I am passionate about helping people become highly effective in areas of leadership, management and living that are really important to them. I am effective in helping successful people make the all-important changes that are alluding them, despite their success.

What results do you want to produce, that you are not producing?

When I say results, I mean outcomes that are important to you, whether in your experience of living, the quality of your relationships or in the material world . Results could be "bottom line" financial results on your balance sheet, a more effective work team, an improved relationship with a work-colleague or loved-one, being less stressed, or the making of that one change you know you need to make.

I don't offer quick tips or one-size-fits-all strategies. I don't offer advice. I don't offer a "proven system" that will guarantee you success - if you exactly follow the steps I layout for you. 

I offer to engage with you as an individual who I know is capable of learning and change. I offer to work in concert with you. I  offer to have conversations that allow you to discover or invent - for yourself - new and more resourceful ways of being in the world.

From a new and more resourceful way of being, you will be able to take new actions that were previously not available to you. New actions can lead to the results you want in your life.

You might use our coaching conversations as a catalyst to design and bring about a way of leading and living that is meaningful and rewarding for you at the deepest level.

The truth is that none of these achievements were possible without first working on myself.

I needed to face up to some of my most basic beliefs about who I was, and what I was capable of.

Through coaching and working on myself, I achieved far more than what I or anyone else would have predicted. I learned to change parts of myself that I thought were set in stone.

As an entrepreneur, I had succeeded so far on technical ability alone.

I began my career as a scientist with the Australian Antarctic Division, moving into software development. I was very comfortable analysing data, or designing the technical specifications of a clever algorithm. But standing up and delivering a talk to inspire my team… that was something ‘other’ people did.

I was astounded when I discovered that I had a choice. Through coaching, I learned that I could choose to be afraid, and stay silent, or contribute to others by sharing what I knew.

I started to speak publicly. I designed a training course that I delivered around the world. I was still afraid, but I didn’t let that stop me. Soon I was speaking to audiences of hundreds and our software sales took off.

This made me wonder: “If I can learn to speak publicly when I had thought I was genetically programmed not to, what else is it possible for me to change? Is there any part of my identity that really is fixed?"

As a manager, I had to confront my lack of self-confidence, especially when it came to managing performance

In one situation, it became clear that an admin team member wasn’t performing. But I was too afraid to address this with them. I promised my colleagues and myself that I would address the situation, yet then did nothing.

Being indecisive undermined my standing with my colleagues. It reduced productivity and damaged our relationship with some clients.
In conversation with my coach I realised I had a choice: to be fearful and do nothing; or to be a contribution.  From my new way of being I organised a meeting with the team member, outlined expectations and agreed on a plan with them.

When the situation didn’t improve, I terminated their employment. Crucially, though, I did it in such a way that they left, feeling good about themselves. I know this because they felt comfortable enough to come back to the office for morning tea for the next 6 weeks and were soon employed by another company in a role they were better suited for. By taking this action I really did contribute to this individual, to my company and to my own growth as a leader.

As a father, I had to stop and pay attention.

I noticed that my daughter often said, ‘Dad, you’re not listening.’ I was making attentive-seeming nods and sounds while thinking about business strategies. She was 12 at the time.

I realised that if I stayed on this course, she’d stop sharing her experiences with me. As she became a teenager, we would drift a part.

I found the courage to admit to her that she was right. I apologised for not listening, and let her know that I didn’t want to lose our connection. I committed to being fully present.

This was a turning point in our relationship. We grew closer and shared a few truly enjoyable years of her being a teenager. Now, 14 years later, she still occasionally says, “Dad you’re not listening,” and we laugh and I bring myself back to being fully present.

The professional is personal

Learning to be present with my daughter also marked a turning point in my sales and business success.

I discovered I could be fully present and deeply listen to the concerns of my staff, prospects and clients. It amazed me how many more sales I could make when clients felt that I really did understand their needs.

Through years of training, reflection and growth, I’ve learned that it is possible to learn how to shift our most fundamental way of being. I have learned that while we might be able to get their on our own, a good coach can massively accelerate the process and allow us to produce results we might believe to be impossible.

We can all learn to notice our way of being, and to change it as our circumstances change. When we shift our being, we shift the actions that it is possible for us to take and the results that we can achieve.

My mission, and the mission of my team of associates at Reflecting Power, is now to help motivated individuals, teams and organisations learn how to change their being and discover and indeed, unleash, what they are truly capable of.