Leadership & Life
​​​Sept-Oct 2024
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Barry Dore
28 October 2024
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‘Trust & Inspire, the principles at the heart of authentic leadership.’
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I was sorting through some leadership docs and came across this, a review of a book called
‘Trust & Inspire.’ This book contained many powerful messages, I remember at the time it
clarified my thinking on the true meaning of authentic leadership, a principle at the heart of
‘Lead Like Mary.’
I first published this two or three years ago, but having re-read it I felt it was worth
reposting.
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Introduction
‘The difference between what we’re doing, and are capable of doing would solve most of the world’s problems’
Gandhi
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‘You say to yourself if only I could unleash the power of everybody in the organisation what would we accomplish?’
Andy Pearson, Yum Brands
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‘Trust & Inspire’ is a book from Stephen M R Covey, son of 7 Habits author Stephen
Covey, a book that had a massive impact on me back in the day.
It’s validation of my thinking in ‘Lead Like Mary’ (published 2014), but much better
articulated.
In LLM I created the fictional character Mary, who I described as an authentic leader, who is
determined to deliver results, but always in the right way.
I went on...
’She derives her authority, her legitimacy, to lead, not from the position she holds
but from whom she is, and that authenticity comes from deep within her character.’
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I suggested we were witnessing an evolution from autocratic leadership (represented by Bill)
to authentic leadership.
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Over the years since Mary’s authentic approach and the ten traits she demonstrates as a
leader have been widely endorsed by many people I have worked with, but I have never felt
that I have fully articulated the following:
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A better description of the difference between autocratic and authentic leadership.
That Bill is at the extreme of autocratic leadership, but there are many with a more
moderate approach who still believe their right to lead comes from the position they hold,
and who focus on telling and micromanaging.
How authentic leaders can influence change in the workplace to their way of leading.
Covey’s book provided answers to each of these.
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Seismic change
The strap line of the book is
‘how truly great leaders unleash greatness in others.’
The premise is that we need a new kind of leadership. For years, since the Industrial
Revolution and indeed for centuries before, we have operated in a Command & Control
leadership paradigm. But it has had its time. A changing world demands a new type of
leadership.
This new world of work has undergone seismic change. The impact of the global pandemic
has driven this even faster.
Five emerging forces are sweeping through our world:
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A technological revolution
is bringing extraordinary changes. Technological innovation is
happening in all areas, impacting on every society, industry, organisation and person. Until
1900 experts estimated that human knowledge doubled every century. Now experts suggest
that human knowledge doubles every 12 hours.
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The nature of work has changed.
Work is now much more collaborative, innovative and
creative that ever before. We need more and more people to work with their heads, not
their hands. People need to work in flexible, interdependent teams- to create and innovate
together.
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The nature of the workplace has changed.
Working from home or another location has
been growing even before the pandemic massively accelerated this trend. People are
working virtually in flexible inter-connected teams. We increasingly don’t have the need for
conventional offices. Hybrid working is here to stay.
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But I also needed to acknowledge that along the continuum were other managers operating
within a Command & Control paradigm, albeit not as destructive or extreme as Bill. Covey
calls these Enlightened Command & Control managers.
These managers, to varying degrees, are less autocratic and coercive. They may well be
kinder and gentler, introducing processes like talent management. But they still
micromanage, although well intentioned they can’t escape their leadership paradigm of
Command & Control. They might agree with the principles of Trust & Inspire, they might
even believe they have made the shift, but they cannot let go of the need to control.
What a Trust & Inspire Leader is...and isn’t
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A Trust & Inspire leader understands their role is to serve others, to lead people so they
consciously and enthusiastically decide to stay, thrive and contribute meaningfully.
They are aware that 50% of employees have left a job to get away from a manager at some
point in their career.
They believe people are inherently trustworthy and go out of their way to extend trust. The
level of trust is always dependent on a combination of risk and confidence, but their
intuition is to trust.
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‘I prefer to give my trust a hundred times and risk being disappointed two or three times,
than to live perpetually in an atmosphere of mistrust.’
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They inspire others both because of who they are and the way they role model, and also
through connecting people to a noble purpose. That purpose can turn a job into a calling.
It’s the cleaner at NASA who’s part of a team putting man on the moon. It’s the bricklayer
building a cathedral.
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‘You can go from a job to a career to a calling without changing your occupation.’
Angela Duckworth
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Teaching is a great example of an occupation which desperately needs Trust & Inspire
leadership. It is a profession with a noble purpose (educating and inspiring the young is a
pretty noble thing) but 44% of teachers leave the profession in their first five years and only
30% of those who stay are engaged.
Why? Overwork, feeling of not being valued, overwhelming bureaucracy,
micromanagement, command and control.
But if teachers don’t feel inspired how can they be expected to inspire their students?
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There are lots of things Trust & Inspire leadership is not.
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Trust & Inspire leadership is not soft. It’s still all about performance and results. The
difference is that Trust & Inspire leaders believe it is not acceptable to deliver good results in
the wrong way. But it is also unacceptable to do things in the right way and not deliver.
Trust & Inspire leadership is not weak. Strength in leadership comes not from force and
control but through openness, authenticity and trust. A Trust & Inspire leader is courageous,
decisive, confident and credible. It takes more strength to trust than to control.
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Trust & Inspire leadership is not a lack of control, in fact there is more. When people feel
trusted their engagement and self-accountability increases.
