Posts Tagged ‘#MMAMike’
Challenging others & ourselves. Why questions are the answer & learning from the lotus.
Yoga
It is not often you get to do a yoga demo like this at the Atheneum Club, Pall Mall, London!
It’s a distinguished organisation – some 50 members of the club have received Nobel prizes!
Speech
The occasion was my talk to a leading discussion group, The Romney Street Group.
They have short speeches by distinguished people (I was an exception!), followed by off the record discussions.
My speech was called: “Why questions are the answer & what I learnt from the lotus.”
My message was: “Challenge others & ourselves.”
Why challenge others?
We need to challenge others because of the:
- Growth of ego;
- Desire for simplistic solutions to complex problems;
- Reliance on narrow experts; and
- Decline in the use of evidence.
Why challenge ourselves?
We should not assume that we can’t do something.
I hadn’t done the yoga pose shown (lotus extended on finger tips) for 30 years.
I had always assumed that, because of three knee injuries that I wouldn’t be able to do it.
What are the lessons?
1. We can surprise ourselves in work and life and make #TheImpossiblePossible
2. Mindset matters – I needed a lot of encouragement from my trainer, Tony Laliashvili, before I would even try to do the lotus.
3. Practice doesn’t make perfect, but deliberate practice does make better.
4. Confidence – The actual demo was made more difficult by wearing work clothes and no warm up but adrenaline kicks in.
SO, WHAT COULD YOU DO IF YOU CHALLENGED YOURSELF?
What was the response?
Two members of the audience joined in and I was very grateful to receive these responses:
Thank you SO much for the talk. I think everyone there enjoyed it very much. Impressed by what you said, how you put it all across and then of course what you physically did. SO impressive. I’ve had you in my head for a week now – no excuses with exercise, no putting jobs off, no thinking I can’t do things. THANK YOU.
Wendy Pollecoff
Very much enjoyed your presentation. My yoga teacher says it is a long time since she did the Lotus position! My class with her is called Yoga for Rusty Bodies! Have a very good summer. Warmest wishes,
Clare Roskill
4 Lessons from a Bethnal Green Builder = The 4Rs
A chance meeting
I had visited a potential client in Bethnal Green, London.
I stopped to look for a local authority gym – The York Hall Leisure Centre. You might of heard of it in connection with international boxing events.
I couldn’t find the entrance.
I asked two young builders where the entrance to the gym was.
A conversation
The younger builder replied “Are you sure that you are up to it, mate?”
I was in work, rather than gym clothes & I don’t look like a typical gym user.
So I understood where he was coming from.
He was being witty and he said it in a non threatening manner.
Appearances
But he was judging by appearances.
I was a bit annoyed.
“How would I prove that I was up to it?” I replied.
“Do a press up” He said.
I thought about it.
#KnowTheScore
My credit cards could fall out my pockets & I would have to put down my brief case.
He didn’t seem threatening. But it could have been a set up.
Muggers either try to take you unawares or engage in a conversation as a distraction. #BeAware #KnowTheScore
Image
So I instead I showed him this image on my phone and said “Does this count?”
He looked at it and replied. “Fair play, mate.”
And then grinned and said “The entrance is over there.”
What is the image?
It’s a press up in which both legs and hands come off the ground.
It is called a flying or superman press up.
It is real, not trick photography or photo-shopping.
How is it done?
With difficulty.
And practice.
And training.
It also took a change of mindset.
And lots of #ProperPractice and progression
With my fitness coach – Tony Laliashvilli
It turns out that it’s also the signature move of Olympic & world champion swimmer, Adam Peaty. You can see him below.
Lessons from the encounter
So what are the lessons from this encounter?
- Respond – Don’t lose your cool when you are challenged.
- Recognise – you can achieve a lot with practice, progression & good coaching
- Realise – Don’t judge by appearances – #AgeIsJustANo. #AgeNoBarrier
- Remember #KnowTheScore & #BeAware are important #MartialArtsPrinciples
Please feel free to comment on this post.
You can also contact me here:
#StayingSafe: Two simple strategies & why fear or flight is misleading
Mike Barnato, aka #MMAMike, provides two practical strategies to keep you safe in threatening situations.
He discusses fear & freezing.
- How “fight or flight” is misleading because most people will “freeze”.
- The implications for women.
- And his own experience of freezing.
How fear can be good when it is a warning sign & you listen to your instinct.
He gives simple strategies for coping with freezing and the story of applying them to his encounter with a potential mugger.
How he disgraced himself in a restaurant and why you should be kind to waitresses.
Please feel free to comment on this post.
You can also contact me here:
When dogs attack: Three life lessons
Here are Mike’s stories (in an 11 minute speech) of two “dangerous” encounters with dogs and the three things he learnt.
One dog was called Fluffy, the other Tyson.
