Kind of freaky but three clients in the space of a fortnight asked me if I’d seen an old Harvard Business Review article by Steven Berglas on “The Very Real Dangers of Executive Coaching (June 2002).” One client was particularly interested in my reaction to the article’s contention that coaching services provided by people who were not psychologically trained, experienced or … Read More
Leicester the losers – but not any more
I can hear the comments now. You couldn’t write a script better than this one. The most extraordinary comeback in the history of sport. Ever. They’ve worked out the odds. 1000 times less likely than Essendon winning this year’s flag. How does an English premiership team facing relegation at the end of 2015 get up the next year with a brand … Read More
Are you really successful if you haven’t planned for succession?
It was novel in football when Eddie McGuire announced Collingwood was establishing a succession plan to Mick Malthouse as coach. The emerging leader was clearly identified and so was the timeline. I believe the same move was a little less explicit a few months ago when Kevin Sheedy after his stint at GWS was named Essendon Football Club Ambassador. I don’t … Read More
Stand up Australia. Be proud (It’s not what you think!)
As the sun sets on Tollcross Swimming Centre we can learn some valuable lessons from the Aussie swim team in Glasgow and how the team has transformed its culture to produce the most wonderful esprit de corps and exemplify the best flow-on effect of shared goals, great strategy and sublime teamwork- outstanding results. If we think back to the last Olympics, only … Read More
Getting our Priorities Right
The post mortems have begun. One paper calculated the investment cost per gold medal. Another ranked us on gold medals per capita. Another ranked on medals of any colour relative to previous Olympics decrying our torrid decline since Sydney 2000.I love my sport. My Twitter handle includes the phrase “sport fanatic”. I am the best athlete never to play the … Read More
Positioning for Success
I was asked to present last night to a professional body on establishing and building a practice or workplace profile (presumably a good one!). It was great to have the opportunity to reflect and distil those things that I think contribute to success in our respective fields. It occurred to me, especially in the wake of a few presentations lately … Read More
Narky or nirvana -your choice!
It’s no secret I love my sport and while there’s lots more productive to do than watch the idiot box, in a week with Wimbledon, le Tour de France and my beloved footy, life’s pretty good. So there I was last night kicking back late to watch the tennis. Remote control in hand, browsing through the stations, I found Footy … Read More
No goal, no golf and no glory
Well, it nearly didn’t happen. If we hadn’t gone away for the weekend with self confessed golf tragics who got up at 5am to watch the US Masters I wouldn’t have ‘got it’. While I have often joked about my love of elite sport as the ‘best athlete never to play the game’, I didn’t know a game of golf; … Read More
Monday-itis – all year long
In speaking with clients, friends and acquaintances toward the end of the holiday season, it became apparent just how many of them articulated feelings of misgiving about returning to work after the break. What was so interesting about this was that each of them has always appeared 100% committed to their work and clients and would never ordinarily strike me … Read More