Rural Spain, 1920s. Two characters have just met in Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises. Each one is trying to figure out what the other is doing there. One of them cuts to the chase, asking the other, ‘How did you go bankrupt?’ The other responds, ‘Two ways. Gradually, and then suddenly’.* So often this tempo of change – gradually and then suddenly …
Your inner guerilla
What if you looked out of your window and saw acres of unmown public land? Overgrown because the city had run out of funds and could no longer afford the upkeep of its public spaces? If you are Tom Nardone the answer is obvious. You jump on your lawnmower and start mowing the public parks yourself. Before you know it, …
The ‘Whole’ truth or daredevil?
We all love stories of human endeavour, especially when an underdog beats the odds and triumphs over adversity. We admire the person, heavily invest in their success and learn from their wisdom. In a world filled with bad news, these good news stories offer a rare beacon of hope. This seemed apparent when Belle Gibson’s story emerged. Belle depicted herself as a …
Expectations, empathy and elephants
Recently I hurt my left eye. Unfortunately it happened when I harmlessly rubbed it, rather than during a swashbuckling misadventure! My eye was inflamed and red and of course it happened to be smack-bang in a week when I had a helluva lot on. Worst of all, the very next day I was presenting an all-day workshop for a client who had …
What really matters in business?
I have a confession to make. I have become addicted to the Australian series of Shark Tank. It’s a master class in negotiation, pitching and influence all rolled into one! Shark Tank is where budding entrepreneurs pitch to potential investors known as sharks. The sharks decide whether to invest and negotiate deals for equity and capital. It is reality TV so it’s high drama! But …
70% is the new…
Spanish shoemaker Camper made headlines in San Francisco when the company opened its unfinished store to customers, simply calling it “Walk in Progress”. Customers were invited to draw on the unpainted walls and shoes were displayed on top of packaging containers. Customers loved it and the most popular message written on the walls was “Keep the store just the way it is.” …
How to survive presentation nightmares (without Einstein’s help)
Urban legend has it that when Einstein was on the speaker circuit his faithful driver, Harry, learned his speech word for word. Einstein’s driver also happened to look like him. On a whim, at an evening presentation, Einstein and his driver decided to swap places. Einstein donned the chauffeur’s cap and jacket and sat in the back of the room. …
Love, learn, leave…
Recently I received a scathing email about a supposed single misprint in our book. The writer concluded by saying they were so happy that they had only borrowed the book from the library, rather than purchased it. OOUCHHHH! Reading the email on the train to work, I felt I was being punched in the guts. I might even have sworn aloud…OK …
Three hacks to instantly transform any presentation
I’m a great fan of the Lifehacks website – a goldmine of productivity and lifestyle tips. A life hack is a tip or trick that will helps get things done more efficiently and effectively. Life hacks are often practical, sometimes funny and sometimes plain hair-raising! Applying this philosophy, I wondered what are some presentation hacks we could use? As so often working …
From resolution to reality: Make 2015 your year to shine
New Years come loaded with promise: the promise of fresh starts and new beginnings. I personally love new beginnings: sunrises, that first cup of coffee – you get the drift. New Years however can be epic new starts, often pre-loaded with both optimism and cynicism. After all, research indicates a mere 8% of people achieve their resolutions! So how can we make …