The Useletter

Something to use, not just another thing to read.

Something to readSomething to think aboutSomething to doSomething from you

Why this isn’t a newsletter ›

The most recent

22 September 20263 minWhat are the rules of this room?In the early 2000s, the Australian public school system introduced the Responsible Thinking Process, or RTP. Teachers were given five questions to address…Read 3 min · Think · Do · You
15 September 20262 minAre the values in the room with us?I remember standing in the checkout line of a supermarket in New York City last year when something over the cashier’s shoulder caught my attention. As…Read 2 min · Think · Do · You

Leave your email and I’ll send you the next one. No pitch, and you can leave whenever you like.

From the archives

Everything I wrote before.

Nine years of it: culture, leadership, communication and a fair bit on speaking. Writing rather than Useletters, if you feel like digging.

113 pieces

SpeakingCost or Investment (How to Get the Most Out of Attending a Conference)They were both exposed to the same opportunity but only one leveraged that opportunity and walked away with value. I have learned that how you decide to…2 min SpeakingFive Things To Look For When Booking a Keynote SpeakerThe right speaker can elevate your carefully curated experience, captivating the audience with practical insight and inspiration. Alternatively, the wrong…3 min SpeakingWhy Choose a Professional Speaker?As tempting as it might be to go for a well-known name or someone from a notable company to attract attendees, the value of a professional speaker –…3 min CultureWhat you can do about it.So what now? If someone didn’t follow through on something when they said they would, there is a reason. Last week we explored eight of those possible…2 min CultureWhy it doesn’t happen.Accountability If you want to build a strong culture, you need it. In our culture study of 1,000 Australian managers, a ‘ lack of accountability ‘ was one…2 min CultureWhat is Culture…really? – Culture is by design or defaultSince I received the findings from our culture study of 1,000 Australian managers there is one question I am asked the most. People want to know “ What…2 min CultureREVIEW: What is Culture…really? – Culture is LearnedI was recently in the USA speaking at a conference about culture. On a lunch break, I decided to take a stroll through Times Square and saw something not…2 min CultureWhat is Culture…really? – Culture is seenWhen I ask leaders to tell me about the aspects of culture they love or hate (most often) they focus on behaviours. They talk about team members who go…2 min CultureWhat is Culture…really? – Culture is unseenAlmost all managers (99%) in our study of 1,000 Australian managers believe that culture plays an integral role in the overall success of an organisation.…2 min CultureWhat is Culture…really? – Culture is collectiveThe one thing that’s clear about culture is that culture isn’t clear. In a 1998 article, Willem Verbeke, Marco Volgering and Marco Hessels identified 54…2 min CultureWhat is Culture…really? – Culture is hard to defineHave you heard the story of the three goldfish? It was originally told in a commencement speech delivered by David Foster Wallace in 2005 at Kenyon…2 min CommunicationFacing Feedback – UnderstandingTo receive feedback like a pro, don’t just emphasise behaviour, prioritise understanding. At the start of this year, we welcomed a new family member. We…1 min CommunicationFacing Feedback – SeekingThey don’t have all the facts; they don’t know the full story. They are clearly wrong. But what if they weren’t? At least, what if they weren’t entirely…2 min CommunicationFacing Feedback – WelcomeIf you view feedback as an attack, you’ll default to defence. But if you embrace feedback as a gift, you’ll welcome it with appreciation. As someone that…2 min CommunicationFacing Feedback – RespondI punched him right in the throat. It wasn’t intentional. He was hiding around the corner and thought it would be funny to scare me. I guess he would have…2 min CommunicationFacing Feedback – InitiateI carry around a Blockbuster card in my wallet. It’s not because I’m nostalgic. There are two main reasons. Firstly, I like to see the confused look on a…2 min LeadershipElevating Empathy – MeaningEmpathy is felt through shared meaning. The goal of communication isn’t just an exchange of words, it’s a transfer of meaning. We want to know, “ did you…2 min LeadershipElevating Empathy – PersonalEmpathy can be personal but it shouldn’t be selfish. In my article Experience we explored the idea of deepening empathy by finding shared experience. When…1 min LeadershipElevating Empathy – ExperienceEmpathy deepens around shared experience . You won’t always be able to relate to someones circumstance , but there’s a good chance you could relate to the…2 min LeadershipElevating Empathy – JudgementYou might know that I’m an author, trainer, coach, speaker and facilitator. I’m also a runner, a creative and a very bad dancer. What you might not know…2 min LeadershipElevating Empathy – EmotionEmpathy deals in the currency of emotion . This means, as