Wil Massara is an inspirational 18-year-old who has been making a big difference on the youth leadership front. We discuss inspiration, motivation, leadership and insight.
Find out more about Wil Massara and Youth Leadership Australia at: www.ylaaus.com.
Stay tuned on what's next in our Unshakable journey... see you soon.
Jeremy Watkins helps people find an abundance of energy and vitality for whatever they are doing. I've personally benefited from insights he has shared during the challenging lock down period. In this interview we dive deep into what it means to 'become better' and how to balance that against not feeling 'good enough'. Jeremy gives some really practical tips and tools to help track, manage and enhance your energy and vitality. Free tools are available here. I reckon you'll find his enthusiasm and transparency infectious.
I will be sharing next week the talk I had with Wil Massara last 29th of July. Wil is an inspiring young man who is changing the game with his Youth Leadership Academy, so stay tuned for that.
Thanks for joining us live or on recordings of the Unshakable webcast. I'm taking a few weeks in the bush to recharge and celebrate 25 years married with my wife. I look forward to connecting with you on the webcast again soon, and will let you know about future guests and times. I hope you are doing well in the current circumstances.
Claire Vanderplank and I discuss lessons we've both gained from time alone in the wilderness (Claire on solo Quests and me on survival walks) about the value of creating space, self-awareness, the difference between being alone and being lonely and lessons from nature. Claire also shares some great tips for starting a meditation practice.
Stay tuned for other exciting guests this July.
My discussion with Matt Bruce this week covered a heap of territory — mental health, meditation, stress, business and rest. Matt’s personal experiences with Post Traumatic Stress following his military service means he speaks with deep empathy and understanding on these topics.
Next week my guest is Claire Vanderplank. She has spent up to 28 days alone on her own quests including in the Rocky Mountains and the south coast of WA. She leads people on wilderness quests where they spend multiple days in solitude in one small circle, fasting, in nature. Now is bringing together the experience she had in 'normal' world contexts like health, energy, stakeholder engagement and infrastructure, with these slightly different perspectives from nature and healing work, in her business, 'Weapons of Mass Creation.'
“We need to think this through!” Workplaces have been changed by COVID, probably forever, but making those changes work long term will require more.
Professor Gary Martin and I discussed current and evolving issues for workplaces and their leaders as we recover from COVID.
Stay tuned for other exciting guests this July.
Bonnie Davies is a master of unboring things. We discuss purpose, impacts on the events industry, why things get boring and what to do about it. Bonnie is Founder, CEO and Creative Director of Gelo, derived from Greek word for Laughter. She balances playfulness with professionalism. Enjoy!
Next week, I'll be speaking with Emeritus Professor Gary Martin, CEO of Australian Institute of Management in WA. Gary is a regular contributor to media and is considered a thought leader in workplace trends, business leadership and workplace learning and development. We'll be talking about emerging workforce and workplace trends post COVID.
Come and Join us 2:00 PM Perth time on Wednesdays.
Shaun Nannup walked us through an understanding of Aboriginal connection to country. Finding the rhythm in stillness and wholeness.
You may catch Shaun again tonight at 7:00 PM Perth time in “Black Lives Matter: Healing Your Heart”, with Shaun Nannup and Ajahn Brahm, 18th June 2020, live-streaming on YouTube.
Next week, Bonnie Davies joins us in “Unboring Things.” Bonnie is the Founder, CEO and Creative Director for Gelo. She is constantly rewriting the playbook for creative, performance-based businesses. She also creates and becomes Famous Sharron. We'll talk innovation, doing things differently, refusing to quit and ask why so much stuff is boring.
Come and Join us 2:00 PM Perth time on Wednesdays.
Grant “Axe” Rawlinson and I discussed the adventurer’s mindset, purpose, risk and the opposite of fragility. Grant had over 50 extended and difficult expeditions under his belt, a number of them world firsts. There is a mix of mindset, tactics and strategy in the conversation which can be readily applied to the current dynamic business environment.
And to watch our earlier sessions, you may check on the playlist here.
Next week’s guest is Shaun Nannup, Noongar Elder. We’ll discuss what can be learned from the world’s oldest continuous culture.
