What do you believe in?

Last week I had one of those moments. The morning started out with a discussion about South Africa, and in particular Malema. It was an objective discussion, given the people I was with. Then turning on my computer I was met with a very disturbing article written and published in the UK tabloid - Daily Star.

This article described our country as a ‘land of murder’ and told 2010 World Cup visitors to expect a ‘blood bath.’ It went on to paint a picture of racial tension, black on white - a civil war. I reflected on it yesterday again when I arrived at my flat. As I got out my car a black man was walking down the street talking on his phone. When he saw me, he took the phone away from his ear, looked me in the eyes and greeted me with a huge smile.

Tension?

I immediately wrote an email and sent to my UK mates. I urged them to communicate to their friends the falseness of the content of these articles. I asked them to stand up for this country, and to speak against the negativity.

The article and the replies really isn’t the focus. Daily Star is just one of many print mediums that publish opinions, albeit completely out of context. Daily, we are met with information that we have to process. The fact is, the event happened a few days after a moment that I had in quiet where I felt a question drop into my heart and mind.

What do you believe in?

Many leaders are not clear what the answer to this question is. The fact is, no matter what the subject, there are so many sound and objective ‘point of views.’ Leaders often find themselves at critical junctions where they need to make a call - a decision. There may be a number of right options, each a degree off each other. But where is your gut leading. How can the convictions inside of you point the situation in a direction? Your positioning is not a mistake. You are where you are, because of what you feel, who you are and what you can bring to the contexts you lead within. For many of us though - we choose to remain neutral and tight lipped, avoiding conflict and tension which is a natural part of any process of change or progression.

I have had to challenge myself, daily, to have the courage to speak up on what I believe, what I feel. I find it incredibly difficult, yet hugely rewarding. I have had to learn to trust myself. I have had to understand that it may not make sense in the moment, but that it will make sense in the long term.

I have had to learn - finally - that silence simply gives voice to the motives and message of those who do have the courage to speak - no matter what their message.

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Travis Gale has spent the last 5 years running his own development business in South Africa’s corporate world and is currently involved in various long term partnerships with clients across a number of industries. Furthermore he has travelled to conferences internationally hunting down latest trends and insights. Having cycled around the world and survived a tsunami, his passion for crossing borders often lends itself to an interesting blend of stories and insight. He sees himself as a ‘change catalyst’ and displays strength in facilitating insight into the right spaces. Find out more at www.appletreelive.com

The illogical logic

Yesterday, I finished up day 1 of a 2 day workshop. It was an interesting day with much debate around the topic of engagement. At most of my workshops I have to spend time working with an ‘illogical logic’ that for some reason leaders often cling to. If you’ve read Covey’s 7 habits for highly effective people you will recall the story of the lumberjack whose job description was to cut down x amount of trees in a day. Over a period of time he begins to return home later and later, his family life suffering as a result. The question is ‘why?’ Most say he is demotivated, bored, lazy. The answer is actually that his saw is getting blunt. What the lumberjack most needs to do is stop and sharpen his saw. He does not stop! why? He does not have the time. He is to busy trying to get through the trees with a blunt saw! And there it is - what we most need to do we very often are least likely to do.

In speaking about engagement with the delegates, I shared how what is critical is that we dialogue with our staff. Engagement is not an instruction. My belief is that one the most significant contributors toward engagement is perspective. Rarely are we dealing with why our team see the factors that disengage them the way they do. I asked “Have you had to deal with the same issues in repeated cycles over the last year?” There were nods all round. Issues are usually dealt with (absenteeism, lack of productivity, bad attitude for example) by focussing on the issue itself and punishing or warning against it. “Do not be late again, here’s a warning letter!” This is a short term solution. These issues rob us of time, yet leaders can’t find the time to deal with deeper issues that cause these issues. That is illogical.

Like the lumberjack, leaders need to disconnect and create space to think about the way they are working and how effectively they are contributing toward long term engagement. Rarely are leaders uncovering what perspectives are contributing toward staff disengagement and their own engagement.

I took a walk after the session down a windy road that opened up into a flat savannah. I reflected on the day, on the questions that I asked and the challenges that I put out. I thought about the next day and how best it could work. Then I chilled and soaked up the scenery. I too have to engage people during my workshops, creating the right space for discussions, sharing insights and hopefully shift perspective. I only have 8 hours, but my focus can never be to get through x amount of content in x amount of time. What’s more NB? A bunch of knowledge or a desire to shift? If we are aiming to achieve engagement, we absolutely need to commit to working against the myth of lack of time.

