Week 3-4 Bumps along the way

When travelling on uneven surfaces, the occasional bumps are to be expected. Riding the road of life is no different, and in the past week I have not been able to be as consistent with my writing... and running! But I do care enough to be meaningful, focused, passionate about the topics I choose. And if I feel I cannot put out something meaningful for my small audience, I will not lower the standards I set myself and change narrative. Here′s the past fortnight′s articles:

2018_08_27 Executing Plan B

Executing Plan B. 5.45am Sunday morning. I am at the door, ready for a long run of 32km. Then the cutest 3yr old voice breaks the silence: "Daddy, can we cuddle on the big bed? I want to sleep". There′s only one answer: "Of course, Mila". 55′ minutes later, I am ready to go again, but now I only have 1h30′ before breakfast with the family. Then I think: what happens at work when client meetings get shortened, and yet they still end up being efficient? Simple! We keep a strong focus on clear objectives and quality output. We avoid the non-essential, we don’t let the meeting being hijacked by people going off-track, and we go in prepared spending twice the time on the revised agenda. So why should a run be different? Everything we do, affects everything else, and I let the business principle help my training: I cut a third of the planned distance and run a half marathon with a faster, steady pace (splits of 50′05” and 49′01”) picking up the tempo at the end for a quality workout, avoiding the junk miles. In business, and in running, once we understand that it is all about decisions, quality output and not wasting time, we will be amazed at the amount of productivity we can squeeze in shorter meetings or training sessions.

2018_08_28 Not so smart

Not so smart - disconnecting and losing our children in a connected world. As a father of 5 and 3 yrs. old kids, I am shocked by the outraging abuse of mobile technologies in the hands of children. Every day, while commuting, I witness the silent spreading of smartphone and tablets among our youngest. Yesterday I even saw a baby being pushed in a pram - holding (barely) a phone so that she would stop crying. It made me cringe. Those parents are guilty: for altering the relationships with their offspring’s, for limiting their creativity, for curbing their empathy levels, for impeding their abilities to learn, for bringing negative impacts on their mental health, for causing behavioral problems down the track. The list could go on and parents are to blame. You′d think they can hear their babies cry: “Put down your phone and pick me up!” But hey, they are addicted themselves to realize the impact of these repeated dumb moments of disconnection while on smart technologies. I am sure we can use smartphones to evolve, while retaining human connections and growing a healthy, engaged and empathic next generation. Maybe it all starts with an old quote: "Wherever you are, whatever you do, be there!"

2018_08_29 Farewell

In the past week, have had to say ′farewell′ to two dear colleagues of mine. Every time that happens, I am flabbergasted by the messages most people pen. The ones who are not torn by the pain of saying goodbye, resort to the classic: good luck! As if luck had anything to do with the colleague′s rise and subsequent opportunity. A few get really personal, use humor, and take the time to actually write something meaningful to look back in time and treasure. While, I recognise that it is good business etiquette to wish colleagues all the best when they move on to new opportunities, why can′t we all make a more thoughtful effort, with a positive forward looking message? Such as this: " Even if you know what’s coming, you’re never prepared for how it feels. But that uncomfortable feeling? It’s a good thing. It’ll get easier. I will keep in touch and help you when needed. And then, trust me - just like those muscles after stretching—it’ll get better. Just like it did at your last job, and the job before that. You’ll start to know the processes, you’ll learn what’s expected of you, and you’ll feel more confident in your deliverables—and that’s when you’ll start to thrive. Keep making it a great journey, mate."

2018_08_30 One year in Sweden today

One year in Sweden, TODAY!!! How does it FEEL? How would you feel if you were catapulted back to when you were a 7yr old child (in my case the late ’70s)? Kids running amok in the streets, riding bikes to school, swimming in the lakes, playing outdoors all the time regardless of the weather conditions? Of course it’s not perfect, there’s no such thing as the lucky country. Believe me. I am a citizen of the one who copyrighted that term. Beware of the simple narratives! But..... Have bought my kids and myself a whole generation. And that feeling, my friends, is better than winning a lotto jackpot. That feeling is priceless!

2018_08_31 The road ahead

6am train to Stockholm. Window seat. Thoughts flow fast as we roll across the countryside. I capture one before it slides. When you've given all you got, and you think you have got nothing left to give, then focus on the road ahead, stay positive and keep going. Make it worth the journey.

2018_09_02 My 10th year anniversarEY

Tomorrow it will mark my 10th year anniversary at EY. When I started – Perth, Western Australia- a colleague in BD gave me a great piece of advice: remember that in BD we are in the business of change. Our partners, our clients, will continue to do whatever they have always done, unless we persuade them to change. Bang. We are change agents. How we embrace change, continually transform the way we work, is going to define our journey and the milestones along the way. So let′s embrace change: it is inevitable (unless you are putting money in an Italian vending machine). Let′s start – individually - to change the story we tell ourselves about what we do and what we stand for. Let′s start changing the narrative as a team, day in – day out; because in my experience this is the only way it is going to work. Drip drip drip. Why? Because it matters. Because we all strive to make an impact. And that, my friends, it is what a true BD is about. Out there to make a difference.

2018_09_03 Sprints

How fast can you go? This is a different question from the one we ask ourselves most days at work. Careers are often seen as marathons, designed to last as long as we do. In marathon training, however, interval training, sprinting, are key to reach peak performance on race day and improve condition. Today, in business as well, we adopt “sales sprints”—for a few weeks, a month or 60 days— that can be highly effective, and also help us unlocking a different kind of opportunities. Shorter sprints (a few hours, a week) also help us understand our upper limit, establishing a performance setting that reminds us of what’s possible, by tackling the hardest tasks first. Not sprinting randomly, erratically. Sprinting with intent, in a particular direction, and resting very little. No one can sprint all the time. By its nature, that’s not sprinting. But sprinting now and then is a useful way to learn that we can make an even bigger difference. Full credits to Seth Godin for the inspiration.