Breathe.

 

One thing that connects us all while living on this planet is that we all breathe.

The primary sign of life is our first breath until we take our last, at death. During our lives, research shows that we take 16 breaths per minute, 960 breaths an hour, 23,040 breaths a day and 8,409,600 a year, on average.

There are many types of breaths. We have short, long, shallow, hot, heavy, deep, rapid, hard, bated, laboured and even bad breath. We can catch it, hold it, struggle and fight for it, have it taken away, lose it and in some moments, experience breathlessness.

The latin word “to breathe” is Spirare. It is the origin of many derivatives of common words such as aspire, inspire and spirit among many that relate to our journey through this life.

In this short poem, I assembled these words in a somewhat meaningful order as a guide to breathing our way purposefully.  

THANKS DAVE

 

I am a firm believer in personalisation as an effective and impactful way of connecting to someone, either informally or formally.

It’s why many people still write and send personalised greeting cards for birthdays, weddings, christenings, anniversaries, etc. It’s why some people make direct phone calls to their connections instead of leaving the less formal voicemail or text message. It’s why some people prefer face-to-face meetings and visits to friends and relatives instead of jumping on Zoom or FaceTime video call.

Some even try to simulate personalising engagements. It's been used by many organisations in mass emails as a tool to address the attended recipient by name to make it “ look “ like they know them, when really, they don’t.

I recently discovered a novel personalisation approach on a recent visit to the rural town of Toowoomba in the state of Queensland in Australia. Looking outside the window on the sixth floor of the Quest Hotel on Margaret Street, I spotted this novel parking space with the words “Thanks Dave” painted on it.

I have no idea who Dave is. A part of me thinks it's a prank played or a sarcastic statement as it's not the best carpark in the lot.

But the positive side of me makes me think that the verbal presence of his name at the location was celebrated not only with his own car parking space but also that he was personally ingratiated every time he happened to visit. 

I'd like to think that if Dave was a customer, he would certainly always come back. If he was a senior manager, he’s revered by his staff and if he was an employee, Dave would feel special every day he attends the office.

So what do you think? Sarcasm or gratefulness?

Either way, thanks Dave for adding to an appreciation of personalisation!

All The World's a Connected Stage

                                            Photo by Kyle Head on Unsplash

There are many ways to segment your target market based on how well you know them. In a recent conversation, I contemplated the two different levels of relationships and connections. 

The two levels are:

A. Those who we have relationships with. Dunbar’s 1990 research defines this cohort as the ‘150 to 250 people that you could call and would drop everything to go to the pub with you for a drink.’

B. Those we have a passing relationship with, who I refer to as connections – the multitude of contacts we’ve made over the years through various interactions and engagements. For the most part, we are connected to these people online through social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn. 

Recent research has given me reason to expand the world of relationships and connections from two to four cohorts. These groups can best be described using the analogy of producing a theatrical play.

1. The ADVOCATES – these are close family and friends who one has deep relationships with, who will actively support the production (you) emotionally and even, financially. They will have the best seats in the house on opening night and proactively promote your play (you) to their personal and business networks. 

2. The ACQUAINTANCES – these are people who know you and you know them but are passive relationships at best. They may support you if asked, will buy tickets to your play (perhaps not attend) and may tell a few of their friends about it. 

3. The ACTORS – these are the people you know of but may not know you well. They play their part in the production, but you have no active connection to them other than their short-term role in your play. You want to get to know them better as they possess a talent/skill that you require to make your current production (future productions) successful.

4. The AUDIENCE – these are the unknown sea of faces in the crowd, the prospects, and strangers. They need to be actively convinced/engaged with to attend your production. If you interact with them effectively and efficiently, they will transact with you by attending your production. In addition, if their experience of your production is a good/meaningful one they may become Actors, Acquaintances or Advocates for you.

I would appreciate thoughts and comments on this post. 

Feedforward and Feedback

"Can I give you some feedback?" Most people hear these words from friends, colleagues, bosses or parents and a sense of dread of what comes next is felt.       

I came across the term "feedforward". Apparently, it's not a new phrase and one that is beyond simple semantics. It does provide food for thought for how feedback should be approached, which is to provoke reflection and action on how to improve on what occurred previously.  

