Secrets Of
Inspiring
Leaders
Exposed!
Dale Beaumont
With Stuart Zadel & Foreword By Matt Church
Disclaimer
All the information, techniques, skills and concepts contained within this publication are of the nature of general comment only, and are not in any way recommended as individual advice. The intent is to offer a variety of information to provide a wider range of choices now and in the future, recognising that we all have widely diverse circumstances and viewpoints. Should any reader choose to make use of the information contained herein, this is their decision, and the contributors (and their companies), authors and publishers do not assume any responsibilities whatsoever under any conditions or circumstances. It is recommended that the reader obtain their own independent advice.
First Edition 2007
Copyright © 2007 Dream Express International Pty Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission from the publisher.
National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:
Beaumont, Dale.
Secrets of inspiring leaders exposed.
1st ed.
ISBN 9780980308686 (pbk.).
1. Leadership. 2. Inspiration - Anecdotes. I. Title.
(Series: Secrets exposed).
158.4
Published by Dream Express Publishing
A division of Dream Express International Pty Ltd
PO Box 567, Crows Nest, NSW 1585 Australia
Email: info@SecretsExposed.com.au
Website: www.SecretsExposed.com.au
Distributed in Australia by Gary Allen
For further information about orders:
Phone: +61 2 9725 2933
Email: customerservice@garyallen.com.au
Editing by Simone Tregeagle [simone@inkcommunications.com.au]
Cover design by Jay Beaumont [www.thecreativehouse.com]
Illustrations by Grant Tulloch [www.tullytoons.com.au]
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To Glenda and Norman Leonard – the best leaders I know. Thank you for speaking into my life at the times when I needed it most. I will always be grateful.
Dale Beaumont
There comes a time in every person’s life when they must break ranks with the common file, and perhaps their peers and parental expectations, to follow their own personal legend. At that point both the leader and the follower within them go to war. Who wins that battle, I can’t say, but I do know that personal responsibility is absolute. This book is dedicated to the leader within you.
Stuart Zadel
Acknowledgments
As with any major project, there are a number of very special people who contributed to making this book happen, so we’d like to take a short moment to say, ‘Thank You’.
To the 13 extraordinary leaders featured in this book, the biggest THANK YOU for accepting our invitation to be a part of this exciting project. It has been wonderful to learn from each of you and get a glimpse into how you impact the lives of thousands, which in turn affects thousands more.
Next, a huge thanks to Emma Lyons, our very special project manager who worked tirelessly to pull together all the material for this book. Again, you have done yourself proud.
To the wonderful Simone Tregeagle and Kerrin Medenyak (from Ink Communications) and Neil Murphy, our great editors – thank you so much for your ongoing support. Sharon Witt your efforts are also greatly appreciated.
To Jay Beaumont (Dale’s brother) for designing the book covers, to Bookhouse in Sydney who continue to do such excellent typesetting and to Robert Stapelfeldt – thanks for everything you do to bring all of the ‘Secrets Exposed!’ books to life.
Next, to the team at Sure Fire Marketing. Thanks for all your efforts with the ongoing development of the ‘Secrets Exposed!’ website. We really value your work and thank you for the many emails after midnight.
Thanks to all the staff at Gary Allen (our wonderful distributors) and each and every sales rep that has helped to get these books into the stores – we greatly appreciate the work you do.
And finally, to tens of thousands of readers who have supported the ‘Secrets Exposed!’ series – a very heartfelt thanks. May the words from our books continue to inspire and guide your way!
Praise from readers of the ‘Secrets Exposed!’ series
“This book series has been very inspiring for me as I have read many books within the same topic areas from very famous authors. I have found that Dale’s books are up there with the rest, if not above them all! I have gathered some wonderful information and I know that these books will help me to move forward to where I wish to be.”
Monni O’Garr – Pro Street Performance
“This is an excellent series of books. The most interesting part was reading about the values of the contributors and how much of an impact these have on their success and the success of their businesses. There is hope for the ‘good guys’.”
Nik Cree – Gandalf Group
“Having read a lot of books within the genre, the ‘Secrets Exposed‘ series has really opened my eyes when it comes to business concepts and ideas that I never would have thought of. They are a fantastic resource.”
Sam Bailey – Small Business Owner
“I believe the two most important components for success are to place yourself in the right environment and to learn from the experience of others, in order to fast-track your own success. The ‘Secrets Exposed’ series has given me the most amazing insight and I love that you are able to pick-up the books and read them over and over again.”
Dean Burrello – Year 12 School Captain
“To me, the best thing about the ‘Secrets Exposed’ series is the insight it gives into the backgrounds and journeys of the people profiled, which when combined, gave me a powerful reference for my own life and success.”
Rob Scott – Aspiring Entrepreneur
“I found the Female Entrepreneurs book very motivating. It is always great to hear of other people’s experiences and learn from them. I keep a number of books on hand as ‘literary mentors’ to turn to when I need a boost or some fresh ideas. This book will be included in that part of my library.”
Wendy Dumaresq – Rad-Pads
“Given the recipes of so many successful and intelligent people, I am so inspired to take the steps to fulfil my own dreams and goals. These people never let anything stop them from becoming what they dreamt, that for me is the greatest motivation.”