Don’t be fooled by illogical logic. Commit to the engagement dialogue.

What do you most need to change? Is time an excuse for not making those changes? Think long term - what is the consequence if you don’t?

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Travis Gale has spent the last 5 years running his own development business in South Africa’s corporate world and is currently involved in various long term partnerships with clients across a number of industries. Furthermore he has travelled to conferences internationally hunting down latest trends and insights. Having cycled around the world and survived a tsunami, his passion for crossing borders often lends itself to an interesting blend of stories and insight. He sees himself as a ‘change catalyst’ and displays strength in facilitating insight into the right spaces. Find out more at www.appletreelive.com

The Sweetness of Engagement

Every week I facilitate workshops in the corporate arena. Have a look at the 3 circles image which is attached.The crux is the ‘True You’ circle is in many ways unexplored. Funny, that it is in this circle where we find so many of the answers to the challenges we face as leaders.

The ‘way of the team’ is about the organisations values, vision, mission etc. An organisation will then need people (employees) to fulfill their professional rolls and deliver on what is needed to make an organisation thrive. The ‘professional you’ circle is thus about business models, systems, process and need IQ based skills an individual needs to perform.

Continually, studies reveal that engagement levels within organisations are as low as 20%. An engaged employee could be described as productive, committed, effective, motivated, energised and innovative. They go ‘the extra mile.’ A further 60% are disengaged. They share productivity and commitment with the engaged, however are low in energy, motivation and creativity. In many ways, disengaged employees are there to pick up the pay check and will do the bare minimum of what is expected of them. Actively disengaged are those who work for you, yet work against you! Passionately, they spread negativity recruiting members into their cause.

Engagement is critical. Disengagement costs! (A recent USA survey revealed such disengagement costs the economy $300 billion annually!) Given this, many organisations are asking how to engage their staff. We at Appletree believe it starts with the True You. Our process is one of uncovering the individuals ‘True You’ and aligning the 3 circles. Thats where the sweet spot exists!

I am continually amazed as the results of this alignment. All it takes is for individuals to raise their level of awareness and connect with who they are and what they stand for, and how that can be expressed through the functional side of what they do (professional you) and therefore impact their organisation. Individuals and even teams who align what they stand for with the organisations mission lay a platform for sustainable engagement.

People desire to know that they are contributing with their strengths and talents into something greater than themselves. Engagement goes hand in hand with self motivation and drive, stimulating creativity and energising a workforce. Every organisation has the opportunity to provide a platform for people to thrive!

The question we always ask is, ‘Are your people simply bringing their hands and feet to work or their hearts and souls?’ ‘Are you bringing your hands and feet to work or your heart and soul?

Have a closer look at the 3 circles, think about it and look at how it could apply to your own lives or your teams and business. Refer to www.appletreelive.com for more info and updates on the challenging yet rewarding topic of engagement. I will write more on this in the next few weeks.
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Travis Gale has spent the last 5 years running his own development business in South Africa’s corporate world and is currently involved in various long term partnerships with clients across a number of industries. Furthermore he has travelled to conferences internationally hunting down latest trends and insights. Having cycled around the world and survived a tsunami, his passion for crossing borders often lends itself to an interesting blend of stories and insight. He sees himself as a ‘change catalyst’ and displays strength in facilitating insight into the right spaces. Find out more at www.appletreelive.com

5 Year's Time

Where you will be in 5 years time?!

I received this image this morning. It came as an email attachment reading;

“I really don’t do this to make you feel bad or to make myself feel good, just to share the awesomeness with my best friends. Check out my view on the way to work this morning!”

The image is of a beach somewhere in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Garth, who took the photo, is one of my closest friends. The email was sent to me and Liam, another close mate, who is based in London. The 3 of us are on other ends of the world, yet continue to share our lives with each other. Thanks to technology we can remain ‘virtually’ connected which will never make up for physical connections, but none the less makes a big difference. It is not so much the image that is significant but rather the story behind how Garth ended up taking it (this would take hundreds of pages to explain) But I know it. Liam knows it. Garth knows it. Over a period of years we have laughed, lived, loved, cried, struggled, prayed, married our sweethearts, dived, fished, surfed & partied together. What I treasure most is that these friendships are based on a genuine desire to see what’s best for each other become a reality.