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Trust & Inspire leadership does not lack structure. Freedom Within a Framework, supported
by win-win agreements, creates a rock solid structure of support and accountability in which
people can flourish.
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Trust & Inspire leadership does not mean a lack of direction. Trust & Inspire leaders create,
articulate and communicate a clear and compelling vision that inspires people. A surgeon in
an operating theatre has a clear plan. But they know others present can contribute in a
meaningful way and the whole team must collaborate to ensure successful outcomes.
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Trust & Inspire leadership does not carry a lack of high expectations and accountability. Trust
& Inspire leaders unleash potential, have strong conversations, take difficult decisions, push
people out of their comfort zones, hold people accountable and have high expectations.
Trust and Inspire leaders can be authoritative when needed without being authoritarian.
Organisations that prosper in this new world of work, who seize the opportunities it offers,
will have at their heart a culture built upon Trust & Inspire leadership modelled from the top
but demonstrated at every level. Organisations that cannot make the shift from Command
& Control will flounder and die.
As Charles Darwin is reputed to have said
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‘It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent. It is the one most
adaptable to change.’
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Organisations have to change and adapt to those five emerging forces. What I described in
‘Lead Like Mary’ as an evolution from autocracy to authenticity is now essential. It’s how
truly great leaders unleash greatness in others.
When I launched my own business 20 years ago it’s purpose was to :
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‘inspire and enable leaders to transform the world of work by unlocking
the potential that delivers amazing results.’
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Authentic leadership, Trust & Inspire leadership, is the key that unlocks that potential and
delivers that transformation.
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It’s you who holds that key.
***
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Barry Dore
21 October 2024
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‘Come on, seize the moment, let’s finally shoot that elephant.’
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The last twenty odd years of my professional life have been a joy, working with thousands of
people, doing my best to convince them there is a different way of leading than being the
boss and telling people what to do.
Inside countless training rooms, 1-1 walking and coaching, inviting groups to experience the
peace of my home, or more recently on-line programmes, I have shared my deep-rooted
belief that only through authentic, highly effective leadership can we hope to achieve the
step change that organisations of any kind and size require if they are to deliver results that
can change the (or at least their) world.
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I have also watched with pride, similar to watching my own children graduate, as the young,
enthusiastic evolving leaders on my various development programmes have reached the top
job in a number of organisations, demonstrating the principles and practices of authentic,
values-led leaders from their first day behind the CEO’s desk.
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Why then do I often feel a failure? That I have wasted those twenty odd years, that sadly
(with notable exceptions) far too many authentic leaders focus on compelling visions and
comprehensive strategies (both important) while missing the basic stuff, so basic that far
too many CEOs are unaware of the issues or feel that they fall below their pay grade.
Stick with me, let me explain what I mean in the simplest way I can. It’s a conversation I have
with numerous mid-level managers and more junior team members everywhere.
It goes something like this...
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‘I work as part of a team in an organisation with a purpose and vision that inspires me and
that I am passionate about. Senior leaders want to deliver the vision. To do so they tell me I
have to be as effective as possible, to make sure every single hour I work is purposeful. Then
they allow barriers to exist that prevent me being at my most effective. Indeed they create
some of those barriers themselves. Here are the worst offenders:.
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I am overwhelmed with the sheer volume of e-mails.
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My week is constantly interrupted by attending unproductive and unnecessary meetings
placed in my calendar by colleagues.
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Senior leaders are forever introducing new initiatives giving me additional responsibilities
without extra resource.
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I do not have the equipment I need to deliver effectively. Try logging on from home and
downloading data.
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My boss micromanages me, I learned about the importance of trust and freedom within a
framework on the programme you sent me on, but my boss has not done the programme.
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It’s over six months since I had a 1-1with my boss. They keep cancelling them.
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I am working extra hours to try and cope with the demands on me. I am tired, frustrated and
stressed. I can’t go on doing this much longer, something has to give.’
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You might think this is exaggerated, it’s not, it’s a conversation that’s played out countless
times.
Let’s put some numbers on it. There is ample evidence to show that in a typical organisation
people spend 55% of their time in a typical week dealing with other people’s urgencies and
crises. Turn that on its head, that’s less than half their time being productive, focusing on
the things that take them forward, delivering the results they are there to deliver, playing
their part in building a better tomorrow.
imagine what your organisation could deliver if they were truly effective 70, 80, 90% of the
time.
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Imagine...
In the meantime we are having to deal with exponential levels of stress and absence, while
our good people are leaving for pastures new.
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Who is to blame and who needs to fix it? There are two conversations going on here.
The first is round the coffee machine.
‘This can’t go on. I’m being overwhelmed with things to do and I’m close to breaking point.
Senior management needs to sort this.’
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Meanwhile, round the boardroom table,
‘This can’t go on, what’s wrong with people? They’ll have to step up their game, there’s so
much to do.’
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Think of it this way. An ocean going liner can have the clearest vision (its destination port)
and clearest strategy (the charts and route maps) but if its engine is only operating at 50%
effectiveness it will at best limp slowly across the ocean with every likelihood it will splutter
to a halt mid journey.
Who is to blame for this state of affairs?
Who can fix it?
The answer to both questions is both senior management and mid-level managers/junior
team members.
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It’s time to get those heads out of the sand.
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Senior management cannot any longer treat these issues as being below their pay grade.