Gemma Bouffler – Aspiring Business Woman
“The ‘Secrets Exposed’ series has really changed the way I do business. I used to work believing I had to trade my time for money, however through reading Secrets of Male Entrepreneurs Exposed! I now understand how I can leverage my time by building a team around me.”
Craig Eve – Managing Director, Atch Designs
Contents
Preface
If I were in your position right now I’d be wondering if I really needed to read this section. However, if this is the first ‘Secrets Exposed!’ book that you’ve read, could I ask you to please resist the temptation to skip ahead, as I’d like to briefly share with you why this book has been created and how you can best use it to impact your life.
When I was growing up I heard somewhere that there are two ways to live your life: the first is through ‘trial and error’ and the second is through ‘other people’s experience’. At the time I dismissed it as just another one of those sayings that sounds good, but doesn’t make much sense. Then, like most teenagers I finished school with stars in my eyes thinking, ‘This is great! My education is over – no more books, no more lectures, no more people telling me what to do’. How wrong I was. After a few months of bouncing around, not quite sure of what to do next, I stumbled across the idea of personal development and started to hear concepts such as:
• Formal education will earn you a living, but self-education will make you a fortune.
• Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.
• You will be the same person five years from now, except for the people you meet and the books you read.
• Don’t wish that your job were easier, wish that you were better.
• You are your own greatest asset, so you must invest in yourself.
Since November 2000, I have been totally committed to becoming my own most valuable asset. After attending hundreds of seminars, listening to thousands of hours of CDs and reading shelves of books, I have discovered that the people who truly succeed aren’t any smarter, better looking or harder working than anyone else – they just think differently and have learnt to incorporate different values into their lives.
I am now in the very fortunate position of being able to travel internationally to present personal development seminars to teenagers and I am often asked, ‘What is the one thing you need to know to be successful?’ My answer is always the same: ‘The one thing that you need to know is that there is not one thing that you need to know to be successful’. I’ve learnt that success is multifaceted and that mastering one principle of success or area of your life isn’t going to take you to the top – the more you master, the more successful you will become. But if I did have to identify one of the most important success strategies, it would be this: ‘Find out what successful people do and do the same thing until you get the same results’.
That’s what this book is all about. The only difference is, instead of you going out and finding successful people, we’ve brought them to you.
You see, whatever you want in life, whatever you are shooting for, chances are that someone else is already living it. They have already invested years of their life and probably hundreds of thousands of dollars, they’ve made lots of mistakes, learnt from them and eventually succeeded. So why would you want to waste your own time, money and effort through ‘trial and error’ when you can fast-track your success by learning from ‘someone else’s experience’? As Sir Isaac Newton said, ‘If I have seen further it is because I have been standing on the shoulders of giants’.
Every time you pick up a book, attend a seminar or interview a successful person, you are compressing years of life experience into a few hours. With any of the ‘Secrets Exposed’ books, you can multiply that by between twelve and seventeen people and you’re looking at around 250+ years of experience and wisdom ready and waiting for you. It won’t prevent you from making mistakes of your own, far from it, but it will help you to make more calculated and purposeful decisions, rather than big, misguided and ignorant ones.
There is no shortage of information about how to achieve proficiency or even greatness in any area of life these days. Go to any bookstore or library and you’ll find the shelves sagging with titles from experts, all with their own theories and ways of doing things. But what I have discovered is lacking in almost all of these books is INSPIRATION. What’s missing is role models and mentors – the stories of people we can all look up to. People who started out exactly like you – with a dream in their hearts and with all the same fears and insecurities. Given the choice between reading a textbook or a dozen success stories about people who have actually done something, I’d take the success stories any day of the week. I’m not saying that theoretical information isn’t important, of course it is, but having presented hundreds of talks to all different types of audiences, I can confidently say that it’s always the stories that move people. It’s the whole, “If he or she did it, then so can I” that gets inside people’s hearts. When we’re inspired we get motivated and then we take positive action which leads to results.
The ‘Secrets Exposed’ books are not intended to be a one-stop-shop. They are an introduction to the wealth of knowledge available to you and to some of the real success stories of people who have reached the top in their chosen field of endeavour. That’s why at the back of each book you will find most of the contributors’ contact details and some of their other products and services that are available to help you continue your journey.
So, how did the whole idea for the ‘Secrets Exposed’ books come about?
Well, in 1998, when I was around seventeen, my nan gave me a copy of a book titled Collective Wisdom, by Brett Kelly. In it were transcripts of face-to-face interviews with a whole lot of prominent Australian personalities. And it was a fantastic read. Since then I have seen a handful of random ‘success story’ books, but the challenge I find with most of them is that they are either transcripts of interviews, that never really make complete sense in the printed form, or they are written by writers who paraphrase someone else’s story. The result tends to be a diluted message that doesn’t really allow you to get a sense of the individual’s personality or character.
In around 2001 I read my first Chicken Soup for the Soul book and realised that there were dozens and dozens of related titles designed to meet the needs of different people’s areas of interest. I thought that was pretty neat.
It wasn’t until January 2004 that the ‘Secrets Exposed’ idea boiled over. I was in my hotel room in Singapore relaxing after six straight days of presenting to hundreds of teenagers. I was reflecting on the ideas that had been shared with them. One of the most important was to seek out those who have already achieved what you want and ask them lots of questions. I was plagued by the thought that only a small percentage would act on that very valuable advice and that most would never take the step due to a lack of confidence, fear of rejection or an inability to contact the people they needed.
