A walk on the beach is a good investment!

Hearing the waves, feeling sand under my feet and the sun on my face, breathing fresh salty air, and seeing a spectacular natural shoreline is when I come up with my best ideas. 

It’s when the default mode network of my brain kicks in. The areas responsible for:

• Reflecting on the big picture

• Connecting dots

• Problem-solving in novel ways

• Generating “a-ha” moments

If I’m constantly on the go - in meetings, at my desk, answering emails and phone calls - my brain is in task mode, using my executive control network. This part of my brain is extremely handy in getting things done – but it’s not good at determining whether those things are the right things.

It’s the same principal in teams. I’ve been part of and worked with many teams who focus on getting things done. That’s great. But are those things the right things? Are those things being does as effectively and efficiently as possible? Do stakeholders actually value those things? Will those things be relevant next month, or next year?

Teams need regular “walks at the beach”. Time to reflect, process, connect, solve gnarly problems and plan for the future. 

And that’s what I help teams with. Time to let their collective “default mode network’s” activate!

Get in touch if you want to find out more. I do need to warn you that I’m a big fan of outdoor meetings and coaching sessions - beach walks included!

🪴 Growing leaders & teams

🪴 Sowing seeds of insight & inspiration

Do you have naughty tendencies?

It’s only 135 days until Christmas - not much time to sort that out! 

Santa’s not well known for aligning his approach with contemporary psychology and neuroscience – but it seems he’s on to something!

What if Santa only focused on the naughty list, ignoring the nice list – because those children are fine as they are aren’t they?

Yet this is exactly what most organisations do. 

There is plenty of evidence that focusing on “nice” is a good investment. Despite this, most organisations focus on the “naughty”, investing in development where there is a problem to fix – someone is struggling, underperforming, or there is conflict. Leaving effective areas to manage on their own.

The same principle applies to teams. The development budget goes to the “naughty” ones – they ones that don’t play together nicely. 

Lets’ flip it! Let’s take a more balanced approach - investing in average, well performing and high potential teams too, giving them an opportunity to shine even more. And that shine rubs off on the rest of the organisation.

Find out more in the short article attached or get in touch. I’d love to talk more about your “naughty” tendencies!

🎄 Growing leaders & teams

🎄 Sowing seeds of insight & inspiration

Naughty or nice.pdf

Download PDF • 275KB

Coaches + Waiheke + mid-winter + sun = connection + reflection + fun!

+ good food

+ a few drinks

+ walks

+ nature

+ chatting

+ laughing

+ naps

Thanks so much to my coach peer learning group Rebekah Fraser, Professional Certified Coach (ICF), Alyson Keller (PCC, ICF), Nicky Benson, Helene Deschamps PCC, Carolyn Aukafolau (and Sabine Hillebrandt - we missed you) for a great Waiheke retreat. 

I’ve been lucky to be part of this group for more than 10 years. That’s a whole decade of shared learning, growth, and trust. Although group members have changed - people come and go as circumstance change – it feels like past members are constantly with us too. 

It’s a powerful reminder of why community and connection are so important - no matter what we do or what our interests are.

Grateful for the space we create together. 🩷 

Grateful for our connection and community. 🩷