Finding the right spot to flourish.

 

The first race of the 2013 MotoGP was in Qatar on Sunday. A hugely exciting race and in particular seeing Valentino Rossi finish in second place was just superb.

For those of you that don’t follow Moto GP, Valentino Rossi is one of the most successful motorcycle racers of our time; he has nine World Grand Prix titles to his name and seven of these in the premier class.

However, for the last couple of years he has been racing for Ducati, the iconic Italian Motorcycle manufacturer. For one reason or another things just didn’t come together, few podium finishes, the lack of ‘feel’ from the carbon-fibre concept chassis, a number of non- finishes which just isn’t the Rossi at true form.

Now, I’ll admit that I am perhaps a biased Rossi fan however when one of the commentators at the end of the race said ‘we weren’t all certain whether Rossi back on a Yamaha would deliver but he did’. It sort of got my blood up and I thought, 'well, I didn’t think that!'

It got me thinking about the leaders, organizations and people that I work with and that the lack of belief from others (and often self) doesn’t help. Sometimes we end up with the wrong people, in the wrong place however if we take stock, shift the environment, put ourselves out there to meet the right people, new opportunities invariably reveal themselves. Inspired leaders get this and do everything they can to ensure that they have the right environment for themselves, their people and their businesses, in the good times and when it gets tough.  There are also leaders out there that don’t always get this, and that’s when we really need to listen to our instincts and do something about it.

My daughter, aged three has a sweet little book about a giraffe that can’t dance.  At the end of the story he discovers that he can dance, he just needed a different tune.

Sometimes we need to find a different tune, with people that bring out the best in us, and an environment in which we can flourish and truly maximize our talents and skills. It appears that the tune of the Yamaha YZR-M1 and the Yamaha team is the right one for Rossi, it promises to be a great season.

If you need help finding your tune, you know where we are.

Have a great week.

My warmest wishes,

Kate

Happy Happiness Day!

If you’re happy and you know it…….….....you know the rest of the song.

Today, March 20, is the first ever International Happiness Day – various government figures are talking about Gross National Happiness (GNH); the promotion of equitable and sustainable socio-economic development, the preservation and promotion of cultural values, the conservation of the natural environment, and the establishment of good governance. 

Now that’s all very well and I do heartily agree with the need for an equitable and sustainable way of moving forward as a race.

However, I wonder if, as with many things,  it also starts small and local, maybe even at your breakfast table this morning. Ask kids about happiness and they’ll often talk about wonder, sweeties, fun or as my eldest daughter commented, quite unprompted when hearing the news ‘I feel happy when I’ve helped make some-one else feel happy’. That brought a tear to my eye and made me feel happy I can tell you…..

To feel happy with self-esteem and confidence about oneself is a wonderful thing (though sadly not a given).  It is life-enhancing and enables us to gets through the rough times as well as the good. 

I heard Dr.Charles Eugster, the 93 year old, former dentist turned bodybuilder talking on the radio earlier and if he can’t teach us all a lesson about the right attitude to life, I don’t know who can.  His mission was to turn the heads of the 70 year olds on the beach  (way to go!) when at 87 he thought he was getting overweight, this led him to hire a former Mr Universe to build his body and he’s done just that. 

The exuberance, passion and general joie de vivre that exuded from him was extraordinary.  His message on life in a few seconds –

·          *   Be passionate about something

·          *  Have a reason or relevance in your life

·          *  And exercise

He said of his recent experience ‘ It changes your appearance, it changes your energy and it changes the way you think’. Now that's a fabulous reason to be happy. 

If this all sounds slightly kooky to you, it’s also the Spring Equinox today so longer days are on the way and that’s definitely something to be happy about. 

As a friend said recently, the day comes when we only regret the chances we didn’t take……and invariably it’s the taking chances that leads to happiness.  

Have a very happy Happiness day, whatever you’re up to….

Kate 

And the winner is Optimism!

Tis’ the season for awards after all. 

Okay, before you reach for the bucket this isn’t just happy, jolly January, ‘go for it’ speak, so bear with me for a moment.

There is compelling research out there that states;

-       Optimists typically make 30% more sales

-       Optimists generally bounce back faster after adversity

-       Optimists use a different, more positive explanatory style

-       Optimists try harder

-       Optimists succeed

And because of all this they are generally healthier, wealthier, have greater life expectancy, better relationships and success.   

Well, if that’s not a reason to find one’s inner optimist I don’t know what is?

As many of you know, I’m an inner biker (the outer one falls off a lot) and fan of Charley Boorman. He must be one of the most optimistic people out there.  Charley Boorman’s South African Adventure is currently showing on Channel 5 and in last week's episode he successfully navigated the Sani Pass in appalling weather. Unsurprisingly, this journey, leading a path through the mountains in Lesotho commenced on two wheels but sheet ice forced the intrepid biker to jump into a 4X4 when progress came to a halt. When the mechanical mountain goat started to slide uncontrollably toward the edge, the film crew leapt to safety, Charley didn’t, and was rewarded with one of the most stunning views on the planet, amongst other things. It made fabulous viewing for us all at home too; http://bit.ly/VlQNjy

The point is optimism takes us further. It widens our repertoire and resources to deal with whatever it is that life has put along our path and therefore we generally benefit along the way.  Be it in business or personally.