That’s when it hit me...‘What if I could find the people and put together a number of books covering a range of different areas?’ I knew it would take a lot of effort, so for the next three days, I sat in my hotel room and developed the basis of an entire system to make it happen.
Based on my experience with other books, I decided that these books had to be non-time specific and be written (not spoken) by the people themselves. This way the answers would be planned and well thought-out, providing richer content and more interesting reading. I also wanted to make sure that there was an even balance between practical ‘how to’ information and inspirational stories that gave an insight into the highs and lows of people’s real journeys. I also wanted to ensure that a percentage of every book sold was donated to a charity relating to the nature of that particular book.
When I arrived home I got into action. However, between working out of a tiny one-bedroom flat and trying to manage two other demanding businesses, my plans were a little slow in the beginning and I had to be resourceful. So I bought a plastic tub and turned the boot of my car into a mobile office! Anytime I could find a spare hour or two, I’d park myself at the gym or a nearby coffee shop and make calls from my mobile phone.
Putting these books together has been both time-consuming and demanding, but it has also been a real privilege for me to have the opportunity to work with each of the people involved in the various books. Thank you, to each of you, for making it possible!
Well, I think you’ve heard enough from me. Now it’s time for you to discover for yourself the wonderful wisdom contained in these pages. I hope that you enjoy the read as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together. And who knows, maybe one day we will be reading your story?
Dream Big!
Dale Beaumont
Creator of the ‘Secrets Exposed’ Series
Sydney,
Australia
Download Your Free Audio Gift
Exclusive to readers of the ‘Secrets Exposed’ series...
In this 1 hour 43 minute recorded interview, author Dale Beaumont intimately shares the inner workings of the ‘Secrets Exposed’ series. Discover in greater details how he came up with the idea, how he managed to secure personal interviews with over 200 of the countries most successful people and what he believes are some of the most important business and life principles from each of the books in the series.
Simply visit the web page below and follow the directions to listen to or download the entire interview direct to your Notebook or PC.
Foreword
At last count, estimates say there are now 6.5 billion people on the planet. This mass of humanity is facing an unprecedented change. The world has always gone through change, however, this current change is happening faster and with greater impact on how we live and work than ever before.
The change can be seen in discussions on global warming and best-selling books on ‘blinking instead of thinking’. The Dalai Lama now runs events that look, feel and operate like a motivational speaker’s rally. The world has changed.
Leadership is one of the few keys to making our new reality one where we experience peace, hope and prosperity, and where fear and confusion fade away.
The role of leaders has changed in parallel with this massive global shift. Consultative leadership styles are replacing authoritarian ones. Workplaces are installing cafés and more and more people are blending work and life. Young workers are demanding flexible hours, greater pay and a sense of amazing fulfilment. And so they should.
This fabulous book is a must-read for everyone who wants to contribute positively to the transformational planetary change that anyone with an awareness can feel is happening.
In my capacity as a personal leadership expert, I see the need for everyone on the planet to take responsibility for leadership – not just those who run companies, organisations or countries. This book is for everyone!
As CEO of Thought Leaders, a talent management company, I read this book and find daily inspiration through the stories and perspectives of the authors. Read the Secrets of Inspiring Leaders and expose yourself to the secret leader who resides in each of us. This, above all things will stop wars, make money and create happiness and fulfilment for all. You are the leader of your life.
Matt Church
CEO Thought Leaders
Best-selling author High Life 24/7
Introduction
Of all the titles in the ‘Secrets Exposed!’ series, perhaps none is tougher to define and categorise, yet at the same time what could be more important to your future success than leadership?
Just as surely as the tides rise and fall by the gravitational pull of the moon, everything in life rises and falls on leadership.
But what is leadership? How is it defined? Why is it so important? Is it learnt or gifted at birth? What are its characteristics? Can they be duplicated? And perhaps most importantly, how can a person grow and expand their leadership ability?
The answers to these questions and many others, are the basis of this book.
A great leader was once asked, ‘What is the one thing you need to know to be a leader?’
His answer, ‘The one thing you need to know to be a leader is... there is not just one thing you need to know!’
Leadership is multifaceted and there are many different factors that combine to make a person a successful leader. In other words, mastering just one skill or attribute won’t make you a leader, but like the power of multiplication, the more you master the greater your effectiveness will be.
Of course it will take some time, a little study and most certainly practical application for these skills to integrate and mature. But the rewards to your personal and professional life will be immeasurable.
At a micro level, a person’s family is a great place to start. Leadership qualities and principles practised within your family will be reflected in greater understanding, values and trust. But most importantly, it will instil belief in people to live at their best.
Expanding things further, we enter into the realm of communities, corporations and even countries. Despite the fact that many people think a single person never accomplishes true and lasting impact, think about it and look at the examples you see.
Making a major difference requires money, resources, workers, advocates and lots of encouragement – things that typically don’t just happen or appear on their own. It requires a leader (or many leaders) and many people that see potential in others and inspire them to play their part.
So if you have ambitions to succeed in business or on the sporting field, or if you feel strongly about a community, political or social issue and want to make a real difference, this book is for you.