Why is this significant? I recently read a quote that said “Where you will be in 5 years time depends on two things: the books you read and the people you are in relationship with!”

Books I can understand. Relationships make even more sense. Since I read the quote I have begun to think about who I hang with. After some reflecting I realised how significant a role most of those people play in my life. Many of those relationships are edifying. My friends energise me rather than drain me, support me rather than disqualify me, give me feedback and speak the truth rather than let me continue with negative traits and habits and are encouraging rather than self seeking.

Here are 4 questions I would really like you to reflect on seriously:

What are some of the words you would use to describe the relationships you are in?
Which relationships influence you the most, be it positive or negative?
What do these relationships mean for your future?
Who could you spend more time with, whose qualities and successes you aspire toward?

If you realise that you need to make some changes then I encourage you to act on these changes soon. Know that change in this department is difficult. Some relationships (family, spouse etc) you cannot simply break away from. By increasing the time you give to more positive relationships, the ability for you to impact positively and breakthrough relationship challenges increases.

Sometime this year I will post the same image that I have posted today. Except I will be behind the camera in Tanzania building memories with mates who I am willing to pay good money and fly many miles to hang with again and again and again and …

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Travis Gale has spent the last 5 years running his own development business in South Africa’s corporate world and is currently involved in various long term partnerships with clients across a number of industries. Furthermore he has travelled to conferences internationally hunting down latest trends and insights. Having cycled around the world and survived a tsunami, his passion for crossing borders often lends itself to an interesting blend of stories and insight. He sees himself as a ‘change catalyst’ and displays strength in facilitating insight into the right spaces. Find out more at www.appletreelive.com

How Much Fun Do You Have?

I am not sure why, but this week I felt compelled to write on fun. I guess you could also call it rest. Those moments when we refuel our energy wells and disconnect from what it is we are constantly applying our focus upon. I remember walking through the streets of Barcelona last year and walking straight into a couple dancing. It was the middle of the day, in the middle of the busy street and this couple just decided to stop and enjoy the music which some buskers were providing.

This picture of rest and fun could possibly be springing to mind given we are now in the middle of March. We have probably all being pretty gung ho as we started 2010, but the big question is:

‘How are you feeling Right Now?’

I recall a story which involved some of our Appletree associates. They got to do some work with a Hospital down on the South Coast of KZN. They enquired as to when the busiest time of the year was for the staff. December and January was the obvious reply, but not for obvious reasons! You would have thought it had to do with road accidents and party related incidents. Actually, this particular time of year was notorious for something called ‘Executive Syndrome’. In a nutshell, the wards would fill up with executives from business as far as Johannesburg with cardiac and organ failure issues. Why? No rest. No Fun. Go Go Go! The entire year was all about pushing through, engaging, working. No break. When the body finally got a small chance it took all the rest it could get.

I feel, at this time of year, it is NB for us to reflect on how we are feeling. It is still very possible for us to break any habits we have crept into for the year. I have posted articles before on energy management and re-filling your energy tanks so to speak. In this article I simply want to challenge you to have some fun. Do it right now. This weekend coming up is a long weekend - what are your plans? do they involve fun? will you be resting?

The greatest challenge for us, yet the most rewarding practice we can do is to get out of our heads and into our bodies. Hence the question - how do you feel? Stop with the over thinking, the worry, the anxiety, the responsible you and get out and play.

May you never think of yourself as to old, or to responsible to play, have fun, dance and ultimately... thrive in 2010.

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Travis Gale has spent the last 5 years running his own development business in South Africa’s corporate world and is currently involved in various long term partnerships with clients across a number of industries. Furthermore he has travelled to conferences internationally hunting down latest trends and insights. Having cycled around the world and survived a tsunami, his passion for crossing borders often lends itself to an interesting blend of stories and insight. He sees himself as a ‘change catalyst’ and displays strength in facilitating insight into the right spaces. Find out more at www.appletreelive.com

Brand Trust Signals

Following on from last weeks article on trust signals, I stumbled across a very interesting statistic. A couple weeks back I listened to some very interesting speakers at the Flux Trends conference in JHB. Led by Dion Chang, a number of speakers delivered insightful presentations on various topics, one of which was Simon Bond from Proximity Media.