He learnt three key lessons for life & work & conflict:
- The importance of using #LocalKnowledge;
- Being careful about “losing it” and letting the “red mist” of aggression descend; and
- How looks can deceive.
Please feel free to comment on this post.
You can also contact me here:
Practical tips to avoid becoming a #VictimOfViolence:
Mike, aka #MMAMike, offers simple and practical tips to help you stay safer and avoid becoming a victim of violence.
He discusses the differences between:
- Personal Safety & Self Defence; &
- Awareness, Avoidance & Action.
And the significance of “S.U.M.O.”
Mike tells the stories of :
- George, a 26 year old martial arts black belt, who was mugged;
- How Manny, got drawn into a fight he would always lose;
- The danger of the dark empty Waitrose car park; and
- His personal encounter with Road Rage.
Please feel free to contact me, to discuss or comment this post. You can contact me here:
#Life: Legacy, Learn & Laugh #Go2L
This is a short humorous speech about how to:
- Leave a legacy;
- Learn for a lifetime; and
- Laugh lots.
Three keys to a happier life!
Mike tell stories about making a difference, looking after children, the destructive nature of ego and the power of asking “why not?”
I hope you enjoy it!
Please feel free to comment on this post.
Or to contact him here:
How to sail the the 7Cs & #ThriveNotJustSurvive, using #MartialArtsPrinciples.
Here are seven big challenges – the 7Cs.
And some ideas on what to do about them, including #MartialArtsPrinciples.
BEHAVIOUR – FOCUS
Competition
Competition will intensify across sectors with what Schumpter called creative destruction.
Is Uber a platform or a taxi firm?
Is Facebook a publisher or an IT company?
What are your strengths?
Is there a market for them?
How will YOU #PlayToYourStrengths?
Commoditisation
My fridge magnet says “Born free. Now I’m expensive.”
It’s difficult to compete on price, unless you are McDonalds or Lidl.
Automation & artificial intelligence will start to turn some services into commodities.
How will you stand out? Are you #Looking4Leverage?
#DistinctOrExtinct.
FOCUS – ACTION
Communications
People are busy, stressed & multiple messages compete for attention.
The average attention span is about eight seconds, less than a goldfish.
Are your messages short, simple & compelling?
Look for #Simplicity
Learn from Cheryl Cole’s communication.
Competence
Are you learning as if you will live forever?
Sharpening your hard & your soft skills?
And you #PractisingProperly?
Will you keep getting better?
What small regular steps could you take that could lead to BIG improvements or transformation?
Contribution
Are you creating meaningful results?
Have you found a path & taken the first step?
Do you #KnowTheScore?
Have you got the right degree of pace?
Are you measuring progress as you go along, or waiting until the end?
Think #PulseBeatsNotPostMortems.
More matching of words & deeds.
Living the brand values.
MINDSET
Commitment
Are you #Mindful or mind FULL?
Compare the two below.
Are you positive & looking to improve, or just worrying about others?
Are you being S.I.L.L.Y.? Self Imposed Limitations Lessen You.
Have you got a #PositiveAttitude?
Codes
Who said “
I have a set of the highest possible codes of behaviour.
But if you don’t like them I have another set?”
Authenticity, integrity & transparency will come to the fore.
Think of recent failures like #Carillion, #TSB, #rail timetables.
How are you doing?
Finally.
Are you ready to sail the 7Cs?
Please feel free to comment on this post.
You can also contact me here:
#LotusHeadstand: My learnings in mindset, behaviour & flow
This was my first ever #LotusHeadstand.
Why is it relevant to work & life?
A. Mindset & #PositiveAttitude
I first did the lotus pose in April 2017, after a gap of 30 years.
Until then, I had assumed that I would not be able to do it again.
After all, I had had three separate knee injuries, including a serious one from martial arts.
Three things now strike me about mindset:
1. Assumptions
I assumed that I couldn’t do it.
I didn’t try.
The problem with assumptions is that:
ASSUME = Assumptions make an ASS of U & ME.
2. Comfort zone
I was unwilling to get out of my comfort zone.
The problem with staying in your comfort zone is that it is..comfortable.
But nothing much grows there.
So you have to #CrushYourComfortZone. and go the extra mile.
3.Limitations
I had been #SILLY.
S.I.L.L.Y.= Self. Imposed. Limitations. Lessen. You.
It wasn’t until someone challenged me, that I even tried.
In spite of the fact that my fitness trainer (Tony Laliashvili) had been encouraging me to try for a very long time.
2. Behaviour & #ProperPractice
My first success, in April 2017, is shown above on the left.
With the tag produced by my trainer.
Progression
At first I could only hold it for a second or two, then about three minutes.
The lotus pose became more comfortable with #ProperPractice
Within three weeks, I managed to do the lotus extended onto fingers.
And to smile. Image on the right.