In Secrets of Inspiring Leaders Exposed! we’ve assembled an amazing group of 13 successful people, all leaders in their respective fields, who are eager to share their experiences and pass on what they’ve learnt. These contributors provide ‘how-to’ advice and loads of inspiration as they reveal insights into their professional and personal journeys.
To further assist you in your own endeavours, a number of contributors have also very generously offered valuable gifts to all of our readers. To receive them, all you need to do is visit the website address provided and follow the steps to download the bonus gifts – absolutely free.
At the back of the book we have included the contact websites of every contributor. You’ll discover that many have their own books or educational materials, which we strongly endorse and encourage you to investigate further.
Finally, remember it’s what you do after you read this book that is going to determine its real value to you. So, go out there, apply what you’ve learnt and when you reach a goal – no matter how big or small – let us know so we can share your success story.
Enjoy!
Dale Beaumont and Stuart Zadel
Email: info@SecretsExposed.com.au
Time To Listen
Avril Henry
“I strongly believe in the concept of the ‘Power of One’ and that any one individual can make a difference in life and in the world – it’s a choice you make!”
Profile
Avril Henry
Avril Henry was born in Kimberley, South Africa. She grew up in this predominantly Afrikaans mining town with strict parents and in a community that believed apartheid was an acceptable way of life.
At 17, Avril won a university scholarship and moved to Cape Town where she completed a degree in accounting and economics. She began her career in the financial services industry and quickly discovered that apartheid dictated where you could live and whom you could be friends with. In 1980, she decided to immigrate to Australia to start a life that would give her a freedom she would never know in South Africa.
Over the next 20 years, Avril worked in finance, IT, change management and human resources roles in major Australian, European and American companies, discovering a passion for diversity, people and performance strategies, and developing leadership capability. She began her own company in 2003 focusing on these key areas. In 2006, she completed a ministerial review – the Henry Report – for the Minister of Defence into recruitment and retention practices in the armed forces.
In 2006, Avril won the prestigious Lifetime Achievement in Human Resources Award at the Australian HR Awards. She has been a finalist in the Best HR Director and Sydney Business Review Businesswoman of the Year awards, and nominated for Telstra Business Woman of the Year on four occasions.
A respected and sought-after speaker and author, Avril has featured in dozens of newspaper and business magazine articles. She lives in Sydney, and when she isn’t speaking and writing, you will find her training for the 2007 New York Marathon, mentoring Generation Y entrepreneurs, or spending time with her children, friends and beloved dogs, enjoying fine food and good champagne.
What is your definition of leadership?
Leadership is about creating an environment where people can be the best they can be by removing the obstacles that stand in their way and leading by example. This means that you should never ask anyone who works for you to do something you have not already done or are not willing to do yourself. It also requires that you coach and develop people so they can succeed. As a leader, this requires accepting that you don’t know all the answers and that leadership is a journey of ongoing self-discovery and self-development – it is not a destination!
What made you decide to move from South Africa to Australia?
I grew up in South Africa during the apartheid era. From a young age I questioned whether apartheid was right or not, I recall thinking about this for the first time when I was 11 years old. Within educational and religious institutions we were taught that apartheid was based on Christian principles and was about ‘looking after the blacks as they were incapable of taking care of themselves’. Apartheid also utilised a number of bible texts, taken completely out of context, to justify its existence as an appropriate political system. For example, ‘...be ye not unequally yoked...’ I questioned my Sabbath School teacher about this, who was horrified by my suggestion that apartheid might be wrong. It seemed to me that we were all human beings, just different colours! After that incident my teacher promptly spoke to my mother about my questions and attitude, and warned my mother that, ‘This girl is going to be trouble!’
When I went to the University of Cape Town and studied labour economics as one of my electives, I discovered that my suspicions were correct. I learnt about the Job Reservation Act, which protected employment for whites at the expense of blacks, regardless of qualifications and skills; the Group Areas Act, which gave preferential treatment to whites in terms of residential geographic locations; and the Immorality Act, which forbade relationships and marriages across the ‘colour bar’. At university I watched with horror as lecturers, fellow students and friends were detained without trial for their political views. Some returned defiant and determined to continue the fight against apartheid; others were never seen again. We knew they would never return. During our mid-year exams in my final year, the security police tear-gassed our campus to teach us a lesson for protesting against apartheid.
“I thought about it long and hard and knew that there were only a few options available to me.”
After leaving university I formed many close friendships at work with coloured and Indian colleagues. As a result I was counselled for ‘inappropriate behaviour’ by my boss, who also pointed out that, as one of their most promising graduates, I was damaging my future career prospects. I was told by some of my white colleagues, especially the Afrikaans, that I was a disgrace and an embarrassment to other white people. This situation worsened when I became romantically involved with a coloured man. I was reported to the security police and for the next two years I was regularly harassed and followed by them.
I thought about it long and hard and knew that there were only a few options available to me. I could support the current political regime – put up and shut up – and conform as most people did, I could protest and risk being detained without trial as had happened to others, or I could leave the country and forge a new life with my then-secret fiancé. I decided I would do the latter and determined that in my life and my work I would seek to ensure equality and fairness for myself and others. I arrived in Australia with $500, two suitcases and the dream of living freely and making a difference. Certain family members never forgave me for my political views and chose not to speak to me again, including my paternal grandmother, who believed I had disgraced my family.
