Reflection in our work or practice can create a positive lever. We can do this alone, or through “feedback,” we can enrol others to help. It is intentional, and responsive. When we compare with others, often we create a negative, slippery slope. Rather than looking at our work, comparison tends to leave us questioning our...

“Have a seat at a table, we’ll bring it out to you.” The service at Autumn Rooms in Newcastle is impeccable. The tables are full most mornings, and definitely on the weekend. They’ve been showing up with great food and excellent service – they know their customer, and it shows. Occasionally though, I’ll grab a...

That first part of the word there… That’s where it gets tricky. Yep, free as a bird– do the work you love from home, take a nap, set your own rules, have meetings at the cafe… On the other hand, this freedom can create a problem, as we loseboundaries. If you want to bring your full...

Steve Jobs, J.K Rowling and Elon Musk. Completely different, yet all creators. The thing about creators is they create. They are, by definition, creative. We find that this is actually the only thread that binds creators together. They don’t hang out together, they don’t enjoy the same food, political views or language. Some are extroverted,...

When Mike Brown started selling coffee, he was average. He had a café, sold a lot of different products, poorly, and basically ran it into the ground. In this time though he’d connect with his particularly “groggy” customers – those who wanted the strongest coffee he had – so he started to listen. He researched...

“Waypoints” are like short little targets. When you’re navigating with charts, you’ll set up the next “waypoint.” This gives direction, or a “heading” for the boat. When you look at a chart, say, of the Pacific Ocean, and maybe you are located in Fiji at the time, there is literally infinite possibility. You can go...

When you start your thing – your work, writing, training, meaningful conversation, how do you do it? Do you have a setup? Is there a relationship with the space or object? Mise en place is a French phrase from the culinary world – “everything in its place,” and refers to the setup, or arrangement of...

Michael Jordan played 1,072 games in 15 seasons. About 41,000 minutes of game time. He was one of the greatest and most skilled players of all time. A change or growth in a business, career (or sport) may be fun, but it’s a serious thing. Firstly we need to acquire the skillset (do the thing...