leaders, we need to be capable of holding the space for emotional expression. As a Gallup…2 min LeadershipElevating Empathy – Now More Than EverEmpathy. As we live and lead in a world that can feel increasingly polarised, we need it now more than ever. As we navigate reopening, reemerging and…2 min LeadershipHow to Feel in Control Without Being Controlling – Delegate Authority“Stop!” If a stranger approached you on the street shouting it, would you? If you were driving down a dark and isolated road and met by a stranger…1 min LeadershipHow to Feel in Control Without Being Controlling – Less ‘How’What kind of music are we making? A few years ago I was coaching an executive who was leading her team through the rollout of a new strategic plan. While…1 min LeadershipHow to Feel in Control Without Being Controlling – Make it about PerformanceHow do you get to an answer that equals 5? You might say 1+4 = 5 But that’s not how I would do it. What if I approached it as: 3+2 = 5 Am I wrong? What if…1 min LeadershipHow to Feel in Control Without Being Controlling – Focus on OutcomesI don’t need to remind you that the last 18 months has transformed the way we work. With so many people now working from home, how can you be sure that…3 min LeadershipHow to Feel in Control Without Being Controlling – Control the ControllablesThere’s an old saying, ‘when you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail.’ When you feel out of control personally, you’re more likely to project that…1 min LeadershipHow to Feel in Control Without Being Controlling – Confessions of a MicromanagerI have a confession. I’m a recovering micromanager . For a while I tried to justify it. Some of the ways might sound familiar. I told myself: ‘This work…1 min LeadershipThe Art of Subtraction – ExcusesIt’s not my fault… Nobody told me… I didn’t know… If you’re starting out in your career you could be forgiven for leaning on these phrases from time to…1 min LeadershipThe Art of Subtraction – PainLeadership is painful. If you’ve been around leadership long enough I don’t need to remind you of that ( spoiler if you’re just starting out ). It’s…2 min LeadershipThe Art of Subtraction – AnswersIf there was just one behaviour you could adopt as a leader that would be most helpful and beneficial in your role, what would you choose? With more than…2 min LeadershipThe Art of Subtraction – PrioritiesWhen everything is a priority is anything a priority? Speaking the language of Gallup’s CliftonStrengths , I lead with my dynamic duo of ideation and…1 min LeadershipThe Art of Subtraction – DecisionsThe key to making better decisions is making less decisions. To clarify, that doesn’t necessarily mean making fewer decisions. It means increasing the…2 min LeadershipThe Art of Subtraction – Do Less, Lead BetterI’m a thinker by nature. Sometimes I’ll think about an idea for weeks, maybe even months before I feel like it’s valuable enough to share and clear enough…1 min LeadershipHow To Be A Number One Number Two – ObservationBe intentionally observant. In 1931 Nicholas Murray Butler, the President of Columbia University in New York delivered a speech on Charter Day at the…2 min LeadershipHow To Be A Number One Number Two – Execution“ Without strategy, execution is aimless. Without execution, strategy is useless. ” Morris Chang. A great number two never has to be asked twice. I heard…1 min LeadershipHow To Be A Number One Number Two – HumilityA great number two isn’t fighting to be number one. That isn’t to say they lack ambition or aspiration. They’re just more concerned with service than they…1 min LeadershipHow To Be A Number One Number Two – AlignmentYou may not have chosen it, but you do have to lead it. Being a number one number two doesn’t mean you’ll always be in agreement. In fact, if you were,…1 min LeadershipHow To Be A Number One Number Two – InitiativeBeware of the dog. The person who follows instructions will read the sign. The person who trusts their instincts will read the dog. The person with…1 min LeadershipHow To Be A Number One Number Two – Followership“What’s the hardest instrument to play?” A journalist once asked Leonard Bernstein, the late, legendary conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.…1 min CommunicationMinors That Are Majors – ‘Margins’Nobody sets out to burnout. Like a swim in the ocean with an undercurrent, it’s easy to get caught up in the drift. We start with the best intentions,…1 min CultureMinors That Are Majors: ‘Recognition’‘No news is good news.’ That’s the old proverb. As it turns out, no news is actually very bad news for employees. According to Gallup , you’re about twice…1 min CultureMinors That Are Majors – ‘Conversations’It’s just one conversation…it’s not a big deal, right? The pit in your stomach when you cross paths with that person would suggest otherwise. The…1 min CommunicationMinors That Are Majors – ‘Short’Don’t stop on Short Street. It’s a road I know well. It’s almost the exact half way point on my out-and-back run from my house. I say almost because it’s…1 min CommunicationMinors That Are Majors – ‘But’I love you…BUT…like a brother (ouch). I think your idea is great…BUT…we don’t have the budget (insert eye roll). Sir Mix-A-Lot may like a big BUT, your…1 min CommunicationMinors That Are Majors – ‘Small’Small is underrated. We rarely celebrate finishing 1 page in a book. We aren’t excited losing just 1kg. We don’t get the productivity crown by responding…1 min GrowthNew Year, New…BeltI’m not one for New Years resolutions. In most part it’s because I don’t like starting my new year feeling like a failure. Because the reality is I am…2 min GrowthJust Twenty Seconds (Of Insane Courage)Have you ever felt your heart pounding so forcefully it feels like it might just beat right out of your chest?For many people I work with that’s the feeling they get while waiting at the side of the stage or the back of the room to be introduced to speak. Every internal thought process tells them they should pack up and run the opposite direction. Can you relate?2 min CultureTGIF (A Why For Your Weekend)What does the weekend mean for you? When Friday rolls around each week, what’s your reason for saying ‘ Thank God It’s Friday’? (TGIF) For many leaders…2 min SpeakingPresentation Tension (Why You Need It. How To Build It.)Tension might not be good to have in your neck but it’s very good to have in a presentation. Tension is the feeling of discomfort we get when we are…2 min GrowthConfidently Humble (And Why That’s Not An Oxymoron)With over 650,000 copies already sold and well on his way to a million copies in the first twelve months of release, you would forgive James Clear –…3 min GrowthDon’t Fight It (Starve It)There was a time that I found the practice of back burning or controlled burning during a fire to be unusual. It seemed strange to me, at the time, that…2 min CultureLead With Purpose (Not Just Position)Team members might comply because of a position, but they will mobilise behind a compelling purpose. This week Seth Godin released a brilliant article on…2 min SpeakingWhen You’re Nervous (Think Like A Lawyer)Don’t believe everything you think. At least not straight away. I’ve been known to disappear inside the vortex of Netflix from time to time when I get…2 min SpeakingA Better Question To Ask (After You Speak)A lot of people talk about the vulnerability you feel in the few moments before you have to stand up and speak. We don’t talk enough about the few moments…1 min GrowthSometimes It’s For Now (Sometimes It’s For Later)If I gave you a bandaid and you weren’t bleeding you’d probably look at me like I was crazy. You might even try to give it back to me or discard it. But…1 min SpeakingWhen You’ve Made The Point (Stop Talking)We spend a lot of time, energy and focus figuring out how we should start a presentation or deliver a message (and we absolutely should), but I think…1 min CultureCulture Conversations (Getting from Chaos to Clarity)The culture of your team will be a reflection of the conversations in your team. Both the conversation’s you have and those you won’t. It’s the…2 min CultureBuilding a Culture? (Or Just a Cult)Repeat after me “this is not a cult”. (Well deserved attribution of that joke to Matt Church which always gives me a good chuckle.) Few people would argue…3 min CultureThe Power of Purposeful Language (Two Things Every Team Needs)If you’ve spent any amount of time at an airport then it’s likely you will have experienced the two words nobody likes to hear – ‘ flight delayed’ . It’s…2 min SpeakingCost or Investment (How to Get More out of ConferencesI’ve seen it many times. Two people sit side by side in the exact same conference but walk away with two very different experiences. They were both…3 min SpeakingThe Art of Subtraction (In Presentation Preparation)Michelangelo, one of history’s prominent artists, is well known across the world for his artistic works. And yet, to this day his creative process is one…2 min SpeakingHow to Speak (Before You Speak)Whether you realise it or not, you are speaking long before you stand up in front of a room full of people to speak. We are a globally connected society…3 min CultureGet More Out of Meetings (With Just One Question)We try to get out of them and we do everything we can to avoid them, but meetings aren’t going anywhere. So how can leaders ensure that we get the most…3 min CultureWhat To Do When You Catch Someone (Doing Something Right)You don’t need to search too deep in any organisation or team to catch someone doing something wrong or to point out a problem that needs to be fixed. But…4 min GrowthHow to Fail Better (Why Some Leaders Break Through and Others Break Down)Have you noticed that some people experience failure and continue to thrive and progress. While others face the same setbacks and struggle to recover? It…4 min SpeakingShould I Practice My Presentation? (And Just How Much?)They say practice makes perfect. So just how much should you practice? I read that Steve Jobs rehearsed and agonised for days and even weeks in the lead…3 min CommunicationWhat Do You Mean? (Four Tips To Reduce Miscommunication)A single word can have a multitude of meanings. “Ah” How does that word sound to you? Try saying it out loud. Now, say it like: You’ve just sat down