Gillian Barbara Lynne (CBE) was born on 20th February 1926 in Bromley, Kent, England and was recognised as a dance talent at a young age. Teaming up with her childhood friend, Beryl Grey, while still at school, she danced to blot out the tragedy of the violent death of her mother in a car crash…
“Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be” (Johann Goethe, German Philosopher) Most people respond to being treated with respect by elevating their thoughts and actions to the same level of…
I love stories and especially mythology. Myths may be seen as a compilation of well-chosen, but contrived characters, weaved into a story to tell of a foundational and even an eternal truth. The phrase “mythic reality” sounds at first like a contradiction of terms – “mythic” meaning by popular belief “not true” and “reality” meaning…
“Coercion cannot but result in chaos in the end” (Mahatma Gandhi) The trip on the metro was neither therapeutic nor overwhelming. It was just a means to an end – getting to work on time. In fact, a crowded train didn’t really provide the environment for reflection for Joe, so he found that thinking about…
A friend and client of mine, Malcolm Ferguson (owner of Strategy Activator), whilst preparing for a talk about failure, spoke to me about the approach he should take for the speech. He noted that he wanted to use a facilitation example for the talk where one of his previous delegates felt that he was picking…
If you have a dream, why wait? Passion follows a dream – not the other way round. There will always be sufficient energy and resources if the dream is big enough. If there is dream clarity, you will be able to start seeing how the various parts of your life intersect and develop a plan…
Children can teach us adults a lot if only we would listen to them, pick up on their simple (even simplistic) logic and the nature of the questions that they ask. When my granddaughter was three years’ old, she arrived at the stage where she asked a lot of “why” questions, had an opinion on…
When presidents play God, one is reminded of Martin Luther King’s words: “Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.” Being a good leader in any context is tough – having a worthy vision, communicating with clarity, engaging authentically, empathising with compassion, providing hope, etc. One of the…
“How we walk with the broken speaks louder than how we sit with the great” (Bill Bennot) Whether we like to admit it or not, we are all broken in one way or another. By saying this, I am not referring to a broken limb or a heart condition, although these ailments will indeed tether…
“Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not” (Oprah Winfrey) We all fail – far too often! Our intent, however, should be to live with integrity. James P Lenfesty, in his article, ‘Catch of a Lifetime’ in Reader’s Digest, relates the story of an…
One of my worst recollections of corporate life was the number of meetings I had to attend – not because they were not necessary or unimportant, but because they were either not focused and boring, or because a few people dominated what was supposed to be a discussion and deliberation. Non-participation in processes (including meetings)…
For the past thirty to forty years, much research has proven the superiority of group decision-making over that of even the brightest individuals in the group (Alan B Krueger, Economic Scene, NYT, 7 December 2000). There is one exception to this rule: if the group lacks harmony or the ability to cooperate, decision-making quality and…
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. ”So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” (J.R.R TOLKIEN) Deciding what…
“All children are born geniuses; 9 999 out of every 10 000 are swiftly, inadvertently degeniusised by grownups” (Buckminster Fuller) Watching little children at play within the context of a safe environment is fascinating – they live in the ‘now’, their imaginations go into overdrive and the passion they express with every interaction or activity is unparallelled….
“Vision helps us see the possibilities of tomorrow within the realities of today, and motivates us to do what needs to be done” Business executives often talk about wanting to get their people ‘aligned’ with the company’s strategy. The word ‘aligned’, however, suggests a mechanical picture of getting all the pencils pointing in the same…
“Successful change initiatives deal with the emotional reality of a group” Great leaders are sensitive to the emotions that facilitate change, and they find ways to enhance those feelings. They deal with emotions that undermine change, some of which are panic, exhaustion, frustration, pessimism, cynicism, insecurity, anger, and anxiety. They attempt to facilitate emotions which…
In terms of decision-making, teams are smarter than individuals, but only when they live the qualities of emotional intelligence. All members contribute to the overall level of emotional intelligence, but the leader holds unique sway in this regard. Emotions are contagious, and it is natural for individuals to pay extra attention to the leader’s feelings…
“Nothing great and durable has ever been produced with ease. Labour is the parent of all the lasting monuments of the world, whether in verse or in stone, in poetry or in pyramids” (Thomas Moore) Quality has an appealing feel, whether it comes in the form of a well-built car, a delicious meal, a tailored…
“You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present” (Jan Glidewell) Embracing the present is a recognition that life can only be understood backward but that it must be lived forward. Richard L Evans (Tonic for our Times) notes: “Those who gaze too…
“Every gathering is a chance to renew commitment” (Kouzes & Posner) The HR Council defines recognition as follows: “Employee recognition is the acknowledgement of an individual’s or team’s behaviour, effort and accomplishments that support the organisation’s goals and values”. The key in this definition, of course, is for managers to draw the dotted line between…
“The development of an individual to his or her highest level of performance can be seen as a journey of empowerment” (Ken Blanchard et al, The 3 Keys to Empowerment) Coaching is about enhancing performance, not scolding team members for doing wrong or badly in the execution of their duties. The intent needs to be…
