Winner of the Judges Choice - and fitting given I will be in Melbourne most of this week

One of the highlights and most challenging things I did last week was the final round of judging on the RedBalloon 10^th birthday photo competition. The winners have been announced but I was in awe at many of the entries. I would have liked to spend the whole week just looking at the entries over and over – but alas I had a few other obligations.

On Tuesday I was part of the Dream Employer Webinar (thanks for those people who dropped in) – and I presented to the 1500 delegates on Wednesday at the Australian Superannuation Fund Assoc. Conference in Brisbane.  I managed to squeeze in a little mini break – before attending a two day training and development program over the weekend as well as putting a party dress on to attend a black tie dinner to celebrate the opening of the Picasso Exhibition.

I also learned that apparently 20 percent of customer currently visiting RedBalloon are already looking for Christmas Gifts so it sounds like what I should really be getting on with this week is my Christmas Shopping.

I might have a few moments to shop online over the next five days – thank goodness it is so quick AND you can shop online even if you are dressed in your fine evening gown waiting for the cab to arrive (what a fantastic use of time).

Coming up

Monday: Reviews, feedback on the Trimester Plan to CEO, and board meeting
Tuesday: Role playing with corporate team newbies & Interview for a book business & baby on board
Wednesday: Melbourne, RedBalloon experience afternoon – surprise supplier visit – will advise next week.
Thursday: Melbourne, Judging the National Telstra Business Womens award innovation AND attend as an Eastern Region Finalist the Ernst Young Entrepreneur of they Year awards (fingers and toes crossed)
Friday: Melbourne, Attend the National Telstra Business Womens award dinner

Reading:

Small Giants – Bo Burlingham

Love a mini break

Some weeks I am so busy when I fall into bed at night I can barely remember what I did that morning… yet I am no good to anyone if I rush around without making sure that I look after myself.

Often I just need a few moments to myself to gather my thoughts during the day, whether it is taking a walk at lunch time – or patting Dexter dog.

There is a big difference though between a little break in the day – and having a decent holiday.

I have always planned my year because school holidays are the only real time for a longer break – Planning 12 months in advance means that they are locked in and it gives me something to look forward to.

This week however, I have taken a few days to unwind – I was in Brisbane for a speaking engagement and a friend of mine is recovering from an accident – so I said ‘let’s go and have a few days to rest and recuperate’.

How wonderful it is.  Apart from the fact that my friend has a broken jaw, hence there are no solid foods at our retreat – and I have chosen to follow her new diet of smoothies, soup, French champagne and ice cream (I’m sure it will catch on – so if you hear of the Margie Hartley detox you will know where it came from) – the time to discuss, debate, read, and rest is so very precious.

Both of us are parents of teenagers and we lamented that we cannot remember the last time we had a few nights away to indulge. It has been wonderful to have a giggle, shop and even watch a re run on the TV of ‘Thelma and Louise’.

We plan so much of what we do at work – I question do we plan as much when it comes to non-work? To be creative we must have time to think, to be imaginative we need space to learn, and experience new things. Distance gives us perspective.

When was the last time you had a ‘mini break’… and thanks RedBalloon for making this trip so easy with the Getaway Range!

Time for a chill pill... Megan and Naomi

Well last week did not go exactly as planned. I managed to catch a lurgy that flattened me for the week. I know it is at least 10 years since I have had to take to my bed. I did not battle on – I simply cancelled everything. Sorry to all those inconvenienced but I am on the mend now. And it was much better keeping my germs to myself. I did pull myself together Friday and Saturday for two speaking engagements in Perth… and I have one more on Monday for the Subiaco Business Group. Then I am taking a few weeks off. I have been squeezing things in to every moment of my life… and it is time to take a chill pill.

I’ll be back soon. My colleagues Philippa and Megan are holding the fort and they can handle anything that might pop up.

Family Dinner at the local Chinese - end of School Holidays

Last week I had the privilege of speaking for NICTA in Melbourne at their ‘Meet the Founder’ series. I did a podcast for Anthill magazine – and finalized plans and reviews to finish of FY 11. As well as enjoying the last week of school holidays with my every growing teenagers.

This week I’m doing a breakfast series for the Optus technology series ‘Connecting your business to the Cloud’ in Sydney and Brisbane. We are having Cameron Herold visit RedBalloon while he is in Australia and I will finish the week in Melbourne for a business round table.

Monday: Planning presentations from each team leader, and reviewing of business cases at the board meeting.
Tuesday: Finalising budgets and start the performance review process
Wednesday: Presentation for Aspire Women in Business Network Lunch, then have to dash to Melbourne for a business round table (Then large family dinner to celebrate my nephews 21st)
Thursday: Presentation for NAB women’s program – straight back to Sydney for the Ernst Young Entrepreneur of the Year dinner
Friday: Client review meetings and finalise plan, theme and budgets for the strategy.

(Saturday: the Collingwood vs Swans game at the stadium… )

Instead of writing a blog – requesting that you complete the 2011 Dream Employer Survey (please do though as it will take only 3 minutes); I am reflecting on the past week of fabulous experiences. To take a moment to breath and relive the extraordinary experiences we have available to us in this great country.

I have wanted to swim with Whale Sharks for more than a decade… and finally I got to tick that one off the list. The experience was everything that I imagined it might be. It was truly sublime to be drifting next to the largest fish on earth.  It puts life into perspective as you float in the warm current next to a seven-meter creature. Little is known about where they come from or migrate to. It is a moment to feel how small we really are – and that we are part of a massive eco system that is all inter reliant.