The simplest way to start that shift towards an optimistic outlook and way of life is to be grateful and express gratitude for what we have ,rather than what we don’t.   

Think of three things that you’re grateful for, truly grateful for, otherwise it won’t work!

It might be a relationship, a friend, kids, your job, your boss, a holiday, a book, chocolate, the snow  - doesn’t matter what it is, so long as it is yours and you mean it.  

How did that make you feel?

Then repeat it, daily if possible.

For the cynics out there and I know you’re there, a healthy dose of defensive pessimism isn’t a bad place to start, the end goal being strategic optimism. I.e. instead of the very optimistic ‘’I can do this’’ the toned down, more tactical and strategic optimism of  “what will it take to achieve this’. 

If you’re having a struggle finding your inner optimist, you know where we are and we’d be delighted to help.

Wishing you an optimistic and successful 2013. 

Further reading: Martin Seligman, Authentic Happiness and Positive Psychology.  http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/

2013 begins at the end of your comfort zone

As Walt Disney magically said’ If you can dream it, you can do it”. 

I’ve recently been fortunate to meet three very inspiring people, Rob Jonas, Business Leader (and extreme sports competitor), Liz Dimmock who is cycling around the world next year not only to beat a record but also to raise a £1m for charity (Worldride2013.com), and Leah Dunthorne, an Olympic coach.  All inspiring in very different ways, though with the utter, unshakeable belief in what they CAN do.

Many of us however, might feel that the self-belief required to achieve whatever others do or even more importantly what we want to do for ourselves, is unpredictable at best. Self-belief, with-out wishing to ‘personalise’ it, sometimes appears to have the power to depart at the critical moment.

All is not lost, the message from these individuals is also that you can always find some-one to help you out and get you started.  Pick whatever it is and find a willing helper to assist  you and your self-belief along the way. There are passionate people everywhere. 

What are you dreaming about that actually, you can do and who will help you get started?

Might 2013 be the year that you turned the dream to reality, there’s a movie there somewhere…….

Have a fabulous New Year, look forward to hearing about your plans for this year, sometime soon.

Flat over brow

Last week I was most fortunate to meet many extraordinary people and a few of the conversations stood out:

Speaking with legendary racing driver Barrie “Whizzo” Williams who rallied at the highest level in the 60s and is now known for his expertise at the wheel of historic and classic racing cars.

Discussing Cyber Security Challenge UK with Lieutenant Colonel Nigel Harrison, MBE, decorated for his part in the liberation of Kuwait during the first Gulf War. 

Also a lively discussion with Tanya Rennick, the energetic force behind The Oyster Club, London’s Premier Networking Club.  

Watch this space….

So, flat over brow, not a term I was familiar with.  Those of you who know a little (or a lot) about rallying will be aware that it means flat out, over the blind brow of a hill, requiring complete trust in your navigator or co-driver.  What transpired in discussion with Whizzo was not so much the "flat over brow" but the "right hand turn 50ft" immediately afterwards, in thick fog!  

"Flat over brow" seems to me to epitomize trust, that well-worn word that is talked about such a lot, but maybe not as truly practiced as it might be.  Not so in my discussions above, these truly inspiring individuals expressed candidly that if it hadn’t been for the trust in team or indeed trust in self, they wouldn’t be where they are today. 

As Ernest Hemingway eruditely put it "the best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them”. 

Will you? 

A little bit scared......

‘Do one thing everyday that scares you’ Eleanor Roosevelt famously quoted. 

Easily said and quoted, a little less easy to do. Of course when we do something that scares us slightly  (or a lot) we learn, grow and develop even if we don’t feel that way at the time. 

   It is oft noted that people perform rather well when scared too. 

This week I’ve been very fortunate to meet three incredibly inspiring individuals who have each done things that many of us would consider a little bit, if not downright scary; Toby Younger who finished one of the toughest races on the planet, The Dakar, on a motorbike earlier this year, his first attempt.

Rene Carayol, an inspiring leader who regularly speaks out and asks the difficult and challenging questions irrespective of who may or may not like it.  He is formidable in his beliefs and wonderfully provocative.

And Paul Gurney, an adventurer who in a twelve month period is tackling both the 5 week extreme race to the magnetic North Pole and the Marathon des Sables. 

Watch this space.....

Fear is a curious emotion, that I’ve yet to completely comprehend. However, what I do know from the course of my work and general observation is that the majority of us spend our lives not only living in fear, but allowing it to dictate the terms of what we call life.

