. And I am fascinated to see that in the US Lenore Skenazy has founded a movement to encourage greater freedom for children – that she has dubbed Freerange kids – but there might well be a whole other blog in that. Perhaps we have been overly protective of our children which has influenced the generational paradigms.

In the mean time – I would argue that no matter what your age – society will continue to change. Our community will morph and evolve – you cannot fight it. You may as well get with the program and be part of the change.

Who did you recognize in your workplace today – young or old – and how great did it feel?

The Australian winner of the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award 2012, Maryanne Shearer

It was great to be on my feet last week, a busy week of International Womens Day events – sharing the RedBalloon journey and the things we have learned.

A highlight was attending this years Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year event. A massive congratulation to Maryanne Shearer, founder of T2 as this years winner.  I have always enjoyed the experience of entering one of her stores and discovering new tastes and delights.

In addition the final touches are coming together of the new book, and we are on the countdown for hosting a mentoring weekend in April.

This week:

Monday – Speakers dinner at Hamilton Island (I will get to have a catch up with Verne Harnish).
Tuesday – Keynote for Nixon Advantage at the annual conference of 400 accountants
Wednesday – Travel to Sunshine Coast
Thursday – Speaking at IGA conference on ‘Small things Big impact.’
Friday – Sydney – Negotiations Skills Course
Saturday – Presentation at Dial an Angel conference (by then I might well need their services)

End of year celebration for Kochie's Business Builders team

Last week at RedBalloon we were full of the joys of Christmas. The IT team hosted our final company meeting of the year and were massively creative with their festive theme ; including beaming in their colleague Dave from Perth to have him appear in a cut out Santa via Facetime – (I guess you had to be there).

As part of the planning process and moving my role to be Founding Director I needed to update my job description in line with our new format. This is the job description I came up with:

• Vision, values, alignment
• Strategy development and direction
• Spokesperson & Brand ambassador
• Mentor & coach, role model and sounding board (for RedBallooners throughout the business) – accessible daily
• Accountable for the brand experience – customer, employee and stakeholders  – accessible daily

I was sad to miss the launch of the book True Leadership by Lisa Rubenstein... the week got a way from me.

Though I did attend the Dell Women’s Entrepreneurship evening on Tuesday as well as attend the wonderful drinks function at the home of the founder of Anywhere Travel in Vaucluse (very special to be in someone’s home for a business event).

Thursday I delighted in sharing lunch at Fratelli Fresh in Bridge Street with many of the regulars of Kochies Business Builders TV program. I really enjoyed the vivid debate on many topics from retailers to interest rates.

And in between all that I was with customers both in email and on phones supporting our customer experience effort at this busy time. (So excited that we added close to 25,000 to our BHAG last week alone… YAY!)

This week

Monday: Lunch with Matha Stewart and Dinner with George Clooney… not quite – but we will see how the day pans out at the Growth Faculty Leadership conference.
Tuesday: Briefings for upcoming speaking engagements
Wednesday: Premier for the Mission Impossible in Melbourne
Thursday: Business Round Table in Melbourned
Friday: Writing, (or Customer experience emails)

Volunteering at Our Big Kitchen - with Best Buddies

Kahlil Gibran: “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”

You would expect that I would write a blog at this time of year about the importance of giving – Christmas is everywhere, especially at RedBalloon. However here’s a thought: One of the greatest gifts you can give is your time – and when you do – you will experience a euphoria, which is very good for your own well-being.

Basically when you give – you get… This has long been document as part of the five elements of well-being outlined by the New Economic Forum; but here are some statistics that I just discovered: A 2006 report found that adult Australians who volunteer has increased from 24 percent in 1995 to 58 percent. Being a volunteer is incredibly good for your health (as well as the recipient). It has been referred to as ‘the helpers high’ – which is the sense of satisfaction and comfort that is created from knowing that you have done something to assist another human being.

Professor Stephen G Post tells us “focusing on others causes a shift from our unhealthy preoccupation with ourselves and reduces the stress-related wear and tear on our body and soul.”

Giving doesn’t need to be extravagant or formal – but it does need to be regular to have ongoing benefits to your well-being. A simple visit to the local retirement home for a game of scrabble, or reading in a class room at the local pre-school all work all would do the trick.

Here’s some facts:

• Regular volunteers will live longer
• Volunteers are less likely to experience depression, and they are more satisfied with life
• People who spend on others are happier – than when they spend it on themselves.

So perhaps this year you could put on your Christmas wish list – “half a day every month to volunteer in my community” – and you will be the better for it.

