Click in to watch my short video message from me taken on the Tongariro Crossing walk to round out a bizarre year with three key messages. The photo above is a sneak peak of our new venture in Ashley, North Canterbury…

In the craziness of 2020, I’ve decided to see what I’ve learnt and what I can take forward as we look towards 2021. I’m going to take some of the happenings through the year and use them intentionally for good. Read about the three lessons I am taking from this year, and think about your own. What has replenished your energy lately? What time do you build into your schedule to reflect on what is working for you and what isn’t? Name an action you can take this week that ensures you recharge your battery and at the same time, do something that you love.

I was ten days into the 34-day commercial fishing trip and, if I’m honest, I was feeling rather sorry for myself. I felt like I was staring down a long dark tunnel and I couldn’t see the end in sight. I knew I was facing a choice. I decided to take my mind off myself and make it about encouraging others…

There were unwritten cultural norms on board the vessel where crew would size up the ‘newbies’ and see if they would last or would they break on their first trip. This wasn’t a negative aspect it was more about sizing up the new recruits to see if they would become part of the team for more than just one trip. I suspect there were a few conversations about the newbies as the rest of the crew observed how we were coping in our new work environment…

One week in to the fishing trip and four weeks to go. There was a moment of feeling like was I going to make it? Who did I think I was that I thought I could do this? I remember a seasoned fisher telling me “You’re too soft to go fishing!” This just spurred me on…

Living outside our comfort zone is not easy. It’s tough, challenging, and might make you uneasy, but is so necessary for growth! If we stay in our comfort zone we get a little complacent and can become bored and restless too…

When you swap your normal environment for an unfamiliar one, all the markers of your normal boundaries drop away and you have to start again at the bottom of the rung. From Gold status on our national carrier to no status as the newbie on board the ship. Not only was my status radar under attack so was my normal certainty and autonomy measures as well!

Well what a difference one week can make! Everyone’s world and approach to work is literally changing hour by hour. I thought I’d pass on a few tips from my book that can help you navigate these uncertain times.

Last July my Dad, his partner and two other family members were seriously injured in a dramatic accident. Being the only Auckland-based son meant my role was going to involve lots of driving to and from the hospital, being on call for visitors and making time to be at Dad’s bedside. It meant I very quickly had to sort out what my key priorities were in the short-term. What did I absolutely need to do, what could I delegate and what could I ignore or deflect for now? When the accident occurred it suddenly brought into focus a very famous matrix when Urgency and Importance get sorted out quite easily.

Fourteen years ago, I decided to leave the world of primary teaching and accept a role in a global recruitment firm. Six months later, after a series of 1-on-1 conversations with my manager, an opportunity opened up. I took a promotion and found myself managing the local branch. What a learning experience!

I often find people are promoted due to their technical abilities. This seems to make sense – the person who performs best in their role is rewarded with more responsibility. The problem is, their expertise is in the discipline they just left – not in leading people. Most new managers simply lack the necessary skills and tools to successfully manage and lead the people they have been promoted to oversee.