My purpose and mission - simply, why Soaring Success?

Believe me

Believe me – I have asked myself this question hundreds of times in my lifetime! I have always felt a sense of unease with the status quo; the indifference that life (it’s complex – I know) somehow lulls us to into – where the eyes of our hearts glaze over. That there is not much point to it all…“we all die in the end” … someone whispers…

But I don’t believe it. It all matters. We all matter. And that is why I do what I do. My journey of personal transformation has been (never dull…) a lifetime of mistakes, relationship patterns and lessons, confidence crises, existential crises – and most recently – a crisis about my website! But when I take a moment to quiet the inner critic I realise it’s because I know it’s important – to have a deep sense of why we are here, why we matter, what we offer to the world.

The Heart of People

I have worked with many clients over the years – as a leadership facilitator or coach or both – and I know that learning and development interventions can have a positive impact (if done well) despite the dull cynicism that sometimes creeps over people in an organisational setting. What I always find most fascinating and fulfilling, is the conversation that happens in-between the ‘organised intervention’; that’s where people connect, that’s when people share their true experiences – that is where you hear the heart of people. And it is in these moments that people come alive – when they are seen and heard. And, if we are listening – truly listening with the intention of connection – this is where we enjoy the privilege and opportunity of harnessing the immense power that resides within us. It is in and through this connection – that we have the power to transform as individuals, as leaders, as teams – our organisations and communities. (Next: the world!...)

Does it sound a bit soft and fluffy to you? Or perhaps a bit time-consuming?

I can’t lie to you – it is both of these things. But, what is soft and fluffy really? Rationally, we know there is research and evidence to prove that connecting with people brings out the best in them. So, where does the resistance really come from? Time – I hear you say. Capacity – lack thereof. Under-resourced. I get this a lot from the leaders and teams I work with – all valid. But when you zoom out, either way you are investing in the people in your organisation. If your leaders are equipped to connect through trust, vulnerability and authentic emotional connection – you will get far more value, engagement, happiness, productivity from your teams and your organisation will flourish. If your leaders aren’t investing in this way – you can be sure the consequence of that will come back in the form of dysfunctional teams, inordinate chunks of your working life swallowed up in reactive HR interventions, good people leaving your organisation to find green, green grass – to name a few.

It goes without saying that having a clear strategy and vision and aligning objectives, along with fit-for-purpose processes and systems, will provide an important sense of direction and framework. But we can’t ignore that relationships with people take time and emotional energy – and if you’re not investing in that – it doesn’t matter how fantastic your competency frameworks, values statements or of you other systems are.

So, how connected are your people feeling? I know you are busy, and you are also trying to get so much right in life, but take a moment and a breath and ponder... on a scale of 1 (1 being: completely disillusioned automatons) to 10 (10 being: emotionally engaged and collectively invested in your vision) – how connected are your people? How connected are you feeling?

Authentic connection is what powers the work that I do.

Why not let it power the work that YOU do?

Let’s connect over a cuppa and chat about how we can co-create it together.