I have never for one minute regretted my decision to emigrate to Australia, my ‘spiritual home’, which has afforded me the opportunity to be myself, pursue my dream of living freely and having multiple opportunities to make a difference through my work.
Can you tell us about your early career and the lessons you learnt along the way?
My early career was in the finance industry, working as an accountant in structured finance and then in investment banking. I was young, female, blonde and very enthusiastic. I believed I would be judged on my performance and merit, and was hugely disappointed and surprised when I discovered this was not the case. My first experience with discrimination at work was when two male colleagues were paid more than I was (and one was given a company car), despite the fact that I was already a qualified accountant and they had not yet finished their accounting studies. I was told it was because one of them was married and therefore needed to be paid more! I told my boss that if I didn’t get a pay increase to the same level as my male peers and a company car, then I would resign! I got the salary increase and the company car. From this experience I learnt two things:
1. If you want something badly enough, then ask for it (but make sure you have a sound business case) – I presented a written business case to my boss requesting a salary increase and a company car after I researched what other accountants were being paid in similar industries, coupled with the inside information supplied by my peers.
2. You need to take calculated risks regularly – it was a risk to tell my boss that I was willing to resign, however I was prepared to take that risk and follow through on my ultimatum if I needed to. Taking risks can lead to failure, but it is how you deal with failure that is important. If you see it as a learning opportunity then you will grow and develop as a person. I believe the only difference between successful people and less successful people is that successful people have failed more often, but managed to transform the experience into a lesson. I love the quote by Honda, after failing 167 times before producing the first Honda motorcycle prototype – ‘Success is 99 per cent failure!’
I have also learnt many other lessons throughout my career:
It is important to have mentors throughout your career – find people who you can trust and who you can ask for advice and guidance when the going gets tough. Mentors are more likely to be honest with you and give you constructive feedback. I have often discussed major career decisions with my mentors before making a change.
Seek opportunities to continually build your skill-set and competencies – if you can do this you will be more employable and valuable as an employee, manager and leader. The more diverse your experience and skill-set is, the more innovative you will be when analysing and solving problems.
Always invest in yourself – you should never hesitate when spending money on developing your professional and personal capacity. I live by the philosophy that if you are not growing as a person, you are simply stagnating!
Be true to yourself – my maternal grandmother taught me, ‘Always be true to yourself and know that you can look at yourself in the mirror and not be ashamed of what you see’. Throughout my career I have constantly subscribed to the philosophy, ‘To thine own self be true’.
Surround yourself with good people – in the latter part of my corporate career I have learnt that it is critically important to surround yourself with good people who have different skills to your own, different ways of thinking and working, and who will challenge you as a leader. I have always believed that diversity is a strength rather than a weakness, and good leaders value diversity rather than uniformity.
Having reached a high level of success in the corporate world, why did you go out on your own to help others?
I had a successful career in finance, IT, change management and human resources, but felt frustrated by the slow rate of change in relation to understanding and implementing practical strategies regarding leadership, performance management, talent management, diversity and communication. Each of these areas is critical to the survival and growth of businesses, regardless of industry, type or size, and yet I continued to observe a lack of understanding or willingness to invest time or financial resources in these areas by the organisations I was working for. So I went out on my own.
I felt that I could make more of a difference if I was ‘outside’ the organisation acting as a consultant and working across a wider cross-section of businesses and industries. I also believed that I could reach this wider audience through speaking at conferences and in-house events. Going out on my own also meant that I had the freedom to do work I was passionate about with clients I respected. It also meant that I could have the flexibility to spend more time with my family and friends, not necessarily by working shorter hours, but by working differently. I wanted to write a book on leadership and knew that I would not have the time or support from an organisation while I was an employee. I wanted to build a business with a positive work environment, shared values, and inclusive leadership where my employees would be measured on their outputs, not the amount of time they spent in the office or in front of a computer screen. I wanted to offer more mentoring for young people and coaching for senior executives, which is easier to do when you are working external to the organisation.
What challenges did you face when you went out on your own?
Self-belief and fear of failure! These were my two biggest challenges. I knew I had the experience, reputation, contacts and networks, but for the first few weeks I kept asking myself, ‘Have I done the right thing? Can I do this? Will it work? Can I earn a living by building a business that makes a difference and is respected?’ I received my first paid speaking engagement two weeks after I started the company and I am delighted that the business has grown by 50 to 60 per cent each year!
“I have always believed that diversity is a strength rather than a weakness...”
While I say that I was afraid of failure, I have always believed that the worst thing that can happen when you try something new is that you fail. In the beginning, I think I was more concerned about whether failing would have an adverse impact on my professional reputation, which I am proud of.
Another challenge was building a business through referrals only – this was a conscious decision that I made. I started by working with people who knew my work, doing pro bono presentations and mentoring assignments. This was a good strategy as it gave people who did not know me the opportunity to see me in action as a presenter and facilitator. This ultimately led not only to new business and clients but, more importantly, repeat business.
You have worked with some major corporations. How do you identify what their issues are and address them?