Here's our line-up in the coming weeks:
June 17
Shaun Nannup - Human being and Aboriginal Elder. Shaun connects people with powerful stories of belonging. Aboriginal people have culture dating back at least 60 000 years in Australia. Shaun and I will discuss connection, sustainability, and what's important when you are focussed on legacy beyond your lifetime.
June 24
Bonnie Davies - Founder, CEO and Creative Director for Gelo. Bonnie is all about “Unboring things”. Bonnie is constantly rewriting the playbook for creative, performance based businesses. She also creates and becomes Famous Sharron. We'll talk innovation, doing things differently, refusing to quit and ask why so much stuff is boring.
Come and Join us 2:00 PM Perth time on Wednesdays.
This week’s conversation was with Mark Butler, specialist in workplace mental health. We discussed returning to work after lock down, practical things leaders and organisations can do to address the roughly 30% of people who will return to work with significant mental health distress. If you’d like to contact Mark for more information visit his website or email him directly at: mark@markbutler.com.au.
And to watch our earlier sessions, you may check on the playlist here.
Here's our line-up for the coming weeks:
June 10
Grant "Axe" Rawlinson - A Kiwi based in Singapore and an adventurer that makes the stuff I have done look mild. He played international rugby and has over 50 expeditions across the globe under his belt including walking across countries, cycling across continents, climbing Mt Everest and crossing sea's completely by human-power. We'll talk decision-making, goals in uncertainty, mindset when all seems lost.
June 17
Shaun Nannup - Human being and Aboriginal Elder. Shaun connects people with powerful stories of belonging. Aboriginal people have culture dating back at least 60 000 years in Australia. Shaun and I will discuss connection, sustainability, and what's important when you are focussed on legacy beyond your lifetime.
June 24
Bonnie Davies - Founder, CEO and Creative Director for Gelo. Bonnie is all about “Unboring things”. Bonnie is constantly rewriting the playbook for creative, performance based businesses. She also creates and becomes Famous Sharron. We'll talk innovation, doing things differently, refusing to quit and ask why so much stuff is boring.
Come and Join us 2:00 PM Perth time on Wednesdays.
More from Mike
Subscribe to Mike’s weekly Unshakeable Newsletter here.
Join the weekly Don’t Panic - Surviving COVID19 webcast here.
Download a 1-page resource on the power of gratitude in Unshakeable teams here.
Buy a copy of Mike’s book “Thrive and Adapt” here, or sign in for a complimentary PDF copy
Contact Mike to discuss organisation wide Well-being and Resilience programs that create Unshakeable teams:
+61 423 193 196
This week we were joined by the amazing Rachel Callander wherein she went through some questions we can ask ourselves, our community, or our team to help us navigate communications as we head back to reconnecting and rebuilding relationships.
If you wish to contact Rachel or receive a copy of her workbook or tools around communication, you may visit her website at: rachelcallander.com.
And to watch our earlier sessions, you may check on the playlist here.
We have a fantastic line up of guests for the Wednesday webcast in June:
June 3
Mark Butler - Mental health, Stress and Mindset. Mark has researched mental health in workplaces extensively in a 25-year career globally. We'll explore the line between personal and collective responsibility for robust mental health and resilience.
June 10
Grant "Axe" Rawlinson - A Kiwi based in Singapore and an adventurer that makes the stuff I have done look mild. He played international rugby and has over 50 expeditions across the globe under his belt including walking across countries, cycling across continents, climbing Mt Everest and crossing sea's completely by human-power. We'll talk decision-making, goals in uncertainty, mindset when all seems lost.
June 17
Shaun Nannup - Human being and Aboriginal Elder. Shaun connects people with powerful stories of belonging. Aboriginal people have culture dating back at least 60 000 years in Australia. Shaun and I will discuss connection, sustainability, and what's important when you are focussed on legacy beyond your lifetime.
June 24
Bonnie Davies - Founder, CEO and Creative Director for Gelo. Bonnie is all about “Unboring things”. Bonnie is constantly rewriting the playbook for creative, performance based businesses. She also creates and becomes Famous Sharron. We'll talk innovation, doing things differently, refusing to quit and ask why so much stuff is boring.
Come and Join us 2:00 PM Perth time on Wednesdays.