As Winston Churchill famously said “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

Getting into the Melbourne Cup spirit

I usually write this post on a Sunday evening as I prepare for the week. Last weeks post on my weekly activity – was about the uncertainty of travel, but by Monday afternoon that had changed. (In the short term anyway). I like many others fear it will be a long drawn out battle. Last week therefore was productive – with the excitement of the company lunch – falling on the same day as Melbourne Cup – the festive season is now officially upon us. I finished the week in Perth with a speaking engagement to the local council association of Western Australia – eager to know how they could make a difference in their work places.

Coming up:
Monday: Client Meetings
Tuesday: Dream Employers Webinar
Wednesday: Brisbane Speaking Engagement for the Australian Superannuation Fund Association
Thursday & Friday: write, write, write…

It made me wonder “what do I miss out on because I am often not ‘present’ as I focus on what my iPhone presents to me. Perhaps it is pretty lonely being a cab driver now – if customers no longer ‘havachat’.

When a plane touches down – many simultaneous ‘ding dings’ chime out demanding the attention of their owner. Most business people seem completely addicted to their phones.

I friend of mine recently lamented that he had been unreachable because he was in an all day meeting – and the response when he did come ‘back to the grid’ was – is something wrong with your phone. People seem to have a high expectation that if they send a message the response will be instantaneous.

I note that I was off air for two days this week – no email, phone, sms or internet. And whilst I had quite a back log of emails and messages on my return– I was highly efficient at getting back to people because I was completely focused on that task in that hour.

Is all this ‘immediate’ communication really giving us the opportunity to do good work? How many emails or text messages are dashed off in haste only to be misunderstood or incomplete?

As the taxi went passed the bus stop I notice that most of the people waiting were all inspecting their mobile phones – not even noticing the existence of the other human beings around them.

In all this urgency to connect – are we not ‘seeing’ those around us?. People who provide us services or who are part of our community.

Last week I was asked by one of the judges in the EY awards – how do you juggle all the different responsibilities that you have – my answer to this question (and it is question that I get often) is be truly ‘present’ – turn off your mobile phone and be with whoever you are with… does this same courtesy extend to those beyond business colleagues, family and friends.

Okay I am taking a personal challenge for the next 21 days to not use a mobile device in the presence of others. And I wonder who I will get to meet and what conversations I will get to experience – and also the added upside of not sending off a one line response to someone with out a considered response…

Let me slow things down – and not rush to everything, and I’m sure I will do better work as a result.

Want to play.

One red dress looks like another.

I was fascinated to learn that there is a Buy Nothing New Month in Australia. I love this idea… though of course retailers will not… (I’m sure the liquor retailers don’t like Dry July either.)  I was in the US last summer on holiday with my family and I was completely overwhelmed by the consumerism. (And quite frankly everything began to look the same). I heard that 10% of all women’s clothes sold in Australia are never worn. It is shear waste. I wondered if I could go a year without purchasing anything new for myself. No shoes, clothes or accessories. I have not managed it completely… but I did go for 8 months without anything new for myself personally.

Clearly this aligns to what we believe at RedBalloon– which is all about buying less “stuff” and instead living in the moment and enjoying shared experiences. Our photo albums and our memories are what we treasure.

With self storage one of the fastest growing industries in Australia – do we really need any more stuff? And just think what all this waste is doing to the environment… recycling starts with reusing.

In our little bit for the planet, RedBalloon has a green program, as you would expect… it is the least we can do.

My personal “lose pledge”, earlier in the year to stop buying unnecessary items for my wardrobe – really changed how I viewed shopping. I have learned to really appreciate the things I do have… More more more does not mean better… and where on earth would I store anything else?. I just didn’t need any more new clothes or shoes – they wouldn’t make life any more fabulous, they wouldn’t make me smarter or more efficient, buying new clothes wouldn’t do something worthwhile for the planet. Instead they were just accumulating in the back, front and sides of my wardrobe. So much so that my daughter recently took up her own recycling task of selling my shoes on eBay… I may have a young entrepreneur on my hands. I can gladly report that I have stuck to my guns and found an invigorated sense of enthusiasm in combining my old favourites to create “new” outfits. Red is red after all.

I also believe strongly in giving to others who need it more – RedBalloon is a gifting company, and the team is generous with its time and spirit, and this spirit of generosity is shown in all that we do. For instance, we have a program called ‘We Care,’ where each RedBallooner gets one day  to go and work for the charity or cause of their choice.  I send my pre-loved outfits to a charity called Dress for Success, which dresses women ready for job interviews and employment… (I can only imagine how many women are turning up for job interviews wearing red.) We also run office clothes swaps a couple of times a year, which are organised by one of our corporate account managers (and chief story-teller) Arielle.

So, here’s the challenge… what do you ‘not need’ ask yourself the question ‘Do I really need this?’… I have a friend who has argued that his wife is ‘saving him into the poor house’ she just cannot resist a deal.  You don’t save money if you buy stuff you don’t need (or even like.)

Have fun – it’s a game. Clothes swaps are the new black.