after…1 min CommunicationThink Twice (Before You Speak)You’ve had a thought. Great! Should you share it? When you’re preparing a presentation When you’re in a meeting When you’re with your team When you’re…1 min SpeakingThe Common Denominator (One thing our public speaking fears have in common and what we can do about it)What if I stumble over my words or make a mistake? What if I lose the respect of my peers or leaders? What if I haven’t prepared enough? What if I go…3 min CultureBehind the ‘Seens’ (Where Leadership is Made)Don’t mistake that which is unseen for that which is unimportant. This week I boarded a plane to Sydney on my way to work with a great group of leaders…3 min SpeakingThe Preparation Trap (Don’t Get Stuck in the Door)Hold the door for someone and it is considered polite, but hold the revolving door for someone and it usually won’t be as well received. Revolving doors…2 min GrowthThe Growth Intersection (Two Ability’s that Accelerate Leadership Growth)This week in a group of high school students I witnessed something extremely powerful. What they did might seem simple but it completely changed the…3 min LeadershipFour Decisions Leaders Need to Make (A Lesson From The Streets)I usually hate waiting at traffic lights. But this time was different. I’m quite impatient when I think about it. I’m someone that fills up $20-$30 at a…2 min SpeakingTo Slide or Not to Slide (Is Not the Question)“Should I use slides when I present or not?” It’s a good question. But I’m not sure it’s the best one. The answer to that question ultimately depends on…3 min SpeakingHow Will You Be Remembered? (Two Moments Every Speaker Needs to Think About)Will you be remembered well? Will you even be remembered at all? According to research by the Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman, author of “Thinking Fast…3 min SpeakingThe Attention Tension (How to Capture and Engage your Audience)In November 2015 I experienced Times Square for the first time. It was incredible and at the same time, overwhelming. As I looked up at the magnitude of…4 min GrowthLeadership Longevity (Four Things Every Leader Needs)No leader sets out to burn out. A marathon runner doesn’t leap off the starting line hoping they might just make it to the 25km mark. They prepare, train…4 min CultureHow Great Leaders Value Important Conversations. (Five tips for your next one-on-one)As a leader, important conversations come with the territory. These conversations may take the form of helping a team member navigate a conflict, work…3 min CommunicationCan We Talk? (Simple Responses for Difficult Conversations)“Excuse me, do you have a minute to talk?” You think “no” but say “yes” . You know by the look on their face that this conversation is going to take more…3 min GrowthWhy Some Leaders Grow (And Others Don’t)How can I get better? It is a fundamental question that any great leader will ask. It is what separates the good and the great. Development should be one…3 min SpeakingStick the Landing (Three Questions You Should Answer Before You Close)Have you ever worked so hard and been so close to achieving something, only to miss out at the last moment? It’s a horrible feeling. Spare a thought for…3 min CommunicationIf Words Were Money (How would you spend them?)If we thought about our words in the same way we think about our money, what would change? I’ve been having a lot of conversations lately with people…2 min CommunicationIf You Want to Connect (Learn the Language)As leader, we will always struggle to lead the room, if we cannot learn to speak the language of the room. In 2013 my wife & I celebrated our fifth…3 min SpeakingFour Questions People Ask (Every Time You Speak)Depending on who you ask, it has been said that the average person has between 50,000 and 70,000 thoughts per day. Our brain is one powerful information…2 min SpeakingWant to Improve? (Try Asking the Audience)As someone who works alongside leaders to improve how they communicate one of the most common questions I get asked by people I hear speak is: “What…2 min SpeakingI have to speak and I’m freaking out (Three tips to calm the nerves)You’re not really scared, but for some reason your hands are shaking. You’re instantly regretting wearing white because the sweat is quickly revealing all…3 min CultureEverything is Awesome! (Making Positive Feedback…Helpful)Positive feedback is both developmental and meaningful, it also plays a vital role in building high-performance teams. In her article ‘Give Your Team…2 min CommunicationThe Accent of Leadership ( What Does Leadership Sound Like? )Have you ever spoken with someone that had a strong accent? There was something different about how they spoke. Leaders have an accent. There is something…2 min CultureTwenty-Eighteen Vocab (What Will You Choose?)We should never underestimate the creative potential of our words. The words and phrases that rank high in our day to day vocabulary shape the type of…2 min CommunicationThree Last Minute Gifts (That Don’t Cost a Cent)This time of year we spend countless hours in shopping centres frantically looking for the perfect gifts to give the special people in our life. Amidst…1 min CommunicationFour Phrases (That will Silence Creativity)Creativity and innovation are at the core of great teams. The real challenge then, for leaders, is bringing them to the forefront. Could we be silencing…2 min CommunicationSeven Deadly Words (That Will Kill Your Credibility)Have you ever heard somebody say these words? Have you uttered them yourself? At first glance they seem innocent, but they can kill your credibility as a…2 min GrowthWhat’s the Opposite of Being Busy? (The answer might not be what you think)What’s the Opposite of Being Busy? When we ask someone the question ‘ how are you? ’. The typical response used to sound something like “ good thanks ”.