Whilst fear for sure has the potential to hold us back, being scared isn’t always quite as bad as it first appears.  Being scared generally means opportunities for growth and a step towards what’s outside that comfort zone and as those of you who know me will know, I’m all for that.

If we face our fears rather than run from them, our perspective on what we can and can’t deal with, will change (and usually for the better).

And of course, when we look back over the years, those things that we were fearful or scared of, don’t phase us anymore. 

Obviously, we all wish to be safe and tend to design the world around us to be just that, though deep down many of us a crave a little bit more ‘scary’ in our lives. 

Not all ‘scary’ is created equal.  Fear and feeling scared is universal, though some see fear and use it as fuel to create the life they desire.

I happen to think a little bit of scared is a good thing, so long as it doesn’t stop you in your tracks?  

What will you do today that scares you?

(PS. I’ve signed up for a challenge next year  - not immediately scary from where I’m sitting, tea in hand, but thinking about it surprisingly so). 

What's your passion?

This weekend I felt very privileged to attend The Goodwood Revival meeting in West Sussex.  A veritable hotbed of exquisite historic cars, aeroplanes, fashion, music and memorabilia of a bygone era, not the mention the superb motor racing for which the event has an unrivalled reputation. 

I believe it was Fangio, the Argentinean Formula One racing driver of formidable achievement who said, “You need great passion, because everything you do with great pleasure, you do well”.

From a spotless original 1965 Ford Transit, The Shelby Cup, a tribute to Dan Gurney to a grid value of c £300,000,000 worth of historic race Ferrari’s  - the magic and sparkle one could almost hold.   Now for those of you who are not particularly interested in things ‘petrol-head’, this is not the purpose of the post.

It was the passion and unbridled enjoyment that was palpable. Not only for the cars, the planes, the history, the racing, the clothes (that’s another post entirely) the atmosphere at this event was inspiring and extremely pleasurable. I met people from all walks of life, had conversations with more strangers in a day than I’ve done for ages and met one or two celebrities to boot. The passion of individuals for their cars, racing, the era, the clothes or just to enjoy a day at Goodwood House, was incredible.

I don’t think there was one vehicle, plane or person there that wasn’t immaculately turned out, well maybe one or two, but you get my point.

It may be the legacy of the success of the Olympics, the sheer passion and attention to detail for this event by Lord March and his team, or the sunny day that made the difference.  However, living in challenging times, with volatile markets and economies, if finding our passion for what we care about makes such a big difference; to us, our friends and families, our companies, motor-racing events, then surely that’s the way to go. 

As Disraeli said “ Man (or woman) is only truly great when he acts from his passions”.

What’s yours?

Are you living or working to Gold Standards?

What a phenomenal achievement; 65 Team GB Olympic medalists, an uplifting and inspiring fortnight and a certain ‘joie de vivre’ around the capital city.  What a lot to celebrate!

Andrew Hunt, CEO of the British Olympic Association has been talking widely about the magic that the immense collaboration and support of our amazing sports men and women has enabled in terms of success and medals.  Yes, they are incredible athletes in their own right however as so many have attested and in some instances in a very moving way, it was also about the team around them.

Be it in sports or in business, it is very well documented that teamwork, collaboration and cohesiveness really does pay dividends and that feeling of being part of a community or something bigger than oneself is part of being human.

Last week I had a meeting in Westminster followed by one near Green Park in London and I decided to walk, as it was a nice day.  Now, this was right in the middle of the Olympic fortnight and my route took me past Buckingham Palace – it suddenly dawned on me that perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea and might make me late.  It didn’t. It was also a most palpable and memorable experience, there were hoards and hoards of people (they were changing the guard too) but the atmosphere was electric.  There was an immense feeling of camaraderie, support, happiness perhaps and just an enjoyment of being part of something very big and very special.

I met one of the Games Makers (the volunteers who gave up their time to work at the Olympics for free) yesterday and he very humbly said, it was one of the most amazing experiences of his life.  He has traveled the world and sat on the boards of some of the world’s most illustrious companies, so he’s had some experience in his life.

The focus and dedication of the sportsmen and women is just extraordinary, and as many of them have said ‘ if you really want something’ you can. The Team GB women’s hockey players who won bronze medals have talked widely about their pact and commitment to each other some years ago in 2009 to train and live their lives at gold standards.  That’s just what they did and made some monumental sacrifices along the way. They defined their goals, refined along the way and now have the medals to prove it. If that’s not inspiring, I don’t know what is.

Great success and achievement comes from hard work, focus, teamwork, tracking progress and celebrating the small stuff and the big stuff along the way. 

So, if gold is what you’re seeking in any area of your life  - are you living or working to gold standards?

Or perhaps we could all take a leaf out of Eric Idle’s book (Olympic closing ceremony) and ‘always look on the bright side of life, de doo, de doo, de doo de doo.’ Not a bad place to start.