The elephant has been in the room for far too long and needs dealing with. It’s not going
away unless you sort it. And come on, if you put your mind to it and demonstrate real
leadership these issues really are not difficult to sort.
Mid-level managers and junior team members cannot continue to play the victim.
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Remember last week’s mantra.
‘If you don’t master your circumstances, they will master you.’
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Be the change you wish to see. Take control. Make choices.
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Delete those e-mails, only access them at the start and end of the day. Do not react to every
ping.
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Refuse those meetings. Ensure every meeting you still choose to attend is productive for
you.
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Talk to your boss about micromanagement. Teach them about freedom within a framework.
Manage upwards effectively.
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Build up examples of extra initiatives bringing extra work, and of equipment failures.
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Demand those 1-1s. Push back when they’re cancelled. Prepare for them, make sure they
are productive.
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Do not work extra hours. Take breaks, use them to reenergise. Don’t take work home.
Close down your laptop.
Be the best version of you. You cannot drink from an empty cup.
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Most powerfully, senior managers, mid-level managers and junior team members need to
work together on the solutions. Listen to each other to build understanding. Be aware of the challenges both groups face. Be respectful. Build empathy and trust. Devise simple solutions to these challenges together. Celebrate successes. Measure progress.
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Because you can.
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Let’s go back to basics and sort that engine room out before it’s too late.
***
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Barry Dore
14 October 2024
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‘If you don’t master your circumstances, they will master you.’
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Around 153,000 people in the UK have Parkinson’s Disease, and I’m ‘lucky’ enough to be one
of them. It has the doubtful accolade of being the fastest growing neurological condition in
the world.
We refer to it by the initials ‘PD’. It seems somehow less threatening than the longer
version.
I was diagnosed with PD in October 2015. I went to the Doctor’s for the first time in years
with a minor issue. I often refer to popping into the surgery for some tablets and coming
home with PD.
In truth, before that date I’d never heard of PD. A quick internet search left me shocked. I
had a progressive disease, to which there is currently no cure, the latter stages of which are
very tough. I resolved on that day to do all I could to slow progression of the disease in any
way I could.
I am unique amongst my 153,000 fellow members of this growing group. Every one of them
is unique too. Why? Because no two people have exactly the same PD experience. There’s a
common menu of symptoms but everyone is slightly difference. For example, I don’t have a
tremor or swallowing problems, but I freeze and struggle with my balance.
People with PD don’t have enough of the chemical dopamine in their brains because some
of the nerve cells that make it happen have stopped working. This is a problem, for example
one thing our dopamine does is to send a message from your brain to your legs to move.
Think of it this way. The brain emails the message, but the email is never received, it’s
disappeared into some deep black hole. The brain assumes the email has got through, the
upper half of the body moves forward, the legs don’t and the result is you stagger, over
balance or possibly fall, and everyone around you suspects you’re drunk. It’s happened to
me in a supermarket. Security followed me for the rest of my visit, assuming I’d be slipping
bottles of gin down my trousers.
Dopamine is also the chemical that gives you highs and excitement, in short, it’s our pathway
to pleasure. Low dopamine levels can also lead to periods of anger, frustration, and
depression.
Most people, having been diagnosed, try to hide it for as long as they can when with other
people. I guess it’s human nature. Maybe we feel we’re weak, or different, or embarrassed,
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some might fear their boss finding out and losing their job. I know there’s plenty of
protection in employment law but in the turbulent state we’re in we may not believe it (and
there’s still plenty of bosses out there who don’t give a monkey about employment law.)
I certainly tried to hide mine, but you try facilitating a workshop in front of twenty
participants and hiding the dyskinesia that causes your arm to rotate above your head like a
demented helicopter!
Too many people diagnosed with PD look inwards, blame everything, refuse to go out, give
up. In short, they become a victim.
It’s so easy to become a victim, but there is another path you can take. It’s tough, it calls for
real courage. Most of all it requires support. I am so lucky to have Jakkie in my corner. She’s
my number one supporter, but she doesn’t make it easy for me. She deals in empathy, not
sympathy, pushes me to overcome barriers, is realistic about the future (which is why we’re
downsizing,) and never, ever lets me feel sorry for myself.
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There’s also my children, all six of them, including Charlotte, who is currently studying for a
PhD in aspects of PD, part of a research h team who, along with many others across the
world, is seeking to find a cure for PD. Now that’s humbling.
I also have special friends who give so much support and professionals looking aftetr my
medication, providing me with counselling and giving neuro physio support.
And here’s the si ngle most important message I want to leave you with from this blog. Look
back at the title,
‘If we fail to master our circumstances they will master us.’
I‘m going to revisit this quote in next week’s blog and apply exactly the same principle to
leadership at work, because it’s just as relevant there and indeed is the route to high
effectiveness.
It took me ages to master my circumstances, I’m still falling short often and have to refocus
every single day. I used to cringe at accepting that I am disabled, but it’s just a label. Those
of us with that label are no less of a person, there’s still so much we can do with our lives,
and we can be an inspiration to others.
I may have had to give up my ambition to row single handed across the Atlantic, but I can
write books, meet with friends, blog, mentor, teach, be that inspiration, laugh with friends,
help others, volunteer, be the ebst husband, dad, grandad and friend, the list is endless.
So folks, sounding like I’m in an AA meeting, let me say loud and clear, ‘I’m disabled, but I
can still love and live my life every single day.