The only way you can truly identify key issues in an organisation is to speak to people at all levels of the organisation, from the senior executives through to the most junior employees. I have also learnt that it is important to give people the opportunity to speak openly without management being present or where they can be identified later. I have found focus groups a particularly important source of open and honest feedback. During a recent review I did for the Department of Defence, we conducted 40 focus groups with the army, air force and navy. This group was a rich source of data for identifying what was wrong and what needed to be fixed in the services, as well as some great ideas on how to fix those problems. I have always believed that the solutions to many problems within organisations can be found inside; unfortunately, management often don’t look far enough within the employee ranks.
Surveys are another good way of acquiring data on issues because they can be undertaken anonymously. Employee satisfaction surveys over a number of years are a great way to see how the environment and organisation has changed.
It is important to speak to the CEO and senior executives one-on-one, asking them what they believe is working well, what is not working well, what needs to change, what they should stop doing and what they should start doing. I also look at the business’s vision, strategy, plans and objectives (if they exist), and compare this with what we have learnt from our interviews, surveys and/or focus groups. Following this exercise, a report is produced outlining our findings and recommendations.
What do you believe is at the core of all successful leaders?
I believe that at the core of all successful leaders is a fundamental self-belief and passion for the work they do. Successful leaders are those people whose personal values are in alignment with the values of their organisations. Integrity and leading by example is simply part of their DNA.
Why did you decide to write a book on leadership?
I decided to write a book about leadership in the Australian workplace as I noticed that we often look overseas when it comes to appointing CEOs and senior executives to major Australian private and public-sector organisations. I believe we do this because when looking for leaders we tend to look in traditional organisations and try to replace existing leaders. For example, at the end of 2005 some 91.3 per cent of Australia’s ASX 200 board members were from one dominant group – male, white, Anglo-Saxon and generally over the age of 45. There is no diversity when 91.3 per cent of leaders come from the same group.
I was also concerned that we did not recognise the inspiring and effective leaders of the not-for-profit sector – the arts, sport, small and medium enterprises, academia, health and education. It occurred to me that we often measure leadership by an organisation’s financial success and the technical skills of individuals rather than important key performance indicators, such as employee engagement, retention rates and behavioural competencies.
“It occurred to me that we often measure leadership by an organisation’s financial success...”
In seeking to find leaders from multiple industries and businesses, different ages and both genders, I found leaders who inspired me far more than many well-known leaders in big businesses and politics. In my interviews I only asked one question: ‘What do you believe are the key characteristics of an effective and inspiring leader?’ I was delighted (but not surprised) that not one of them mentioned their bottom line, technical skills, qualifications or social backgrounds. They all talked about behaviours, which in essence came down to integrity, credibility, self-belief and respect.
What is the main message in your book Leadership Revelations: An Australian Perspective?
The key message is that we need to move from a directive, command and control style to a more open, inclusive and collaborative style that is approachable and honest. We are moving in that direction, but not fast enough if we wish to retain our best talent.
Rhonda Jansz defines the essence of true leadership from a follower’s point of view when she says that leaders will always be remembered, ‘Not only for what we said, not only for what we did, but more importantly for how we made our people feel’.
Can you tell us about some of the leaders who have had the biggest impact on your life? What made them so special?
The two leaders who have had the most significant impact on my life have been my maternal grandmother, Pearl Brand Hobbs, and Ann Sherry, a senior executive at Westpac. One is obviously a leader in the conventional sense and the other is not. However, I believe my maternal grandmother was a woman who lived a hundred years ahead of her time.
My maternal grandmother taught me the following lessons:
• Listening is more important than speaking – that is why we have two ears and one mouth. Everyone has something worthwhile to say, so take the time to listen (even to the uneducated and lowly in society).
• Look for the good in people first because if you look for the bad you will always find something that you don’t like.
• If someone is really important to you, you will care enough to talk to them and resolve any issues or problems rather than stew about them. Don’t ever let the sun set on your anger.
• Think before you speak, especially if you are angry! It is better to calm down first than to speak in anger because once the words have left your mouth you cannot retract them.
• Always be true to yourself, even if it means that you may be unpopular with others. It is more important to be able to live with yourself and face yourself in the mirror every day, than to be popular. Do not sell your soul in the pursuit of acceptance and popularity.
• Seek opportunities to demonstrate kindness to others when they least expect it.
• If you don’t have something positive or constructive to say about someone else, then perhaps it is better to say nothing.
• ‘People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.’
In hindsight, I realise that my grandmother had a significant impact on the values by which I live today, especially with regard to fairness and justice in society. Although I told her how important she was to me and I know she knew how much I loved her, I often wish I could tell her how much her life lessons mean to me. She was, and continues to be, an inspiration to me every day. Recently, I was extremely touched when my eldest daughter told her prospective employer in a job interview that one of the five people she would like to have met most was my maternal grandmother. When the interviewer asked her why, she said, ‘Because my mother is one of the most inspiring people in my life, and I know her grandmother played a large part in shaping who she is today!’
After I left working in finance roles, Ann Sherry was my first boss in human resources. She had a significant impact on me because she was willing to take a risk with someone who had no experience and was ‘untried’ in the human resource field. She believed in my potential and my ability to achieve outcomes in the area of diversity because of my passion for equality and fairness. She could see something in me and my team that we could not see in ourselves. Through her unwavering belief in us, we achieved things beyond our wildest dreams.