More from Mike
Subscribe to Mike’s weekly Unshakeable Newsletter here.
Join the weekly Don’t Panic - Surviving COVID19 webcast here.
Download a 1-page resource on the power of gratitude in Unshakeable teams here.
Buy a copy of Mike’s book “Thrive and Adapt” here, or sign in for a complimentary PDF copy
Contact Mike to discuss organisation wide Well-being and Resilience programs that create Unshakeable teams:
+61 423 193 196
I had a wonderfully warm and generative conversation with Suzanne Waldron. We discussed so many things including economics, contentment, striving and production, change, art, spirituality and more. There are sure to be some gems for you in there - enjoy!
To watch our earlier webcasts, you may click on the playlist here.
Next week…
More than Talk with Rachel Callander, Global speaker, Author and master communicator. Connection is key to humanity. Connecting/reconnecting with people, reversing isolation, communication with artful care.
More from Mike
Subscribe to Mike’s weekly Unshakeable Newsletter here.
Join the weekly Don’t Panic - Surviving COVID19 webcast here.
Download a 1-page resource on the power of gratitude in Unshakeable teams here.
Buy a copy of Mike’s book “Thrive and Adapt” here, or sign in for a complimentary PDF copy
Contact Mike to discuss organisation wide Well-being and Resilience programs that create Unshakeable teams:
+61 423 193 196
Forecast is never about predicting, it's about preparing.
This week, Michael Ford joined us to talk about 'how a robust forecasting process is essential as we design pathways through and out of COVID'.
The discussion touched on:
Forecasting
Growth
Budgeting
Recovery
To watch the webcast, click on the link below:
Here's again our guests in the next couple of weeks:
20 May - People Impacts with Suzanne Waldron, Human behaviour specialist and TEDex Curator. COVID19 impacted many and will for some time. Many people also made an impact during this time. A lively exploration of globally important issues and thinking.
27 May - More than Talk with Rachel Callander, Global speaker, Author and master communicator. Connection is key to humanity. Connecting/reconnecting with people, reversing isolation, communication with artful care.
See you in our next session!
More from Mike
Subscribe to Mike’s weekly Unshakeable Newsletter here.
Join the weekly Don’t Panic - Surviving COVID19 webcast here.
Download a 1-page resource on the power of gratitude in Unshakeable teams here.
Buy a copy of Mike’s book “Thrive and Adapt” here, or sign in for a complimentary PDF copy
Contact Mike to discuss organisation wide Well-being and Resilience programs that create Unshakeable teams:
+61 423 193 196
This week, Brian Smith, Founder and CEO of QuadIQ, shared what security threats, and opportunities we may need to navigate through post restriction world, and his thoughts in using the COVIDSafe App.
To watch the webcast, click on the link below:
If you have questions for Brian or if you wish to know how QuadIQ can help, you may contact him through: brian.smith@quadiq.com.
To watch our earlier sessions, you may click on the playlist here.
Here's again our line-up for May as we switch our focus to recovery and evolving:
13 May - Forecasting for Real with Michael Ford, Founder and CEO of Castaway Forecasting, an Aussie business going global. Meaningful forecasting? Wishful thinking, doomsday or warm figures plucked from the air. We’ll get real about forecasting that makes a difference.
20 May - People Impacts with Suzanne Waldron, Human behaviour specialist and TEDex Curator. COVID19 impacted many and will for some time. Many people also made an impact during this time. A lively exploration of globally important issues and thinking.
27 May - More than Talk with Rachel Callander, Global speaker, Author and master communicator. Connection is key to humanity. Connecting/reconnecting with people, reversing isolation, communication with artful care.
See you in our next session!
More from Mike
Subscribe to Mike’s weekly Unshakeable Newsletter here.
Join the weekly Don’t Panic - Surviving COVID19 webcast here.
Download a 1-page resource on the power of gratitude in Unshakeable teams here.
Buy a copy of Mike’s book “Thrive and Adapt” here, or sign in for a complimentary PDF copy
Contact Mike to discuss organisation wide Well-being and Resilience programs that create Unshakeable teams:
+61 423 193 196
This week, Mike interviewed Stephen Young, expert in crisis response about recovery from a crisis. Steve led the response/recovery team for Cyclone Larry in Queensland, 2006. At the time it was the largest natural disaster response in Australian history - Steve and his team significantly contributed to current crisis response and recovery methodology.