Once I could hold the lotus, I was ready to progress to the headstand.
I went for it, responding initially to a challenge.
Once in the headstand lotus, all I did was concentrate on my breathing.
My next progression is to try to do the #lotusheadstand, balancing on fingertips.
At work
We often neglect the importance of practice at work, for example, for speeches, events & new projects.
“We don’t give people enough time..” as Jo Major, a senior human resources professional said to me last week.
It is partly because we over emphasise speed at the expense of growth, learning & relationships..
That’s a theme of Tom Peters’ new book “The Excellence Dividend” @tom_peters.
We also often fail to give effective feedback at work.
Finally
What’s the significance of blending mindset & behaviour?
They are key elements of success, performance & happiness.
And getting in the zone or #flow.
Feedback & training & lotus images from Tony Laliashvili http://www.superseniorsfitness.com
Please feel free to comment on this post. You can also contact me here:
To see the original post on LinkedIn click here.
#Volunteering – How People, Process & Purpose are the key & how to attract & retain great volunteers
Importance
Volunteers are important in many areas of life and work.
Think about school governors, charitable organisations, sports organisations and lay magistrates.
I am involved through several organisations, including:
- Membership of a Livery;
- Several sports groups;
- President (& ex Executive Chair) of a faith based membership organisation;
- Adviser to several charities; and as
- Leader of a long established martial arts club.
The People Challenge
It can be a challenge to find and retain good volunteers. Sometimes:
- The people with free time don’t have the skills.
- They do have the skills, but they are not representative of your core group, because they are no longer working.
- They have the skills but receive no training or support and become discouraged.
The example of the Pension fund trustee role
Sometimes the volunteer roles themselves should be paid.
I recently reviewed a trustee role with a pension fund.
It involved a commitment of around 60 days per year of work.
It was not obvious to me why that should be an unpaid volunteer role, given that the organisation was a large commercial organisation, with well paid staff.
The Process Challenge
My early experience as a volunteer
As a Magistrate
I became disillusioned with volunteering in my early 20s.
I was one of the youngest magistrates and one of the few legally qualified.
I did that for five years.
I was unpaid and I also never claimed any expenses. That was partly because they were low and also because the forms were so complicated.
We used to pay for, and eat our lunch, in a local cafe, whereas the court staff had a subsidised canteen.
When I had to change my shifts due to work pressure, there was little support to find a substitute.
As a Legal adviser
I was also a legal adviser to the tenants of one of the largest public sector housing estates in the UK.
That was demanding because the cases were typically complex and involved many underlying social and legal issues.
In both cases, there was no thank you or acknowledgement.
The Purpose Challenge
So why should people volunteer? Here are some reasons (A-F):
1. As an appeal to better nature
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” — Muhammad Ali
“What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.” — Aristotle
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others?” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
2. to Build Learning
I learnt a lot as a magistrate, (one of the youngest ever) including how to:
- Persuade others – we sat in a panel of three and each had one vote, regardless of seniority and all decisions were made by majority voting;
- Make quick decisions – we dealt with lots of cases each day; and
- Evaluate evidence against criteria.
There was little formal training.
But lots of training on the job, with more senior magistrates.
The #MartialArtsPrinciple is #ProperPractice
3. Escape your comfort zone
I was executive chair of a faith based charity.
That rapidly took me outside my comfort zone, because it:
- Covered all the functional areas, like finance, infrastructure, human resources, strategy, operations;
- Had a staff of 15 part timers;
- Owned a building; and
- Involved complex membership, social, education and religious issues; and
- As it was a charity regulated by the Charity Commission, there were also governance issues.
4. Develop your resume and career
Volunteering can be a great thing to add to your CV.
Volunteering is viewed favourably by recruiters.
5. Engage with like minded people and improve fellowship
It’s a good way to meet and make new friends.
So, how can you go about attracting and retaining volunteers?
People
Be clear, but not prescriptive, about the role;
Explain where it sits in the organisation;
Offer support, in a way that works for them, at key times;
Show your appreciation frequently and in a variety of ways; and
Try and make it fun!
Processes
Manage volunteer processes well, with for example, effective meetings & effective communication;
Recognise that some people want a project to deliver, others an ongoing role #KnowTheScore;
Build in opportunities for #ProperPractice & learning.
Purpose
Be clear on your mission & values; and
Show how tasks & activities contribute to mission.
Be prepared to try new things, whilst managing the risks.
“There is NOW – No.One.Way.” #BruceLee
Finally
Good luck!
And remember that the Ark was designed by a volunteer.
Whereas Titanic was designed by professionals.
Note to those involved with volunteers
Please feel free to contact me, using links below, to discuss or comment.