I also learnt from her that, in your role as leader, it is important to surround yourself with people who are technically more competent than you and to remove the obstacles that prevent these people from being the best they can be. Ann was never intimidated by surrounding herself with smart and competent people because she had enough self-confidence and belief. From her I learnt the value of self-belief and understanding the importance of knowing what it is that makes you unique as a leader. Once you have identified your uniqueness, you then capitalise on that quality and never delegate that one thing you can do better than anyone else in the team.
Ann’s key skills from my point of view were her abilities to create a positive work environment where her people could excel, her unwavering support in the face of opposition or conflict and her ability to use humour when the going got tough. She also ensured that her team got regular and constructive feedback and the appropriate training to cover any gaps in skills or experience. Ann was the first boss to organise a coach for me, one of the most influential development experiences of my career.
What do you think are your main strengths and weaknesses as a leader? How do you manage these?
My key strengths are my:
• tenacity
• self-discipline
• courage
• willingness to grow and develop myself both professionally and personally
• strong communication and people skills
• excellent planning skills.
I believe my weaknesses are my:
• impatience
• tendency to assume that others understand my expectations (without giving enough detail)
• intolerance for not ‘suffering fools gladly’.
“ work very hard at developing patience through consulting with a long-term mentor...”
I work very hard at developing patience through consulting with a long-term mentor and regular coaching. I continue to focus on developing my listening skills through formal and informal feedback (a skill I believe to be fundamental for all leaders). I have had four coaches in my career over the last 12 years who have taught me a lot about managing both my own expectations and those of others more effectively. I continue to read as much as I can on communication and leadership. I also seek feedback from my employees, clients, friends and family on how I can improve. I don’t always like what I hear – especially from my children or best friend (I know they’re the most honest and want what is best for me) – but I take it on board, lick my wounds, reflect, learn, and change my thinking and behaviour.
What do you think holds people back from becoming a leader?
Lack of self-belief is the key detractor from becoming a leader. Self-awareness and authenticity are also crucial to being a leader and developing self-awareness can be a painful personal journey. It is equally important to remember that not everyone wants the responsibility of being a leader.
What do you see as the biggest problem facing the world today and what can we do about it?
I believe the biggest problem facing the world is the lack of skilled resources to do the work that needs to be done in the future. It is disconcerting that by 2050 the greatest population growth is predicted to be in the 50 poorest countries. This means that resources will become increasingly scarce as demand grows. Coupled with a lack of investment in the development of leadership skills, organisations will lack the quality of leadership demanded by younger workers who want to work for effective and inspiring leaders who they respect and who respect them in return.
I believe we need to invest in two areas to address this:
1. Workforce education throughout the world.
2. Leadership development for people responsible for managing and leading teams.
I believe that education should be seen as a basic human right, not a privilege. Through education we enable people to earn a living and take care of themselves. It also enables economic growth and prosperity, not just for the individual, but also for the organisation, community and the country. If we invest in the education of people – regardless of age, gender and physical ability – we enable people to be the best they can be, resulting in greater self-confidence, self-belief and an increase in productivity and profitability.
This can only happen if we simultaneously invest in the development of people management and leadership skills. While many people believe leaders are born, I believe that there are too few natural born leaders for us to depend on them only. Leadership is a set of learnable and observable behaviours. When people learn how to lead others, it sets them free from the fear of failure, the need to be all things to all people and the need to control others and the work environment. Strong leadership skills enable managers and leaders to recognise the value of empowering others to be the best they can be; a key motivator for all employees, but especially Generations X (born 1965-1979) and Y (born 1980-1995). In the words of Ken Blanchard, ‘When people feel good about themselves, they produce good results’. The key motivator at work for Generations X and Y is strong leadership. This means that they will stay with an organisation if they work for a good manager, so an organisation’s leadership is the key retention strategy.
You are now an expert in understanding and leading people from Generations X and Y. Can you share with us some of their characteristics?
First of all, one of the important differences between the older generations – Veterans and Baby Boomers – and the two younger generations – X and Y – is that X and Y do not define themselves by what they do for a job. They will change their careers and jobs multiple times, be self-employed, work overseas at least once and re-skill themselves on a regular basis. This is quite different to the older generations who believed in the concept of a ‘job for life’ and long-term loyalty to one profession and one employer. This loyalty does not exist in the minds and hearts of Generations X and Y who saw their parents’ loyalty to the organisation repaid with redundancies and downsizing.
“Generation X tends to be the more sceptical generation, whereas Y is highly optimistic...”
Generation X tends to be the more sceptical generation, whereas Y is highly optimistic – but both generations believe in managing their own careers. They are better educated and more multi-skilled than previous generations. They believe that education and having experience in different disciplines is a greater form of job security as it makes them more employable.
Both these generations believe in the concept of ‘working to live’, rather than ‘living to work’. They have observed the break down of marriages and relationships from their parents and are not willing to sacrifice relationships for work and career progression. Generation X women are getting married and having children later, believing it is important to establish a career before having a family. They believe this gives them more financial security and greater bargaining power when they want to return to work, because they are in a more senior position when they go on maternity leave.
Unlike previous generations, they are not willing to do jobs they hate or work for bosses who they do not respect. They are risk takers and will leave a job or boss they don’t like without something else to go to, much to the dismay of their more conservative and security-conscious parents.
What should people keep in mind when leading Generation X employees?