"Whilst we may well be ready to recover, personally, or as an organisation or small business, those around you may not be ready to recover...
Recovery solutions are typically complicated because they are multi-faceted. Everybody recovers at different speeds."
To watch the full video, you may click on the video link below:
You may access and share Steve's the 5 Key Crisis Leadership Task here.
To learn more and connect with Steve, you may visit his website at: www.tpcm.com.au.
And watch the rest of the webcast series here.
As mentioned in this session this week, reflection is an important piece to our recovery, so we are pressing pause next week... no new content or guests.
We would instead take the time to touch base with the people present in the call; tackle questions that may have arisen from what we have discussed over the last few weeks; and to know what you would like to hear in the coming weeks.
More from Mike
Subscribe to Mike’s weekly Unshakeable Newsletter here.
Join the weekly Don’t Panic - Surviving COVID19 webcast here.
Download a 1-page resource on the power of gratitude in Unshakeable teams here.
Buy a copy of Mike’s book “Thrive and Adapt” here, or sign in for a complimentary PDF copy
Contact Mike to discuss organisation wide Well-being and Resilience programs that create Unshakeable teams:
+61 423 193 196
It was a great session with Pip Loader this week, with this quote to sum it all up:
To watch the full video, you may click on the video below:
You may download and share the Show Up Worksheet here.
To learn more and connect with Pip, you may visit her website at: www.piploader.com
And watch the rest of the webcast series here.
As we saw a couple of weeks ago, a leader during a crisis such as Covid-19 crisis ideally fulfills 5 Key Leadership Tasks, these are Sense-making, Decision-making & Coordination, Meaning-making, Accounting & Termination, and finally Learning. During next week’s session, we will have Stephen Young back to discuss the challenges we will face planning for recovery from this unprecedented global crisis. History shows that those that plan their recovery well and that learn from a crisis will not only bounce back, but more importantly they’ll bounce forward.
Better practice recovery demands that the crisis leader develops an in depth understanding of the context, the complexities, the coordination and communication requirements that recovery will require.
Stephen will discuss the principles and pillars of recovery and respond to key questions about what you can do within your own organisations to recover from and bounce forward out of this crisis.
More from Mike
Subscribe to Mike’s weekly Unshakeable Newsletter here.
Join the weekly Don’t Panic - Surviving COVID19 webcast here.
Download a 1-page resource on the power of gratitude in Unshakeable teams here.
Buy a copy of Mike’s book “Thrive and Adapt” here, or sign in for a complimentary PDF copy
Contact Mike to discuss organisation wide Well-being and Resilience programs that create Unshakeable teams:
+61 423 193 196
Stephen shared with us three of the 5 Key Leadership Tasks:
Sense making
Decision-making & coordination
Meaning making
Here is the handout to Stephen's discussion.
To learn more and connect with Stephen, you may visit his website at: www.tpcm.com.au.
You may also listen and share last week's video below:
Click on the complete playlist for Don’t Panic - Surviving COVID19 here.
Watch out for this week's video with Pip Loader on the topic SHOWING UP IS HALF THE BATTLE!
How are you showing up right now? Are you bringing your best self to the table? Or are there cracks appearing in your ‘diplomacy dike’?
Whether you are leading or working in a team, are a parent with kids now home 24/7, or you are simply wanting to focus your time and energy where it is needed the most right now, this session will provide a practical framework to help you work through how to show up as the best version of you, for yourself and others, as we navigate this current journey.
Pip Loader works in Leadership & Team development, helping people connect, create and deliver impact in their day-to-day work and lives. This session is part of based on a section of her ‘Meaningful Leadership’ coaching program (and slightly adapted for current times!) Pip is a firm believer that ‘Everything we do, starts and ends, with people’.
More from Mike
Subscribe to Mike’s weekly Unshakeable Newsletter here.
Join the weekly Don’t Panic - Surviving COVID19 webcast here.
Download a 1-page resource on the power of gratitude in Unshakeable teams here.