One of his statements was:
‘6-8% of consumers trust what a company has to say about its brand. 98% of consumers trust what other consumers say about the brands they use’.

That is a very important statistic! The fact is, that engaging consumers is no longer about broadcasting. Engaging consumers is a dialogue. The customer is now saying “Involve me and I will understand!”. The necessary risk in a new reality is that we hand over our brands to our consumers. Because if they love it, it will spread. Take the the Nike T90 campaign. Here is a huge brand who, rather than spend millions on media and television broadcasting, choose to use the powerful medium of You Tube to engage their consumers and raise the profile of their brand. Using a handy cam they shoot Wayne Rooney performing what can only be described as an inspiring piece of fancy footwork! Take a look at the following link to see the clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Z4KIA2Cq_c) The clip does not end up on television, but rather on You Tube where it spreads like wild fire. Why? because their is a challenge attached - do what he did, film it and send it in. Those who create the most creative clip get to spend a day with Rooney himself picking up some football tips!

This really makes sense to me. In fact in recent discussions with some of my clients I have replaced the word ‘consumer’ with the word ‘employee’ when it comes to the above statistic. Fact is, a small amount of employees trust what the company has to say and a large amount of them listen to colleagues and friends. In a nutshell, they are simply consumers of a product called employment. Like consumers employees too want to be involved in the development of a company’s brand.

FACT! Engaging your employees around your brand is more about talking and dialogue than it is about broadcasting your vision, values and expectations. You are simply going to have to involve them!

You know what I am loving. The world is changing. In the years leading up to now you have had a choice whether you embrace trends or whether you stick to formula’s that work for you - because you could. The new reality, I believe, is one where you are simply going to have to change and begin the journey of engaging with your consumers or employees in fresh new ways. Why - because we are witnessing a consumer revolution which is both exciting and challenging all in one!

So, whoever you are - are you telling or talking, broadcasting or dialoging. Cause no matter what, there needs to be a pretty good reason why others will choose to follow you.

May you embrace the change!

Trust Signals

“You can always trust a yamaha!”

Jan was sitting in the pub. It was the 3rd night on a nice long fishing trip up near Xai-Xai, Mozambique. The first two days of fishing had been productive on the ski’s despite the long days of paddling and working the waters. The offer from Jan to crew his boat the next day was met by much excitement by ol Bundu and myself... anything to get out on a boat and catch a heap more cuta.

The last 15 years of diving has taught me to have a healthy respect for the ocean and in particular to be fussy about the craft I use! I immediately started to worry when I heard Jan working his engines late that night. They weren’t turning over. He worked on them for hours until eventually they got warm. When we arrived at his boat the next morning I got even more concerned at the state of the boat! There was fuel on the floor, hatches couldn’t lock, no emergency equipment...

Bundu and I let our eagerness get the better of us. Despite me asking him to warm up the engines in the lake, we headed down straight to the launch site. Jan’s plan was to put the boat in the shorebreak and warm them there. A few minutes later we were bouncing around in the wash, Bundu and I holding the boat, when Jan screamed “Lets go!” I challenged him on the cold engines but he was insistent so I hopped on board. We lurched forward into the mid break in decent sized surf. Then it happened. Dead engines. This is extremely dangerous and I immediately began to plan my escape. Suddenly the engines fired. Jan grabbed the wheel and threw the throttles down full tilt! We simply crashed through the surf at breakneck speed. I held on for dear life and was amazed to see we were still upright a few seconds later just behind the breakers. Jan turned to me and exclaimed...

“You can always trust a yamaha!”

The whole day was a nightmare. Jan insisted on taking us 23km out to sea. His boat nearly sank, his fishing tactics were messy. Fact is - despite beautiful mozambique waters all I wanted to do was get back to the beach.

Trust signals are actions that we take which either build up trust or break it down. Jan’s actions meant I was focussed on survival and had to be continually aware of inherent dangers. I was not focussed on the possibilities but rather fearful and desperate to get out of the boat. His signals pushed me away from him rather than toward him.

Like Jan, you too send out trust signals. Examine your actions and ask yourself if there is anything you could do differently to ensure that people will ‘go out to sea’ with you.

We stuck to the Ski’s from then on!