The catalyst was this simple graphic posted by Monte Pedersen on Linkedin.

I also found the following sources:

• What in the World is Feedforward? - Elle Robertson
• Moving from Feedback to Feedforward - Jason Lauritsen
• Feedforward in Leadership 
• Try Feedforward - Nick Petrie (video)
• Powerful Perspective on Feedforward - Nicole Heimann (video) 

I would appreciate comments and thoughts on this one. 

Priorities 2022 Revisited

This image caught my attention. Being March, I thought it was time to connect my goals to priorities and desired outcomes for 2022. 

In developing goals and resolutions for the year - and call me old fashioned - my parents constantly reminded me that life’s priorities are about being “Healthy, Wealthy and Wise”. In addition, I conducted a LinkedIn poll recently that revealed that 59% of people chose “Eat Healthy/Exercise”, 25% chose “Financial Planning”, 8% chose Learning program / Course and 8% listed “Other” as their 2022 goals.

So, I designed my priorities and outcomes around these areas. Here’s where I’m at:

Eat Healthy and Exercise 

• For the last 12 years, I’ve committed to doing 10,000 steps a day for exercise. In January, I upped the ante to 100,000 steps a week so I’m doing at least 14.400 per day. I’ve hit or exceeded the weekly target since the start of the year. 
• My intention was to learn how to cook and lose some weight on the way. In February, I signed up for Bridget’s Healthy Kitchen 28-day MEAL PLAN (not a diet). It’s 4 weeks of meal plans designed to heal and reset your gut. It comes with books and lists of food which are optimum for good gut health and food you should avoid. By the end of February, I’d lost 7 kgs which prompted me to re-join in March. 

Financial Planning 

• It was time to review our financial plan including superannuation and other investments. We were referred to and approached the friendly folks, Adam and Chris at Altus Financial. We now have a practical financial plan set-up from now until our retirement. 

Learning Program / Course

• I’m a big believer in continued learning. In doing some consulting work for a behavioural profile company, Discover Profiles, I signed up for their DISC Accreditation Training (through Corporate Plus). I hope to complete this by mid-March.
• In addition, I’m keeping up with latest management and sales leadership courses by completing a course a week on LinkedIn Learning. I’ve completed courses on LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Sales Strategies and Approaches in a New World of Selling, Sales Enablement and Social Selling. You can start with a free trial, however, it’s a sound investment in personal development and staying both current and relevant in the market. 

Other – Mental Health

• I was introduced by a former schoolmate to a local group called The Men’s Table. It’s a group for men that meets monthly as a safe place to share and be heard in a confidential and non-judgemental environment, creating a greater sense of belonging, camaraderie, and connection.  I attended my first meeting in February.

How are you going against your 2022 priorities? 

PEACHY - HONOURING A LIVED LIFE

(Reposted from Peachy article on LinkedIn)

"Peach?" inquired the teacher at the regular class roll call. When I heard the "present, sir" response, and with the surname "Pintado", it was a prompt for me to sit up and pay attention as I was next in line to be called.

This is how I first heard the name David Peach, which belonged to my schoolmate from St. Leo's College in Sydney in the mid 1970s. A friend for over 40 years "Peachy", as he was affectionately known, passed away from pancreatic cancer in November 2021.

This is not an attempt to eulogise him - he would have cringed at that. His achievements over the best part of his years on the planet are acknowledged by Members of Parliament, Launceston Chamber of Commerce, Launceston Examiner, Manly Daily and in a blogpost by his friend and Mens Table founder, Ben Hughes. 

I learned a lot from not only WHAT Peachy did, but HOW he lived his life. Our schoolmate, Liam, described him as a “life enthusiast”. His passion was motorbikes, travel, gatherings, and goodwill. Peachy combined all these by becoming involved in, and leading as CEO, the Black Dog Ride. This organisation raises awareness and funds for men’s health and depression research by sponsoring bike rides where camaraderie is a key component. These rides took him across the United States and Australia. He was also instrumental in pioneering the Men’s Table group, for men who want to regularly meet to speak openly in a social environment.  

He loved communities and causes. Peachy worked for Epilepsy Action Australia at one stage, and would regularly send us emails requesting contributions for various causes, including Radio Northern Beaches in Sydney, where I was privileged to be interviewed by him in 2013. 