Buy a copy of Mike’s book “Thrive and Adapt” here, or sign in for a complimentary PDF copy
Contact Mike to discuss organisation wide Well-being and Resilience programs that create Unshakeable teams:
+61 423 193 196
Jason Clarke’s session on decision-making was informative and tactical. Lots of practical advice for making tough decisions. Click below to watch the recording.
The tools Jason covered can be found here, along with many other tools for thinking.
If you would like to contact Jason his email is jason@mindsatwork.com.au.
Previous sessions can be found here.
Next week, I'll be talking to Stephen Young who is a 40-year veteran of local and international crisis management. His company Turning Point Crisis Management works with leaders to build organisational resilience and responsiveness. Stephen and I have presented together and independently on crisis management courses for Fire Services, Biosecurity, Police Counter Terrorism, Oil Spill Response Teams (local, federal and global).
In a crisis, there are 5 key leadership tasks:
Sensemaking,
Decision-making & coordination,
Meaning making,
Accounting for the response, and
Learning for improvement/future prevention.
We'll discuss the first 3; how can we make sense of this Coronavirus situation, what decisions must we make and how will we make these, and finally how will we make meaning of this crisis to all of our stakeholders. Crisis leaders get harshly judged when they passively stand by and wait for the situation to unfold. How can you ensure you are proactive enough without being foolhardy?
More about Stephen here.
I look forward to seeing you on the call.
More from Mike
Subscribe to Mike’s weekly Unshakeable Newsletter here.
Join the weekly Don’t Panic - Surviving COVID19 webcast here.
Download a 1-page resource on the power of gratitude in Unshakeable teams here.
Buy a copy of Mike’s book “Thrive and Adapt” here, or sign in for a complimentary PDF copy
Contact Mike to discuss organisation wide Well-being and Resilience programs that create Unshakeable teams:
+61 423 193 196
This week, Dr Jenny Brockis and I discussed the difference between COVID 19 and regular flu, how to keep yourself mentally and physically well in social distancing, and tactics for finding the upside in unprecedented times.
If you wish to learn more from Dr. Jenny Brockis and find out how she can be of support, you may contact her at: jenny@drjennybrockis.com.
Next week, April 1st, we will be joined by Jason Clarke.
Jason Clarke - Mindworker, celebrated author, adventurer, gold medal Olympian and popular TV chef; Jason is none of these things. He is, however, one of the most sought-after creative minds in the country. As founder of Minds at Work, he’s helped people ‘think again’ since the end of the last century, working with clients across Australia in virtually every industry and government sector on issues ranging from creativity and trouble shooting to culture change and leadership.
Jason and I will be discussing HOW TO MAKE DECISIONS YOU PROBABLY WON’T REGRET. The only real measure of a decision being ‘good or ‘bad’ is how happily you could live with its consequences, which means that thinking through those possibilities in advance is better than discovering them once the decision’s been made. Learn simple back-of-the-envelope techniques for anticipating the mistakes you’re about to make.
If you have any questions that you would like us to discuss/answer during the webcast, you may post them here. Jason and I will aim to answer all your questions.
See you next week!
More from Mike
Subscribe to Mike’s weekly Unshakeable Newsletter here.
Join the weekly Don’t Panic - Surviving COVID19 webcast here.
Download a 1-page resource on the power of gratitude in Unshakeable teams here.
Buy a copy of Mike’s book “Thrive and Adapt” here, or sign in for a complimentary PDF copy
Contact Mike to discuss organisation wide Well-being and Resilience programs that create Unshakeable teams:
+61 423 193 196
Toilet paper madness still reigns supreme in Australia. It is simultaneously funny and tragic. Last week I wrote about the madness in Dunny Paper, Dentists and Disease.
On a more serious note, there are lessons for leaders in the apparent about face of Aussies.
Only months ago, Australia was in the global news spotlight for very different reasons. The country was burning. Facing that wide spread tragedy, Australians showed the very best of our culture to each other and the world. We stood shoulder to shoulder and faced the flames. Countless hours and millions of dollars of tangible support flowed. It was backed up by even more emotional support. While much was lost, the fires were a reminder of the power of people aligned to a common cause. We were shocked and grieving and we were Unshakeable.