…2 min CommunicationHappy ‘One Year Closer to Death’ Day (The Weight of Words)Happy ‘One Year Closer to Death’ Day! It doesn’t have the same ring to it as ‘Happy Birthday’ does it? Last week I was passing a tram stop outside…1 min CultureThe Missing Voice in Your Meetings (Four ideas to help silent team members speak up)Teams that aren’t empowered to speak up will eventually break down. Organisations and teams suffer when great team members lack the courage or confidence…2 min GrowthThe Other Side of Comparison? (Getting Bitter or Getting Better)Has anybody ever told you that you shouldn’t compare yourself with others? I would mostly agree. It can be dangerous and damaging. But personally I have…2 min CommunicationGood leaders know how to speak (Great leaders know when not to)Being a great leader isn’t just about knowing how to speak. It’s also about knowing when not to. Last week I sat down to write an article. I finished it…2 min SpeakingStaying On Point (Four reasons why people miss the mark, and how to avoid them)If you are in any position of leadership then at some point you will have had to sit down with a team member and have an uncomfortable (but necessary)…2 min SpeakingWhen doing it right is getting it wrong (One thing we all need when communicating)You’ve read it all. You’ve seen it all. You’ve heard it all. Stand up tall, shoulders back, feet shoulder width apart. Make eye contact, but not for too…3 min CommunicationWays to Say You’re Not OKToday is RUOK Day . I love the awareness that today brings to the challenges relating to Mental Health and the reminder of the importance for people to…4 min CommunicationCommunication Trademarks™ (What are Yours)This week I went through the process of filing a trademark with ipaustralia . As I was reading up on the steps involved with lodging an application and…3 min GrowthTrapped (Why some tasks get stuck in the ‘to do’ list and how to set them free)If you have the opportunity to lead people then you can relate to the frustration that arises from assigning a task only to have that task sit trapped in…4 min CultureCan You Repeat That (4 questions that will help your team do more of the things you love)‘ It’ matters to you and ‘it’ matters to your organisation. As a leader, you want ‘it’ to be engrained into the fabric of your team or your staff. You…3 min CommunicationThe Know Grow Zone (Two decisions for leveraging feedback)You can’t grow from the things you don’t know. Early on in my journey speaking to large groups of people I had an annoying habit. To be honest, I probably…3 min GrowthMovement ≠ Progress (What I learned from the Starbucks comeback story)“Sometimes going backwards is the best type of progress you can make”. Going backwards may not be something you would normally associate with making…3 min CultureLeading a Game Changing Team – 4 Questions Leaders AskSome people dream about what could happen , some take steps to make things happen and when everything is said and done other people sit back and wonder…6 min GrowthFive ‘ability’s of Great Leaders – With a little self reflection1. Dependability – A commitment to get it done. Great leaders can be relied on to get the job done. When a ball is thrown to them, they not only catch it,…2 min CommunicationOne Question Could Change Everything (so you should probably ask it)“This isn’t working”. I was completely saturated from head to toe in sweat as I looked at my good friend in the carpark of a local school. He looked back…2 min GrowthCall Declined (How not answering my phone lead to innovation)Green or Red? Thats the big question we all have to ask ourselves when we feel the vibration in our pocket and look at the screen to see one of our team…2 min SpeakingBack to Front Communication (What you need to know to engage the entire room in your next presentation)If you’ve ever been asked to speak or present in front of a group of strangers then you understand how intimidating that can be. Now imagine for a moment…2 min GrowthLeaders are Learners (that’s why you want to read this article)‘Doctrina Perpetua’ That was the motto of the university where I completed my undergraduate degree in marketing. I have never forgotten it because when I…4 min LeadershipWhy it’s not happening (by “it” I mean all those things you’ve delegated)It’s probably not going to happen. Not really a ‘ glass half full’ ‘ approach to the start of an article I know. But I want to share with you 4 reasons…4 min