***
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Barry Dore
7 October 2024
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How one leader is reshaping a rural church community.
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When we think of leaders, we often focus on those people who have made it to the top of
organisations, or maybe people leading teams or functions in larger organisations. But, as so
many of us now understand, leaders exist everywhere. A person on the front line in an
organisation has as much opportunity to be a leader as the CEO in their big corporate office.
If that person is in a retail business, for example, they can lead by delighting customers,
coming up with ideas on how to make the business more efficient, motivating other team
members etc. That might not seem like leading, but it absolutely is. Leading at work is
simply about being authentic, ensuring clarity, taking responsibility, inspiring and enabling
others, being creative, being trustworthy, trusting and delivering.
In fact leadership is not something we just do at work, we are all capable of leading outside
work as well. We can lead with our family, friends, in our outside work activities and in our
community.
Leading outside work is simply about being authentic, ensuring clarity, taking responsibility,
inspiring and enabling others, being creative, being trustworthy, trusting and delivering.
Sounds familiar?!
Here in Fradswell we have experienced community leadership of the highest order over the
last couple of years. Like most other rural communities the length and breadth of our nation
we have a village church. Part of it is old, dating back to the thirteenth century. Like so many
other churches, especially those in rural locations, attendance at church has dwindled
significantly. In Fradswell it was not unusual for a congregation to consist of one man and his
dog, and the dog probably had to be tied up outside!
There’s a multitude of reasons for this, many interconnected. Congregations have got
steadily older, parishioners literally dying off or becoming too ill or infirm to attend, they are
failing to attract younger attendees, and many churches are cold, uncomfortable and in a
poor state of repair.
There are more holistic reasons too. The latest census has revealed a continued decline in
the percentage of the population listing themselves as being religious, church services have
failed to move with the times, who wants to be told repeatedly that they are sinners and
must repent?
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Back to Fradswell, which is part of the Mid Trent team of eight local village churches, a view,
rightly or wrongly emerged that the Mid Trent team would not be unhappy if Fradswell
church was to close, a situation seemingly endorsed by the Lichfield Diocese.
My view, for what it’s worth, has always been this. I class myself as agnostic (how can we
know?) and have no interest in attending church services. But I do believe a small
community should have a church, it’s something that has been an ever-present part of
village life for centuries. I also believe that to attract a larger congregation a whole new
approach I needed.
Enter one person in the village, a farmer. She is a force of nature and would not accept an
argument for closing the church. She has almost single-handed taken up the mantle of
change. She is a true leader; determined, persuasive, never taking no for an answer,
creative, visionary and entrepreneurial.
She has significantly changed the whole ethos underpinning the approach to services. They
are led by her, ably assisted by her partner they have put music at the heart of the services.
Both are talented musicians, playing uplifting songs. Most importantly is this change in
ethos, this is a working agricultural community, in which the land and seasons are of
paramount importance.
I quote from the latest parish magazine, an important communications tool for the village,
‘
Our worship in Fradswell follows a Celtic theme and is influenced by the changing seasons.
Our music is full of exuberance and life and never fails to raise even the lowest of spirits...our
celebrations very much reflect our rural community, with Plough Sunday...Lambing Sunday
and Harvest Festival to give just a few examples.
We warmly welcome dogs into our services as cherished members of many of our families.
Each service is followed by delicious home-made refreshments.
With our remote location and worship experience, Fradswell is distinctive within the
Benefice. We are a rural community once again becoming aware of itself and of its spiritual
identity.’
The results of this intervention have been astonishing. Attendance has been through the
roof, drawing more people from Frasdwell but also from surrounding villages. People speak
of the joyous nature of the services, and of other imaginative quirks like bringing lambs to
one service and inviting people to bring their pets, whatever they are, to another!
Leadership is about change, it’s about ordinary people finding their voice and inspiring and
enabling others to do the same.
It truly is a fabulous example of leadership in action!
***
Barry Dore
30 September 2024
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Unleashing Potential and Celebrating Friendship
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A recent choice at our book club here in Fradswell was ‘Lessons in Chemistry’ by Bonnie
Garnus.
Incidentally if you enjoy reading and aren’t a member of a book club may I recommend that
you form or join one. Ours here in Fradswell is nine years old and in that time we have read
almost 80 books, very few of which I would have read without the discipline of a six weekly
meeting. I should add that our group’s full name is Fradswell Book & Wine Club, which gives
some explanation why our sociable meetings often dissolve into hilarity.
Anyway, back to ‘Lessons in Chemistry.’ There’s one extract, describing a scientific research
company that got me thinking.
‘Most of the scientists weren’t different, or at least not different enough. They were normal,
average, not stupid but not genius either. They were the kind of people who make up the
majority of every company- normal people who do normal work, and who occasionally get
promoted with uninspiring results. People who weren’t going to change the world, but
neither were they accidentally going to blow it up.’
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My proposition is that if an average/poor leader inherits an average team, is the best they
can ever be average, but if a great leader inherits an average team can they make them
great?
I thought about teams I had worked with or observed, and the effectiveness of the leader. I
am certain that an average or poor leader will have little or no impact on an average team,
indeed any impact over time may be negative, with individual and team performance
diminishing as they have no motivation or support to improve.
In ‘Lead Like Mary’ these would be the teams led by Bill, the autocrat and sometimes bully,
or Sidney, the weak uninspiring leader providing no direction or support.
