The Barefoot Coach Blog
May 2010
Highlights:
May was a month spent hanging out with family and doing a bit of work on the side. Sleep was the commodity we craved the most as came to terms with our new life revolving around 2 children under 2 and a business that turned 2 this month!
We also moved into our new house in Fairfield, and set about building a purpose-built h.q. for SeventhWave!
Moving house is stressful at the best of times. Do it with a new baby and you'll understand the importance of Resilience! I had to put into practise everything I knew about energy management to get through the month....
Quotes:
Managing energy, not time, is the key to enduring high performance as well as to health, happiness, and life balance...We must learn to live our lives as a series of sprints – fully engaged for periods of time – and then fully disengaged and seeking renewal..." Jim Loehr, Ed.D., and Tony Schwartz
Books read/reading during May:
No time for reading at length. I did reconnect with Loehr and Schwartz's "The Power of Full Engagement"
New Music that moved us in May:
May was an incredible month for new music! There was barely enough time to enjoy one new purchase before the next one came along. All up, eight new albums were added to the SeventhWave iTunes database - each of them brilliant in their own right - thus making May the musical highlight of the year! Check them out:
LCD Soundsystem, "This Is Happening"
The National, "High Violet"
Band Of Horses, "Infinite Arms"
UNKLE, "Where Did The Night Fall"
Broken Social Scene, "Forgiveness Rock Record"
Sally Seltmann, "Heart That's Pounding"
The Black Keys, "Brothers"
Faithless, "The Dance"
Live Music -
The SeventhWave directors had a night out in St.Kilda at the Palais where we thrilled to see The Cult play their classic Love album in its entirety, followed by a selection of their big hits. Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy were sensational!
Check out all the music that gets Seventh Wave in the mood...
The Barefoot Coach
April 2010
Highlights:
There is no greater highlight than the birth of our first son!
Tore Wyatt Christie-Johnston was born at 22:23, 21/04/2010 after a lengthy labour. At 3.1kg (6.13 pounds), he is a happy, healthy wee boy!
Kellie was strong and in good humour despite the trials and tribulations of the birth. Soleil is a doting elder sister! He is named after his great great great grandfather Tore Bjornson, and Wyatt is Kellie's mother's maiden name.
Welcome Tore!
New Music that moved us in April:
Jonsi (from Sigur Ros) released his debut solo album, "Go"
We bought tickets to Paul Weller's October gig at the Forum. Check out his latest offering, "Wake Up The Nation"
A beautiful album from The Leisure Society, "The Sleeper/A Product of Ego Drain"
Live Music -
No gigs this month, however I did get to celebrate the engagement of Phil and Isabel at a cracking party in St. Kilda at Entre Tapas y Vinos
Check out all the music that gets Seventh Wave in the mood...
The Barefoot Coach
March 2010
Highlights:
March was a massive month! I was fortunate to lead two Consulting Skills workshops - the feedback was overwhelming - great Consulting begins with a mindset of "Adding Value" to the client.
Facilitated a highly successful Leadership Development workshop for a Not-for-Profit organisation.
Had a couple of great BoardMeetings™ - both clients pleased with the injection of creative thinking provided.
Ran a Big Event for over 200 people - always great fun and high energy experiences!
Books read/reading during March:
Recommended "The First 90 Days" by Michael Watkins to a client taking on a new senior role.
New Music that moved us in March:
Goldfrapp's, "Head First" - a return to their dancy format.
Gil Scott Heron, "I'm New Here" - Blues at its best
Massive Attack's "Heligoland" - as always - brilliant!
Live music - The Pixies at Festival Hall - what a gig! Shame I missed it and had to give up my ticket due to a massive head cold!
Check out all the music that gets Seventh Wave in the mood...
The Barefoot Coach
February 2010
This month, SeventhWave was privileged to be involved with the Graduate Program for one of the major banks. The program was hugely succesful, with the careers of over 140 new graduates now officially underway! The key messages for the graduates -
Accept Personal Responsibilty
Develop Leadership
Grasp Opportunites
Maximise Personal Brand
Other highlights included High Performance BoardMeeting™ sessions at Woolamai Beach, St. Kilda Beach and on the Yarra River. In each case, participants commented on the effectiveness of the session, particularly noting the benefit of leaving the office and experiencing the water-based activity. The resultant clarity of mind and innovative thinking led to major breakthroughs.