The sun has shone for the whole week – and the wind has blown. But with the wind behind us the three day – 30km kayak / camping trip along the Ningaloo reef was majestic.

All types of marine life came to greet us – turtles, manta-rays, sting rays, sharks, scores of fish, birds and dolphins. The reef was a seething mass of life – literally the ocean would be boiling with fish – the food chain in all its reality.

Camping on the beach, cooking what we caught, sleeping as soon as the sun went down. No contact with the world – I was amazed how quickly the days passed, how calm I felt, how I loved the silence of the bush and ocean (which are actually very noisy). How peaceful it was.

What wonderful RedBalloon experience partners we have.. and great to meet them in person.

I’m truly rested, grateful for being able to go on such a break, and will spend the next few days feeling appreciative of the beauty of an untouched piece of the planet.

I am in Beijing this week for an educational event. It is great to see first hand what we hear so much about in the media in Australia. The last time I visited Beijing was in 1986, only a decade after the Cultural Revolution, when tourists used a different currency – and there was no hot showers. Where I am now almost unrecognizable as the Beijing I visited 25 years ago.

Yesterday we attended an insightful presentation at the local Neilsen office – the largest consumer research company in China. They gave us a fascinating insight into the 14 distinct geographical markets. We see China as one country, however there are massive differences between the north, south, east and west in terms of consumerism and life style.

Neilsen described the impact of the one child policy after 30 years – the creation of the ‘little emperor’ culture. (Effectively six adults caring for one child), however as the population ages – that one child will need to take care of those six adults in their old age.

This is the fastest growing consumer economy in the world. Never, in the history of time has an economy changed,grown and developed so quickly. I am amazed that every luxury brand is represented – Rolls Royce apparently sells more vehicles in Beijing in a month than they do in the rest of the world.

We had lunch with a local family – in their Hutong… they got electricity just prior to the Olympics – until that time they used coal for heating. People tell us how serious the government now is about the environment.

The pollution has definitely improved since I was last here. The infrastructure to allow the 19 million Beijing people to move around is phenomenal. They have built 220kms of subway under Beijing and there is another 180kms to go until it is finished. The city was putrid when I was last here – now the streets are spotless… our local host told me that was because of SARS – Government decided to clean the streets… and stay clean.

No wonder Australian businesses get so excited doing business with China… the shear opportunity in size is so hard to understand.

What an exciting place.

Prof. Fiona Wood: 'We could all say Thank-You a little more'

I had the privilege of meeting Professor Fiona Wood (Australian of the year 2005). She shared with the 800 women at the Business Chicks event Melbourne (and the following day in Sydney) her journey, persistence and passions. She is fundamentally curious person with a passion for learning that is addictive.

As a child growing up in Yorkshire, she heard her father say when she was just a small girl – ‘Who are we not to dream’ – even though he was a miner, with little education – he had big dreams for his children, all four of them going to tertiary education.

This very humble woman who has dedicated the past two decades to healing burn victims had some very profound things to say:

• “We should praise a little bit better – it does not hurt”
• “I think of all the people who helped me along the way – that I wish I’d thanked more – and now they are not here”
• “Taking a little extra time can make someone’s day – just seeing what they do and telling them.”
• “Thanking people is about getting the positive energy in”
• “The choices we make – make history tomorrow.”

Why is a natural state of happiness so important?  Professor Wood shared that those with the predisposition of positive energy are far more likely to heal – than those who are negative.

In her experience some of the toughest nursing jobs are those in the burns unit and the oncology unit – yet consistently she has seen lower absenteeism by nurses in those units. She says in her belief it is because those nurses are the one’s that are thanked the most, by their medical colleagues, but also the patients.

Professor Wood is passionate about us simply being grateful to those around us – and such positivity will hold us in great stead, incase we find ourselves in a calamity.

Thank you Fiona for your inspiring words – There were 800 women today who left, knowing that they could follow their dreams – and also feel wonderful by simply saying thank you sincerely to the people around them.

If you would like to donate to the burns, trauma and scarless healing foundation  http://www.mccomb.org.au/ it will be very gratefully received.

I was sent this email last night – and it made me feel sad (see below). Why would we condition ourselves to not hear or see beauty because of it’s location? Are we scared that people will ‘take something from us’? When I walked to yoga this morning I heard the same accordion player that is there many mornings out side of Parliament station. He is very good – and clearly happy sharing his love of music with the morning throng. I’m sure he doesn’t do it for the money – I suspect he does it to share his gift – and give a little joy. And it is simple for us to look him in the eye and smile… he is knows he is heard and acknowledged. I’m sure a few coins wouldn’t go astray either.

Quoted from the email

The situation

In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes.  During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.  After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing.  He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.

About 4 minutes later:

The violinist received his first dollar.  A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

At 6 minutes:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

At 10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly.  The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time.  This action was repeated by several other childre n, but every parent – without exception – forced their children to move on quickly.

At 45 minutes:

The musician played continuously.  Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while.  About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace.  The man collected a total of $32.

After 1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over.  No one noticed and no one applauded.  There was no recognition at all.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world.  He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.  Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theatre in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play! The same music.

This is a true story.  Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organised by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.

This experiment raised several questions:

• In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
• If so, do we stop to appreciate it?
• Do we recognise talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.

How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?

It is time to take notice of the beauty around us. The gifts that we are given every day that we have conditioned ourselves not to see – as we rush from one thing to another.