When Mary inherits that team it is unacceptable to her that performance is average. But, of
course, Mary, our authentic, brave and effective leader, does not do so by shouting and
demanding improved performance, but by inspiring and enabling improvements in
behaviour and performance.
Does this happen? You’d better believe it. I have seen it first-hand, on several occasions,
across every sector. There’s no one size fits all here, and it’s by no means an easy challenge,
but I am absolutely convinced a great leader can raise individual and team performance and
results.
I’m thinking through three real examples; inheriting a function within a FTSE 250 corporate,
being appointed CEO of a medium sized charity and becoming the head teacher of a poorly
performing school. In each instance change took time and was tough, but in each case
authentic leaders, determined and resilient, achieved transformational change.
Taking an amalgamation of the three here’s a 10 step framework for how that
transformation was and can be, achieved, with a short explanation of each.
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Get to know and understand their people.
The first thing these leaders did was to get to know their people. They understood each
person was a unique individual, and took the time to listen to them, learning about the
whole person, not just the one at work.
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Identify current performance and future potential.
Next they used a simple, desk based model to identify firstly current performance and then
future potential. Each person is placed on a matrix. If the leader has only recently met the
team they will enlist the help of peers and colleagues. They examine the gap from current
position to great and then take a first stab at potential.
My sincere belief, solidly based on forty plus years of studying, identifying and experiencing
leadership, is that almost every single person has untapped potential inside them.
Unleashing that potential can deliver extraordinary step changes in performance and results.
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Ensure the right people are on the bus (and the wrong ones off)
Very few people lack potential or have exhausted it. Please be clear that this is not
necessarily about moving into bigger jobs. Some people may be perfectly suited to the job
they do. But they still have untapped potential to improve in their current role.
Others will be resistant to change. Our leaders didn’t give up on them straight away, gave
them time, encouraged and supported them, but there were people who left the bus,
usually by their own choice but sometimes forced.
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Build trust
The authentic leaders went out of their way to build trust. They did not demand trust, they
had to earn it. They did it in a variety of ways, first by proving themselves completely
trustworthy and then by being consistent, being honest, walking the talk, listening and
communicating brilliantly.
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Become values-led
These leaders worked with their team early on to develop a set of values. They ensured
they were kept front of mind, constantly referred to, 1-1s included time to reflect on the
values and the leaders went out of their way to capture and celebrate examples of values
being displayed.
Set out a future destination and route map.
Early on these leaders set out a future vision for the team, and the route map to get there,
ensuring absolute clarity of every person’s roles and expected behaviours.
Inspire others
These authentic leaders were each inspirational, demonstrated in their own way. Individuals
were inspired to perform, to want to improve, to understand what was possible, to unleash
their potential.
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Enable performance
Average and poor leaders tell, these great leaders coached. Simple words but the gap
between the two approaches is enormous. They enabled performance by developing a
coaching culture where people were guided and supported to unleash their potential, and
where there was a focus on joint accountability.
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Celebrate success
These great leaders went out of their way to celebrate individual and team successes.
Never give up.
The final quality these leaders demonstrated was resilience, determination.
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Transformational change does not happen overnight, there is resistance to overcome, road
blocks to clear. But they never gave up, they understood what was possible and in each case
that resilience and determination delivered transformational change.
Never settle for average or even for good. Always focus on great. Always believe there is
greatness in all of us, go unleash it.
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I’ve never been a great one for reunions. I’ve avoided going to school ones, for example, but
over the last four years, a group of us who worked together in the late 70s and the 80s have
been meeting up. We meet once a year in Stafford and forty-five years just disappears. I’m
probably the youngest, most are in their seventies, and we were prompted to make it
happen by one of our number, who pointed out that unless we did it soon we’d all be
pushing up daisies, which would be too late, a difficult argument to refute.
It helps us that we are all of us of a similar political leaning (WH Smith across the road from
our hotel ran out of Guardians!). Back then we shared an interest in drinking excessive
amounts of alcohol when together, laughing lots, putting the world to rights and taking on
the establishment.
Nothing has changed!
A wonderful opportunity to celebrate rekindled friendships.
We’ve already booked for next year!
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***
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Barry Dore
23 September 2024
'Beans, Dreams and Streams'
A long chat last week with one of the people I mentor brought it home to me that in many organisations of all shapes and sizes we are still failing to address the number one issue that impacts so many people- our obsession with ‘busy-ness.’
I truly believe that unless we act decisively on this issue we are storing up a perfect storm of stress, anxiety, absenteeism and resultant organisational under performance.
Far too many employees are currently teetering on the edge, looking down into a deep, dark abyss. Bosses and employees must address it before it is too late.
Lacking the creativity to come up with a more sophisticated analogy, try this.
I give you a box which holds precisely 35 cans of beans. The box is full to the brim. I now give you 15 more cans, identical to the others, and ask you to fit those in as well. There’s no trick question here, you can’t fit them in no matter how hard you try. If you try to force them the box will most likely break, scattering cans everywhere.
What a ridiculous question, I hear you say, it’s obvious the additional cans won’t go in.
Why then do managers expect their people to ram 50 hours of work into a 35 hour week?
I come across this issue in countless conversations. It manifests itself in different ways but the underlying problem is always the same. In many organisations senior managers are under constant pressure to do more with less. ‘Improve your results’ they are instructed from above, and reduce your costs. It doesn’t take a genius (or a management consultant) to work out that this is not remotely sustainable.
