Many years ago, as a young volunteer firefighter I went to a particularly nasty fatal job. It was one of those ones that lives on with you long after the truck is back in the shed. A heavy vehicle lost control on a steep arterial road and hit several cars before crashing into a house.... Continue Reading →
What does your flag look like?
A few years ago, whilst travelling for work, my boss at the time liked to listen to TED talks and podcasts in the car. Everyone made suggestions for the team 'playlist' and the many hours spent driving through our area of responsibility were put to good use. With almost eight hours between the north and... Continue Reading →
The Unconventional Bully
There's workplace conflict resolution training coming up for my team and we've been asked to think about the question, "What does bullying look like to us?", as pre-course preparation. Instantly, when I think of a bully I think of the stereotype of a tall man with broad shoulders and a booming voice. Someone who stands... Continue Reading →
8 Lessons From My Kitchen
There's a reason humans crave repetition and structure, relying on habits to get us through life's challenges. It feels good. It feels comfortable. We like it and it serves a purpose. But there is merit in being uncomfortable. If you follow 'Growth Mindset' theory, you'll be familiar with the concept that for humans to truly... Continue Reading →
16 unpublished posts and an inspiring tale of leadership in action
I realised today there are 16 unpublished posts in my drafts folder for this page. It's been hard to know what to write over the past few months. I've started typing a few different times, on different subjects, but I have found it hard to motivate myself to hit 'send' simply because sometimes it seems... Continue Reading →
Who is your Designated Survivor?
The Daily Telegraph recently (Sun 5/4/20) reported the NSW Police Force were implementing a 'Designated Survivor' plan to ensure continuity of policing during this time of uncertainty and challenge in the response to COVID-19. For those who aren't familiar with the Designated Survivor theory, it is based on isolating a person, or persons, for a... Continue Reading →
Rise of the Hidden Skills
Two years ago, so Facebook Memories tells me, I took a holiday to Fiji and read a book in a hammock by the ocean (those were the good old days). The book, "Year One" by popular novelist Nora Roberts, was the first in her new trilogy and centred around the rise of dark magics following... Continue Reading →
Lessons from News Fatigue
I've been tossing up what to post during this time, which can only be described as "unprecedented". That's a word Australian's have heard a lot of already in 2020, and I'm not sure it packs as much punch as it used to. I feel like everything is 'unprecedented' at the moment. There is no 'normal'... Continue Reading →
Because is an answer
When you were a kid and you coughed up the answer "Because!" following a question by your parents, a teacher, or other adult in your life, you would tend to get back an exasperated claim of "Because isn't an answer!" Be honest, you can see the situation clearly in your mind because you were a... Continue Reading →
The 3:15pm Switch
As a young child growing up in Australia, I learnt that after the heat of a scorching summer's day, a southerly buster would usually blow in around 3:15pm and bring with it a torrential downpour. I know the time sounds rather specific, but that's when school finished and it was always a 50/50 chance you'd... Continue Reading →