Protect your 🔥 flame of KINDNESS.Imagine your inner kindness as a small flame flickering with HUGE potential. This flame, if nurtured, can illuminate your path and those around you.Like keeping the campfire alive, you must tend to this flame daily, ensuring it has enough fuel and isn't obstructed or snuffed out.You are the keeper. After a great interview last month with Carl Johan Paulsen, CO-Founder and CEO of Noon and Banegaarden, I got this reflection. During the conversation, he shared...
8 days ago • 1 min read
Kaizen = GREAT Culture.Over the years, through my own experience and study of Maverick leaders, I have discovered that they consistently focus on one or a few crucial things daily to build a great culture.Maverick Leaders often say when you talk to them, “Building a great culture is when you do the same important things daily in your organisation.As the old saying says, “We Are What We Repeatedly Do!”This came back to me recently when I spent an afternoon with Kim Rahbek Hansen, the...
15 days ago • 2 min read
You Can’t demand change.I have recently attended many events with leaders from the food and hospitality industry, and the common theme from my conversations and observations is… …that one era is ending, and a new one is beginning.Our decisions as leaders will shape the future for decades to come.Good or bad.That made me think about how we as leaders facilitate this change to achieve optimal synergy between all stakeholders.The synergy between our people, society, the planet and shareholders....
22 days ago • 1 min read
Building CULTURE is hard.Creating and sustaining a strong organisational culture is an enormous challenge for any leader.That is why few do it very well. It requires consistent effort and dedication every single day. Many leaders struggle with this task, often underestimating the discipline needed to cultivate a thriving culture.When I’m asked who has done this best, I always point to Zingerman's Community of Businesses. They are the best proof of how culture can become the thing that makes...
29 days ago • 2 min read
WHAT DRIVES YOUR COMPANY…THE STORY or THE COMPETITION?I am on a lifelong pursuit to understand why some companies are more successful than others, not just in terms of profitability but how they impact people, society, and the planet.I found that companies that make a positive impact and profit are more “Story-Driven” than vs. “Competition-Driven.”“Story-Driven” companies focus on how they can best serve the needs of their people, customers, communities, and the planet, and prosperity...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Your ROCKS in life matter. The last weeks, I travelled extensively and had many meetings and events, so I was moving at a very fast pace. Love it. It’s essential to show up and do the work; that is where the magic happens. But I know from experience that when the speed is high, it’s even more important to stop and reflect on the things that truly matter—the 20% that gives 80% in life and business. During the week I was next to beautiful nature, so went for a long walk - time for a break and...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Becoming the best version of yourself is a complex endeavour.I find massive wisdom in quotes and poetry from the past.They help me daily to reflect on self-leadership and understand how much there is still to learn.I see them as a mini university. I read one every day and do my reflections.They help me grow and feel more grounded in a fast-moving world.Recently, I visited Rudyard Kipling's home with my family, which made me rediscover this great nugget of wisdom on great leadership:"If you...
2 months ago • 3 min read
How do I build a culture of MASTERY?A leader recently asked me how he could get his team to embrace mastery better.Observing what Maverick leaders KNOW and DO over the last two decades has given me an understanding that mastery is implemented into how they do anything - it's more a pursuit than a practice.You can feel this unmistakable intent when you visit the company, engage with the leaders, or interact with their people. For them, mastery is the desire to constantly improve their people's...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Is your growth impacting you and your stakeholders negatively? In the relentless pursuit of growth, we often embrace opportunities that promise expansion and increased profit margins. Yet, this growth can be a double-edged sword. Have you experienced the downside of unchecked growth, where the drive for larger numbers leads your team astray or strains your core values? Reflecting on my own journey, I've encountered moments where saying 'yes' to seemingly beneficial opportunities inadvertently...
3 months ago • 2 min read