Organisations also are notorious at starting new things without stopping old ones, thereby piling more and more on top of already maxed out employees.
The result is employees try to cope with ever increasing workloads, trying to stuff those extra 15 cans into the box (they won’t go!) or increasing the size of the box by working excessive hours. That’s quite possible for a short while but once more not sustainable. They quickly find they’re delivering nothing with excellence, and burn out will follow.
It’s not just the managers who are to blame. They’re getting the cosh from both ends, and many will be stressed themselves (this is by no means an issue which affects more junior members of staff), everyone has a boss and everyone’s under pressure to deliver more with less.
Managers do have to take action before it is too late, but employees need to do so too.
Thing is, in principle it’s so simple to sort. Stop! Get off the hamster wheel and take time to think things through. Address the issues together, boss and employee.
If we’ve had the privilege to work together at some point, you’ll know the rest off by heart. The challenge is the gap between knowing it and doing something about it.
Boss and employee need to work together to agree with absolute clarity what your roles are, why are you there? What is your purpose? One clear statement, no more than 20-25 words.
Then you need to think through and agree what the truly important things you need to deliver to be truly effective in the role. But just three, no more.
Now with laser sharp focus consider what you need to do each week to deliver that most important things.
I reckon these three things should take up around 75-80% of your time in a productive week (and productive week means you do not work excessive hours). You can fill the remaining 20-25% of your week with some other stuff which is not truly important, there will inevitably be some.
Now become awesome at planning and scheduling your week within the above criteria.
Inevitably this will lead to discussions on what you cannot do, and how it can be stopped. This will inevitably be a difficult conversation, people think everything is important - it isn’t.
How can you be more effective in delivering your most important things each week? What are you doing because it’s always been done but in reality is inefficient or unnecessary? Drop a couple of meetings, stop producing a pointless report. Just because it’s been produced every month for the past five years doesn’t alter the fact that it may well be pointless.
Above all take control!!
If you don’t take control of events they sure as hell will control you.
Act now before it’s too late.
If you want help to work this through contact me. I’d be delighted to assist, and it’s free of charge!
Have you seen Freddie Flintoff’s ‘Field of Dreams?’ If not give it a watch, it’s on BBC IPlayer. Andrew Flintoff, legendary ex cricketer, works with a group of boys from his home town of Preston, boys who have few opportunities, incentive or support to better their lives. Lost boys.
Using cricket as the medium to bring them together he works with them to challenge their beliefs and encourage their development. They even undertake a cricketing (and life changing) visit to India.
It’s excellent.
It’s also extremely poignant. After cricket Flintoff became a regular face on TV, often involved in some kind of risky venture, including presenting Top Gear, undertaking high speed stunts which came to a dramatic end in December 2022, when he very nearly lost his life in the most horrific of crashes.
This accident had the most profound effect on Freddie, not just physically, but mentally as well. He has taken many months to begin his recover and openly admits he’s a very different person. Gone is the ego driven speed junkie with the massive personality. In its place a humble, thoughtful, caring person.
Flintoff has undergone transformational change and is now dedicated to working with people to challenge their beliefs and unlock their potential.
Here’s the thing, you don’t have to be famous to do the same. Every single one of us has the capability to have an enormous impact on those around us. To enrich lives, inspire and enable others find their voice, and to unlock potential.
If you’re reading this I reckon you’re probably doing it already.
Did you have the thunder, lightening and torrential rain on Saturday night? We did, and it was truly dramatic. It was amazing lying in bed listening to it.
Unfortunately no demonstration of the power of the natural world comes without consequence. Streams overflowed and flooding once again left Fradswell cut off from the outside world. All four routes in and out of the village impassable for a few hours, an abandoned BMW floating in one of the floods.
These are the times in an isolated rural community effective communication is essential, and or village Facebook group comes into its own, providing up to the minute travel information, and help and reassurance where needed.
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Barry Dore
16 September 2024.
'Interfering bosses, 360 degree leadership, and a joyous community event.'
I was chatting to a client the other day and we got round to focusing on the issues that prevented her being even more effective in her role. Her answer was immediate, ‘my boss.’
Digging a little deeper, a common pattern emerged. Her boss was forever interfering in her role, often they would reply themselves to emails sent to my client, she had very little freedom, in short her boss seemed to want to do her job.
Further discussion revealed that her boss had only joined the organisation recently, and was finding it difficult to settle in. Managing down a level was not helpful, but maybe was the inevitable response of an insecure boss.
The challenge my client faced was not unusual but required intervention and resolution. My answer was simple. ‘You have to become far more effective at leading upwards.’
What followed was a discussion about focusing on what you can control, and on the crucial importance for any person in an organisation to lead upwards effectively, indeed to understand and practice 360 degree leadership.
When we demonstrate 360 degree leadership we recognise that to be effective we need to lead in every direction, up, down and to the side. As an authentic leader we do so through building highly effective, long-term, mutually beneficial relationships.
There’s one more part to this model, and we must start with it. We must be effective at leading ourselves. It’s at the very heart of the 360 degree model. Anyone who I have worked with or has dipped into either of my books will know this off by heart. I’m forever pushing the importance of this. When we lead ourselves effectively we strive to be the best version of us. We focus on our well-being, balance, values, clarity of goals, planning, time management, relationships and listening for understanding. We know that unless we lead ourselves effectively we cannot hope to be effective at leading others.
