My Waitangi Day speech

I am proud to be a New Zealander, to be a thread in our diverse and beautiful tapestry.

On Waitangi Day we can look around at our nation, our community, our neighbours and our whanau, the tangata who have chosen to make Aotearoa our home.

Whether we are tangata whenua or tangata tiriti, the Treaty of Waitangi is a frame like an unthreaded loom.  The threads on the loom that bind the nation are its' tangata!

Let us not just come together on this one day, but let us bind as a nation so together we can become stronger and cohesive.  

Let us stand proudly and acknowledge the past but focus our eyes firmly on the future and support each other to be the best little nation on the edge of the world!  

Together we will weave a future that we can individually and collectively be proud to call our home.

It's fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.- Bill Gates

I read this quote in Kirsty Dunphey's weekly newsletter today.  There is some truth to reflecting on failures, however I have come to realise how important it is to reflect on successes.

Being able to replicate & build on success is the key to continued success.

Reflecting on why we are successful  helps us do the right things more often.  Whether it's winning a new client or a round of golf, learning what we did right is often more valuable than trying to fix what we might've got wrong.

The revised quote could be:

"Celebrate success, then learn from it & build on it to replicate the success!" - Tony

Staying ahead of the pack

By the time we hear about new ideas or trends it's probably too late.

Remember when we were all told to write articles like "7 reasons to buy such as such"?  Now everything I read seems to have been based on this golden rule - except now it's boring & the gold has turned to tin...

Companies like Saatchi & Saatchi try and stay ahead of the pack.  When all other companies seem to be going green, they are talking about blue.  But they are also working on the next colour!

In New Zealand we have a lot of sheep - but it doesn't mean we need to follow each other like a flock of sheep.  The challenge is to play our game by our rules & change them every now & then to keep the relevant.

I'm sorry

Often in times of conflict an apology is all that is needed to diffuse a situation.

An employee can apologise on behalf of a workplace, rather than apologising for something they have personally done.  I remember doing this when I worked for the Railways & the person complaining consoled me by saying "It's OK, it's not your fault".

Likewise, it's possible to say sorry that a situation had occurred.  Again, it's not taking personal responsibility but acknowledging the disappointment of an event.  This is useful if each party blames the other.  An apology can open the door to constructive dialogue.

Finally, if you are responsible - fess up & apologise - fix it - learn from it - and then move on positively!

My 4 top diet tips

Water - A glass of water before a meal can fill the stomach & leaves less room for over-eating

Brush teeth - Changing habits like brushing teeth after a meal rather than before bed can stop snacking after meals.

Leftovers - Leaving food on your plate can create a feeling of control over the food.  Parents may have drilled in negative messages of starving children or making the cook feel bad by leaving food.

Exercise - A work out is a great way of burning calories.  It also creates healthier eating patterns.  Careful not to cut back the calories too quickly while the body adjusts to the additional exercise.

The logistics of dying

When I saw some of the challenges my mother-in-law had to deal with, caring for her husband at home  who is terminally ill with a brain tumour, I searched for a solution to help with communication.

I thought there must be a tool that can assist with communication.

When I couldn't find anything, I developed a sheet that can be laminated & used to make communication easier.

The sheet deals with the basics such as:

• What day it is.
• What the meals will be.
• When visitors will be welcome.
• What events will be taking place that day.
• Any notes.

The second page is a device to help with communication when the patient has difficulty with verbal communication.  It has letters, numbers, words and a scale to indicate responses.  

If you know someone who could benefit from this idea, please feel free to use it.  If you have any suggestions for improvements, please let me know.

Don't waste your money sending calendars to your clients, unless...

Do you send your client a calendar every year?

To maximise your investment in this marketing activity, buy a packet of gold star stickers (or similar) and do the following:

1. Put the star on a date in the calendar.

2. In the cover letter add "You may have noticed I have put a gold star on 12 March.  I will call you on this date to organise a convenient time to meet and discuss your ..."

3. Call the client on this date to grow your business.

4. Measure your success.

This approach does 3 things:

1. It creates an expectation with the client.

2. It makes you do what you say you will.

3. It reinforces your integrity when you do what you say you will.

This year invest in your calendars to create activity & deliver tangible results.