Coronavirus has revealed a different face. We are skittish and reactive. We are more likely to turn on each other to ensure our own interests, including resorting to violence. Our blindspots and biases cloud our vision, resulting in boycotts of local Chinese business and hoarding of paper (Neither of which make the slightest difference to the virus). Many of us are expressing sorrow and shock at what we are seeing here. How can it be that a culture can turn so quickly?
There are some key differences between the challenges faced, leading to very different responses. I outline a few below with recommendations for leaders in any uncertain environment.
So while media and social media coverage have an impact, we are also facing dramatically different circumstances. Both the fires and COVID19 are disruptive and threatening, but they show up in very different ways.
What are you doing as a leader (whether you lead yourself, your family, a small team, an organisation, or a country) to make COVID19 tangible?
What is within your control, and how are you rallying focus and energy around that?
In the absence of answers, we will continue to see people reactivity acting in their own interests, potentially to the detriment of much that we hold dear.
Let’s be Unshakeable and hold the line.
More from Mike
Subscribe to Mike’s weekly Unshakeable Newsletter here.
Download a 1-page resource on the power of gratitude in Unshakeable teams here.
Buy a copy of Mike’s book “Thrive and Adapt” here, or sign in for a complimentary PDF copy
Contact Mike to discuss organisation wide Well-being and Resilience programs that create Unshakeable teams:
+61 423 193 196
COVID19, pass it on!
And we did… this is one of the most ridiculously contagious events of modern times. Symptoms are showing up everywhere… and few of them are flu like.
Why just yesterday I was in the local supermarket and there was not a single dunny roll to be had. Even the single ply home brand was sold out.
I rang my brother the dentist to have a whinge and got zero sympathy. Turns out that he’s got bigger things on his mind than being unwiped. In not many days, he’ll be out of medical masks. No Mask, no appointments. No appointments, no income! Supplies are critically low across Australia as people rush masks with the same intensity as dunny rolls. Experts say that wearing a mask if you are infected is a good idea, but not particularly useful for a well person trying to stay well. Given how low infection rates are, one wonders what people are using them for. Some are wearing them around their chin, nose and mouth merrily exposed, so maybe it’s all in the name of fashion.
Meanwhile a mate in London reports that China town revenue is down 50% on this time last year. People are staying away in droves. Apparently a COVID19 symptom is to be unreasonably afraid of anyone who looks Chinese! Really???
As a survival specialist a number of people have asked me if they should adopt a “prepper” mindset, stockpiling for a potential 14 day period of isolation at home. Here are my tips on that:
There’s way bigger things to worry about especially given some experts are saying this has less impact than the regular flu and is past peak infection.
If you do decide to “Prep” (And please don't) food and water are a way bigger priority than dunny rolls. 14 days with no food would leave little need to wipe. Dehydration can kill, and a major symptom of death is that your bum stops working along with the rest of you. Most of us would be able to get by on the non perishables and stuff we have in our fridge anyway, even if it meant eating that limp carrot.
Give our health professionals, supply chains and Chinese Aussies a break and adopt a business as usual approach.
Of course pay attention to hygiene and be alert if there are people around you with respiratory symptoms, but that makes sense anytime, not just now.
The final straw for this article was a truck carrying toilet paper that caught fire in Brisbane over night. Fire officer Justin Francis said “This is not overly common, particularly around the city areas but the main thing is no-one got hurt tonight and we've been able to save quite a lot of toilet paper.” I don’t know why the truck caught fire, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find that a couple of million Aussies intensely meditating on the need for a healthy supply of dunny rolls, led to it spontaneously combusting.
On the up side, it seems like Brisbane fireys will be right for dunny paper, at least for the foreseeable future, and I reckon if push comes to shove there will be more than 14 days of tucker in the Asian aisle at the local supermarket.
More from Mike
Subscribe to Mike’s weekly Unshakable Newsletter here.
Download a 1-page resource on the power of gratitude in Unshakable teams here.
Buy a copy of Mike’s book “Thrive and Adapt” here, or sign in for a complimentary PDF copy
Contact Mike to discuss organisation wide Well-being and Resilience programs that create Unshakable teams:
+61 423 193 196
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