Books read/reading during February:
The Answer: Improve Your Life By Asking Better Questions, by Lindsay Tighe.
Recommended a great coaching book to clients:
Coaching For Performance; GROWing Human Potential and Purpose (4th edition) by Sir John Whitmore
Music that moved us in February:
Delphic's debut album, "Acolyte"
Hot Chip's latest, "One Life Stand"
Groove Armada's, "Black Light"
"Work", by the Shout Out Louds and "Plastic Beach" by the Gorillaz
Live music - Echo and the Bunnymen at The Palais was a sensational experience!
Check out all the music that gets Seventh Wave in the mood...
The Barefoot Coach
January 2010
SeventhWave proudly sponsored the Port Phillip Cup on Australia Day. It was hugely successful! Stand Up Paddle Boarding is the fastest growing board sport in the world, and helped inspire SeventhWave's unique High Performance Coaching program, the BoardMeeting™!
This month, the story behind SeventhWave's branding features on SCT's website.
Books read/reading during January:
The Leader on the Couch – Manfred Kets De Vries
Leadership Aikido – John O’Neill
Music we loved during 2009:
Email Dugald for the list of the 52 songs chosen by the Barefoot Coach as Song Of The Week throughout 2009
Check out all the music that gets Seventh Wave in the mood...
The Barefoot Coach
Movember/December 2009
Movember is a month that propmts reflection for me. I lost my uncle to prostrate cancer and my Dad has had to battle it also. This year I will again shave my usual moustache and goatee and regrow something new. I'm thinking a nice handlebar...
Check it out, and donate.
At last count, The Barefoot Coach raised over $1200. Thanks to everyone who supported this worthy cause.
The CPA Congress events took place in Qld, W.A., S.A, and A.C.T. with Seventh Wave presenting a variety of sessions. Dugald's "Confront Confrontation" session was filmed in W.A. and you check out the footage here (proudly sporting my Movember moustache!).
Books read/reading during Movember/December:
Mick Fanning's Surf For Life
Cormac McCarthy's The Road
And we revisit an old classic, Stephen Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People...
Music we loved during Movember/December:
Echo & The Bunnymen, brilliant new album and their best since Ocean Rain, The Fountain
Karen O And The Kids, soundtrack to the Brilliant Spike Jonze film, Where The Wild Things Are
And two great local women:
Bertie Blackman with Secrets And Lies and Sarah Blasko As Day Follows Night.
Check out all the music that gets Seventh Wave in the mood...
The Barefoot Coach
September/October 2009
In September we welcomed two new Corporate BoardMeeting™ clients; both have been excited by their great results.
A substantial amount of work has been conducted within a major Contact Centre, focussing on upskilling the Technical Coaches. Immediate improvement has been reported with a reduction in call time and improved quality of the calls.
And in October we celebrated the naming of the Business 3000 winners at a Gala Event at the RACV club (SeventhWave was nominated and narrowly missed out on the ultimate prize).
The first of the CPA Congress events took place in October, with Seventh Wave presenting sessions in Melbourne and Sydney.
Books read/reading during September/October:
Jack Canfield's The Success Principles
Dr. John Clarke's The Pocket Psycho
And we revisited Dr. Martin Seligman's Authentic Happiness
Music we loved during September/October:
Reverend And The Makers, A French Kiss In The Chaos
The Big Pink, A Brief History of Love
The XX xx
The Raveonettes, In And Out Of Control
Check out all the music that gets SeventhWave in the mood...
The Barefoot Coach
July/August 2009
July was a big month. The biggest milestones related to our daughter, the deilghtful Soleil, who took her first unaided steps and turned one! She has added an enormous amount to our lives.
It was almost as exciting to learn that we'd been nominated for an award as part of the Business 3000 program. It's nice to be recognised and we figure we must have been doing something right in our first year!
Books read/reading during July/August:
The Brain That Changes Itself, Norman Doidge, M.D.
Very Smart Parents, Kobus Neethling
Fiesta (The Sun Also Rises), Ernest Hemingway
Music we loved during July/August:
Jen Cloher and The Endless Sea, great new album, Hidden Hands
Jason Lytle's (formerly Grandaddy) new album, Yours Truly, the Commuter
Kasabian's blockbuster, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
And local rockstars, The Temper Trap, with an epic debut, Conditions
Check out all the music that gets SeventhWave in the mood...