Author: Stephen Drain

Hi everyone, I am a Partner in PwC in Auckland New Zealand. I lead PwC Forensics Services and support PwC Partner Leadership Development. My particular area of focus in leadership is Authenticity.

Marathon

The commentator for the women’s marathon has just said that if you’re going to be a great marathon runner then you need a great 10k time.  I knew I’d missed something! I remember joking to a friend before my first marathon that it was only four 10k runs – how hard could that be?

Athletes are making history right now and making a legacy to inspire others, including me too, to keep running. Must of us won’t ever make the Olympics, or ever any sort of placing, but if you’re inspired by someone to move, get and stay healthy, then that’s got to be a great thing.

Running a marathon feels like ticking off the kilometre’s one by one,

I’m working on getting back into form again! Are you keeping an eye on the legacy on your marathon?

the five become ten, ten is surprisingly quickly a half, twenty-four, ouch, twenty-eight, and then it hurts. Well it does for me anyway and from thirty-two it’s one or two at a time. But on reflection it’s not the kilometres ticking over I notice, it’s the exhilaration of the entire event and satisfaction that comes from completing a personal challenge.

So collecting things, whether they be miles in a marathon, friends on Facebook or qualifications or whatever, is not what will make the difference. The commentators are now discussing what might be more valuable – an Olympic Gold at London or winning the New York Marathon.  Your resume and history will  be what makes the Olympic marathon the one to go for.

Spending all our days on stuff, collecting things, including wealth is all very nice, but what will your legacy be?  What piece of history will you own that might inspire others and make a difference?

History is in the making at the Olympics and top athletes are making their legacy.  Don’t forget that after the pleasant life, the meaningful life, you’ll want to leave a legacy.  Why?  To fulfil yourself. How? Like a marathon, one piece at at time, but always keeping it part of something bigger.

Stephen

Take the Lead in Coaching and Developing Others

This guest post was provided by Jessica Edmondson who contributes on Leadership skills training for the University Alliance, a division of Bisk Education, Inc.

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” Mark Twain

In today’s competitive business settings, leaders who cultivate influence have longer-lasting effectiveness and more powerful alliances than those who simply manage with top-down authority. When a leader relaxes control and promotes team cohesion, individual and group growth can bring about stronger working relationships and increased productivity.

If you are a professional looking to grow your leadership skills, then consider mentoring other professionals in areas in which you are proficient. Sharing your knowledge with someone who appreciates and can benefit from your experience is a rewarding practice. At the same time, seeking mentoring for your own advancement can be an effective way to polish a skill set and uncover hidden opportunities.

Formal Mentoring

Many business-related organizations, such as the Professional Management Institute, offer opportunities for networking through local chapters. Participating in such events can lead to formal mentoring opportunities. In recent years, consulting firms have begun offering services to more precisely match up mentors and protégés. Additionally, through forums on LinkedIn and other networking sites, less-experienced professionals can post a question and receive feedback from other group members.

Other ways to seek out mentoring for yourself include approaching someone in your organization whose leadership style you admire. As an alternative work with your human resources contact to find a mentor in another division of the company who can teach you about a new area of interest. Taking an online course taught by a respected industry leader can also result in strong contacts for sustained mentoring.

Innovation, Inspiration and Influence

The best aspect of mentoring, either as a mentor or a protégé, is that the positive energy of a great mentoring experience can permeate your entire thought process and build you up more than any other single career development strategy. Coaching others to discover and reach their personal and professional potential feeds the entire team.

Whether as a leader or a protégé, you can reap the benefits of the synergy created when a team is enjoying frequent periods of personal development.

Organizations want to attract top talent. Gaining a reputation as a leader who fosters excellence in team members – and also seeks professional development to bring in new ideas and fresh perspectives – may provide a competitive advantage in a job search or promotion opportunity.

A Win-Win Opportunity

When Mark Twain was a newspaper columnist in Carson City, Nevada, he met humorist Artemus Ward who encouraged him to write as much of his unique brand of storytelling as time would allow. The two eventually championed each other’s work.

Everyone needs a mentor, and companies who value and promote mentoring are positioned to create a win-win environment. Tech-savvy younger professionals may be able to help older colleagues get up to speed in regards to their technological acumen. In return, more seasoned professionals can offer guidance on finessing soft skills and relating effectively in a corporate culture.

In an age where technology often insulates us from human connections, mentoring and coaching in the workplace offer great potential for innovation, insight and collective growth.

Service

Forty-nine year old Steve Carell apparently noticed how hard out the Pizza restaurant he was at, that he donned an apron and spent an hour serving, answering phone calls and mucking it up in the kitchen.  In Jeff Hadens 9 Beliefs of Remarkably Successful People  number 6 is Volunteers always win (yes take these quick lists with a grain of salt but if it works you know!).

I saw the movie Cafe de flore today. It’s too early to process what it’s all about but it’s a bit about exorcising some connections that don’t work where they are and embracing new ones or old ones in a new context.

I’ve been too flat for blogging recently, writing an article for a magazine in the weekend was really hard, but the movie, some great conversation over the last few days (even thanked someone for an involuntary coaching session it lifted me so much) I feel back, as Jasbindar Singh would say, in the groove.  And listening to the song Cafe de flore.  Very groovy tonight.

Simple pieces of service to others can lift them and you immeasurably.  I’m thinking of a Conversation at a Cafe with like-minded people on leadership stuff.  I’ll mention this in the next day or three and get it going.  Service to each other to lift our spirits and our business too.  Sound oblique?  Could be, but just roll with it.  It’ll be fun.  Especially if you’re 49 or think you might run into someone interesting who is.

Stephen

Unofficial start

One of the blogs that came up this week on the WordPress site where this blog is posted was headed “Unofficial start to Summer”.  Driving home this evening late the outside temperature reading was 9.  Not what I’d call the unofficial or any other type of start to Summer.

Winter can be a beautiful time – this is near Whakatane

Of course it’s all about perspectives and living south of the equator – a fair way south – our perspective is very much Winter calling.

Recently I had a bout of chest infection with coughing that seemed to go on an on.  Perhaps all that flying and mixing with strangers in the compressed environment wasn’t so good for me afterall!  Winter is definitely on the way and I notice myself feeling ever so slightly morose when it’s dark early and cold.  Why is that? I have heating, and it always gets dark at some point anyway.  So why should the blackening sky blacken the mood.

I’ve noticed it in the past, but for some reason been more conscious of it this year.  Perceptions can greatly impact how we feel about each other and often those perceptions are right.  If I’m told I appear stressed (like I was today!) then there’s a good chance I was. Or the perception might be wrong, but it’ll be a good excuse for a conversation between colleagues.

So how about an unofficial start to feedback with a comment about perceptions?  You don’t need to accuse or state anything.  Just “My perceptions is that you appear……..” – you fill in the blank which might be happy/anxious/overworked/mindful/unfocussed – and see where it takes you.  If it doesn’t fire, it’s unofficial, so no harm done.

But I’d say probably a lot of good will be done.

Stephen