From the Village to Boardroom to Plan Be

Experience is Wisdom

I live by the belief, that our opinion of ourselves, formed through experiences both negative and positive, have the biggest impact on our ability to get back up following a challenging situation.

This ability to get back up, is Resilience  and is best summed up by this Nelson Mandela quote, “our greatest glory is not in never falling, but rising every time we fall“.

As a Christian, often when I reflect, “the most important council that I receive – comes from within through the holy spirit” – manifested in my “moral compass and conscience“.

When we have the courage and are bold enough to ask ourselves about the learnings from those experiences despite the choices that got us here, we realise, that we are enough!

This process is GROWTH – so imbrace it and harness its purpose!

Be careful of whose advice you take

Throughout my management career, there have been moments that have forced me to reflect on my personal values and my credibility.

In a few of those moments, I had received some friendly and well-intentioned advice that didn’t sit well within. I was advised, that I could never make it to the top unless I was willing to do whatever it took – even step over people in order to get there.

Fundamentally, that advice was against the values that I have been raised to believe in and try to live by.

I have also doubted my own credibility at the peak of my management career despite my formal education,  life and professional experience because I started to buy-in to somebody else’s version of my story as they negatively reacted to changes I was implementing.

Yet – I haven’t allowed other people’s version of my story to define who I am and what I will become – a better version of who I was yesterday.

Professionally, I have planned and implemented several restructures and organisational transformation projects as a Chief Operations Officer (COO). And if you have carried out such a project, then you will identify with this summary.

CHANGE creates uncertainty and stress for those that have become comfortable within the safety of their current environment, having neglected to foresee and adapt to a forever changing world.

Those least prepared for change will fight to keep things as they were – particularly if they don’t feel like they have any control or influence in how those changes are made.

The aftermath of this resistance and frustration manifests itself in avoidance, diversion, allegations of bullying, increased sick leave, anxiety and depression – the ingredients required for a toxic environment and culture.

With those lessons and experiences in tow, I have now ventured out on my own and have started an executive business coaching and consulting practice called Profit & Values helping CEOs and their leadership teams to bridge the GAP between People & Culture, Strategy, and Leadership – aka CHANGE.

What is Profit & Values

Profit & Values is a business, but most importantly, its a philosophy about the actions you take in both your personal and professional life. I believe that you can still make a profit without sacrificing your values – aka Profit & Values.

You see, I am Polynesian – meaning that my beliefs are grounded in my Village as my support system. That everyone works for the betterment of the group (usually an extended family in a village situation).

Furthermore, I am a Christian (in the making), in that I try to “walk the talk” of being a blessing (positive influence) to others.

Now, that’s not to say that if you are neither Polynesian nor Christian, that you don’t have the same philosophy to life. All I am saying is that, based on my belief system, I choose not to intentionally sabotage someone else in the process of getting to the top.

What is it that Profit & Values does?

Profit & Values is a business management/leadership Coaching and Consulting Practice – specialising in bridging the GAP between People & Culture, Strategy and Leadership.

Profit & Values delivers this via coaching, facilitation, training and consulting services to help CEOs and leadership teams lead and implement people-centred change strategies in both their professional and personal life.

Modes of delivery include Organisational Culture Inventory/Audits, Building High-Performance Team workshops, developing Business & Human Centred Strategies and 1-to-1 Coaching.

Whatever it is that you are striving for, changes are required in order to get there – whatever there is. 

It might be thriving CEO, a successful business owner or the best customer service person in your organisation.

Only you can define what that is and only you can define what success looks like for you.

So let’s Talk.

What is Plan Be then?

Plan Be is to:

• Be Deliberate – about what time I spend with my family
• Be Active – with my children whilst I still have time to influence them
• Be Present – when spending time with those I love
• Be a Blessing to others – in all that I do

Plan Be allows me to provide and spend time with my family and friends (village) and secondly, it allows me to be a positive enabler for disadvantaged and at-risk people (especially youth).

Plan Be though, requires me to run a profitable practice that will allow me to Be.

My expertise and core competencies are within strategy implementation in change environments where I have helped CEOs implement changes that have resulted in restructure and changes to People, Processes and Technology within blue-chip multinational, public service and not for profit organisations.

Using those skills, I am “walking the talk” in my own business practice, as well as when I am consulting to other organisations – primarily putting people at the centre and involving them when formulating business strategies.

This is Plan B in action!

What’s your Plan Be?

Do you have a Plan Be at all?

Let’s Talk if you need someone to help you make sense of what’s on your mind.

Heart Project – BE a Blessing to others

Ultimately, my dream (my purpose) is to use a percentage of the profit from Profit & Values to put in place my 3rd horizon goal, which is “helping disadvantaged and at-risk youth in our Village Business Incubator”.

Whatever your strategy and implementation plan is for getting to your Plan Be, I hope you understand your purpose and stay true to your core values and beliefs.

And if you need help with formulating a strategy, figuring out where you are heading, implementing change (technology, business processes or other), I can help you bridge that GAP.

Give me a call on 0405 053 689, let’s talk by booking a FREE 45-minute no-obligation Chat. Or check out the other services that Profit & Values offers.

For more information on our 3rd horizon goal, read about it HERE.

For further information on my experience and formal qualifications, check out my Credentials or check out my LinkedIn profile.

For more information on the collaborators that I work in alliance with, check out the Collaborators sections.

PS: It is possible to make a Profit without losing your Values.

PPS: You can’t take all those possessions with you when our time comes – so Be Present with your loved ones.