Category: Leadership (Page 10 of 10)

Firstly I have to rant about going to Nicolini's on Cuba Street in Wellington last night. It had been a few years. The atmosphere was splendid, the Italian food was sensuous and complimented stunningly by the merlot. It was a great relaxing evening, shame that Alf & Jared had to put up with my company. A few rounds of pool afterwards, and I was completely transported back to my CP days when it was our Wellington dining location of choice.

I was thinking yesterday about the tension I have between my being an entrepreneur and a manager (just what my kids need a schizophrenic dad). The entrepreneur in me wants to take risks, head for the big dreams and win at all costs. On the other hand the manager in me wants to manage the risk well, ensure our long term future, even though it may be at the expense of rapid growth. The balance is actually incredibly hard to find, big dreams vs. stability.

Too make matters worst whenever I am faced with difficult decisions I become seriously analytical, and I mean analytical to the point that even the most boring numbers engrossed accountant would be impressed. At the end of it I have more information than I would ever need, and have it
cut 1500 ways. And it almost always tells me what I already knew.

I then come back to the key question, take the risk and fight or err to the conservative.

Ah, the dreaded flight from Hamilton to Christchurch. 1 hour 50 min in an ATR, go you good thing! I dread and love this flight for so many different reasons.

This morning we hit 21,000 ft with a head wind and all the eye could see was an endless, thick and undisclosing cloud. Hidden and missed below the cloud were the views of the Central Plateau and the Marlborough Sounds. Views that might have been breath taking on any other day, today are shrouded in secrecy.

Suddenly as we approached North Canterbury the cloud parts, dissipates and below the beautiful rolling hills and mountains appear. They are covered with a fresh blanket of overnight snow. It is early enough in the morning that the sun has yet to damage their beauty with the heat that will eventually return the countryside to a normal day. At last the flight is worth it. This is why I love flying. I love to see big beautiful pictures.

I thought a lot on the flight and the clouds remind me so much of what it is like to be in leadership. So often I look down and try to work out where we are, what is really going on. It is hard to have any clue until finally the clouds part and everything becomes clear. The clouds don't stop us heading for our destination, they merely make the view along the way unclear.

In terms of my day leading Agoge. The clouds have started to dissipate, and with 3 hours in planes today, I am a lot clearer on what I need to make an informed decision about our direction and people.

Stay the course, and wait for the clouds to clear…