Note to self. In Kakadu in 2018 with my EG colleagues. I ask our guide: “So does this national park belong to the indigenous population here?” The guide replies: “The Aborigines do not believe the land belongs to them. They believe that we belong to the land.” Eureka. The earth has been around for 5 […]
Read More… from Belonging to the Land: Lessons from Kakadu and Indigenous Wisdom
A note to young business owners. Confidentiality is important but don’t overdose. Twenty years ago, working with John Caldon – former Deputy MD of Macquarie Group – we met with scores of small business owners looking for a business to invest in and scale. After one such meeting, John remarked: “That could be a great […]
Read More… from Why Business Owners Should Balance Confidentiality and Transparency
A note to young leaders. Let me tell you of a time I was at my impressive best … entirely by accident. One day I walked into the office gingerly knowing that I had only slept 2-hours the night before. I walked straight into an internal meeting where we dealt with a number of big […]
Read More… from The Power of Calm Leadership: Listening and Speaking Softly
Note to self. On the genius of nature. It’s not a coincidence that Buddha and Sir Isaac Newton both had their famous epiphanies while sitting under a tree. Nature was also where Beethoven went when he was sad or in need of inspiration. “No one can love the countryside as much as I do”, he […]
Read More… from Finding Inspiration and Serenity in Nature’s Genius
To aspiring real estate investors. Whenever you miss out on a deal you had your heart set on – instead of dwelling on the disappointment, train yourself to say: “There’s always a better deal around the corner.” Prophecy your future. It’s uncanny how many times I’ve missed out on a deal only to come across […]
Read More… from How Missing Deals Leads to Better Opportunities
A note to young leaders. Lessons from my father. In 1987, dad developed a hotel in Canberra called “The Garden City Motor Inn”. He operated the hotel for a few years before he sold it. One day I overheard my father fielding a call from the hotel manager. After dealing with the issue at hand, […]
Read More… from Leadership Lessons from My Father: Share Success, Not Just Problems
A note to young leaders. Contrary to popular belief, the best leaders are demanding. Research shows that highly-rated leaders are those who are both demanding and kind. But here’s the surprise – demanding and unsympathetic leaders are rated more highly than kind, ineffective leaders. In other words, we prefer leaders who hold us accountable to […]
Read More… from Why the Best Leaders Are Both Demanding and Kind
A note to young leaders. How people treat you is their karma. How you react is yours. On one occasion, in my late twenties, the late, great John Caldon – former Deputy MD of Macquarie Group – asked me what I thought of a particular colleague of ours. I replied: “A very smart and ambitious […]
A note to young leaders. Think and act as a leader for long enough and you will become the leader. Born in Dublin, Ireland, Eoin Morgan was an unlikely choice to become captain of England’s ODI team. When he was interviewed for the role, he impressed with his proposed vision, team composition and tactics. How, […]
Read More… from How Eoin Morgan’s Mindset Made Him a Winning Leader