RECENT LESSONS

leadership strategy Sep 30, 2024

With trips across the East over the last four weeks, I have had the chance to meet and listen to hundreds of leaders and business owners at various events.
 
Here are my take-aways:
 
CLIMATE ANXIETY IS REAL
Climate anxiety is a pressing issue for our youth, and one of the best solutions to avoid the looming fatal Hot House Earth and extinction scenarios is to abolish all political donations globally (ban oil conglomerate meetings in Mar-a-Lago!).
 
Our elected officials must have the freedom to act unfettered in the best interests of the planet. For this insight, I am grateful to  Phillip Nyssen for the chance to moderate an expert panel that included  Sallyanne Atkinson AO,  Peter Gollagher and  Rob Breuer on Sustainable Urbanisation, Major Events, and Smart Cities for the University of Melbourne https://lnkd.in/gs6bjuW7 this week in Brisbane.
 
REGIONAL BUSINESSES NEED TO BE MORE INNOVATIVE
By sharing my six-step strategic mindset process - Sense, See, Connect, Plan, Focus, and Move - across the regions in recent years, I have learned that regional businesses excel at sensing their environment, focusing on a chosen target, and moving with influence. However, regional businesses need to become more innovative. By contrast, Sydney-based businesses tend to be more creative and innovative, but are often slower to focus and move effectively. Interestingly, both groups need to improve their ability to see beyond the next horizon. For my insights on regional businesses, I am grateful to Harvey Norman and Capricornia Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring the recent Unleash the Business Power event in Yeppoon, where two weeks ago I presented on both Strategy Skills and Leadership Success Habits
 
YOUNG LEADERS WANT STRATEGIC SKILLS TO BETTER NAVIGATE THE FUTURE
The next generation of leaders in our major corporations are eager for changes to climate policy and are keen to enhance their strategic skills to better navigate the future. I was genuinely impressed with the problem-solving abilities of 29 emerging leaders at Origin Energy and their People and Culture Team led by  Lena Karin Lennartsson three weeks ago.
 
HUMOUR HELPS US LEARN
My strategy keynote for Business Sydney and the CBD Sydney Chamber four weeks ago reinforced for me the value of entertaining stories, relevant case studies, and the role of humour in helping leaders learn and make immediate improvements to their businesses. Thank you to  Nerida Pearson,  Paul Nicolaou and  Peter May for booking me.
 
TECHNOLOGY KEEPS TRANSCENDING SPACE AND TIME
We truly live in a hyperconnected world. Last week, my father was admitted to the Epworth Hospital in Geelong, and on Sunday, the screen with an articulating arm beside his bed allowed us to watch my son Lachlan win his 3x3 basketball game for Brisbane City, live via YouTube, and see him and earn a trip to Japan to play even more ball!
 
What did you learn in the last month?

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