He enjoyed the closeness of his schoolmates from St Leo’s College. When we left school in 1979, the St Leo’s Old Boys (SLOBS) group stayed connected through his leadership. We worked together with a few others to put together our 10th, 20th, 30th and 40th school reunions, which were very well attended. We stay in touch through regular get-togethers and social media. The SLOBS were well represented at the event celebrating Peachy’s life.

His greatest gift was in bringing people together. Whether it was in one-on-one catch-up ‘peepmeets’ with me, his radio audience on Sunday mornings, business communities in Launceston, Tasmania, or a social gathering with friends and schoolmates. He was, invariably, the catalyst, instigator, and connector of these events.  

I lost my own blood brother, Tony, back in 2013. On the day I heard Peachy had passed, I felt like I had lost another brother. I reflected on Peachy’s short life for some time and realised how much he had packed into this life, and contributed to the world, in just under 60 years. At a time when we are so busy with work and life, locked down through Covid and pressured to chase success, what drove this man to such a full life and a remarkable legacy? 

A few days after he passed, I had a vivid dream that I was speaking to him, face to face. I asked him bluntly, “Now that you’ve passed, Peachy, what did you make of your existence on this planet?”. Without hesitation, he replied:

“You got it wrong there, Mr. Pintado. I didn’t just exist – I lived.”

WHY OMNICARE.

WHY OMNICARE.

omni- [ˈɒmni] PREFIX  - all, of all things

care [kɛː] NOUN - the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something.

VERB - feel concern or interest; attach importance to something.

(care for) look after and provide for the needs of.

Why would an executive with 30 years’ experience in the metropolitan corporate world of technology decide to take the reins at a regional care provider?  

As CEO of Omnicare, my role involves leading over 150 staff across a footprint spanning the New South Wales Mid-North Coast region in Australia.  I’d been on The Board (all voluntary posts) of this aged, disability and dementia service provider for less than a year, when I stepped in to replace my predecessor. 

On paper (or screen) this might get a few heads scratching – dividing my time between my Sydney home and the comparatively small tourist town of Port Macquarie. However, I’m on a mission to help pave the way for Omnicare to become a flagship of the care sector across the nation, and beyond.

Omnicare Alliance does things differently. That’s why I got involved in the first place.

As I’ve alluded to, Omnicare is about ‘looking after all’ – that means holistic support, not just for clients that use our services at home or in our day centres, but for their primary carers (typically partners, adult children or siblings). One of the exciting advantages of being involved in a people-first community-based organisation is that there’s more scope for flexibility and adaptability. 

Take, for example, the recent NSW bushfire situation that has devastated many homes in the region. Road closures and dense smoke created significant disruptions to Omnicare’s regular operations. However, from senior management, through to team leaders, frontline staff and even volunteers, we were able to respond quickly and appropriately to ever-changing conditions.

Three for the team

What I’d like to share are three philosophical themes that underpin my leadership.

Care – one of the reasons I joined The Board was my experience of my father’s final 15 years. That’s how I became acquainted with the aged care sector and the tough conversations and decisions that precede the passing of a loved one. The Royal Commission into aged care is set to shake up the sector. Omnicare is already one step ahead – employing Montessori principles to support clients who are aged or living with disability or dementia; their carers; and staff. “Let’s understand who you are and what you can do” epitomises the Omnicare way in the form of The WISER Approach to our support.

Change – there is so much stigma in the sphere of aged care: ageing, death and dementia are areas many people find taboo, regardless of their prevalence.  The term ‘elderly’ has come to be associated with frailty and dependence, rather than the more positive connotations of seniority and wisdom. Omnicare challenges stigma, promoting dignity, independence and quality of life. We strive to make a positive impact on the sector.

Connection – the term ‘not-for-profit’ might conjure up thoughts of altruism and empathy, but the flip side is it might suggest the bottom line doesn’t matter. Think of Omnicare as a ‘profit-for-purpose’ organisation.  Compassion and close ties to the communities we serve are front and centre of everything we do, but sustainability is achieved through professionalism and a commercial outlook. Ensuring clients feel they contribute meaningfully and engage socially is at the heart of Omnicare’s quality of service.

That's Omnicare. Here's to doing things a little differently to make a difference.