The obvious direction in which we know we need to lead effectively, is downwards. This is where we lead our teams, those people who report to us through a line management structure. Our primary responsibility, beyond keeping them safe, is to inspire and enable them. Keep hold of those words, I reckon they are relevant to every part of the model.
Effective leadership sideways is often forgotten but it’s the breakthrough to a step change in results. Roles differ, there is no one size fits all, but an example would be this:
To one side would be internal contacts, colleagues, peers, people in support teams, all people who can play a role in you successfully delivering your goals. Take time to get to know them, work effectively with them and demonstrate peer leadership and the more effective you all will become. Now you have moved on to delivering organisational effectiveness.
To the other side are external contacts, those people, often in other organisations, who we need to work effectively with. The more we can build productive relationships with them, focus on joint goals, build mutual trust, mutual respect, mutual benefit, inspire and enable them, the more we will deliver great results.
It takes time and effort to build relationships, they need working at. Now you will tell me you can’t find the time, you’re far too busy, your boss is demanding short term results. Fine, I know those short-term results are important, but sustainable, long-term results require strong foundations.
Which brings us to the final element, leading upwards. Often the biggest challenge of all and the most neglected. Note the connection! Can you lead your boss? Of course you can, and with authentic leaders it’s never manipulative.
We do so by much the same formula, take time to get to know them, demonstrate trustworthiness, want them to succeed and focus on making that happen, go the extra mile for them.
Returning to my client, her specific needs were in the area of being micromanaged, being given little head room. My advice is to do all of the above, but not to duck the need for an early conversation. Initially this will take courage but it needs early exploration. One way to move forward is to each write down independently a description of each of your roles in no more than 25 words. How much duplication is there, where is the clear blue water? Now work together to craft new statements as needed.
Never underestimate the power of truly effective 360 degree leadership.
Back home in Fradswell it was the week of Frapfest, our annual Fradswell Apple Festival. Now in its sixth year the Fradswell Cider Co-Operative team invite people to bring along their apples (and pears), in return they take away bottles of last year’s cider or absolutely fresh apple juice. The whole process is done by hand, using traditional methods and equipment.
Young and old queue up to turn the scratter wheels or rotate the press.
The best thing of all is the feeling of a whole community working, playing (and drinking) together. Saturday was set fair and our village hall and green were full of families. A truly joyous community occasion, full of laughter.
It’s Jakkie’s birthday this week, I hope she likes cider... ***
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‘A reminder of leadership the Lasso way as Ted is set to return, stressful times and stitches galore.'
Barry Dore
8 September 2024
Loads of people I come across love Ted Lasso. The show followed the experiences of the title role, an American college football coach who is appointed head coach of AFC Richmond, a struggling football (soccer) team in the English Premiership.
It was very clear from the beginning that Ted possesses immense leadership qualities. In short, and this will come as no surprise, he is an authentic leader who inspires and enables is people Indeed I wonder if he has a sister called Mary!
Best news is a fourth series is in the pipeline.
Incidentally, if you go to Richmond there is a Ted Lasso shop and a mock-up of the changing room. Sounds like a great day out to me.
Rather than create my own list, which would not vary far from the below, I have found several different posts on-line with summaries of the leadership lessons. Adding my own observations here are the top ten lessons.
Believe
This comes right up front. On the show it’s the single word Lasso pins over his office door. Great leaders absolutely believe- they have a vision, communicate it with clarity, and inspire others to follow. They never lose their belief, whatever the obstacles. They are positive and optimistic but also realistic.
Show vulnerability
Autocratic leaders never show vulnerability. They see it as a weakness. Authentic leaders are willing to open up, to show their vulnerability, they see it as a strength, not a weakness.
Doing the right thing is never wrong
However tough it is, always, always do the right thing, and do it in the right way. Never duck a difficult decision. Be strong.
Tell the truth
Always tell the truth, share difficult news, involve people. And if you can’t share something tell people why.
Stay resilient
Leadership is hard. Some days will feel like wading through treacle. You are in the spotlight and may face negativity, criticism and intransigence. If you have a setback pick yourself up, dust yourself down and move forward.
Prioritise well-being
Yours and your team’s. You can’t drink from an empty vessel. Look after yourself, manage your time effectively, look after your people, keep a clear eye open for signs of stress. Be the best version of you.
Listen, display empathy, don’t be judgmental
Become a brilliant listener, listen for understanding, build empathy, avoid being judgmental.
Everyone is a unique individual
Every one of us is different. We are all unique individuals. Get to know your team, colleagues, boss, customers. What makes them tick? How do you adjust your approach to get the best out of them?
See good in others, celebrate diversity
There is good in everybody, well maybe not Donald Trump, but that’s for another day. Seek it out. Build diverse teams, encourage different thinking, welcome fresh ideas. Find yourself a rebel or two, don’t be afraid to have them in your team.
Build trust
This may well be the most important lesson last. Trust lies at the heart of everything, it’s right at the centre of great relationships it allows teams to prosper. Without trust no team can be truly effective. Work hard to gain it, earn it and don’t lose it, always be trustworthy.
It’s certainly been an eventful week.
Followers of my recently returned Daily Muse on Facebook will already be aware of my altercation with a marauding pheasant. Jakkie videoed the episode instead of racing to my rescue, and said video caused much hilarity. After research I was vindicated though- this was a Reeves pheasant which is aggressive and well known for attacking humans.