I believe the most important thing about leadership is understanding what motivates people. The key motivators for Generation X are quite different to Baby Boomers, who are often the managers of Generation X. The five key motivators for Generation X are:
Effective leadership – Generation X define effective leaders as leaders who do what they say they will do.
Challenging work – they want the opportunity to do challenging work that will increase their skill-set and stretch them.
Access to learning and development programs – they are driven by continuously developing their skills and enhancing the quality of their resume, which they regard as a marketing document for ‘Me Inc’.
Access to coaching – they want to be coached by a respected senior executive within the organisation or, if that is not possible, they want the organisation to provide them with an external coach who will continue to develop their skills, particularly their ‘soft’ skills in relation to managing people.
Work/life balance – they want to have a satisfying career while also enjoying time with their families and friends. They regard work as a means to an end and want to be judged on their performance and outputs, not the amount of time they are ‘seen’ in the office.
What tips can you offer for dealing with and motivating Generation Y employees?
Generation Y is driven by a sense of belonging. They are an optimistic generation and although they are motivated by similar things to Generation X, there are some subtle differences. The five key motivators for Generation Y are:
Inspiring leadership – Generation Y want to work for managers and leaders who love what they do and, in turn, inspire and motivate them to achieve through passion.
Respect – they want to be respected for their entrepreneurial skills, innovation and technological skills. Generation Y believe they have studied hard to acquire skills which they often feel they never get to use.
Access to learning and development – they are impatient and restless by nature (stimuli junkies), so regular and relevant training is important for developing their skills and maintaining their interest in the job.
Access to mentoring – they want to be mentored by ‘cool’ older people who like and respect young people. They are quick to detect people who are insincere and not interested in the opinions and careers of young employees.
Flexibility – they believe that flexibility at work should be based on trust. In their words, ‘My manager/supervisor should trust that I will get the work done to the agreed standard and within the agreed deadlines. They should also trust that I will ask if I am not sure how to do something. We want to be treated as responsible adults, not kindergarten children!’
In the future, what do you see as the biggest challenge facing the workforce and the Australian economy?
In the future, the biggest challenge facing the workforce will be the demand for resources that will continue to exceed supply. A further related challenge will be the increased desire for flexibility by employees. Over the next decade up to 60 per cent of the workforce will choose to work flexible hours, regardless of whether organisations are willing to offer this or not. Where flexible hours are not available, people will choose to work as contractors and consultants, resulting in an increase in self-employment and small businesses. Over the last decade the number of small businesses has increased from 800,000 to 1.3 million – an increase driven primarily by women and Generation Y. This is because of their perception of organisations lacking inclusive leadership, failing to provide positive work environments and not caring for the needs of women and young people.
Australia is becoming an increasingly attractive resource pool for other countries and global organisations that view the Australian workforce as well educated and hard working. We need to look beyond our local competitors and recognise that due to globalisation and technology we are now competing both domestically and globally to attract new resources and retain existing ones. The relevance of leadership qualities as a retention strategy within an organisation will increase in importance.
Tell us about your video ‘What’s sex got to do with it?’
This video is six vignettes of actual sexual harassment situations that have happened, and still do, in Australian workplaces. My role involved writing the scenarios for the script and advising the producers, ensuring the scenarios were portrayed correctly and honestly. It is very powerful and my intent was to demonstrate that the impact of sexual harassment is more widespread than simply the two parties involved – it often impacts other colleagues and family members as well.
I ensured that the key messages were not watered down, as so often happens in corporate training programs, just so that people won’t feel uncomfortable. This video is very thought provoking and challenging and was one of ten finalists at the 1995 New York Festival Awards. It is still the most widely utilised educational video on sexual harassment in Australia.
“Over the last decade the number of small businesses has increased from 00,000 to 1.3 million...”
At the end of your life, how do you want to be remembered?
I want to be remembered as someone who:
• was true to myself
• lived and enjoyed life to its fullest
• seized every opportunity to share my journey with others
• demonstrated fairness and respect in my dealings with others
• had the courage to do what was right rather than what was popular or socially acceptable and politically correct
• truly made a difference, and made the world a better place for my children, grandchildren and others.
Is there a significant quote or saying that you live your life by?
‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us... As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.’ – Nelson Mandela at his inauguration
I strongly believe in the concept of the ‘Power of One’ and that any one individual can make a difference in life and in the world – it’s a choice you make!
What are your top tips for becoming a great leader?
Self-leadership – this is the essence of leadership. It is based on knowing yourself well and taking charge of your own destiny. This has been articulated by Shane Toohey, a leading Australian adventurer and business consultant, who said, ‘Before you can become an outstanding leader of others, you must be outstanding at leading yourself first’.
Appetite for learning and developing others – great leaders have an insatiable desire to learn new things that will enable them to be more effective leaders. They also know that they don’t know everything themselves. As they learn new things they want to share this knowledge with others, especially those whom they lead.
Listen – while great communication skills are essential in order to be a great leader, this is not enough. Being a great listener is often more important than being a great talker. It is through listening to others (often those at lower levels in the organisation) that we learn what other people in the organisation are thinking, find innovative solutions to problems and get a strong sense of the organisation’s pulse. In a 2005 survey conducted on Generation Y people in the workplace, they identified ‘good listener’ as the number one trait of a great boss.