#Transformation: The driving forces & key questions to ask about strategy & delivery #ThriveNotDive
There’s a lot of transformation going on in the public, private and social sectors. There are many driving forces (A-I) including:
- Austerity;
- new Business models;
- Communication changes, especially social media;
- increased Competition;
- increasing Demands for public services;
- Environmental changes;
- Factionalism and tribalism;
- Governance concerns; #Carillion
- Heightened expectations; and
- Inept project management. #TSB
But Transformation programmes often fail.
A failure rate of 80% is often mentioned. Why?
Because organisations don’t think about strategy AND delivery.
Check out the questions below.
Many don’t even consider them before starting a transformation programme.
They regard them as time consuming.
But Prior Preparation Prevents (Piss) Poor Performance. #6Ps
It also prevents:
- Rework;
- Disruption;
- Failure to achieve benefits;
- Poor morale; and
- Much more.
Here are the questions (Along with the relevant #MartialArtsPrinciple):
STRATEGY QUESTIONS
#Simplify
Priorities: What are the real priorities, What REALLY matters?
#KnowTheScore
Purpose: What’s the Why? What is the organisation there to do? Is it still needed?
Performance: What is success and how will it be measured?
#Play2YourStrengths
Positioning: How will the new team fit together? Is there duplication or gaps?
#ManageByPulsebeats
Possibilities: How will governance and risk be affected? Think Northern Rock and Dubai and competition, environment and technological change.
Politics: I worked on the National Identity Card Scheme. It was started by one government and then instantly cancelled by the next.
(future) Proofing: If the only constant is change, how robust & resilient will it be to future changes?
DELIVERY DELIVERY
#FlowlikeWater
Path: What are the steps & sequence and have we got them in the right order?
Projects: Is this initiative being managed as a project and does it fit with other projects?
Pilotage: Transformation needs leadership tailored to the situation.
#PositiveAttitude
People: Are new staff roles, responsibilities, organisation and culture clear?
Partners: What is the impact on external suppliers, partners and other stakeholders?
#PracticeProperly
Processes: How will the work actually be done? What needs to happen to processes, behaviours and systems?
Practice: Have we done this before? What can we practice? Can we try a soft launch?
Progression: Small steps can cumulatively lead to BIG changes. Or must everything we done as a BIG bang?
Practicalities:
- Do the elements of the change fit coherently together?
- What is the cost and timing of the change and transition?
- How will we know when its completed?
- How big and what is the nature of any obstacles?
- What are the benefits and are they sustainable?
Acknowledgements: Comments can be seen below.
Thanks to Jeff Herman, Steve Preston, Paul Tailor, Chris Morley, Andy Neil, John Gelmini all contributed ideas & in some cases new questions.
Note to readers: Please feel free to comment.
You can also contact me here:
Transferring Skills – #ProperPractice & Progression
In life and work, it is easy to underplay the importance of #progression & #practice.
For example:
We put someone in charge of something challenging and totally new for them, like a key event or a tricky project.
We don’t give them any opportunity to practice first or to progress from an easier project.
I have seen this happen in over 20 organisations in my management & consulting career.
YET we know that #ProperPractice , a key #MartialArtsPrinciple makes for better action & results.
They lead to:
- Gradual sustained improvement;
- More confidence and job satisfaction; and
- Less risk, because of awareness of things NOT to do.
Practice is no panacea but we neglect it at our peril.
Note: I recently spoke to a group of Organisation Design specialists, about practice & progression – a key #MartialArtsPrinciple – as a route to improvement.
My argument was that it might be better to have a good design, easily implemented than a great design that is challenging to implement.
Please feel to comment on this post. Or to contact me here:
Image: Shows impact of practice & progression – turning an ordinary press up into a flying one – training @Tony Laliashvili)
#Leadership: What we can learn from NOAH
NOAH was a great leader.
His enterprise – the ark – thrived in scary times.
He was in full command of behaviours & mindset.
He tailored them to the situation and combined them together successfully.
1.BEHAVIOURS
A. FOCUS
NOAH had focus.
He saw the big picture – an upcoming flood.
His mission was to save the world.
He did the right thing.
He build an ark to survive the flood. #KnowTheScore
He was not distracted. #Simplify.
He didn’t build a luxury liner – or become overloaded.
B. ACTION
NOAH took action.
He did things right – the ark was watertight.
He developed a simple process rule – the animals entered two-by-two.
He didn’t merely dream, he delivered the ark on time.
He was a strong project manager.
2. MIND-SET
NOAH had the right mind-set.
He was willing to learn – he had not previously built an ark.
He persevered & kept things going.
He didn’t become disillusioned – he had a #PositiveAttitude.
He created teamwork and listened to junior staff – the doves – when they showed him dry land.
Please feel free to comment this post. You can also contact me here:
Images: childrenandyouth.org; noah’s ark real world replica
NOAH also = Navigated well. Organised others. showed Awareness. made it Happen
Mike Barnato 