I’m aware that moving house is one of the most stressful things you do in your life, (along with getting married and teaching your kids to drive), and, having lived in the one place for the last twenty several years I wholeheartedly agree. I talked about our move and the reasons behind it last week, this week has seen the stress coming to the fore as every step forwards has been followed by one back.
Our house went on the market this week in a frenzy of activity. Jakkie did an extraordinary job of decluttering prior to the photos, there was a drone and video shoot, a brochure prepared and photos published. All well. All the pain has been with the house we are purchasing. It’s only a three property chain but the person in the middle has caused chaos with the shifting of the completion date . At the moment we’ve compromised on the 11th, watch this space.
Last Tuesday was an interesting day, the highlights of which were`;
8.30am at the doctor’s having stitches removed from my knee.
11.30am at A&E having stitches inserted in my hand.
I should explain the second visit. After returning from the doctor’s (and having a lie down as I waited in vain for any sympathy from Jakkie) I decided to move a delivery of wine to our wine cellar. All went well with the help of a wheelbarrow, parked outside the wine cellar door (it’s not actually a cellar, keep up). As I unloaded said wheelbarrow I forgot one of the golden rules of Parkinson’s- if you go to turn quickly your legs will not move and you will fall. With a bottle of wine in my hand I did just that. Result-bottle won the race to the floor, smashed and I landed on top of it, casing a deep and unsightly gash in my hand and a significant amount of blood.
Hand wrapped in a tea towel, Jakkie drives me to A&E muttering all the way about what a fine wine I had broken.
A&E staff were as ever positive, caring and efficient, and had me on my way home within two hours, although they seemed to find comments like ‘an inch to the left and you’d have severed your arteries’ funny.
They certainly had me in stitches. ***
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‘I’m back, with a special gift.’
1 September 2024
I’m back!
I’m back blogging. Some years ago I used to blog weekly, about anything and everything, whatever occurred to me as I sat at the kitchen table on Sunday mornings. These blogs would often include references to leadership but were primarily observations of life around me over the past week, usually including the latest harebrained scheme or purchase by my wonderful wife Jakkie.
Incidentally don’t you love googling words and phrases to discover their origin? I do. ‘Harebrained’ was first used in the 16th Century to describe a foolish person- one with the ‘brain of a hare.’ Thinking of some of the foolish people I encounter every day, that’s probably a little unfair to hares. (I am not suggesting Jakkie is foolish by the way, perish the thought.)
Then ten years ago, having published ‘Lead Like Mary,’ I launched my ‘Leadership Reflections’ series of podcasts. Up to the middle of last year I published 68 leadership podcasts on a very wide number of leadership topics. You can browse and listen to the complete series on my website, barrydore.com, or on Spotify.
I’m back working with clients. It’s taken a while, when I was beginning to recover from my illness in the spring I was confident I would recommence client engagements within a few weeks. It soon became clear that I wasn’t ready. Setting September as a revised target was the right thing to do.
A lot of people reading this will be aware of what happened to me at the beginning of the year. An undetected infection crashed into my Parkinson’s to cause mayhem. Hallucinations led to a cold January night unconscious in a field, followed by nine weeks in hospital and respite care. I’m realistic to understand that I’m lucky to be alive, in many ways I’ve been given a gift and I intend to make the most of it.
My focus is firmly now on my well-being, special times with Jakkie, (goodness knows how much I owe her, Victoria and Charlotte for all they did to care for me as I took them through hell), our children and our friends, some volunteering, and my latest novel, the sequel to ‘Lobster Pot Café.’ In the remaining time available I’m also going to focus on doing what I can do to continue to share my leadership thoughts and beliefs. The emphasis of that work is on young leaders, those who will grow into bigger and better jobs and will also play their role in building a safer, fairer, kinder and happier world around them- in their families, their communities or on a much wider scale.
My remaining work is focused on-line, gone are my days of charging round the country every week, and consists of mentoring, blogging, sharing leadership material and thoughts, working with young conservation leaders at the fabulous Osprey Leadership Foundation, and on continuing to work in partnership with the inspirational Donna Bennett developing a ‘Lead Like Mary’ programme for sixth formers.
I’m clear that every young leader I come across has the potential inside them to deliver amazing things. The challenge is to inspire and enable them to realise that potential through authentic, effective and brave leadership, and by developing a laser like focus on their goals and how to achieve them.
That’s what my latest leadership book, ‘Lead! Finding your Voice in a Chaotic World’ is all about. We live in an increasingly dangerous and chaotic world, facing existential threats including climate change and biodiversity loss. These issues are so overwhelming that it’s so easy to feel helpless. Don’t. Focus on the world around you, where you can lead and inspire change.
You can buy the book by clicking here
Alongside all the challenges there have been some special times over the last few months. In June my son Alex came back from Australia with fiancée Georgia to get married. We had a wonderful week of celebrations in Northumbria.
It’s official, we are moving! Everything that has happened this year has brought the future sharply into focus. It’s going to be a major wrench leaving our beautiful country home and wonderful community after 27 years but the time is right. Our biggest challenge is reducing our belongings by at least half. We’ve filled two skips so far and it’s hardly touched the surface!!
A final piece of exciting news, it’s my birthday today! Out for breakfast this morning with Jakkie and daughter Charlotte and drinks with friends this evening makes for a special day.
I’m back and it feels great!
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