Reflection & Insights
Welcome to where personal reflection meets practical insight. Here, we delve into how things show up in the world, examining the subtle forces and overt challenges that mould and shape the impression we leave in people’s minds. I also share my more general musings on strategic thinking and, occasionally, life.
My writing aims to marry critical thinking with a dose of observational English wit. My goal is to bring you value in the form of new perspectives that might inspire, clarify, or motivate change so that we all become that little bit better every day.
Filter by Category
The book editing has begun.
I was never great with submitting homework and waiting for the teacher to hand it back, crossed through with red ink. In fact, it became a hate – hate relationship. So you can just imagine how I felt sending off 55,000 words in the form of the manuscript for my first book, Winning Presentations.
Being known, by someone, for something.
Bonza is all set to become Australia's newest airline in a domestic market currently dominated by Qantas and Virgin. Their strategy is far from new, but it requires a discipline many struggle with: a relentless focus on a very specific customer segment.
Are you in control of your ride?
I had a day off recently, hired a jet ski, and went exploring Sydney’s beautiful waterways for the day. It’s always nice to experience something you wouldn’t normally do to expand your perspective of the world.
The timeless truths from 22
Three things have stood out this year that I am confident will remain a huge focus moving into 2023 and beyond.
Fast starts start now
You can feel the intensity is still there, but the focus is definitely narrowing to the imaginary finish line of that first day of leave.
What can you do today to make next year even better? What is the one singular thing that will impact everything?
A lack of strategy = a lack of talent
The retention and attraction of great talent is a real challenge across almost every industry I work with.
What is interesting is the approaches taken to try and deal with this and how most of these misses tackling the underlying issue.
Price is a number; value is a feeling
In our growth-orientated world, we all keep on wanting more. And in business, one of the levers to grow top-line and bottom-line numbers is to simply charge more. But this behaviour can backfire when it is done without a strategy, or a thorough appraisal of the value proposition.
Trust in conflict
If we embrace all conflict with gusto, we risk endorsing the wrong behaviour. And if we outlaw it, we risk stifling innovation, progress and healthy open conversation.
Complexity is a killer
We operate with this bias that complexity makes us look more intelligent and inherently makes things more valuable. I can charge more for something that others don't understand, and complexity is needed for complex problems – right?
